kiwinz

From the feedback from my previous entry I have now clarified my trip as follows.
Arrive September at Tokyo, Haneda airport, at 11pm to meet up with daughter who is arriving at the same time.
This is a short trip and will be based in Tokyo and Kyota
Night 1 - Hotel at Haneda Airport
Night 2-5 - Travel into Tokyo to catch bullet train to Kyota, will do a day trip to Hiroshima
Night 6-8 -Travel to Tokyo.
Day 9 in Tokyo and departing from Narita Airport at 6.30pm

Questions are
Is this a sensible itinerary for 8 nights/9 days?
Recommendation for Hotel by Haneda airport
Does the 7 day JRP train pass the way to go for transport?
Best area to look for accommodation in Tokyo and Kyota

I certainly appreciate advice. Thanks

Adastra2200

Yes, arriving that late, and most likely a brain dead zombie, a hotel near the airport sounds like a good idea. For where, it's all up to your budget and requirements. If you want something basic, try Toyoko Inn - cheap, quiet, decent, close by, free internet and free breakfast.
https://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/
If you want something more upscale, there is no shortage of that either.

If you are going to Kyoto (not Kyota) and Hiroshima (and most likely Miyajima), a 7 day JR Pass will pay off handsomely for you. You could also go see Osaka and Kobe in the evening if you still have some energy.

For hotel areas, you can find some in nearly every nook and cranny in both cities. I suggest you try a place near the main stations though to save on hassle. For Tokyo though you could pick somewhere near Shinagawa Stn or Tokyo Stn to get the bullet train more easily. But you could also pick somewhere near the Yamanote Line stations for less if you like and save a bit more with only a little lost convenience.

For getting back to Narita, the cheapest way is the 1000 yen bus from Tokyo Stn or Ginza.
http://accessnarita.jp/en/home/
If you want something more convenient, then you can pay for the Narita Express (3000 yen)...
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/
or orange limousine bus (3100 yen) which is great if you stay at a hotel the bus stops at or have a lot of heavy luggage.
Or, you can take the Keisei Skyliner from Ueno.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud...ares/index.php
Or get it the subway package.
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetud...ial/index.html

mrwunrfl

When you go to Kyoto on the day after your arrival you will get the shinkansen at Shinagawa.

The last train is at 12:02 and takes 15 min for 410 yen. It is a Keikyu train.

You need the 7-day JR Pass because of Hiroshima. You can do the voucher exchange at Haneda Airport or at JR Shinagawa station on the day you go to Kyoto.

mrwunrfl

>>The last train is at 12:02 and takes 15 min for 410 yen. It is a Keikyu train.

That is to say that there are several hotels close to Shinagawa station. I think there is a bus that runs later than that train.

Here is a japan-guide page that discusses hotels and transport options for Haneda:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2430.html

Adastra2200

Getting the voucher done at Haneda upon arriving is not an option - the JR East Travel Service Center closes at 6:30 PM.

And for Shinagawa the next the day, it opens at 9 AM, which means unfortunately getting to Kyoto after noon.
If you want to get there sooner, you'd need to go to Tokyo Stn which opens at 7:30 AM.

kiwinz

Hi mrwunrfl
I am confused, are you saying it is a good idea to go to Shinagawa station for a hotel instead of at the airport?
I assume I need to go to that station to catch the bullet train to Kyoto. Leaving at 9am would be okay. I assume the 7 day JR pass is the best way to go

kja

OK, let’s be clear: You have little time -- about 9 days, and perhaps a bit less, as you will likely have jet lag upon arrival. With the time you have, including anything OTHER THAN Tokyo and Kyoto means limiting your time in what many people consider the two most interesting cities in Japan. That might not be a bad idea, as they are also the two cities that are most easily reached, and so most easily incorporated into a future itineary, but I that’s a judgement call that ONLY you can make.

I think you got a suggestion for lodging near Haneda on your OTHER thread.

