Tokyo/Kyoto mid-October
Jul 31st, 2017, 06:11 PM
#1
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Tokyo/Kyoto mid-October
My husband and I just booked tickets to Japan for what we hope will be a dream trip to celebrate big birthdays and a big anniversary for us both. For some reason, I am having a lot of trouble booking any hotels or tours. I've spent a lot of time on this site, TripAdvisor, japan-guide.com, and japaneseguesthouses.com, but everything I find seems to be sold out. We are looking to spend a few nights in Tokyo, a few nights in Kyoto, and one night in Koya-San. I was hoping to do one day with a guide in each city (walking or bike tour, small group or private). For hotels, we really wanted to stay in a ryokan in Kyoto
We haven't traveled abroad in several years and I am not sure when we'll be able to do so again, so we were really hoping to have a special experience. When we did travel before, we usually had no trouble booking things a couple of months in advance, but from some of the trip reports I've read here, it seems that a lot of people book much farther out.
My question is, should we just give up on trying to make this trip happen? Or am I missing something and is it actually possible to book great hotels and tours via websites I haven't considered or other means? (I am not an expert trip planner, though the prior trips I've planned all over Europe all seemed to work out fine when booking 2 months in advance...) Thoughts and advice from more experienced travelers welcome.
We haven't traveled abroad in several years and I am not sure when we'll be able to do so again, so we were really hoping to have a special experience. When we did travel before, we usually had no trouble booking things a couple of months in advance, but from some of the trip reports I've read here, it seems that a lot of people book much farther out.
My question is, should we just give up on trying to make this trip happen? Or am I missing something and is it actually possible to book great hotels and tours via websites I haven't considered or other means? (I am not an expert trip planner, though the prior trips I've planned all over Europe all seemed to work out fine when booking 2 months in advance...) Thoughts and advice from more experienced travelers welcome.
Jul 31st, 2017, 07:36 PM
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Listen to Mara & thursdaysd!
There is no need for you to hire a guide or join a day tour unless that is your preference. You might, however, consider taking advantage of an occasional local “goodwill guide” – The Japanese National Tourism Organization coordinates free volunteer guides – “Goodwill guides” – who are generally knowledgeable and happy to guide you in return for practicing their English – which can be excellent, but it is a bit of a luck-of-the-draw.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/tr...deservice.html
You pay any entrance fees and his/her meal if your time with the guide includes one . Do NOT tip these guides, or anyone else in Japan.
As for ryokan – I trust you realize that staying at a ryokan often means sleeping on a tatami with “mattress” padding. I found it comfortable enough, but many Westerners do not, and some Westerners who would be comfortable with the bedding find it hard to get down and back up again. Just something to consider, if you haven’t already done so.
And another thing about ryokan – they often involve exquisite multi-course meals, provided over the couse of several hours and starting at 4 or 5 p.m. – with little room for a change in hours. So you might want to liit your ryokan experience to just one or two nights. Or at least make sure what the ryokan you consider offer and requrie.
Japan is a very special destination, so don’t give up. It should be a wonderful place to celebrate birthdays and your anniversary -- and congratulations on all those events!
There is no need for you to hire a guide or join a day tour unless that is your preference. You might, however, consider taking advantage of an occasional local “goodwill guide” – The Japanese National Tourism Organization coordinates free volunteer guides – “Goodwill guides” – who are generally knowledgeable and happy to guide you in return for practicing their English – which can be excellent, but it is a bit of a luck-of-the-draw.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/tr...deservice.html
You pay any entrance fees and his/her meal if your time with the guide includes one . Do NOT tip these guides, or anyone else in Japan.
As for ryokan – I trust you realize that staying at a ryokan often means sleeping on a tatami with “mattress” padding. I found it comfortable enough, but many Westerners do not, and some Westerners who would be comfortable with the bedding find it hard to get down and back up again. Just something to consider, if you haven’t already done so.
