Japan Itinerary & JR Schedule Timetable Help
 

Hello! I'm going to Japan in March and thought I'd ask my fellow travellers for their opinions on my itinerary. Comments and criticism is welcome. I haven't figured out all the sites I want to see in Tokyo yet.

I also had a question about the JR schedule. Using the grace.hyperdia.com website while trying to figure out timetables from Hiroshima to Takayama for April, I could only get the Nozomi trains to display for the morning schedule. Since I'm travelling on the JR pass I need the slower trains. Can any of you Japanese readers help me find the schedules?

Thanks!

Sun March 26 arrive 16:35 in TOKYO

Mon March 27 TOKYO

Tue March 28 TOKYO Nikko

Wed March 29 TOKYO Hakone

Thu March 30 depart TOKYO for KYOTO check in at hostel, sightsee & walk around Gion district overnight in KYOTO

Fri March 31 KYOTO 10:15-15:30 walking tour with Johnnie Hillwalker late afternoon sightsee overnight in KYOTO

Sat April 1 KYOTO early morning take NARA line train to INARI station see Fushimi Inari Shrine then continue to UJI see Byodi-in Temple continue to NARA see Todaiji Temple & Kasuga Shrine & deer overnight in KYOTO

Sun April 2 KYOTO early morning depart for Hijemi Castle sightsee castle continue to HIROSHIMA take train then ferry to MIYAJIMA sightsee hike Misen overnight in MIYAJIMA

Mon April 3 morning sightsee MIYAJIMA see Itsukushima-Jinjya shrine see Gojyu-no-tou (5 level tower) late morning depart for HIROSHIMAget okonomiyaki for lunch see Peace Park Museum Dome overnight in HIROSHIMA

Tue April 4 early morning depart for TAKAYAMA sightsee overnight in TAKAYAMA

Wed April 5 morning go to Jinyamae Morning Market or Miyagawa Morning Market see Takayama Yatai Kaikan (festival float exhibition hall) see Sanmachi Sujisee (old town) see Hida Folk Village overnight in TAKAYAMA

Thu April 6 morning depart for TOKYO

Fri April 7 TOKYO observe sumo stable

Sat April 8 leave TOKYO for US

For Hiroshima to Takayama, you need to break the journey into portions to outsmart hyperdia. Then, when you get any result, even Nozomi, click on the clock/book symbol to get the trains for the day.

You can take the Hikari Railstar 440
depart Hiroshima at 6:44 arrive Shin Osaka 8:20.
Change to Kodama depart Shin Osaka 8:23 arrive Nagoya 9:31.
Change to Hida depart Nagoya 9:43 arrive Takayama 12:11.

Thank you so much for the help. I hate it when websites are smarter than me. ;)

Now that I've almost figured out my itinerary, I've seen a couple comments that Takayama is too touristy and only looks really traditional on one street. I had seen some pics of the traditional street and thought I really wanted to see it, but now I'm not so sure. Any Takayama defenders out there? :)

I like Takayama just fine...but it is a small city with a preserved area. If you are looking for more old style, try Shirakawa-go or Gokayama. S-go is more easily accessible by bus from Takayama or Kanazawa.

I had thought about spending one day in Takayama and then going to Kanazawa for a day, but didn't think there would be enough time to travel there and sightsee. Do you agree?

Or should I keep 2 days in Takayama and do a daytrip to Shirakawa-go? If so, is there an english website for bus timetables? I do want to see historic traditional Japan with the roofs as it would be a nice contrast to the shrines and temples that I will be seeing elsewhere. That and I have watched too many samurai movies. :)

"Fri March 31 KYOTO 10:15-15:30 walking tour with Johnnie Hillwalker...."

phantasm - I am planning to take his tour then also :)

I like Takayama. Definitely visit the government house there. It was a tax assessment office in Edo times, IIRC. The morning market on the river didn't have anything of interest to me, but YMMV. There is a temple walk in the hills on the east side of Takayama.

You could do some site seeing on the 4th, day trip to Shirakawago on the 5th, and see more Takayama sites on the 6th. You could skip Hida no Sato if you go to Ogimachi, Shirakawago.

You've got a great itinerary. I'll point out that the Hiroshima to Takayama trip is 5 hours. I did that trip, actually coming from Miyajima, and it can be a bit tiring with connections at Shin Osaka and Nagoya. So maybe moving the Nara day to after Hiroshima would break it up. It would break it up OR drag it out, depending on your perspective, and my take is that you would prefer to make as few hotel changes as possible.

