kk85

Hello, all!

I'm going to be arriving in Japan (landing in Narita) early on a Monday afternoon (September 2nd), and will be flying out later in the afternoon the following Tuesday (September 10th). So I should have about 9 days/8 nights to spend.

I've looked through some posts here, and have some ideas, and also found the http://www.japan-guide.com/ site being linked to a few times, which I plan to do some more exploring on. I was hoping those here familiar with the country might have some advice to pass on to a first time visitor to Japan!

Honestly, this was a last minute decision for a trip. Had some vacation days to use up, and decided, why not? As for my interests: I love history and the outdoors. I was considering a climb of Mt. Fuji, but I'm not sure I want to spend nearly a quarter of my time on that - most things I have read say it's a two-day trip.

I really would like to explore Tokyo, but am excited to get out into the more rural areas as well. I'm really pretty open to anything - variety is preferred, and if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!
Kyle

kk85

Oh - and any recommendations for great photo opportunities would be appreciated as well! One spot I saw that looks great is Roppongi tower for a nice skyline view.

mrwunrfl

Thanks for being specific about your time in Japan. So, you have 7 full days and two travel days.

A typical trip would be a few days in Tokyo and a few in Kyoto. You could do that and maybe a day trip to Hakone or Nikko.

You could spend all of your time in Tokyo and nearby (like Hakone or Nikko).

There are alternatives, but that depends on how much you want to spend in one place and/or how much (time & money) you want to spend traveling. (for example, Tokyo-Matsumoto-Kamikochi-Takayama-Shirakawago-Tokyo over 4 nights, say 1 in Matsumoto or Kamikochi, two in Takayama, one in Shirakawago). Problem with this idea is that it is likely to be rainy at that time of year.

LPCooray

If you preferred to see more rural areas, I suggest you spent 2-3 nights in Aizu. Surrounding that city are Mount Bandai and Lake Inawashiro. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of those places. Mount Bandai has some ski resorts (skiing is for winter season only) but still you can reached the top of the mountain through cable car and get some photographs there. That place is good for hiking and down the mountain is Lake Inawashiro - the biggest lake in Japan. You can also dropby to some historical castles and Samurai houses in that area.

I've been there one winter season 6 years back and spent my last 2 days roaming around Tokyo.

Good luck and have fun...

kja

As a rule, I'd recommend splitting your time between Tokyo and Kyoto. mrwunrful has offered some good options for an extra night or two (Hakone or Nikko). I'd also consider Hiroshima and Miyajima or perhaps Koyasan; each of those would require an overnight.

kk85

Hi all,

Thank you very much for your advice! Here is what I've put together, please let me know what you think:

---------

- Monday: Arrive in Tokyo at 2:25 PM. Hotel checkin, wander city for late afternoon/evening. Probably an early night.

- Tuesday: Early (5 AM) train to Kyoto. Arrive at about 8 AM. Spend day here.

- Wednesday: All day in Kyoto.

- Thursday: Early (5 AM) train to Hiroshima. Arrive at about 8 AM. Peace Museum/Park for late morning/early afternoon. Check in to ryokan near Miyajima around 3 PM, visit Itsukushima Shrine in the evening, back for dinner by 7:30 PM.

- Friday: Mid-morning (9 AM?) train from Hiroshima to Osaka, arriving at about noon. Spend afternoon/evening in Osaka, late evening (9 PM) train to Tokyo.

- Saturday: All day Tokyo (and anything close by)

- Sunday: All day Tokyo (and anything close by)

- Monday: Fuji?

- Tuesday: Tokyo morning, fight goes out at 2:25 PM

---------

Alright. Looks busy, but I'm OK with that. Still young and in good shape, and I don't mind getting up early to have the full day - I'm not much for staying out late while traveling, although I do want to see Tokyo's nightlife.

I feel like something might need to be cut, and I'm leaning toward Osaka, unless anyone feels strongly about keeping it - it was recommended by someone, although not highly.

