A few Japan questions..
 

Hi All,

I am considering a return trip to Japan after and absence of ten years. Currently house and pet sitting, deep in the English countryside with limited access to libraries, book shops and guide books I cou”d do with a few pointers on a possible trip to Japan.

We are considering, along with some other destinations, a trip in the autumn for up to a month but maybe 2-3 weeks plus a week or so in Taiwan or South Korea.

We loved Japan on our first visit but are concern is whether It is still possible without spending a small fortune on accommodation? Where should I be looking for reasonably priced accommodation? I read somewhere about "business hotels".

We previously visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama, Nara, Himeji and Koyasan at a reasonably relaxed pace. Apart from a day or two in Tokyo and also a brief return to Kyoto to cover stuff we missed? Any suggestions for other places that should be on my hit list, tried and tested itineraries?

Last time we used aJR Pass to get around the country. Is this still the best way? Last time we used a countrywide Pass bu5 I believe there are now cheaper, but more limited options.

Any thoughts, opinions and suggestions would be much appreciated.

Probably the best info on the internet about Japan is at www.japan-guide.com

There are several different "business hotel" chains in Japan, Tokyo Inn, Dormy Inn and others.

Enjoy your planning!

I agree with Kathie as far as consulting japan-guide.com....
Once you get an idea of where you want to go then you can start thinking about which, if any, pass would work for you. Also now there are a lot of low-priced airlines which can sometimes work out better than trains....
I am a single traveler but don't find accommodation particularly expensive at all....some rooms do tend to be pretty small, though....

Destination-wise, I think it really depends on your interests. If you haven’t been to Myajima and Hiroshima, I’d consider those. Hiroshima peace park was fascinating, but one of the highlights of my trip was Myajima. I also enjoyed Kanazawa and Kurashiki. When I go back, I want to see more smaller places, less touristy places. I really enjoyed Izu peninsula area for example. It’s still touristy but feels more like a local experience than Kyoto or Koyasan.

i found lodging really affordable, partly because I didn’t mind traditional Japanese rooms. And partly because I felt more confident booking places like Dormy because the Japanese standards of cleanliness seem to be much higher than budget hotels at home. The most expensive thing for me was the trains- that was probably the lion’s share of the budget, so I’d focus on figuring out destinations, route, methods to get there.

FWIW, I loved Kanazawa; am glad I spent some time in Nikko (more than a day trip would allow); thought Kurashiki an interestingly different, if still “traditional” place; and am very, very glad that I included Hiroshima and Miyajima on my itinerary (with the overnight in Miyajima).

It is obviously easy to spend a lot of money in Japan, but I had just a few splurges in an otherwise rather limited budget. Doing so took a chunk of research, but it’s so much easier today, now that booking.com includes Japan and the business hotels others have mentioned have English websites, etc. So, for example, I spent just one night in a ryokan, and that at one of the least expensive options then available (lovely Mimoji-so on Miyajima), ate just one keiseki meal other than the one at the ryokan, etc. On the other hand, I didn't find it necessary to limit myself to the least expensive options, either -- I was able to find affordable options that suited my needs. BUT it's been a while, and I was solo, so YMMV.

Another vote for japan-guide.com (and BTW, not just it’s web-site, but also it’s answer board), and also for the JNTO websites. Of the print guidebooks I used for my time in Japan, I found Frommer's particularly helpful.

Let us know how we can help!

Other places to consider that I found worthwhile and easy to manage: Kanazawa, Takayama, Shirakwa-go; Kyushu destinations; and Hokkaido destinations. Are you a walker? I’ve had good success doing multiday walking trips with the company Walk Japan. Heading to the Izu Peninsula in a couple of weeks, and then on to a self-guided 7-day hike along the Nakasendo Way. But you might also consider returning to the places you’ve been for a follow up, deeper dive.

Japan could be breathtakingly expensive, but it definitely can be done for considerably less. I like the Toyoko and Dormy Inn chains. The rooms are small, and not fancy, but have everything you need. If you want to eat cheaply the train stations and department stores are good places. Or I guess ramen bars, but I don't care for noodles.

I have not used the JR pass, as I travel too slowly for it to be useful, but on my last trip I bought one of the JR West passes while I was in country. I take it you know to use hyperdia to price your itinerary? Are you traveling with a smart phone? I found the buses much easier to use on my second visit because of the maps app.

For places to visit, start here for my first trip after I left Koya-san: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ns-to-the-sea/ - links at the top of the page.

