What part of Tokyo?
 

Hi. We finally found a hotel in Kyoto now we are trying to pick a Tokyo hotel. What area of the city would you recommend? We will only be there for two days and will just have time to hit a few of the hightlights. We are looking at the Park Hotel and the New Otani. Thanks!

We just returned from 5 nights in Tokyo and stayed at the Seiyo Ginza. My husband and I loved staying in the Ginza area. It is complelely convenient to shops,dining, metro, Kabuki theater, Tsujiki fish market and all of Tokyo. A great place to take a walk and explore.

JuneAnn,

We are staying at the Seiyo Ginza for 5 nites in July/Aug.

We are staying in a Superior Queen room. Can you tell me more details about the hotel and your stay. I've read alot, but it helps to hear first hand experiences. Tell me all about the rooms, service and anything else you feel is important.

although I have everything pretty much mapped out, please do share your favorite Ginza area shopping and restaurants as well.

Thanks a mil...

We had booked a superior queen room also but we were upgraded to a deluxe king. The room had a large desk and chair, a club chair, tv, dvd, cd, and king bed. It also had a dressing room with closets and a dressing table with lights and chair. The bathroom was huge with a tub and shower. The heated toilet seat/bidet was just great. Bedside controls open and close the drapes and control all the lights. Service was the most amazing at all levels. On our first night the concierge had a doorperson walk us to a nearby restaurant so we would not get lost. The Italian restaurant in the hotel, Attore, was excellent. We also enjoyed Sushi Sei which is on Ginza Dori (the same avenue as the hotel). It is very reasonably priced with excellent sushi and several staff spoke english. We took a taxi and the driver pointed to the correct building. There are no english signs and the restaurant is on the 4th floor. Just take the elevator and it opens into the restaurant. I have to get you the name of other places we enjoyed. Does breakfast come with your room rate? Let me know if you need any other info.

JuneAnn,

Thanks.

Yes, any little tidbits you care to share would be most welcomed!

Thanks a mil...

JuneAnn

Also how did you get the upgrade to a deluxe king?

Thanks a mil..

JWH,

New Otani is one of the most famous hotels in Tokyo.
Though rather old outside, rennovated inside. Staffs are well-trained and professional.
It has shops, sophisticated restaurants, and a small post office in it.
Also popular for its beautiful Japanese garden.

Parc hotel is a new design one near Shiodome station.
Area around is Shiodome shiosite complex
having many restaurants, and shops which open till late.

The former is 20 minute drive from Tokyo station, the latter 8 minute
so of the two I might take the latter on weekday
when there are traffic jams.

If only two night I would like ones
Tokyo station area,
for example Four Seasons Marunouchi (not Chinzan-so).

Hi,
The restaurant across the street from the hotel is "Gonpachi". They have a sushi restaurant and a teriyaki (grill) restaurant. We booked through American Express Platinum. That program includes breakfast and an upgrade. Tripgirl, if you would like can email you with our itinerary. This is a fabulous hotel with unbelievable service. I had emailed them and they got us bullet train tickets to Kyoto and arranged for an english speaking driver to meet us at the train station in Kyoto. When the train door opened our driver was standing there with our name on a card. The hotel will arrange anything you want. We took the limousine bus from the airport to the TCAT (Tokyo City Air Terminal). You just walk a few feet to the exit door and taxis are waiting. It is just 5-10 minutes to the Hotel. We did the same when we left Tokyo.

JuneAnn,

you are so very kind.

We just booked Junko Matsuda for our touring needs; hear she is falbulous.

We will be in Tokyo for 5 nites, but with only 4 full days of touring. We arrive July 28th at about 6pm to the hotel. Your plan of arrival is what we thought we would do. Planning on spending a full three with Junko ( or maybe just two with her, not decided yet).

was thinking about Kamakura for day trip.

wish we could go to Kyoto, but I really don't want to go as a day trip.

Then we are off after 5 nites in Tokyo to Beijing.

anything else you think of that would make our stay a delight, here is my e mail:

[email protected]

you're a doll

thanks a mil....