BUT, you could get to Kanazawa from Hiroshima by noon. Then get a bus up to Shirakawago, getting there by 3PM. Stay overnight at a gassho zukuri minshuku, site see in the morning and then bus to Takayama.

We'll be in some of the same spots as you. Is the Johnny Hillwalker tour a good one? WE were planning on it either 3/27 or 3/31, too. We've been recommended to do the Nijo castle by tour, since it may be hard to get in otherwise. Is that true? How about the geisha tour? I sent an email and got no response. Also, we're planning on stopping at Shirakawa-go on our way from Kanazawa to Takayama. Are there enough other things to do in Takayama, assuming we don't do the Hida village?

mrwunrfl -

I was going to head for Takayama from Miyajima until I realized just how long of a trek it would be to get there. I decided instead that I would stay overnight in Hiroshima to save time especially since it looks like I'll be starting that day really early.

I'm now rethinking my 2 days in Takayama. I had thought to see Kanazawa as I wanted to see Ninja-dera, but it was suggested that I spend more time in Takayama since it is more rustic. Now I'm not sure... I've also since learned that you must reserve a tour for Ninja-dera which is only in Japanese and I don't know the language.

I think it will be a much more interesting & unique experience to see Shikawa and stay at Ogimachi before going to Takayama. Anybody agree with me?

Regarding Johnnie Hillwalker...pretty coincidental that many of us are thinking of taking it on the same day. I'm rethinking it since I took a day away from Kyoto stay to accomodate the longer travel time to Takayama. I had thought to do it as I've read good reviews about him (although I hear he sticks to a script and doesn't like to interupt it to answer questions). Since I've less time in Kyoto, I might skip it and go it on my own in order to cram in more sights and temples.

Yes, I agree about going to Shirakawago, as that was my last suggestion. Getting there from Hiroshima would still be a bit of a trek.

You could go from Hiroshima to Kanazawa and be there by noon. Would you then be able to catch the Ninja Dera tour that day? I wouldn't let a little thing like not knowing Japanese keep me away from taking the tour. Spend the night in Kanazawa and then bus up to Shirakawago, stop there for a few hours and continue to Takayama for the night. Not sure I would call Takayama rustic but it is quite a bit smaller than Kanazawa.

Where were you planning to stay in Hiroshima? You could travel further on April 3.

I hadn't picked a place yet to stay in Hiroshima yet. I had thought of staying there to allow Miyajima time in the morning of April 3 and Peace Park Museum (it is open on Mondays, right?). That is a good suggestion of travelling further before staying overnite to break up the travel. What city would you suggest to stay overnight in?

My hesitation with Ninjadera was that tourbooks say it requires advance reservation. And depending on the schedule for buses from Kanazawa to Shirakawago it might not work timewise. Anybody know the times?

Oh, so you are thinking of traveling to Kanazawa, visiting Ninja Dera, and continuing on to Shirakawago the same day? That would be a bit much.

There is a Hikari shinkansen departing Hiroshima 19:47 that goes thru Shin Osaka to Kyoto arriving at 21:10. You could still have okonomiyaki in Hiroshima and spend the night in Kyoto. At the Granvia Hotel at the station, for example. The next morning you could catch the first Limited Express Thunderbird to be in Kanazawa before 10AM (the Raityou limited express is 45 minutes slower).

Or, you could take the Hikari shinkansen to Shin Osaka and catch the LEX Thunderbird from there to Kanazawa. For example depart H at 19:10 arrive S O at 20:44, depart SO at 20:57 arr Kanazawa at 23:24. Or depart Hiroshima 25 minutes earlier to have plenty of time to catch that last T-bird of the day to Kanazawa.

The good part of the plan to go from Hiroshima to Ninja Dera to Shirakawago woiuld be that you would have to spend the night in S-go. Definitely worthwhile. That is rustic.

I found out that there are only 2 buses from Kanazawa to Shirakawago daily (assuming the schedule stays the same). One around 8:40am and another one at 14:40am. I'll have to rethink this one - it might be doable if I travel as far as possible from Hiroshima. I know hotels in the US are quite used to late check-ins - are Japanese hotels quite so accomadating?

