Questions about vacation in Japan

Unless you have a death wish, do not rent a car. Even if you are accustomed
to driving in heavy traffic with a right-hand drive car, you will consume
more time on the road than you would by taking the train and the occasional
taxi. You can get to the countryside and some villages by train. Admittedly
you would need four-wheel transportation to get to some of my favorite
places. For some suggestions about where to go, see my article at
http://softadventure.net/japan2003article.htm. We reached most of the
destinations described there by train.

Harlan


"Colonel Legno" wrote in message
...
| We are an american couple in our fifties-sixties. We are accustomed to
| renting a car and traveling on our own -- we often do this in europe
| and are thinking of doing this in Japan. Stay in small hotels or the
| like.
|
| We are thinking of traveling in the Japanese Alps in central Honshu in
| the vicinity of Takayama. We are thinking of spending a couple of days
| in Takayama and using this a base. Is this worthwhile. Can anyone
| recommend places to stay there.
|
| Can anyone report on the walk in Kiso Valley from Magome to Tsumago?
|
| We would like to tour Hakone. Any thoughts or suggestions on things to
| do? Is anyone familiar with the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone?
|
| Any recommendations on places for westerners to stay in Ryokan?
|
| Obviously we welcome any additional suggestions or accounts of
| experiences.
|
| Can anyone recommend other scenic regions on Honshu that we should
| consider?
|
| We would like to hear how feasible and difficult this is for
| non-japanese speaking/reading people to do something like this,
| navigating on our own. We understand the rail system is good,
| especially with a JR pass, but would expect that it is difficult to use
| to get out into the countryside. We understand that a car would be a
| great liability in the cities and would not intend to use it or keep it
| there.
|
| thanks, colonel legno

Another reply to your post advises you to spend some time with a phrase book
to learn some basic phrases. Good advice. If you know no Japanese at all,
look at "Japanese for Dummies." It's good basic stuff. It's not a pocket
book, but you might consider taking it with you. The most useful expression
for the traveler is "sumimasen", essentially "excuse me". If you have a
question about anything, say sumimasen to a Japanese, and every person in
hearing will turn and be ready for your question. If you don't know the
question in Japanese and the person to whom you're speaking knows no
English, you can often make yourself understood, as in "sumimasen . . .
Yokosuka?" when you are standing in a train station and are looking for the
platform for the Yokosuka train. Then when you reach the indicated platform,
ask someone the same question.

Harlan


"HH" wrote in message
news:tSb8b.420259$o%2.191164@sccrnsc02...
| Unless you have a death wish, do not rent a car. Even if you are
accustomed
| to driving in heavy traffic with a right-hand drive car, you will consume
| more time on the road than you would by taking the train and the
occasional
| taxi. You can get to the countryside and some villages by train.
Admittedly
| you would need four-wheel transportation to get to some of my favorite
| places. For some suggestions about where to go, see my article at
| http://softadventure.net/japan2003article.htm. We reached most of the
| destinations described there by train.
|
| Harlan
|
|
| "Colonel Legno" wrote in message
| ...
| | We are an american couple in our fifties-sixties. We are accustomed to
| | renting a car and traveling on our own -- we often do this in europe
| | and are thinking of doing this in Japan. Stay in small hotels or the
| | like.
| |
| | We are thinking of traveling in the Japanese Alps in central Honshu in
| | the vicinity of Takayama. We are thinking of spending a couple of days
| | in Takayama and using this a base. Is this worthwhile. Can anyone
| | recommend places to stay there.
| |
| | Can anyone report on the walk in Kiso Valley from Magome to Tsumago?
| |
| | We would like to tour Hakone. Any thoughts or suggestions on things to
| | do? Is anyone familiar with the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone?
| |
| | Any recommendations on places for westerners to stay in Ryokan?
| |
| | Obviously we welcome any additional suggestions or accounts of
| | experiences.
| |
| | Can anyone recommend other scenic regions on Honshu that we should
| | consider?
| |
| | We would like to hear how feasible and difficult this is for
| | non-japanese speaking/reading people to do something like this,
| | navigating on our own. We understand the rail system is good,
| | especially with a JR pass, but would expect that it is difficult to use
| | to get out into the countryside. We understand that a car would be a
| | great liability in the cities and would not intend to use it or keep it
| | there.
| |
| | thanks, colonel legno
|
|