Japan for 8 days - Tokyo as a base?
 

We will be in Japan for 8 full days in October and would like advice on whether or not to make Tokyo a base for side trips. We will fly in and out of Narita. We have plans to visit Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, Kamakura, and possibly Kyoto. We are unsure if we should stay in Tokyo for the entire trip and day trip the sites, or stay in some of the locations noted above. We usually hit a lot of different hotels on our vacations, but thought it might be nice to stay in one location for this trip if possible. Also, does any know which JR Pass we would need to cover all of the cities mentioned above? <BR> <BR>Thank you for the help.....

Keep Tokyo as a base for daytrips to Nikko and Kamakura, and Kyoto for Nara and maybe Himeji Castle and Kurashiki on the Inland Sea. <BR> <BR>You should devote at least 3-4 days to Kyoto area, and you can visit Hakone and the Fuji area on the way back to Tokyo. <BR> <BR>A 7 days railpass will allow you to go to all the places you mention, plus to use the JR lines inside Tokyo. Don't waste money on the green pass, since ordinary is really confortable enough. Save that money for a night in some nice ryokan in Kyoto or Nara, or a good meal at an upscale Kaiseki restaurant.

It really depends on what you wnat to see of the country. Definitely don´t stay in Tokyo all the time, Nikko is great but don´t waste too much time on Tokyo. Kyoto is a must and also the area around in very interesting. Don´t be afraid to rent a car, most of the signs are in both languages, we drove through Japan without having big problems. Hotels is different: they are very expensive. The real ryokans will cost you, and if you are not a tiny person you will have problems to sleep. We ended up sleeping in the "love hotels" which is nothing fishy, no connection to prostitution. They have huge beds and are sometimes very luxurious. If you want to stay for the night you can check in at around 10-11 at night and leave around 9-10. Read about it in the lonely Planet Guide, which we found the best for Japan (sorry, I know this is a fodors page). Have fun, we loved Japan and will go back.

Eva, what do you call "wasting time" in Tokyo ? The notion that there is nothing traditional or interesting to see in Tokyo always amuses me. Between museums, temples and sanctuaries, gardens, exhibitions, theaters, shops, traditional areas, there is enough of the "real Japan" there to fill a lifetime. Just have a look at the book "Tokyo for free" by Susan Pompian for an idea of all there is to see and do without spending a Yen <BR> <BR>After nearly 20 years of returning to Tokyo almost every year, I still find new things to do and see. <BR> <BR>Note that I'm just curious, not criticising anybody for their opinion.

Some people have a harder time in Tokyo, because it is such a huge city. You have to look a little harder for you activities, unlike in a town like Kyoto where the sights are much closer together and easier to spot. Tokyo has so many fabulous attractions, I can't imagine ever feeling like my time was wasted there. I would split your trip into Tokyo base and Kyoto base. Nikko, Hakone and Kamakura are easy Tokyo day trips, but you couldn't begin to do Kyoto in a day. Even the Shinkansen is nearly 3 hours each way. Kyoto and nearby Nara are wonderful cities, and just full of the sights you come to see in Japan.