Only way this looks like it'll work out is if I get to Kanazawa early to so I could sightsee in the morning and catch the 14:40 to Shirakawago. Or simply skip sightseeing in K to see S-go. Is Ogimachi walkable from S-go? It looks really close in the map, but the tourbooks aren't often drawn to reality.

Would there be enough time to sightsee in S-go in the morning after an overnite there before heading to Takayama in the afternoon? And would I have enough time in Takayama with most sightseeing in the morning after an overnite there?

Yes, the hotels are accomodating. Some individual places have curfews so you could check for that (but I think those curfews are more like 1-5AM). But the Japanese chains don't, so generally it is like in the US. I stayed at the APA Kanazawa-chuo and it was good. Small room, as expected, nice bath on the roof. There is a Tokyu across the street and a couple doors up, I think. Short taxi or bus ride to those places. There are other hotels close to JR Kanazawa station.

When people are discussing Ogimachi or Shirakawago they are basically referring to the same place. My understanding is that "ogimachi" means, approximately, "home village". The gassho zukuri are in the home village of the larger entity, the "-go" of Shirakawa-go. The -go is something like a township.

If you see a map that shows the "outdoor museum" at one end (north/east) of the village and a viewpoint at the other (up a windy road on a hill) then that distance is a bit far to walk (in deep snow it sure is) but there is a shuttle between those two points.

Yes, arriving on the 14:40 bus, seeing some sights, spending the night, seeing more sights in the morning, bus to Takayama in the afternoon, overnight in Takayama, sightseeing next day in Takayama and going to Tokyo that evening is doable. Just depends on how in-depth you want to go. I think a Fodorite just did this, actually.

Getting the 8:40 bus from Kanazawa means that you can move everything up a few hours. Get to Takayama by noon the next day, maybe, instead of 4-5PM. Better make your reservation now for Shirakawago.

If I were to take the 8:40 bus to S-go I would have zero time to sightsee in Kanazawa. I think it's a shorter trip to Takayama from Nagoya. IF so it might be easier to overnite there, do a little sightseeing the next morning go to S-go. Overnite there and return to Takayama the next day and stay overnite before going to Tokyo the day after.

Does this Tak/S-go trip sound like a better trip than a lightning fast Kan/S-go/Tak trip? I'm starting to get so confused that I thought that my problems were solved with the Shirakawaguchi stop on the Takayama JR line.

Yes, you're right. Not going to Ninja Dera would mean that your original plan would be just as good. With the improvement of going further than Hiroshima on the 3rd. It is a bit confusing, with all of the options you have, but it basically boils down to this:

One night in Nagoya or Kanazawa
AND either
one night in S-go and one night in Takayama
OR two nights in Takayama.

If you go to Ninja Dera then that forces the plan: one night in Kanazawa and taking the afternoon bus to S-go which means overnighting there and one night in Takayama then on to Tokyo. If not Ninja Dera, then that opens up your options.

I wrote some more after this but deleted it. You've got a plan and now you know several options. You can hardly go wrong however you decide.

mrwunrfl,

Thanks for all your help and advice! You really are wonderful. :) I can hardly comprehend how people travelled before the internet or before there were guidebooks.

I think it's more realistic for me to travel as far as Nagoya and overnite there. Any recommendations for a place near the JR? If I wake up early enough, take a look around Nagoya before catching the train to Takayama. Once there, have lunch or buy a box lunch at the station and catch the bus to S-go and overnite there. Next day sightsee a little before going back to Takayama and overniting there. Next day head to Tokyo.

Since you suggested overniting in S-go, do you have any recommendations for inns? I found this website http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/stay/
but none of the inns have email or an english speaking booking agent. Since it's a small village I find it might be unlikely that I'll get an English speaker to answer the phone and I do not know Japanese. Since I'm unfamiliar with the area it's also hard to figure out where the inns are.

Just found this site http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/d...wago/index.htm which has some inns listed for S-go and has a booking service. Hopefully I'll find one I like and it will be available.

Your schedule doesn't leave much room for missteps--nor serendipity. Some of the finest sights in Nara are the really ancient temples out on the East side (Horyuji is the oldest wooden building in the world). The nigatsu-do and sangatsu-do up the hill behind Todaiji are very fine (the latter looks like a shack to the untutored eye but is about 1150 years old and houses very fine statues).