I would really like to see Kyoto (from my understanding, this is the spot for history). I've heard Miyajima is a can't miss, I think visiting Hiroshima would be really special, and the ryokan there looks promising. And, of course, I can't not go to Tokyo! I'm pretty big into hiking, and just climbed Mt. St. Helens this year, so I'd love to do Mt. Fuji.

If I cut Osaka, that could give me another day in either Kyoto or Tokyo, or have it as a day trip out to somewhere else - Aizu, as suggested, sounds wonderful as well.

What do you think?

Thanks again!
Kyle

kja

Personally, I would cut Osaka in favor of another day in Kyoto, but it really depends on your preferences.

I was very pleased with my stay at Momiji-so on Miyajima.
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/r...yokan=Momijiso

Given your interest in the outdoors, you might want to take a few hours to go to the top of Mt. Misen on Miyajima -- great views of the Inland Sea!

Mara

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7700.html

Aizu is a three hour train ride from Tokyo in the other direction. With just a week I can't see spending that travel time....

As kja said, you don't give yourself that much time in Kyoto....

kk85

kja: I'm thinking that makes the most sense. As with any adventure, I can always come back and spend more time in other areas - I hope I love Japan as much as I think I will based on the research I've been doing. *Next time* I can hit up Osaka and other areas. Thank you for the suggestions on Momiji-so and Mt. Misen, I will check those out!

Mara: Very good point, I hadn't even looked it up on the map. As I said above, maybe that will be in the itinerary for the *next* trip to Japan.

So if I revise my plan:

- Monday: Arrive in Tokyo at 2:25 PM.

- Tuesday: Early (5 AM) train to Kyoto. Arrive at about 8 AM. Spend day here.

- Wednesday: All day in Kyoto.

- Thursday: All day in Kyoto

- Friday: Early (5 AM) train to Hiroshima. Arrive at about 8 AM.

- Saturday: Mid-morning (9 AM?) train to Tokyo.

- Sunday: All day Tokyo (and anything close by)

- Monday: Fuji?

- Tuesday: Tokyo morning, fight goes out at 2:25 PM

----

That gives me a half day in Tokyo, then 3 full days and nights in Kyoto, a day in Hiroshima, 2.5 more days in Tokyo and a day for Mt. Fuji (whichever day has the best weather). I'm thinking that sounds a little more do-able, and a little less strenuous.

Thanks again,
Kyle

kk85

Wish I had more time though - I would love to see something more rural... Fuji will get my outdoors fix, and obviously I have the big cities. Does anyone have any recommendations for somewhere close to Tokyo or Kyoto that would be worth taking a little trip outside the city for?

Thanks,
Kyle

kja

I forgot to ask: Have you already booked your flights? If not, consider flying into Kansai and out of Narita.

As for something more rural, I'm not sure how rural you mean. When I was there in 2006, anything outside the tiny central core of Miyajima struck me as rural (at least as opposed to "urban"), so I would consider Momijiso and Mt. Misan to be "rural." We've already mentioned Nikko, which again would strike me as "rural." You could try to visit Ohara from Kyoto, but I really don't think you have time to do so, and it is IMO no more rural than the places just mentioned. I wonder if you might be thinking that Kyoto is more urban than it is: If your focus is on temples and shrines, as I would suggest it should be with such a short visit top Kyoto, then you will be spending most of your time in gardens and park-like grounds that don't have an urban feel in any way, shape, or form.

mrwunrfl

except that you have to travel thru city to get between those gardens and park-like grounds, but I get your point, kja.

You could use a 7-day JR Pass starting on your arrival day. You would need to buy a voucher before you leave for Japan.

- Sunday: All day Tokyo (and anything close by)
This is the largest metropolis in the world and the only thing close by Tokyo is more Tokyo. You won't be done with Tokyo in one day.

mrwunrfl

Monday, you could just go to Kyoto and spend the first night there. I would probably go to Hiroshima in the evening or night, spend the night there. Then you can spend the whole day in Hiroshima/Miyajima (instead of checking out, traveling, checking in, before your start your day there).

