limens

Hi,
our trip starts in Japan and we will spend a total of full 7 days in Japan.

I need some helping planning out the chain of places to visit, so that the trip is more effective.

So far, my plan looks like this:

Nov 8: Arrive in Osaka (KIX) at 5PM
Nov 9: Kyoto
Nov10: Kyoto
Activity: half-day trip out of Kyoto, consider Byodo-in in Uji, or Enryaku-ji in Hiei-zan, or the Miho Museum. Nara Koen
Nov11: Kyoto
Activity: Fushimi Inari,
Nov12: Kyoto
Activity: Trip to Mt. Koya with overnight stay at the Ryokan. I have no idea how long it would take to get here and on which day of trip would you recommend this?)
Nov13: catch bullet to Tokyo:
Activity: Tsukiji Fish Market, walk around in busy city parts
Nov14: Tokyo:
Activity: Ginza, Akihabara, Yokohama
Nov15: Tokyo:
Activity: visit Meiji Shrine in Tokyo for Shichi-Go-San
Nov16: NRT to BKK

I still need help figuring out where to go to see a SUMO match. It seems like SUMO matches are held in Fukuoka Kokusai Center (Kyushu) in November? but how far is that from Kyoto or Tokyo? any help would be great.

I still need to book the hotels (but will do this after the activities and daytrips are clear) and need to look into train rides, rail passes and related things.


please make some suggestions and adjustments.

limens

Considering that we will be traveling in and around: Kyoto, Koya, Tokyo (in those 7 days) would you recommend buying some sort of a rail pass? If so, could please post a link where I can purchase such rail pass.

Is rail the main method of moving around? In what situations do you use taxi?

thx again.

kja

Hi, limens -

> Nov10. . . half-day trip out of Kyoto, consider Byodo-in in Uji, or Enryaku-ji in Hiei-zan, or the Miho Museum. Nara Koen . . . Nov11. . . Fushimi Inari

I didn't visit Enryaku-ji or the Miho Museum, although I was tempted! I did visit Byodo-in briefly, with a stop for tea in Uji, and I'm glad I did - but I had much more time in the area than you will!

Note that Fushimi Inari and Uji are both on the same train line between Kyoto and Nara, so it might make most sense to see both Byodo-in and Fushimi Inari on the way to or from Nara. BTW, I spent something under 2 hours (as I recall) at Fushimi, mostly just before but also a bit after sunset - great time to visit!

As for Nara, I'm one of those who was really glad to have spent a night there (actually, 2 nights). I enjoyed my time in Nara, and found it particularly magical after day trippers had left.

BUT, am I reading correctly that you have only 2 full days in Kyoto, with perhaps another 1/2 day before leaving for Mt. Koya? That is not very much time for a place as full of wonderful things as Kyoto. Fushimi Inari should be easy to see because it is (I believe) open 24/7, so you can see it after/before things that close. Much as I enjoyed Byodo-in, I'm not sure I would have given up a 1/2 day for it if I had so little time in Kyoto.


> Trip to Mt. Koya with overnight stay at the Ryokan. I have no idea how long it would take to get here

I believe it will take about 3 hours to get from Kyoto to Koyasan, assuming you take the fastest way. See:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/que...5+1+jp+108+214

Hope that helps!

Mara

You can use hyperdia.com to price out the different train trips. Usually since you are not doing a round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto or vice versa, you are probably not in need of a JR Pass.

Koyasan is about three hours from Kyoto and over five hours to Tokyo.

Enjoy - I am hoping to visit Japan in November as well.

hawaiiantraveler

On the first day I would go all the way into a Kyoto hotel from KIX to maximize my time in Kyoto. You can start early in the am from Kyoto seeing the sights

The sumo tournament starts on Nov 9 in Fukuoka. You want to be there about 2:30 pm to see at least the Juryo and then the Makuuchi divisions wrestle. See here for what a typical day at sumo is like, you should check out the whole sight as it has lots of good sumo info if you are interested

http://tinyurl.com/23q6mo

Using hyperdia.com it is about a 2 hour and 40 minute one way ride from Kyoto to Hakata(Fukuoka) station via the Nozomi shinkansen. The cost is 15610 yen per person each way. So that's a 5 hour and 20 minute total commute with a 31000+ yen train ride to see sumo.....up to you. You may never be that close again....

From Tokyo its 5 hours and 15 minutes one way with a 22320 yen per person ticket and reservation charge on the Nozomi shinkansen.

The Japanese TV stations do show extensive sumo coverage it seems all day long and on several stations while the matches are in progress.

What hotels are you considering?

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

thought of a few more things

Check out this site for information about Koyasan.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4900.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4904.html

You should really check out the whole japan guide site as it a treasure trove of information for a first visit.

On the rail passes you need an itinerary first so we can figure if you need one or not. See link below for price and general info about passes and train travel in Japan.

http://www.japanrail.com/JR_japanrailpass.html

7 days on the ground in Japan is not enough time imho to see more than two maybe three(and that's stretching it) cities.

Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara or Koya. Doing Koya really adds more stress than I would want in so few days....but that's just me. If you add going to the sumo matches in Fukuoka it sounds like all you will be doing is seeing the insides of a Japanese train.

