Hello!

My husband and I want to go to Japan (Tokyo/Kyoto) in Aug. or Sept. on our way to visit our daughter in Okinawa. We would like to know if there are any tours (hopefully with some meals incl) that can be recommended, which would include air/hotel without costing "an arm and a leg". I have looked at a lot of sites, but they seem awfully expensive.

Which tour companies have good reputations??

Any help would be appreciated!!

Jan W.

In my opinion, the best way to travel in Japan on a budget is independently. With a Japan rail pass, you can travel in complete comfort all over the country. There are a number of discount hotel chains as well, with many locations near the train stations. Eating can be surprisingly affordable too (e.g. in department stores and train stations).

Japan has a highly developed infrastructure making traveling in the country easy and enjoyable.

Anywhere else asides Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa?
These places you can do on your own.

All tours have their pluses and minuses. the big first question is where are you traveling from and what do you mean by budget? The true budget minded person imho would travel Japan by over night bus, not by JR pass

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366.html

Train travel in Japan is extremely efficient, but not cheap.....

Aloha!

Hawaiiantraveler......

We are traveling from Tucson, AZ. I thought we could do something for about $2000-$3000 apiece. But, I just got a quote from a travel broker and he quoted me $8315.00 for Tokyo, Kyoto and 1 nt in Hakone with breakfasts only. This price also included the flights back and forth to Okinawa.

Any opinions?

Thanks much!

I see that just by checking www.itasoftware.com
shows airfares at $1,213.00 r/t TUS/NRT at that time. This fare should go down some as time gets closer.

Depends on who your air carrier to and from Japan is but you can qualify for cheap domestic air travel fares(around 100.00 US) per segment. The Oneworld fare and Yokoso fares are made for foreign tourists. You can get your airfare to and from Okinawa this way. See here for more details:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html

You don't mention how long you will be in Japan before Okinawa but you can find budget lodgings that include breakfast at some of Japan's business hotels

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

http://www.tokyuhotelsjapan.com/en/index.html

http://www.jyh.or.jp/

If you have any Starwood, Hyatt or Hilton hotles points, Japan is a good place to use them and receive the full value for you points spent.

Hard to just speculate though without knowing how many days you will spend in Japan.....

The JR rail pass is definetely worth the money. Not sure how long you are staying, but for a week it's $275 per person. You can use it for your trip to Kyoto and back, any side trips, and on all JR trains. I probably wouldn't do the overnight bus cause it's a long trip and for me I want to get where I am going as soon as possible!
Japan will be the most expensive as far as lodging is concerned. But food is reasonable.
I found Kyoto to be affordable too.
Are you considering staying at hostels at all?
I would do a business hotel in Tokyo.

Thanks for the tips!

We were thinking about 6 nts total in Japan. Then, we'll stay at least a week in Okinawa with the "kids". We don't want to stay at hostels. Unfortunately, we're both retired and looking for soem creature comforts! LOL!!

Viviana7....what are "business hotels"??

Wow, six nights and your travel agent was going to charge you over 8,000.00??? I would get rid of that broker today. What hotels did they have you staying at just out of curiosity?

You could stay 6 nights in the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo or the equivalent in Kyoto and Hakone, include r/t airfare, domestic airfare, train transport for under $6000.00 just using the sites listed above.

What is your tentative itinerary? How many nights in Tokyo, Kyoto, etc. We can make specific hotel and transport recommendations if we know your itinerary.

I would say they are catered for business travelers. They're not fancy, and are probably cheaper than your western style hotels (not super cheap either at $150 a night for 2 people). Otherwise, if you are looking for a nice hotel, you'll probably end up paying anywhere from $200-$400 a night.
Have you deceided what part of town you want to stay in Tokyo?

Almost fell out of my seat when I saw your $8315.00 figure, you better get a new travel broker.

The best way, do it all by yourself independently.

Business hotels are designed for business traveler's who won't be spending most of their time in their hotel room, just a small room, always clean, efficient, sleep, shower and off. Nothing fancy, no room service etc. But I never use room service anyway. The best thing is they are cheap, usually under $80 USD.

You still need to fly to Okinawa, and that would probably be the budget point of this thats going to add to your trip. Look into getting a Japan Air Pass for discount prices on flying segments in Japan. If you are going in a one way direction, eg Tokyo->Kyoto then flying to Okinawa from say Osaka, then a Japan Rail Pass probably isn't worth it. A one way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto can run about 130 US, though discount tickets are available as low as 100 US for Shinkansen (bullet train). Around 50~60 US there are overnight highway busses that run as well.

