Suggestions on touring Kyoto

Did you figure this out?

Which stations did you use?

 

I'm looking at doing the same thing with the JR Pass from Kyoto to Yokohama; maybe staying at the Intercontinental Grand, then to the ship the next day.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

dog:)

Someone might have a quicker way--but as I mentioned below, we did it in reverse last year: Tokyo to Osaka (where we stayed for a week)--and on one of the days from Osaka we took the fast train from Osaka to Kyoto (and back at the end of the day). Not sure if you'd have to change at Osaka--but the online schedules are very clear.

BTW: The Nozomi from Tokyo to Osaka is only about 20 minutes quicker than the "regular" JR (also fast) trains--and Kyoto is only about a half-hour ride from Osaka.

Also, there are several very helpful blogs that respond to specific route Qs. ;)

Hope you have a great trip!

Mary-Lou

...

 

BTW: The Nozomi from Tokyo to Osaka is only about 20 minutes quicker than the "regular" JR (also fast) trains--and Kyoto is only about a half-hour ride from Osaka.

 

Also, there are several very helpful blogs that respond to specific route Qs. ;)

 

Hope you have a great trip!"

_____________________________________________________

 

 

Thank you for responding. Appreciate the help.

 

There are trains from Kyoto to Shin Yokohama, but I am not sure of the names of the train stations I need to put in to reserve seats.

 

For the JR Pass---how soon prior to travel should I order it? How long does it take to receive it?

 

Thanks

 

dog

Dog, we are taking a Shinkansen from Kyoto to Yokohama and staying at the IHG Yokohama Grand right before our cruise next month. What we figured out is that Shin-Yokohama station is about 20 minutes away from the hotel. Once we arrive there by Shinkansen, we will switch to the blue line subway to Yokohama station and then switch to another line, also blue to Minatomirai station. IHG is within walking distance from that. Google maps and the access page from the hotel website helped us figure this out. You could also take a cab from Shin-Yokohama. Also, we received our JR pass in 7 days by mail.

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Dog, we are taking a Shinkansen from Kyoto to Yokohama and staying at the IHG Yokohama Grand right before our cruise next month. What we figured out is that Shin-Yokohama station is about 20 minutes away from the hotel. Once we arrive there by Shinkansen, we will switch to the blue line subway to Yokohama station and then switch to another line, also blue to Minatomirai station. IHG is within walking distance from that. Google maps and the access page from the hotel website helped us figure this out. You could also take a cab from Shin-Yokohama. Also, we received our JR pass in 7 days by mail.

 

 

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Wonderful to hear from you! That's exactly what I'm thinking of doing in the spring.

I'm in Canada and am asking my TA to order our JR pass 3 months prior.

Did you book seats on the train yet?

Please post about your experiences once you return.

Have a great trip!

dog:)

...

 

BTW: The Nozomi from Tokyo to Osaka is only about 20 minutes quicker than the "regular" JR (also fast) trains--and Kyoto is only about a half-hour ride from Osaka.

 

Also, there are several very helpful blogs that respond to specific route Qs. ;)

 

Hope you have a great trip!"

_____________________________________________________

 

 

Thank you for responding. Appreciate the help.

 

There are trains from Kyoto to Shin Yokohama, but I am not sure of the names of the train stations I need to put in to reserve seats.

 

For the JR Pass---how soon prior to travel should I order it? How long does it take to receive it?

 

Thanks

 

dog

 

So glad the info helped, dog! Sorry I can't also provide info re: Yokohama, as we didn't go there via train. (Our cruise embarkation was at Kobe, so we didn't get to Yokohama during our land stay or our cruise.)

 

RE: the JR Pass--Like Pikala, we got it via FedEx in about a week--along with our Passmo cards (which we also ordered with an initial load--for the local trains--and which I advise, as our Passmo cards saved time and are easily re-loadable at automated kiosks in multiple locations at all train stations).

 

It doesn't matter how early you get it (but you need to get it before you depart for Japan). It's not validated until you get to Japan--but just don't forget to take it with you! ;-)

 

When you're in Japan, go to a train station and have a JR Pass Office (in major train stations) validate it with the date on which you want it to start. You can do this before the start date (which I advise, as that way you won't waste time on the first travel day you use it).

 

After much thinking about our schedule and which JR Pass duration we wanted, decided to get it for just our second week--in Osaka, as it was from there that we had nearly daily day trips, beginning with our move from our Tokyo hotel of our first week to our Osaka hotel.

