visit Japan Osaka Kyoto & Tokyo
Oct 19th, 2006, 09:33 AM
#1
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visit Japan Osaka Kyoto & Tokyo
Hi there,
We are currently visiting China, and at the last minute, decided to include also Japan. We will be arriving in Osaka on Nov. 3rd. Our idea was to visit Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. We need to be in Tokyo on November 6th, Our questions are:
1) What is the best way to travel from Osaka Intl. Airport to Kyoto?
2) Hotels in Kyoto seem to be sold out. Any suggestions?
3) What's the best way to get from Kyoto to Tokyo? Is it worth buying the JR pass just for these days?
Any info is appreciated.
We are currently visiting China, and at the last minute, decided to include also Japan. We will be arriving in Osaka on Nov. 3rd. Our idea was to visit Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. We need to be in Tokyo on November 6th, Our questions are:
1) What is the best way to travel from Osaka Intl. Airport to Kyoto?
2) Hotels in Kyoto seem to be sold out. Any suggestions?
3) What's the best way to get from Kyoto to Tokyo? Is it worth buying the JR pass just for these days?
Any info is appreciated.
Oct 19th, 2006, 10:05 AM
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1) By Haruka Limited Express, taking about 90 min. 3,490 yen. BTW, KXI is called Kansai International Airport, while Osaka Airport (ITM) deals with domestic flights only.
2) November is a very busy time in Kyoto for the fall colours. You may need to stay in Uji (halfway between Kyoto and Nara) or Osaka itself (30 min by JR).
3) By Shinkansen, about 2.5 hours. One-way fare is around 13,000 yen, so even if you take Narita Express to NRT, total fares only come to around 19,500 yen, less than 28,300 yen for 7-day JR Pass. Also point-to-point ticket allows you to ride the fast Nozomi Shinkansen, which runs up to 8 times an hour.
2) November is a very busy time in Kyoto for the fall colours. You may need to stay in Uji (halfway between Kyoto and Nara) or Osaka itself (30 min by JR).
3) By Shinkansen, about 2.5 hours. One-way fare is around 13,000 yen, so even if you take Narita Express to NRT, total fares only come to around 19,500 yen, less than 28,300 yen for 7-day JR Pass. Also point-to-point ticket allows you to ride the fast Nozomi Shinkansen, which runs up to 8 times an hour.
Oct 19th, 2006, 06:31 PM
#4
You aren't really going to be able to see Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara in two days, which is what you will have depending on when you arrive at KIX and depart for Tokyo.
1) train or limo bus.
2) Call JTB to see if they can get you a room in Kyoto. Or stay in Nara. Or arrange lodging when you arrive at KIX or at JR Kyoto station.
3) Shinkiansen. No, assuming you are leaving Japan from Tokyo
1) train or limo bus.
2) Call JTB to see if they can get you a room in Kyoto. Or stay in Nara. Or arrange lodging when you arrive at KIX or at JR Kyoto station.
3) Shinkiansen. No, assuming you are leaving Japan from Tokyo
Jan 9th, 2007, 03:29 PM
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Taking a cruise departing from Osaka, Japan next September/07. Will have 3 days for a pre cruise stay & will like to know my best base city ( Osaka or Kyoto), for easily accesible "day trips", either by train or bus. I'm leaning towards Osaka as the cruise ship departs from there, but any suggestions will be appreciated. Also, if arriving at the Narita airport, how do I get to either Osaka or Kyoto. Flying to Osaka for a one way ticket is rather high & no direct flights.
Thanks
Thanks
Jan 9th, 2007, 05:16 PM
#7
Doris, what is your current flight itinerary? You are flying from where? to Tokyo? and then what? are you flying home from Tokyo? Why are you considering a one-way, from where?
There are a few options for getting from Tokyo Narita airport to Osaka, but I think we can give better help if we knew your current flight schedule.
We've had several people post on this forum about catching cruise ships out of Osaka. The general plan is to stay in Kyoto, but the problem becomes one of transferring luggage to the boat.
