Primer for Travel to Japan

Primer for Travel to Japan

My one-week trip was predicated around both lack of vacation time, and not wanting to spend an entire year’s vacation allowance in one place to which I’d never been.

Sandwiched in the middle of this journey was a visit to friends Jessica and Arlie Miller, in Iwakuni.

AirFlights

So with dates in mind, I searched for airfare into both Hiroshima and Osaka, leaving out of Tokyo; and Tokyo round-trip with an intra-country flight from Hiroshima to Tokyo.

The Tokyo round-trip was the least expensive option, but when you factored in two intra-flights (or an intra-flight and a train trip), it became the most expensive option.

Second was the flight into Osaka and out of Tokyo.

Drafting an Itinerary

Armed with where I was flying into, and that we needed to visit Jessica and Arlie as late in our trip as possible at their request, I constructed the following itinerary:

• Fly into Osaka
• Take the 75-minute train to Kyoto for two-nights’ stay
• Take a train down to Iwakuni via Hiroshima; stay with friends two nights
• Take a ferry to the island of Miyajima
• Take a bullet train from Iwakuni to Tokyo for three nights
• Fly out of Tokyo

Planning on the Ground

Now I checked into hotel availability in both Kyoto and Tokyo.  I spent about one hour getting a general sense of my options and city layout, then made reservations immediately at Westin Kyoto and Hotel Claska in Tokyo, since both offered no credit-card hold.

 

What I would have done differently if time and money were not such a concern:

I’d have flown into Hiroshima, and spent 2 nights there to begin the trip, with  an overnight trip to Miyajima.

Flights from the U.S. typically land in the afternoon, so your first night will be spent getting into your hotel room, eating dinner, and getting a good night’s sleep.

My dream itinerary:  11 nights

• Fly into Hiroshima, 2 nights there
• Store luggage then take local train to Iwakuni/ferry departure for Miyajima; spend 1 night on island
• Bullet train to Kyoto; spend 3 nights.  Take a side trip in evening to see Den-den electric district in Osaka.
• Bullet train to Tokyo; spend 3 nights.

You can store luggage at the larger Japan train stations for a nominal fee of 300Y-600Y for some days.  So if you’ve packed smart you could actually leave one of your bags at the Hiroshima station, taking only one bag for the overnight to Miyajima.

Train Travel

Next I researched how I was going to get myself and my boyfriend around Japan to accomplish the itinerary.  www.hyperdia.com is a valuable resource as you can search for trains by dates into the future and from specific stations or airports.  (Request the webpage return 10 or more results per page, or you’ll end up thinking there is a dearth of available trains for your search!)

Once you’ve determined that trains can get you between your destinations, start a log of your preferred departure/arrival times, the cost, the duration of the trip, and the name of the train (i.e., local, regional, or “shinkansen” bullet train).

I found that I could use the older shinkansen trains (not the newest, fastest Mizuho or Nozomi), adding only an hour onto my trips (e.g., Hiroshima to Tokyo), yet saving more than 400Yen (about $400 US) per person over a weeks’ travel.

When you’ve priced that out, you’re ready to decide if a Japan Rail Pass is the right deal for you.  There are at least three companies selling them online, all within about $5 of each other for a 7-continuous-day, unlimited journeys pass (about $276 US).  Month- or 14-day passes are also available.  **You must purchase this from your home country and allow enough time for FedEx delivery.

Armed with the Hyperdia printouts, I went directly to the Japan Rail office at Osaka airport, and exchanged our vouchers for the real rail passes.  I activated our 7-day passes effective immediately because I knew we could use them on the front end of our trip to get into Kyoto, but could not use them the last day of our trip to get from Tokyo to Narita airport.

For the Narita airport trip, I booked the Keisei Skyliner express train when we were at Ueno station in Tokyo one day (about $25 US).  This express train leaves from Ueno and Nippori stations.

