spanos

I just booked without a thought a really cheap air ticket from Athens to Tokyo. (744$ - flying Alitalia via Rome, dep. 4/15 and ret. 4/22). So, now I need once more your valuable help!!!

1. I have a full 5 and a half days to spend in Tokyo. Whould you suggest to go and visit Kyoto (staying a night there), or should I stick to Tokyo area and go for a trip to Nikko maybe or Kamakura? Kyoto seems very far from Tokyo on the map, I don't know...

2. I have booked at the Sakura hotel in the Ikebukuro area. Have you ever stayed there? what do you think of the area and the hotel?

More questions to come since I have just started preparations...
Thank you all!!!

thursdaysd

I much preferred Kyoto to Tokyo. They are quite different and I would recommend splitting your time between them. Japanese trains are fast and comfortable - see Hyperdia for schedules.

mrwunrfl

I would look at the cherry blossom forecast to make the decision.

Ikebukuro to Kyoto would be a 3-hour trip. The nominal round-trip fare would be ¥27,000, but it can be had for less. JTB has packages that include one night hotel plus roundtrip shinkansen tix, but I think the departure times are limited. Kyoto deserves more time than you can get from an overnight trip and, given the time an cost, I can't recommend it. It can be done but you have to really want it.

Ikebukuro to Kamakura is only an hour or so, depending on how you go. A day trip, so you would spend no time changing hotels. Fare is ¥890, two changes of train so not something I would do on the first day, at least, in Tokyo.

Ikebukuro to Nikko would be 2.5 to 3 hours. People do visit Nikko as a day trip from Tokyo but I think that spending the night there would be very worthwhile. The round-trip fare on JR would be about ¥9600, but there are cheaper options, e.g.
http://www.tobu.co.jp/foreign/pass/w_heritage_pass.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-302.pdf

I suggest adding Hakone as an option for a day trip or overnight. If you stayed overnight then you could visit Hakone the first day and then Kamakura the next day before returning to Ikebukuro.

mrwunrfl

I googled "shinkansen tours" and the first link was JTB. That links to Japanican which is a site I trust. Here is the info: http://www.japanican.com/en/special/...px#tokyo_kyoto

This JR Central webpage has some info and also links to japanican: english.jr-central.co.jp/shinkansen/tour/

The JR page has links for the Shinkansen Tour, a FLEX ticket option, and a package for Chubu (the central Japan excursion).

mrwunrfl

Here is a hyperlink to the JR Central page:
http://english.jr-central.co.jp/shinkansen/tour/

kja

I far preferred Kyoto.

That said, you might want to spend your time in/around Tokyo. Nikko is definitely worth an overnight stay IMO. Kamakura is worth a LONG day trip.

Planning around the cherry blossoms is a GREAT idea.

Enjoy!

spanos

Thank you all for your quick responses!!! You 've made me starting thinking of splitting my time between Tokyo and Kyoto now (maybe 2 nights in Kyoto and 3 nights in Tokyo).

Kyoto surely is a top destination as far as temples are concerned. But I cannot find the "old town" of the city as we say here in europe. Since Tokyo lacks any traditional areas, a major factor for me to go to Kyoto is to see how japanese towns looked like before the rapid modernization. I believe that there are areas of Kyoto that have retained this traditional image and feeling and I need your nice suggestions here I also need your opinion about what I should definitely see in Kyoto in a 2 days time (I have a problem with the Temples cause there are so many of them and they all look fascinating!!!).

@mrwunrfl, @kja Yes, I agree that I should definitely see the Cherry Blossom days, but unfortuntely I can't go earlier than the 15th of April. It seems I will lose it for only a few days and you can't imagine how sad I feel . I see the pics and I cry!

More questions to come the following days... Counting on you guys!!!

DonTopaz

spanos, the closest that you'll find to "old town" in Kyoto is probably the Gion quarter -- great area to walk around. You'll especially like Shirakawa, a very picturesque street, which is very close to Gion.

mrwunrfl

Seeing cherry blossoms in Japan at that time of year is a function of latitude and elevation.

Gion, Kyoto, has an 'old town' area: http://tinyurl.com/lbgtlxa

The Miyako Odori is held in Gion in April. I loved it. If this www.kyoto.travel/miyako_odori_wo.html interests you then I suggest that you not miss it at any cost. I attended it with emd and her daughter (Celine, IIRC).

If you have a particular interest in an 'old town' visit then Takayama deserves mention. It has an old-style merchant street, a few 'heritage houses', and the Takayama Jinya (which I really liked, tho YMMV). http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5903.html

mrwunrfl

Forgot to mention that one time I was in Takayama during the festival which is held April 14-15 and the cherry trees had buds. In other years there might have been blooms at that time or the week after. Also, the weather was not pleasant, a bit chilly and some rain.

mrwunrfl

Pontocho, Kyoto:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3921.html
http://tinyurl.com/kparh63

thursdaysd

"Since Tokyo lacks any traditional area" - well, you might visit the Asakusa and Ueno areas.

Mara

I have stayed twice in the Yanaka area of Tokyo which is also more traditional and even has a street with many temples.....it is near Ueno: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3068.html

spanos

A big Thank you for your replies!!!

So here is my plan:
Arrive in Tokyo 4/16.
Take the train the next day for Kyoto.
Spend 2 days in Kyoto(17 and 18).
Leave on the 19th for Tokyo.
Stay in Tokyo the 19th, 20th, 21th.

