whitecloudorillia

6 of us will be cruising from Tokyo to Shanghai this coming Sept/ Oct. I have a couple of ?s that I hope some seasoned Asian travellers can help me with.

First of all, what can we expect weather wise?

And. . . .what sites would you recommend visiting in Kyoto? We have booked a 7 hr day tour with a private driver & can submit our own requests. Fushimi Inari Shrine & Kinkaku-ji (Golden) temple look interesting but we don't want to fill the whole day with shrines. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the help.

Prachuap

I hired a pushbike to visit temples. Dont need to book a tour. The area where the Gheisa girls come out is great to see around 5pm to 6pm.

Kathie

www.weatherbase.com for weather info. Check each city.

A day for Kyoto? We spent 5 or 6 full days there and didn't see all we wanted to see. I found the gardens of the temples and shrines more interesting than the temples and shrines themselves. Arashiyama was our favorite area. Fushimi Inari was also stunning. The distances are large, and you will appreciate having a car and driver. You might find our photos helpful http://www.marlandc.com/japan-2013.html

If you can take more time for Kyoto, you will be well-rewarded.

krgystn

the weather should be beautiful that time of year, that is one of the best times to go. A bit early for the fall colors but great weather.

kja

As Kathie said, keep in mind that the joy of visiting a Japanese shrine or temple is often its garden, not the buildings per se.

For more info on Kyoto:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2158.html

whitecloudorillia

Thank you everyone for your input.

Biking would be fun, but we are cruising so will be docked in Osaka. & have to get to Kyoto. 4 of us are using the local transit in Yokohama/ Tokyo, but we thought we'd hire a driver for Kyoto as the other couple travellingswitch us ismnervous about using the public transit. We are docked for 2 days in Osaka/ Kyoto arriving at 11am day 1 & leaving at 6pm day 2. Our tour is booked for 8 hours on day 2. I wanted to make sure we made good use of the time seeing the best sites. We will be sure to include Arashiyama along with Fushimi Inari, Katie.

For day 1 we thought we'd see some of Osaka.

kja

There is SO much to see in Kyoto that you might want to consider spending both your days there.

Prachuap

Osaka is a modern city while Kyoto is traditional style.

I didnt find Osaka all that interesting so I would suggest just focus on Kyoto.

Kavey

If I had just two days in the area, I too would give both to Kyoto over Osaka. It's not that Osaka doesn't have things to do and see but that, for me anyway, they pale into insignificance next to all that Kyoto has to offer and just one day in Kyoto is very tight indeed.

That said, I did enjoy the food market in Osaka, it's quite different to Nishiki in Kyoto.

Dotonbori was just a flashy neon-lit district full of restaurants - if you're on a cruise I'm guessing you'll be eating your evening meals on board, so may not get much out of Dotonbori anyway. If you do eat ashore, can I suggest either yakiniku or kushiage dinner in Osaka.

whitecloudorillia

Wow! I just checked out Katie's weather site. . . That's awesome. We'll be sure to bring umbrellas! The advice to spend both days in Kyoto seems unanimous. I'll discuss it with my companions & research using the local trains to get there and back. . . .& pray that there's lots of signs in English! Thank you everyone.

Kathie

The train stations are pretty well marked. The train system in Japan is marvelous.

Smeagol

There are plenty of signs in English. Kyoto is fabulous, enjoy Make sure you go to the Rock Villa. Actually we did about an 8 hours tour and saw a lot of temples/ shrines but I can honestly say we didn't get temples out. Go to the Silver Temple too. Also walk along the Philosphers path... I wil find the name of the temple we went to a Sunset, beautiful views of Kyoto. And the colours at that time of day magical.

mrwunrfl

Osaka is a foodie destination. The saying is that "Kyotoites are ruined by overspending on clothing, Osakans are ruined by overspending on food", tho it doesn't have to be expensive. Osaka-style okonomiyaki is a must-eat.

If you go to Kyoto on Day 1 then you would you be spending the night in Kyoto or back on the boat? I think the subway station you would use at the port is Osakako and you could get from there to Kyoto station in 55 minutes (subway to Bentocho then JR special rapid svc to Osaka station then JR special rapid to Kyoto).

Osaka Castle and Spa World are two places to visit in Osaka that I can recommend.

The boat docks at 11AM. How much time from then to when you are off the boat and have yen in your pocket? I suppose that you will have gone through immigration and customs at Yokohama and that you will already have cash, so maybe not long at all.

someotherguy

Whatsinport dot com, which is generally accurate, suggests the nearest transit point to the port is Nakafuto on the New Tram: http://www.whatsinport.com/Osaka.htm . It takes quite a few connections to get to Kyoto so with 6 of you, a van or limmo might make sense.

whitecloudorillia

Smeagol: Would the evening temple you went to be Fushimi Inari.? In my readings I've encountered many comments on its beauty at sunset. I take it from your 8 hour tour of Kyoto, the Siver Temple & Philosphers Path should also be included. I googled Rock Villa, but am not sure of that location. Could you help clarify that one? Thanks

OK . . For our 8 hr tour with driver we've listed . ..Fushimi Inari, the Golden Temple, the Silver Temple, Philosophers Path, Rock Villa, Arashlyama, & a geisha sighting! That will be a full day for sure!

Thanks so much.

Smeagol

No it wasn't Fushimi as we did that later on the in week on our own. I will dig out the name of the Temple and the proper name for the rock garden and post them ( I'll do it later as on my way out now)

Prachuap

I didnt notice Osaka being better for food.

mrwunrfl

On food in Osaka:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4022.html

The whatsinport link mentions that ships dock at Tempozan Pier and that there is a subway stop at Tempozan Harbor Village. The ferris wheel shown on the map at the following link is in the Tempozan Harbor Village:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4010.html

The pin on the Google image at whatsinport is on the South Port island. There is an international ferry port there and there may be commercial shipping piers, but looks like cruise ships go to Tempozan.

The japan-guide map shows Nakafuto is two stops away from Cosmo Square and the end of the subway line that goes thru Osakako to Bentencho. From Bentencho then the two JR Rapid trains to Kyoto.

mrwunrfl

and the Tempozan Harbor Village subway stop would be Osakako.

Orcas

Check to see if Bunraku theater is playing in Osaka when you are there. It is amazing. You get an English earpiece so can understand it.