6 days in Tokyo
 

Hi, I am trying to figure out the most cost effective/plesant way to include an overnight trip to Kyoto.While maintaining our Tokyo hotel room. I have written to a couple of tour companies but, as of yet,I have had no responses. I am taking my 74yr mother, she is in good health. I just want to make things as smooth as possible. (I have travelled a good deal on my own and do not mind getting lost, when there are no witnesses, the thought of being responsible for someone elses well being is making me want to cover all my bases)
I am a little nervous about how easy it will be to handle the mass transit there. We are staying in the Hilton in Shinjuko.
Would I be better off buying train tickets here(USA) for us and make reservations on my own for a place to stay in Kyoto or would a package for 19900yn-23000yn (Sunrise tours) be a good deal? The pkg. does not include trans. to and from train station in both Tokyo and Kyoto to/from Hotel (I have read of pricey cab rides and will be avoiding cabs) Will the pass that I can get in USA be a better option for more use?
It sounds as though the tour companies give you your train/bus tickets and say "have at it" and "find your way back to your Hotel with the map we provide you".Would I be better off doing it on my own?...or am i overlooking something(s).
I appreciate any input you can provide

Best!

Bonjour Fredex,

Aah, the joys of taking mom to Japan ! (second time for me next May) ;-).

Public transportation in Japan is easy and reliable, going from Shinjuku to Tokyo (Jr Chuo or Yamanote lines) or Shinagawa (Yamanote) stations are two of the easiest rides in Tokyo.

Kyoto is easier to navigate, traffic is less horrendous, and the odd taxi ride won't break the bank.

Florence,
Thank you for your reply.
I guess your mother enjoyed it since she is going back with you. Glad to hear it!
Would you have any suggestions for "must see" things or places? Did you buy a train pass?
Thanks again.

Fredex

You're right, she definitely loved it. Her neighbours have considered emigrating rather than being shown the slides once more, and I'm sure they'll award me a medal for the respite (then they'll damn me for not leaving her there ;-) )

Definitely buy a railpass, it will cover part of your transportation costs in Tokyo and saves money, and hassle, on intercity travels.

The must sees will depend on what your mother likes (temples, museums, nature, architecture, shopping, ...), but there is enough of all in both cities, except for much nature in Tokyo.

One of the best source of up to date information on Kyoto is Kyoto Visitors guide http://www.kyotoguide.com/index/index.html

We were in Tokyo and Kyoto recently. I would be more cautious about accessibilities of public transportations. While we are in good health, the public transport there assume you can handle many times more walking and going up and down the stairs than travelling in the USA. If you actually list where you want to go, you would get more specific access info. You should not totally rule out the cabs; while they are pricy, I seemed to have paid Y1000 easily for 10min rides, some travel require several bus/subway changes to make taxi a good option.

I don't think it is cost effective to make a one night trip to Kyoto. You'll spend 6 hours just for round trip travel. That doesn't leave much time for sightseeing. I'd rather stay two nights and, when returning to Tokyo, pick a hotel near Tokyo station for the last night (assuming you are leaving from Naritia).

Also, I hope you don't mean to say you would pay for your Tokyo hotel room AND a Kyoto hotel on the same night.

You could pick a hotel near the Kyoto Station, and through the concierge, arrange a one-day tour of Kyoto which would be the most efficient way to see the main sights, though surely not all of Kyoto. The major temples (Ginkakuji, Kinkakuji, Kiyomizudera, Roanji, Nijo-jo, Heian Shrine and Gion District) are all very spread out so a one-day bus tour would be the best.

But, I don't think you have to pay for a RT Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo guided tour since the JR Shinkansen train is exceedingly easy to use. You should consider buying a 7 day JR pass (purchase a voucher from a US based travel agency before you go to Japan) as this will cover the cost of the Tokyo to Kyoto train ticket, plus the Narita Express to/from the airport at less cost than separately purchased tickets. Plus you can ride the JR lines in Tokyo using the pass.

I believe that the Hilton in Shinjuku should be able to help you arrange a day tour to Kyoto once you arrive in Japan...there are many, many travel agencies, and all of them sell basically the same tours for English speakers. Although we are American, we always stay at Hiltons in Japan when we go to the "big cities" and have had only excellent service there. When my parents visited, they enjoyed the Osaka Hilton very much. You could arrange a tour that begins either in Tokyo or in Kyoto...often the ones that would begin in Tokyo will have a highly discounted train ticket included or provide bus transport.

The Hilton in Shinjuku is very nice. It's about a 20 minute walk from Shinjuku station. The hotel runs a shuttle bus periodically, or a cab would cost under 1000 yen.

Mass transit is cost effective and efficient, but may not best serve an older person...many subway stations have only stairs, no escalators. Elevators are becoming more and more available, but you need to call an attendant to use them...not impossible to do, but it will take time and a bit of "to do". Depending on your mother's personality, she may be embarrassed by the attention using the elevator brings her. Even the stations themselves are often huge, with multiple entrances and exits spaced very far apart (often more than 20 different exits). There is often a good walk between your destination and the place where you get the train...something to keep in mind.

