Japan GTG, early April
 

Am wondering if any fodorites are interested in meeting up in Japan in early April.

Here is my current plan if my knee holds up until then:
Mar 31, arrive Osaka ITM and staying in Osaka for 3 nights
Apr 1 - Osaka, Kema Sakuranomiya and Osakajo-koen
Apr 2 - Osaka, possibly a day trip to Arima Onsen or Koyasan
Apr 3 - TBD - I have a res near Shin Osaka and maybe visit Kyoto, might change to Arima Onsen,
Apr 4 - Kyoto
Apr 5 - Kyoto
Apr 6 - Nagoya maybe, for the Shikinomichi along the Yamazakigawa
Apr 7 - Nikko, maybe
Apr 8 -10 Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen, the robot show in Kabukicho
Apr 11 - depart from NRT

Am going to skip the Miyako Odori because it won't be held at the theater in Gion this year.

Sorry, am going later this year...our planes might pass each other.... ;-)

arriving 4/21...

Would've love to meet you, but I'm arriving 5/10.

We'll be there 2/19-2/25. mrwunrfl. I don't think you could have missed so many travelers, by such margins, if you had tried!!

Where are they holding the Miyako Odori this year?

Traveling May 4th-May13th, next time!

I don't plan to go until summer 2018. Too bad I can't go sooner, but at least we met at my GTG about 10 years ago. Smiles.

Yesterday, I went to the big travel show at the L.A. convention center and there was a guy in the JAL booth that was great in helping me try to plan a 2018 trip. He spent a good 20-25 minutes going over everything with me and said that he'll see me again next February if I have more questions.

Happy Travels!

lcuy, this year it is called Miyako Odori in Shunjuza” as the performance will be held at the Kyoto Art Theater “Shunjuza”. www.miyako-odori.jp/english/

I still recommend seeing the MO performance this year to any Kyoto visitors in April. Its optional for me because I don't know how it could come close to the experience I had at the performance that emd, her daugher, and I saw at the Gion theater.

Guenmai, I thought of you the other day because, IIRC, you are a Singapore Airlines fan. SQ is having a summer sale (might be expiring today) and LAX-NRT is only $1999 roundrip in business class. Travel June 1 through Aug 31, I think. Other SQ origin/destination options are available.

mrwunrfl: Yeah, that's a great sale. Singapore Air e-mailed me about it. I wish I could take advantage of it, but I think I'd better focus on getting over this jet lag first and also going off to NoLa in early April and then to Europe in the summer. LOL! But, I'm working on a round-the-world trip for possibly summer 2018 with Japan included and with only Asian stops.

I already put together a tentative itinerary and sent it over to an air ticket company yesterday and received a call today by an agent who's working on the airfares to give me a ballpark figure of what they might be so that I can plan better.

Happy Travels!

Would love to get you lost again Bill but will be arriving on 4/21 also. Love that you will be in Osaka and at Osaka-jo during Sakura. The surrounding gardens are spectacular there and the hanami parties at the different venues are huge as you can imagine.

Shinjuku Gyoen is a favorite and must see for me but also try to get out to Shōwa Kinen Kōen or Showa Memorial Park out in Tachikawa an easy 30 minute JR local train ride out of Shinjuku. Our now favorite koyo and cb park in the Tokyo area. Huge place but you can rent a bike. The place is flat so easy riding.

http://www.showakinen-koen.jp/guide-...edule-english/

I would vote for an overnight at Arima Onsen other than Koya but thats just me haha. Have fun I know you will.

Aloha!

Oh Bill, reading this post upon waking up today, and being reminded by you of that delightful performance my daughter and I went to in Kyoto with you...and dinner afterwards...priceless. I miss her so much. Thank you for that memory.

And have a fantastic trip! My travel adventures are winding down. I have been diagnosed at Johns Hopkins with a rare muscle degenerative disease, am rapidly losing my leg muscles and mobility, falling, losing arm muscles and grip also. But I still travel vicariously on fodors! How I wish i could do another Japan trip. So glad I took both my kids to Japan in better days.

Oh emd3! I am so sorry to hear this.

<3

Lucy

Eileen, am so sad to hear that. Am sure that you will find the right path and wish you the best.

Peter, I will take your advice on Tokyo. Not just you, I'm not interested in staying on Koyasan. If the day trip was today I would be on then onsen bus from Osaka. I think you liked Kinosaki Onsen. Will add that to my maybe list.

Not only Kinosaki onsen but the train ride through that part of the country from Osaka is pretty spectacular in sections. Love the Japanese countryside. If you like kani then Kinosaki onsen is a great place for an overnight. The little town is walkable and still traditionally very well kept. They also have those tags that onsen give out that allow you to try five or seven different onsens daily. Perfect sakura timing btw.

Aloha!

Eileen, so sorry to hear about your illness!

mrwunrfl, I also would recommend Kinosaki Onsen - I am not a real onsen person - I stayed over there on my way from Amanohashidate (traveled from Kyoto) to Matsue, and did not have that much time there but it certainly was a cute little town....

Trouble finding a Kinosaki ryokan that accepts a solo guest. Maybe I can book for two and have one dinner scheduled for 3:30 and the second one at 7PM.

I was able to book Onishiya Suishoen for one person on japanican even though japaneseguesthouses said that Kinosaki Onsen ryokan did not accept solo guests. Their own website only allows a solo guest to book a room with a western bed and breakfast only.

The japanican e-mail said it was prepaid but it took 3 business days before the charge hit my credit card. It is the right amount for one person in a tatami room with dinner and breakfast.

While waiting for the charge to be applied, I booked Morizuya via booking dot com. I don't like two things: that it was not prepaid, and that it is 5000 yen less than the other place. But the location is good.

Glad you got somewhere to stay, mrwunrfl.

I gave up on japaneseguesthouses a number of years ago when they told me there were no ryokan in Yufuin that would take a single guest...

I prefer to pay upon check-in....don't like pre-paid...

Mikuniya became available and I booked it right away on their "official" site.