janisj

My earlier thread helped a lot and I've decided on November. The NBA schedule was published yesterday so this morning I was able to book my flights. Was going to do open jaw Tokyo/Osaka -- but R-T in/out of Narita ended up nearly $1000 cheaper so I just have to deal w/ it.

I'll be in country from late afternoon Nov 19 through late afternoon Nov. 25 so 5 full days and 2 half days. I plan on 3.5 days in Kyoto and 2+ days in Tokyo unless you think something else would be better.

So first question: Does it make sense to travel on to Kyoto on arrival and getting all the travel out of the way - then return to Tokyo for the last couple of days before flying out?

2) With such a short stay I want VERY well located hotels. And because the trip is short, 'spendy' is OK So if you were visiting for the first time and wanted the best locations, which neighborhoods would you choose in each city?

I think I'd like one to be more traditional and one maybe posh/modern . . .

Any special favorites/recommendations? Is Booking.com good for Japan - I use it sometimes in Europe and it has been reliable there?

Mara

Sept. 21 through 23 are holidays in Japan and I think that since they fall after a weekend there would be more folks traveling so you should book as soon as possible imo.

I have used booking.com - also Japanese sites japanican and rakuten among others.....

If it's not terribly late in the afternoon you can get to Kyoto in about four hours counting transfers, etc....

janisj

Thanks

>>Sept. 21 through 23 are holidays in Japan


Did you mean November?

Mara

So sorry, got your dates confused!

No worries about those holidays - the only one is November 23rd....but you should still try to book as things seem to book out earlier and earlier plus that time of year has fall foliage....

Kathie

My tip for Kyoto is to take taxis. There is no place in Kyoto that is close to all the places you want to visit. Some of our favorites were a bit out of the city, like Arashyama and Fushimi Inari. We felt that taking taxis helped us make efficient use of our time.

kja

"Does it make sense to travel on to Kyoto on arrival and getting all the travel out of the way - then return to Tokyo for the last couple of days before flying out?"

That would be my preference. YMMV.


In Kyoto, I was very pleased with a location in the Kawaramachi district, where I had excellent access to public transportation, including several subway lines that worked for many of the things I wanted to visit. And yes, booking.com now covers Japan. (It didn't when I went - sigh.) AND you can search it for ryokans -- look under "property type."

janisj

Thanks Kathie . . . Assuming I can find availability, which would be your favorite neighborhood in Kyoto (and Tokyo if you have one).

I can easily get my head around neighborhoods in Europe and the US but Tokyo and Kyoto seem sort of overwhelming. Guess I need some hand holding

I'm headed out tonight to get a guidebook . . .

janisj

oh -- we were posting at the same time. Thanks kja.

Mara

janisj - I agree with kja that around Kawaramachi is convenient - I stayed there the first time I visited Kyoto. Also Kyoto Station area is convenient because all the bus lines and the subway are there as well as the JR and Kintetsu train lines, but it is not all that attractive....

In Tokyo probably the best place is anywhere close to the Yamanote line unless there are specific areas you are interested in. Tokyo is very spread out....

janisj

Thanks Mara. I don't expect to see much of Tokyo. Its really just a 2 day stop over on the way home so I guess I'll make a list of the top 5 or 6 things I want to see/do and then decide the best area.

Tonight I picked up the DK Eyewitness -- but it covers all of Japan so only a fraction will be useful. My local Barnes & Noble was really picked over. In a couple of weeks I'll be in London for a few days and there is a book shop w/ a fantastic travel section so I'll probably be luckier there.

But I need to book accommodations in Japan before I leave for London so . . .

kja

Aside from japan-guide.com, the best source I know of for info on Japan is the extremely outdated (1998) <i>Japan Solo</i>, which is, apparently, available through amazon.

