Second time in Japan

Hi All,

First time i was in Japan during the the beginning of April 2008. I spent seven nights and seven days in Nagoya area, with daytrips to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Toba, Oshino and Kashikojima.

This year again i am going to Japan and will stay 6 nights in Tokyo during the 13.04-19.04.
So far my plan is:

13.04 my flight arrives to NRT around 17.30, so i will be probably in my hotel (Asia Center of Japan) around 20.00

14.04 Full day in Tokyo.

15.04 Daytrip to Nikko

16.04 Daytrip to Kamakura

17.04 Daytrip to Fuji 5 Lakes

18.04 Full day in Tokyo (or if i have enough of Tokyo, then Hakone or Yokohama)

19.04 Almost full day in Tokyo, my flight departs from NRT at 22.00 so i should be in Tokyo station around 18.00.

My questions are:

1. I like to walk. Do i need to use public transport in Tokyo, if walking from Montmartre to Arc the Triumph to Eiffel to Notre Dame to Montmartre under 5 hours including pitstops didn't cause any pain to the legs? For example, is it easy or hard to walk from Shibuya to Shinjuku to Asakusa to Shibuya under 8 hours?

2. How long it takes to walk from Kita Kamakura station to the Kamakura beach?

3. Fuji 5 Lakes - is it wise to rent a bicycle so i can visit the lakes and maybe 5th station (by bus)under 8-10 hours?
Or if the rent price is too high, then is it possible to walk around the Kawaguchiko lake under 8 hours?

Best regards,
Lauri

is it easy or hard to walk from Shibuya to Shinjuku to Asakusa to Shibuya under 8 hours?[/

Tokyo is on a whole other scale to Paris or indeed other European cities - Shinjuku, Shibuya and Asakusa are really cities in their own right within a larger one. The route you described is probably about 30 kilometres or so (you can probably check using the "get route" facility on Google maps). So it entirely depends on how much you want to walk and whether you want to stop and look at things between. Also please note that it's very easy to get lost in Tokyo so you'd probably want to add on extra time for that eventuality.

It'd be easier to get the train to Kamakura Station and walk to the beach than to Kita Kamakura, but again you can check on Google Maps.

here's a link to a website that has info about hikes around Tokyo, including 2 at Kamakura http://yamaonna.wordpress.com/

I don't want to offend anyone, but I think hiking across Tokyo is not as interesting or as pleasant as the same in Paris. You end up walking quite a bit discovering the different neighborhoods, such as Asakusa, anyway, so I strongly suggest saving time by using subways and trains. You will have a more meaningful experience that way.

Hi
I'm used to walking, I have a good sense of direction, I love cities and I walk often on foot ... and I got lost in Tokyo!
Of course, this may seem silly, but when you know it, it is very difficult to find pins. For example, in Paris, to go to the Eiffel Tower, it's pretty easy, we see it almost everywhere. When you go to Tokyo Tower in Roppongi from walking, it takes almost get to his feet to see. In addition, between the centers of interest, there is not really much to see.
Furthermore, as one moves away from main roads, no street names, no visual cues ...
To go from Shinjuku to Asakusa, The distance is about 18 km. It is better to take the train (Yamanote to Ueno then metro line GINZA).
But if you like to walk...
If you have a look at the town from the metropolitan goverment towers, maybe you'll change mind...
http://www.soleilrouge.org/blog/lire-article-240173-3286922-gratte_cie...
Around Kawaguchi lake is about 19 km...

Shibuya to Shinjuku is an easy enough walk and I've done it before more by accident than purpose. But it's not the most exciting walk as far as visuals and things go from the Harajuku leg on.

From Shinjuku I'd definitely take a train to Asakusa and enjoy walking around that area instead. I spent a morning walking around Asakusa and the neighbouring SkyTree area. There's actually a bunch of hidden gems like tiny shrines and statues tucked up in various places throughout the area.

Completely agree with Sage. Asakusa and the Yanesen/Nippori area afford a lot of interesting walking with lots to see, and I think you'd be far better off using your hours on foot to explore those areas than trudging through the "blank" areas between Shibuya and Asakusa.

I've walked Shibuya to Shinjuku and it's not especially interesting in parts either, though perfectly doable and fairly easy to navigate by landmark.

As said above, each area of Tokyo is like a city in itself with its own character (and each with plenty of miles of streets to explore once you hop off the train to get there)!

First, big thanks to everybody for the answers.

I have some additional questions:

1. Do the tourist info kiosks provide paper maps for Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura and Fuji 5 Lakes? Or are those for sale at 7-11 etc. convinience stores? Of course, i would prefer gps navigation, but for some reason Nokia does not have an offline map for Japan. Of course, gps works so i if i enter waypoints manually then i can at least have some kind of guidance.

