Help with itinerary: 9 days, Tokyo + ?
 

Hi

My husband is a musician and will be playing in Japan in early September. I will be meeting him at the tail end of the tour and we'll be vacationing afterwards. I arrive on Sept 17 at Narita in the afternoon; he has a gig that night in Shibuya at Club Quattro. The band concludes their tour the next night in Yokohama at a club called Thumbs Up.

We depart Narita on Sept 26 at 12:15pm and will be staying at a friends house 45 minutes from the airport the night before we leave.

We basically have 6 days between the end of the gigs and the night before heading to the airport. We're wondering if it is worth heading to Kyoto after the Yokohama show or if it would be better to stay in and around Tokyo --with trips to either/or Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone. I have never been to Japan; my husband has toured there before, but of course all travel and accomodations were completely covered by the promoters.

We'd like to get a good mix of urban/countryside traditional/progressive and are travelling on a limited budget ($100 or less per night for accomodations).

Specifically we're wondering if we'll get a good range of experience travelling to the areas around Tokyo (which would mean saving the cost of the rail pass) or if it's worth travelling outside of Tokyo to Kyoto (or possibly Hiroshima).

Thanks in advance for any thoughts & suggestions!

Is the $100 per night the total for your room, or per person? (Rooms in Japan are often charged lper person).

If thats your total, I think you'll need to look into youth hostels, or plan to visit towns that are not peak tourist destinations.

You could get a private room w/bathrm. at Tour Club in Kyoto at your budget. They do have dorm style rooms, but also have private rooms w/private bath in the room. Western style for 2 people is total 6982 yen, not per person there. Japanese style private room is a bit more at 7770 yen total. A few people on this board have stayed in the private rooms and have recommended them. But it is late to be making reservations for Sept., and I have no idea if you can get anything there this late.

http://www.kyotojp.com/

Also, several people on here have recommended the Palaceside hotel in Kyoto. Standard double rm is 6825 per night (total, not per person) for 1st two nights and goes down next two nights; superior double rm is 8400 1st two nights and then goes down. Again, you might not get a room this late.

http://www.palacesidehotel.co.jp/index.html

I know there are hotels in Tokyo that are to be had for $100; I've seen reference to them on here. I'll try to dig up the bookmarks I have for those later, if you post back that you will in fact be staying in Tokyo.

I think whether you stay in Tokyo or go to Kyoto or beyond is a decision based on $$ and your interests. You have the 19th through the 25th (although if you are in Kyoto you'd have to leave by mid-afternoon, by 3 pm, on the 25th to get to Narita by train to your friend's house that night). There is plenty in Tokyo area and day trips to keep you busy without the added expense of the train to Kyoto or elsewhere. But I personally love Kyoto and would not want to miss it on my only trip to Japan (if you don't think you'll be back).

$100 per person would be absolute max...could probably swing that a couple of nights, but looking for cheaper options 2-3 of the nights (but can go more than hostels)

for Tokyo, I had this place bookmarked. It is a pretty new hotel and has English on the website:

Hotel Matsushima- double room 7800 yen per room (not per person)w/ensuite bathroom/washroom in the room

http://www.matushimahotel.com/index.php

BTW, for good budget accomodation advice, you might try visiting the forum at www.japan-guide.com

That forum has more budget conscious suggestions than this one.

Thanks for everyone's input on affordable accomodations!

We decided to stay around Tokyo based on limited time and budget. Below is our updated itinerary. We had hoped to hit Hakone, but prices were a bit out beyond our means for this trip. We decided on 2 days in Nikko (instead of just a day trip) as a way to minimize time spent in transit.

SUN 9/17: TOKYO
+ I arrive Narita at 3:20
+ Gig in Shibuya

MON 9/18: YOKOHAMA
+ Gig in Yokohama

TUE & WED 9/19 - 20: TOKYO
+ Plan is to attend Sumo one day/night and Kabuki another
+ HOTEL: Need to book a moderately priced hotel, we were thinking in Shibuya but would love a recommendation about an interesting neighborhood that would provide easy access to both Sumo & Kabuki
+ Check out & Depart for Nikko on Thursday morning

THU & FRI 9/21 - 9/22: NIKKO
+ HOTEL: confirmed reservation for 2 nights at the Annex Turtle Hotori-an http://www.turtle-nikko.com
+ Check-out & depart for Tokyo Saturday morning

SAT & SUN 9/23 - 9/24: TOKYO Closer to KAMAKURA
+ HOTEL: confirmed reservation for 2 nights at the Ryokan Kangetsu http://www.kangetsu.com
+ Sunday: day trip to Kamakura
+ Check-out Monday

MON 9/25
+ Stay at friend's house for early morning departure on Tuesday to Narita

TUE 9/26
+ Depart Narita for US at 12:15pm


Any input, specifically on hotel/neighborhood for time in Tokyo on 9/19-9/20, would be great. Appreciate your feedback!

Thanks