Tokyo is so spread out, and the options so wide, that I find it hard to offer a recommendation. For MY interests (Asakusa, Ueno, easy access to transportation, easy access to Narita ), staying near Ueno made sense -- and I think that's along the Yamanote line that Mara mentioned (but I could be mistaken).

janisj

Wow (!) -- I see what you mean about Kyoto being very busy in Nov. There is very little availability <i>anywhere</i> - forget about a ryokan, or character or a special property. There WAS one hotel @ nearly $2500 for 4 nights. I know I said spendy was OK -- but that is too spendy So I just booked something - beggars can't be choosers (though it is cancelable w/o penalty if it isn't a good area).

No charm -- but looks totally serviceable http://guesthouse-in-kyoto-arklead-g...sjapan.net/en/

Let me down gently


**** Now, on to Tokyo -- lots and lots of available places all over at ALL price ranges maybe I can get my ryokan/character or posh place there. I've found several in Asakusa which kja says is a good area - any other neighborhoods highly recommended. Or maybe more importantly -- any areas I should definitely avoid because the transport links aren't great. My flight out isn't til after 5PM so being most convenient to Narita maybe isn't so important???

kja

Asakusa is a fascinating area in Tokyo -- one of the few areas to have survived WWII. But just to be clear, I said that I stayed near Ueno (Ueno Park and the Ueno station of the Yamanote line), with easy access to Asakusa. I can't say whether Asakusa would be a good place to stay or not.

janisj

I didn't find any listings specifically saying Ueno . . . would that be the same as Taito?

kja

Looks like it. And it looks like you can enter "Ueno Station" as the location for booking.com , rather than entering "Tokyo." Hope that helps!

Mara

Did you try booking.com? Seemed like they had a couple for 11/19 through 11/23.....Hotel Unizo is good.

mjs

The decent flights that are either direct or have a one stop short layover from SFO to NRT tend to arrive between about 3pm and later in the evening. If you arrive in the late afternoon I think going to Kyoto directly makes sense. If you arrive at 9PM I would not. I would look into a one week JR Pass. The cost used to be about the same as a round trip ticket Tokyo to Kyoto. You could than use it around Tokyo and to/from NRT airport.
I do not think you need to be near the Yamamoto train line in Tokyo as the subways are as ubiquitous as London. Having said that I do tend to stay near the Train line for convenience and it would be another use for your JR Pass. I do not think there is one area in Tokyo that is best for hotels. I tend to stay in Ebisu. Asakusa is an older area and would be fine. Shinjuku and Tokyo are more "city" but have lots of hotels. I tend to eat a lot out of the department store food halls so tend to pick a hotel close to a department store.

DonTopaz

In Tokyo, my favorite place to stay is the Grand Hyatt. Very comfortable hotel, centrally-located in Roppongi Hills, part of a complex that includes a bunch of excellent places to eat, and sitting almost on top of a subway station. I much prefer that location to Shinjuku, which is both way out on one side of the city and which can be a total maze for many people.

Ueno is also a very good choice, with lots and lots of things to do and see and excellent access to/from Narita Airport. Biggest downside for me is the lack of a top-notch hotel. Best of the bunch in Ueno is the Mitsui Garden hotel, which is relatively new, perfectly clean and safe (like virtually all hotels in Japan), and comparable to a Holiday Inn or maybe Holiday Inn Express. Mitsui Garden is next to both the subway and to the JR station for the Yamanote Line.

If you're having trouble finding a place in Kyoto, try to rearrange your schedule so that you'll be in Tokyo over the weekend and Kyoto during the weekdays -- that could help a lot.

Smeagol

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto in November and liked it. You are going the same time we went a few years ago, the Autumn colours should be fabulous.
I am going to look up the names of my favourite temples we went to as some really were fabulous, a trip out to Aryshama is highly recommended. We went by train and it was super easy. There is a scenic train you can take once there BUT you must book in advance, we didn't and it was full. The Bamboo
Forest and the surrounding temples really are worth the effort.
Also next to the Hyatt in Kyoto are a couple of really lovely temples. The concierge were great also and booked a couple of lovely places for dinner for us.

Smeagol

FYI as it is Will be VERY busy plan to go out early, Kyoto was mobbed when we went BUT most people are super polite so it really wasn't an issue.