Tokyo & Kyoto 6 nights
 

I'm planning a trip to Japan in December and I'm thinking about spending 3 nights in Tokyo and 3 nights in Kyoto. What is the best way to go from Tokyo to Kyoto? Any suggestions on some "must sees" for these 2 places? I prefer not going on tours, but do you think its less of a hassle to just get a tour?

I just returned from Japan and did the same Tokyo to Kyoto trip. You are going to LOVE it! One thing: if I had it to do over, I would've spent less time in Tokyo (and Kyoto, for that matter) and more time in smaller places like Miyajima and Kamakura. They're only day trips from the major cities, but the culture is so much richer.

To get from Tokyo to Kyoto: Take the train. If you have a JR pass, you can take the Shinkansen (bullet train). Just make a reservation at any JR station. If you don't have a JR pass, I recommend taking the Nozomi (fast bullet train). We couldn't take them, but on long journies, they apparently cost as much as the Shinkansen and they're really cool. Like a few hours to Kyoto as opposed to 5 for us.

Re: tours, we just did research and took the subway/trains in Tokyo and buses in Kyoto. But if you do want to do a train, go to the JR office in Narita and they can give you a brochure. I think it was like $40 or so.

You're going to have the best time - Japan is so much cheaper & easier to navigate than everyone said it would be!

Hi

My wife and I went to Tokyo and Kyoto a couple of years back. Here is a trip report with pictures and links: http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there to start with. We used the Shinkansen to get around by the way and we had a rail pass.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Bonjour travlr67,

First thing to consider is when in December: around Xmas and New Year ? then you have to take into account the fact that most official business (included state museums, zoos, etc) will be closed between approx. Dec. 29 - Jan 6. Also, trains will be packed at both ends of the holidays, but big cities will be calmer than usual. Don't worry, that leaves a lot of things to see and do.

It can be cold, colder in Kyoto than Tokyo, but it will be mostly dry.

NewYear means lots of special celebrations, fleamarkets, etc. Best places to enjoy them in Tokyo are popular and more traditional areas like Yanaka and Asakusa, and most temples in Kyoto.

No need for tours, it's rather easy to go on your own, although a half-day tour of Tokyo could be nice if you don't have much time.

Check http://www.kyotoguide.com/ for a calendar of events in Kyoto, http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/fr...madoguchi.html for Tokyo

Thanks for all the recommendations and links this is definitely a good place to start... !

And Florence, I'll be there around xmas-new years. Thanks for the link to the calendar of events.

Does anyone know how long the train ride is from Tokyo to Kyoto and also to the smaller, local cities?

A train ride from downton Tokyo to Kamakura should take no more than 1 hour. I stayed at a hotel in Shinagawa and the train ride from there to Kamakura was about 40 minutes.

Tokyo to Kyoto is less than 3 hours by shinkansen (bullet-train). Consider taking a railpass (http://www.japanrailpass.net/fr/fr003.html) or better, landing at Tokyo Narita airport and leaving Japan through Osaka-Kansai (or the reverse), thus having only one train trip between the two cities.