Japan Thread 3

[melodymedley]

I joined my friend in the Kansai leg of her Japan adventure. Spent 4days and 4 nights in Kyoto and explored the surrounding areas.

Day 1 - Arrived in KIX at 8PM. Claimed my Icoca + Haruka pass at JR (JPY 4,060). Took the train to Kyoto (75 minutes). Check-in Gojo Guesthouse dorm (also stayed here last 2012). Very late dinner.
Day 2 - Rested in the morning. Went to Nara using the Keihan + Kintetsu line. Pwede sana yung card ng ICOCA but eng eng ako at naiwan ko sya sa dorm at tinamad ako balikan so I had to buy tickets.
Day 3 - got the 1-day JR Kansai Area Pass for Himeji Castle - JPY 2,200.
Day 4 - travelled for over an hour going to Kobe. Had the most awesome Kobe beef meal set (JPY 5,699), which was life-changing. Binago nya ang expectations ko sa Kobe beef. Had a chill time walking around Kobe (not a lot to see, IMO). Onsen at night.
Day 5 - walked around Kyoto and hunted for souvenirs. Travelled to KIX airport. Shopped for Royce chocolates. Midnight flight from KIX to MNL.

All in all, I spent Php 20,000 for those 4 days and 4 nights - including airfare excluding pasalubongs/souvenirs. It helped that the JPY is now at 0.38 levels compared sa 0.55 nung 2012. [Good for the tourists, bad for the OFWs]

Was there during the last week of November last year. There were autumn foliage pero hindi sa lahat. I guess hindi rin nagiging orange lahat ng trees? Ganun ba yun? 

Ansaya saya mag-hoard ng Royce! If you plan to hoard Nama chocolates, just remember the expiry date. Meron ding Pablo goods sa KIX airport.

Detailed budget in my blog post (see link in my signature) 

[shygirlme]

^diba sarap mag hoard ng royce? ang bilis lang ng expiration date eh. next time I'll try Pablo na talaga.

[bagaholic_chewy]

^^ around the same time tayo nasa Kyoto, last week pf November din. The best fall foilage in Kyoto for me that time was at Tofukuji, same area as Fushimiinari. Ang ganda talaga! Andami lang tao pero sulit naman ang pagpila papasok.

Re Kobe, yeah wala nga masyado makikita within the city. Kobe beef din talaga habol namin dun kaya dun na nag-birthday lunch for my hubby + bumili din kami Kobe beef meat for our dinner. We went up ShinKobe Ropeway to go up Mount Rokko and nice din. Overlooking the city of Kobe sya so maganda ang view. Meron din garden and fall foilage. And we loved it kasi wala masyado tao so very chillax lang sa paglalakad and no pila sa cable car rides.

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ we joined a tour for Mt. Fuji before and hindi naman rush-rush. We went up until 4th station. And went up Komagatake mountain using the ropeway (cable car/tram). Me short boat ride din on Lake Ashi papunta dun sa Komagatake. We opted to join the tour para wala na kami iisipin sa pagcommute, etc. Di rin kasi basta-basta makakaakyat ng 4th station ng Mt. Fuji kung walang sariling car. Well, pwede i-hike pero tagal yun. Hehe..

[bagaholic_chewy]

Sis Aussiemom, if your Mom will only stay in Japan for max 15 days, she can just apply for the regular tourst visa. No need for Japanese guarantor or invitation from someone in Japan. Basta submit lang ng requirements sa any accredited agency, visa should be released in 3-7days.

The usual single-entry tourist visas kasi e good for a 15-day stay. If she's given multiple entry tourist visa, usually 30-day stay per entry naman yun. Wala lang din kasi guarantee na multiple nga ang ibibigay nila sa Mom mo.

[vainbutpretty]

hi sisses,  doable ba ang solo trip sa japan,
i.d been dying to travel here but being alone is what stopping me

[vainbutpretty]

baka me gustong mag japan , im looking for a travel buddy ,
im scared to go alone,, i want to go to japan, the trouble is wala akong mahila, huhuhu

[piggybear]

Hi sis bagaholic_chewy, may I know po san kayo kumuha ng tour? Thanks

[minnie99]

^^Sis! Will check your blog. hehe! I'm so excited. November din travel ko pero first week naman. 4 nights din ako in Kyoto, pero before that, 4 nights in Osaka.