My favorite area to stay in Kyoto is the Kawaramachi district. YMMV.

For Tokyo, I think one’s preferred hotel location is entirely dependent on what one wants to see and experience. Your call!

BTW, I’m linking your two threads, as some of us find that very helpful. No criticism intended! Here’s your last one:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...m#last-comment

mrwunrfl

>>Getting the voucher done at Haneda upon arriving is not an option - the JR East Travel Service Center closes at 6:30 PM.

Which is why I suggested getting it on the day of travel to Kyoto, the day after arrival. That service center opens at 7:45 AM.

But that would be if you stayed at/near the airport.

>>I am confused, are you saying it is a good idea to go to Shinagawa station for a hotel instead of at the airport?

That is what I am suggesting because there are several hotels that are an easy walk (or shuttle) to Shinagawa station.

But there is a risk to it because your options for getting there are limited (unless you are willing to pay for a taxi, my GUESS would be 5000 to 8000 yen, if things don't work out.

You certainly can stay at a Haneda airport - but check to see if it is in your budget. I think it is Tokyu Excel. What is the rate on your arrival night? Is that in your budget?

Or stay at one of the nearby hotels listed in the link I gave you. You'd have to work out getting there, maybe a hotel shuttle, and back to the airport in the morning.

>> I assume I need to go to that station to catch the bullet train to Kyoto. Leaving at 9am would be okay.

Yes. If you boarded at Tokyo then the first stop would be Shinagawa.

>>I assume the 7 day JR pass is the best way to go

Yes, it is.

mrwunrfl

Your day trip to Hiroshima will take about 2 hours travel time on the shinkansen each way. There will be one change of trains in each direction.

I think it is worth it if you are really interested in visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum.

Adastra2200

>>Which is why I suggested getting it on the day of travel to Kyoto, the day after arrival. That service center opens at 7:45 AM.

Well what you wrote looked rather ambiguous, so thanks for clarifying. But going back to Haneda still wouldn't make sense, since it's about half an hour each way from/to Shinagawa. Shinagawa to Tokyo Stn is less than 10 minutes and they just need to go once, get the pass activated, and board the shinkansen. If getting the pass at 9AM is fine though, it's a moot point.

It's true that you could spends months in Kyoto and not see it all. But 3 days is enough to see a number of great sights, and some places like Fushimi Inari, the Honganji Temples, and the Sagano Bamboo Forest are open at dawn or even 24/7, and mid-Sept still has a decent amount of daylight hours in it. So as long as you have enough variety in your destinations so that you don't get templed out, you could do just fine. Hiroshima is up to you - if you are interested, it is very worthwhile to visit. The Peace Park of course is always mentioned, but the castle, Shukkeien Garden, the Mitakidera Temple, eating okonomiyaki there etc make the trip worth it. If you didn't go, the JR Pass would fall short of paying off. In that case, the japanican tickets would work better for you.
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/VJOPENTK1/

kja

@ Adastra: I think you have added a LOT to this board ... but sometimes I wonder whether you are willing to consider the possibility that OPs might have interests beyond those you assume, and so might want more time than you suggest for various places. For example, there is NO WAY that I would have considered 3 days ENOUGH to see Kyoto's "main" sites. I also wonder why you seem sure that people don't know what they are missing when they make very difficult choices about what to include or skip. For example, when I visited Hiroshima, I knew that i was skipping "the castle, Shukkeien Garden, the Mitakidera Temple" and so forth -- doing so WAS my decision. I hope you will continue to offer your insights, and would be interested in knowing more about your positions on these rather sticky issues.

Adastra2200

Hi,
First, as I said previously, you could spend months in Kyoto and not see it all - and I never said in 3 days you'd see all the sights - but you can see several good ones, as I said. You should reread what I wrote, since you're clearly shading it with several apparently questionable notions.