 

Tips

**Take lots of cash/yen as 90% of the places you go do not take credit cards!

Japan Rail offers a send-ahead luggage service, too.  You can leave your bags  at the train station, and they will send them on to your next hotel, given 3 days’ notice and 2 days to leave your bags with them.  (Our 7-day trip did not warrant this service, plus we packed in carry-on luggage knowing we would be using trains frequently.)

 

If you choose the fastest shinkansen bullet trains, there is an extra charge on top of what you’ve already paid for your Japan Rail Pass.

I also booked our shinkansen seats/tickets from Kyoto to Hiroshima, and from Hiroshima to Tokyo.  (If you’re prepared with that information at the time you exchange your voucher for the pass, you can save valuable time at ticket windows later in your trip!)

Japan rail passes also covered our ferry trip to Miyajima island, and the subway loop in Tokyo called the JR Yamanote line.

You will pass through special, manned gates at the train stations to show both your passport and JR pass.

**Japanese train travel is uber-efficient.  Do not assume that because you arrive to the platform five minutes early, that it is your train waiting there!  Your train will arrive one minute before its departure time…and always depart on time!  (Luckily, because you have the JR pass, you can re-book at no cost to get on your correct train after making that mistake once ;-)

Logistics & Sightseeing

Kyoto

Used frequent-flyer miles to stay at the Hyatt.  It was on the central sightseeing bus line, and we wanted a good night’s sleep in a western, king-size bed.  They also have three restaurants on-site, so we didn’t have to go anywhere the first night we landed.  We bought a 500Yen one-day bus pass from the concierge desk ($5 US).  The #100 bus stops either across the street (to go to the eastern temples and shrines, and returns right in front of the hotel.)

Ginkaku-ji Temple, The Silver Pavilion (500Yen) http://www.kyoto.travel/2011/01/ginkaku-ji-temple-1.html

Walked the Philosopher’s Path, not going into all the temples or shrines, but viewing from the path.  We also stopped for refreshments at a little teahouse along the way.

Heain Jingu Temple (free) and Gardens (600Yen)

http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/

 

Bus from Heian to Kiyomizu stop.  It’s a steep climb past numerous shops, restaurants and teahouses, so stop and smell the roses along the way uphill.

Kiyomizu-dera, a wonderful complex with dining options http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/lang/01.html.  This temple was open the latest of the above sites, so I chose to bus it north, and start the Philosopher’s walk heading south, although you could do it south to north, too.

Gion Corner, a one-hour showcase of Japanese culture, from the venerated tea ceremony to a maiko (Geisha to be) dance.  (2500Yen, cash only!)  As this show only happens Friday-Sunday, at 6 or 7 pm, build your itinerary around it.  The 7 pm show had a huge line as we exited, so I think the earlier show was a better choice as there is limited seating. http://www.kyoto-gioncorner.com/global/en.html

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

 Should have seen the Kinkaku-ji, or Golden Pavilion, first on the western side of town, using the same bus route, if I didn’t think my companion would have been worn out by adding a fifth site to our day’s itinerary.  http://www.kyoto.travel/2009/11/kinkaku-ji-temple-golden-pavil.html

With an extra day, I would have taken the tram ride to the bamboo forest, west of the city center, access near the Golden Pavilion.  Also, visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace gardens (request permission prior to your visit online.)

Should have spent more time here, but it had started to rain.  Exiting down a different street than our entrance, we found several, less touristy shops.  I bought several cloth handbags sewn by a lady on an old Singer in her store.

Should have seen Sanjusangen-do temple (600Yen), just down the block from the Hyatt, http://www.kyoto.travel/2009/11/sanjusangen-do-temple.html, but it was raining.

 

Wanted to walk around Gion neighborhood prior to the show (there is a good chance to see geishas as they make their way to evening dinner appointments), but it was raining too hard for my companion’s comfort.

 

Logistics & Sightseeing

Hiroshima

Friends picked us up at the train station, so I cannot speak to how best to navigate the city.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum (50Yen, about $0.50 US) http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/index_e2.html  Truly a wonderful museum; four-plus floors of thoughtful exhibits.  The park includes an eternal flame, as well as being able to access the A-Dome which took the direct hit from the atomic bomb.

