OK.. I guess I will forget about the Gran VIa.
I was able to get the Westin Miyako for 21.600 incl breakfast (queen size bed). I was able to al booked the Yoshi-ma fro the night of the 7 for 18,000 (or something like it I am waiting for them to email me again) I was expecting to pay more for the Ryokan and less for the western hotels.....anyway. Things are moving!!!
Will work on the rest tomorrow.
THanks a lot.
DIANA

Just to clarify, Nikko is a day trip from Tokyo not Kyoto.

Count me as one who really like Ginkaku-ji. From there you can walk along the Philosophers path towards Meiji Jinggu and the other sites of Higashiyama.

Kinkakuji on the other hand is crowded and just looks like all the postcards

diana when I go on the Granvia website i am getting 16,000 yen per nite for a double room with breakfast. Did you try the link?

Have you decided to return from Kyoto on the 11th?

Since June 4 is a Sunday, only 1 JR office will be open early at Narita. We also arrived on a Sunday and due to long lines at the one open office, decided to activate our pass in Tokyo.

The limo bus is 3000 Y (they take visa) and was very quick on a Sunday morning.

If you activate the pass on Sunday, beware that JR offices have Sunday hours and it is best to do this before 5 pm.

On that first Sunday, you could try to visit some flea markets (we were too tired).


I was not impressed with the Granvia in Kyoto but maybe we got a bad room due to using the JR pass discount? Unless you have lots of bags and a tight connection on departure day, perhaps you could try another hotel...

Why not try a Ryokan in Hakone on the way to Kyoto instead of changing hotels in Kyoto?

I think I would do things just alittle bit different as I like to use my first day of travel to go as far as I can and work myself back home. I am usually toast on the first day overseas so I do not like to plan anything serious in touring. Might as well travel. I have flown to Tokyo from Paris and London in the past and it is a long way. I figure arrival at 0640, get through immigrations and customs by 0800 than train to Tokyo than on to Kyoto. Should get to Kyoto around noon and into your hotel 1300 to 1400. Wander around abit, have a early dinner and go to sleep. Spend a few days in Kyoto with a side trip to Nara and perhaps Himiji than back to Tokyo.
I realize you already have some hotel reservations and the above itinerary may not work but it is the way I would plan things.

Hello!
HAwaian....Yes I check teh website and looks much better. They also answer me an email, also with better rates...however teh good rates are for twin beds, I will always prefer a double bed. I am waiting again from an email. In teh meantime was able to get teh Westin Miyako including breakfast for 21,600.
I guess we will do Tokyo and the Kyoto mainly because I still thing that after such a long flight its not worth it to take a train (adding of course the stress of the new country/culture. So I guess I will follow the suggestion and comeback the 11 directly to NArita. Is that a good idea??
ALso, I got the rates fro the Ryokan YOshima and the Hiiragiya. I got good reviews about teh first one and it seems not that expensive (18.000) against thirty something for the second one..... Is the diference in teh price worth it?

After doing some reading here and in a couple of books I am thinking about staying in TOKYO (doing Nikko from there) from the 4 to the 7(3 nts) and the KYOTO (doing Nara and maybe another day trip) (4 nts) and comeback directly to Narita. Does it sound smart? We dont want to do TOO TOO many temples, we want a combination of history, culture and city life in Japan
D

Be aware that you need to take the train into Tokyo station and it's a long walk to the train that takes you to Narita. Although it is well marked. (The hyperdia web site put the walk at 30 min, but we hoofed it in 20.)

Also, it's a reservation only train. (We did not have reservations, but got on anyway with our JR passes and our newbie ignorance).

If you want some city go to Shibuya (In Tokyo) at night. Amazing neon and wall to wall people till the wee hours.

Q/ Can you check your bags at Tokyo before going to Narita?? We will be flying out of Narita at 21.55 on a sunday. I am afraid that afraid of arriving late at teh airpot we ended up doing nothing on sunday... just making sure that we maje it on time to NArita??? Is it better to be in Tokyo the day before? Or is it normal to come from KYOTO and fly out the same day out of NArita? D

I'm not sure of the time between Kyoto and Tokyo on the Shinkansen - guessing around 3 hours. Then you have to walk to the Narita train and that's a 90 minute ride. So figure travel time at about 5 hours.
You'll need to give yourself 2 hours for immigration, security, etc.

