Holiday in Japan - help needed!
Posted on November 23, 2007
Filed Under Australia, Life, Travel, Family |
For the past couple of months, my sister and I have been tentatively planning to meet in Japan for a two week holiday together. It seems a bit more interesting that either one of us visiting the others home. If I got to Montreal, I’d …
a) feel like I had to bring the kids too ( tripling the cost)
b) Would spend most of the time hanging around doing nothing - watching DVD’s or the like
c) March - April in Canada is still COLD!
If Sandy came here we’d…
a) double the cost of her ticket and double the flying time
b) spend most of the time hanging around doing nothing - watching DVD’s or the like
c) watch Sandy slowly melt away in the March heat
So it seemed a good idea to meet somewhere in the middle, in a place we’d both like to visit and have a holiday together. This way, we get to spend time together but we also get to see new things and do interesting activities. Japan is one of those places that is about halfway, and Sandy has ALWAYS wanted to go there. I would love to go too, so, destination settled. The end of March is cherry blossom season, something I have always wanted to see for myself so the timing is a bonus as well.
Though I’ve passed through Narita airport a few times, I’ve never had enough time to leave and see anything so I have very limited knowledge of Tokyo or the surrounds. All of my information is gleaned online and there is SO MUCH INFO that I find myself a little overwhelmed by the process of creating an itinerary that we can organize accomodation around.
Sandy and I would like to experience as much as we can in the 2 weeks we’ll be there but obviously have to be realistic about dragging our luggage from one ryokan (hotel) to another. Here’s my dilemna… I don’t know what a central location might be!! We’re not sure about each place we’d like to see, though there are a few we have had picked out for a while. We’ll split the trip into three - 4 or 5 night stays in different areas to allow access to more places and not limit ourselves to the Tokyo area.
So, calling all world-travellers out there!! I would LOVE to hear from people who’ve been to visit or live in Japan to get some suggestions on things not to miss and places to stay that are central to a lot of places of interest. As you can imagine, we’ll be doing a LOT of sightseeing so anything of interest within walking, bussing or training distance from a central point would be ideal.
Anyone?
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5 Responses to “Holiday in Japan - help needed!”
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Hi Christina,
I think it’s a great idea - I worked in Tokyo for 6 months - only problem is that it was 15 years ago…my mum came out for a while and we did the whole ryokan thing. It’s great fun. I’ll try to activate the grey cells to remember some stuff for you. Watch out on the trains. They’re brilliant, but if you get lost on the outskirts of Tokyo they start showing the station name in Kanji so it’s anyone’s guess where you are..
Emma
Hi Christina,
I just reviewed Janie’s blog and read your comment.
I agree with you I think it takes a lot of courage to do what Janie is doing. I just can’t imagine touring the world alone.
Did you look at her pictures? then you can put a face to the name. I hope all is well with you and your family. I often think about you, but of course your mom keeps me up to date on what is going on in your life, but now that I am into blogs thanks to Janie, I will read yours more often. I find you are a very good writer.
bye for now,
hugs and kisses to everyone
Auntie Pat
Thanks Auntie Pat! I try to update the blog with some regularity about all the stuff going on here. Sandy reads it pretty regularly and I think that’s where Mum gets her info when we haven’t had a chance to talk in a while LOL
I truly admire Janie for what she is doing! The whole Japan thing Sandy and I are trying to plan is nerve-wracking enough…and we’ve been planning for months already!
I’ll definitely be keeping up with Janie’s blog and I hope she decides not to skip Perth (a lot do because it’s so far from anywhere else) I really would love to have her over for a meal, a few drinks and some canadian-ness in Oz. LOL
Tokyo / Hakone / Kyoto
We live in Japan, but on the back side of the island so I don’t know all the hot spots. However, there is a really good ryokan we like in the Ueno area of Tokyo which is pretty centally located. I’ll have to dig for the link so can’t post it now - sorry.
Also, http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/ is a great link for train times and schedules.
Hope this helps.
Thank you Laura! The train site is great and I can’t wait to have a look at that Ryokan link once you find it…lol
I’m starting to feel pressure now… the trip is impending and I’ve not organized enough yet to be able to fly by the seat of my pants once I get there. Does that make sense?