What to do in Japan while on vacation
July 17, 2010 6:43 PM
My buddy and I are going to Japan for vacation. We need help in deciding on where to stay and what to do.
We have reservations at a hotel in Akasaka for July 30 to Aug 2 and Aug 6 to Aug 9. Due to a sudden change in circumstances, we no longer have plans or hotel reservations for Aug 2 through Aug 6 and we are trying to decide what to do. I kind of like the idea of getting a JR pass and going to Osaka and staying over there, but I have no idea where to even start. My buddy was stationed in Korea for a while, and he and another friend are recommending we go to Korea because of the awesome time that they had while they were there. We could also just always stay in Tokyo (cheaper and still more than enough to do, right?).
I speak (enough) Japanese, neither of us speak Korean. I know nothing about Japan, my buddy lived in Korea for a good amount of time and I'm assuming knows plenty about the area. We are also open to any even better ideas that might be out there. And the details of just how to do any given suggestion are equally appreciated.
We have reservations at a hotel in Akasaka for July 30 to Aug 2 and Aug 6 to Aug 9. Due to a sudden change in circumstances, we no longer have plans or hotel reservations for Aug 2 through Aug 6 and we are trying to decide what to do. I kind of like the idea of getting a JR pass and going to Osaka and staying over there, but I have no idea where to even start. My buddy was stationed in Korea for a while, and he and another friend are recommending we go to Korea because of the awesome time that they had while they were there. We could also just always stay in Tokyo (cheaper and still more than enough to do, right?).
I speak (enough) Japanese, neither of us speak Korean. I know nothing about Japan, my buddy lived in Korea for a good amount of time and I'm assuming knows plenty about the area. We are also open to any even better ideas that might be out there. And the details of just how to do any given suggestion are equally appreciated.
Definitely Kyoto. Well, assuming you like temples, shrines, and one of the most amazing train stations ever built. If you decide to go, feel free to memail me, and I will give you the names of some fairly cheap ryokan close to the train station that make for excellent bases to explore the city (and get to the trains to check out elsewhere).
I really liked Osaka, too, but Kyoto is more iconic for a quick trip.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:21 PM on July 17, 2010
I really liked Osaka, too, but Kyoto is more iconic for a quick trip.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:21 PM on July 17, 2010
Actually, Osaka would be the perfect base for day trips to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. Hotels there tend to be cheaper as well (if you're on a budget).
But if all you have time for is one city, then I agree with KokuRyu and GenjiandProust -- Kyoto is your best bet.
posted by armage at 7:42 PM on July 17, 2010
But if all you have time for is one city, then I agree with KokuRyu and GenjiandProust -- Kyoto is your best bet.
posted by armage at 7:42 PM on July 17, 2010
You could arrive in Kyoto, spend half a day looking at the sites, sleep, get up the next day, go to Himeji
Himeji-jo is undergoing renovations for the next three years, so there's not much point in making the trip out to Himeji.
posted by emmling at 10:11 PM on July 17, 2010
Himeji-jo is undergoing renovations for the next three years, so there's not much point in making the trip out to Himeji.
posted by emmling at 10:11 PM on July 17, 2010
Of course this depends entirely on what your interests are, which you don't even hint at in your question...
Nevertheless, I think it is generally agreed upon that Kyoto is the place to go in Japan for a taste of something outside of your own experience (the point being that most other cities in Japan look a lot like any other city anywhere else -- a broad generalization, and one that is true even of broad swaths of Kyoto).
But if you're not turned on by history and architecture, Kyoto may disappoint. If clubs, modern museums, gadgets and amusement parks are of more interest, then Osaka or Tokyo are likely better bets.
I'll put in a plug here for Nara. The Big Buddha and museum in Nara proper are the big attractions, and rightly so, but Horyuji may trump them. It's somewhat out of the way, but totally worth the trip (Horyuji, that is. Nara is very easy to get to from Kyoto).
KokuRyu seems to suggest that Kyoto or Hiroshima might be cooler than Tokyo, but I'm not sure that's accurate (and it may in fact not be what KokuRyu meant at all). Kyoto is famous as a having mountains on three sides that trap the heat.
I agree with Armage that there are likely cheaper accommodation options in Osaka or Kobe, and Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe are all close enough that if you have a JR pass it may not be so important where you stay.
Be aware that the train station GenjiandProust mentions is hated by as many as it is beloved. I fall into the first camp.
