lrtayloe

Need help planning our independent travel to Japan in April with our teacher daughter, who will be on break. We have read about the ryokan in Tokyo which sounds lovely but other than that have no idea where to begin to know what we should not miss (approx. 8 days), how to get around, if day trips are possible from Tokyo, and how to use the rail (is that the best way to get around? Will we have trouble meeting individuals who speak English? We are looking to have a more traditional experience rather than just staying in a big modern city and the cherry blossoms, hopefully will still be available for our enjoyment.

As always, fellow travelers, thank you in advance for your guidance.

kja

I found it very easy to travel independently in Japan. There is a lot of valuable information at:

http://www.japan-guide.com/

If you are hoping to experience Japan's traditions rather than "a big modern city," you will probably want to limit your time in Tokyo in favor of Kyoto.

crellston

We spent a couple of weeks in Japan in Apr 2008 travelling independently and found it very easy. Details of our trip complete with info on the places we stayed& photos etc. are on our blog entries 25-30 http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/1/tpod.html

At that time of year I would book ahead and once you have worked out where you are going consider whether a Japan Railpass might be worthwhile. No problems finding people who could speak English although it helps to learn a few words of Japanese

thursdaysd

Independent travel in Japan is easy. You need to spend some time with a few guidebooks deciding what you want to see, and then use http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ to figure out your trains. My TR for Japan is on this site - click on my name.

Mara

As far as traveling, if your daughter is living and working in Japan, I don't think she is eligible for a JR Railpass so if you are traveling with her you need to check out other possibilities - japan-guide.com, previously mentioned, is good for that info.

Alec

The way I read the OP, their daughter is travelling with them to Japan, so no problems getting JP Pass for everyone.

hawaiiantraveler

If you want more concrete answers you need to give us approx dates and budget so we can be helpful

Aloha!

lrtayloe

I loved all of your answers and the pics and travel report provided by crellston which has definitely caught my husband's attention. I will be back when I have more information as to dates etc. Yes our daughter teaches in Virginia but will travel with us during her school break. We may stay on and try to visit more of Asia while we are in that part of the world. We are retired so have the time. The budget, well that's another thing. I know it will not go far in Japan but want to be sure to experience the traditions and culture to the fullest. Would we be able to meet and speak to a Geisha, see how the beautiful silk robes are made, participate in or witness any of the Buddhist traditions...we have alot to learn. Are there any travel books that you like more than others? Has anyone used private guides?

KimJapan

Meet and speak to a geisha? Not unless you have connections and money, or you are lucky. I have the pleasure of knowing a geisha in Kanazawa. She was the "second wife" of a doctor who I taught privately. I met the doctor at a sports club. Every week I would visit their house and she would prepare lunch for us. From time to time, I'd be invited to a performance of some sort. The doctor passed away a few years ago, and now I only meet the geisha occasionally by chance. Very interesting lady. Very interesting man. Interesting lives. But don't hope for anything like that happening to you - it was just a luck thing for me.

In Kyoto there are some tourist programs where you pay and you can have dinner and a show. No real interaction. There is also a walk offered by a foreign photographer for geisha spotting - a bit stawker-like if you ask me. You might be satisfied with the tourist show at Gion Corner.

In Kanazawa you can see how Kaga Yuzen is made and try dying yourself as well. You can also see and try gold leaf craft, pottery, tea ceremony, visit samurai and geisha houses. Kyoto offers a variety of hands on experiences as well, but choose carefully - id avoid the Kyoto Craft Center experiences as there is little left for you to do yourself, price is high and quality is low. I can recommend Roketsu on Kyoto - it's traditional Japsnese style batik, unique to the area and the family run business is welcoming and set up really well for hands on. Google Roketsu to find their website. Reservation required.

Experience Buddism. Not sure what you have in mind. Japanese are a sort of mix of Shinto, Buddhist and Christian. Many people observe religion in ceremony only but not so much in the religious sense. Pretty much every family will take their 100 day old baby to a Shinto shrine for a ceremony marking 100 days. Funerals are typically Buddist and occasionally Shinto. Weddings are most often Christian style. There is a saying , "born Shinto, married Christian, died Buddhist.". It is mostly true.

