Japan Itineray question!!!
 

Hi everyone,

We are going to Japan in mid April this year. Our plane is booked and we are almost on our way! YEA! Here is a list of our itinerary for Tokyo and Kyoto. My question, is there anything we are missing off this that is a must see.

Also we are bringing a digital camera and a powerbook laptop. What is a good power converter adapter that we can get for the power of these devices?

We are coming into Narita also. How is the best way to get into Tokyo from that airport. I didnt realize how far away it is until after we bought the tickets. Thanks for the help in advance. Here is our itinerary.

TOKYO

Asakusa: Old Japan • Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate): Oldest Templye in Tokyo. • Asakusa Kannon Temple/Sensoji Temple: An entire complex with temples and shopping • Nakamise-Dori • Hamakikyu Garden • 40 Minute Boat Ride: get to the boat through the Garden • Demboin Garden: Ring bell to enter garden, page 181 of Frommers

Ueno: • Ueno Park: Lots to do, museums, shopping, and eating, zoo • Tokyo National Museum • Kiyomizu Kannon-Do Temple: temple where they burn the dolls for healthy children • Shinobazu Pond • Tosho-Gu • Ameyoko: market • Matsuzakaya Department Store: 300 year old department store • Jusan-Ya: Store that has made boxwood combs…since 1736

Ikebukro and Surroundings: • Tobu Department Store: largest in Japan • Ancient Orient Museum: Lots of Nearby stuff to do • Sunshine City • Kojanji Temple

Shinjuku: • NIGHTLIFE • Shomen Yokocho: “piss alley” Interesting view of Tokyo and those who live there • Kabu Kicho: red light district, nightlife • Sinjuku Gyoen Garden: very pretty

Harajuka and Aoyama: • Meiji Jinju Shrine: Emperor Meiji’s shrine. Calmer mid- week. • Aoyama Botchi: famous cemetery

Shibuya: • NIGHTLIFE • Hachiko: very famous dog statue • Shibuya Mark City: Shopping!!

Neguro: • Happoen Garden • Sengaku-Ji: 47 Ronin (this is just a 10 minute walk)

Bayside Tokyo: • Tsukji Fish Market: No explanation needed • Tsukudashi Ma: shopping, housing and eating. Just wlak around and look at the way the Japanese live • Rainbow Bridge: this is a 40 minute walk and a small town to walk around in • Wonderwheel • Disney Sea Park

Imperial Palace and Surrounding: • Imperial Palace • Yasukuni-Jinja: controversial war museum • Idemitsu Museum of the Arts: Zen/Buddist Art from 10,000 BC to 300 BC

Ginza: • Sony Building: FOR ERIC---- Open 11:00am to 7:00pm • Kimurayo Bakery: Founded in 1874 • Wako Tower: very famous tower to look at, built in 1894 • Mitsukoshi: Oldest Department store in the world • Maruzeh: book store since 1869

Asakasa: • Hie-Jinj: Shinto shrine, original gate to the red road • New Otani Hotel: garden to walk through with traditional tea ceremonies • Toyokawa Inari (Akamyogon-Ji): page 65 in Tokyo Book

Roppongi: • Discount shops, Pachinko Parlors, and NIGHTLIFE • Tokyo Tower: only if it’s a clear day • Sangadestesu-Mon: Oldest wooden structure in Tokyo, Cedar tree planted by President Grant in 1879

Kanda: • Akihabara (Electric City): Electric goods/shopping for ERIC • Amanoya Sake Store: Ginger Sake • Kanda Myojin

Suidobashi: • Tokyo Dome: BASEBALL!!!!

KYOTO

Kyoto Station: • Nishi-Honganjiana: Temple • Higashi-Honganji: Temple • Sumiya Pleasure House: Museum of what pleasure houses were like • Toji: Temple

Central Kyoto: • Kyoto Imperial Palace: KyotoGosho, must make reservations but admission free • Sentogosho: Garden but need permission to enter also • Nijo Castle (Nijojo): Ninja house!!! • Nijo Jinya: another ninja house • Mibudera: Samurai school

Downtown Kyoto: • Ponto Cho: redlight district. Nightlife. Good walk at night • Nishiki Market: food market where all the restaurants buy their products

Eastern Kyoto: • Sanjusangendo Hall: temple. Wooden hall • Rokuharamitsuji: Buddhist Pilgrimage Site • Kiyomizu Temple, Jishu Shrine (love walk between the stones), and Otowa Falls • Maruyama Koen Park: Large cherry tree • Chion-Ion: Temple/garden bell • Shoren-Ion: temple/garden next to Chion-Ion • GION and the KAMA river • Kennin Temple: 1st Zen Temple in Kyoto • Nanzenji Temple: Zen Temple • Tetshgaku Nomichi: Philosopher’s Stroll. Takes about 2 hours • Ginkaku-Ji: Templet of the Silver Pavilion, Shogan villa • Shinen Garden

North/Northwestern Kyoto: • Kinkakuji: Temple of the Golden Pavilion • Kitano Tenman-Gu: Temple/shrine • Ninna-Ji: Temple/garden. Cherry Trees

Western Kyoto: • Koryu-Ji: one of the oldest temples • Arashiyama-Shagano District: nice please to walk around • Iwatayama Monkey Park: wild monkeys!!!!!!! • Hozu-Gawa River Trip: river trip boat ride around 2 hours • Tako Area: there are 3 temples and Jingo-Ji Karma Toss you throw paper out to throw away your bad karma…..

