ChgoGal

Hi, Fodorities!

Hoping our Japan experts can take a quick look at a rough itinerary and chime in with suggestions.

Background: My mother is from Okinawa and my brother + his wife + 2 children, and I want to return to visit family. (6 family members: 16-80 years old.) My brother and I were born and raised there on-base, but my brother hasn't been back for 30 years. We have (2) students in the group, so we must travel during school breaks between May-August. Language: Mother is fluent; My nephew and I can read and speak very basic Japanese. Brother is a photographer.

From Chicago:

• Day -1: Family to O'Hare airport hotel 1 night
• Day 1: A.M. departure ORD to Narita/Haneda
  • Question: NRT vs HND: I think I'd prefer Haneda, as I have stayed twice at the Shinagawa Prince hotel and am familiar/comfortable getting around from there but open to similar tourist/family-oriented hotels.
• Day 1: P.M. arrival Tokyo; Overnight in Tokyo
• Day 2: Jetlag day: Stay in Tokyo/fly to Okinawa
• Day 3 - 9: Okinawa
• Day 10: Okinawa to Osaka; Osaka train to Kyoto
• Day 11-12: Kyoto
  • Question: Is 2 days in Kyoto enough to visit? I think my family would definitely want to visit Kinkaku-ji, but I welcome suggestions from Kyoto experts. The photographer in the group will be spoiled for choice here.
  • Question: Not Kyoto experts at all. I've been only once many years ago and stayed near the station. I recall taking buses everywhere. Recommendations for hotels in the 40,000 yen/night range (for family room). Is that a reasonable amount for Kyoto in those months (May-Aug)?
• Day 13: Kyoto to Tokyo
  • Question: Tokyo hotels. I welcome suggestions. My comfort level leads me to Shinagawa Prince, but open to suggestions for this English-speaking family. Again, tentative budget for a family room 50,000 yen/night. Rail or Limousine bus access to Narita/Haneda a plus. We do not need fancy, but I'm struggling to recall the budget hotel chains in Japan. Is Tokyu one of them?
• Day 14-15: Tokyo
  • Question: I feel 2 days is enough at the end of a long vacation but welcome expert thoughts here. We are not fine-art museum visitors in Tokyo, and know little of Japan's history before WWII, so things like the Imperial Palace and gardens, while beautiful, hold less interest to us than modern Tokyo culture. My sense is we'll want to do things like eat in some little alleyway soba houses, and visit Harajuku for the young people in my group (and visit beautiful Meiji Jingu.) I know I'll want to visit a Don-Q.
• Day 16: Departure

Question: Pocket Wi-Fi; I rented a mobile Wi-Fi gadget and picked up at airport. I also recall buying a SIM card for my mother's iPhone as she was staying a month. Is that still the way to go to stay connected while out and about? Any vendors you recommend?

Question: Weather/Typhoon Season Okinawa; With Typhoon Season from June to November, it seems May is the month to go, but would welcome expert thoughts here on weather. I need to look at historical data, too. I lived in Okinawa as a child and adult (in Naha, 20 years ago, though). The humidity can be terrible, but I don't recall the rainy season being all that disruptive (though I am not a beach person, and my brother's family definitely is).

Question: Airlines/Fares/Packages. We have a credit on United (due to covid). I am wondering if a flight + hotel package is a way to go for some savings or not. It seems it could be with flight and with the advanced search for a short stay at a hotel. But with 6 people travelling, looking for any ways to save if possible.

I so appreciate any feedback or thoughts at this early stage. Thanks, Fodorites!

HappyTrvlr

I would add a day to Kyoto. Also, Haneda is much closer to Tokyo than Narita so book flights to and from HND.

crellston

A few observations/suggestions;

Hotel Gracery in Tokyo is ideally located in Shinjuku.

In Kyoto I would highly recommend Cross Hotel. Probably the best mid range hotel we have stayed in in Japan. Good location and and the breakfasts are superb.

Two days is nowhere near enough for Kyoto.

Tokyu is indeed one of the budget/business hotel chains in Japan.

"Jetlag day" no such thing - why waste time feeling sorry for yourself? Keep moving and use the time to get somewhere, do something.