Aloha!

mrwunrfl

To get to Hakata (Fukuoka) from Kyoto you'd take a local train to Shin Osaka and then use a Sanyo Area Pass to take the Nozomi shinkansen to Hakata and back to Osaka. I think that's 20,000 JPY.

Or buy a one-way ticket on Nozomi from Kyoto to Hakata and fly from FUK to HND. So, 15,000 for the train (ht's price, approx) and then another 12,500 or so for a one-way Visit Japan fare.

Or fly ITM-FUK-HND for 2 times the Visit Japan fare, so 25,000 JPY more or less.

Or a 7-day JR Pass to use for Kyoto-Hakata-Tokyo for 28,300 (last time I checked) and could use it to get around Tokyo a bit and to get to NRT.

I went to the sumo tournament in Fukuoka (Kyushu Bassho) and am considering going back this year. I got a ticket at the window. It was up top, at the end, on a plastic chair (I don't remember if higher priced tix were available). The next time I went to sumo was in Tokyo. That was 8000 yen for a comfortable seat with a great view.

But in Fukuoka you could get up close to the wrestlers as they were coming into the building from the outside or going from their dressing room to the arena. I remember standing near the front door and seeing a sumo wrestler enter. A little lady was standing in front of me and crying, she was so excited.

As ht indicated, you could do it, go to Kyushu Bassho, but you got to really want it, given the time you have.

limens

Thanks for the replies:

re"
Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara or Koya. Doing Koya really adds more stress than I would want in so few days....but that's just me. If you add going to the sumo matches in Fukuoka it sounds like all you will be doing is seeing the insides of a Japanese train."

I agree and I don't want to be stuck in running from one train to another with 2 pieces of luggage.

Considering that our flight arrives in Kyoto and departs out of NRT in 7 days, what is the path of travel do you recommend?

I wish to eliminate zigzags and redundant travel.

Can this be done while stopping for an overnight Ryokan experience like the one available on Mt. Koya buddist temple? and is Fukuoka the only venue where live sumo can be watched?


Nov 8: LAX > KIX (Osaka) at 5PM (since that is long flight, I'm guessing we'll be very tired and jet lagged)

Nov 9: Kyoto
Nov10: Kyoto
Nov11: Kyoto (or Koya?)
Nov12: Kyoto (or Fukuoka?)

Nov13: Tokyo
Nov14: Tokyo
Nov15: Tokyo
Nov16: NRT to BKK (Arrive in Bangkok at 11PM)

I haven't made any hotel reservations yet, once the path of travel is very clear, I will go ahead and find hotels in each city.

Since I have so few days, I'd like to only spend them in Kyoto and Tokyo

mrwunrfl

Grand sumo tournaments are held every odd month of the year and it is at one location. In November that is Fukuoka.

You would be able to get on a Nozomi train in Kyoto and get off at Hakata. There are some Hikari thru trains that you can use with the rail pass that will take you from Kyoto to Hakata. Most other JR Pass itins would require a change at Shin Osaka.

But you would use the baggage delivery service to send bags from Kyoto to Tokyo. Then travel extremely lightly to Fukuoka. That is, if you wanted to do that.

Flying from Fukuoka to Tokyo Haneda would not take much more time than going from Kyoto to Tokyo. So the cost of going to Fukuoka, timewise, would be the shinkansen ride going south.

That travel would not be redundant but would be a bit of zigzag.

All of the above that I wrote was to give you info about how you might accomplish seeing/doing what you mentioned you were interested in.

What I recommend that you do is different. You have a couple of ?? in your last post but I suggest that you go with the last thought: [with] "so few days, I'd like to only spend them in Kyoto and Tokyo". I would take a day trip to Nara and skip Koyasan and Fukuoka.

There are sumo stables in Tokyo and you can get tours and exhibitions for that. I have never done that, tho, and wonder what it will be like with everybody gone down to Fukuoka.

limens

Since we are arriving in KIX (Kansai International Airport). Looking at this map (http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/jws/7ws/data/Japan.jpg), it seems that Nara is much closer to KIX compared to Kyoto. So, maybe we should move like this:

Nov 8: First, go from KIX to a Nara hotel, check-in, rest.

Nov 9: Nara Koen, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Grand Shrine, Byodo-in, Fushimi Inari. Sleep this night in Nara as well.

Nov 10: Morning, catch a train to Kyoto. Check-in. Go sightseeing at: Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkaku-ji, Gion?, kabuki?, Nijo Castle?, Arashiyama etc

Nov 11: things to do (to be researched)

Nov 12: Instead of going to Mt.Koya for a Ryokan experience, I would like to find a Ryokan inn that is closer to Kyoto for one night. My max limit that I think I'd like to spend on this is probably about $400 for both us. I would appreciate any suggestion.

Nov 13: Get on a train to Tokyo. After check-in (considering ANA Hotel), wander around the city.

Nov 14: Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Akihabara, Yokohama

Nov 15: Meiji Shrine in Tokyo for Shichi-Go-San. Other activities. Maybe find some SUMO in tokyo..etc.