And another thing about ryokan – they often involve exquisite multi-course meals, provided over the couse of several hours and starting at 4 or 5 p.m. – with little room for a change in hours. So you might want to liit your ryokan experience to just one or two nights. Or at least make sure what the ryokan you consider offer and requrie.
Japan is a very special destination, so don’t give up. It should be a wonderful place to celebrate birthdays and your anniversary -- and congratulations on all those events!
Aug 1st, 2017, 09:07 AM
#6
>>we were really hoping to have a special experience
you will
>>should we just give up on trying to make this trip happen?
No. There will be cancellations. I believe that tour operators and TAs are allocated rooms to sell up to some point in time. After that, if the tour is not sold out then the rooms become generally available.
You can certainly find other lodging in the meantime. japanican.com is another TA site to use.
Definitely go to the website(s) of the particular hotels/ryokan that you are interested in. They will have the best info on availability and could put you on a cancellation waitlist.
You can help us to help you by giving your travel dates to/from/within Japan. Also, what are the lodgings that you are considering that appear to be sold out?
I suggest that you only want 1 night in a Kyoto ryokan and not more than 2 nights. I think of a ryokan stay as a half-day destination.
you will
>>should we just give up on trying to make this trip happen?
No. There will be cancellations. I believe that tour operators and TAs are allocated rooms to sell up to some point in time. After that, if the tour is not sold out then the rooms become generally available.
You can certainly find other lodging in the meantime. japanican.com is another TA site to use.
Definitely go to the website(s) of the particular hotels/ryokan that you are interested in. They will have the best info on availability and could put you on a cancellation waitlist.
You can help us to help you by giving your travel dates to/from/within Japan. Also, what are the lodgings that you are considering that appear to be sold out?
I suggest that you only want 1 night in a Kyoto ryokan and not more than 2 nights. I think of a ryokan stay as a half-day destination.
Aug 1st, 2017, 03:11 PM
#7
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Thanks, all, I will keep looking then! Last night I had a real string of bad luck -- I was looking at about a dozen hotels/ryokans/tours and all were totally sold out. That's when I began to panic and posted here.
@mrwunrfl, We will be in Japan Oct 6-14. We were thinking 3 nights in Tokyo, 1 night in Hakone area at a ryokan with an onsen and mountain views (though I can't find one, so maybe this part of the itinerary is out), then on to Kyoto for the rest of the trip, with a potential trip to Koya-san, though there might not be enough time for that.
Some of the sold-out places:
Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo
Hakone Ginyu (ryokan)
Kozantei Ubuya (ryokan)
Hotel Mume in Kyoto
Kyotours
...there were a half-dozen more but I don't remember them all. My dream ryokan with mountain views and a private onsen seems particularly impossible.
@bigruss I don't have much experience with homeaway or tripkey, so I'll have to check those out. We've done a handful of Airbnbs and it's not our favorite. We prefer places with staff that can help out if necessary, meals served, housekeeping services, etc vs. just staying at someone's apartment or home.
@mrwunrfl, We will be in Japan Oct 6-14. We were thinking 3 nights in Tokyo, 1 night in Hakone area at a ryokan with an onsen and mountain views (though I can't find one, so maybe this part of the itinerary is out), then on to Kyoto for the rest of the trip, with a potential trip to Koya-san, though there might not be enough time for that.
Some of the sold-out places:
Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo
Hakone Ginyu (ryokan)
Kozantei Ubuya (ryokan)
Hotel Mume in Kyoto
Kyotours
...there were a half-dozen more but I don't remember them all. My dream ryokan with mountain views and a private onsen seems particularly impossible.
@bigruss I don't have much experience with homeaway or tripkey, so I'll have to check those out. We've done a handful of Airbnbs and it's not our favorite. We prefer places with staff that can help out if necessary, meals served, housekeeping services, etc vs. just staying at someone's apartment or home.
Aug 1st, 2017, 05:10 PM
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If this is your first visit to Japan I wouldn't do an apartment and airbnb is not legal in many places. I am still seeing numerous availabilities on booking.com. If you are going to Hakone mid-week it shouldn't be impossible....
