Hi everyone

Off to Japan in a few months time, at long last!

Already bought my ticket for late Feb'09.

The trip will be evenly split with the 1st week based in Tokyo and the 2nd based in Osaka.

It's still early days but this is my draft itinerary:

Day 00 - LHR - ...

Day 01 - ... - NRT (Get NEX+Suica card. Proceed to Kayabacho subway station)

Day 02 - Tokyo

Day 03 - Tokyo

Day 04 - Tokyo

Day 05 - Tokyo

Day 06 - Hakone (Mt Fuji Hakone 1Day Motorcoach Tour)

Day 07 - Kamakura & Enoshima (Kamakura Enoshima Free Kippu)

Day 08 - Tokyo --> Osaka (activate JR 7 Day Pass)

Day 09 - Kyoto

Day 10 - Kyoto

Day 11 - Himeji & Kobe

Day 12 - Nara

Day 13 - Hiroshima & Miyajima

Day 14 - Osaka (late shopping, return-to-the-UK-mode, etc)

Day 15 - ITM - NRT - LHR


The above seems to be the sensible compromise (ie, 3 days in Kyoto or 1 day in Nara, whether or not to include Nikko, etc).

Being a Tokyo first-timer, I think 4 days should allow me some time to adjust!

Feel free to critique, suggest or trash!

Many thanks.

 

Depending on what your interests are, you may want to switch the amount of time spent in Kyoto and Tokyo. If you like traditional Japanese culture, spend more time in Kyoto. If you like hip, trendy Japan, spend more time in Tokyo.

Kamakura and Enoshima are an easy day trip from Tokyo, so you don't have to move out of your Tokyo hotel. It takes about an hour to reach Kamakura, and there are four or five trains per hour.

You will be going to the Fuji-Hakone area at a season when you are actually likely to see Mount Fuji, although of course, it is closed to climbing.

See if you can get an "open-jaw" trip, flying home from KIX instead of returning from ITM to NRT, you may save the cost of the ITM>NRT flight as well as some time sitting around in airports. There is non-stop, frequent JR service from Kyoto and parts of Osaka to KIX.

Also, I would base myself in Kyoto, not in Osaka, which doesn't have a lot of attractions for the first-time visitor. If you're thinking of convenience for rushing around western Japan by train, Kyoto is actually only about 20 minutes east of Osaka by Shinkansen.

 

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But basically - what ksandness said.

 

I think I am with ksandness on this. Another day in Kyoto and a day less in Tokyo sounds better - as does a hotel in Kyoto instead of Osaka. Unless, that is, you are anticipating nightlife and partying. Then, Osaka might be preferable.

It seems that you already have your air tickets so perhaps a change to depart from KIX or NGO is not in the cards. Pity, as it would make things much easier. If that change would not be too expensive, do consider it.

Since you are not returning to Tokyo via shinkansen, it doesn't really matter when the Rail Pass expires. You will be paying for the bus out to ITM and the flight ITM-NRT anyway. With that in mind, may I suggest something like:

Day 0 & 1 - as listed.

Day 2 - 4 - Tokyo

Day 5 & 6 - Day trips as listed, or mix in with above day 2-4.

Day 7 - Tokyo >> Kyoto (start JR Pass)

Day 8 - 13 - Kyoto and day trips - Hiroshima, Himeji, Nara, Osaka, etc.
(end of Rail Pass.)

Day 14 - Kyoto / Osaka local.

Day 15 - Kyoto-ITM-NRT-home.

Or something like that.

JR

 

Yeah, I'd go one more day further south also. If you don't want to spend more time visiting temples and historical things in Kyoto, you could do another trip out from Kyoto/Osaka--Kurashiki, Hikone, Meiji Mura . . . .

We're currently planning a trip for October that includes Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, and we're staying in Osaka, too. With your itinerary, there isn't much difference in convenience, as Osaka is closer to Miyajima and Kobe, and Nara is between Osaka and Kyoto.

The only thing I do not like so well about Osaka vs. Kyoto is staying out late at night. Kyoto is somewhere where we will want to spend some time at night, and then instead of going back to the hotel, we will need to take a train trip to get back to the hotel. However, if you are interested in Osaka at night also (we really aren't) it balances out.

 

Looks good to me! more time spent in Kyoto vs Tokyo is subjective. Depends how much "garden, shrine, and temple fatigue" you might have after 2 days in Kyoto if you don't switch it up. I know it was harder for me to appreciate the beauty after the fourth or fifth beautiful garden in one day. Probably just poor planning on my part, though. No major changes, though.

 

here my suggestion. skip all the gardens in tokyo because theyre no good, and head right to kyoto. right laplap and abmj-jr?

pj

 

Did not realize that the Emperor and his gardens had moved back to Kyoto.

 

I suspect our morbid grasp on the idea of a 1.5 day Tokyo itinerary has led to the creation of a new Japan Forum Yōkai.

I feel partly to blame. Sumimasen.

 

I would call it the FT Uyoku.

 

I would concur with all the suggestions to shorten the time in Tokyo. Instead of adding to Kyoto, you might want to visit somewhere else. Personally, I think Kanazawa and the Noto Peninsula are well worth a visit and provide a somewhat different experience than the other cities you mention.

 

^ Kanazawa in the snow is pretty - particularly the Kenrokuen, which is a "good" garden rather than a "no good" garden. (Things are so much clearer to me now that I've studied poppajon's evaluation method).

But I'd skip the Noto peninsula in the bleak midwinter.

 

Many thanks for all feedback!

Open jaw is not possible as I�ll be flying with ANA which, as far as I�m aware, doesn�t do KIX - LHR.

The cost of LHR-NRT (rtn) was the same as LHR-NRT + ITM-NRT-LHR so I went for it. In other words, I�m not paying anything extra for the domestic flight and it makes the return leg much easier too!

In Tokyo one of the things I'm looking forwarding to is loosing myself somewhere in Akihabara and perhaps even buying a couple of things to bring home.

Although temple'ing is quite high on my agenda, mainly in Kyoto and Nara, I want to avoid overdoing it.

I also want to have a go at another main interest of mine: food!! Although I don't consider myself a noodle person (rice is my thing ), I'm quite keen to indulge in sushi, sashimi and also curious to try Okonomiyaki.

I also have an interest in Nanban art, hence the (short) visit to Kobe.

Lastly, I like the Kanazawa suggestion. I'm not sure though how feasible it would be to get there, from either Tokyo or Osaka.

 

Kanazawa happens to be a prominent part of my next itinerary in the spring. From either Tokyo Station or even better Ueno Station in Tokyo, it is 4 hours to 4:20 on the shinkansen with one train change. From Shin-Osaka, less than 3 hours with no changes and about 2:15 from Kyoto, also with no changes.

Hyperdia is your friend, particularly if using a Japan Rail Pass. When using the Pass, be sure to check the box "Excepts Nozomi."

http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi .

JR

 

You'll see a good deal of pretty snow covered mountain scenery on the way from Tokyo to Kanazawa. There are a number of very nice ryokan & onsen in the area. The food is quite good in Kanazawa and there is a nice market you can tour. The historical sights are also different from what you'll see in Kyoto & Nara.

As mentioned above, it is a pretty easy train ride from there to Kyoto.