Hon-dori (street) Shopping: covered arcade shopping district where we took respite from the rain and had a wonderful Indian lunch http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3406.html

Hiroshima Castle (370Yen, $3.70 US) http://www.rijo-castle.jp/rijo/pdf/english.pdf  Nice temple park with castle.  Try on the samurai clothing on the second floor, then climb to the fifth floor for 360-degree views of the city on the outside deck.

Miyajima (the unexpected gem of the trip) http://visit-miyajima-japan.com/en/culture-and-heritage/spiritual-heritage-temples-shrines/sanctuaire-itsukushima.html

Caught the quick and frequent JR ferry (there are two lines) between Hiroshima and my friends’ home in Iwakuni.  Our rail pass covered this ferry ride.

We started with a cultural class where we learned about the rice paddle, claimed to have been invented on Miyajima.  We sanded, burned, and polished our designs, each taking home four paddles. 

Walking around we met the tame and protected island deer; visited the most beautiful, floating Otorii shrine at low tide; sampled the island delicacies such as grilled oysters and strawberry shave ice; hiked and shopped through the oldest parts of the island and rushing waterfall vistas on our way up to the “ropeway” or funicular that would afford us total island views.  Unfortunately, this was closed due to yearly maintenance.  We bought our most beautiful souvenirs of the trip in Miyajima.

Lastly, we went back for our second cultural class where we learned to make the island’s famous “maple” cakes.  We made two with bean paste and two with chocolates, sampled one, learned to wrap and seal them, and took the last three and a gift of two more home.

It was truly this Miyajima experience that sealed my opinion of the Japanese as the most polite, friendly, gracious and hospitable people I have met during all of my travels.

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

Wished I could have spent more time here!  Worthy of a half day with the park.

Had also intended to visit Shukkeien Garden (250Yen, $2.50 US), modeled after Lake Xihu in Hangzhou, China, but it was pouring down rain.

On my dream itinerary, I would also have taken in a baseball game at the Mazda Zoom-Zoom stadium, as well as visited the Museum of Art (1000Yen, $10 US) housing impressionist works from Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, et al.

Would loved to have spent the night in one of the historical ryokan (futons on tatami grass-mat flooring) lodges with their private onsen (thermal springs with naked bathing).  This would have allowed us to explore the other shrines at the top of the mountain.

 

Iwakuni

We stayed on the military base that is managed jointly by the Japanese and the US, employing and or housing more than 5000 people.

We dove into Japanese cuisine with our friends’ guidance:  ramen soups ladled with spicy seaweed, bento boxes from a convenience store, and an automated sushi-mat.

Sightseeing included a visit to the Kintaikyo bridge http://kintaikyo.iwakuni-city.net/en/, purportedly built by one man using no metal at the time of its construction.

Prior to our departure the following morning, we visited the Iwakuni Art Museum (800Yen, $8 US) http://www.iwakuni-art-museum.org/ex/e_ex_01.htm , with its small but valuable collection of samurai clothing, helmets, and swords.

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

 We were going to go out on the river for a “cormorant” cruise – fishermen use the leashed, diving ducks to retrieve their day’s catch – but the river was overflowing its banks from the rain.

Given more time, I would have visited Iwakuni castle and ropeway, because we were nearby http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/castles/iwakunijo.html.  There is also a lovely park area by another waterway with shrines and community buildings http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6178.html.

Tokyo…here we come!

Armed with several days of Japanese culture and protocol, we made our way from Iwakuni via regional train to Hiroshima, to catch our shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo.  (See previous note about not jumping on the first train you see, although this afforded us an unplanned viewing of Fukuyama castle http://www.fukuyama-kanko.com/english/hyaka/cat_spot001.html).

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

 Given more money and time, I would have booked a different train than a shinkansen, and disembarked at Kobe prior to reaching Osaka, having the ultimate steak dining experience.

