japan itinerary help
 

Below are my plans for Japan. Do you feel I have enough time in each place?

Can you kindly mention any sights in these areas that are a "must see"?

Since i'm only traveling one way(kobe-kyoto-tokyo), is the JR pass necessary?

thanks,
spunge411


Day 1: evenng Kobe
Day 2: Kobe
Day 3: day trip to Hiroshima
Day 4: AM Train to Kyoto..all day and night in Kyoto
Day 5: kyoto till Mid Afternoon, PM train to Tokyo, Eve. in Tokyo
Day 6: Tokyo
Day 7: day trip? where? Mt Fuji?
Day 8: Tokyo
Day 9: Tokyo
Day 8:Harjuku ..how early van i go in the morning? we have a 5 pm light that day.

Harijuku is DAY 10

Kobe to Hiroshima 11080 yen each way (22160 round trip).
Kobe to Kyoto 2030 yen one way.
Kyoto to Tokyo 13,520
A JP pass will save you money, certainly.
I'd spend more time in Kyoto...most people are sorry they didn't have more time there, even if they spent a week.
Harajuku is mostly shops and restaurants. Most shops open between 10 and 11. Meiji shrine is nearby and you could go there earlier.

Bonjour spunge,

Not only would a JR pass save you some money, but it will spare you hassle: you can reserve all your seats on the shinkansen and other express trains on the day you activate it and never have to go to a ticket window again. It is also useful for JR lines inside Tokyo.

I suppose you have a good reason to stay one day in Kobe, but if not go straight to Hiroshima and spend one more day in Kyoto (at least).

On day 9, have your luggage sent directly from your hotel to the airport where it will wait for you. On the last day, put your carry-ons in a locker in Shinjuku station, and count 2 hours from there to the airport, plus 2 hours for check-in, which leaves you with a good half-day of admiring teenage fashion in Harajuku.

Florence!! thank you very much.
we actually decided to do 2 days in kyoto( still havent found a room for 4) but no worries. I am curious, there is a luggage service? do u know the price? can i do the same from Kyoto to Tokyo?
Do you have a list of "must see" for Tokyo and Kyoto? i'm traveling with my Wife and 2 kids(15 and 12). I want it historically and culturally
enjoyable, as well as plain fun!

KIM: thank you very much also. is the Westin too far from the main sites? is it easy to get around in Kyoto?
what do you think of these Ryokans? location? cleanliness? convenience? any info is appreciated.


http://www.kohro.com/english/englishindex.html

http://www.a2.e-line.jp/~kyotokawa/English/index.html

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

http://www.kyoto-ohto.com/

Baggage service, and delivery of anything in general, is the norm in Japan. You can send your bags to the airport ahead of you, cost is between 1000 and 3000 yen per bag, depending on the company you use, size of the bag, and distance to the airport. You must send them a couple of days ahead to be assured they will get there on time. You then pick them up at a desk near the check in counters.

You can also send bags from hotel to to hotel..it takes an overnight, maybe 2 nights. We use the baggage service mainly for travel to and from the airport, as it isn't convenient to carry bags on the train. If we are travelling in Japan and buy something large, we also have that delivered to our house rather than try to carry it.

To find a room for 4 people, you will need to contact the hotels directly. Hotel rooms generally have 2 twin beds or 1 double/king/queen bed. Usually an extra bed can be added, but not 2 extra beds. Since your 15 year old is now considered an adult in the hotel world, and your 12 year old is borderline, you may end up needing 2 rooms if you don't stay in Japanese style rooms or hotels that are nice enough to have rooms large enough to accommodate families.

Of the 3 ryokans you list, Kyotowa looks to be nicest, Kohro next. Ohto is more a place to sleep that uses the term ryokan in its name...I doubt you'd have any sort of ryokan experience there outside of sleeping on a futon.

kim..thanks for your reply. i saw sme of your postings on ATMs. but they were from 2004. now that 2 yrs have past, do u know if "post office " atm's for sure accept US "plus logo" atm cards?

Hi spunge,

Answering your ATM question - don't count on it. They may say they take them, but based on my experience, the ATMs are often "off-line" with the international database...the nice Japanese way of saying "good luck buddy". The only ATMs that you can count taking your card on are Citibank. The good news is, they won't tack a fee on for using your card (your own bank, on the other hand, I can't vouch for :) )

This link for locations: http://www.citibank.co.jp/en/shpatm/al001a.html

Can I ask what time of year you are planning on visiting? I might be able to offer some suggestions for day trips.

