Japan Planning Thread 3

[Takoneko]

Hi!

This is a new Japan Planning Thread for when our last one is full.

Feel free to ask any questions here related to travel in Japan, regardless of budget or style of trip.

My algorithm is so completely skewed to now that I rarely see much that isn’t in some way linked to Japan. 😂😂

As @Takoneko mentioned it is not as hot as usual but I would still plan for hot weather and rain when packing. Buying a uv umbrella once here to use in the sun and rain (lots of fans also available) planning indoor air conditioning for the middle of the day if possible e.g art gallery, museum, long lunch, shopping or your accommodation. Drink plenty (it's easy to get cold drinks from vending machines everywhere for under £1) Try to be flexible with schedule to account for weather. If its really hot cut back a little on what you try to fit in into a day.

I already got a UV umbrella I was gifted to take with me. We're trying to cram as much in as possible so the heat may be an issue with it. I'm glad it's not as hot as usual and I don't mind the rain. The humidity is the issue as I'm from the UK, so any tips on that?

Japan Meteorological Agency announced Tokyo entered the rainy season on June 7. That doesn’t mean much though. Sometimes the rainy season is exactly that: rainy, humid but quite cool. Sometimes it’s cloudy, warm and humid. A light waterproof jacket is all you need if you’re based in Tokyo or Osaka. As mentioned above, a sun umbrella is a great idea.

The real heat comes when the rainy season ends. That’s usually mid July.

Good morning everyone, I have stumbled over this thread and am DELIGHTED by it. I will try to read back, but we are going in August as a family of 5 with pre teen kids. Our plans are:
Tokyo 7 nights
Kyoto 7 nights
Hiroshima 3 nights
Osaka 4 nights

I have a few questions:
Where to stay? I quite like an apartment or something so we can eat in some days, do some washing.....but also saw q-beh in Kyoto which looks so pretty, would that be suitable with kids? We dont necessarily need private kitchens or bathrooms but would ideally be all in one room or close to each other, and kitchen access would be great (and washing machine!). I was all for hostels but I think maybe we might need a bit more comfort as the weather might be quite challenging.

Where in Tokyo is a good area? Would like it to be safe, fun, convenient and not too expensive.

Getting around - how do I navigate the millions of different JR passes?

More generally, what should we wear? I know it will be HOT but my vibe is that maybe it is also slightly more formal and that football kit (DS) or running shorts (DD) may not be that appropriate?

I have some further questions about Disneysea and Universal Studios but they are probably covered, will read back!

Sorry also I was going to book Disneysea today - is Klook a sensible way to do this? And for Disneysea veterans - how do you negotiate the park/rides/early access etc?

Also to send luggage between cities - do you just rock up to a 7-11? Does it appear in a 7-11 in your destination?

@PersisFord Unless you’re planning on any other long distance journeys, the best value for you is likely to be the Kansai-Hiroshima JR West Pass. You should just buy an individual ticket for Tokyo-Kyoto.

For Disneysea just book direct on their website or their app. No need for a third party like Klook. I found the TDR app easy to use and it was then seamless to use it for fast passes and ticket lotteries.

I’ve only used luggage forwarding at hotels. You take your bags down to reception at hotel 1 and pay for the service and they then fill out the paperwork and send it on to hotel 2 for you. It’s really easy.

We’ve booked and off in September…. Of next year

Plenty of time to plan , and learn a few useful words @Takoneko did you do classes or is there a good online Japanese conversation for dummies app to use ?

@SemmaLina I do a Japanese lesson every day on DuoLingo. It’s not the best method by far, but I’ve got into a routine with it. I’m mindful that some of the words they teach are incorrect (apparently), and some phrases are bonkers. I also follow a couple of Japanese ladies on Instagram, who teach the right pronunciation and choice of vocabulary.
There are lots of YouTube channels too.
Enjoy your planning!

@SemmaLina I have done some online conversation classes (both group and 1-2-1) through italki and another platform that no longer exists. I also do Duolingo every day and listen to as much Japanese as I can.

I also find the Tofugu website quite useful and the Japan foundation’s online irodori textbooks and listening exercises are also really good and free.

There are YouTube channels that run through JLPT practice questions that are helpful too. N5 are the easiest ones.

I hope you have a fantastic time!

Would really appreciate some advice please. We have 4 nights at the start of our trip next year. I am completely overwhelmed with planning these days. Can anyone give any suggestions about must sees?
We are considering Disney Sea but not staying on site. Is this realistic if we have to travel from the city?

@MrsPatrickDempsey Disneysea is easily doable from the city. It’s not very far out. It’s especially simple if you’re staying somewhere like Ginza in the east of Tokyo but easy enough from anywhere fairly central.

I think must sees are really personal, but I do really recommend the sky lobby at the Mori JP tower in Azabudai Hills. For me, this is the best view in Tokyo and beats sky tree and Shibuya sky. Not as high, but it has an unbeatable view of Tokyo tower. 🗼

I also really like Meiji Jingu.