Na-stress ako. Sabi ko kasi, tsaka na ko magbook ng Airbnb apartment. I even saved this apartment na malapit sa Tofukuji, less than 2k lang per night. Aba, pag-check ko, 5k na siya ngayon! Haaayyy. Looking for options pa na moderate ang cancellation policy. But I'm expecting to spend 12k in Kyoto and 12k in Osaka for accom, to split pa between two people.

Okay ba dorms in Kyoto? Yung K's House kasi di ko pa makita sa Booking.com... Okay sana sa Booking.com kasi no deposit tapos free cancellation.

[blackgreen]

Kami rin kumuha kami ng tour sa mt.fuji. sa viator.com kami kumuha tapos ang partner nilang local travel agency is sunrise tours. I just dont know kung mas mura magiging trip if derecho na sa local travel agency.

1st stop yun dun sa may view deck tapos dun sa 5th station then nag lake ashi boat then dun sa komagatake then uwi na.

[blackgreen]

Yeah super ganda ng autumn colors sa tofukuji. Nov 9 kami nag tofukuji pero ganda na ng kulay what more pa siguro kung last week na.

Kami rin sa booking.com may free cancellation kasi kaya nakapamili pa ako kung saan pinaka advantageous.

[sevangelista]

We've tried K's back in 2008. Ok naman sya. Shared bathroom nga lang. Common bathroom talaga for males and females. Not sure if they have private bathrooms na... You can try onsen. Hehe

Question, may nakatry na ng mga coin lockers sa Kyoto? Magkano?

[projectgora]

^ kelan ka pupunta sis? and saan? I am coming back this July 3-7 for Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival in Fukuoka. And again on December for Tokyo naman. Kung wala ka talaga makasama, I suggest go ka pa din. Hindi naman scary mag travel sa Japan at madali din naman mag navigate.  Sayang kasi kung hindi ka tutuloy.

[travelling_daisy]

^ Sis, how was the tour? I'm skeptical kasi to book via tour agency kasi di mo na ma-cancel in case of bad weather. Parang sayang kasi punta mo sa Kawaguchiko or Hakone if di kita si Mt. Fuji. Or the other spots / activities in the area will make up for it naman? Like the ropeway and Lake Ashi cruise? Thanks!

[princess lorraine]

Sis travelling daisy, we took the airport limousine from airport to shibuya excel hotel and vice versa. 

[melodymedley]

@sis minnie99: I recommend Gojo Guesthouse in Kyoto. Tatami room dorm sya. Ang hassle lang is yung showers and Western toilets, nasa baba. JPY 2,500 per night for a bed in a 6-bed dorm.

I also use booking.com sa mga reservations because of their quite lax cancellation policies. If sold-out sa booking.com, try emailing the hotel/hostel mismo because there may be rooms that they don't reflect in booking.com.

Di na ko umulit sa Tofukuji this time. Andun pala ang autumn. Nung andun ako nung first week of Nov 2012, wala rin masyado foliage.

[piggybear]

Thanks for the replies Probably tour na lang din kunin ko for my family para di rin sila mahassle.

sis travelling_daisy, yan din worry ko. Baka kasi masayang lang yung bayad if wala naman makikita.

[blackgreen]

^^i guess we are lucky kasi ialng beses namin nakita mt.fuji. tsaka nung nandun kami sa 5th station wala masyado clouds kaya kitang kita sa pictures namin. Okay din naman view sa lake ashi tsaka yun sa ropeway sarap mung cruise kasi ang lamig ng hangin. Nung asa taas na kami mapapa wow ka sa view pero parang nasa tagaytay lang din. Hahahaha..

[travelling_daisy]

^ sis blackgreen, may autumn foliage na ba kayo naabutan sa Kawaguchiko area when you were there? Hiw about sa Shinjuku Gyoen? First week of November yung travel nyo, right?

[blackgreen]

^meron na rin sis konti. Sa shinjuku meron na rin pero parang mas konti. Though di namin naikot shinjuku gyoen kasi umulan mga ilang minutes pagdating namin so alis na lang kami kasi wala naman masilungan dun.