1st time to Japan, need help and advice

I plan to travel to Japan from 28/3 to 5/4/2009 and also to view the Sakura Blossom. Appreciate if anyone give me advice for the followings:-

a) I thought of spending 3 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kyoto and 3 days in Osaka. Is that enough time for me to cover Kyoto, narita, mt fuji, hakone, tokyo and nara and kobe?

b) now I%26#39;m not sure whether to start from Tokyo 1st or Osaka 1st, and also concerning of which way is cheaper? I have booked flight to Tokyo airport and back from Osaka airport. But I read from a few travel agents%26#39; itineraries and it seems like most of them are starting from osaka airport and ending in Tokyo airport. So, I%26#39;m thinking of whether to change my flight to Tokyo and back from Osaka. Please help and advice as soon as possible.

c) any budget and convenient accommodation with private bathroom can be introduced? (9000yen or below for twin/double bedroom)

d) any budget local ground tour (eg, from Tokyo to Kyoto or vice verse) can be introduced?

Thanks

Jess

1st time to Japan, need help and advice

An open jaw ticket is a good idea. It eliminates having to return back to your original airport. Whether you begin your travel in Tokyo or Osaka, it doesn%26#39;t matter.

Kyoto and Osaka are very close to each other. Consider basing yourself in one city and traveling by train to the other. It%26#39;s only 30 minutes by train.

Japan can easily be explored on a self-guided tour. An escorted tour is not necessary.

Please search this forum for budget accommodations. The subject has been recently covered.

1st time to Japan, need help and advice

I recommend starting in Kyoto. There is a direct train from Osaka%26#39;s Kansai International Airport, and Kyoto is far less confusing than Tokyo.

I agree--no need for a group tour. They are expensive, and you will be rushed. In Kyoto, you could take taxis for much less money. You certainly do not need a tour group to get to Tokyo.

You could skip Osaka and Kobe. Instead, consider a day trip from Kyoto to Himeji castle. Nara is an easy day trip from Kyoto. From Tokyo, consider a day trip to Nikko.

There are bus tours to Mt. Fuji and Hakone, but often the mountain is hidden in clouds, and the tours are very long. You often will have a view of Mt. Fuji from Hakone. If not, there are many other things to see:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

You probably don%26#39;t need to stay in both Kyoto and Osaka, unless you really want to; the cities are only an hour apart, and you%26#39;ll lose about a half day changing hotels. It%26#39;s easy to do Osaka as a day trip. Also, consider a day trip to Himeji as well; that city has a spectacular castle, a nice garden, and a mountain temple/shrine complex called Engyoji on Mt. Shosha.

Thanks!

John W.

Some good advise above. One thing I want to point out is that sakura blossoms in Tokyo first then in Kansai, so you need to start in Tokyo if you don%26#39;t want to miss the peak. As you know cherry blossoms only last 3-5 days after the peak. I go to Japan for hamani every year and I%26#39;m pretty good at predicting the cherry blossom peaks. Last year I arrived in Tokyo on March 30th and it was almost perfect. I made a day trip to Kyoto to see sakura in Heian Shrine Garden and again, it was perfect!

Thanks for all your advices!!!

I really hope not to miss the sakura blossom, so better start from Tokyo airport and end in Osaka airport then.

Since I need to catch the morning flight on the last day in osaka, I think of stay in osaka for last few days. In order not to lose much times in changing hotel, I also think of staying 3 nights in Tokyo and the remaining in Osaka and do a day trip from osaka to kyoto and other places. Is it alright?

But before that, I have to book an ensuite accommodation in Osaka that can allowed me to access and travel easily to Kyoto and those sightseeing places, also to osaka airport. is there any recommendation?

For accommodation in Tokyo, which area is easily access to the tourist attraction, Shinjuku and Disneyland.

I have made a booking in sakura-hotel-ikebukuro, but someone suggested Ryokan Tokaisou in Ueno/Asakusa area. So which area is better and also cheaper for transportation? or any other area which is even better?

Thanks

Shinjuku itself is the best area to stay but it depends on whether you can find places to stay at the right budget.

Staying at Osaka is actually quite nice because there is more to see and do at night, particularly between Namba, Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi. However, note that if you are departing from Kansai Airport your last morning, Kyoto is also a good option despite your morning flight since there is a direct train that takes 75 minutes.

I have found a few accommodations in tokyo and osaka, but don%26#39;t know which to choose. Appreciate if anyone can give me comment and suggestion for the following options:-

In Tokyo:-

1) Hotel Park Inn Shinjuku

2) Hotel Rose Garden Shinjuku;

3) Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku; and

4) Asuka Hotel

In Osaka:-

1) Toyoko Inn Osaka Nanba;

2) Osaka Fujiya Hotel; and

3) Chisun Hotel Shinsaibashi

Since I%26#39;m going to take evening bus from tokyo to osaka. Then, stay in osaka and have a few day trips to kyoto from osaka. Which accommodation of the above is more suitable for me to stay in Tokyo and osaka.

Thanks

Regards,

Jess

Sorry, forget to add one more option for osaka:

4)Super Hotel Namba / Nipponbashi

Thanks

Jess

The Sunroute Plaza gets good reviews on this forum. Have you looked at the reviews in the hotels section of this web site?

Yes, I read the review around the website. It seems like all are not very bad, that%26#39;s why makes me difficult to make decision. I wish anyone can help me on this.

Thanks

Jess