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  #61  
Old January 19th, 2005, 09:46 PM
John W.
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koneko wrote:
Bob Myers wrote:
Can't hurt. At worst, they will stick to their guns and
not drop the price - but you might be able to get some
concessions from them, especially if you can go in armed
with the right information. Fare info, etc., regarding the
JR trains, including the shinkansen, is pretty easy to get.
Again, try the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO);
they've got a great English-language web site:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/


I checked, and they ARE charging us more for the Shinkansen tix!! I
guess I will tell them never mind, I will book those myself! Wow, it
was a huge mark-up too. It's funny, though, b/c I calculated the

rest,
and we are still saving money by taking the package, just these extra
tix alone are totally crazy-overpriced!

Get a rail pass. Just the cost of travelling round trip to Tokyo-Kyoto
makes it worthwhile. You can't use it on non-JR lines, but it's still
useful.

It's pretty easy to get shinkansen tickets on your own, especially
at the major train stations (Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shinagawa). Figure
out what train you want in advance, using either the Hyperdia site
above or the JR site, and it will make things easier for you when
you go to the ticket window. Basically, besides the time you want
to travel, you'll need to tell the clerk whether you want a smoking
or non-smoking car (non-smoking is in the minority!) and if you
want the "Green Car" (first class, and IMHO not worth the
extra charge). I wouldn't until the day of to get the tickets, but
2-3 days in advance should be no problem.


I found this site: http://www.world.eki-net.com/

Do you know if this is reliable? I thought maybe I could reserve my
shinkansen tix this way... my adobe isn't working, so I can't see

where
I can pick up the tix though. I just need to make sure I can get

back
to Tokyo from Kyoto! =) But if you think that I can get Shinkansen

tix
easily enough when I am in Japan (maybe while I am in Tokyo?) But I
rather it was taken care of. That's the reason why I went with the
package the first place. :-/


Honestly you probably don't need reservations and can make them at the
time of travel. You just walk up to the Shinkansen ticket window and
make a reservation; I've only once had to suffer through a bad seat by
doing it this way, and it gives you much more flexibility.

John W.

  #62  
Old January 20th, 2005, 07:26 AM
koneko
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Go Fig wrote:


Does it include 'transfers' to hotel ?


I asked, and they said no! Isn't that horrible?!

  #63  
Old January 20th, 2005, 07:40 AM
koneko
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Thank you once again, everyone. You've saved me a lot of time,
trouble, worry, and money! I looked up the map of Narita online, as
suggested above, and I think I know where to find the JR counter. I
might just pick up a shinkansen ticket as soon as we get into Tokyo.
Or, I can wait until we get into Tokyo and get to one of the stations
as also mentioned above and purchase the ticket then. That makes an
awful lot of sense! I guess there's really no need for me to depend on
the agency to make those reservations, huh? And I should be able to
get 2 tickets easily, right, as long as I don't wait until the day of
travel?

And just to confirm... the JR pass works for both the shinkansen
(except the nozomi), and the JR metro trains in Tokyo, yes? thank you
for the tip!!

Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo? I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations? Is it possible to
take the bus? I am worried about how expensive it will be in Tokyo to
take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!

I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain... what
do people usually do? I realize I am going to be in big trouble, as I
already know I am going to by a lot of goodies, and I'm the first to
admit that I'm no weight-lifter!

Thanks again, everyone for being so patient with all my questions, and
for being so kind and sharing all your knowledge! You are really
wonderful!!

  #64  
Old January 20th, 2005, 12:21 PM
Chris Kuan
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"koneko" wrote on Thu 20 Jan 2005 05:40:04p

Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo?


The shinkansen platforms tend to be slightly away from the other train
platforms in any given station, presumably because they need guaranteed
quality of track. At Tokyo Station itself, I think the shinkansen platforms
are at the Eastern end of the station (i.e. still in the same station, just
not the "next platform" along).


I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations?


I don't think so. Some might have "Limousine Bus" stops - cost about
JPY3000 for one way to Narita Airport, but not to anything local in the
city.


take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!


It would be relatively expensive to get a cab, although I suppose there
will be two of you to "share" the cost and maximise the convenience.


I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain... what
do people usually do?


If you have one medium-size suitcase, it can fit in the aisle (you might
have to pull it into your legspace when the food trolley passes by). The
overhead shelves seem a bit narrow for large luggage - and of course
lifting a heavy bag overhead is no joke either. Sometimes there's a bit of
space in the vestibule area or behind the seats at either end of a
carriage, but not much.

If you get the really expensive "Green Car" tickets (note: there are two
classes of JR Pass - the more expensive one allows you to travel in the
shinkansen Green Cars for no additional cost), there's actually enough
legroom to put a good size suitcase in between yourself and the seat in
front, and leave space for your legs if you're short. Not really worth it,
in my opinion.