 

We also decided to go with the JR "Green Car" Pass (first class car access--AND first class MUCH SHORTER lines at the JR Offices)--as this allowed us to book a specific train and a specific seat in advance (either a few days prior or a few hours prior). It wasn't that much different price-wise, and it made everything more peaceful and definite. You also get a quieter car that's not as crowded, free drinks and snacks, and room for your carry-on.

 

BTW: We used the marvelous Japanese luggage forwarding service for our larger "checked" luggage (from Tokyo to Osaka). We just took our luggage to our Tokyo hotel bellman desk the night before and provided our Osaka hotel address. When we arrived at our hotel in Osaka the next day, it was already in our room! And all for just appx. $19 per 26" very heavy bag! If you're not in a hotel, you can take your luggage to a storefront that offers the service. There's not really much room on the trains for large bags, so we just took our carry-ons.

 

What's also so great about the JR trains (unlike in most of Europe and the UK--where you don't know your track until 2 minutes before you need to board) it that the JR trains have their schedules AND track numbers posted on big billboards hours in advance, so you know exactly where to go and wait--and there's a waiting line with the guidelines drawn right on the platform so you know exactly where to line up for each car (very orderly; no pushing or shoving). We loved it!

 

Hope you enjoy your experience there as much as we did!

 

Warmest wishes,

Mary-Lou

I'll post about our trip when we get back at the end of October. I'm getting some great tips from this thread as well!

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Thanks, these threads in the Asia Ports of Call have been so helpful.

I will purchase the JR Passes prior to traveling.

Get JR Passes Validated at Narita JR Office when I arrive

Take Narita Expess to Tokyo Train Station

Book our seats 2 days in advance for train to Kyoto

Have my Tokyo hotel send my luggage to my Yokohama hotel

Take a carry on with me to Kyoto

Use train pass for day trips to Kobe & Osaka

Book seats from Kyoto to Shin Yokohama 2 days in advance at the Tokyo train station

Train or subway (2 stops/transfers) from Shin Yokohama to station next to my hotel pre cruise

Taxi to pier

After cruise take ship's 5 hour tour of Tokyo/airport drop off at NRT

*will look into subway /local train card/pass

It's all coming together.

I appreciate your help and look forward to hearing about your experiences when you return.

dog:)

Happy to do so. I will just forward what I sent drfun but be warned there is a lot of reading. I also sent her my daily emails home as I dont keep a diary tried many times but just doesnt happen. I am not a big city person so cant give u much on tokyo. We prefer to get out of the cities but kyoto hiroshima nara nikko are must sees for us.

 

I

Hi Tara

Could you send me any info on what to do or where to stay in Osaka and Kyoto. We will be disembarking in Osaka and have 3 nights before we fly back to Aus. My details are auscruiser at TPG dot com dot au

Thanks so much.

Kind regards

Sharon

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As noted in my post right above this one, DH Dave and I took a day-trip to Kyoto from Osaka (where we stayed at the St. Regis for a week prior to our trans-Pacific cruise from Kobe to Vancouver).

 

 

 

We had a 7-day JR Pass for the first-class Green Car (well worth it!), so we took the subway (from the major station conveniently located in the same block as our Osaka hotel) to Shin-Osaka to get our reserved Green Car seats and board the bullet train to Kyoto, to join another couple from our roll call who'd arranged a day of private touring with a Tours By Locals guide. (BTW: These guides are not the free/volunteers; they are licensed independent contractors with this interesting Canadian company that offers tours world-wide. I'd not heard about them until our roll call friends booked this day-tour for the four of us. It's an interesting concept, as you get to pick your tours and your guides, but you pay the company in your local currency.)

 

 

 

Our Kyoto tour guide was excellent--and as our friends had already spent several days in Kyoto (and also visited a few years ago also)--AND DH Dave and I had been touring for nearly two weeks, we opted for enjoying a leisurely day with longer visits at fewer venues. ;)

 

 

 

We spend a lovely morning at Kyoto's Tenryu-ji Temple--enjoying the grounds, which were in full bloom on this bright and sunny day. Loved the "silent waterfall" (leaves) at the tranquil lake and the walkways and flowers and bamboo path. Then the five of us had a magnificent ZEN vegan multi-course lunch at the temple's Shigetsu. We each had our own little table with very short legs and matching chairs with very short legs. (I am total vegan, so it was a fabulous delicious treat for me!) After lunch, we took the trolley to Ryoan-ji Temple to tour the peaceful grounds and study the famous zen rock garden. Before returning to our Osaka hotel, we explored the stunning modern architecture of the Kyoto JR station (with soaring glass ceilings) and had drinks with our friends near the top with great city views. Then we hopped the bullet train for the short ride back to Osaka.