Hello all!

In answer to your questions.....the $8351.00 was for 3 nts. in Tokyo at the Keio; 1 nt in Hakone; 3 nts. in Kyoto at the Rihga. That price also includes 1/2 day Tokyo tour, Cruise & cable car for Mt Fuji, and an all day tour in Kyoto incl the Bullet train. Breakfasts are also included; along with the flights from Tucson and back and forth to Okinawa.

So, now you know why I have "sticker shock"!!!

I'm just so skeptical about trying to do it myself. If I make a mistake; it'll be bad, I'm sure.

I appreciate all your thoughts and help.

Jan

For only $8350 I will take you on that tour.

Thing about Japan is that if you make a mistake, it is ok. The place is really, really, safe. It is also very, very, modern. Make a mistake and it might cost you a few dollars.

I would get you an open jaw ticket from PHX to Tokyo and returning from Osaka. Could return from Tokyo, if you really wanted to ride the shinkansen.

Next would be a Yokoso fare/Visit Japan fare, to go from Tokyo to Okinawa to Osaka. That would be about $125 per flight, per person for two - $500.

Figure the transpac airfare is about $1200 each. Maybe another $350 for two if you wanted to take the shinkansen between Kyoto and Tokyo plus another $250 each for airport transfers plus Hakone Free Pass and Odakyu train

That is about $4100.

Then about $250 per night for 3 nights in both Tokyo and Kyoto (for Hilton or Westin or equivalent). That is $1500. And another $600 for one night at a super deluxe ryokan with a kaiseki dinner.

Add in another $150 for a couple of taxi fares and luggage shipping. That is $6350.

O.K. boys and girls!! I have decided to scrap the $8350.00 tour.

I have done some more research and have gotten prices anywhere from $1900.00 (no meals) to $$6,000.00. These are Tokyo and Kyoto (some have an overnight stay in Hakone) for 6-8 days. The hotels seem to be pretty much the same star rating (3-4). Should we just do the air/land and eat on our own?

My major question is... Do any of you have experience with any of the following tour companies???

COCO INT'L
TRAVELORIENTED.COM
JTB JAPAK (Flex Japan Split Stay)
AFFORDABLE TOURS.COM (9 DAY AFFORDABLE)
GATE1
EXPLORIENT.COM
GOTODAY.COM

I would really appreciate any comments and/or reviews.

Thanx a bunch!

Jan

Don't know any of the others, but JTB is JAL (the airline's) tour arm and is very reputable. I've used them often and can recommend them highly.

What does the $1900.00 itinerary look like?

HT and mishkah,

The $1900.00 one is through JTB going on United. It is air from Tucson, Keio Plaza for 3 nts. with a morning tour of Tokyo; 2 nts. at the Hotel Kyoto Okura in Kyoto with an afternoon tour. No meals. Also includes Nozomi Bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto and one luggage transfer pp.

They have also quoted a price of approx. $255.00 pp r/t for airfare to and from Okinawa.

Thanks for your input!

Jan

I thought the 1900.00 was from JTB. I would take that one and work from there. You really don't need meals as you can do well enough on your own and the deals with the meals, except in ryokans, are usually the rip off types that you can do better finding places to eat yourself. You will have no problem finding something to eat in Tokyo and Kyoto.....trust me.

I have stayed in the Keio Plaza Shinjuku and it is a nice hotel. I absolutely love the area out the back door of the Keio Plaza with its myriad of shops and restaurants. There is a fantastic little French/Japanese restaurant called

Restaurant Le Coupe Chou
1-15-7 Nishishinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
Tel (03)3348-1610

Its located in the area outside the back door of the Keio past the Post Office in the area with all the shops and restaurants....can't miss it. Tell the manager Sugitasan that Peter from Hawaii sent you. The menu is all in French and Japanese but Sugitasan's English is getting better and better every day and he can translate for you.

In Kyoto the Okura is a fantastic hotel with a great location and again you will not have any problem finding something to eat in the area. The Nozomi tickets are a plus and the r/t tickets to Okinawa are a good deal from JTB.

Sounds like a good deal!

Aloha!