| D Low |
19 March 2005 |
Stayed at New Miyako Hotel - Kyoto, Japan.
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Take advantage of the 100 yen city bus located across at the train station. You must go to the bus stop to catch this bus. The city is promoting its bus, it goes around the sights of Kyoto, from Sanju-sangen-do to Museums, to the Silver Shrine to Kiyomizu, etc. This is our third trip to Kyoto and we would come back again to enjoy the cherry blossoms, cultural and artistic venues.
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| H Charnas |
25 February 2005 |
Stayed at Mansions at Roppongi, The - Tokyo, Japan.
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Try nearby Spago for a bargain lunch (2500 yen) at a Wolfgang Puck top line restaurant which would cost triple in the evening.
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| R Kelly |
10 February 2005 |
Stayed at Sunroute Hiroshima, Hotel - Hiroshima, Japan.
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Hiroshima should be a MUST see for anyone going to Japan - if only so that what happened in Aug 1945 will never happen again. The city has done an amazing job with the Peace Memorial and the museum is a fascinating and vivid walk through history and is quite fair in its write up on the events. The park itself is beautifully laid out with lots of things to see and contemplate. One night - two day stay would be sufficient - also worth seeing is the Miyajima Island with its floating torii shrine which is about 25 minutes by train (and a further 10 minutes by ferry) from Hiroshima main JR station.
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| B Mary munck |
05 February 2005 |
Stayed at Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu - Tokyo, Japan.
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We were all over Tokyo visiting tourist sites and general shopping. We used the subway and JR trains which provide very efficient transportation. We liked the Shabu-shabu restaurant in the hotel for a Japanese treat and several of the restaurants by the Akasaka-Mitsuke subway stop were very good.
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| D Liew |
02 February 2005 |
Stayed at Mansions at Roppongi, The - Tokyo, Japan.
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Roppongi is quite a newly developed city. Just a 10min. walk will get you to TV Asahi where I enjoyed shopping for Doraemon's goods. The view around that area is a lot better at night. So if you plan for a nice stroll, go during the late evening.
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| G Kaminsky |
25 January 2005 |
Stayed at Mansions at Roppongi, The - Tokyo, Japan.
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I did the tourist thing all over Tokyo for a week. I was a little dissapointed with the Sega Joypolis in Odaiba. I did the skydiving ride but it wasn't what I had hoped for. The Edo-Tokyo museum was interesting. I saw a Sumo match which I highly recommend at least once if they're going on when you're there. Shibuya and Shinjuku are interesting areas as is Asakusa. I did a Sumida Gawa river cruise down to Hinode pier and it was very relaxing and informative. If you're around Shibuya or Harajuku on a Sunday, definately go see the costume play kids on the bridge over Harajuku station in the afternoon. It's like Halloween only better.
Akihabara has tons of electronics of course but what I didn't realize was this is the place to go for DVD's as well. They have huge selections of every genre including the naughty ones. Meiji Shrine in Harajuku is a definite must, especially if there are some weddings going on. Tokyo Tower was a mediocre experience for me, I didn't go all the way to the top since I had previously gone to the top of the Tokyo Metro Gov't Building for free and got almost the same view.
Palette town with the Venus Fort and Toyota Mega web were worth visiting but my favorite on Odaiba was the Oedo Onsen. Definately go there if you get a chance. It's a traditional Japanese hot spring public bath. You change into a yukata (like a bathrobe sort of) and walk around a public area with food and gifts. The hot spring areas though are separate for males & females, each with indoor and outdoor sections. I found the hot tubs outside to be a wonderful contrast to the cold temperatures, plus you get the added benefit of walking around without clothes on along with lots of other people. Great experience though and I felt rejuvenated afterwards. I also did a day trip to Kamakura which I highly recommend if you get the time. There's a ton of shrines and temples and a big buddha too. The day I went to the shrine there was a big ceremony going on with hundreds of people and imitation samurai swords. Very exciting stuff.
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| J Reich |
22 January 2005 |
Stayed at New Miyako Hotel - Kyoto, Japan.
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Went to Daitokuji temple complex. There aren't too many people there during the week, so I pretty much had the tour guide to myself, which was nice. Note: most things in Japan are cash-oriented, and it's even harder to find an English ATM in Kyoto than in Tokyo-- and the one I found wasn't on Cirrus or Plus, so my ATM card didn't work anyway. But at least the streets have names and signs in English, which helps.
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| J Cadeot |
16 January 2005 |
Stayed at New Miyako Hotel - Kyoto, Japan.
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Kyoto is a nice city mixing modernity and traditions. We enjoyed the many temples (especially the Golden Temple) and Potocho Street, full of restaurants. City buses are very efficient and I would recommend their use. Transfer from Kyoto train station to Kansai airport takes 1h15.
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| R Tan |
01 January 2005 |
Stayed at Radisson Miyako Hotel Osaka - Osaka, Japan.
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Ate at the Kintetsu food floor. Similar to other department store food floors. Seattle's Best Coffee located adjacent to hotel. Took the subway one stop from Ue-Hommachi stop (hotel) to Nipponbashi (Den-Den Town electronics area). The large Kuromon food market is also in the area.
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| A Law |
31 December 2004 |
Stayed at Mansions at Roppongi, The - Tokyo, Japan.
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If you take AirBus to ANA hotel, after you get off the bus, go inside ANA hotel and take escalator one floor upwards and you will see taxi stand at the front door. Make sure you download the Hotel map and present it to taxi driver. Watch out the hotel lightbox on your left.
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Japan travel tales 
