JGH.com. They *had* availability for our initial date...but not the new one (Nov. 24th)

If you have different info or other channels to reserve with them, mrwunrfl, please, I'm all ears. I assumed JGH was fairly forthcoming and honest -- but I can only go on what they give me.

In my limited travels, I've never encountered such flat-out unavailability for so many properties so far in advance. And I thought that April was the hot season -- not November.

That is a holiday weekend and it is primetime for fall colors and it is not that big - a tour group could fill it up. I shoulda mentioned that there was a benefit to going there earlier because of the timing. I could imagine that the answer would be no to non-Japanese at that time, those days (I suspect they could have rooms available now but know that they will be able to sell out to Japanese eventually).

I thought that gambo-ad.com was their home, but it is a lodging booking case. You could contact Momijiso directly. Maybe go to a Japanese travel agent in L.A. (in OC I would go to H.I.S. Travel) and get help (maybe an offer to pay in advance might help).

I doubt that Japanese Guest Houses is being dishonest - if there are rooms to book, it's in their interest to book them! It may be that the guest house only wants to sell a certain number through that avenue, in which case JGH can only go by the answer they're given. I have a huge amount of time for JGH as they kindly answered a lot of questions from me, and I had some date changes too, even after finalising one of the bookings. Their prices seem really reasonable, too.

As for how everything is booked up -- some of these places are small! The ryokan we picked on Miyajima has just three guest rooms. That's it! Our Kyoto ryokan has six. Heck, when I've planned Botswana safaris for camps with similar numbers of tents, I've found some booked out more than 18 months ahead of time! If somewhere is considered one of the more desirable options, it's all supply and demand! :-)

The good news is that there are so many great options that you'll still love what you do book.

Keep at it, persevere, it's worth it!

:-)

Would you like me to check?

Also look at Auberge Watanabe.

Hi Filmwill, I just stopped by to see how your planning is going. Japan is complicated! We have made reservations for 10 of our 15 nights at Hyatts - Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone. The Hyatt in Kyoto is huge, but room categories were already sold out.

Good luck!

Watanabe is where we stayed in Miyajima, we thought it lovely.

FYI, I did check availability through gambo-ad.com as well and they informed that Momiji-so is sold out as well.

Holding a room at Iwaso in the meantime -- but Watanabe also looks lovely, and probably a LOT more affordable.

Slightly unrelated question I forgot to ask: I assume I'll need a 14 day JR pass for my itinerary? Or can I get away with 7? Is it worth it?

calling mrwunrful....

Sigh. Watanabe is closed on November 24th.

Who knew Miyajima was going to be my accommodation Achilles Heel?

7-day JR Pass, activated on for first day of travel on Nov 19, the day you travel from Hakone to Kyoto. That will get you back to Osaka on day 7 of the pass. I think emd knew the answer.

Thanks. But wouldn't I activate the pass the day I go from Tokyo to Hakone?

Worth it? Yes, it will save you about 10,000 yen each.

I learned that some ryokan are closed on Sunday nights so that they can take a day off.

No, you don't really need it for then. You need it for Miyajima to Osaka.

You can take the Odakyu Railways train to Hakone-Yumoto, especilly from Shinjuku, if that is where you are staying. Odakyu runs a limited express train that was/is called the Romance Car. JR is not nec your best option.

You will do the <i>exchange</i> of the voucher for the pass when in Tokyo and before the 19th. But you want it to be <i>activated</i> to start on the 19th.

Are you staying in Shinjuku or elsewhere in Tokyo?

We actually may be mrwunrfl. Right now, have a reservation at the Park Hyatt -- but will continue to explore hotel options and rates in the coming months.

Shinjuku is easy enough to get to from other part. The Odakyu train is onlhy 2000 yen. Hiroshima to Osaka is 10,000 yen. Your other travel won't get anywhere close to the 17,000 yen diff between the 7-day and 14-day passes.

Find Odakyu train info here:

http://www.odakyu.jp/english/romancecar/

Wow the PH in Shinjuku is really nice. We stayed there for two nights on our last trip for the first time. Best hotel we have stayed at in Tokyo. Just down the street is the Hyatt Regency which is cheaper....even with going for a Regency Club room. Not as lux as the Park Hyatt granted but close and you get more bang for your yen with the Regency Club rooms and club room privileges like the free flow cocktails from 5 to 8pm along with heavy hors d'oeuvres and club breakfasts in the morning, also tea and cakes all day from 6:00am till 22:00......options

Aloha!

Ok, since you are having troubles with Miyajima lodgng, I will throw this in. You can do a day trip from Kyoto to both Hiroshima and Miyajima. I did it. You catch train at Kyoto Station at around 7 am ad get back around 9 pm. Long day, straight to Hiroshima, to Pace Park for couple hrs, then to ferry to Miyajima, several hrs there to the deer, shrine, soemthing to eat, and back to ferry, then to Hiroshima train station and back to Kyoto.

Easy to do, long day. It was a great option for us. On next trip to japn, we did yoto to HImeji, saw castle, then on to Hirshima, and left out Miyajima. Also good long day, great option. But castle is still covered in scaffolding...