Quoting bosei@sify.com (wanderer) regarding Japan itinerary - please comment in
a message dated 8 Sep 2003 00:01:09 -0700:
>We are going to Japan for the first time for 6 days. Based on our
>reading of the tour books and this group we have come up with the
>following itinerary. Please advise if we are doing anything wrong. Our
>interests are historical places and places of natural beauty.
I've just been through it. Let me offer some comments.
>Day 1: Arrive in Narita in early afternoon. Go to hotel.
See comments below about JR Rail Pass. It's definately the way to go.
If you arrive at Narita Terminal 2, You might have to take the tram to the main
Terminal 2 building (from the satelite building). Try to get there ASAP after
the aircraft door opens. The objective is to get to the Immigration line before
everyone else as it will fill fast and can take 1/2hr to 45 minutes or more to
navigate if full. For "Foreign Passports," it's just one "Disney style" zig-zag
crowd control line. During this past trip, I was literally 1st off the plane
and got to the tram before everyone. When I got to the line it was on 20% full
and took 15 minutes to negotiate. When it's 70-90% full, it can take 45min to
an hour. Baggage handling is very efficient and you may find your bags are
already on the belt by the time you clear immigration, if not even already off
the belt and stacked neatly nearby.
Once you clear customs, proceed out and immediately look for the elevators
to the JR Rail Station. Inside, you'll find a JR Travel Service office where
your Rail Pass exchange order can be validated and your pass and reservation
tickets can be issued. And as stated before, reservation fees are free when you
use a JR Rail pass. When you add it up, it's a bargin.
>Day 2: Tour Tokyo. Night in Tokyo.
>Day 3: Daytrip to Kamakura. Night in Tokyo.
>Day 4: Bullet train to Kyoto in the morning. Tour Kyoto. Night in
>Kyoto.
>Day 5: Tour Kyoto. Return to Tokyo in the evening. Night in Tokyo.
>Day 6: Tour Tokyo. Catch evening flight from Narita.
>
>Questions:
>1. Should we skip Kamakura and go to Hakone as a daytrip instead since
>we'll be going to Kyoto the next day?
Can't say. I'd probably choose Nara over Kamakura.
>2. Is it possible to stay overnight in Hakone on night 3 and then
>proceed from Hakone to Kyoto the next day. Are the train connections
>from Hakone to Kyoto decent?
You can research them yourself via the following website.
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/
You can also make your train reservations via this website:
http://www.world.eki-net.com/
>2. Should we skip the daytrip option from Tokyo and spend one extra
>night in Kyoto instead and go to Nara as a daytrip from Kyoto? Is Nara
>better than Kamakura?
Yes, I would do this, but then again, that's me. :-)
>3. Given our schedule, does it make any sense to buy JR pass or should
>we purchase tickets as we go along?
Without question. Buy the JR Rail 7 day Green Class pass. You can reserve all
your seats for Shinkansen or Narita Express trains in advance on the Eki-net
site, and trust me, that Narita Express is worth it to go right into Tokyo
Station or even Shibuya or Shinjuku Station (as well as the trip back to the
airport - 53 minutes from Tokyo Station to Narita Term. 2). The pass also gives
you the freedom to take unexpected trips around Tokyo (eg. Yamanote Line etc.)
and not have to worry about buying tickets etc. You just walk through the
"attendent gate." No fuss, No muss! It was great!
>4. Do you need reservations on the bullet train for the journey from
>Tokyo to Kyoto? How early do they have to be made?
No, but you can make them, and I'd recommend them if you want to ensure a
smooth ride. But remember, you cannot use the "Nozomi" Shinkansen with a JR
Rail pass. You'll have to pay for both the ticket and reservation separately.
The Hikari services are just as good though and you can use the JR pass for
them.
>5. For the last night is it better to stay in Kyoto instead of Tokyo
>and make the journey to Narita from Kyoto on the last day?
I would, just to get the last little bit of Kyoto you can. I actually stayed in
Osaka the night before my departure. I left Osaka at 7:53am and got to Tokyo
Sta. by 10:26am on a Nozomi. I then took the next Narita Express to Narita
Terminal 2. Quite simple.
You want to try to keep your plans as flexible as is possible. Weather can
change on a dime, and you might need to take that day trip on a different day
if weather doesn't cooperate (if possible).Obviously, if you need to make
specfic reservations for hotels/trains etc. then you need to. But otherwise,
try to be flexible. Also, this may sound strange, but be sure to bring some
hand towels with you as it's still quite hot and muggy outside and you might
need them for staying dry while outside. (Trust me, I needed them and didn't
have them - it was horrible) :-)
But above all, have a great time. I miss it already and want to go back
soonest. Of course, I'll have to finish paying for *this* trip, but......
Hope this helps.
__________________________________
Regards,
Arnold.
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