Regarding the best list of historical/cultural places to see, there are lots of sites out there that will give you ideas. A bunch of us have been offering our favorites here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=27

Another option that you might prefer is taking a tour or two, which would ensure that you not only see the good sites, but also that you learn a little bit about them. My mother & mother-in-law (yes, they visited at the same time) loved the Kyoto day tour, offered through Sunrise Tours. It was a coach tour starting early morning (9ish?) & ending just in time for dinner. Took in all of the major sites around Kyoto - and these are pretty spread out - and also included a tour of the old Imperial Palace, which is only open to tourists through tour agencies or if you send a letter to some agency requesting permission to visit (and who is really going to do that?)

Anyway, there are a few suggestions. Hope it's of help!

Yes, you can use "Plus" ATM cards at the Japanese Post office ATMs in 2006.

See:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2208.html

"....and also included a tour of the old Imperial Palace, which is only open to tourists through tour agencies or if you send a letter to some agency requesting permission to visit (and who is really going to do that?)..."

I made my reservation for the Imperial Palace on line, not difficult at all....
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/index.html

I stand corrected! :)

We have a policy of procrastination when it comes to travel, especially within Japan. I must remember that everyone is not like us!

Thanks stephe, and thanks to all for helping out.
we're going the 1st week in April

spunge, just go to the post office and use your Plus ATM card at the ATM during post office hours. I did this at 5 different post office locations and had no problem at all. I never had to walk far from our hotels or a train station to get to a post office either. Very user friendly, very convenient.

emd is absolutely correct...there are post office atm machines that accept international cards all over the place. They for sure accept US plus system cards. The obvious place to look is the post office, but they are also available in department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, hospitals...all over the place. Familiarize yourself with the logo of the post office...like a T with an extra line on the top. ATM machines are referred to as "cash corner" or "cash service". Post office is "yubinkyoku". Honestly, I can walk 5 minutes in any direction from my house in Kanazawa and find an ATM that will take international cards...about 6 of them. You won't have trouble.

One tip...know your PIN number in numbers as the atm machines don't have letters.

Kim
I didn't know that US cards would be accepted at a konbini or depato, etc., as you said. Interesting.....When I was in Tokyo I stuck with the PO.

Hope you are enjoying the weather here in NYC :)

AND IT IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT TO LET YOUR CREDIT CARD VENDORS KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE USING YOUR CREDIT CARDS IN JAPAN. Last year, I also called my bank and told them I'd be using my ATM card in Japan. Otherwise, you can run into problems (esp. w/the credit cards) w/them putting a hold you your card when you try to use it in Japan.

I called one of my credit card companies last week, but they said I have to call back within 30 days of leaving for Japan...so now I have to remember to call back in a week or so.

Question about tokyo subway. i know the toyo train system consist of JR, private and subway, correct? for me to go around tokyo, would can i just get a subway pass? will the subway go where i need to go? or would i need a combo pass? where i could use jr and subway. i am hoping of just getting by on the subway. what do u think?

Aside from subway, you'll likely also need to use the JR Yamonate loop that goes around Tokyo in a circle. Generally, the subways intersect that loop, but do not follow the same path around Tokyo as that loop does.

Of course it all depends on where you stay and where you are going. But typically I think visitors use both JR Yamonate loop and subway in Tokyo.

See:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2370.html

sorry, spelling is Yamanote

spunge411, you need a JR Pass because of your day trip to Hiroshima. The prices that KimJapan listed are correct and your fares, if purchased separately, would cost 37000+ so the 28,300 for the 7-day pass makes sense. Without Hiroshima your cost would be about 15000 for Kobe- Kyoto- Tokyo. In effect, the Hiroshima day trip will cost you 13,300.

You would be able to use the pass in Tokyo for some of your travel around Tokyo. Even then, if you drop Hiroshima you would not need the pass.

I'm not discouraging the trip to Hiroshima or judging that the cost is too much, that's up to you. Just trying to give you info to decide.

I would not get any other pass for travel around Tokyo, just pay as you go. The subways go everywhere.