When you say you have three days does that mean arrival day + 3 full days + ship out day?
There are a few options for getting from Tokyo Narita airport to Osaka, but I think we can give better help if we knew your current flight schedule.
We've had several people post on this forum about catching cruise ships out of Osaka. The general plan is to stay in Kyoto, but the problem becomes one of transferring luggage to the boat.
When you say you have three days does that mean arrival day + 3 full days + ship out day?
Jan 9th, 2007, 05:49 PM
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mrwunrfl;
I am still working in my flight schedule because need to know for sure if my best option is getting to Narita or Osaka. My first choice is flying out of New York to Narita as it is closer & cheaper than getting all the way to Osaka. That's why I said a "one way " airline ticket from Narita to Osaka. The cruise ends in Hong Kong. Yes I have 3 full days + the arrival day + the ship day. Luggage is a big deal as for a 20 days trip there is going to a lot of it. That's why I want a "base" city for the 4 nights. Stay in a nice hotel with all the luggage & do "day trips" like a full day to Tokyo, another full day to Kyoto, a half a day to Nara or any other option. I have no idea of distances between cities neither what type of transportation to use but I think you can give me some ideas.
Thanks.
Doris
I am still working in my flight schedule because need to know for sure if my best option is getting to Narita or Osaka. My first choice is flying out of New York to Narita as it is closer & cheaper than getting all the way to Osaka. That's why I said a "one way " airline ticket from Narita to Osaka. The cruise ends in Hong Kong. Yes I have 3 full days + the arrival day + the ship day. Luggage is a big deal as for a 20 days trip there is going to a lot of it. That's why I want a "base" city for the 4 nights. Stay in a nice hotel with all the luggage & do "day trips" like a full day to Tokyo, another full day to Kyoto, a half a day to Nara or any other option. I have no idea of distances between cities neither what type of transportation to use but I think you can give me some ideas.
Thanks.
Doris
Jan 9th, 2007, 06:13 PM
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Buy an open jaw round trip ticket into Osaka (Kansai International Airport) and out of Hong Kong. The train from Narita to Osaka/Kyoto requires at least one change of train and a good amount of time and is expensive. www.hyperdia.com will give you schedules, times and cost (your cost is the total shown, not only the fare).
There are nice hotels in both Osaka and Kyoto, but the only place near the port that is so-so nice is the Hyatt I think. You will be best to take a taxi or arrange a "jumbo taxi" (van, and it may be cheaper than a meter, not sure, ask at your hotel about it) to the port, as the public transport on buses/subways will not be luggage friendly at all.
Coming from New York, count on significant jet lag that has you waking very early and exhausted before dinner. I would plan to spend all 3 days in and around Kyoto/Osaka seeing things that interest you. Tokyo too is too ambitious.
There are nice hotels in both Osaka and Kyoto, but the only place near the port that is so-so nice is the Hyatt I think. You will be best to take a taxi or arrange a "jumbo taxi" (van, and it may be cheaper than a meter, not sure, ask at your hotel about it) to the port, as the public transport on buses/subways will not be luggage friendly at all.
Coming from New York, count on significant jet lag that has you waking very early and exhausted before dinner. I would plan to spend all 3 days in and around Kyoto/Osaka seeing things that interest you. Tokyo too is too ambitious.
Jan 9th, 2007, 06:14 PM
#10
Cheaper? What are the prices you see for NYC-Tokyo and NYC-Osaka? You should be able to get either of those for about the same price.
Forget about visiting Tokyo. You simply do not have enough time. It is a megalopolis of 20 million+ people. You can spend all three days in Kyoto. In fact, I was going to recommend that you add an additional 2 days to your trip and then you could make a day trip to Nara.
I usually try to help a person with their plan, rather than try to offer one more to my liking, but can't do it this time. One day Tokyo, one day Nara, and one day Kyoto immediately after a 13-hour flight and 12-hour time change is just not a good idea. Three days could be well spent in Kyoto.
Train from Narita airport in Tokyo to Kyoto would take about 4 hours, with a change of trains, and would cost about $135.
