Home
Back

Dear visitor, if you know the answer to this question, please post it. Thank you!

Note that this thread has not been updated in a long time, and its content might not be up-to-date anymore.

Page 2 of 2: Posts 21 - 36 of 36
prev
1 2
 

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/4 08:38
Correct me if I am wrong, but the best option in that itinerary would probably be to go directly to Miyajima?
When does the Peace Museum open, do you know?
Aquarium we can theoretically do the last day in the morning before heading for Kyoto.

Does this itinerary feel better than Hiroshima first to you timewise? Accommodation is better for sure (and it's ok if it is a bit over the budget).

Sorry, 7th not head for Fuji, but for Kyoto of course, until the 9th.

So to summarize:
4th Nara, night in Nara
5th early morning head for Miyajima, go back to Hiroshima
6th morning Hiroshima, go to Osaka, night in Osaka
7th morning Osaka, head for Kyoto
8th Kyoto
9th Kyoto morning, head for Fuji
by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/4 09:10
4th Nara, night in Nara
5th early morning head for Miyajima, go back to Hiroshima
6th morning Hiroshima, go to Osaka, night in Osaka


On 6th you can do the aquarium and then head to Kyoto, stay in Kyoto. After the aquarium you may want to visit Osaka's tower buildings for the night view such as Umeda Sky Building

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umeda_Sky_Building

or Abenobashi Terminal Building.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abenobashi_Terminal_Building

I would suggest the latter since after that you can take direct limited express train to Kyoto.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=TENNOJI&arv_nod...

7th morning Osaka, head for Kyoto
8th Kyoto
9th Kyoto morning, head for Fuji


I would stay two nights in Kyoto. The hotel rate in Kyoto is rather reasonable for these two days and you may better not to change the hotel.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/4 09:29
So you wouldn't stay in Osaka at all? But that would mean three, not two nights in Kyoto. That said, how about one night in Osaka to be on the safe side?

We were thinking of Umeda, but not of Abenobashi, thanks.
by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/4 09:47
The peace museum opens at 8:30.

http://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng

I thought you are thinking of 6th and 7th in Kansai area. If you stay also on 8th, yes you may want to add one night in Osaka.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/4 10:01
One more note.

If you stay in Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima, you may want to take a high-speed boat.

http://setonaikaikisen.co.jp/language/en/highspeedship/

It costs 1850 yen per person, but is much faster and you can enjoy cruise from Miyajima to the hotel. Alternatively you can use hotel's free shuttle bus service from JR Hiroshima station.

http://dbcsbtkdwdgj7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/0...

Note that there are not so many. Of course the next morning you should take the shuttle bus to JR Hiroshima station and then take tram to the peace park.

by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 00:08
So to sum it up:

4th Nara, night in Nara (prebooked)
5th early morning head for Miyajima, go back to Hiroshima (great tip for speedboat, we will see how it works out)
6th morning Hiroshima, go to Osaka, night in Osaka (location/place recommendation? I already prebooked some)
7th morning Osaka, head for Kyoto (prebooked)
8th Kyoto
9th Kyoto morning, head for Fuji
by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 01:24
night in Osaka (location/place recommendation?

At this time Rihga Loyal Hotel offers very nice price for superior twin room (85 euros).

https://uk.hotels.com/ho135537/?pos=HCOM_UK&locale=en_GB&MGT=c..Jb-ZqR.....

Rihga loyal is somewhat off-center but this is the hotel representing Osaka. This hotel is located in Nakanoshima island which is the business center of Osaka. The hotel offers free shuttle bus from JR Osaka station.

As for Grand Prince Hiroshima, you might better walk to nearby tram station (20 min by walk) and then take tram to the peace park.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 01:30
(85 euros).

Sorry, 85 GBP, not euros. It is 95 euros. But still incredibly cheap.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 02:34
Sorry I vanished. But @Frog1954 seems to have given some great advice. I guess the point of my advice, was if you can't find a hotel at a price you like in one location try moving around your itinerary to see if you can find someplace else that makes sense.

In terms of Osaka, I've only stayed overnight at the Keihan Tower near USJ (and it's really only convenient for USJ, but I got 12,800 yen for 1 night with buffet breakfast for June.) I stayed at the Shinsaibashi Dormy, FlexStay Shinsaibashi, and possibly the Osaka Fujiya. (I don't remember the business hotel in question, just the general location it was nearly 10 years ago.) The Keihan is the only one I've done recently.

For Kyoto, before my daughter I use to stay in APAs a lot. They were cheap and convenient and it was just me. Now that I travel with my daughter I tend to prefer slightly nicer places and want a room large enough that if she is unwell doesn't feel claustrophobic, since I know we won't be going out much then.

I mean if it is a question of finance, then I would stay at: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/kyoto-morris-hostel.en-gb.html?label=...

Because it is a good price at $133 for 2 nights on May 7+8 I've personally gotten spoiled and prefer to now stay in Gion.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 05:21
Thank you both. I already booked https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/kyoto-morris-hostel.en-gb.html?label=...

May I dare to bother you a bit more? :)

Perhaps you could take a look at accommodation also for Tokyo, 30.4. - 4.5. and 11. - 14.5.? As always, I've made some reservations, but the offer wasn't much. As for location, we would prefer something livelier. It would seem that almost everyone recommends Shinjuku.

