Japan graduation trip in June, 2011
Jan 9th, 2011, 06:48 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Japan graduation trip in June, 2011
I will be taking my son for two full weeks to Japan in June (leaving Houston 6/5 and returning 6/21). We will have a total of 14 full days there. I have tentatively thought our trip should go like this, but I welcome suggestions and advice.
6/5 Depart Houston 10:50 AM, non-stop flight Continental
6/6 Arrive Toyko Narita 2:20 PM
6/7 Tokyo - 6 hour bike tour of Tokyo(we do this in cities that offer them)
6/8 Tokyo
6/9 Tokyo - day trip- Nikko
6/10 Tokyo- day trip- Kamakura
6/11 Tokyo- daytrip- Hakone area
6/12 Tokyo
6/13 Hiroshima; spend night in Miyajima
6/14 Miyajima- travel to Kyoto
6/15 Kyoto- possibility of another bike tour
6/16 Kyoto- day trip- Nara
6/17 Kyoto
6/18 Kyoto
6/19 Kyoto-travel to Koyasan, spend night in Koyasan(son wants to stay in a temple)
6/20 travel to Tokyo- Narita area
6/21 depart non-stop for Houston 3:55 PM, arrive Houston 1:50 PM
Does this sound feasible? We enjoy seeing sights, relaxing, getting to know the culture and locals, hiking, out door activities, bike riding. We do not like to rush through cities. We would like to do this on a budget spending around $125-150/per night accommodations. We are not into eating in fancy restaurants, we enjoy eating where locals eat and it doesn't have to be fancy just tasty! I am planning to see if we can get accommodations at either of these two places in the Ueno area- Ryokan Sawanoya or Annex Katsutaro Ryokan. In Kyoto I was thinking of the PalaceSide Hotel (any other suggestions for staying in areas like the Ueno area in Tokyo?) . We would also like to see a baseball game while in Japan. I would like advice on train travel- I think I should get the JR pass for 7 days but I have not started looking into this yet. I guess I would get it the day we travel to Hiroshima/Miyajima. But then it would end in Koyasan. I have not figured that all out yet. I will look at Hyperdia but I welcome advice on how to best do this. I have been enjoying reading about 6-7 travel books I purchased on Japan so I imagine I will be asking for more suggestions and advice as I come up with more ideas of things to possibly do. Thank you all in advance!
6/5 Depart Houston 10:50 AM, non-stop flight Continental
6/6 Arrive Toyko Narita 2:20 PM
6/7 Tokyo - 6 hour bike tour of Tokyo(we do this in cities that offer them)
6/8 Tokyo
6/9 Tokyo - day trip- Nikko
6/10 Tokyo- day trip- Kamakura
6/11 Tokyo- daytrip- Hakone area
6/12 Tokyo
6/13 Hiroshima; spend night in Miyajima
6/14 Miyajima- travel to Kyoto
6/15 Kyoto- possibility of another bike tour
6/16 Kyoto- day trip- Nara
6/17 Kyoto
6/18 Kyoto
6/19 Kyoto-travel to Koyasan, spend night in Koyasan(son wants to stay in a temple)
6/20 travel to Tokyo- Narita area
6/21 depart non-stop for Houston 3:55 PM, arrive Houston 1:50 PM
Does this sound feasible? We enjoy seeing sights, relaxing, getting to know the culture and locals, hiking, out door activities, bike riding. We do not like to rush through cities. We would like to do this on a budget spending around $125-150/per night accommodations. We are not into eating in fancy restaurants, we enjoy eating where locals eat and it doesn't have to be fancy just tasty! I am planning to see if we can get accommodations at either of these two places in the Ueno area- Ryokan Sawanoya or Annex Katsutaro Ryokan. In Kyoto I was thinking of the PalaceSide Hotel (any other suggestions for staying in areas like the Ueno area in Tokyo?) . We would also like to see a baseball game while in Japan. I would like advice on train travel- I think I should get the JR pass for 7 days but I have not started looking into this yet. I guess I would get it the day we travel to Hiroshima/Miyajima. But then it would end in Koyasan. I have not figured that all out yet. I will look at Hyperdia but I welcome advice on how to best do this. I have been enjoying reading about 6-7 travel books I purchased on Japan so I imagine I will be asking for more suggestions and advice as I come up with more ideas of things to possibly do. Thank you all in advance!