I haven't blogged my second trip yet, but the itinerary was:

Kyoto and Nara
Okayama - base for day trips plus castle and gardens
Kurashiki - one night, touristy but worthwhile
Matsue - plenty to see plus day trip to Adachi museum
Yamaguchi - not great, day trip to Tsuwano
Kochi - had hoped to make it to Iya valley but didn't work out
Matsuyama - would stay here rather than Kochi
Nagasaki - by ferry and train - nice town, rare bad Dormy Inn
Fukuoka - museums, food, good Dormy Inn
Kamakura - good for temples, also fugitive view of Mt Fuji
Narita - one night before flight, but enjoyed the castle and gardens

Maybe you could buy a few ebook chapters from Lonely Planet? Not my preferred way to read guidebooks, but if there are no other resources....

Yes, it is still possible. More possible maybe, if you are American. Inflation in Japan has been lower for the past 10 years than inflation in the USA. If your income kept pace with inflation then you might find overall prices more affordable. The exchange rate is not bad - slightly better than today 10 years ago.

But, the number of foreign visitors to Japan has increased sharply over the last few years. The number for 2016 is almost 3 times higher than 2008.

So, there is more demand for lodging than before, but there are more FRBO and airbnb etc options.

Business hotels are an inexpensive option for basic lodging. So are minshuku. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2025.html

Where you go for fall colors depends on when you go. The JR Pass, regional passes, and local passes are still available but their use depends on lengths of stays and travel distance. As Mara mentioned there are some bargain airfares including special fares for foreign visitors.

Of course, the one way to make a trip to Japan (or anywhere) more affordable is to shorten the trip.

A business hotel would probably suit you pretty well given your comments. They are not swanky 5 star hotels by any stretch, but they are generally conveniently located (many near a main train station), quiet, clean, decent, offer internet and free breakfast as well. You might look at some like Superhotel, Toyoko Inn, Comfort Inn, Oak Hotel, Route Inn, Dormy Inn, and many others. I recommend also at least one night in a Japanese inn or ryokan for the experience. You can find some listed here, or in Tokyo look at the Kimi Ryokan, Tama Ryokan, Taito Ryokan, or Tokyo Ryokan.

A JR Pass may or may not save you money. First make your itinerary, then decide the best way to get there.
The entire country is wide open for you though - September in Hokkaido can still be nice, afterwards it starts to get chilly but you may not mind it. The Yaeyama Islands and Okinawa are also on the map, and don't think because they are far away they must be expensive to get to - quite the contrary. You can easily use a low cost carrier like Jet Star and fly one way for around 5000 yen, or use something like ANA's Experience Japan Fare. It's easy to get a lot of variety in your trip and not the same thing in different locations.
The Tohoku area is also loaded with great places, and most tourists ignore the whole area. The JR East Tohoku Area Pass or JR East South Hokkaido Rail Pass are some of Japan's best rail passes - they are flex passes and valid for 14 days - so you don't have to rush through everything and you can stay a few days in several places without losing value.

You also mentioned autumn, but didn't specify when exactly. September may have some typhoons which are not very fun (but not the end of the world, either). The autumn colors for the southern half of the country typically are in the latter half of November, and very beautiful. Popular places in the big cities can get crowded though.

If you'd like to also take a side trip to Taiwan or Korea, a ticket on Peach is a dirt cheap way to fly there.

For some specific places in Japan, it would help if you have more info on your interests.

Wow! Thank you all for providing a huge amount of information and resources links which will take me quite some time to explore.

Hadn’t heard of Japan-guide before looks really useful many thanks to Kathie and other for suggesting it.

Thursdaysd - had a look at your blog, some excellent stuff as usual - any plans to blog about your second trip? I guess I could do a lot worse than to follow in your footsteps :-)

Mrwunful - I am English not American the "post BREXIT" £-¥ fx rate is some 35% lower now than ten years ago hence my comments re Japan being expensive!

Adastra - many thanks for the wealth of info and links. The business hotels seem a good bet for city stays and, having had a look at the ryokans you linked, it seems like some of those are also relatively inexpensive. By autumn, I meant beginning of October to end of November, possibly early December. As for interests - wide and varied and I suppose fairly typical for Japan - temples, gardens, mountains, countryside, markets food etc. I suppose a little out of the norm would be my hankering to rent a motorcycle for a few days but not sure whether this is possible?

Aprillilacs - would love to hear about your impressions of the Nakasendo trail. Coincidentally, 8 have just been reading about that.

Thanks once again to all for your input. A lot to think about. Any other thoughts or suggestion do let me know.