To experience something religious.... Do you mean observe or do you mean participAte? Observe is easy for a Shinto style wedding - go to Meiji shrine on a weekend. Observing other sorts of ceremonies is probably not possible as they are private, often conducted in the home and the priest visits. You could make an overnight visit to Koyasan and participate in morning meditation. I'm not sure how authentic this is, as places that accept tourists are geared to tourism. It has mixed reviews, people love it or they don't.

Do a bit of googling on hands on experiences. You mind find something that interests you

lrtayloe

Thank you Kim Japan...trying as much as possible to have an authentic experience although I realize that may be difficult to do. Your experiencing sounds fascinating!

Michael

When I was in Japan for a conference in 1981 I took a brief vacation traveling on a Japan Rail Pass. It was introduced that year and had a very cheap introductory price. I suspect that it is more expensive now. But it offered free travel on all the trains except the private suburban lines around Tokyo. I know no Japanese, and there were few English speakers to be found, but somehow I managed and had a great time.

I traveled with that pass to Takayama, Kanazawa and Matsumoto. I also took a side trip from Tokyo to Nikko. In 1979 we went with a tour to China and stopped in Japan for a short week, where we went to Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. Pictures of these travels are in this collection. It might give you some ideas:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623059098754/

lrtayloe

Michael
these pics are great! Thank you so much for sharing with us, and for inspiring out confidence at being able to get around without knowing the language...we will definitely try to learn some polite phrases before we leave.

crellston

Irtaloe Here is a link to Fodors own Japanese language guide which you may find useful. http://www.fodors.com/language/japanese/

At the top right of the page there is also a link to a pdf. guide which you can down load and take with you.

Tenshi

Northern Japan; Tohoku region
I recently enjoyed easy travel since my relatives picked me up @ the hotel. So, since I was travelling around the Hachimantai Akita to Iwate, it was cold. I was more than grateful for the Daiwa Roynet, just to confirm that I understood my relatives'Japanese instructions. I was more thankful for the complimentary coffee in the mornings;- in a place where a 6oz. cup of coffee is about 550yen (dec 2010). Coffee is my lifeblood... so I was also happy I brought my 16oz. Starbucks mug and filled it and the extra water boiler in the hotel room. Aside from that little detail... pretty smooth sailing.
that's nearly 20 to 30 USD in coffee a day I saved myself. Since Starbucks Japan seems to be the closest to USA coffee standards and pricing (very few near me)
And, aside from not really being at the hotel much and staying in the cold winter at my relatives;--- I was grateful for the warm comfortable temperature in my hotel room. Normal Japanese homes use smaller space heaters to heat a main room.
So winter onsen were enjoyable, skislopes covered in the freshest fluffy/furry snow I have ever experienced, and everything indoors remained the same as any time during the year.

TokachiM

My parents really enjoyed the show at Gion Corner when we went in 1995 (?), and I bet it's still good -- a taste of the culture, but you don't have to know a lot of trivia to enjoy the performances.

I'd like to second the Hyperdia site for travelling by rail -- which really is the best way to get around the main island. The only problem is that you need to know the names of the stations where you stop and start, but that shouldn't be terribly hard to figure out.

In Kyoto, a daypass for the bus is often a good investment. You can't move 300 m. in Kyoto without tripping over a temple, shrine or national treasure, LOL!

Two things to keep in mind: early April is when most kids in Japan are on spring break, so things can be crowded. And IIRC, April is also the time the transportation workers go on strike. Please double check this; I live on the northern island where I simply can't use public transportation.

Oh, and one more thing: I believe the Buddhist's birthday is celebrated in some areas around April 8. Some temples stage a little processional with children playing the parts of various characters. My homestay sister was a prince . I think in Nagoya, it was half fertility rite, half Buddhist ceremony.

Hope you have an enjoyable trip.

lrtayloe

This forum has never let me down. So many wonderful contributions~ My daughter is considering Japan for her November honeymoon and has asked us to join them for part of her trip. Not sure if I want to give up a spring experience but wish to thank everyone for your kind assistance with our planning.

mrwunrfl

Here is a link to an article about meeting geisha:
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanese...isha3.htm?nl=1