Nov 16: 6pm catch a flight: NRT to Thailand.

limens

error: the ANA Hotel is for Kyoto.

KimJapan

You can stay in a ryokan in Nara...there are many, many.

Getting from KIX to Kyoto or Osaka or Nara is very easy. Limo buses are popular and easy and cheap http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/a...bus/index.html and the Haruka train will take you to Kyoto station http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/a...ain/index.html but perhaps the easiest and best value option is the airport to hotel MK Shuttle to Kyoto http://www.mk-group.co.jp/english/shuttle/index.html and there is also this company to Kyoto as well http://yasaka.jp/taxi/shuttle-e/index.html

So, the easiest destination from KIX is really a Kyoto hotel, but Nara is doable as well. Should you decide on Nara, the limo bus goes to the Nara Hotel, Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station...from which you would need to get to your hotel.

Ryokan ideas for you to look at in Nara and Kyoto...some places only have Japanese websites, but you can still look at pictures and if there is one you like then perhaps a place like Japanese Guesthouses could book it for you. These are places I have bookmarked but not stayed at.
http://www.kankaso.jp/stay_guidance/index.html

http://www.shikitei.co.jp/

http://www.nara-yoshidaya.co.jp/index.html

http://www.edosan.jp/

http://www.motonago.com/room.php

http://www.momijiya.jp/english/index.html

http://www.h6.dion.ne.jp/~azuki/introduction.html

With the basho in Fukuoka, you will not likely find sumo in Tokyo (stables will be empty) outside of the sumo museum. http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/museum/shisetsu/index.html

kja

Hi again limens -

I think your current proposal is much more doable.

> Nov 9: Nara . . . Byodo-in, Fushimi Inari. Sleep this night in Nara as well.

Since Fushimi Inari is on the outskirts of Kyoto, it might make sense to change hotels at this point rather than the next morning. You could use luggage forwarding to send everything but an overnight bag from KIX to your hotel in Kyoto, and just take what you need for one night in Nara with you. There are luggage lockers at the train stations in both Uji and at Fushimi Inari.

> Nov 10: . . . Go sightseeing at: Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkaku-ji, Gion?, kabuki?, Nijo Castle?, Arashiyama etc

I'm not sure if you realize how spread out these destinations are within the city of Kyoto. They are all worth seeing, but it would likely take much more than a day to see them all. Do check a map when planning your time in Kyoto!

> Nov 12: Instead of going to Mt.Koya for a Ryokan experience, I would like to find a Ryokan inn that is closer to Kyoto for one night.

I like KimJapan's suggestion: Spend your night in Nara in one of the ryokans there.

Enjoy!

hawaiiantraveler

I like your new itinerary a except I would stay in Kyoto from the first night as I mentioned earlier.

Nara is a nice place for your ryokan experience and KimJapan lists some nice places as usual. Stay there the night before you leave for Tokyo if you are going to do so. Looks like you are getting a good itinerary into shape

Aloha!

mrwunrfl

Getting from KIX to Nara would involve a transfer. Would be from a limited express train from the airport to a local train. Or from a local train to local train.

Getting from KIX to Kyoto would be as simple as staying on that limited express train all the way from the airport to Kyoto. The time is not much more, maybe 10 minutes or so, because is is faster than the locals and there is no change.

Taking the limited express train to Kyoto would be a bit more comfortable than local trains. You can get reserved seats and (I have not taken the train but fully expect) there should be room for lugggage as it is an airport train.

If you are getting into KIX around 4PM or so then you would be changing trains in some Osaka station (like Tennoji) at rush hour and probably standing on the JR local to Nara.

I would suggest going to Nara overnight for that ryokan experience and then returning to Kyoto (where you left your luggage) for a night.

mrwunrfl

Or leaving Nara for Tokyo is certainly a good idea, too. Just wouldn't stay at Nara in a ryokan on the first night more maybe not even the second night. Have a chance to get over jetlag a bit before doing that.

limens

All right, based on your advices, it is clear now that this is what I need to do:

Nov 8: First, go from KIX to a Kyoto hotel, check-in, rest, get over jetlag

Nov 9: Kyoto: Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkaku-ji

Nov 10: Kyoto: Gion?, kabuki?, Nijo Castle?, Arashiyama etc

Nov 11: things to do (to be researched)

Nov 12: Morning train to Nara, stay in a ryokan for a night.

Nov 13: Maybe see some more sights in Nara? then catch a PM train from Nara to Tokyo. After check-in in Tokyo, wander around the city.

Nov 14: Tsukiji Fish Market, Ginza, Akihabara, Yokohama

Nov 15: Meiji Shrine in Tokyo for Shichi-Go-San. Other activities. Maybe find some SUMO in tokyo..etc.

Nov 16: 6pm catch a flight: NRT to Thailand.

So, now I need to figure out the logistics of going from one site to another and since I'm not sure how far things are from one another, I definitely need to figure out how many places per day to do, so that I don't end up running from one place to another like a maniac. Again, need to make sure sightseeing is not redundant and too zigzaggy

thanks for excellent suggestions, super helpful. It feels great to be able to create a plan like this without even going through a travel agent!!!