Cab rides for short distances aren't badly priced. You can certainly inquire about the price before you commit to riding in the cab. Cabs are certainly nice for a trip from the hotel to the station or from temple to temple in Kyoto. We've used them without breaking the bank.

I'm not sure I'd recommend going to Kyoto for such a short time, especially considering your short stya in Japan. If you really want to go, then you may well be best served by a tour - no time wasted getting lost. You might also want to consider that Tokyo itself is packed with temples, and nearby there are plenty of places of interest to visit that aren't nearly as far...you could do them in a day trip and use your hotel room. Kamakura, Yokohama, Hakone might all be interesting.

If you do plan on using JR trains to travel outside of Tokyo, then a JR pass would probably be cost effective. A one week pass is around the same price as round trip shinkansen tickets between Tokyo and Kyoto, for reference. Shinkansen fares are the most expensive fares...so if you were going to use local trains to tour just around Tokyo, it may not work out in your favor.

Kim

Florence,Kim,LeslieC, and Nickn

Thank you for sharing your insight. This gives me a more stability in my decision making abilities.
I felt as though I was having to chose between door #1,#2,or door #3 (the fear being my choice would reward me with "Jay" the anouncer sitting on a wheel less rickshaw with the "wah wah waaah", that accompanied bad choices.
I appreciate you taking the time to give such thoughtful reponses.... I sound as though I am gushing cause I am! I have e-mailed a couple of tour companies and no responses. I have also been told to "go to our web-site" by the country's travel office... I wonder if that lady who "works" there realizes that she is making it very easy for an automated system to eliminate her job?
In my marathon reading I saw the concept of $100-$200 taxi rides as being the norm, thanks for clearing that up.
I think everything will be of interst to us. We will enjoy historical, contemporary and really anything that we encounter in Japanese culture. Though, I fear when and if my mother encounters her first Asian style toilet. She has not been to Asia. Thanks so much!
FREDEX

Fredex2000-

LeslieC asked if you intended to really pay for your room while you were away in Kyoto. I had the same notion of going that route as well thinking I could just do a day trip to Kyoto. I know I was crazy for thinking of doing this, but I never thought anyone else would think along those lines. :) Nevertheless, it is really a hassle to go from one hotel in one city to another a hotel in a neighboring city and back to find a hotel in the original city. Anywho, I noticed you respond to that question.

The bus tour does sound nice. I wonder if a bus tour would allow me to see more then I could for 1 day on my own 2 feet. If a tour would do the trick then I think it's feasible to take a few day trips around Japan on a Railpass without giving up your original hotel.

Hey Bigfeet,

Yes, I got a great package that included hotel through Singapore Air. So, I really had no choice in the matter,But, the idea of leaving all but 1 days change of clothes and toiletries seemed appealing all the same.

I am now getting a feeling that 6 days may not be enough for including a trip to Kyoto, but that may change as I learn more.

I'm leaving for Tokyo on the 8th, a spur of the moment sort of thing. I guess I get off on the adrenaline rush?

fredex

Just a few added thoughts in response to KimJapan's thoughtful post and BigFeat's question about a bus tour:

With only 6 days in Japan, it might be a bit much to spend 2 days or even one going to Kyoto and back and since I haven't priced the full RT sort of tour, you might do that. It's just that I can't imagine taking a bus all the way to Kyoto when the JR Shinkansen is such a dreamy smooth and quick ride.

But a bus tour while in Kyoto? Definitely yes if your time is short. The main sites are very spread out and a bus tour would be most efficient and the least taxing on your mom.

If you want to see old Japan, without going all the way to Kyoto, then I don't recommend Hakone. I think a day trip to Kamakura might make sense.

I just hate to think of anyone going all the way to Japan and only seeing Tokyo..but, if you plan to get back another time, then you could fly into Osaka next time and more easily see Kyoto.

Have a wonderful trip. Be sure to learn a few Japanese words and bow alot. The people were wonderful to us!

Thank you LeslieC,
I will read up on Kamakura.

There is a pkg. of interest to Kyoto for 19999 yn, that includes Shinkansen and 1 nt. hotel, but getting around Kyoto is left up to you. This sounds like the most reasonable of deals so far.
I am moving away from the "need" to go to Kyoto, though, if we did, a city bus tour would indeed be the smartest way to approach it.

I'm counting on availabilty of day tours being offered at the Hilton hotel possibly including Mt. Fuji. I am still perplexed as to buying the 7 day rail Pass here in the USA, I hate to do so and then find that anything in the way of a tour includes train fare. thus leaving us with two underused passes @ approx. $260 each.

I intend on brushing off the dust from my Japanese Conversation books. I have them froma past trip that never developed. I am really quite excited.
Thank you again for all your valuable input.

