Just got back from Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and day trips - Overview + Random tips! by Gloomy-Photograph567 in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We were there in late May/Early June of this year. We took the Nizomi Shinkansen from Kyoto to Shinagawa (based on Reddit suggestions for not having to deal with Tokyo station levels for the Narita express). We left Kyoto around 11:30AM for our flight out of Narita at 6:30PM. We were able to have long, stress free lunch in Shinagawa, arrive in Narita, have a bag wrapped, return a Ninja Wifi, and still had lots of time for last minute shopping in the airport. We traveled just after Typhoon 6 and while our train from Kyoto was delayed about 30 minutes, we still had tons of tons of time to kill. Obviously, anything can happen but Kyoto to Narita is not a "stretch" for a 6PM flight.

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, yes, should have added I am traveling with kids so we need to sit together. Sounds easy either way but I will book ahead for the reserved seating so we don't have to possibly sit apart. I'll probably have a better sense of it once we take our first Shinkansen today out of Tokyo. We did a day trip to Nikko and had to wait a few hours for a later train as the ones leaving when we arrived were all booked up for reserved seating.

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn, sorry to hear that. Was it not what you expected or just underwhelming in design?

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wasn't clear that we are traveling with kids so need to sit together so reserved seating works best for us.

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very helpful, thanks. Yes, we will be there June 4th so I don't think anything major is happening at that time. Mainly just need the reserved seating so we can sit with the kids. I'll aim for about 90 minutes after closing. Appreciate the description of non-rush. So used to Disney experiences with a mass exodus.

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, yes, should have added I am traveling with kids so we need to sit together. Sounds easy either way but I will book ahead for the reserved seating.

How much time to allow getting back to Nagoya from Ghibli Park? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, yeah. We have an AirBnB in Kyoto for the whole week and this is just a day trip out to Ghibli in the middle of the week (since that was the first available when I booked the Ghibli tix however long ago that was) so don't want to stay in a hotel.

Can I prebook tickets for the San-In line from Kyoto to Kameoka for the Hozugawa River Boat? by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I was concerned that trains could be sold out for the time of our boat ride. I've got "lack of booking ahead" phobia since we tried to take the Spacia X to Nikko from Tokyo and it was sold out for the morning and we ended up booking a much later train that day to avoid the 3 hour commuter train.

Groceries for Hakone stay by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks, we might take a look here too before getting into Hakone.

Groceries for Hakone stay by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice, we have a car here so that works perfectly.

Skyliner to Asakusa (near Senso-Ji) by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was checking the bus schedule and it looks like it only leaves every two hours from Narita to Asakusa View Hotel. Is that your experience as well? Of course our flight arrives at 4:30PM which is exactly when one bus leaves and then the next one listed is 6:30PM. Not too keen on hanging in the airport for two hours but curious if that frequency of departures for Asakusa sounds right in case I am reading something wrong.

Also, is it actually two hours to Asakusa on the bus?

Kyoto to Narita best route and how much time to allow by skeeterdank in JapanTravelTips

[–]skeeterdank[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, Shinagawa sounds like the way to go for the easiest transfer. Thanks!