--
Chris
Concatenate for email: mrgazpacho @ hotmail . com
  #65  
Old January 20th, 2005, 02:41 PM
John W.
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koneko wrote:
Thank you once again, everyone. You've saved me a lot of time,
trouble, worry, and money! I looked up the map of Narita online, as
suggested above, and I think I know where to find the JR counter. I
might just pick up a shinkansen ticket as soon as we get into Tokyo.
Or, I can wait until we get into Tokyo and get to one of the stations
as also mentioned above and purchase the ticket then. That makes an
awful lot of sense! I guess there's really no need for me to depend

on
the agency to make those reservations, huh? And I should be able to
get 2 tickets easily, right, as long as I don't wait until the day of
travel?

No worries. Just take them your rail pass and you should be fine.

And just to confirm... the JR pass works for both the shinkansen
(except the nozomi), and the JR metro trains in Tokyo, yes? thank

you
for the tip!!

Correct. There really is no reason to not buy the rail pass. It's an
exceptionally good deal.

Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo? I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations? Is it possible to
take the bus? I am worried about how expensive it will be in Tokyo

to
take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!

A lot depends on the hotel. Probably not a shuttle, but they can help
with either bus routes, walking, or a cab. If you're getting the hotel
on your own get one close to a station. The shinkansen will leave from
Tokyo station.

I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain...

what
do people usually do? I realize I am going to be in big trouble, as

I
already know I am going to by a lot of goodies, and I'm the first to
admit that I'm no weight-lifter!

Try to get an end row (my luggage can go behind the last seat) and flip
the seats so you have two facing each other. Even if you're not on the
end you can then put your luggage up in one and sit in the other
(unless, of course, that seat has been reserved; I've really only been
on a couple of trains too crowded to do this). You might also consider
a backpack if you can; makes life much easier.

John W.

  #66  
Old January 20th, 2005, 02:41 PM
John W.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

koneko wrote:
Thank you once again, everyone. You've saved me a lot of time,
trouble, worry, and money! I looked up the map of Narita online, as
suggested above, and I think I know where to find the JR counter. I
might just pick up a shinkansen ticket as soon as we get into Tokyo.
Or, I can wait until we get into Tokyo and get to one of the stations
as also mentioned above and purchase the ticket then. That makes an
awful lot of sense! I guess there's really no need for me to depend

on
the agency to make those reservations, huh? And I should be able to
get 2 tickets easily, right, as long as I don't wait until the day of
travel?

No worries. Just take them your rail pass and you should be fine.

And just to confirm... the JR pass works for both the shinkansen
(except the nozomi), and the JR metro trains in Tokyo, yes? thank

you
for the tip!!

Correct. There really is no reason to not buy the rail pass. It's an
exceptionally good deal.

Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo? I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations? Is it possible to
take the bus? I am worried about how expensive it will be in Tokyo

to
take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!

A lot depends on the hotel. Probably not a shuttle, but they can help
with either bus routes, walking, or a cab. If you're getting the hotel
on your own get one close to a station. The shinkansen will leave from
Tokyo station.

I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain...

what
do people usually do? I realize I am going to be in big trouble, as

I
already know I am going to by a lot of goodies, and I'm the first to
admit that I'm no weight-lifter!

Try to get an end row (my luggage can go behind the last seat) and flip
the seats so you have two facing each other. Even if you're not on the
end you can then put your luggage up in one and sit in the other
(unless, of course, that seat has been reserved; I've really only been
on a couple of trains too crowded to do this). You might also consider
a backpack if you can; makes life much easier.

John W.

  #67  
Old January 20th, 2005, 03:35 PM
Bob Myers
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"koneko" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thank you once again, everyone. You've saved me a lot of time,
trouble, worry, and money! I looked up the map of Narita online, as
suggested above, and I think I know where to find the JR counter.


Really, you can't miss it. As soon as you leave the
customs area, you will see ample signage directing you
to the JR station.


might just pick up a shinkansen ticket as soon as we get into Tokyo.
Or, I can wait until we get into Tokyo and get to one of the stations
as also mentioned above and purchase the ticket then. That makes an
awful lot of sense! I guess there's really no need for me to depend on
the agency to make those reservations, huh? And I should be able to
get 2 tickets easily, right, as long as I don't wait until the day of
travel?


Agreed; while you MIGHT be OK in waiting until the
day of travel to get the ticket, there is some risk involved
with that - and as long as you know when you want to leave
anyway, and are reasonably certain of being able to get to the
station on time, why wait? Get your tickets 2-3 days in advance,
and then don't worry about it.


And just to confirm... the JR pass works for both the shinkansen
(except the nozomi), and the JR metro trains in Tokyo, yes? thank you
for the tip!!


Yes.