You could fly from Tokyo to Osaka but you might have to change airports from Tokyo Narita to Tokyo Haneda airport. Then a train or bus from one of the Osaka airports to Kyoto or Osaka. That airfare could be had for about $100 if you arrived NRT on Japan Airlines. That's not counting the cost of the transfer from NRT to HND in Tokyo (probably around $30).
I would fly into Osaka Kansai airport from the USA.
Forget about visiting Tokyo. You simply do not have enough time. It is a megalopolis of 20 million+ people. You can spend all three days in Kyoto. In fact, I was going to recommend that you add an additional 2 days to your trip and then you could make a day trip to Nara.
I usually try to help a person with their plan, rather than try to offer one more to my liking, but can't do it this time. One day Tokyo, one day Nara, and one day Kyoto immediately after a 13-hour flight and 12-hour time change is just not a good idea. Three days could be well spent in Kyoto.
Train from Narita airport in Tokyo to Kyoto would take about 4 hours, with a change of trains, and would cost about $135.
You could fly from Tokyo to Osaka but you might have to change airports from Tokyo Narita to Tokyo Haneda airport. Then a train or bus from one of the Osaka airports to Kyoto or Osaka. That airfare could be had for about $100 if you arrived NRT on Japan Airlines. That's not counting the cost of the transfer from NRT to HND in Tokyo (probably around $30).
I would fly into Osaka Kansai airport from the USA.
Jan 9th, 2007, 06:30 PM
#11
As KimJapan mentioned, you would want an open-jaw ticket, not one-ways.
For the broadest fare search use NYC (for Newark, JFK, La Guardia) and OSA (for Osaka Kansai and Osaka Itami airports). JAL has a good connection from JFK via Narita to Itami.
For the broadest fare search use NYC (for Newark, JFK, La Guardia) and OSA (for Osaka Kansai and Osaka Itami airports). JAL has a good connection from JFK via Narita to Itami.
Jan 10th, 2007, 03:38 AM
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Thanks for the replies. Let me be a bit more specific. I could only use American Airlines out of the US as we are frequent flyer members, so we buy a couch ticket & upgrade to bix class with miles. With such a long flight we will only travel in business class, that's why I do not have that many schedule choices & AA doesn't allow me to upgrade in partner airlines. AA goes to NRT from JKF direct but if to OSAKA I'll have to go San Francisco, OAHU, Hawaii & then Osaka, putting the fare $500.00 per person extra & a lot more flight time. Having explain the flight schedule as Kim Japan said buy an "open jaw tkt" ( please be more spacific about this) in any domestic airline from NRT to Osaka & then Hong KOng to NRT could be a good choice as I have to return to the US in AA from NRT. But I think to do this I "ll have to change to the Haneda airport? Regarding the day trip to Tokyo, I had the impression that it was too ambitious, I have to think if I can take 2 more days to include Tokyo in my visit since I was there in 1985. In Osaka I don't want to be near the port, but in the city. I'll arrange transportation to the pier. Still undecided if making my base in Osaka or Kyoto...
Jan 10th, 2007, 10:05 AM
#14
The open-jaw would be the cruise and you would fly JFK-NRT and HKG-JFK.
You could try JFK-NRT-JFK roundtrip and KIX-HKG-NRT open jaw.
AA can certainly fix you up with a connection from JFK-NRT to OSA. But if you decide to visit Tokyo for a couple of extra days then you would take the train to Kyoto.
You could try JFK-NRT-JFK roundtrip and KIX-HKG-NRT open jaw.
AA can certainly fix you up with a connection from JFK-NRT to OSA. But if you decide to visit Tokyo for a couple of extra days then you would take the train to Kyoto.
Jan 11th, 2007, 03:36 PM
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Everything worked out fine regarding the flight schedule at a decent rate from AA with the business upgrade. Will go all the way to Osaka. Had to add 1 extra day in my pre - cruise stay so have more time to explore the area. Decided to use Osaka as a base since I'll need to transfer to the ship with luggage, it makes the most sense. Thanks to all that gave its input.