Traveling at night means not much scenery but you will see that on the day you travel back to Tokyo.

kk85

kja: I did book the flights already. In and out of Narita. That's great to hear about Kyoto. I'm not sure what I really expected, to be honest. From what you describe about that city, as well as Momijiso and Mt. Misan, I think I will be very happy.

mrwunrfl: Great point on the JR pass. I will definitely be picking that up, and will definitely focus on Tokyo, and not be trying to get outside of it (during my Tokyo days). The reason I went with spending the first night in Tokyo is that it looks like the train to Kyoto from Narita is about 4 hours. I could go right after landing, and get there in the late evening, or take the latest departure at about 8 PM. Either way, I feel like I'd get more out of my time by doing a few things in Tokyo that evening, then heading to Kyoto early the next morning (especially with being able to take 5 AM trains). It does look like there is a train from Kyoto to Hiroshima at 9:40 PM though, so I'm liking that idea.

That gives me:

- Monday: Arrive in Tokyo at 2:25 PM.

- Tuesday: Early (5 AM) train to Kyoto. Arrive at about 8 AM. Spend day here.

- Wednesday: All day in Kyoto.

- Thursday: All day in Kyoto. Train to Hiroshima at 9:40 PM.

- Friday: All day in Hiroshima/Miyajima/Momijiso/Mt. Misan

- Saturday: Mid-morning (9 AM?) train to Tokyo.

- Sunday: All day Tokyo.

- Monday: Fuji?

- Tuesday: Tokyo morning, fight goes out at 2:25 PM

-----

Getting excited.

Thanks,
Kyle

kja

I like mrwunrfl's idea to go to Kyoto immediately upon your arrival - no reason to stay in Tokyo that night or to add an extra change of rooms to your itinerary.

If you are planning to stay in a ryokan in Hiroshima or Miyajima, please note that you are normally expected to check in by late afternoon at the very latest. That was certainly the case at Momiji-so. So it might make more sense to take an early train to Hiroshima, explore it, then head to Miyajima for your overnight stay. Then stay as long as you want on Miyajima the next day before heading to Tokyo.

Mara

I agree with mrwunrfl and kja - you should go directly to Kyoto - I have done that from JFK upon arriving at NRT about the time you are. Hopefully you could get the Narita Express by a bit after 4 and then you would be in Kyoto before 8:30pm.....or possibly earlier if you make good time through immigration and get your JR Pass and tickets quickly.....

mrwunrfl

Kyle, do you understand that you will have to get a voucher for a JR Pass before leave on Sunday? You have Friday and Saturday to do it.

JR calls it an exchange order and here are location where you can buy it assuming you are departing from North America:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/05/en05_2.html

A lot of people wake up at 3AM on their first morning in Japan (at least from eastern USA), so using the morning hour to travel is not a bad idea.

That 05:0x itinerary from Tokyo involves two local trains to get to Shin-Yokohama where you get a Hikari shinkansen to Kyoto at 08:0x. But first you have to get to Tokyo station (or find an itin from your hotel location in Tokyo which is, um, where?). There is an 06:26 Hikari from Tokyo.

mrwunrfl

So, if you are going to be waking up at 3AM or 4AM anyway it might as well be Tokyo, not Kyoto. That is what I meant by "not a bad idea" to travel that morning. But I would just go to Kyoto, maybe pop a melatonin, and see what Kyoto looks like as it wakes up.

kk85

I am from Portland, OR and flew up to Vancouver, BC for the weekend to visit friends before I took the connecting flight over to Narita out of Vancouver... sadly I didn't get around to getting to a travel agency to buy a JR Pass, as I got caught up in spending time with them. Stupid, stupid move on my part not to stop in somewhere. Guess this trip just got quite a bit more expensive. ... Unless anyone happens to know somewhere in/around Vancouver that sells it on a Sunday?

I ended up just booking the first night in Tokyo. We'll see how it works out... My ryokan in Hiroshima is being really difficult to contact/make reservations (long story), so I'll probably have to find a backup. Not stressing though, I know this was planned last-minute, and I'll just enjoy what I can get through.

Thanks again for the replies!
Kyle

mrwunrfl

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