En Route with Hank in Japan and the Westerdam

[Ferry_Watcher]

We used Google Maps to navigate the train system in Toyoko when we were there in October '22.  It worked great, especially finding the correct exit for leaving the train station to help to get you to the best surface street to get you where you want to go. 

[IslandThyme]

Thanks for sharing this trip with us. I'm contemplating the Majestic Japan trip on Westerdam next year and will be closely following your adventures.

[ger_77]

Our son and daughter-in-law lived in Asakusa 12 years ago and we went over there so I could perform their western wedding ceremony.  We stayed in the area and were treated almost daily to lovely Geishas walking down the street.  We love the subways in Japan, as they are among the cleanest in the world.  Thanks for taking me back to some great memories.

[ncgolferette]

I thought I would ask this question here and maybe get some advice.  I am flying Atlanta to Tokyo mid June.  The westbound flight leaves Atlanta at 13:00 hours - so will most of the 14 hour flight be in daylight hours?  Would the port or starboard side of the plane be best to avoid direct sunlight?  

Edited March 17, 2023 by ncgolferette

[Hlitner]

4 hours ago, ncgolferette said:

I thought I would ask this question here and maybe get some advice.  I am flying Atlanta to Tokyo mid June.  The westbound flight leaves Atlanta at 13:00 hours - so will most of the 14 hour flight be in daylight hours?  Would the port or starboard side of the plane be best to avoid direct sunlight?  

Just an educated guess, but you should opt for the Starboard side to avoid the direct sun.  I believe the flights generally take a polar route (to take advantage of the "great circle") so you are likely to fly up towards Alaska.  On the long flights, the flightcrew will usually take steps to darken the interior of the aircraft so folks can sleep.  This usually happens at some point after they have finished serving a meal.  This does depend on everyone with a window seat keeping the window covered, but the flight cruise encourage this behavior.

 

Hank

[mrmoviezombie]

https://www.airportdistancecalculator.com/atlanta-united-states-to-tokyo-japan-flight-time.html

 

You will have to scroll around on the map... it doesn't like the date line crossing... spherical mapping is hard math.

 

Since I assume you are not using an SR-71, the sunset will still outrun you. (More accurately you, the plane, and the earth will rotate you backwards away from the "sunlit patch" on the earth. And in-fact, it will catch up with you from behind as you get closer to tokyo.

 

 

Hlitner advice stands, you want the north side of the plane.

Edited March 18, 2023 by mrmoviezombie

[Hlitner]

Today is our last day in Tokyo (we leave for Kyoto tomorrow morning and it has been a gorgeous cool spring day with temps mostly in the high 50s.  This morning we took the metro over to the Emperor's Palace Gardens, did a lot of walking and than stopped in the Museum of Modern Art for a quick glance at the galleries.  Like most museums in Tokyo, it has free admission for seniors (usually 65 with a few places putting the age at 70).  We then took the Metro back to the Ginza Station since DW wanted to see that part of Tokyo.  We found a place for lunch with very good fried chicken (in some various Asian sauces) and a complete lunch (for two) with more food than we could eat only cost us about $30. After lunch we took a different metro line to the Meiji Shrine which was packed with Japanese enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  

 

They do ask to see proof of age, so it's a good idea to have a picture of your Passport main page on your phone.  We do not like to carry our Passports (which are normally locked in a hotel safe) and having pix of all our documents on the phone do serve us well.  

 

Yesterday was a complete rain-out and an absolutely miserable day (chilly rain, wind, etc).  We implemented our rainy-day plan which was to return to Ueno Park and see a few more museums.  Our dining in Tokyo has been low key/cost which was our plan. Tonight, we do have reservations at a pricy teppanyaki place where we want to just relax and ease our tired muscles.  We have been averaging about 7 miles a day (walking) and are worn out.

 

We received another e-mail from HAL (and a similar copy through our TA) again advising us to take a COVID test within a day of embarkation and have date/time stamped picture of the test results.  This is probably the 5th or 6th such e-mail from HAL and I wonder how many cruisers will show-up at embarkation and plead ignorance.  The e-mail makes it clear there will be no testing at the port.

 

Hank

[Sir PMP]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Today is our last day in Tokyo (we leave for Kyoto tomorrow morning and it has been a gorgeous cool spring day with temps mostly in the high 50s.  This morning we took the metro over to the Emperor's Palace Gardens, did a lot of walking and than stopped in the Museum of Modern Art for a quick glance at the galleries.  Like most museums in Tokyo, it has free admission for seniors (usually 65 with a few places putting the age at 70).  We then took the Metro back to the Ginza Station since DW wanted to see that part of Tokyo.  We found a place for lunch with very good fried chicken (in some various Asian sauces) and a complete lunch (for two) with more food than we could eat only cost us about $30. After lunch we took a different metro line to the Meiji Shrine which was packed with Japanese enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  

 

They do ask to see proof of age, so it's a good idea to have a picture of your Passport main page on your phone.  We do not like to carry our Passports (which are normally locked in a hotel safe) and having pix of all our documents on the phone do serve us well.  