If you are a photographer, beware that you will be at Itsukushima at low tide. From the tide link at http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3450.html

Itsukushima, Hiroshima, Japan
3 April 2006 - 4 April 2006

34.3000° N, 132.3170° E

2006-04-03 00:18 JST 3.22 meters High Tide
2006-04-03 05:55 JST Sunrise
2006-04-03 06:11 JST 1.12 meters Low Tide
2006-04-03 08:49 JST Moonrise
2006-04-03 11:51 JST 2.95 meters High Tide
2006-04-03 18:22 JST 0.27 meters Low Tide
2006-04-03 18:32 JST Sunset
2006-04-04 00:12 JST Moonset
2006-04-04 01:03 JST 3.01 meters High Tide
2006-04-04 05:54 JST Sunrise
2006-04-04 06:50 JST 1.39 meters Low Tide
2006-04-04 09:41 JST Moonrise
2006-04-04 12:23 JST 2.76 meters High Tide
2006-04-04 18:33 JST Sunset
2006-04-04 19:04 JST 0.46 meters Low Tide

For Shirakawago, check out "The Honest Photographer" tab on the Quirky Japan page at http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/

The Hida museaum in Takayama has some gassho houses:
http://www.hida.jp/e-kankou/e-point/e-point.htm

someotherguy,

Yeah I guess my schedule is pretty packed, and I didn't really allow for accidentally falling asleep on the train and waking up at the end of the line in the opposite direction, but what else is a tourist to do? No rest for the wicked tourist. ;)

Yes I might be be at Itsukushima at low tide when I first arrive, but when I leave to go to Hiroshima, I'll be close to high tide predicted at 11:51. Is the best photo opportunity while on the ferry? Or is it when looking at it from the island?

Regarding Nara, I have been thinking of passing on the Kyoto walking tour on 31 March. Do you think it would be do a separate day for both Inari (and the Fushimi Inari Shrine)and Uji (Byodi-in Temple) and save Nara as it's own day? Of course that would reduce my Kyoto time.

I don't recall being able to see Itsukushima from the ferry--it lands about a quarter mile away and around a corner. The Quirky Japan guide says the famous picture of the giant Torii is taken from a rented boat, but I did ok on the path between the ferry and the shrine (while waiting for the tour groups with flag- and megaphone-wielding guides to pass).

I've not taken a walking tour in Kyoto, but I think it could be useful if it's your first time in Japan. Most Japanese cities, including Kyoto, are hideously ugly, and shrines and temples can look like undifferentiated wooden shacks. Imagination, study, and familiarity can get you past these hurdles, but I imagine a tour with a good guide would be a fast way to increase your appreciation and enjoyment.

The Fushimi Inari Taisha (whose appreciation requires no training) can be a short stop, but Uji has more than the Byodo-in: Ujigami is the oldest shrine building in Japan (but looks like another wooden shack), there are a couple of major temples, and the associations with Genji and historic battles can be evocative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uji

Ok, that's a plan. After you wake up (early) in Nagoya you ought to just head straight for the JR station and get on the next train to Takayama. Seriously, I'm not going to offer any options on this.

I posted the bus schedule between Takayama and S-go on this forum some time ago. If I can find it then you would have some idea of the frequency.

From the list of places in S-go on the first link you gave you would want to choose a place that is in the "Ogimachi Gasho Colony" section, of course.

I highly recommend staying at Koemon. Otani-san speaks some English and his daughter is fluent (if she is there).
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...23_indacc.html

It is a small village and there is a tourist info center in the center of town. You really can't get lost. Not for long or far, anyway. The bus might go thru the village or across the bridge to the outdoor museum area. It is a short walk, 3 minutes from the visitor center to Koemon. Maybe four or 5 minutes from the museum, across a foot bridge. Koemon is the second or third building on the right side of the path coming from the footbridge.

On your way from Takayama to Tokyo you might, if you have time, stop at Gero Onsen for a soak.

You can definitely see Itsukushima Shrine from the JR Ferry boat.

Ok mrwunrfl the only thing I will do in Nagoya other than going to/from the hotel will be getting food for the train trip.

Is eating and drinking on Japanese buses and subways allowed? Where I live in California you are not allowed to eat or drink on buses or subways. Obviously that is allowed on trains esp. if you purchase the food onboard.