And people have different interests of course - see what you want and can. If you think I'm aggressively pushing only my favorite sights, you'd be mistaken again. But since you raise the issue, there have been numerous cases (including me) where I would have changed my plans if I knew of some of the places I do know now. If they know of some places but due to lack of time, money or interest choose not to go, that is fine - tailor your trip as you wish. I'd rather they know all the options than not, nor just blindly follow the same old beaten trail. As I have alluded to previously, there are many great places that are not well known - not in Japan Guide, not in the tourist guidebooks, in fact sometimes few of the locals know of them either. Not everyone has the luxury of a long trip - so you do the best you can with what you've got.
And by the way, for most people's trips, nine days is not just a "little time". Is there more to see and do? There always is. Just do good planning and research, and barring some accident, you'll have a satisfying, rewarding trip.

kiwinz

thanks for all the good comments. I know my time is short and realise the time is too short to do much. I appreciate all the suggestions that my daughter and myself can filter through and fit into our itinerary.

Adastra2200

I'm sure you'll have a great trip. When you choose the best places for you and how to get there, you can enjoy yourselves and see a lot of new and exciting things. Just prepare and also have a back-up plan in case the weather stinks or you find yourself with some extra time.

Southam

Kyoto is served by Kansai international airport at Osaka, about 50 miles away. If you can fly into Tokyo and home from Kansai, you will save the time of returning to Tokyo. Or do the reverse. The price won't be much different than a simple round trip and you avoid the cost of going back to Tokyo. But to get the best price you must use a multi-destination flight search, offered by many agency websites and airlines.

mrwunrfl

>>clarifying. But going back to Haneda still wouldn't make sense, since it's about half an hour each way from/to Shinagawa.

I agree! Apparently, I am not being clear. The OP would go to the JR Travel Service Center at Haneda Airport on the morning after arrival only if she? stayed at or near the airport.

If staying at the airport then an option is to get it at Shinagawa station. The Keikyu Airport Express isn't covered by the JR Pass (I think) and it is only 410 yen anyway. It is an option.

If staying in Shinagawa then get the pass at Shinagawa station. Three reasons to stay at Shinagawa: it offers an easy walk from hotel, it is a shinkansen stop, and it has a JR Pass exchange facility.

mrwunrfl

I'll start over.

kiwinz, you have a good plan. Here are some observations.

>>Night 1 - Hotel at Haneda Airport

Ok, the two closest hotels are the Royal Park and Haneda Excel Tokyu. You can expect to pay $140 or more. There are other hotels nearby.

Staying in Shinagawa is a good option but it is a longer trip from the airport and you would do it at a time when your transport options are limited. It might only cost 410 yen to get there. Worst case is that you take a taxi, but even then the total cost taxi+hotel in Shinagawa could be about the same cost as staying at the airport.

>>Night 2-5 - Travel into Tokyo to catch bullet train to Kyota, will do a day trip to Hiroshima

Better to catch the bullet train in Shinagawa. The day trip to Hiroshima is what makes a 7-day JR Pass worthwhile. Be aware that you would have 4 to 5 hours of travel time that day getting to/from Hiroshima. If you decide that you don't want to do that, or just want to spend the day in Kyoto, then you don't need a JR Pass.

mrwunrfl

>>meet up with daughter who is arriving at the same time

Oh, that just sunk in. Where is she arriving from and how? Has she been to Japan before? Will she be a tourist like you - entering Japan with a 90-day temporary visitor stamp?

kiwinz

mrwunrfl thank you for all your advice. Much appreciated. My daughter is coming from Israel and will be flying in at approx 11pm. She will be like me, a tourist. Yes, we will stay at either Royal Park and Haneda Excel Tokyu. We will be very tired from our long flights so staying there makes sense and keeps everything simple. If prices were similar, is one better than the other?
We will go to Hiroshima as a day trip from Kyoto, so is the JR Pass still our best option?

mrwunrfl

I only know what I read at the hotels' websites.

Yes, you need the 7-day JR Pass (because of that Hiroshima day trip).