Southwestern Kyoto: • Saiho-Ji: Moss temple, very serene. Must make reservations. Send post card at least 1 week ahead. Must meditate for 90 minutes. Page 147 in Kyoto Book • Jizo-In: another moss temple, but do not have to meditate. • Matsuo-Taisha: Once of Kyoto’s oldest shrines. Sake brewing shrine.

Southern Kyoto: • Tofuky-Ji: Oldest Zen gate in Japan • Fushimi-Inari-Taisha: shrine/garden • Hju-In Treasure House: $7.00 admission. Museum

NARA

Nara: • Horyuji Temple: Complex of buildings. Oldest intact temple complex in Japan. Houses world’s oldest Wooden buildings • Kofukuji Temple: 5 story tall pagoda • Todaiji Temple: Largest Bronze Buddha ever cast housed here • Toshodaiji Temple: main hall and lecture hall are Japanese National treasures • Nara Park: free roaming deer!!!! • Isui-En and Neiraku-Bijutsukan: most splendid garden in Nara

One more question. On the above list, would we need to purchase a JR Rail pass or will the subways be OK to get around with. Or what is the best way for travel around with this plan? Thanks again.

What an impressive list, you have really done your research and are well prepared. To answer your question on getting into Tokyo from Narita, there is an airporter bus counter right outside of customs which is very convenient to use, taxis are very expensive.

A word of caution, Kabuki-cho while generally safe for tourists does have some dicey areas with gang activity so do use common sense when walking around.

The Philosophers Path in Kyoto is a lovely walk and should be very nice in April. There are some very good restaurants along Pontocho with a wide range of prices. I would not characterize Pontocho as a red light district at all and it is nothing like Kabuki-cho.

And those 300 year old department stores. Although they share a long history, they are very modern and while they have a distinctly japanese ambience, are just department stores. Sounds like a great trip! Would love to read a report when you return.

Thanks for the great info! I will definately take your advice. We have been planning this trip for 3 years now and we are really looking forward to the trip. The list is big and is more a wish list but I just wanted to make sure that we didnt miss anything.

Someone else told me that we should just get a JR rail pass as it would cover our trip from the airport into Tokyo, around Tokyo and to Kyoto also and to Nara. Is this some good advice? Also any more info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

Bonjour Eric,

How long are you staying in each cities ? If you want to see all you've listed, you need at least 7 days in Tokyo and a week in Kyoto, + one day for Nara, and then you'll miss on most of the better seasonal activities ;-)

My advice: have a look at those sites
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ (Nat office of tourism)

http://raku.city.kyoto.jp/sight_e.phtml (Kyoto city tourism office)


http://www.kyotoguide.com/index/index.html (Kyoto visitor's guide - get a paper copy at the tourist office in Narita or in Kyoto station or in your hotel in Kyoto - good maps, lists seasonals activities, flea markets, visits, exhibitions, etc., as well as restaurants, shops, etc.).

http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/index_en.htm (Tokyo convention and visitors bureau)

and get the book "Toyko for Free" from S. Pompian (Kodansha).

Warnings:

- Shinjuku: there's nothing to see by day in Kabukicho (and not much by night unless you're accompanied by a local), and "piss alley" is mostly what the name suggests: it smells of pee. OTOH, you can get great views of the city by going to the observation platform of the new City Hall (it's free). You can also get lost inside the station ... ;-)


- Shibuya: the dog's statue is not worth the trip, it's small and hidden by flocks of people waiting in vain for someone who promised to meet them there. In fact, telling someone "I'll meet you by Hachiko" is akin to telling them they can wait until hell freezes over.
Shopping in Shibuya is overrated, nothing will be your size anyway ;-)


In Kyoto, try to make your visit of Toji temple coincide with a big fleamarket (21st of each month and 1st Sunday, look for the exact date on Kyoto visitor's guide).

Unless you're an exceptionnally good and fast walker and you don't mind just passing by the temples and other attractions, you need 3 days to cover the temples and areas of Eastern Kyoto (You can cram together Sanjusangendo and Kiyomizu, but the latter is surrounded by a maze of fascinating streets full of shops ... great shopping for souvenirs and ceramics).

If you fly in and out of Narita, you definitely need a railpass if only for a great save on the trip between Tokyo and Kyoto and can be used for most side-trips from both cities. It also covers a good part inside Tokyo (JR lines - circle and a few transversal lines). Most interesting sites of Tokyo are adjacent to the Yamanote circle line.

"Warnings:

- Shinjuku: there's nothing to see by day in Kabukicho (and not much by night unless you're accompanied by a local), and "piss alley" is mostly what the name suggests: it smells of pee. OTOH, you can get great views of the city by going to the observation platform of the new City Hall (it's free). You can also get lost inside the station ...


- Shibuya: the dog's statue is not worth the trip, it's small and hidden by flocks of people waiting in vain for someone who promised to meet them there. In fact, telling someone "I'll meet you by Hachiko" is akin to telling them they can wait until hell freezes over.
Shopping in Shibuya is overrated, nothing will be your size anyway
"

Thanks for the great input. To answer your questions we are staying in Tokyo for 8 nights and Kyoto for 7 and that is including a day trip to Nara. I know we wont beable to see everything but this is more of a wish list.

About the above statement; we are interested in a little of the night life of these areas, but it worries me that you say we wont beable to enjoy it unless we are with a local. Are there places that we can enjoy and what should we look for or look out for. I dont want to insult anyone nor do I want trouble anywhere because I am a visitor.

This also makes me wonder because we want to stay in Shinjuku because we dont want to have to worry about travel if we go out at night. Should we be staying in a different part of the city? Thanks again for the great advice.