Hi,
I'll email you tomorrow with some more details. Please tell Junko that June told you how wonderful she is. We hired Junko for 2 1/2 days and those were our best days in Tokyo. She would also go with you to Kamakura for a day trip. We were determined to go to Kyoto on the bullet train and it was a great, but long day. It was great having lunch with Junko as she was able to take us to places we would not have found and she was able to tell us what we were ordering. We emailed her with a list of things that we wanted to do and see and she scheduled it for us. I'll email you.
June

JuneAnn,

So you did Kyoto as a day trip??

My hubbie still thinks we can do that and I am a little reluctant only because it sounds like a a long day and I think Tokyo will still provide enough for us to do.

with that said, however, I am very interested in Kyoto still.

how did you do your 1 day trip. did you hire a guide? I understand that Kyoto is spread out.

If you prefer to e mail me with all of this, that would be super!

You are truly a love!

Thanks a mil...

Hi Robyn,
I keep getting an error on your email. Try me at
[email protected]

I'm sure you can guess that we had a wonderful vacation and loved what little we saw of Japan.
This is how we planned Kyoto... the hotel concierge bought bullet train (Shinhansen) tickets for us. You can choose either
regular car or green car which is more like a business class seat. The concierge arranged for an english speaking driver/guide with car
to meet us at the Kyoto train station. (MS taxi service). We could have arranged this ourselves but felt more secure with the hotel making
these plans. We were in car #8. When the train doors opened Satoru was standing their with our name on a large card. He provided a map
Kyoto and discussed any particular desires we had. Kyoto is fairly large but with a car it was quick and easy to get around. We took the 8:03 train from Tokyo
Central Station which is only a few minutes from the hotel. We visited several temples and shrines, shopping areas, craft shop and Gion where we saw 3 Geisha girls.
He took us to an old Ryokan for lunch and a temple for a coffee break. We could not have done all this without a car and driver. We took the 5:30 train back to Tokyo.
The train ride is about 2:20 minutes. Needless to say we were a little tired when we got back to Tokyo but we both had a wonderful experience. The train is fast and quiet so
it's easy to nap. On the way to Kyoto you will have wonderful views of Mt. Fuji.

Back to Tokyo...we told Junko that we would like to see Sumo wrestling and Kabuki theater. Since the wrestling matches were over in January we missed them so she arranged for us to visit a training "stable" where we sat on the floor and watched the recent champion and other LARGE guys practice with each other. We're not wrestling fans but this was
just an amazing part of the Japanese culture. You can buy tickets to see only one act of a Kabuki play and they have headphones and a tape with english translation. I sat in the orchestra as steps are difficult for me and the balcony is four flights up. The orchestra was filled with well dressed men and a large number of ladies beautifully outfitted in Kimonos.
My husband and Junko sat in the balcony and told me that the audience there was more vocal in calling shouting out their feelings about the events in the play.

We visited the Sensoji Temple and the Meji Shrine. Seeing these with Junko was wonderful as she was able to explain what we were seeing and the many customs..ie: buy a fortune and if it is good you keep it and not you discard it by tying it onto a wooden stand so that the bad fortune does not go with you.

Robyn, I'll keep thinking of other things to tell you, meanwhile let me know if you have any specific questions.

Regards,
June

June, I am very interested in the guide/taxi service you used in Kyoto. How much was that service for the day? KimJapan posted a similar service (I'll see if it was the same name) but it was very expensive.

The taxi/emglish speaking chaufeur service that KimJapan posted about was MK (http://www.mk-group.co.jp/english/sightseeing/top/htm)
It is 18,800 yen for 3 hrs., plus I think from their site it looks like you also pay 1000 per hour for the "escort fee w/english speaking chaufeur". Seems expensive to me.

It just cost us apx. $70.00 an hour for a car and english speaking driver who also served as our guide, in Kyoto. We used MK group and they were very reliable.

JuneAnn,

I am going to e mail you in a few minutes.

So sorry about my e mail boomerraning on you. Hmmmm...