ileness

We are a family of 4...including two children ages 9 and 11.. We have one night available in our planned trip during which I would like to stay in a ryokan with an onsen that is appropriate for my kids... I am looking for somewhere beautiful, perhaps with some close hiking or biking opportunites, and not too far from a train station because we have only one night before we have to get to koya san. There is a budget...under 15,000 for the adults/ assuming discounting for children...
Has anyone gone somewhere they have loved??

hawaiiantraveler

With one day you would probably not have the time for hiking or biking but we stayed at Amagiso last fall and it might fit your bill.

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/d...ka/amagiso.htm

And they pick you up and drop you off from the train station. When we arrived the driver was waiting at the station for us with our name on a card. Spectacular scenery there with many hiking opportunities if you stay more than one night. You will be hiking enough going from bath to baths as there are many here along with a daru(waterfall).....seven actually. We had the driver drop us off to the head of the trail the next morning and hiked to all seven waterfalls in the height of the fall colors season.....just spectacular.

Anyway, there is one idea.

Aloha!

ileness

That is so crazy that you sent that! 20 years ago i stayed at a youth hostel down the road, and I went to those baths... could not remember for the life of me what the name of it was... It is exactly what was in my head though... I LOVE THAT PLACE!!! So, you completely understand what I am hoping to accomplish.


I was however thinking of trying something else just to have a different experience. I have not been to hiroshima, and hence thought of trying a place in miyajima...
have you been there? hakone had been suggested, but I was told it was too touristy... and the other place thrown about has been kawaguchiko.

sure is tempting to return to amagiso!

hawaiiantraveler

Then surrender to your temptations,lol

I have been to both Kawaguchiko and Miyajima. Miyajima is significantly further south of Koyasan and time constraints may apply. Kawaguchiko's train system has you leaving out of Shinjuku station and returning half way before you can head to Koyasan.
In Kawaguchiko we stayed here:

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/fuji/konanso.htm

On Miyajima we stayed here:

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/d...jima/iwaso.htm

None of those two destinations hold a spark to the Amagiso's scenery and beauty but this place a little closer to Tokyo may suit you and you family and I loved our stay here:

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/d...a/osenkaku.htm

Aloha!

ileness

of the three only osenkaku make sense i guess... how are the connections between there and koyasan?

also.. if we were going ... Tokyo... koyasan... miyajima... Kyoto... would the connections make more sense that way?

Thank you again so much for your help, and... helping me to remember Amagiso... It's looking very tempting indeed.

I was just so much wanting something different than last trip... so, what if one traded out koyasan (ouch)... what would you do?

hawaiiantraveler

Take a look at the bottom of Osenkaku page and it will tell you how to get to and from there.

Use this site for figuring your train travel times, fares and routes.

http://www.hyperdia.com/

See here for details on getting to and from Koyasan if you haven't already seen:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4904.html

Switch the To/From: switch between cities you are traveling from.

I would let you know what I would do but would need to know your itinerary now, time constraints and your budget. Also what you want to see and what you expect from this trip. How many times have you been to Japan?

Aloha!

ileness

well, since you asked....

This is my second trip to Japan and my husband and kids ages 9 and 10 first. It is our second family international trip. Last year we went to Hong Kong and Thailand.

WE will have a 7 day JR pass. I have secured for starwood nights at the westin in kyoto, and am hoping for three more at the sheraton in tokyo.. although, I have not convinced them to give me a cash and points room just YET.

I am planning a fast paced "best of" experience for the family.... taste of all things japanese if you will.. exposure to Japanese culture and nature... lots of walking and hiking, hopefully an afternoon of biking.. temples to hello kitty. maybe the somewhat corny geisha show in kyoto for the girls... some monkeys and perhaps a castle...

I am challenged by my husband and one child's distaste for fish. Upon discovering cost of ryokan and temple stay, my original budget has been blown out of the water. I am attempting to be budget conscious, without being pound-foolish... but, it appears I am looking at the lowest rung of accomodations at 13,000 yen per adult, 30% off for kids..

Here's the itinerary...

three nights in Tokyo
one at an onsen ryokan somewhere,
and one on koyasan (possibly one of my two favorite places on earth),
four nights in kyoto (will go to Nara one day, and possibly another half day in hiroshima)
lv. on overnight flight to honolulu on night 10.

I am interested in any or all tips you may have.. I want to take the family to Koyasan, but if a better idea emerged I would be open to hearing about it...

Thanks Again, Ilene

hawaiiantraveler

Honolulu.....are you folks kamaaina?

What airport are you leaving from on day 10 KIX or NRT?

I would move Koyasan to after Kyoto but that depends on where you are leaving from and at what time. If you leave from KIX in the afternoon you should be OK. If you are leaving from NRT in the early evening then it would be a long commute that day and the long flight home after would make for a very long day for the children.

I am assuming its been a while since you've been to Koyasan? See here for the details for getting to and from.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4904.html

Your JR Pass will be useless on the trip up and down Koyasan. You may not need your JR Pass at all if you are leaving from KIX. When you get your final itinerary set you can figure your train schedules and fares here www.hyperdia.com to find out if a JR Pass or a combo of one way fares and another type of pass like the Kansai thru or something else might be better for you:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html


for the kitty fans you've probably seen this to occupy some Tokyo time:

http://www.sanrio.co.jp/shoppinginja...hop/index.html

http://www.puroland.co.jp/english/welcome.html

Let me think about more ryokan recos and I'll be back.