Jan 11th, 2011, 08:21 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 6,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Take either the NEX and get their NEX/Suica deal or take the limobus and get their limobus/Tokyo metro deal from NRT into Tokyo the first day.
Start your 14 day JR pass on 6/9 when using to go to Nikko. You can then use your pass for all your travel including taking the NEX to NRT on your last day in Japan. You can't use the JR Pass on the ride up into Koyasan though(private line).
rizzuto may have recommendations on places to stay in Ueno if he sees this and is inclined to answer....
Aloha!
Start your 14 day JR pass on 6/9 when using to go to Nikko. You can then use your pass for all your travel including taking the NEX to NRT on your last day in Japan. You can't use the JR Pass on the ride up into Koyasan though(private line).
rizzuto may have recommendations on places to stay in Ueno if he sees this and is inclined to answer....
Aloha!
Jan 11th, 2011, 09:00 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like the OP has something in mind for accommodation in Ueno. If those don't work out, I can recommend first-hand the Sutton Place hotel in Ueno (5 min walk from station), and I've heard that the Astil Ueno hotel is ok, as well. Also consider the Lungwood Hotel in Nippori, which is adjacent to Ueno and has several places of interest.
If going from Narita Airport to Ueno, best choice for many people is the Keisei skyliner. Goes directly from the airport to Ueno in about 45 mins. You can't use the NEx/Suica combo, so you lose a few dollars, but the convenience factor is almost surely more important to most people, esp w/luggage.
If going from Narita Airport to Ueno, best choice for many people is the Keisei skyliner. Goes directly from the airport to Ueno in about 45 mins. You can't use the NEx/Suica combo, so you lose a few dollars, but the convenience factor is almost surely more important to most people, esp w/luggage.
Jan 11th, 2011, 11:32 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HT and rizzuto- I am trying to remember all that I have been reading about transportation from Narita Airport into the Ueno area. (I have not made reservations yet for a place to stay but I am looking at the different options available and will send off some emails shortly to see what is available and go from there.) So, if I get the NEx/Suica combo then I would take that into Tokyo and switch to the JR Ueno station. That would then cover some subway transportation, correct? Or I could take the Keisei directly from Narita Airport into the Keisei station in Ueno? Going directly on the Keisei line would eliminate carrying our luggage from one place to the other which would sure be a plus after the long trip to Japan. Any other advantages? Is the other more difficult or a bigger hassle? Is the hassle worth it for theNEx/Suica combo pass? Thanks!
Jan 11th, 2011, 12:20 PM
#6
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 6,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can also take the limo bus and get a Tokyo Metro card and service can be door to door depending on where you stay. Easy on the luggage as they load and unload for you. See the Limousine and Metro Pass button near the bottom right corner
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Whether the nex/suica or limobus/tmetro pass are worth it is up to you.
I don't like taking trains with any large luggage so always opt for the limobus from NRT which is easy but that's just me. Here are a few links for you if you haven't already seen:
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud.../us/index.html
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html
Aloha!
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Whether the nex/suica or limobus/tmetro pass are worth it is up to you.
I don't like taking trains with any large luggage so always opt for the limobus from NRT which is easy but that's just me. Here are a few links for you if you haven't already seen:
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud.../us/index.html
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html
Aloha!
Jan 11th, 2011, 01:51 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hawaiiantraveler must be my ex-wife; we agree about nothing.
I avoid the limobus like the plague because it can get stuck in traffic and, more important for an impatient person such as myself, service to many places is relatively infrequent (once/hour, maybe).
I avoid the limobus like the plague because it can get stuck in traffic and, more important for an impatient person such as myself, service to many places is relatively infrequent (once/hour, maybe).