If after all that, you feel you have time to hang around in Tokyo, I'd go to it.

We ended up eating, relaxing, and shopping at the airport and my husband found a guy selling really high quality sake that you could taste.

I hate hurrying and worrying about being late, so that was perfect for me. Other don't mind flying by the seat of their pants.

If you catch a 15:00 Hikari shinkansen from Kyoto you will arrive Tokyo at 17:43 where you can get a Narita Express at 18:03 and arrive Narita Airport station at 18:59 three hours before your flight. You could move that up by an hour if that would make you more comfortable.

Returning from Kyoto on the 11th is most efficient. Splitting the days 3/4 instead of 4/3 might be better but it is up to you.

I definitely would not stop in Tokyo on the 11th, coming from Kyoto. The efficiency is that the shinkansen delivers you to Tokyo station for the Narita Express. You'd waste time finding a locker to stash your bags and time getting from/to Tokyo station. You can spend an easy morning in Kyoto. Otherwise make the days 4/3 if you want more Tokyo.

A suggestion: I find it much easier to go from Kyoto to Shinagawa station on the shinkansen and then switch to the Narita Express at Shinagawa (if the timing allows it- there are less shinkansen per day that get to Shinagawa in reasonable time to catch the next NEX than there are to Tokyo Station). Shinagawa is a much smaller station than Tokyo station and the NEX tracks are close to the shinkansen tracks, unlike Tokyo station which is huge (and I am not sure how far the NEX tracks are to the shinkansen tracks?)

I took exactly the same flights Dianas and left Kyoto at noon the day of departure, and had 3 hours to stroll in TOkyo and arrived with too much time to spare at Narita. Shops and restaurants close at 7 or 8 pm in Narita.

At Tokyo station, the NE'x tracks are far from the shinkansen tracks but we made it with 2 suitcases, 2 carryons and a scroll in less than 30 minutes. BEWARE of multiple tracks with the same number: follow the signs for Ne'x/airport and THEN look for your track number.

Great!!! So we can do KYOTO -NARITA SAME DAY, leaving early afternoon and will have plenty of time without wasting the entire day. We will do 3T/4K. Tokyo at teh Reinassance and spending the first night in Kyoto at the Yoshi ma Ryokan. For the hotel in Kyoto I need imputs.... I have a res at the Westin Miyako at 21.600 (double bed) a night incl breakfats; can get the Gran Via (twin room/doubles not available) for average 19.000 a night no breakfast (the weekend is more expensive). I know the Gran Via is at the train station, not that we like the idea of twin beds but I like the convinience of the train station. AT the same time, the extra money (almost nothing) at the Westin, the breakfast and the double bed...makes me think. Can decide bet the two. Anyone??????

At those prices I would choose the Westin because of the breakfast. Or maybe the Granvia. I wouldn't get a double. The Westin has queen beds, IIRC, as well as king size. You could leave luggage at the Granvia and go to the ryokan with overnight stuff. But if a double bed is what you want then get that. The breakfast is probably worth the 2600 difference. There is a free shuttle to the Westin from JR Kyoto station.

and if you have to taxi from Westin back to train station, it is $18 fare.

Moxie,
just so I know. What did you do with the bags while you were walking around those 3/4 hrs??

DIANAS,

You mentioned the rate for Yoshi-Ima a couple of times and unless I'm missing it, no one responded. I just wanted to mention that I'm fairly certain that the Yoshi-Ima is 18000 yen PER PERSON. It seemed like you were saying that the ROOM at Yoshi-Ima is 18000 yen and I don't want you to be surprised when the price is actually double that.

Jlaughts: Thansk for your comment. You are right, I know it is the price per person. I just hope it is OK. WHy are you saying that they will charge me double.......?? I have a confiramtion fax from them, with the price in there. Please let me know if there is anythign I should be aware of.