Aloha!

ileness

We are not kamaaina but my husband's best friend is, so we will get to visit for four days three night on our way home to Los Angeles.

I tried to fly out of Osaka, but could not route using mileage, so we will go home out of Narita. Too bad, right...

I remember we get as far as Osaka or Hashimoto on way to Koyasan, but we will see... i remember it being a bit of a hassle to get up the hill, but also very excited. I am not firmly committed to this plan, sometimes thinking miyajima would be more appealing to kids with monkeys and deer and all... but...

very excited about puroland however cornball...

Have quotes so far for Amagiso, and Osenkaku... leaning towards the later for better $$, new location experience... but have not yet decided..

and on Koyasan at Eko in and Shojoshinin...... do you have a preference?

aloha!...

hawaiiantraveler

See if you can take advantage of one of these train/hotel plans. If not then you need the 7-day JR passes. You can also use this site to check hotel and ryokan rates and make reservations if you need.

www.japanican.com

What time of year will you be traveling?

Save Hiroshima and Miyajima for another trip.....have a feeling you'll be back.

If you want to see monkeys then stop at the monkey park in Arashiyama while you are in Kyoto. A northern suburb of Kyoto easily reached by a 15 minute train ride from Kyoto station.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3912.html

Been thinking about ryokan with your expectations in mind and thought of Lalaca Ryokan in Hakone which comes recommended by trusted sources here on Fodors.

http://lalaca.com/English.html

also <b>Ichinoyu Honkan</b> which is one of the Hakone Ichinoyu Group Hotels.

http://english.ichinoyu.co.jp/honkan/index.html

I hope some others will chime in soon with more information for you!

Aloha!

ileness

WE leave on march 29 of 2012... so cherry blossom season!

not so easy to get back, 20 years between this and last trip to japan... had been considering hiroshima as day trip... from kyoto. missed it last time. We can wait until we are there and see how we feel about it though I think...

am aware of aryashima in kyoto ... sure my children will love...

looking at materials you have sent i am more interested in amagiso and osenkaku... like the more country old feel to them... places for some easy close hiking. have been told to be cautious about hakone during busy season...

did you have a preference on Koya accomodation? thanks, Ilene

Marycanary

Thanks so much for this valuable information!! My 18 yr old daughter and I are going to tour japan this summer.

It seems August is hotter, but dryer. Is this the best month to travel through mid to southern Japan?

Also, how many weeks would you recommend? I had thought about three. As I am not familiar with the country (yet) How much distance would be reasonble to travel in this time? (perhaps 4 days or so in each city?... more....less?)

Mary

KimJapan

August is crazy hot and crazy humid. But if it's the time you can travel, if you can endure the heat and humidity you can enjoy summer festivals, fireworks and Kakikori.

Planning how many days in each place consider yout total time, your interests and where you go.

hawaiiantraveler

I have never been to Koyasan but others here have gone and hopefully will see this post.

Aloha!

ileness

You must go to Koyasan ... It is fantastic! According to most, I am going to stay at Shojoshjin... very highly recommended by friends and stranger alike

Meanwhile, I am back to ruminating about whether or not to return to Amigaso or go to Osenkaku... Osenkaku is considerably less expensive and that is a draw... and there are apparently bears to see... which is also appealing for the girls... Difficult to tell if there is anywhere to hike around in Osenkaku... and wondering where you thought food was better?

hawaiiantraveler

A good ryokan will have the food of the region so lots of seafood dishes at Amagiso compared to meat, chicken, mushrooms, river trout and more veggies grown in the region at Osenkaku. Both places have great food. Yes there is hiking around Osenkaku but probably better at Amagiso. There are some caged bears at Osenkaku that you can feed for a small fee. Osenkaku would probably be more crowded at that time as sakura would have passed at Amagiso. Osenkaku at elevation sakura would not have occurred yet.

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

If you only have one night at Amagiso or Osenkaku I wouldn't worry too much about activities outside of the ryokan. After your check into the ryokan at 3:00 till your check out at 10 am the next day you will be in another world all together and I would think there is enough there at Osenkaku to keep you all entertained for that precious little time.

Have you seen this yet?

http://japaneseguesthouses.com/jgh_j...el_insight.pdf

I think that after your stay at either ryokan then your stay at Koyasan will answer the question of why I am not interested in staying at Koya. I do understand that most all others would really enjoy their total experience there. I am not Shinto nor Buddhist so all the other significances are lost on me.....I need to see for myself one day.

Aloha!

ladytravels

bookmarking.
thanks ht for these links.

hawaiiantraveler

My pleasure lt

Aloha!

crellston

ileness - a few photos and info on our time in Koyasan in 2008 can be found on our blog at;

http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blo...8720/tpod.html

We stayed at Eko-in and thoughly enjoyed our time there. The food, although vegetarian, was absolutely superb (I was almost converted!). Eko is in a great location. The morning ceremony performed each day by the monks was fascinating and well worth rising early.

I would strongly recommend the English speaking guide service. Also, the Okonoin cemetery is worth visiting at night as well as in the day time.