gfeibleman

We have decided to book a flight to japan for next September using miles before uniteds mileage increase kicks in. This will be our first trip to Asia.
We can be gone as long as 3 weeks. We have no preconception of what to see or where to go.
Hoping you fodorites will be able to suggest an itinerary that will give us a blend of traditional and modern, large and small...etc. in other words, if you were planning a trip for some newbie friends, what would it look like?
we are active 60's and no strangers to independent travel. We tend to be 3* and 4* travelers for accommodations . Thanks

kja

You'll find a wealth of information at japan-guide.com

Also browse this site for destination information, trip reports, planning threads, and so forth.

gfeibleman

thanks. will do

hawaiiantraveler

Click on my screen name and read a few of my trip reports on Japan to get a few ideas. I can answer in more detail when we return from vacation next week.

Aloha!

kalihiwai2

HT is quite right, by using the search function and following his and other trip reports you can get an idea of possible itinerary options.
As a rule a first trip would take in Kanto (Tokyo) area , Kansai (Kyoto/ Nara) area with a side trip or two to Nikko or Hiroshima/Miyajima. With three weeks you could add another destination.
Kanazawa, Nagano or a Onsen destination.
A rail pass gives you the freedom to travel the length of the country in relative ease and comfort.
Accommodations range from budget economy chains ( Toyoko Inns) to Onsen ryokans with gourmet meal packages.
These web sites can give you an idea of areas and attractions that might interest you.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/engli.../archives.html
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/engli.../archives.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/

Use these with the Japan Guide

Also lately there have been posts of budget in country airfares that might be of use if you wanted to see Hokkaido or Kyushu.
Hope you have a great trip

gfeibleman

Thanks to those who responded. And a big Aloha back to Hawaiiantraveler as we plan to visit our Hawaiian niece who is working in Japan at the Jet program.
We have now decided that our trip will be 2-3 weeks (depending on when we can book a mileage trip back home). Arriving Tokyo on or about 10/22/14 as we plan to book tomorrow.
Anyone making plans for a Japan trip in late October to early November? It would be fun to meet up with someone
Next comes the real planning

kja

I suspect you'll want closer to 3 weeks!

KimJapan

The more time the better I agree. Consider flying into Tokyo and out of elsewhere as an open jaw to save time/expense of trains back to Tokyo and maximize the ground you can cover. Do your calculations for JR Pass carefully and keep in mind that sometimes it isn't worthwhile; consider that although a pass allows you to travel "free" during its validity it also may compel you to move more than you otherwise would or should to "get your money's worth."

For hotels, it's easier to recommend based on an amount of money rather than star rating. Even business hotels are almost always clean.

Sue_xx_yy

KimJapan raises a valuable point. What variable are you willing to vary - the quality of accommodation or the cost of your trip? If cost is fixed, would you prefer 14 days at the comfort level of your choice, or 21 days but with compromise on comfort to some degree?

Bear in mind that as for real estate in general, the number one determinant of hotel price is location, location, location. Hotels in Osaka, for example, are significantly less on average than hotels in Kyoto, and some people do indeed daytrip into Kyoto from Osaka - but I'd cheerfully stay in a 2 star in Kyoto than a 3 star in Osaka.

So convenience, not just room quality, is a very personal choice, but it will affect a lot of your purchase decisions.

Craig

I don't know where you are based, but if you usually connect through Washington Dulles or Chicago O'Hare, also check availability on United's Star Alliance partner ANA. We had to call but we were able to use miles and include a free connecting flight from Osaka to Tokyo as part of our itinerary.

gfeibleman

We are flying out of Portland . We have star alliance miles for united and ANA. We also have Alaska miles that allow us to fly delta or American . Based on responses we will do 3 weeks. Last week of October and 1st 2 weeks in November . Some of the flights fly to DFW or O'Hare before heading to japan but all seem to be Tokyo . We are open to what works best as long as we can snag business class for 100k miles R/T
When you say free connecting flight do you mean on a leg in or leg out or an extra flight mid trip?

This will be a big bucket list trip so convenience will be more important than cost
If we fly in to Tokyo and out of somewhere else, what do you recommend?
Last rail pass I had was 1973 eurail pass so it's been awhile but I understand the idea of mapping out the trains vs time in terms of cost effectiveness. My wife prefers more time in fewer places ( more home base locations) but we are experienced travelers in the 2-3-4 kind of overnight trips.

Craig

We went last week of October and first week of November this year as you probably already know from reading my trip report. With your 3rd week, you should catch a bit more foliage than we did. Starting in Tokyo and ending in Kyoto might also be a good strategy for you, especially because Kyoto's foliage was the best, even when we were there. If you end in Kyoto, you can fly out of Osaka on ANA and connect with either ANA or perhaps United in Tokyo. Our connecting flight was in economy but it was short - about an hour. There may also be direct flights from KIX, I don't know. If you arrive and depart on Star Alliance flights, you can get a reduced rate on any internal ANA flights you may need.

gfeibleman

Thanks. I just checked and we can book an open jaw return from Osaka (ITM) to Tokyo back to west coast on ANA via Star Alliance miles. So maybe we will plan the trip top end in Kyoto. HOw does 5 nights Kyoto sound?

