Osaka Trip, Miyako Hotel

I'm traveling to Osaka 5/21, arriving 8:00 pm.
1) What is the easiest way to get to the Miyako Hotel in Osaka from
KIA?
2) Does the hotel use american-style electric plugs? Broadband in all
rooms?
3) I'd like to see Kyoto Saturday, 5/22. Recommend a tour? If not
what is the best way to get there? 2500 Rotarians will be going that
day but I doubt I can get to the OICC for Registration and then the
Rhiga by 9:00 am.
If 2500 is a lot of extra tourists in Kyoto on a Saturday would it be
better to go on Tuesday?
4) Tourist recommendations in Osaka?

(Tim Brown) wrote in message . com...

1) What is the easiest way to get to the Miyako Hotel in Osaka from
KIX?

That's the Radisson in Tennoji? Hmmm... maybe train to Namba from the
airport, then subway to Uehommachi... Never been to the hotel myself,
though.


2) Does the hotel use american-style electric plugs? Broadband in all
rooms?

Don't know. Japan uses two parallel pins at 110V and... let's see...
is Kansai on 50 or 60Hz? Shouldn't matter much to most modern electric
equipment built for 10% tolerances.


3) I'd like to see Kyoto Saturday, 5/22. Recommend a tour? If not
what is the best way to get there?

Do it yourself. Subway to Osaka station. Train to Kyoto from Osaka
station. Get a tourist bus map from the non-Japanese Tourist Centre on
the 9th floor of the Isetan department store at Koto station. Get a
one-day tourist bus ticket from the hut outside Kyoto station. Go see
Nijo-jo, Kinkakuji, Kyomizudera, maybe Heian Shrine and have dinner in
Gion before going back.


4) Tourist recommendations in Osaka?

Hmmm. Amerika-mura for kitsch, Ebisubashi/dotonbori district at night
for a bit of flashy citylife (and the food), Osaka Castle park on
Sunday for those darn kids, and the outside of Osaka Castle and its
gardens is pretty too. I suppose it's much like any modern
megalopolis.

--
Chris

Tim Brown wrote:
I'm traveling to Osaka 5/21, arriving 8:00 pm.
1) What is the easiest way to get to the Miyako Hotel in Osaka from
KIA?
2) Does the hotel use american-style electric plugs? Broadband in all
rooms?

Can't help on these two; I'd email or call the hotel directly. They have
English staff that can help.

3) I'd like to see Kyoto Saturday, 5/22. Recommend a tour? If not
what is the best way to get there? 2500 Rotarians will be going that
day but I doubt I can get to the OICC for Registration and then the
Rhiga by 9:00 am.
If 2500 is a lot of extra tourists in Kyoto on a Saturday would it be
better to go on Tuesday?

Better to go on Tuesday. Kyoto in my experience is usually crowded on
weekends, just like any tourist destination (depending, of course, on
your particular destination), but unless you meet up with a school trip
a weekday should be good. You can either take the regular train
(Shinkaisoku is the fastest type of local train) from Osaka/Umeda
station (same place, called Osaka station for JR lines, Umeda for
subway) or the Shinkansen from Shin Osaka.

4) Tourist recommendations in Osaka?

Osaka castle is pretty good, and has an excellent view of the city as
well as a decent museum. The area around Shinsaibashi is good to
experience at night; hard to explain why, but it's just a very vibrant
part of the city, lots of neon, good restaurants, etc. The Shinsaibashi
area is also good for shoppping The Osaka aquarium is also good, and
I've heard good things about Universal Studios. If you're relatively
good at finding your way around, get a map of the rail lines and do a
walking tour; the city has an above-ground loop line, so as long as you
can reasonably find your directions and can stay within that rail line
you can find your way around.

If you want to experience an onsen there are some around; south of the
city you'll need a car to get to them, but if you want to spend the time
head over to Arima; might take an hour or a little more to get there.
Ask your hotel for the fastest route there; used to be the fastest was
to go through Kobe's Sannomiya station, but going through Sanda station
(North of Kobe) is simpler (less transfers). Kobe itself probably has
little in the way of tourist attractions; there's stuff there, but not
on a limited schedule. Himeji is nice if you have time (West of Kobe),
but you really need a half a day for that at least, and if you don't
have much time it's probably best to spend what you have in Kyoto.

John W.