Also... where is the "Station" from which the shinkansen depart in
Tokyo?


The shinkansen departs from several of the major stations
in the Tokyo area. Toyko station itself, and Shinagawa
station on the south side of the city, are probably the easiest
for catching a train to Kyoto. By the way, it may be best for
you to spend the money on a taxi to the station when leaving
for Kyoto; while it's obviously possible to get to the right
station using the local trains, please keep in mind that hauling
you luggage around may be more of a problem than you want
to deal with - and the local train have basically no space for
luggage; you'll have to keep it with you the whole way.

I was a little confused with that. Do hotels usually have
shuttles that go back and forth to the stations?


Some do, especially those in the vicinities of Shinjuku and
Tokyo stations. (In Shinagawa, the major hotels are directly
across the street from the station.) You should, if possible,
contact your hotel in advance to find out.

Is it possible to
take the bus? I am worried about how expensive it will be in Tokyo to
take a cab, when we get back there from the Shinkansen!


Possible, yes, but I wouldn't recommend the bus for the
first-time visitor. Of the various forms of public transport in
Japan, the bus is the least English-language-friendly by a
wide margin. Taxis aren't all that expensive in Tokyo, either.


I read that carrying suitcases on the shinkansen is a huge pain... what
do people usually do?


There's not a huge amount of baggage storage on the shinkansen,
but then most of the people on the train won't have that much
baggage. (The shinkansen is in large part used for business travel,
so many of the passengers are just travelling for the day or at
most overnight with a small bag.) There is a small storage
compartment at either end of each car for larger items. If you
can be in line for your car early (the places where each car will
stop are marked on the platform), then you should be able to be
one of the first aboard and will have little trouble finding a place
for your suitcases there.

I realize I am going to be in big trouble, as I
already know I am going to by a lot of goodies, and I'm the first to
admit that I'm no weight-lifter!


For your trip to Kyoto, you may want to consider leaving part
of your baggage, including souvenirs, etc., in Tokyo for the
short time you'll be away. Ask you concierge at the hotel if
they can store it for you, or see if you can find storage lockers
at the train stations.


Thanks again, everyone for being so patient with all my questions, and
for being so kind and sharing all your knowledge! You are really
wonderful!!


Glad to help, and I hope you enjoy your visit to Japan!

Bob M.


  #68  
Old January 20th, 2005, 08:14 PM
Agena 2003
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non-smoking restaurants in Japan
http://www.smokefreeplaces.net/
  #69  
Old January 21st, 2005, 01:49 AM
bunster
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Hey Koneko,

I would ditch the package tour and wing it. There are plenty of
resources available online as well as in various guidebooks (like
Lonely Planet) that will help you survive your first trip to Japan.

We first went to Japan in October 2003 for 2 weeks. Within those two
weeks we visited: Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Tokyo. We
purchased a Japan Rail Pass. Packed with us what we considered
essential guidebooks and a few printouts from JNTO's website.

Overall, the experience of planning this trip on our own was fun. One
big plus is that we are on our own time and not someone elses. The
risk we saw with a package tour is the possibility of being in a group
with less than desirable travelmates.

For accomodations we found a number of places that were within our
budget (which is cheap but good). We had a mix of japanese-style
accomodations, tiny rooms, and business hotels. But in general, it was
a good experience. :-)

So, depending on how locked in you are with this package tour, it
wouldn't hurt to check out an "independent" tour.

Incidentally, we're planning our next trip to Japan this coming spring.
Cherry blossom season! So some places that are hot for cherry
blossoms are booked up. Keep that in mind. ;-)

Good luck!

  #70  
Old January 22nd, 2005, 10:21 PM
koneko
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bunster wrote:

Packed with us what we considered
essential guidebooks and a few printouts from JNTO's website.


It seems like JNTO's website is a big favorite among the posters here!
=) Which guidebooks did you like besides LP?

Overall, the experience of planning this trip on our own was fun.

One
big plus is that we are on our own time and not someone elses. The
risk we saw with a package tour is the possibility of being in a

group
with less than desirable travelmates.


So, depending on how locked in you are with this package tour, it
wouldn't hurt to check out an "independent" tour.


I really had a hard time deciding on this... but I realized our "tour
days" really only consist of two half-days... I hope it turns out all
right! But you are right, I am having a blast reading all the recs on
this thread, and planning the trip! =) The price seemed really
good(altho we didn't have time to schedule a ryokan stay, b/c of the
tight schedule... sigh)

Incidentally, we're planning our next trip to Japan this coming

spring.
Cherry blossom season! So some places that are hot for cherry
blossoms are booked up. Keep that in mind. ;-)


We are going to be in Japan the exact same time!! early April!! =) I
think that's why I had a hard time booking the places I wanted. Will
you be visiting multiple cities? =)

 




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