2. Can i buy all those passes and tickets (Nikko pass, Suica+NEX, bus tickets to Fuji 5 lakes) using American Express that i got in Estonia? Bank is Swedbank.

3. 10 seconds after booking the flight tickets my wife told me, that the most important thing to buy is the japanese style doll and/or kind of teddy-bear-Totoro plush toy for my 1 year old daughter :-). As my time is limited - which department store has the the best selection for that kind of stuff?

You can get Totoro and other Ghibli products at most toy stores.

Yamashiroya, across the street of the south entrance to JR Ueno has them.

Kiddy Land in Omotesando has them.

Toys R Us in Odaiba has them.

But the easiest one you can get to, at least it's in Ginza, is Hakuhinkan Toy Park.
http://www.sunnypages.jp/travel_guide/modern_tokyo/fun_shops/Hakuhinka...

I was in Tokyo Station last week. The Ghibli store in Character Street had a nice selection.

Does anyone know if there is a list of (Official) Ghibli Stores around Japan? I stumbled across one in Kyoto last year on the shopping street leading to Kiyomizudera. I also went to one in Umeda, Osaka, but can't remember where that was.

It's in Japanese, but here you go: http://www.benelic.com/shop/#donguri

OK, now i am back at home and i try to give little bit of feedback.

First about my schedule:

13.04 Arrived to Narite airport around 17.30. Getting through immigration and getting my luggage took about 30 minutes, then another 15 minutes to buy Suica&NEX and JR Kanto pass. I took the JR Narita Express to Shibuya station and from there Ginza line to Aoyama Itchome station. Then i had to walk about 10 minutes to my hotel Asia Center of Japan which i highly recommend if your budget is around 50 EUR per night.
After checkin i walked to Shibuya station (about 1 hour one way) to enjoy the crowds and atmosphere.

14.04 Took a subway to Tokyo station, booked reservations to my daytrips and then walked to Akihabara where i spent some hours. After that a short break in the hotel and then explored the Shinjuku area. When walking around Kabukicho i was also approached by a good looking man who claimed that a nice young lady is ready to offer all kind of services. I did not asked what is the price tag and whether it includes also washing my socks and underwear.

15.04 Took a day trip to Nikko using the shinkansen to Utsunomya and then local train to Nikko. I think that Nikko is like Nara without deers but with mountains. I also took a bus to Lake Chuzenji and back. Had i stayed in the hotel i would have tried to walk around the lake.

16.04 Daytrip to Shimoda. I took the bus to Shirahama beach and opened also the swimming season for non-calypso users. Air temperature was about 20 degrees and water maybe 17-18 degrees. Not warm for locals but for northeners good enough :-) considering that is my first time to swim in Pacific Ocean and we had still snow in April and -20 degrees in March. Walking back to Shimoda took around one hour. Of course, enjoying sushi on seaside was a good thing to do.
Unfortunatelly the last Odoriko train to Tokyo left very early - before 17.00.

17.04 Daytrip to Kawaguchiko. I took the train from Shinjuku to Otsuki and then from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko. Fortunatelly the weather was above average so mount Fuji was pretty visible.

18.04 Full day in Tokyo. First part i spent in Asakusa, then walked to Sky Tree. However, the queues were long so i just had to watch it from the outside. Then i took the the train to Odaiba manmade island. I walked back from the Odaiba via Rainbow bridge. Very nice views from there.

19.04 Half day at Shinjuku and Shibuya and then back to Narita airport from Shibuya station.

My conclusion and thoughts:

1. Japan is safe and relaxing country for tourists. I think that is good to visit India or Egypt some weeks before going to Japan to enjoy 100% the feeling that you don't have to worry about anything and just act normally. Of course, going to India or Egypt after visiting Japan is also recommended to "enjoy" the difference.

2. Sushi in Estonia costs more than in Narita Airport...

3. While Japan is considered expensive country, then fortunately for tourists the 3 important things - travel, food and accomodation are not that expensive when compared to London and Paris.

4. What is going to happen when you are not paying for services in red light districts? Something similar to Takashi Miike movies?

5. Why are there queues on some cheap eating places which does not seem to be that good to warrant queues?

6. About walking in Tokyo. It is indeed not that easy when compared to Paris, because even big landmarks like Sky Tree is not that visible. However it is not difficult either. Of course, if you have asthma, then it is PAIN to get from Ginza subway terminal to Narita Express train. The distances inside railway stations are huge when compared to Gare du Nord, for example.