Les

I'm heading for Japan in a few days, and could use some directions to the Tokyo Hyatt Regency hotel.
I'll be arriving in Tokyo on the bullet train from Kyoto. I'm not sure exactly what station it comes into, but I need specific directions from that station to the station nearest the hotel (I believe that's Shinjuku station). From there, I think I can walk or take a cab (oor free hotel shuttle, if it's available).

Thanks..

rkkwan

Hotel's website has map, and page with info: http://tokyo.regency.hyatt.com/en/ho...portation.html

Including a link to the courtesy bus schedule, which runs every 20 minutes from Shinjuku Station to the hotel.

You'll get off the Shinkansen at Shinagawa and switch to Yamanote Line to Shinjuku.

shelemm

The Shinkansen (bullet) train from Kyoto goes to Tokyo Station. You will want to take the Maranouchi Subway Line toward Ogikubo. This si the 'red' line. You will begin at stop 17, and you want to go Nishi-Shinjuku at stop 07. Form there you can surface immediately or you can walk underground. If you surface immediately, look for exit #2. It will lead to a side street right off a large boulevard. Look down the side street and you should see, ahead of you, in the distance, two enormous beige sandstone towers. That is the Hyatt.

I believe you can also walk underground, in that case you would walk toward the Tomochae Station on the Oedo Line to Exit #E4. That will put you at the corner of one of the Hyatt towers. it is a long underground corridor, though, and there are four turns to it, so this may be more disconcerting, but it does protect you more from inclement weather.

Use Google Maps to look at your route. Zoom in to reveal details such as the subway exit numbers. Go to the street view to see what your surroundings look like.

Here is a map of the subway system:

http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/subwayma...outemap_en.pdf

Cabdrivers do not speak English. If you ever want to get back to your hotel by cab, bring along a business card from the hotel or print out the address in Japanese.

Les

Thank you both for the very helpful information.

rkkwan

Even though total time of travel may be similar, I find transferring at Shinagawa very straightforward between Shinakansen and Yamanote lines. And I believe most if not all Shinakansen trains from the west will stop at Shinagawa.

Mara

I agree with rkkwan - getting off at Shinagawa is much easier than going to Tokyo Station.....all the trains stop there according to this schedule:

http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info.../eastbound.pdf

DonTopaz

A few things:

The Hyatt Regency is adjacent to Tochomae station, and a 10-minute walk from Shinagawa station. The best way to get to Tochomae station from OP's Kyoto train is as follows:

1) Disembark at Shinagawa, then take Yamanote line to Yoyogi station (about 7 stops).

2) At Yoyogi, take the Oedo line subway 2 stops to Tochomae

You could change at Shinjuku, but it's 100 times easier to change at Yoyogi. However, if you have a lot of baggage, be forewarned that the subway usually involves stairs.

If you plan to take the shuttle bus from Shinjuku to the hotel, be ready to take a taxi (or walk) instead if you can't find the shuttle bus stop. Shinjuku station is enormous, and finding the shuttle buses can be an adventure. (The shuttle stop to the Park Hyatt is extremely well concealed; I don't know about the HR shuttle.)

(I would especially disregard the suggestion about changing at Tokyo station. That's not a good idea at all.)

Les

Thank you all for the info. Lots to digest, and some additional questions:

rkkwan, after studying the Tokyo subway map (at the link provided by shelemm), the Tokyo, Shinjuku, and Tochomae stations are obvious, as is the Maranouchi line, but I can't seem to locate either the Shinagawa station or the Yamanote line. Can you tell me where they would be on the map?

Also, the hotel address is in Nish-Shinjuku. Would the Nishi-Shinjuku station be a better place to disembark than Shinjuku? As we will be toting luggage, and my wife has difficulty walking long distances, we would prefer the route that entails the minimum number of line changes.

Mara

You can send your luggage from Kyoto to Tokyo via takuhaibin:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html

Concerning your question about Shinagawa/Yamanote line - since that is a JR line it isn't included on the subway map - however, you can see it below Sengakuji (A07) as a dotted line.....

Les

Thank you, Mara. It wasn't obvious to me.

So it seems to me that the most efficient way to get to the hotel is to get the Yamanote line at Shinagawa, change to the Oedo line at Yoyagi, and disembark at Tokomae (as suggested above).

I assume that I can buy tickets to for the Yamanote line at the Shingawa station. Are the Yamanote tickets different from the subway tickets, or can I get a pass that will include both? I'll be in Tokyo for 5 days, so if there's a multi-day pass (or something similar) for the subways, I'll probably pick up a couple of those.

DonTopaz

Mara's suggestion of shipping your luggage ahead of time is an excellent suggestion and will make your travel a lot easier. Your Kyoto hotel can arrange this. You would need to ship your bags the day before you leave Kyoto, and they'll arrive at the Hyatt on the day you arrive.

Given your information about your wife, the best route would certainly be Tran to Shinagawa, connecting to Yamanote Line to Shinjuku, then taxi to the Hyatt. At Shinagawa, there are escalators from the Kyoto train to the main level, and then again from the main level to the Yamanote Line track. Escalators again at Shinjuku, and a taxi from Shinjuku to the hotel will be less than US$10 (and no tipping). Only thing to be aware of is to print out the hotel's name and address (preferably in Japanese) for the taxi driver.

Les

Don, your earlier post suggested Shingawa to Yoyogi to Tochomae. This sounded good to me because we would then be essentially at the hotel.
Are you now suggesting that we disembark at Shinjuku? Given your earlier negative comments about Shinjuku, this surprised me.

DonTopaz

If you have only small bags, Don't mind stairs, and looking for the least expensive way, then the route to Tochomae is best. If you are willing to spend an extra $8 or $10 to save time and stairs/walking, then Shinjuku + taxi is best.