Yet More Japan Itinerary Questions
 

From reading we have realized over all, Japan has a lot of local tourist traffic, and the best we can hope for is the thin the herd a bit or perhaps find a small diamond in the rough. This will be probably our last family trip with our daughter, and is a sort of early graduation gift for her. She has presented her requests in a very helpful way, and I would really like to work them all in. I have a few questions that will hopefully help me do this in the time we have available to us.

The things she has requested to see put us in Tokyo and Hiroshima for certain. Based on her other requests, we're looking at Kyoto. We were thinking with a JR Pass, perhaps it would be possible to stay somewhere near Kyoto that is a little less citified, crowded, and expensive, then ride the train in daily. How doable is this? Any recommendations where to stay? Somewhere with something interesting to see or do even just for an afternoon would be very nice. Otherwise, recommendations where a family of two adults and one older teen might stay for perhaps $150 per night in Kyoto would be welcome. :)

Kyoto Central Inn is in a very Central part of Kyoto, right across the street from Takashimay Dept store, and on top of the little subway station. Their Japanese style rooms were always very reasonable and held our family of 4 comfortably. the halls are kind of dark, but the rooms were immaculate.

I have found that many of the small hotels in Japan are quite decent, especially the Japanese style rooms. The furnishings may be a bit spare, or the TV small, but they are usually clean and comfortable. There are lots of them in your price range, unless you are going to be there during a holiday period.

Thank you, Icuy. We'd really like to stay in a Japanese-style room at least part of our stay, so that sounds like just the right place.

I saw on your other thread that you have 9 days in Tokyo planned out.

What is the rest of your itinerary? (how long in Kyoto, Hiroshima)

Um, if you're worried about crowds in Kyoto (which has the population of Philadelphia), you're going to freak out in Tokyo. Kyoto feels smaller, especially if you go to Arashiyama and Gion areas -- those parts do not feel like part of a large city.

We stayed in a ryokan-like apartment (tatami mat floors, pillows, sparse) in Kyoto that we found on VRBO.com that was listed for 1-4 people. In residential Kyoto neighborhood near Goji dori (a main avenue) and walking distance from Kyoto Station and Nijo-jo. Looking for a rental apt could fit your needs.

Our current plan -

nine nights in Tokyo, possibly broken into 8 in Tokyo, 1 in Nikko

Travel to Hiroshima, possibly by overnight bus as that would allow us to spend the day seeing the Peace Park and Miyajima, where we would spend one night.

Travel to Kyoto area for 7 nights stay there, probably returning by train to fly home from Narita. As much as we'd like to fly home from Osaka, it always seems to come up quite a bit more expensive.

Maybe think about a Japan Bus Pass if you want to save some money

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2369.html

Aloha!