You might also want to have a look at similar previous AskMe posts.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc.
Have fun!!
posted by segatakai at 10:19 PM on July 17, 2010
Nevertheless, I think it is generally agreed upon that Kyoto is the place to go in Japan for a taste of something outside of your own experience (the point being that most other cities in Japan look a lot like any other city anywhere else -- a broad generalization, and one that is true even of broad swaths of Kyoto).
But if you're not turned on by history and architecture, Kyoto may disappoint. If clubs, modern museums, gadgets and amusement parks are of more interest, then Osaka or Tokyo are likely better bets.
I'll put in a plug here for Nara. The Big Buddha and museum in Nara proper are the big attractions, and rightly so, but Horyuji may trump them. It's somewhat out of the way, but totally worth the trip (Horyuji, that is. Nara is very easy to get to from Kyoto).
KokuRyu seems to suggest that Kyoto or Hiroshima might be cooler than Tokyo, but I'm not sure that's accurate (and it may in fact not be what KokuRyu meant at all). Kyoto is famous as a having mountains on three sides that trap the heat.
I agree with Armage that there are likely cheaper accommodation options in Osaka or Kobe, and Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe are all close enough that if you have a JR pass it may not be so important where you stay.
Be aware that the train station GenjiandProust mentions is hated by as many as it is beloved. I fall into the first camp.
You might also want to have a look at similar previous AskMe posts.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc.
Have fun!!
posted by segatakai at 10:19 PM on July 17, 2010
Well, I always diss Kyoto in these sorts of threads, so didn't want to here again, but I'll say it: Nara is a better tourist experience than Kyoto, I would argue. It's smaller, there's a lot of incredibly cool stuff you can walk to right near the station, it's not as busy...
posted by KokuRyu at 10:59 PM on July 17, 2010
posted by KokuRyu at 10:59 PM on July 17, 2010
If you stay in Tokyo, you'll be able to visit places like Hakone, Kamakura, Izu, Yui (great little town, especially in summer) etc. pretty easily. All of these have character and feel different from Tokyo, but you would end up spending a lot of time traveling back and forth I guess... unless you figured out a plan to just spend a few days down south somehow.
posted by No-sword at 4:01 AM on July 18, 2010
posted by No-sword at 4:01 AM on July 18, 2010
You need to get out of Tokyo, but I am also a Kyoto-disser. There's heaps of tourists and there are SO MANY TEMPLES. I am a big fan though of seeing some of the areas near Tokyo. It's easier traveling and you can see some more rural or ex-urban areas. To No-sword's itinerary, I would also suggest adding some time (1/2 to one day, also weird night life due to the airport) in Narita on your way in or out of town, and Kawagoe (some of the Edo architecture you get in Kyoto, cool old stores, few tourists and almost all Japanese).
If you decide to go Kanto, I recommend staying in Kobe and day-tripping to all of the other places mentioned, with one overnight in Nara perhaps since it's a bit far to return. Not only is Kobe chill compared to the urban hustle in Osaka and the tourist mobs in Tokyo, it is a nice central transit point.
I wasn't moved by either Himeji or Osaka castles. Talk to me when you can go to Okinawa and see Shiri-Jou.
posted by whatzit at 1:18 PM on July 18, 2010
If you decide to go Kanto, I recommend staying in Kobe and day-tripping to all of the other places mentioned, with one overnight in Nara perhaps since it's a bit far to return. Not only is Kobe chill compared to the urban hustle in Osaka and the tourist mobs in Tokyo, it is a nice central transit point.
I wasn't moved by either Himeji or Osaka castles. Talk to me when you can go to Okinawa and see Shiri-Jou.
posted by whatzit at 1:18 PM on July 18, 2010
I have used Osaka as a central hub for travel to Kyoto, Nara, and Himeji. It is right in the middle of all three of them and within roughly a half-hour train ride of each. Hiroshima was about an hour and a half from Osaka if I remember correctly. It was definitely doable as a day trip.
Osaka itself has some very fun areas to explore: Nanba and Shinsaibashi (including the famous Dotonbori area which you always see in photos of Osaka), the Bay Area (including the aquarium and the oddly empty other islands, one of which has the 2nd tallest building in Japan which has an observation deck on top), Tennoji temple, Osaka Temmangu temple, and Osaka Castle Park. That is one or two full days of sightseeing right there.
If you stay near Tokyo, you could check out Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura and Yokohama. You could also probably climb Mt. Fuji if you want. It is a lot of fun.
