The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Richard.John]

Also an important point is that you have to buy the JR rail pass outside of Japan, you cannot buy it at a JR station within the country.

[saif]

The fastest trains to Hiroshima from Tokyo are only 4hrs - very doable, but not on a JR rail pass. I'd spend two days in Hiroshima if I were you - one for the city and ony for Miyajima. Go from kyoto, kobe or osaka though, much shorter time.
I guess the missus has done a lot of research, post what she has mentioned and I'll see if i can think of anymore.
Where do you live mate?

[Emir]

The fastest trains to Hiroshima from Tokyo are only 4hrs - very doable, but not on a JR rail pass. I'd spend two days in Hiroshima if I were you - one for the city and ony for Miyajima. Go from kyoto, kobe or osaka though, much shorter time.

Aye. Think we'll be travelling from Kyoto on one of the five days we're situated there. Dunno if we plan on a few trips there, but I know I'm going to spend a day in Osaka whilst I'm near the place. (^_^)

I guess the missus has done a lot of research, post what she has mentioned and I'll see if i can think of anymore.

I know she plans to spend at least one night in a Ryokan (possibly situated in Nagano). She has plans to visit here during this time.
http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/livecam/monkey
There is much talk of monkeys.

I think we've still got a bit of deciding to do regarding the odd few days between travelling from Kyoto and back to Tokyo.
I know it's probably a silly question, but I think she's worried 5 days in Kyoto/6 days in Tokyo is too long and believes we'll get bored (although we'll be travelling outside of Kyoto for at least half the time we're there inorder to sightsee), but will there be enough stuff in these places to fully occupy us for that long?

Where do you live mate?

Flintshire, North Wales (not too far from Chester).

Again, cheers for the help everybody. Much appreciated.

[Richard.John]

You wont get bored in Tokyo, it's pretty much the world's largest metropolis. Akihabara alone could swallow up a week.

[Emir]

You wont get bored in Tokyo, it's pretty much the world's largest metropolis. Akihabara alone could swallow up a week.

Eeexcellent.

[Richard.John]

In fact I am going to take a trip there today. Yodobashi-Akiba, what a sight to behold.

[saif]

Ha ha. Yodobashi is the respectable face of Aki! Need to show some real AKI love!
I doubt very much that you'd get bored. judging by the amount of time before you are planning and the many guests I have had staying with me, you will not get bored even if you spent that time in just Tokyo and the surrounding area.
I'd recommend "Ama no Hashidate" close to Kyoto[city] to for the time in Kyoto. 5 days in Kyoto is a great length of time but Hiroshima will take two so maybe 3 is not enough! In Kyoto, there is ****loads to see and then two very interesting and different places - Nara and Osaka - are 40mins away. Osaka is a little dull as a tourist I think BUT still worth some time. Hiroshima and Nara are my favourite places in japan actually, so I'd obviously suggest the travel. But I think that you will want more time rather than be worried about filling it. This forum aside, Japan is not a well visited country for UK tourists so it is usually a different experience than you get elsewhere.

[Richard.John]

And visit Kobe, a true pearl of west Japan. Compared to Japan's usual concrete jungles which they call cities, Kobe is a bit like Hong Kong in its splendour.

I went in '93 but haven't been back since the quake of '95.

[Anpanman]

Osaka has got it?s very own albeit smaller version of Aki in Denden Town. There is a large aquarium and the Umeda Sky Building which at 40 stories high with a lift and moving walkways on the outside of the building offer a view over the city.

Osaka also has a nice castle with at weekends some teenage rock bands giving their all along the approach from the station similar to those you may see in Harajuku or the parks in Tokyo.

It also has USJ ? Universal Studios Japan.


Kobe is nice and well worth a look if you get the chance, Kobe beef I believe is the most expensive and regarded as the best in the world, I certainly wouldn?t disagree.

I visited in 2002 but we pass through there many times as our bus routes via Kobe from Kansai/Osaka to the in-laws ? think it was eight times on the last visit alone!


Along with Saif, Hiroshima is my favourite place in Japan too and Miyajima just tops it off ? make sure you visit the castle in Hiroshima, great views from the top and a good collection of samurai swords, including one made by Yoshimitsu the famous swordsmith.


Only other place I can think of would be the National Ninja Museum at Iga-Ueno (oh yes there is a castle there too!) but it could be a bit tricky to get to.

[Emir]

I'm getting real excited about this trip now. (^_^)

Only 10 months to go...

Definitely want to sample the Kobe beef. Do you get to see any of the cows getting their massages.

So is Hiroshima a really pretty place? I guess I've been looking at it with a somewhat blinkered view because of it's recent history. The castle sounds great.

[Richard.John]

You can probably sample some Kobe beef in the UK as long as your wallet is prepared for the shock.

Japanese beef is fantastic but expensive. Oddly, the fattier the cut, the higher the price.

[hobo]

Still recovering from my trip.

Two weeks in Japan, taking in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Then back to Tokyo.

Amazing place, very hard not to fall for the country and the people. Highly recommended.

[Bleeders]

I'm due to visit Tokyo/Kyoto in October for a couple weeks, might have to make a stop in Osaka though by the sounds of it.

[hobo]

I would, its a nice change from Tokyo, people just as friendly. Also a good base for exploring the South.

Quite a few western peeps about who seemed to be teaching English dotted around the South of Japan, I guess they come to Osaka to party. Watched the Japan vs Australia match and had a great night out even though they lost

I regret missing out on a trip to Kobe for some beef, we were all so hung over and going with two Halal meat eaters didnt help

[Anpanman]

Only a minor point about Osaka but I'll mention it anyway is that the airport at Kansai is much better than Tokyo Narita so if you are travelling about Japan it doesn't really matter that much where your point of entry into the country is.

Kansai is smaller and under utilised by the airlines so is much quieter than Narita it's also very effiecent too having been designed from the ground up with the passenger in mind, it seems that no time at all after landing you are through immigration and ino Japan proper.
Then, just a few yards infront of you are the exit doors and outside the inter city bus-stops. A lift ride up a couple of floors takes you to the railway station.

The Nikko airport hotel is within spitting distance and offers some good internet rates.

Plus, there is free wireless internet access for passengers once airside, great for the PSP, laptop etc.

As I said not of paramount importance of course but something to consider neverthless.