vickiebypass

I'm going to Japan next month, taking a 10 day cruise that circumnavigates Japan plus spending time in Kyoto before the cruise and a night in Tokyo before flying home to US. I've researched using this site (SO many helpful posts!!) and japan-guide, plus various guidebooks and will have some other questions later, but now I'm focusing on a Tokyo hotel (since I'll be there the day before Golden Week begins). In Tokyo, I've identified Shibuya as the area I want to stay in since my plan for the day is to visit: Ōta Memorial Museum of Art, Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine and Shoto Museum of Art. I will be arriving at the Tokyo train station from the port of Yokohama mid-morning on Sunday, 4/28 (with one medium sized rolling suitcase) and am looking for a hotel located near the Yamanote subway line. I would like a western-style hotel that is easy to find (no wending through side streets); budget is in the $150 range, give or take $25. Any suggestions are appreciated!

mrwunrfl

I can't comment on a Shibuya hotel. Your trip from Yokohama to Shibuya doesn't need to go via Tokyo station. There are at least two direct routes with frequent service:

JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line(Via Yokosuka Line) for UTSUNOMIYA
Tokyu Toyoko/Minatomirai Line Ltd. Exp. for KAWAGOESHI

HyperDia | SearchResult

mrwunrfl

Just saw that Uji at japan-guide forum mentioned that Nihon-Odori station is a walk from the Yokohama cruise terminal. It is a Tokyu station and you could go via Yokohama, but there is a direct train:

Here is the timetable from Nihon-Odori to Shibuya: HyperDia | SearchResult

Here is the timetable for just the Tokyu line that would not require a change of trains: HyperDia | Interval timetable

Treesa

An acquaintance of mine stayed at the JR Blossom Shinjuku and liked it very much. We stayed at a hotel in Kayabacho which was OK but on my next visit to Tokyo I'll stay in Asakusa. Just loved the place.

vickiebypass

mrwunrfl: THANK YOU! I was hoping there might be a direct train to Shibuya, but since this is my first trip to Japan, the train options & schedules are a bit bewildering. I've looked at HyperDia but it's one of those situations where you have to know the exact station names, etc to get the best results and I'm still learning. Since a JR pass won't work for me (I used their price calculator), I'll try to reserve a seat on the Nihon-Odori/Shibuya train when I arrive in Tokyo (would be good peace of mind for me to have that all set!)

Treesa - I'll add the JR Blossom Shinjuku to my research list.

tt7

mrwunrfi has already provided excellent advice and links to the trains. One issue to note is that these trains do not require (or allow) reservations. If you look at the output from the train search results, you'll see at the top of each result ('Route 1', Route 2' etc.) a Total (¥480 for the direct train) and then a Fare (¥480) and then a Seat Fee (¥0). The Fare is the base fare, which every train will have. Some trains require a limited express fee and/or a seat (reservation) fee, which Hyperdia combines into a single Seat Fee. If the Seat Fee is zero, then there is no express/seat/reservation fee (and you can't make a reservation - you just get on and go).

You don't say how long you are in Kyoto but I would get an IC card. The 'brand' of card varies depending on where you get it but they are all interchangeable. It makes it far, far easier to travel on the trains, subway, bus - you just hold the card to the reader when you enter/exit and the fare is automatically deducted, so you don't have to get a ticket each time or try to figure out how much the ticket is. You can also use the cards in convenience stores, vending machines, some cafes etc. If you get it in Kyoto, it will be an 'ICOCA' card. Initial cost is usually ¥2,000 (¥500 deposit + ¥1,500 initial balance). Top it up as needed (cash only) at a designated ticket machine.

vickiebypass

tt7 - I appreciate the explanation about how to read Hyperdia's results - they provide so much info that I didn't catch the zero Seat Fee. I will be in Kyoto for just 3 nights but I will get an IC card (ICOCA) since it will simplify the whole money aspect (like an Oyster Card for London, except that it can be used in many more places!) Can I buy it at Kyoto train stations? And, this may be a dumb question, but since i'm taking a cruise around Japan and stopping in various ports, can an IC card be used for buses, convenience stores, etc. all over the country? That would really simplify the ticket process! Thank you!

tt7

Yes, buy it at a ticket machine at the station. Note that it is cash only. Here are a couple of (random) videos; the second one is Suica in Tokyo but the concept is the same. In the first video (a JR West video) note that the woman keeps holding the card on the gate reader for far, far, far longer than is necessary - you just need to get the card within a couple of centimetres of the reader and it should read it within about 200 milliseconds -- Japanese transit gates are designed for high-speed, high volume processing of passengers....



The major IC cards are interchangeable and can be used in most major cities .... but that may not include some of the places you are visiting. I suspect that some of the places you may visit on the cruise may have their own cards which may or may not be interchangeable with a Suica/Pasmo/Icoca etc. card .... this wonderfully confusing diagram may (or may not...) shed some light on the issue....

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...nection_en.svg

If you let us know what places your cruise is visiting, we can try and figure out whether an Icoca card will work.

You don't say how you're getting to Kyoto. If you're arriving at Kansai Airport (KIX), a discounted Icoca + Haruka ticket offer may be of interest to you. The Haruka limited express is the quickest way from KIX to Kyoto.

mrwunrfl

I found that Tokyo train by googling "Yokohama cruise terminal to Shibuya". That is when I found the info that you could walk from the terminal to Nihon-Odori station. What the writer thinks is walk-able might be different from what another person considers walk-able. FAIK, there might be shuttles to that station and/or Yokohama station. Good for you that you aren't packing heavy like some cruisers do. No reserved seats on the trains and it may be busy, but they run every 8-10 minutes, so you won't need a whole lot of patience. It is probably like riding a subway, so expect to do some standing.

vickiebypass

The IC videos were helpful - and the chart is too. Have to remember cash only to re-charge the cards! This weekend, I'm researching my daily itinerary, including logistics, but will probably have some questions, so I'll start a new thread for those questions.

Thank you for all the help so far!

vickiebypass

Question re: IC cards. Since i'll be spending the most number of days in Kyoto, it probably makes sense to get an ICOCA card; according to google and the chart tt7 linked to above, it looks like the ICOCA card can also be used in Tokyo. I tried to find out if I can buy an ICOCA card at Narita or the Tokyo train station, but couldn't figure it out - does anyone know?

Also, can I use it in Sakaiminato? I checked the rest of my ports and most of them will accept ICOCA for buses (but i think not in convenience stores).

tt7

vickiebypass

Very helpful re: "buying" vs "using" IC cards - thank you. Since i'll be using my card the most in Kyoto, i'll wait until I'm there to buy the ICOCA card!

efarr99

tt7

No need to wait - just get a Suica card, either at Narita or at Tokyo Station. Better yet, if you have an iPhone 8 or later, you can add a virtual Suica to Apple Wallet (and top it up with any credit/debit card you have in Apple Wallet). Previously you needed to use the Japanese-language app to add a Suica card but there is now an English-language Suica app you can use.

vickiebypass

curiousgeo

The Suica card is so convenient, easy to use and reload if necessary. Memories of fumbling for change at the station ticket machines is thankfully a thing of the past.

vickiebypass

vickiebypass