Fredex

Most tours, if not all, include transportation in some form, be it train or bus or plane. If you do plan on using tours booked from your hotel, then a JR pass may well not be worth it. If I were you, I might directly telephone the HIlton in Shinjuku and inquire directly with them...not the 800 number for the US, but the hotel directly in Tokyo...as to what types of tours they typically book people on. The assistant manager at Japanese Hiltons is generally the person you would talk to about such things. They could likely fax you an info sheet with destinations and prices etc. I would recommend tours, both because your mother will probably appreciate them, and because your stay is short you'll want to maximize your time.

Kim

If/when you call the Tokyo Hilton, also ask them to fax you a map and schedule of their hotel-Shinjuku Station shuttle. Taxis are not cheap in Japan, but the pricey fares you heard of may have been for the trip from Narita airport to the city. A taxi from Shinjuku station to the hotel would be inexpensive.

I stayed at the Tokyo Hilton and took the bus to the airport. It left from the front of the hotel, stopped at Shinjuku, and then went on to the airport. It was not expensive and very convenient. You might consider the bus from the airport (navigating Shinjuku station with luggage after a looong flight and finding the Hilton shuttle is not obvious).

You could visit Hakone from Shinjuku very easily using the Odakyu Railroad's Romance Car train and use a Hakone Free Pass to do the tourist route in Hakone. Another day trip that would be easy to make (and I am thinking a tour bus leaving from the hotel) would be to Nikko.

The 20,000 yen tour to Kyoto is a good deal if it includes shinkansen return tix and a hotel night (good deal assuming that the price includes reserved seats).

If you take the tour to Kyoto or if you stay in Tokyo, then you won't need a JR Pass. You might consider a JR East pass (5-day or 4-day-flex) but the convenience of the day-tour buses might be a better idea for you (referring to the local day-tour buses that I am pretty sure that the Tokyo Hilton will confirm are available).

There is a Hilton Tokyo Bay, not in Shinjuku, so you ought to carry something with their name printed on it. Or! try saying this: hear tone ho teh roo, sheen joo koo

You ought to carry something with the name of the Tokyo Hilton on it, I meant, of course, to show to a taxi driver.

The kyotoguide.com shows day tours in Kyoto/Nara (BUS) for 12K Yen per person. I'm definately considering this. If I get a Rail pass I can do a couple half day tours to Kyoto over the span of 10 days and also use the pass to go to Kamakura. The half day tours are as cheap as $50 US dollars. It could take a toll on some plp to get around Kyoto on their own in a day trip. I'm assuming I can probably see more with a tour bus then trying to grab local buses and trains. I have to incorporate the "getting lost" factor in deciding all this. It never matters how much fore planning one does, navigation never goes as smoothly as planned especially in sparsed towns. So despite the 6hr round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto I certainly don't want the possibility of even losing an hour out of that day.

Bigfeat, KimJapan and Mrwunrful,
Thank you for the added info.

Thanks for the heads up on there being two Hiltons in Tokyo.

I called the Hilton as suggested and received a fax listing available tours,
excellent advice.

The pkg. I have includes Hotel "limo" (vouchers service) from and back to the Airport.

Bigfeat, your 10 days sounds like a good amount of time. It sounds like you are doing a thorough job of planning.

Mrwunrful, I will definately outfit both my mother and me with the hotels full name on some sort of card (an excellent idea).. on a similar plane...I almost bought a set of 5 mile radius walky talkies at Costco today. "In case we are wandering around some where and get separated"....geez! what will cross my mind next?...nightvision goggles and scuba tanks?
I will bring a compass which always helps at night time or in cloudy weather.

Again.
Thanks to all.

Fredex

Fredex- you should have bought the walkie talkies! I consider ours to be the one item I will not leave at home!

We bought our first pair the year they were introduced. We have picked up a few more along the way (2 kids who never stuck together, one large family reunion, and of course I had to get the one with the radio included), and am very tempted to get the new 5 mile ones (ours are 2 miles). whatever you do, stick with the Motorola brand.

You can wander different floors at the museum or Department store without having to go "meet by the front door at 4:30" and realizing there are 3 front doors... She can examine every single item at a flea market stall, while you race ahead and see if there is anyone selling that obscure book you need...

We use them less in the US as our cell phones have better range and are free, but you can't beat them for other countries.

They work very well in Japan-We've never heard any one else on the frequency.

Hey Icuy,

You sold me! I thought I was being over the top with this idea! As I was looking at them I also wondered if the laws regarding frequencies were the same in Japan as in the USA. I appreciate the validation! I'm only going for six days so I'm guessing the charge lasts that long or I'll need an adapter and the charger. The ones I was looking at were Motorola 5 mile with weather channel. Glad to hear it is a good system that works for you.

Thanks
Fredex

Hey Icuy,

I bought the walkie Talkies today.
Thanks again.