Travel: Japan - General

[peapot]

Thanks everyone for the hotel"s suggestion. We have booked the hotel in Shinjuku, RATS!!! After I heard from you Forum that there is not escalators, I think I faint with my big luggage!!


By the way, how to book the Black Cat service? How much to pay? Will it be in time?

My plan:

Day 1-6 Tokyo. Will be going Disneyland, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone.
Day 7-11 Osaka. Will be going Kyoto.
Day 12 tokyo.

Based on the above, should I get a 7day JR pass or 14 days? I thought it would be good to take 14days because I can use it to go Disneyland and also solve the transport from Narita airport to hotel. Am I correct here??

Can anyone help me?? I think I need to buy today, hope to hear from anyone in the forum. Many thanks. By the way, if there’s any place which I missed out, pls let me know. I plan these places because I read in the forum that people go there for day trips. I figure it should be worth seeing since alot of post on these places. Ha…I know I am a lousy planner. I wished someone would just plan for me. Now I regretted not taking package.

[JustKP]

peapot:

Thanks everyone for the hotel\"s suggestion. We have booked the hotel in Shinjuku, RATS!!! After I heard from you Forum that there is not escalators, I think I faint with my big luggage!!


By the way, how to book the Black Cat service? How much to pay? Will it be in time?

My plan:

Day 1-6 Tokyo. Will be going Disneyland, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone.
Day 7-11 Osaka. Will be going Kyoto.
Day 12 tokyo.

Based on the above, should I get a 7day JR pass or 14 days? I thought it would be good to take 14days because I can use it to go Disneyland and also solve the transport from Narita airport to hotel. Am I correct here??

Can anyone help me?? I think I need to buy today, hope to hear from anyone in the forum. Many thanks. By the way, if there's any place which I missed out, pls let me know. I plan these places because I read in the forum that people go there for day trips. I figure it should be worth seeing since alot of post on these places. Ha...I know I am a lousy planner. I wished someone would just plan for me. Now I regretted not taking package.

I just came back from Japan and perhaps I can share with you my itinerary :

Dec 6 to 8 Tokyo (hotel near Shinagawa station, very convenient location if you are taking shinkansen)
Day 8 to 11 Osaka (take bullet train from Shinagawa to Shin Osaka)
Day 11 to 13 Hakone (take bullet train from Shin Osaka to Odawara)
Day 13 to 16 Tokyo Disneyland (take bullet train from Odawara to Tokyo and JR Keiyo line to Maihama)

I bought the Nex & Suica package which cost 3500 yen from Airport. Of which, 2000 yen is for Suica card which I used it on my transport on my 1st day. Took Narita express (Nex) from Airport to Shinagawa. I activated my JR pass on 7 Dec which I used for all my transport throughout till 13 Dec (except Hakone whereby you need to buy the Hakone free pass). I spent 2 full days at DisneySea and Disneyland on 14 and 15 Dec, hence I don't need to travel except for Disney Monorail which is not covered by JR pass.

The black cat service is very convenience. Many hotels have a counter for this service. I used this service twice. Once from Shinagawa to Disney hotel and another from Osaka to Disney hotel. Cost per luggage was 1370yen and 1470yen respectively. Be sure to give them the full address of where you want to send your luggage to. My luggage were already in my hotel room when I arrived at Sheraton hotel at Disneyland.

Hope the above info can help you in your planning.

[peapot]

Hi JustKP, thanks for your input! I wanted very much to visit Hakone. But my hubby keep telling me its not possible to make a day trip there. Is it true? If I m based in Tokyo hotel, can I still make a day trip to Hakone if I have 4 days in Toyko? 4 days because first day reach Tokyo cannot be counted as it will be already night time.


He said 2 days in Disneyland and 1 day in Sanrio land, we are left with only 1 day in Tokyo central. After that we are heading to Osaka.

If what he says is true, then I m really sad. Kind of feel disappointed.

[tankee]

peapot:

Hi JustKP, thanks for your input! I wanted very much to visit Hakone. But my hubby keep telling me its not possible to make a day trip there. Is it true? If I m based in Tokyo hotel, can I still make a day trip to Hakone if I have 4 days in Toyko? 4 days because first day reach Tokyo cannot be counted as it will be already night time.


He said 2 days in Disneyland and 1 day in Sanrio land, we are left with only 1 day in Tokyo central. After that we are heading to Osaka.

If what he says is true, then I m really sad. Kind of feel disappointed.

:whut: please the kids (Disneyland) and ignore the wife (Hakone) :shock: :x

[JustKP]

peapot:

Hi JustKP, thanks for your input! I wanted very much to visit Hakone. But my hubby keep telling me its not possible to make a day trip there. Is it true? If I m based in Tokyo hotel, can I still make a day trip to Hakone if I have 4 days in Toyko? 4 days because first day reach Tokyo cannot be counted as it will be already night time.


He said 2 days in Disneyland and 1 day in Sanrio land, we are left with only 1 day in Tokyo central. After that we are heading to Osaka.

If what he says is true, then I m really sad. Kind of feel disappointed.

It'll be very rush for a day trip to Hakone especially during winter whereby daylight is short. The ropeway that brings you to Owakudani stops at 4.15pm. So, I will not recommend a day trip.

[peapot]

Hi Tankee. Haa…your post is funny. Maybe I should go shoot him??Ha…But I think and think and think and think… JustKP could be right. Winter has short day. Actually not that fun to travel during winter.

[mckenzy]

Hi Peapot… in general i believe most kids enjoy ryokan stays… both Disney and Hakone (if you stay overnight) offer good value for a trip there for ALL ages. Don’t forget that Disney is good for adults as well.


All in all… not to worry… this will not be your last trip there…! ; ]


on another note… you may want to compromise on Sanrioland… just a thought

[tamarind]

mamemo:

Enjoy your trip ! Remember to drink more water cos you wont feel thirsty when it's cold. Dont be like us, fell sick either during / after the trip

Hi mamemo,
I have just returned from Japan. I remember your advise and made sure my kids drink enough water, we are fine. Thanks !

We stayed 3 nights at the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, then move up to the snow mountains of Hakuba and stayed 3 nights there. Hakuba village is really beautiful and tons of snow there !

[tamarind]

I have seen snow in Switzerland, New Zealand, and Lake Louise in Canada, but I still think that the snow village of Hakuba is really beautiful.


Sharing photos in Hakuba. This is the view from my room balcony.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_w1nyHWTEh94/TRmaFuZPiFI/AAAAAAAAB04/xn_A_Ca5Urs/s1600/snow3.jpg\">

This is the very first time my kids have experienced snow ! It was a fantastic experience for them.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_w1nyHWTEh94/TRmaOLaPAvI/AAAAAAAAB1A/0BiX6NiR-Eo/s1600/snow.jpg\">

[tamarind]

We also went to see the snow monkeys, and it was fantastic. The monkeys are so cute, enjoying themselves in the hot spring. We could stand right next to them and they don't care.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_w1nyHWTEh94/TRmaabYBxoI/AAAAAAAAB1I/L36xoCRPV1M/s1600/snowmonkey.jpg\">