Reading54

Shinagawa can be reached easily via Narita Express from NRT. Therefore, choose a flight that is more direct and a better deal to you, instead of choosing an arrival airport.

mrwunrfl

>>seems May is the month to go
Definitely. Go in May.and return in May. The only better month of the year to go to Japan (where you are going) would be November, IMHO.

By Okinawa, do you mean to fly to/from Naha (OKA)?

When you fly to Okinawa you will be flying from Haneda. You could fly ORD-HND on United and connect to a flight to Naha. You could just continue on and get it over with (I would, but i would not be traveling with children or a grandma). But your connection time can be up to 24 hours, so staying overnight would work too (in which case an airport hotel or a hotel in Shinagawa would work well).

I'm suggesting an open-jaw ticket, ORD-HND-OKA, TYO-ORD. Both ANA and JAL offer special fares for visitors and there are LCCs. Use one of those for the Naha->OSA flight. (instead of the open jaw you could just fly ORD-TYO-ORD and use one of the specal domestic fares to get to OKA.

Two days is not enough for Kyoto, most people would say, but I am not a Kyoto fan and the two full days you have would be ok. The Hotel Granvia in Kyoto station would be the first hotel that I would consider.

Your lodging budgets are good.
Maybe a package would help.

Language is not going to be an issue for you.

You won't need a JR Pass. There are some budget shinkansen tickets for Kyoto->Tokyo and packages with the shinkansen tix and hotel.

curiousgeo

Given the primary purpose of your trip is visiting family in Okinawa, the few days in Tokyo and Kyoto at each end of your trip is fine. They allow just a glimpse of those two great cities, but your time is limited given your itinerary.

We’ve stayed several times at the Kyoto Granvia and really enjoy it (a great suggestion mrwunrfl). Located in busy Kyoto Station it is a surprisingly quiet oasis with easy access to the Shinkansen, subways, taxis and buses. Lots of shops and reasonably priced places to eat in the immediate vicinity plus the Isetan department store.

One of my favorite Kyoto walks is the Philosopher’s Path up in the eastern hills. A tranquil walk along a tree shaded canal path between Ginkakuji and Nanzenji, two popular, well visited sites.

mjs

The best time to visit Okinawa would be in the winter between about mid November to maybe early March. Get more rain later in Spring And it’s really hot in the summer and there’s Typhoon season of course. Christmas holidays would be good except air fares would be high. May is not the best time to visit Tokyo or Kyoto as you have Golden week and it’s starting to get warm-hot but certainly better than the rainy season in June and the heat of July and August. Hot in the summer used to be 28-30 but now we are talking high 30s to 40 as a possibility. Best for Honshu weather wise would be mid October to maybe early December or Mid March to late April. Money wise good time to go now as yen is 143 to the dollar.

ChgoGal

Thank you for all the tips, and especially the hotel recommendations. Nonstop flights have been very pricey in the last week I've been pricing, but have seen flights for $1100 with 1-stop (Air Canada). Still, I'd much rather fly direct, but if it means a savings of $700-800, it may be something we try. (I just worry about connections.) HOping in the next 4-6 weeks, more flights might be added and maybe, maybe, fares will drop a tiny bit. In the mean time, will book refundable hotels and hope for the best.

mjs Thanks for the timing recommendations. I have told my family the same, and this is usually the time my mother and I go to Okinawa (pre-covid), but my brother's family really want beaches. Also, the kids' school schedules are difficult.
curiousgeo Wonderful tips. I don't know Kyoto well at all and I remember loving Nanzenji, too. Plus, Kiyomizu-dera, though the walk uphill was too much for my mom last time, so I expect she'll be sitting that one out again if group wants to visit. (I may join her!)
mrwunrfl Thank you for the Shinkansen-hotel package idea. I've been googling. The one that seems the most reputable is not yet taking orders, it seems, to help restrict the spread of covid. And yes, you're right that the seniors/children are a consideration I'm taking. In the past 3 flights to TOkyo, my mom and I have not done well immediately after. Fares to Narita always seemed to be cheaper, and the one time I took the limo bus from Narita to our Shinagawa hotel (which added an extra 1.5-1.75 hrs of travel on a bus, and was stopped at railroad tracks in sight of the hotel), was exhausting and unpleasant after a long flight. So I'm either flying into Haneda or we're booking a Narita airport hotel like we did last time. It was a night and day experience getting off the plane and taking the shuttle to the airport hotel. So much nicer to get right to room and rest.
crellston Thanks for the Shinjuku and Kyoto hotel information. The Shinjuku looks like a great option with family rooms, and a really great location.
Reading54 Good tip to use the train. I may try that this time around if airfares don't allow for Haneda. I've always defaulted to the Limousine Bus.
HappyTrvlr Yes, we may need 3 days in Kyoto. I feel like 2 would be good for me, but I have a feeling my photographer brother will need more time.