Thanks, crellston! Unfortunately I am still having health problems. I now have a diagnosis but so far no treatment has been effective, and I have little spare energy. The blog is still stuck ion Uzbekistan and I am still stuck at home - I even bought a TV.

BTW, there are a lot of TRs here for Japan. This one from last year was a little different from the usual: https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...ummer-1117715/ and marvelousmouse has a good one too: https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...g-sun-1456232/

Sorry to hear of your continuing health problems Thursdaysd. Fingers crossed that you will find a treatment that works. BTW were thinking of you only the other day as we drove through Letchworth!

Cool! Haven't visited since my mother died.

Ok, so you are spending GBP, sorry. When you shop for a business hotel you will see that some have "ekimae" in their name. That means "in front of the train station". Look for bed dimensions in the room description.

Crellston -
If you have the Int'l Driving Permit with the motorcycle endorsement, there are a few places that rent motorcycles. But far, far fewer than for cars. It depends where in Japan you are. One place that can do it just for your info is Rental 819.

We rented a house in Kyoto via VRBO (but could easily have used AirBnB or Homeaway or one of the Japanese services). April was pricey because of Cherry Blossoms but the other dates looked very reasonable. For us, that makes it a more affordable option. We eat breakfast at home. We pick up food at the department stores or Nishiki Market for dinner and eat a big lunch out and snack along the way at various food stalls during the day. We also like renting apartments or houses because then we have to go to the grocery store and its fun to get into the groove of a local when visiting someplace far away.

Mrwunfl - thanks for that. I checked out a few places and was a little bemused by some of the bed descriptions - double, small double etc.. I would never have picked up on the "ekimae" thing. Really helpfulas we would like travel mostly by train!

Adastra - I do have the appropriate permit/license with endorsement for motorcycles and will check out that link. Thanks.

Emmagus - a great idea. We usually travel for long periods and will regularly stay at an apartment for a few days or even longer. Love shopping at markets for local produce etc. and the thought of using say Kyoto as a base is very tempting. Have used Airbnb a few times, mostly in South America. Hadn’t heard of VRBO so will check it out. Many thanks.

Crellston,
VRBO is a subsidiary of HomeAway. I've used this group (and Airbnb) many times in the U.S. and all over the world and have been more or less satisfied with all the rentals.

If you are at all interested in the Nakasendo Way I urge you to visit Walk Japan's website. We first walked the Nakasendo with them about 13 years ago, as a guided walk. In April we are doing it on our own, using their Nakasendo Wayfarer service, which is half the price of the guided tour. For the self-guided walk the company provides detailed, turn by turn directions, background information on what we'll be seeing, luggage transport from inn to inn, and most breakfasts and dinners, as well as a one-week JR Pass. All we have to do is follow the directions and do the walking for 7 days (6 nights). Check it out here: https://walkjapan.com/tour/self-guid...sendo-wayfarer

We loved the first (guided) trip and are thrilled to be doing it again, on our own. I'll report back on how it goes when I get back in May. We'll be warming up with a similar length, guided walk on the Izu Peninsula.

Good luck in your planning--it's always a treat to get back to Japan. So many great places to go, many of them off the beaten track.

Thanks for those suggestions aprillilacs . The wayfarers trip does look interesting as does the Izu Peninsula. I very much look forward to hearing how it went.

Interesting to hear that VRBO is part of HomeAway as we have just booked an apartment in Italy with them for this summer! I am trawling there website for possible places to stay and may reconsider our plans to use 2-3 "hubs" and use the trains to take day trips.

Be VERY careful with VRBO/HomeAway, AirBNB, FlipKey and similar in Japan. The lessors are all fine, it's the descriptions that can get you. Note that the flats typically are more reasonably priced than what you can get for equivalent pricing at a hotel.

Assuming that "we" is two people, you should be fine. But if more, be careful.

First, note that the apartments are likely going to be very small. This means you won't go wrong taking the estimated maximum number of sleepers for the apartment offered ("sleeps 4-6") and knocking about 1/3 off of that. A place that sleeps up to 3, sleeps up to 2. We were careful about this and STILL got burned on our last trip (live, learn, repeat).

Second, many apartment descriptions say "TWO BED ROOM" or "ONE BED ROOM" when they're studios - the owners are not native English speakers so they describe the number of beds in the flat such that "TWO BED ROOM" really means two-bed room, not two-bedroom.

Third, check both Citadines and Oakwood for availability. We nabbed a good flat at an Oakwood in Shinjuku on our first trip and it was about 40-50% less than other hotel prices that had similar levels of approval (read: pretty bloody high) on TripAdvisor.