In article <695d4252.0309072301.4f0052a4@posting.google.com>, wanderer
wrote:
You've already gotten great advice. Let me add my votes.
> Day 1: Arrive in Narita in early afternoon. Go to hotel.
> Day 2: Tour Tokyo. Night in Tokyo.
> Day 3: Daytrip to Kamakura. Night in Tokyo.
I'd use the day in Tokyo; there is much to see, and I'm a great
believer that the time you spend traveling to and fro with day trips,
really takes away a lot of opportunities to see and interact with
stuff. This unless you absolutely HAVE to see where your Dad had his
first job, or your Uncle was born or something.
I divide the days in to morning, afternoon and evening "slots during
which I can accomplish something. Any trip from town to town is going
to eat up at least one, and sometimes two such slots. Thus with the
arrival night shot to hell (if you're coming from the USA), That leaves
four days, and maybe one slot on the Narita day. That's 12 slots. To
and fro to Kyoto leaves 10.
I understand it doesn't take 4 hours to go everywhere. But you have to
pack, get a cab, get a train, get a cab, check in, unpack. You're
lucky to do this in one slot.
Just my math.
> 1. Should we skip Kamakura and go to Hakone as a daytrip instead since
> we'll be going to Kyoto the next day?
Too far coming and going. Save Hakone for another trip. If you have
to do one or the other I'd take Kamakura only because you could knock
back the train/bus comings and goings by a couple of hours.
> 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?
Skip Nara for the same reasons as above and concentrate more closely on
Kyoto. But KNOW what you intend to do when you get there. Or anywhere.
With four solid days you still need a battle plan. One significant
temple is more than enough. One significant museum is more than enough
for such a short trip. That's one of your potential 4 slots in Kyoto
right there. I figure one of these place per two-hours slot.
I'm not really this methodic, but analyze it after the fact and see how
I've been ineffective.
> 3. Given our schedule, does it make any sense to buy JR pass or should
> we purchase tickets as we go along?
Absolutely.
> 4. Do you need reservations on the bullet train for the journey from
> Tokyo to Kyoto? How early do they have to be made?
We tend to get reservations whenever we're in the station. We'll book
exit tickets on the day we arrive. Or when we're passing the station
the night before or some such.. Get an English language schedule a soon
as possible, there maybe one on line. Loosely plan whatever is
comfortable.
> 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'd do it from Tokyo to lessen the angst and stress.
Someone upstream sorta diss'ed Kyoto and voted for Osaka! Amazing. I
usually hear just the oppositie, but I LOVE Osaka. I like plenty about
Kyoto. But I love Osaka for night-life, food and attitude. I've only
see the previews of the Bill Murray movie about Japan, but noted a shot
of show the Dotonbori canal. I love that area.
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