Remember that you have to purchase the JR pass before you get to Japan. You will recieve a voucher which you bring to Japan, and once you are there you trade it for the JR pass at a station ticket office.
A one-week pass is currently about $315. The round-trip price for a bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka is around the same price. Therefore all of the other trains you take will be effectively free. You can use the pass in Osaka on the local JR lines, which have similar coverage as the Osaka Subway.
posted by twblalock at 3:08 PM on July 18, 2010
Osaka itself has some very fun areas to explore: Nanba and Shinsaibashi (including the famous Dotonbori area which you always see in photos of Osaka), the Bay Area (including the aquarium and the oddly empty other islands, one of which has the 2nd tallest building in Japan which has an observation deck on top), Tennoji temple, Osaka Temmangu temple, and Osaka Castle Park. That is one or two full days of sightseeing right there.
If you stay near Tokyo, you could check out Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura and Yokohama. You could also probably climb Mt. Fuji if you want. It is a lot of fun.
Remember that you have to purchase the JR pass before you get to Japan. You will recieve a voucher which you bring to Japan, and once you are there you trade it for the JR pass at a station ticket office.
A one-week pass is currently about $315. The round-trip price for a bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka is around the same price. Therefore all of the other trains you take will be effectively free. You can use the pass in Osaka on the local JR lines, which have similar coverage as the Osaka Subway.
posted by twblalock at 3:08 PM on July 18, 2010
Oh, one bonus of having the JR pass is that you can take the Shinkansen from Osaka (Shin-Osaka) to Kyoto and Kobe (Shin-Kobe), cutting the inconvenience factor dramatically. (I wish I was able to buy one, but sadly we residents have to pay the full fare...)
And if you're interested in a castle experience, and since Himeji Castle is undergoing renovations, consider visiting the one in Hikone, located between Kyoto and Nagoya. It has one of Japan's last 12 remaining original keeps; most of the rest of the castle keeps in Japan are concrete reconstructions from the 1950s and 1960s, but the originals are just wood and stone.
posted by armage at 5:48 PM on July 18, 2010
And if you're interested in a castle experience, and since Himeji Castle is undergoing renovations, consider visiting the one in Hikone, located between Kyoto and Nagoya. It has one of Japan's last 12 remaining original keeps; most of the rest of the castle keeps in Japan are concrete reconstructions from the 1950s and 1960s, but the originals are just wood and stone.
posted by armage at 5:48 PM on July 18, 2010
I used to live near Hikone (just went back for the entire month of June) and I've been to the castle several times. It's really nice, and Hikone is also a lovely city right on the shore of Lake Biwa. If you're adventurous, you can check out the remains of Azuchi Castle, the prototypical Japanese castle constructed by Oda Nobunaga that served as a template for subsequent temples, including Himeji. Azuchi is about 20 minutes by train from Kyoto, on the same train line as Hikone.
posted by KokuRyu at 6:09 PM on July 18, 2010
posted by KokuRyu at 6:09 PM on July 18, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
What you'd want to do is get the JR Pass, travel to Kyoto and stay in Kyoto. From Kyoto you could use your JR pass to do a day trip to Himeji or even Hiroshima. You would also be able to check out the sights in Kyoto as well, and make a trip to Nara (close to Kyoto) which is celebrating its 1300th anniversary as a city.
I'm not sure if you would want to spend the whole time in Tokyo. For one thing, it will be very hot, and it's also pretty busy. As a bare minimum, I would probably want to check out Akihabara, Shinjuku, and one of the museums in Ueno (the National Science Museum is pretty sweet).
So, say you spend 2 day in Tokyo, that gives you an extra, what, four days? to spend exploring someplace else in Japan.
You could arrive in Kyoto, spend half a day looking at the sites, sleep, get up the next day, go to Himeji or Hiroshima, come back, sleep, spend another day in Kyoto, and return to Tokyo that evening. That's three days down, so that leaves you an extra day.
One thing you could do is go to the Hakone spa area on the way back to Tokyo, and spend a night there.
So how about this
Day 1: Tokyo
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Hiroshima (or wherever on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line), back to Kyoto in the evening
Day 4: Kyoto, travel to Hakone to arrive by 7pm
Day 5: Depart Hakone by10am to arrive in Tokyo by around noon
Day 6: Tokyo
That's what I would do.
posted by KokuRyu at 7:05 PM on July 17, 2010