Thanks for the recommendation of Koemon in S-go. But it looks an unlikely choice for me as there is no english website or booking agency for it. I used Japan Guest Houses to get a reservation at Sumiyoshi Ryokan which has a river view. I tried to get a reservation at a minshuku in S-go, but all 3 that I wanted (because they had a cedar bath) were fully booked. They did offer me another option, but there aren't as many recommendations for it and they have an ordinary porcelain bath. I think I may take it as it is a small one (only 3 rooms) and it looks like rooms are filling up fast.

mrwunrfl do you agree with someotherguy that a walking tour might be a good idea in kyoto? I've never been and didn't think that all these temples and such might look like wooden shacks to my western eyes. The only downside is that my time to explore while shrines are open will be limited, but if I can't recognize them anyways...

Just got my confirmation for my Miyajima ryokan - Jukeiso. Now I just have to figure something out for Nagoya.

It would be nice to stop at an onsen en route to Tokyo, but I have tattoos. Too many to be covered by bandages without looking more like a mummy than a bather. From what I've heard they aren't desired at onsens, but I might try taking a chance at the ones at the ryokans I'm staying at where they might be more used to use strange foreigners.

There are several Toyoko Inns (very good value business hotels) near Nagoya Station. I've stayed at the Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan one and it was fine. Their English website requires patience, but it works: http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/ (you need to know that Nagoya is in Chubu).

No on eating or drinking on the subways or buses. You can take food onto the JR train. It is common practice to take an ekiben (eki= train station, ben= obento, or box lunch).

Jukeiso has two common baths. The rooms have private baths. Expect the typical short/deep Japanese tub for soaking and a wash faucet/stool.

Yes on the Kyoto walks. One source of info is the "Kyoto Walks" pdf link on the following webpage:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/RTG/PTG/index.html
I don't know about the Johnny H. tour. You've got a month to learn about what you will see in Kyoto. No, they aren't wooden shacks.

You should check out the S-go/Takayama guide too. It's on the same page.

It is going to be cherry blossom time when you are there. You are permitted to spend time in Nagoya if it is for cherry blossoms! Your timing might be perfect for Tokyo.

You can call Koemon directly. Before the trip I sign up with my long distance carrier for the low international rates and keep that service for a couple months then cancel after the trip. But you could just check to see what l.d. rate you would get. It is convenient enough to call in the evening in the U.S. since it is then daytime in Japan. Maybe JTB can help with the reservation.

This has been a most interesting exchange of information and highlights people's willingness to assist a total stranger. I haven't been back to Japan since 1989, but these exchanges brought back many happy memories of numerous visits to Japan during a 27-year naval career and two visits since retiring. I'm going back again in November and am brushing up on my Nihongo to make it easier to get around. Have a great trip, phantasm, and,if possible, look into stopping at Himeji, about half way between Hiroshima and Osaka, to visit the castle.

Yes this has been an amazingly helpful forum for me. Domo arigato!

Thanks for the tip about Tokyo Inn. It looks much more reasonable than a $200+ room at the Marriott in the train station.

I am going to Himeji Castle on April 2 en route to Hiroshima. It sounds great.

I booked a room in Shirakawa-go at Shirakawa-Shimizu http://www.shimizuinn.com/ that Japaneseguesthouses.com found for me. It's a small inn of 3 rooms. With such strong recommendations for Koemon I decided to give them a call anyways and hope someone who knew english answered. One very awkward conversation later I learned that they are fully booked for my date.

My only dilemma now is to go from Nagoya to Takayama to catch the bus to S-go or go to Kanazawa to catch the bus to S-go. The advantage to Takayama is a more frequent bus schedule to S-go and I can leave my excess luggage at the Tak. JR station. There are lockers there, right? Advantage to Kanazawa is different road and thus view to S-go.

Wait a second. I am not sure the bus from Kanazawa will be running in March. The schedule I have from 2004 runs April 5 to November 30. When I was in Kanazawa January of last year, I had to go to Takaoka to get the bus to Shirakawago (you don't want to go via Takaoka). I think that the Takayama- Shirakawago bus runs all year.

<b>IF</b> the Kanazawa- S-go bus is running then it does the trip in 1 hr 25 min. S-go - Takayama is 1 hr 40 min PLUS the 2-hour train ride from Nagoya. (There is a bus from Nagoya to S-go but I think it is seasonal and not March).

And no eating/drinking when walking down the street.

November is a good time to go, hypnocop1, for the fall colors, as I suppose you know.