It can feel overwhelming because Tokyo has so much to choose from, but it’s hard to go too far wrong. You won’t see everything (I’ve still never been to a Teamlab), but you will easily fill 4 days with interesting things.

My itinerary is coming along. We have 5 nights in Tokyo, two in Hakone (hotels are booked for these) which leaves five nights in Kyoto, three in Osaka, then another night in Tokyo before we head home.

I’m hearing so many different things about Kyoto - it seems to be a bit marmite? Will there be enough for us to do if we stay 5 nights or would people recommend going somewhere else? We’ve got tickets for the Nintendo museum on the third day and are looking to do Universal studios at some point (if I can get tickets). I’m rtft but a bit lost with it all.

I’m not a huge fan of Kyoto anymore. It’s just so busy nowadays compared to 10 or 20 years ago. That isn’t very helpful though as we can’t go back in time.

If you like temples and shrines, then you can easily fill five days in Kyoto. I noticed you didn’t mention Nara. It’s an easy day trip from Kyoto or Osaka. I find it more manageable than Kyoto. You can pretty much walk between all the main sights (while getting mugged by the deer!).

A lot of people will disagree with me on this but in your situation I wouldn’t stay in Kyoto. I would base myself in Osaka for eight nights and do day trips into Kyoto and Nara. Osaka to Kyoto is about 20 to 40 minutes depending on which train line you use. And the different lines arrive at different parts of the Kyoto. Also Osaka in the evening is much more fun than Kyoto.

@Ladyeggo I’m also not a huge Kyoto fan and love Osaka, but I think that’s very much personal preference. Osaka can also be quite marmite.

We are going to give Kyoto another chance for 5 nights in early March to visit places that are more on the outskirts like Kurama and see if it wins us over.

I don’t think you’ll struggle to fill 5 days. Kyoto is jam packed with places to see and things to do. If you’re going to the Nintendo museum, be sure to spend some time in Uji and visit Byodo-in too. Uji is really cool.

As @Remoter33 says, Nara is also a great day trip from either Osaka or Kyoto and definitely worth the trip. Todaiji is fantastic and there’s the deer.

@Ladyeggo For balance, we really liked Kyoto, we stayed in the Gion area for 4 nights. We enjoyed the philosopher's path and picking off any temples we liked. I really like zen rock gardens and my husband is a moss fan!!
It depends on the sort of things you enjoy and if you are happy to get up early or go later to miss the crowds.
I would stay 7 days based in either Osaka or Kyoto as they are close and it means you don't lose time changing accommodation.
I would add your extra night to your return to Tokyo so you have 2 nights there at the end. You could do a day trip from Tokyo if you felt you have done everything you wanted in Tokyo e.g. To Nikko

Thanks all, I’ll definitely give it some more thought. Nara is on the list! And maybe you are right to do another day in Tokyo (that’s what ChatGPT suggested too but it seems to be happy with everything I suggest, so can’t be trusted 😀). Is there anywhere we can see monkeys? It’s me and my 15yo DS on the trip.

@Ladyeggo Theres two particularly famous spots for monkeys. The monkey park at Arashiyama in Kyoto and the Jigokudani monkey park in Nagano. The one in Nagano is the one where they bathe in the hot springs. What time of year will you be going?

We are going in August (getting some practice in with the current UK weather)

In August, I’d consider shaving time off of Kansai to give yourself a few days for Nagano prefecture. You could see the monkeys at Jigokudani and Kamikochi looks absolutely glorious in the summer. The weather would be so much more pleasant there than in Kyoto or Osaka (low to mid 20s rather than mid 30s). Kyoto is in a basin and is supposedly one of the most oppressively hot and humid cities in Japan in the summer. If I was ever brave enough to travel to Japan at that time of year, Kamikochi would be very at the very top of my list of places to visit.

Ooh, thank you for the recommendation, I’ll have a look at that 🙂

The Jigokudani monkey place might start requiring online reservations in advance. It was in the news yesterday. I’m not sure if that will be the case in August though.

Agree with this completely. Changing accommodation between Kyoto and Osaka isn’t worth the time and energy. Pick the one you like the look of more and stay there for the whole time. Lugging around suitcases in summer isn’t much fun!

Once you get familiar with the trains, it doesn’t really matter where you stay. I’ve stayed in Otsu, a town a few miles to the east of Kyoto on Lake Biwa, a few times. There’s a direct JR train to Kyoto station and a little private train line that takes you into the west of Kyoto connecting to the Tozai subway line. Hotels used to be about half the price of Kyoto. Not sure if that’s the case now though.

I saw that too. It will be for the winter season apparently.

Could I please get views on a DIY trip next year versus through a travel company? We are flexible on dates and length so maybe that is why I’m finding it overwhelming. It’s for a special birthday and would be a first and probably last visit. Budget up to 12k but I’m hoping to include premium economy seats. Maybe that is unrealistic. Thoughts welcome