Hi there,
We just returned from our three week trip to South Korea and Japan with our 15 month-old son, and I wanted to thank everyone on the Japan board here for their help. We had an incredible time in Japan for the most part. In Kyoto, we stayed at the Westin Miyako and loved it. We found it very enjoyable to stay primarily in one city (Kyoto) with a young child to minimize the time spent traveling. At the Westin, we ended up getting an upgraded room for about $50 U.S. more per night, which was well worth the price. The room was large, comfortable, with a lovely balcony overlooking Kyoto. The cheaper rooms were more cramped and tired-looking. We enjoyed the bird sanctuary on the property and thought the breakfst was first rate. Best of all, the hotel was within walking distance of the Philosophers' Path which increased the sense of peacefulness we experienced to arrive on foot to so many beautiful temples and gardens along the way.
The real disappointment on our trip was actually Nara. This was not so much because of the city itself, but because of a major error made by "Japan Guest Houses" in reserving our ryokan. After shlepping with a baby in tow to Nara and arriving at Kankaso ryokan, we discovered that JGH had not in fact confirmed our reservation , and that the room overlooking the garden, our kanseki meal, etc. that they had assured me of by email ...never had been confirmed with the ryokan itself. The staff was kind enough to try to put something together for us in the upstairs area, but we spent a large part of our only afernoon in Nara on the phone with JGH and the ryokan, checking for a possible room, and being uncertain until about 2 hours before dinner whether there would be a kanseki meal or a makeshift tofu hot pot for us. Needless to say, this was not the picture of peaceful hospitality that we had imagined at over $600/night! I did manage to negotiate a 10% discount because of the mix up, but there was a lot of effort put into trying to enjoy the experience in spite of...you get the picture!
The ryokan itself was nice, albeit looking a little tired, and the food was good. The hostess was very kind to our son and patient and welcoming in spite of the mix-up.
We went to a few wonderful restaurants in Kyoto and one unforgetable, very reasonably priced kanseki lunch in Arashiyama. I would be happy to share these names if anyone would fund this helpful.
Finally, on the plane, we did find the bulkhead seat very useful and our son slept very well in it. The only thing to keep in mind is that there is usually another baby sleeping right beside yours, which means they inevitably wake each other up at some point.
We tried a little Benadryl on the way there, but regretted using it since it only seemed to agitate him and keep him awake.
Lots of wonderful experiences in Korea as well, and happy to share if anyone would like. All in all, we found it easy the travel with a baby and would definitely do it again.
Thanks again for all your help in planning this trip - it was a blessing to read all your wonderful advice!
Regards,
Montrealer

Sorry to hear about your experience with Japan Guesthouses. We have three reservations with them in the Spring which I will now make sure that I have them get confirmations a couple of weeks before we leave.
Thanks for the report!

I'm glad you had a nice trip.

Question for you about Kankaso. You paid over $600 US dollars? I ask because their top price for on season stays is ¥60,000, which is $508.00. I'm curious how much Japanese Guesthouse charged you for your stay. If they are adding as much as 20% onto the price, then I will advise that people not use them, as it is simple to book directly, and often not even a credit card is required for guarantee and you pay at check out.

Montrealer,

I am glad you had a good trip. I would be interested in hearing more about your time spent in Korea. My son is currently teaching English there and I am planning on a visit in the Spring. I am very surprised at the lack of information I see on tourism in Korea. What made you decide to visit? I was just in Japan a couple of weeks ago, I am working on my trip report but I keep getting distracted! I went with my husband and 19 yr old son. My son stayed on longer in Japan and then went to visit his brother in Korea for a week. It was interesting hearing his thoughts on the differences and similarities between the two countries. He said he liked Japan better but enjoyed both places. My oldest son is enjoying Korea and looking forward to getting some time off to travel and see more of the country. He is living in Gwangju. Please add more on Korea when you get a chance!

Hi,
regarding Japan Guest Houses, I think teh bill came to 60,000Y when I calculated the tax and beverages, but this was also with the 10% discount. I feel I would have been much better off booking directly, given th e error made by JGH. So, I don;t think they were marking up - I think it adds up to the same.
Thanks anagain for all your help, KimJapan!
Esther

Hi,
Regarding our experiences in Korea, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I found Seoul to be vibrant and a very liveable city. The visual and performing arts scene was really a special surprise, in terms of talent and originality. We stayed at the Somerset Palace Hotel, which was within walking distance of the main artistic areas, antique market and imperial palace.
We visited a part of the DMZ, and wished we had had time to take a full tour. We also loved Gyonju and the Soekguram temple, and several other places.
The main purpose of our trip was for my husband to reconnect with his relatives after 25 years of separation, so much of the time was spent ...eating! For this reason, I may not be the best person to ask about speciific sites. However, I was very touched by the warmth, humor and great hospitality of Koreans. In terms of comparison to Japan, truthfully, nothing coukd top how breathtaking Kyoto was for us. Japan seemed to have a more polished feel, both in terms of the preservation of heritage sites and the demeanor of the people themselves. Korea was certainly much more affordable and thus a bit more layed back because our pocket books felt a lot looser there!
It's been a long day with work and a baby, so I'm afraid I have already forgotten many of the names of the great places wwe visited. I hope this helps a little.
Best regards,
Montrealer

Montrealer:

I would love the names of the wonderful restaurants you found in Kyoto - and I would love to hear more about your trip too. Was there any one place or moment that just took your breath away? And how did you feel from a culteral differences viewpoint? I've read a book on Japanese etiquette, and I worry that I'll do something to offend without even knowing it! Did you feel kindly treated through out your trip?

Thanks for sharing!

<font color="green">Cyn</font>

Montrealer:

I sure would like to know more about your Kyoto stay. I'm returning there next April for the first time in 60 years, planning to stay at the Westin Miyako. What was your rate there? Exactly what was your day-to-day itinerary while in Kyoto..any recommendations for cafes, restaurants, sights not to miss?

Thank you...wife's a Montrealer!

Stu T.