Covid infection resurgence will be a concern, especially on Okinawa. Hopefully the opening to travel and the spring won't see a huge rise in infections. If that's the case, we'll postpone again, though it is a shame when family just keeps aging. Thank you again for the great advice.

mrwunrfl

Kiyomizu-dera - Accessible Japan (accessible-japan.com)

i thought there was a back way into kiyomizudera, but maybe i was thinking of meiji jingu in tokyo

ChgoGal

This is a wonderful, helpful link. Thank you for sharing.

mrwunrfl

I reccommend visiting Meiji Jingu in Tokyo. It is an important shrine in a park-like setting in the city. It is a bit of a walk to get to but the ground is flat. There is a sign on the left (on the way in) pointing the way to a lake house spot that is worth a visit, stop on the way back.

The main attraction is the shrine, of course. You might see a traditional Shinto wedding party (photos ok). And/or people in fancy kimonos (which could include you if you chose to rent one). Am almost certain there is a car park close to the shrine (which is probably what the wedding party uses to get to shrine), so a person should be able to take a taxi to get there if they didn't want to walk the easy path.

More likely to see a wedxding on a weekend but you could pay attention to the calendar to find days that are more/less auspicious for weddings,

Here is the calendar:
ROKUYO – Lucky & Unlucky Days of the Japanese Calendar (seiyaku.com)

It currently shows 2022 at the top of the year list and you have to scroll way down to get to 2023. May 2023 has five Taian days and two are on weekends: Sunday, May 21 and Saturday, May 27, 2023.

It will still be October 30 in Japan (and USA) when I fly from LAX to SFO. That is a Sakimake day, Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon. I depart SFO before noon, so the good luck part of the day will not kick in before I leave.

It will also be October 31 in Japan when I depart SFO, so all the travel from SFO to Tokyo to Sapporo will be the same day which is Butsumetsu - unlucky all day.

curiousgeo

If you go to Kiyomizu Dera, another of our favorite Kyoto walks is Sanenzaka and Ninenzaka, to experience old Kyoto. I would suggest going from Kiyomizu down slope as it is a much easier walk, especially Sanenzaka.

https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/i...icle-a2000498/

lcuy

One thing that you might check on before choosing your airport is the transportation options from Haneda into Tokyo. Several of the public transportation options used to stop running before the flights all arrived into Haneda. Once, my husband arrived at Haneda. His flight was delayed and he had to take a taxi into Tokyo at a pretty hefty fee. Another time, I just forgot, and had to do the same.This may not still be true, but just a warning.

mjs

Just a few comments. I too would not take a break in Tokyo on your way to Okinawa. Fly ORD-HND-OKA. Also if you have 6 nights to play with after Okinawa I would consider visiting either Kyoto or Tokyo and not both. Fly home from Kansai or Haneda or Narita depending on which city you visit. Taxi ride to Haneda from the Westin hotel a few years back was not too bad, about $55. Cheaper now since the yen is so weak. Just returned from Chicago if that is where you live, and the Uber ride is probably abut the same price as a taxi ride to Haneda depending on where you will be staying. Lastly if you are traveling in May pay attention to Golden week.

mrwunrfl

Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
11m
12.1 km
Shinagawa Prince Hotel

Pricing information
Expect to pay:US$30 - US$45

--
more for 5 people in van
not too bad as a worst case

three nonstop may 15
United and JAL arrive before 4PM
ANA arrives 9:05 PM

unlikely, but possible the last one could be drastically delayed

mrwunrfl

there are hotels at HND with free shuttles like NRT
i think that there is a hotel in the airport or attached to it

Mara

I think the Royal Park Hotel is attached to Haneda - although one page says it is closed - the reservation page seems to be working???. I am staying at the First Cabin Hotel which is in Terminal One. - but that is not suitable for a family.