Osaka & Kyoto, Japan

[gorgeous_me]

^wala pa akong visa pa nga, hehe, sana ma-approved, 1st wk pa ko ng october kukuha kasi
^ako din sis, 5days lang, solo nga lang (kaya medyo kabado din, hehe) osaka, kyoto at nara lang sana, kaso, parang hindi kasi complete kapag hindi ako dumayo sa tokyo, so nag-trim down akong pupuntahan, yung gusto ko lang talaga konting polish pa sa iti, ang daming info, haha

[lheimatte]

^naku sis 5D din kami ni hubby. Kung gusto namin puntahan ang tokyo at mt fuji na fastest way eh via bullet train will spend 50k additional charge. hay... Nakakaloka pala to pero sobrang exciting.

[melodymedley]

@vhanya: Okies then. Masusulit si bus pass.
@greyzie: thanks for the link!

Buti na lang may "bus tutorial" pa sa Japan Guide. Meron syang steps pati and tips kung san yung entrance and exit. Very useful yung info sa Japan Guide pero medyo overwhelming lang sya.

[vhanya]

^once you get used to the guide, super dali na lang =) and take note ha, on time talaga dating ng buses. bihira rin traffic so ang galing! =)

[molybdenumstudios]

Going to Japan, as for me is the BEST OVERSEAS TRIP ever. Sorry if I feel this way but that's because dream vacay ko naman talaga un eh. Besides, basta makapunta lang ako sa Japan, happy na ko!

All I can say is that, Osaka is a really must-visit place. Well, IMO, it's far cleaner than Singapore and you'll feel ambience talaga.

The only downside is, MAHAL, except for products na Japanese talaga.

[gorgeous_me]

mga sis, tama ba na sa kansai airport, sakay ako sa JR west train, tapos baba ako sa osaka station then walking distance na lang sa umeda sky building para sa willer bus? (para lang iwas maligaw, hehe)

and pwede ba na one way ticket lang bilhin ko? hindi muna yung 1day ticket etc.. kasi diretso na muna akong tokyo sana non e, sa pagbalik ko pa ata magagamit yung 2day ticket, kapag nag Kyoto, Nara, Osaka na ako

yung JR pass ba, sa agency nyo binili, o don na sa station?

thanks, sorry daming tanong

[greyzie]

^yup... here's a very helpful link:

http://www.hyperdia.com/

[lheimatte]

Sis vhanya, ask ko lang nag stay ka before sa fraser osaka, right? How's the service apartment, okay ba sya?  I was checking between the studio executive and studio deluxe sabi nila difference lang daw yung floor kasi high floors daw yung executive, noon nagstay ka ba san kayo don and hope you can give me feedback.  I remember that you recommended another hotel but unfortunately hinde na available yun. 

Thanks sis in advance!

[vhanya]

^ok yang fraser plus anglapit mo lang sa train station and takashimaya =) no diff lang yang studio exec and deluxe when it comes to design and floor area. we stayed in the higher floor kasi promo yun when fraser was still new. free upgrade

when are you going? sayang coz the other hotel i recommended is right smack dotonbori. anytime of the day ka gutumin, you can just go down and eat kasi. baka di pa sila nag-offer sa dates na punta mo kasi matagal pa?

can i also recommend a ramen house? please, please eat in ichiran ramen in dotonbori. less than 1000yen per bowl. the best ramen house ever! =) that's the resto i keep on going back to every time i'm in osaka.

[lheimatte]

Sis, thanks sa feedback. Feb 28 pa naman kami. Got a good rate sa fraser as compared sa net so just want to secure yung booking saka hinde pa naman nila charge sa cc ko yung payment sa stay namin, free cancellation din naman sya. Pero I will try pa rin to check yung isang hotel na nirecommend baka biglang maging available ulit sya ng around dec or Jan. Thanks din for sharing the ramen, will go there and taste the best ramen.
Meron ka bang recommended hotel sa kyoto?

Thanks! thanks!

[vhanya]

when we where in kyoto. we tried the traditional ryokan on our first trip. i recommend kyomachiya sakura ryokan. super nice place. may western rooms din sila. ok rin yung citadines kyoto karasuma. 2 blocks away from kyoto's main street. =)

[lheimatte]

^thanks!!!! big help!!! last, alam mo ba reservation email address ng Hotel Vista, hinde ko sya makita eh, saka me breakfast bang kasama yung room rate nila?

Checking the rate but yung saturday kasi naka block sya kaya lumalabas na walang available baka kung email reservation meron silang maibigay...

[vhanya]

unfortunately sis, we booked via booking.com jan sa grande vista hotel. google mo baka may website sila =)

we didn't get the breakfast option kasi we want to eat outside since its just in the dotonbori area, mas maraming OK na options sa labas =)

[lheimatte]

I checked and until Feb 28 palang yung booking nila.  Find it mura parang kasing 9K yen lang yung 1 night nya compared sa 10K yen ng Fraser ang difference lang yung fraser meron daw breakfast, pero sabi nila hinde daw masarap breakfast. 

sa kyoto, nakita ko yung best western hotel pero malayo sya sa kyoto station.  Plan kasi namin na don kami derecho from KIX.  Wondering lang mga around 10:30 pm na rin yun baka mahirapan kaming hanapin yung hotel and not sure how safe din sa kyoto para rumampa ng ganung oras. 

[indigo.tulle]

^ very very safe sis but please check timeline for your train to your hotel and inform your hotel of your late check in. 

[lheimatte]

^Thanks sis! nice to know na safe to travel sa mga ganong time.  gano ba katagal normally sa imigration bago maka exit mismo sa airport, mga 1hr ba? or less than?

[indigo.tulle]

usually less than an hour but depends sa influx ng arrivals.  can't be sure...i am speaking from experience though with narita 2 airport.

[greyzie]

^^less than an hour lang even with the photo and finger scanning. baggage claim is very efficient, as well.

[lheimatte]

Thanks mga sis! So if touch down kami ng 8pm, mga around 9pm eh pwede na kami sakay ng train going to kyoto. So between 10 to 10:30 pm nasa kyoto na kami.

Thanks!

[lheimatte]

Mga sis try checking this site for some wonderful info regarding the different passes for convenient and cost efficient travel in jp. Meron din sya analysis for kyoto osaka nara kobe combi.

www.jprail.com

Aside from that, meron din na Haruka + icoca pass package for Yen 4,000 na 2k don is for the round trip KIX - kyoto/osaka -KIX via haruka.  tapos yung 2k is for the Icoca pass na 500 refudable and 1500 yung consummable.  Nice one and big savings kasi yung one way ng KIX- KYOTO/OSAKA palang via Haruka more than 2k yen na agad.

Then, sa Osaka meron silang econo pass. 1 day ecocard unlimited bus and subway operated by osaka city eh around 800 yen lang pag weekdays tapos 600 yen pag weekend.

http://www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp/foreign/english/ticket/convenient.html

I just hope pag time na namin magtravel, available pa sana tong mga passes na to.