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Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 03:51
Hi,
I have some questions, hope you can answer.
I'll be in japan from 9 April to 30 April with my wife for our Honeymoon.
I'm going from Kyoto to Takayama on 14 April for the festival, which is the day i will activate the 7 days JR pass.
1. Can I reserve train tickets from Kyoto to Takayama when I arrive to Japan (9 April) even though the JR pass will be inactive that time?
2. If I can't, I assume all trains seats from Kyoto to Takayama will be reserved that day + full of people going for the unreserved seats, is there a chance won't be able to board the train?


Moreover, I'm planning on being in Hakone in 24-25 April. I want to feel the Onsen experience with my wife. that mean that my options are a mixed public Onsens, room with private onsen, or 1 hour onsen reserve.
3. Are there any good private Onsens There?
4. Do Onsen's water come from the ground naturally? or do they brought manually to the Onsen? is the water source different from public and private onsens?
5. Any good mixed Onsens there? (Or Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama in case Hakone don't have)
6. Any good hotel/ryokan with impressive private Onsen? Honeymoon and all ;)


And one final question :)
20-23 April I stay in Tokyo
24-25 April I stay in Hakone
26-29 April I stay in Tokyo.

7. I'm thinking about staying in the same Tokyo hotel on 23 April and 26 April. My intention is to give my luggage to the hotel upon 23 April check-out and retrieve it when I check-in in 26 April, that way I can avoid taking all my (2 big cases) luggage to/fro m Hakone. Is it doable? will Tokyo hotels agree to this kind of arrangement?

Thanks!
by avigo  

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 11:36
Hi,

1. Can I reserve train tickets from Kyoto to Takayama when I arrive to Japan (9 April) even though the JR pass will be inactive that time?


I think yes you can do that when you exchange your voucher for the pass, you can set the activation date and book your tickets

3. Are there any good private Onsens There?
4. Do Onsen's water come from the ground naturally? or do they brought manually to the Onsen? is the water source different from public and private onsens?
5. Any good mixed Onsens there? (Or Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama in case Hakone don't have)
6. Any good hotel/ryokan with impressive private Onsen? Honeymoon and all ;)


There are lots of ryokans with private onsens and even ones in your own room (the latter are more expensive) but it's your honeymoon!
You can check the ryokans specific websites for the info about source of their water, and the facilities they provide. Gora has a number of very expensive high end ryokans that may cater for your need, but it depends on how much you want to spend.
Do a google search on ryokans with mixed onsens in the cities you want, if you don't want a room with your own private onsen.
Check also hotel booking sites such as booking.com, Agoda, Japanican, etc.. and decide on what you like. People's opinions of what's "impressive" is not the same as yours. When you come to book a ryokan that you fancy you can tell them it's your honeymoon and they will for sure do something special for you.

7. I'm thinking about staying in the same Tokyo hotel on 23 April and 26 April. My intention is to give my luggage to the hotel upon 23 April check-out and retrieve it when I check-in in 26 April, that way I can avoid taking all my (2 big cases) luggage to/fro m Hakone. Is it doable? will Tokyo hotels agree to this kind of arrangement?

check with your hotel if they accept doing this. every hotel is different.
by ----- (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 11:41
by the way, I hope you booked your accommodation in Takayama by now, as availability is pretty thin for the festival period.
by ----- (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 13:07
Question #1

Yes, you can reserve seats at any JR ticket booth before you activate the pass but you will need to change the voucher to the pass before you can book. I think JR has been experimenting with allowing on-line reservations but I am unsure if that particular route is covered. In general, getting a seat on a Hikari between Kyoto and Nagoya isn't so bad and since Nagoya is a starting station for a Hida getting a non-reserved seat there is also do-able, I would just give myself extra time in Nagoya if you don't have a reserved seat ahead of time. Last trip I had several trains I couldn't reserve a seat for, but I got two non-reserved seats together on each train by just waiting 15-20 minute before said train arrived for a chance at the non-reserved seats.

#2

If you have a JR Pass, you can board any train allowed by that pass and ride standing room on any train that is not all reserved seats. But I would suggest not riding standing room the entire trip between Nagoya and Takayama.

#3 I've not personally used any onsen in Hakone I would truly recommend, though a lot of other users here would recommend various ryokan in Gora. I did like the Fujiya Hote, but it's more interesting for its grounds/buildings/rooms than it's baths which are pretty non-descript unless you are splurging on the Kikka-so Inn building in which case, they might be more impressive.

If you want cheezy and over the top Yunessun has a mixed gender bathing suit theme park onsen.

As far as I know, Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama, and Hakone have some reservable baths and possibly some locations with private baths for rooms, but I don't think any of them have public mixed gender naked baths... usually you need to be a bit more rural, Shin Hirayu and Okuhida near Takayama might have mixed gender public baths.

#4 depends on the onsen in question where the water comes from... the new onsen in Otemachi in Tokyo, comes from pretty far under the ground and involves being piped quite a distance up. I'm not sure how you would consider that since it is naturally occurring. Other onsen the spring is very close to the surface.

Generally, Tokyo and Kyoto themselves aren't really super known for onsen. I know Kyoto has a real onsen in Kurama as well as at least one in Arashiyama. Tokyo proper has some authentic onsen and has many sento, but not as many offer reservable baths. Depending on how far from Tokyo/Kyoto you're willing to travel, there are a lot more interesting options.

In Takayama, I've been to the Associa, which is fun, though I've not used their reservable baths and Hirayu no Mori, where again I didn't reserve a bath. (I've only reserved a bath in Zao) The Associa is a pain to get to unless you are staying there and are gender separated outside of the reservable baths. Hirayu no Mori is about 1 hour from Takayama and again had some terrific baths that were gender separated outside of the reservable baths.

#7 I would contact the Tokyo hotel in question. I know my last trip, I takyuubinned my big suitcases from Kyoto to Tokyo and spent 1 night with a small bag in Takayama and the next in Nagano.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 20:54
So, If i stay in Tokyo at April 20-23 at "Hotel A"
and come back to Tokyo on 26-29 April and stay at "Hotel B"

can I send my luggage by takyuubin on 23 April from "Hotel A" so that it will be at "Hotel B" at 26 April?

because I know takyuubin can send in the same-day or in 1 day delay, but I really need 3 days delay. Is it possible?

Thanks :)
by avigo rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/1 23:32
Hi!

I believe there are ways to send things with a longer delay and you can also ask if the hotel is willing to hold it. I know the hotel I used was willing to hold my bags for 2 nights and the same for a different hotel in Kyoto. I would imagine some would hold for 3 nights, but it is really dependent on the hotel.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/2 04:44
You can specify a date to about 7 days away for delivery with Yamato.
by John B digs Japan rate this post as useful

Re: Few unrelated questions 2017/12/2 08:42
So, If i stay in Tokyo at April 20-23 at "Hotel A"
and come back to Tokyo on 26-29 April and stay at "Hotel B"

Yes it is possible. In June of 2016 I stayed in "Hotel A" in Tokyo, traveled to Nyuto Onsen for 2 nights and returned to Tokyo for 2 more nights at "hotel B". I am fairly sure you can schedule for up to 7 days, though it might vary a bit by company, but your itinerary should not post a problem. I highly recommend it, I wish the service existed everywhere. It was not expensive and makes travel so convenient.

If you are looking for mixed gender onsen they have some in Oku-Hida region, very close to Takayama, so maybe that would be an option in place of Hakone - check here: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5942.html for information.

Good Luck.


by skzelda rate this post as useful

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