 

 

 

We chose Osaka as our base for our second week, because we had a local friend there with whom we spent two glorious days AND we'd planned several day-trips to other cities, including a full-day customized tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima (also using a Tours by Locals guide--Mie T., who was excellent) AND my husband wanted to try Kobe beef (now he is spoiled forever). Please feel free to ask me for any info about our Osaka stay (or our Tokyo stay or our cruise).

 

 

 

Mary-Lou

Hi Mary-Lou

We will be in Osaka for 3 nights after our cruise in Feb... Any advice on where to stay and what to do would be appreciated.

You can email me at auscruiser at TPG dot com dot au

Thank you

Sharon

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Hi Mary-Lou

We will be in Osaka for 3 nights after our cruise in Feb... Any advice on where to stay and what to do would be appreciated.

You can email me at auscruiser at TPG dot com dot au

Thank you

Sharon

Dear Sharon:

I think most of what I can tell you is in the post you quoted, but I'll add a little below. I know you'll have a marvelous time. So many visitors to Japan skip Osaka, but we really liked it--and it's also a great place for day trips.

As I noted, we stayed a week at the St Regis Osaka. We were thrilled with the accommodation and service. The hotel is on a major city street with lots of shops and restaurants--and a train station less than one block away. :)

As I also detailed in my posting above, the train station a few steps from the hotel was very convenient for connecting to Shin-Osaka for our day trips: (a) Hiroshima (Peace Museum) & Miyajima (ferry to this island with its picturesque peaceful shrine, free-roaming sacred deer, and great views of the torii gates in the bay; (b) Kyoto--with details of what we saw (and greatly enjoyed) in my above post.

IN OSAKA: We went up in the Osaka Tower (very touristy but great views), walked all over through outdoor malls, ate in several lovely restaurants (there are almost countless choices, depending on your preferences), and spent a morning in Sakai City (just across the river) to walk under cherry blossoms and tour a villa there.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any specific Qs and I'll answer what I can.

Have a wonderful time!

Mary-Lou

Hi Mary-Lou

We will be in Osaka for 3 nights after our cruise in Feb... Any advice on where to stay and what to do would be appreciated.

You can email me at auscruiser at TPG dot com dot au

Thank you

Sharon

Dear Sharon:

In addition to my response above yesterday (which I hope will also help others with similar Qs), I've also emailed you, as you requested.

Please let me know that you got it. ;)

Best,

Mary-Lou

Dear Sharon:

 

 

 

In addition to my response above yesterday (which I hope will also help others with similar Qs), I've also emailed you, as you requested.

 

 

 

Please let me know that you got it. ;)

 

 

 

Best,

 

Mary-Lou

Hi Mary-Lou

Thank you so much for all your helpful information. I did receive your email too. I will be back in touch if I have further questions. Once again a BIG THANK YOU!

Kind regards and happy Cruising

Sharon

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Hi Mary-Lou

Thank you so much for all your helpful information. I did receive your email too. I will be back in touch if I have further questions. Once again a BIG THANK YOU!

Kind regards and happy Cruising

Sharon

So glad it was helpful, dear Sharon!

Bon Voyage,

Mary-Lou

Hey there Mary-Lou. I have not seen you on the boards lately or we are watching different things. Walter and I are going on Oceania Insignia April 14 Singapore to Abu Dhabi with time in Dubai before the cruise. Looking forward to it. Loved the cruise this year from Rotterdam to Boston by way of Greenland and Iceland. We spent 2 weeks driving through France before the cruise. I hope you guys are well and planning trips. Happy New Year! Barbara

Hey there Mary-Lou. I have not seen you on the boards lately or we are watching different things. Walter and I are going on Oceania Insignia April 14 Singapore to Abu Dhabi with time in Dubai before the cruise. Looking forward to it. Loved the cruise this year from Rotterdam to Boston by way of Greenland and Iceland. We spent 2 weeks driving through France before the cruise. I hope you guys are well and planning trips. Happy New Year! Barbara

Hello, dear friend!

YOU HAVE MAIL. ;)

Warmest wishes,

Mary-Lou