Trip To Kyoto

[Carlson]

Well ive lived in the Tokyo area for over a year now. I am a military member so i havent had much time to go other places for fun. I would like to know some good places to visit and things to do in the Kyoto/Osaka area. I plan on going by train.

[senseiman]

I love Kyoto. I'm not sure what your interests are, but Kyoto has some really beautiful temples and shrines especially in the Higashiyama area. I also highly recommend a visit to Nara Park.

For nightlife you should visit Osaka which must have millions of restaurants, bars and clubs. The shopping is interesting there too. The area around Shinsaibashi is pretty intersting.

[Carlson]

well the reason i want to go is im tired of the Tokyo area... i want to get out into the mountains and see more shrines and temples...

[senseiman]

Then Kyoto and Nara are definitely the place for you. Nara Park is really great because there are alot of temples (including the biggest wooden structure in the world) in one location. In Kyoto I recommend heading over to the Higashiyama area and checking out Kiyomizu dera, Nanzen Ji, Ginkakuji and all the other temples in that area.

[Carlson]

well im going to go on a 3 day weekend plus take 2 days leave... ill be taking the train there.. so i plan on 3 days of site seeing... should that be enough time?... also are there any waterfalls?

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Use this site
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/sitemap/index.html
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/kyoto.htm

MAP
http://www.jref.com/practical/kyoto.shtml

guest house
http://j-backpackers-en.seesaa.net/category/119559.html

waterfall
(Japanese site)
http://nayutan.eco.to/kyotaki/index.html

Colored leaves of Kyoto
http://www43.tok2.com/home/kyoto/

[Carlson]

well now i have to plan on a date...

[Carlson]

ok i got 5 days off for New years...

i need good hotels and info now...lol

im looking to spend around a 1000 in all... so... 300 round trip travel.. and im going with friend so we can split room.. so for 4 night thats 200 right there.. what other accomidations should i figure in?

also how much Yen should i carry with me?.. how much money should i leave on my debit card?...

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Traffic to go to Kyoto for from Tokyo
The Sinkansen
One way 12,710 yen
http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/e-norikeyin.html
http://www8.ekitan.com/norikae/Norikae4Servlet?AN=0&SF=2590-%93%8C%8B%9E&SFCODE=&ST=5198-%8B%9E%93s&STCODE=&MONTH=200512&DAY1=0&DAY2=3&HOUR=7&MIN1=3&MIN2=0&SR=0&RP=0&EP=0&AIR=0&PN=5&FNAME=%93%8C%8B%9E&TNAME=%8B%9E%93s&JF=1

A night travel bus
It is Kyoto Station from Shinjuku Station
A standard type
One way 4,300 yen
http://www.hotdog.co.jp/bus/kan.htm
A type with a space
One way 5,500 yen
http://www.hotdog.co.jp/bus/kan_kira.htm

[Carlson]

i was looking at prices of hotels.. i have 5 days off for new year.. dec 31 a hotel was 87.00 and on jan 1st it went to 253.00 for 1 night.. thats crazy....

[Sukotto]

Stay at the guest houses.
When we stopped in Kyoto along our Shinkansen S-N self made tour,
we found one for about 2500 yen. This had shared wash room & bath room,
also shared bed room, but it saves a lot of monies.
Plus you get to meet people from all over the world at these places, if you want.
Or just a cheap place to stay.

The places at the link Hiroyuki Nagashima posts are for similar rates,
not all shared rooms.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

The price of the hotel of year ends and New Year holidays is high.
A hotel is cheap after January 5

A cheap hotel search site
http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/ry_kensaku.html


guest house
http://www.interq.or.jp/tokyo/ystation/jgh.html

[Carlson]

well my days off are set in stone... lol.. i would have to take leave otherwise.. and on the shift im on that might be a problem for maning... i will look into the guesthouses.. i like cheap... lol

and btw my japanese is very limited... so ahh... im lucky if i can put together some hirigana... much less read the kanji...

[Harvey]

Some one off Kansai stuff.
Kyoto! Go to FUSHIMIINARI.
http://www.japannewbie.com/archives/000140.html

Osaka! Gokurakusyoutengai! (On dotounbori)
gokurakusyoutengai
http://www.jiraiya.co.jp/doutonbori/

[Carlson]

Thanks for the links Harvey...

would you want to add my site to your and your link to my site?

[Harvey]

Yeah Carlson let's do it, what is your page? Ah
http://picturetokyo.com

Got it!

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Taxi group Sightseeing services
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/aikankou/kyoto/eindex.htm

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~doitaxi/index.html

http://www.sagano-kankou.jp/e-index.html

http://homepage3.nifty.com/rakuchu/e-top.html

Kyoto-shi traffic information
Bus / subway /Card
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/transport.html

[Carlson]

done... lol

[Carlson]

ok i got my dates im going almost for sure... lol new years costed to much so im going dec 17 to 21. hotels around 80 bucks a night. im going to spend new years in tokyo. i want to take the bullet train atleast once, probably on the way back what i need to know is any info on the Night Bus from Tokyo to Kyoto station.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

If you go to Kobe
Please go in Arima ONSEN
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/RTG/RI/kansai/hyogo/rokko_arimaonsen/rokko_arimaonsen.html
An express bus departs from Kobe, Osaka
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366_kyoto.html
http://www.skygate.co.jp/dometour/bus/index.html
http://www.japanbuses.com/route_kansai.html

KANSAI Available area MAP
http://www.surutto.com/conts/ticket/3dayeng/images/a3map_eng.pdf

[Carlson]

im off.. lol.. in a few hours.. i had someone from work who is japanese find me a tour.. it was much cheaper then the way i was planing to do it.. 3 nights 4 days... be back whenever.. cya all

[Carlson]

ok i went.. and it was well worth the trip
i bought round trip night bus tickets...
stayed 3 nights in hotel
the night i left we got 30 mins out of kyoto and hit snow storm. did not move for 13 hours.. lol then had to go back... i ended up shelling out the money for the bullet train and didnt get my money back for bus.. but it was still worth it..

added pics to the website..

thanks for all the info guys...

[senseiman]

Bummer about the snow storm, but I'm glad to hear that you had a good time!

[budd]

"ok i went.. and it was well worth the trip"

good to hear someone enjoyed it, can't stand it myself aint gone go no more

[sky888]

Kiyomizu is a great temple (attraction) and my favourite part is the small paveway leading up and down to the temple. Lots of small and interesting things to see and expereince.

good luck!

[Chipi]

if someone is going next summer;
- Gion Matsuri & Daimonji Matsuri festivals
-Piquenique trip to Arashiyama (don´t be afraid to take a bike/vespa and head to the mountains)... it´s so beautiful it takes your breath away.. we - me and my japanese friend- were having our lunch by sitting in the center of the mountains by the roaring river, and even a small crane came to say hi to us..
-be sure to ask some "hamo" and shochu in summer-time in a sushi restaurant :)
-..and don´t forget a night-time walk in Gion

...*sigh*... I miss it so much..