And the last that comes to mind, there is one thing I don't understand about Fuji-Q. There are two types of tickets, one that gives entry to (almost) all rides, the other that gives entry only to the park. In addition, there are fast passes, currently supposedly unavailable online unless a few days in advance with a Japanese credit card. What I don't understand is if we buy just the park entry ticket, are fastpasses enough by themselves? We also know that some accommodation places offer a free park entry.
by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 09:56
Hi Val,

I'll look at hotels in a bit. I want to be upfront here. I don't like lively areas and avoid Shinjuku as much as possible. I like one fabric store in the area, a few shops and restaurants, and I use to have a friend who worked there so I would visit her, but I prefer Tokyo Station/Shimbashi/Shiodome.

I've not been to Fuji Q but I have been to a lot of amusement parks in my time so I suspect I can answer your question regarding the tickets.

I suspect the cheap 1500 yen entrance ticket just lets you enter the park. It comes in handy for families when one member doesn't want to ride or people just want to shop/eat there. I suspect that once there, you can pay individually for some rides, so if you knew you only wanted one ride, it would work.

The 5700 yen ticket lets you ride any ride in the park as often as you can in a one day period.

I've not seen the info on the fast pass system, the e-ticket seems to just be an advance purchased ticket/voucher so you don't need to line up to buy a ticket that day. This can be helpful, I waited 20-30 minutes to buy a ticket my first trip to Disney Sea.

I hope this helps!

by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 10:28
Perhaps you could take a look at accommodation also for Tokyo, 30.4. - 4.5. and 11. - 14.5.? As always, I've made some reservations, but the offer wasn't much. As for location, we would prefer something livelier. It would seem that almost everyone recommends Shinjuku.

There are so many hotels in Tokyo but you will encounter difficulty in finding affordable rate in weekends: 3rd May and 12th May (anyway are you planing to stay in Tokyo on 4th May?). Yes Shinjuku is lively place and very popular, but the room rate is higher than other places so if you have budget issue I don't think it is a must to stay in Shinjuku area.

I would recommend these three hotels. Of course they have some pros and cons and you should consider them.

Rihga Royal (sorry, it's not Loyal) hotel Tokyo.

30.4 to 3.5 (3 nights) luxury twin room, 442 euros.

https://uk.hotels.com/ho105822/?q-check-out=2018-05-03&FPQ=3&q-check-i...

Pros: large room (38 SQM), shuttle bus service to/from JR Takatanobaba station. 4 star hotel. Waseda tram station and Waseda subway station nearby.
Cons: somewhat pricy.

IKIDANE HOUSE ASAKUSA HATAGO - Hostel

3.5 to 4.5 (one night) Standard Twin Room, Private Bathroom, 96 euros

https://uk.hotels.com/ho713392832/?q-check-out=2018-05-04&tab=descript...

Pros: Inexpensive for this date (they offer same rate for Saturdays). Good user reviws.
Cons: Out of the Yamanote line. Far from train stations (maybe 20 min walk). Maybe the room is not spacious.

Hotel Metropolitan Edmont Tokyo

11.5 to 14.5 (three nights) Standard Room, 2 Single Beds, Non Smoking 363 euros (as usual, Saturday is more expensive)

https://uk.hotels.com/ho161114/?q-check-out=2018-05-14&tab=description...

Pros: Close to train stations. Within the Yamanote line.
Cons: Saturday is out of your budget.

Sorry, but I canft say anything about the FujiQ. Maybe someone might give you good suggestions.

by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 16:33
What I don't understand about Fuji-Q is, if we buy a 1500 yen ticket, is a fastpass (which are in limited number) sufficient to ride. Or do we need to buy some kind of individual ride ticket as well. Because of time constraints and hours long waiting stories we will try to get fastpasses.

No, on the 4th of May we leave for Nara, so the 3rd is the last night.

So you see the same as I do, it is tricky. Ok, good to know.

The price for Rhiga is until 3.5., so that is out of the budget.

Ikidane, you are right, connections are tricky.

I will check Metropolitan a bit.



by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 17:58
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 21:19
You have all been of tremendous help and I don't know how to thank you enough. It's fair that I let you be for now. I will try to refine the itinerary myself in the coming weeks. If I get stuck, I will come back to you. And sorry again for the thing before!
by val9299 rate this post as useful

Re: Kyoto and environs 2018/3/5 21:55
Hi Val!

If you buy a 1500 yen ticket, no, I don't think you can use a Fast Pass. I think the 1500 yen is for admission only for those who want to look around, eat, shop, watch kids go on rides, etc. It seems weird to people who are into rides, but some families have non-riders. This doesn't include the fact that many Japanese enjoy shopping at the theme parks. At Tokyo Disney, shopping is very very popular and there are cute limited edition items.

We have an amusement park near us where you can pay a low admission price to the park and not ride anything. I think if you want to ride things you need a ride ticket or the evening ride ticket. There are some sort of discounted tickets in combination with a bus trip available.

I will look at hotels too.

by rkold rate this post as useful

Page 2 of 2: Posts 21 - 36 of 36
prev
1 2
 

reply to this thread