Itinerary - Holes between Tokyo and Kyoto
May 20th, 2008, 01:53 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Itinerary - Holes between Tokyo and Kyoto
The trip is getting form:
1-2-3 August Tokyo & daytrip to Nikko
5-6-7 August Kyoto & daytrip to Nara
9-10 August Osaka
So, I have a hole on the 4th and on the 8th. For the 4th, I am in doubt between Hakone or the Japanese Alps (Kisoji, Kamikochi and Takayama). What do you think ? Any suggestions for lodging for the Alps ?
For the 8th I was thinking to go to Himeji and then travel on to Osaka, or, as an alternative, go up until Miyajima and stay in the area around Okayama, then travel from there to Himeji and onto Osaka (we have our flight back from Osaka). The second alternative would be a bit of a hassle for our luggage and I am traveling with my 60-year old mother, so I don't want to get too much on our plate. But Miyajima looks really like it can be missed.
Thanks for all your help !
1-2-3 August Tokyo & daytrip to Nikko
5-6-7 August Kyoto & daytrip to Nara
9-10 August Osaka
So, I have a hole on the 4th and on the 8th. For the 4th, I am in doubt between Hakone or the Japanese Alps (Kisoji, Kamikochi and Takayama). What do you think ? Any suggestions for lodging for the Alps ?
For the 8th I was thinking to go to Himeji and then travel on to Osaka, or, as an alternative, go up until Miyajima and stay in the area around Okayama, then travel from there to Himeji and onto Osaka (we have our flight back from Osaka). The second alternative would be a bit of a hassle for our luggage and I am traveling with my 60-year old mother, so I don't want to get too much on our plate. But Miyajima looks really like it can be missed.
Thanks for all your help !
May 20th, 2008, 02:20 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With only 10 days, and 2 days in Tokyo and 2 in Kyoto (day trips to Nikko and Nara I subtracted) I think you will find that you did not have enough time in either one.
I'd also recommend a night in Nara, as in the summer they have "light up" where the temple grounds are decorated with lights..beautiful. http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/info/02.html
It is going to be very, very hot and humid, probably much moreso than you expect. You'll find that you have to take it slow, have frequent breaks. Even after 13 years here, the summer still kills me, and we are in Kanazawa...Kyoto and Tokyo are hotter. For that reason especially I'd recommend limiting yourself to Tokyo and Kyoto with a night or two in Nara. You'll be moving more slowly than you anticipate I think, and require the time to see a bit of each place. Even in cooler weather with the more energetic of tourists, I think your proposed plan of adding two more stops in there is overload. Keep it simple...you can easily add day trips from both Tokyo and Kyoto spur of the moment should you decide to.
I'd also recommend a night in Nara, as in the summer they have "light up" where the temple grounds are decorated with lights..beautiful. http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/info/02.html
It is going to be very, very hot and humid, probably much moreso than you expect. You'll find that you have to take it slow, have frequent breaks. Even after 13 years here, the summer still kills me, and we are in Kanazawa...Kyoto and Tokyo are hotter. For that reason especially I'd recommend limiting yourself to Tokyo and Kyoto with a night or two in Nara. You'll be moving more slowly than you anticipate I think, and require the time to see a bit of each place. Even in cooler weather with the more energetic of tourists, I think your proposed plan of adding two more stops in there is overload. Keep it simple...you can easily add day trips from both Tokyo and Kyoto spur of the moment should you decide to.
May 20th, 2008, 12:01 PM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi, scheldekaai -
I agree that you are not leaving nearly enough time for Kyoto itself - there is SO much to see there! You can visit Himeji from Kyoto or, if you really want to go to Miyajima (which is lovely), visit Hemiji on the way. Another option if you really want to stay near Okayama is Kurashiki.
Hope that helps!
I agree that you are not leaving nearly enough time for Kyoto itself - there is SO much to see there! You can visit Himeji from Kyoto or, if you really want to go to Miyajima (which is lovely), visit Hemiji on the way. Another option if you really want to stay near Okayama is Kurashiki.
Hope that helps!
May 21st, 2008, 09:04 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you for your tips. I think my mam will agree with you and the initial idea was to keep it simple... but there is sooo much to see. I'll just have to come back some day.
Ok, so rescheduling, I'd say:
1-2-3-4 August Tokyo (daytrip to Nikko)
5-6-7-8 Kyoto (daytrip to Nara and Koyasan)
9-10 Osaka and Himeji
We have our flight back at 2PM on the 10th, so we'd have only one and a half day for Osaka and Himeji. Is that doable ?