Lucky for me my trip to Shirakawa-go is on April 4. :)

Here's a link to the schedule for the bus to S-go from Tak and Kan. It's all in Japanese, but in the first table you see the symbol for Tak above the 9:30, S-go above 11:10 and Kan above 12:35. From the schedules I've consulted the total travel time to S-go is about the same from either city as the train time makes up the difference. At first I really wanted to go through Kanazawa just to see diff greenery or roads along the way. But I will probably hate my luggage by then even though I plan on packing light, so it seems like it might be best to go via Tak to save luggage lugging. Someone please confirm there are luggage lockers there. Thks!

The bus is s

Yes, there are lockers at Takayama station. They fill up but there is a non-JR locker rental right there. If you had to, you could leave your bags at your lodging in Takayama for the 5th.

Actually, you might get lucky and find that the Kanazawa bus runs on April 4 this year.

You could use the baggage delivery service to send luggage from Hiroshima to Takayama.

Here's the link to the S-go schedule I forgot to include in my last post. It's the winter schedule good through March 18.

http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/a0_bus/tei...kawago_exp.htm

I did think about leaving it at the ryokan in Tak, but it might be easier to use the lockers as it would be simpler to remove 2 days worth of clothes from all of my luggage instead of dragging it all with me. Since I have to catch a bus, I'd rather not get lost on the way to the ryokan. But it is a good option should all the lockers be full or if I get there really early.

A luggage service is a good suggestion, but I'm not entirely comfortable with that method. I'll prolly just have a large duffel bag with souvenirs, books I've finished reading with my marathon train rides and dirty clothes so it won't be too monstrously heavy, but nonetheless cumbersome. It should be fine while on the train.

Would the no eating/drinking rule apply on long distance buses like the one from Tak to S-go?

someotherguy, you are very correct that the toyoko-inns webpage requires patience. i can only bring up the reservation screen for the Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Honkan. Looks like I'm going to stay there.

phantasm, Weird, I was able to get to the reservation screen of four of the five Toyoko Inns in Nagoya - all except the Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan. Some had no vacancy on 3/25 - not sure when you'll be there....

Mara, so I tried it again and now I can get to the reservation screen of all Nagoya ones except Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan. The only 3 I was considering were the Shinkan, Honkan and Shinkansen-guchi as they are close to the JR station.

I've read that the station is really large, should I bother worrying about which hotel is closest to the Shinkansen lines? Just wondering if it's maze-like enough to be of concern. If I go with the Honkan I could save Y400 by getting the Single room A.

Yet another question from me... Is it possible to make reservations over the phone for the bus to S-go? I'd hate to get there and discover that the bus is full and I have no way to get there. Thanks again!

Eating and drinking on buses...most people do not. They buy something at the rest stop and eat it at the rest stop. A few might eat candy or chips or snack type things. Drinks are fine. Bottles are better than cans because you can keep the cap on.

S-go bus schedule...it seems to me that the buses between Kanazawa and S-go are not running as it says the special marked routes (the mark beside the two that go to Kanazawa) are exceptions to the schedule, which implies they do not operate. I can't be sure...but that't my understanding.

At any rate, reservations can be made by phone, but not in English. You will need to have someone call for you in Japanese. You can ask one of your early hotels to do it for you. At the same time, you can confirm the schedule...can you get there from Kanazawa or not on your dates. The schedule is winter through March 31.

Nagoya station...it's large, but not that large. Any hotel nearby is fine. It's also very easy to stay anywhere in Nagoya and taxi to the station. We do it all the time from the Hilton, which is about 5 mintues and 800 yen from the station.

Finally, luggage service is flawless in our 11 years of using it. Nothing lost or broken or late, ever. Even frozen food, fine china, whatever. Being American where we tend to question honesty and reliability, it's been tough to get used to...but it's true, it's awesome, and I never NOT use it, meaning I never carry anything anywhere anymore...I just send it, unless I drove there myself.

phantasm, Sorry I don't know anything about Nagoya - I was just surprised that you were having problems with the Toyoko website. I actually have a reservation for one of their Kyoto hotels - but I am pretty sure I am going to stay somewhere else....I will get to one of them eventually :)

BTW, not sure if this is your first trip to Japan but your itinerary is inspiring particularly with no Japanese!! I am spending my whole week in Kyoto with maybe two day trips - one to Himeji and one to the Miho Museum. Maybe we can have a quick GTG...Hope you take photos and post them somewhere online.