CADRMN

We are a family of 4 (2 teenage boys) traveling to Japan for 7 days. We are staying at Hilton properties using points in Tokyo and Osaka. This is our first time to Japan and we are planning to spend just one night in Tokyo before heading up to Osaka to use as our base for Kyoto and near areas. Would it be worth the savings of $$$ and points if we stayed at the Tokyo Bay Hilton (we can have a room for 4) or since we are there for just one night would the Tokyo Hilton or Conrad be better? We will be coming from Narita.

Also, some train help. Will it be a savings to purchase the train pass even if we plan to take the Nozomi Shinkansen round trip between Tokyo and Osaka?

Thank you!
L.

KimJapan

The Tokyo Bay Hilton is located in Chiba, adjacent to Tokyo Disney...not convenient at all for sightseeing or for traveling to Osaka. It is over an hour from Narita Airport by limo bus, which would be the best way to get there. It is good for getting 4 people in one room, though they do not give those rooms for use with points. For points, you get the basic room there, 2 person occupancy, and for two teenagers they would require you get another room, as there is max occupancy in those rooms of 3 persons unless the children are in elementary school. Teenagers are counted as adults. I doubt you would be upgraded to the Famil Room based on Gold or Diamond status too...they've been stingy at this hotel with status benefits in our experience.

The Conrad and Hilton in Shinjuku would also require that you get two rooms.

We've stayed at the Hilton in Shinjuku and the Tokyo Bay Hilton....both are fine, not special, but fine. We will try the Conrad out in early March for a night on the way back to Kanazawa from the states...using points.

Of the 3, the Conrad has the largest room size for the room you'd get on points.

If you plan to take the Nozomi, a JR Pass would be a waste of money, as you would need to pay for the Nozomi train as the pass doesn't cover it at all.

Note, too, that no shinkansens stop in Osaka Station, where the Hilton is. You will need to go to Shin Osaka station, then change trains and go back one stop to Osaka...leave the station and cross the street for the Hilton.

mrwunrfl

There is a Hilton property in Odawara. There is a shuttle for the 2.5 miles between the hotel and JR Odawara station. Odawara station is on the shinkansen line but you would have to be careful to not take the slow Kodama shinakansen from there. There are some Hikari trains that stop there. Thought I saw a Nozomi on the schedule too.

I don't know anything about the place but thought I would mention it. It's a category 6, so it's more of a resort than a place to stop for the night.

CADRMN

Thnak you KimJapan and mrwunrful for your speedy replies. The info provided was exactly what I was looking for. After reading KimJapan's comments on the Tokyo Bay Hilton, I think switching to the Conrad or Tokyo Hilton is where we should be. Although the Tokyo Bay Hilton did give us on Points, a King Delux Ocean View room. It just seems too out of the way.

We were considering 2 nights in Tokyo or 1 night in Tokyo and 1 night in Odawara or Hakone, but that would reduce our nights in Osaka to 5 nights at 175K points instead of 150K points for 6 nights. We will be paying for an additonal room for the kids. Hope we are not short changing ourselves by not staying in Tokyo longer or visiting Hakone.

I am a Japanese Amerian who never wanted to go to Japan till now. My husband, who is not Japanese American, has always wanted to go to Kyoto. This trip is the suggestion of my 16 year old son. And now, my 13 year old wants to learn Japanese. My kids are well traveled and appreciate the cultural sights, but the technology will be amazing to them.

My husband said, if we get to Japan/Tokyo and find we LOVE it, we can come back. We've done exactly that for UK and Italy.

Thank you again,
L.

W9London

Tokyo Hilton in Shinjuku is on the western side of Shinjuku, about 10 min walk from the JR station, and there is a closer metro station. The services and facilities are ok, though it's not the most sparkling modern 5-star hotel in town.
The one in Odawara is meant as a resort & spa. It's brand new but there aren't that much too see near the hotel. It's not in Hakone proper, so you'll need to take a small train and a cable car to go up the mountain.
As for the bullet train, time difference between Nozomi and Hikari are not that great.

mrwunrfl

There is a shuttle between the Tokyo Hilton and Shinjuku station. The stop is on the west side of the station.

CADRMN

Thank you to all for the info. I am glad for the Osaka Shinkansen station info...The Hilton website is not helpful on train transportation. We've decided to stay at the Conrad, since it seems more convinient from Narita...and closer to the Imperial Palace, Ginza and fish market. Since we are in Japan for 8 days, we will probably get a 7 day JR pass on our arrival..and use the pass for the Shinkansen up to Kyoto. Since train travel is such a highlight for my kids...It is of my 13 year old's opinion we should take the Nozomi on our return...for if we take the Nozomi as our first Shinkansen ride, the others may be a disappointment. So, we'll take the Nozomi from Osaka to Tokyo on our last day...

One more question....for now at least.
My kids grew up with Studio Ghibli creations....is it worth the trip...for teenagers?
We are departing Narita at 5:30pm and can have a few hours near Tokyo before departure....bear in mind...although my husband travels ALOT on business...he is always stressed on departure when we are with him.

Thank you again..
L.

mrwunrfl

For what you just described you don't need a JR Pass. You can't use the JR Pass to ride the Nozomi.

You can spend 28,300 yen and use a JR Pass to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo and the Hikari shinkansen from Tokyo to Shinosaka to Tokyo and for the JR local trains in Tokyo and Osaka.

Or you can spend 27,700 yen for roundtrip tickets on the Nozomi shinkansen for Tokyo-Shinosaka-Osaka- Shinosaka-Tokyo. Plus about 3000 yen for Narita airport to Tokyo. Plus a few hundred yen on JR locals in Tokyo and Osaka.

If I were you, I would take the 13 year-old's advice and go one step further and ride the Nozomi both ways.

So it will be about 2500 yen more pp to ride the Nozomi both ways and to pay as you go for the other travel. Sounds worth it since you really want to ride the Nozomi. And you will have more schedule flexibility that way because those trains are more frequent.

For Tokyo-Osaka the Nozomi might have a stop or two less than some of the faster Hikari trains. You will travel at a faster speed. The Nozomi platforms at some stations are more convenient than the others.

A big benefit of the Nozomi really comes into play if you go past Shinosaka, e.g. to Himeji or Hiroshima because you would not have to change trains at Shin Osaka (as you would do with a JR Pass). Also, the fastest stretch is on the Sanyo shinkansen, between Hiroshima and Hakata, I think.

At hyperdia.com you can get schedule info for the trains. At the top of the search results the travel time and distance is listed. Your kids could calculate the speed of the train between stations and for the total trip using that info. Look for a Nozomi with 2 stops between Tokyo and Shinosaka (am not sure but think that all Nozomi trains stop at Nagoya and Kyoto, at least).