 

The guide books said to avoid Tokyo station if possible because it is too vast for newcomers.  However, we had to transfer from our shinkansen to the local JR Yamanote line (no problems) to get to our ryokan Annex Katsutaro, a wonderful experience! http://www.katsutaro.com/annex_accom.html.

In Yanaka, the old “shitamachi” or merchant-class district of Tokyo during the shogun era, this area was as charming and unexpected as Miyajima.  There is even a Yanaka “ginza” or shopping district http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3068.html where we enjoyed yakatori from streetside grill vendors.

We struck out armed with a map from the hotel to find dinner, but it’s harder than it sounds to find the Japanese characters on the signs in the dark!  So I stuck my head inside a small restaurant, asked if anyone spoke English (they did not), but saw they had pictures on their menu.  My finger landed on a lovely pork and rice dish with miso soup; very inexpensive at 650Yen ($6.50 US).  You can eat well in Tokyo, unless you are aiming for the freshest sushi…and that will set you back.

Our first full day, we headed to Nippori station, to buy a one-day subway pass (not all subway lines are included in your Japan Rail pass).  First stop, the Tsukiji fish market http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm where 100 visitor tickets are handed out at 4 a.m. for the 5:00 a.m. tuna auctions.  We did not aim for that, but arrived instead prior to 11:00 when the wholesalers are closing up their adjacent stalls.  They have dispensed their day’s seafood to area restaurants, so spanning out from the market affords a wonderful shopping experience for the eyes and nose!

Subway again to the Ginza shopping mecca.  You name it and it’s here! 

 

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

  If only my companion was not laying on his futon watching a World Cup semi-final match at tuna auction time!

 Because the heat was wearing us out, and we didn’t want to be on the subway during rush hours, we bypassed the Akihabara district.  This is Tokyo’s electronics district, and where the videogamers play at huge arcades.

 

Tokyo (continued)

Day two we took the JR Yamanote line toward Asakusa to behold the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, Senso-ji http://www.senso-ji.jp/.  The surrounding shopping stalls in front of this large complex can take some time to navigate.  Additionally, Nakimise-dori is a large adjacent shopping arcade http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/histtown/nakamise-dori-street.html .

We ventured out our final evening to use the last day of our Japan Rail pass, taking the Yamanote line around the city…and then it started raining.

So we ducked back into our little Yanaka restaurant and ordered okonomiyaki, a “pancake” either you make yourself or they grill for you http://www.japan-guide.com/r/e100.html .  Being in the room early ensured we were packed and ready for our final day.

Instead of hauling our suitcases up the steep Yanaka ginza, we hailed a cab (all taxi rides in Japan seem to cost only 730Yen/$7.30 US, no matter how many people or how much luggage!) to take us to Nippori station.  We stowed our bags in some of the automated lockers for the day, then purchased a subway ticket down to Ueno Park http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3019.html .  We spent the final hours of our time at the Tokyo National Museum (620Yen, $6.20 US), a very large complex of buildings with much to see.  We dined at the reasonably-priced museum restaurant.  The National Science Museum, Contemporary Art Museum and zoo are also nearby.

One subway stop back to Nippori, we pulled our bags from the lockers, walked to the Keisei Skyliner platform, and waited for our 3:45 express train to Narita airport.  We were missing Japan already!

 

What I wanted to see or would have swapped

I had wanted to take the Sumida river ferry tour one way south, as they have an embarkation point in Asakusa.  But we spent some time in a nearby depato (department store) doing our final souvenir shopping…and drinking on their rooftop deck.

 I would have done this regardless, if alone, to see Tokyo’s “Times Square” or Shinjuku district.  There is a nighttime observatory on the 45^th floor of one of the buildings which would have afforded memorable views of Tokyo at night, although maybe not as hard as it was raining.  Continuing on the Yamanote loop, would have landed us in Harajuku, where the fashionista Goth teenagers love to pose for tourists and photos.