Kathie

We had just over two weeks and spent 6 nights in Kyoto. There was a lot we didn't see - we didn't make it to Nara, for instance. If I had three weeks, I'd spend at least 7 nights in Kyoto. Kyoto has so much to see and do.

Craig

We had 5 nights in Kyoto and found it sufficient for a first trip. As you know, we did the day trip to Nara. I think our pace was reasonable - out by 9 AM give or take, in by 5 PM at the latest. You have 3 weeks, which will allow you to explore more than central Japan...

kja

I spent 4 nights/ 4 full days in Kyoto and 2 nights / 2 full days in Nara. I could easily have spent more time in the area.

mrwunrfl

>>When you say free connecting flight do you mean on a leg in or leg out or an extra flight mid trip?

It means not mid-trip, i.e. no Japan stopover on a trip to Japan. You can add to the leg in AND/OR the leg out. But, booking a one-way domestic Japan flight costs only 6,000 miles and no taxes.

For example, PDX-SFO-NRT-CTS (Sapporo) outbound. KMQ-NRT-SFO-PDX (KMQ is Komatsu, use for visiting Kanazawa) inbound. Or reverse either of those.

Another option is to fly via Seoul (ICN) on Asiana. Asiana is wonderful in first class and their new business class (Quadra Smartium) looks really nice.

United has nonstops KIX<->SFO.

I avoided that and flew Asiana in F to Seoul then biz class to Osaka (KIX). Leaving from LAX to Osaka made a connection necessary, so choosing Asiana was easy for me. Using Asiana to KIX would add a stop for you (ICN) vs using United SFO-KIX, but Asiana first class is so much better than United Global First that it is well worth considering.

My return was Toyama-ICN-LAX, biz class then first. I would have enjoyed ICN-LAX more if it had been longer, the service, food, seat was that good.

Asiana does not have daily service to some cities in Japan (like Toyama). But daily to Tokyo and Osaka, for sure. I think they have good connections from Hiroshima (HIJ).

I will end my love-fest-with-Asiana post now.

mrwunrfl

And ANA has that Seattle-Tokyo nonstop which might work for you assuming you mean Portland OR and not ME.

Kavey

I was the Japan newbie ahead of our first trip last year. We loved it so very much we went back again this year. And we'll certainly go back again, that much is certain.

Our first trip, last year was as follows: We flew into and out of Tokyo and had 17 nights on the ground. Our itinerary was 2 nights Tokyo, 2 nights Takayama (coinciding with the autumn festival), 1 night Nara, 5 nights Kyoto, 1 night Koyasan, 1 night Osaka, 1 night Miyajima and then 4 nights back in Tokyo. This trip was in October.

This worked very well for us.

This year we returned for 19 nights, in late October/ early November. We did a single night in Tokyo, then 6 nights Kyoto, 2 nights Osaka, 2 nights Kumamoto, 2 nights Kurokawa Onsen, 2 nights Yufuin, 2 nights Fukuoka and then a last 2 nights in Tokyo. We had a rental car in Kyushu which we picked up on leaving Kumamoto and returned on arrival into Fukuoka. Driving in Kyushu was one of the biggest pleasures of our time there.

As others have said, don't underestimate how much time Kyoto merits on its own. The same goes for Tokyo too, actually. I think it's better to give yourself plenty of time in these two cities as there is just so very much to see and do.

In Kyoto particularly, I'd suggest 5 nights for Kyoto itself and then additional nights for either day trips or overnights in places like Nara, Koya-san, Osaka... and you can easily do an overnight to Hiroshima/ Miyajima too.

If I were planning a trip for friends who didn't have time to do all the reading and research themselves, I'd suggest an itinerary similar to my first one, perhaps skipping Takayama if their trip didn't coincide with the festival, though it's wonderful place to visit nonetheless, just a bit out of the way from the rest. Then again, train travel is wonderful and the views are one of the pleasures of the holiday.

It's really tempting to squeeze down on time in the two main cities in exchange for fitting in more places but personally I think it's best to give these places their full due and come back for another trip, once they hook you in!

PS Instead of Takayama, I'd suggest trip from Tokyo to either Hakone or Nikko, neither of which I've done yet but will do next time!

tower

Just a quick note for you, feibleman...while in Kyoto, think about visiting the I.M. Pei, Miho Museum...an experience to savor. It's 15-minutes by train to a connecting bus for a forty minute drive through the countryside, to a mind-boggling location, surrounded by forests. You can be back in Kyoto by 3-4.(See pics below)

stu tower