As to the wheather, I live in Rome, so I'm used to the heat... is the humidity much worse than here or, for instance, Florida ?
Ok, so rescheduling, I'd say:
1-2-3-4 August Tokyo (daytrip to Nikko)
5-6-7-8 Kyoto (daytrip to Nara and Koyasan)
9-10 Osaka and Himeji
We have our flight back at 2PM on the 10th, so we'd have only one and a half day for Osaka and Himeji. Is that doable ?
As to the wheather, I live in Rome, so I'm used to the heat... is the humidity much worse than here or, for instance, Florida ?
May 21st, 2008, 09:39 AM
#5
Koyasan is a three hour trip, each way, from Kyoto. You wouldn't be visiting both Nara and Koya in the same day.
Getting to Koyasan pretty much means going thru Osaka.
You could ship your luggage from your Kyoto hotel to your Osaka hotel. Go to Koya from Kyoto and return to Osaka.
Am pretty sure you do NOT need a JR Pass. You should look at the non-JR Osaka-regional passes - one the covers Himeji, Osaka, Koya, and Kansai Airport.
Getting to Koyasan pretty much means going thru Osaka.
You could ship your luggage from your Kyoto hotel to your Osaka hotel. Go to Koya from Kyoto and return to Osaka.
Am pretty sure you do NOT need a JR Pass. You should look at the non-JR Osaka-regional passes - one the covers Himeji, Osaka, Koya, and Kansai Airport.
May 21st, 2008, 11:25 AM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi again, scheldekaai -
Koyasan is lovely, but as mrwunrfl says, you will spend a lot of time traveling to get there even if you visit it between Kyoto and Osaka. So I again wonder whether it would be worth spending all that time traveling when you could be visiting more of the sights within Kyoto instead. Just a thought. . . .
Koyasan is lovely, but as mrwunrfl says, you will spend a lot of time traveling to get there even if you visit it between Kyoto and Osaka. So I again wonder whether it would be worth spending all that time traveling when you could be visiting more of the sights within Kyoto instead. Just a thought. . . .
May 21st, 2008, 02:56 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2 years ago, we spent the month of August in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and found it very comfortable in comparison to Kanazawa, which is less stifling than Kyoto and Tokyo. Florida was a relief. I've been to Rome in August, too, and found it quite manageable. Japan is worse. You could hope for an unseasonably cool spell while you are here...
With your flight home at 2:00 PM, you are looking at leaving your hotel absolutely no later than 11:00 AM, 10:00 would be better, to get to KIX. Have a leisurely breakfast, pack and check out. Depending on what you want to see in Osaka, you may have to choose between that and Himeji for your real last day.
Koyasan is not really a day trip. A good deal of its attraction is the beauty, but moreso is the experience of staying in a temple. It is also a lot of travel for a brief look, and to me, is not worth the time without staying a night.
Let me encourage you again to spend a night in Nara...the light up is really special, and you won't experience it in a day trip. Nara's vibe is great, too, and it's easy to find your way around.
I would simplify more, and plan 1-2-3-4 Tokyo 5 Nara 6-7-8-9-10 Kyoto. It's just as easy to get to the airport from Kyoto as Osaka...actually easier from Kyoto because the Haruka Express train goes from there but not Osaka (Shin Osaka is where it stops in Osaka, which is not Osaka station). From Kyoto, you can go to Himeji as easily as from Osaka if you decide to go there. And if you want to visit Osaka, it's an easy train ride as well.
With your flight home at 2:00 PM, you are looking at leaving your hotel absolutely no later than 11:00 AM, 10:00 would be better, to get to KIX. Have a leisurely breakfast, pack and check out. Depending on what you want to see in Osaka, you may have to choose between that and Himeji for your real last day.
Koyasan is not really a day trip. A good deal of its attraction is the beauty, but moreso is the experience of staying in a temple. It is also a lot of travel for a brief look, and to me, is not worth the time without staying a night.
Let me encourage you again to spend a night in Nara...the light up is really special, and you won't experience it in a day trip. Nara's vibe is great, too, and it's easy to find your way around.
I would simplify more, and plan 1-2-3-4 Tokyo 5 Nara 6-7-8-9-10 Kyoto. It's just as easy to get to the airport from Kyoto as Osaka...actually easier from Kyoto because the Haruka Express train goes from there but not Osaka (Shin Osaka is where it stops in Osaka, which is not Osaka station). From Kyoto, you can go to Himeji as easily as from Osaka if you decide to go there. And if you want to visit Osaka, it's an easy train ride as well.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jenniferhaywardtx
Asia
9
Jun 25th, 2008 07:19 PM