I have booked the Ryokan Kyoraku hotel in Kyoto. This seems like a traditional japanese style accomodation with futon beds (don't know what these are but I'm sure I will have to sleep at the floor). Do you know if I have to make the bed myself in the night?

And now I come to the most difficult part of my preparations. Train tickets. Is it better for me to buy a 7 week ticket pass for the above itinenary? Does it include transfer from and to the airport? What would you do in my place???

Mara

I think you mean a 7 day JR Pass....here is some info:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
You need to purchase the voucher in your country before you leave. Then in Japan you go to the JR office at the airport and exchange it for the pass.

Since you will actually be on the ground for seven days, I think: April 16 through 22 - the pass will cover your trips to Narita on the N'ex - Narita Express...assuming you are landing in Narita, that is...

hawaiiantraveler

If you are going to do Kyoto at that time check if this deal would work for you. You will be too late for cherry blossoms for the most part in Tokyo and Kyoto.

http://www.japanican.com/en/special/...sen/index.aspx

Aloha!

mrwunrfl

Your flight arrives at 10:25 AM, so you could go to Kyoto that day though it would be about a 4-hour trip.

I see that the Sakura Hotel rate for a single room is ¥7,000. I took a look at the japanican link that ht gave and didn't see any hotel option that would come close to that rate. I think it was over ¥52,000 for rt rail plus 2 nights in Kyoto. Would have to add on about ¥6,000 for the airport transfers.

Or did you book the dormitory room at ¥3,300?

In your place, the first thing I would do is find affordable lodging in Kyoto. What is your budget for that?

I would get a 7-day JR Pass. It will cover Narita Airport -> Ikebukuro -> Kyoto -> Tokyo -> maybe a few JR rides in Tokyo -> Narita Airport. All for ¥28,300.
http://japanrailpass.net/eng/en005.html
JTB, 42,Amalias Av, Athens,10558 GREECE

kja

OK, I'm going to raise another option, simply because I think Kyoto and Nara deserve SO much more time than the OP can give them and because I think there is plenty for the OP to do in / around Tokyo, even if "newer" Japan is not the focus of this trip --

Spend a few days in Tokyo. If your interest is in "old" Japan (as mine was) spend your time in places like Asakusa, Ueno, and Meiji Jingu. That can easily take a day or two (perhaps even more), depending on how much time you devote to the museums (including the magnificent National Museum) in Ueno. Add in the time it will take to visit the Edo Museum, take in a show of kabuki, maybe stop at the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum (known for its woodcuts) or Imperial Palace Garden -- that's another day. Spend a day or so visiting some of Tokyo's other sites -- surely, there is SOMETHING of interest!?!

Go to Nikko for an overnight. Visit the shrines and temples in Nikko and go to Chuzenji, taking time to view Kegan-no-taki waterfall, see the lake, and maybe visit that area a bit. Maybe take advantage of one of the hot spring resorts around Lake Chuzenji.

Take a day trip to Kamakura, visiting temples in Kita-Kamakura and then Kamakura and then take the little train to visit Hasadera and the Daibutsu.

Out of time! You might even have to CUT something from that plan! AND without the costs of going to Kyoto.

Again, I preferred Kyoto to Tokyo, but with such limited time, I question why one would spend so much time and money to see a bit of Kyoto when one can use one's limited time seeing treasures nearer to Tokyo.

Obviously, just my opinion!

spanos

@Kja You are absolutely right. That is what I was thinking when booking the ticket. To stay only in Tokyo and visit the suroundings (Nikko in particular and maybe Kamakura). But after some research I found out that large parts of the famous shrines of Nikko are covered with scaffolding for maintainace. On the other hand, taking the Shinkansen is part of the Japan experience and who knows wheather I will ever visit Japan again.
I know, cost arises and the time is very limited but check at my plan:
I will arrive in Kyoto I believe around noon (maybe earlier). The hotel I booked is very close to the central station (Ryokan Kyoraku), so will lose no time finding and settling in the hotel. After my check in I will head directy to the Nijo Castle and after that I will visit the Golden Pavilion and the Ninanji Temple (they look quite close to each other and I think I can manage both). I will finish the day strolling the Nishiki market and eating there. The next day will be dedicated to the eastern part of Kyoto. I will visit the Sanjusangendo temple, walk the Higashiyama District which looks so nice, visit the Kiyomizudera Temple, and finish at the Gion district attending a Miyako - Odori performance as mrwunrfl suggested.
Don't you think with this plan I will be able to see the best of Kyoto? (too tight I know, but it's better than No Kyoto at all). If you feel that in these two areas (nothern and eastern) there is a temple or a garden I shouldn't miss please tell me!!!!

@mrwunrfl Thank you for your comprehensive, greek detailed, information. Didn't know there is an agent here in Athens providing JR passes. I will check it. I have booked single rooms with private bath both in Tokyo and Kyoto (around 50 euros (7000 yen) per day - no breakfast). I booked in a hurry for Kyoto cause many of the hotels are already fully booked. Do you think it's too expensive?

@hawaiiantraveler Too late for cherryblossoms??? I was hoping I had a little chance of catching some fading Hanamis... (sniff)

@Mara Thanks for the info! With the airport transfers included the JR pass looks like a good bargain!

Once more thanks again guys!!! I really appreciate!!!

Kavey

Nishiki Market is not open late, so is not a suitable evening dining destination. I recall the various shops closing between 5 and 6 pm, on both our visits. Perhaps I'm mistaken, and some stay open later.