 

Yesterday was a complete rain-out and an absolutely miserable day (chilly rain, wind, etc).  We implemented our rainy-day plan which was to return to Ueno Park and see a few more museums.  Our dining in Tokyo has been low key/cost which was our plan. Tonight, we do have reservations at a pricy teppanyaki place where we want to just relax and ease our tired muscles.  We have been averaging about 7 miles a day (walking) and are worn out.

 

We received another e-mail from HAL (and a similar copy through our TA) again advising us to take a COVID test within a day of embarkation and have date/time stamped picture of the test results.  This is probably the 5th or 6th such e-mail from HAL and I wonder how many cruisers will show-up at embarkation and plead ignorance.  The e-mail makes it clear there will be no testing at the port.

 

Hank

Lots of Geisha's in Kyoto, I took a couple home..

[roberts2005]

On our April 18th cruise on Azamara, there is a Covid test requirement before boarding.  Does HaL require a pre boarding test?

[cruisemom42]

13 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

On our April 18th cruise on Azamara, there is a Covid test requirement before boarding.  Does HaL require a pre boarding test?

 

Yes, for these Japanese itineraries. See post #32 above. 

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Yes, for these Japanese itineraries. See post #32 above. 

 

But which Japanese itineraries besides the one OP was taking?

[cruisemom42]

Check the HAL page for requirements. You can check by booking number or voyage number: https://book2.hollandamerica.com/protocols/

 

It is my understanding that, as of now, Japan is requiring this. That is, when I look up under my voyage number it says "This cruise is following COVID-19 Japan protocols for testing and vaccination."

 

So until that changes....

 

[SFO Peter]

If you are fully vaccinated and from the US Japan does not require testing.   You should complete the Japan Fast Track to see if you are eligible to enter Japan.  We are already cleared to enter Japan for April 10 cruise.  HAL requires you to test for Japan cruises because the ship has to keep Covid cases under 10 percent for the ship to dock at the Japan ports.

 

Peter

[Hlitner]

So yesterday we had a pleasant bullet train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto.  We had shipped our two large suitcases the prior day (a common thing in Japan) and the luggage was waiting near the front desk as we checked into our Kyoto hotel.  Went to the famous Gian area for dinner and ended up in a sushi/sashami/tempora place which was Ok.

 

Today we had a very cloudy morning and decided to take advantage of no rain and do shrines.  We took the JR-Nara train a few stops so we could visit theFushimi Inari-taisha shrine.  Lots of walking at a place famous for hundreds of torriis and about 32,000 sub shrines.  One could walk miles (including lots of uphill slopes) and this is the #1 rated place on Tripadvisor.  Cruisers who stop in Osaka and take a tour to Kyoto will usually visit this place. 

 

From that shrine, we took the train back one stop and transferred to a different train to get to Sansjusanangendo Temple which has a most amazing long building dating  back many hundreds of years.  The building houses 1001 lifesized Budda statutes, not two of which are alike.  This is another do not miss place to visit in Kyoto and would be included on most tours.  

 

Finally, after geting ourselves some lunch we came back into Kyoto where we hopped on a city bus for the 45 min ride out to Kankakuji Temple.  It had started to rain (we are in for some lousy weather) but we walked around the gorgeous gardens and admired the Golden Pagoda.  Even in the rain, this famous temple was crowded with many Japanese as well as foreign tourists.  The gardens and setting were stunning and worth the 45 min city bus ride.

 

As I post this, I want readers to understand we are in our mid 70s and doing all this stuff on our own with only public transportation.  DW and I have been very independent travelers for many decades and this is just an extension of that philosophy.  Like most places in the word, Japan can be done DIY if you do a little homework.  Many cruisers will opt to visit Kyoto if they have a port day in Osaka or Kobe,  but we do not think one day can even dent the attractions in this region,  That is why we planned 6 nights in Kyoto (pre-cruise).  I think having a small private tour makes a lot of sense for many folks.  As to large cruise line excursions.......we are just not big fans.

 

Hank

 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We took the JR-Nara train a few stops so we could visit theFushimi Inari-taisha shrine.  Lots of walking at a place famous for hundreds of torriis and about 32,000 sub shrines.  One could walk miles (including lots of uphill slopes) and this is the #1 rated place on Tripadvisor.  Cruisers who stop in Osaka and take a tour to Kyoto will usually visit this place. 

 

Planning to do this on my own from Kobe on Westerdam. It was my favorite place I visited in Kyoto in 2010.

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by cruisemom42

[Hlitner]

I want to talk about cost, which is a subject oft ignored on these boards.  Please reference my post #39 to understand what we did during a 7 hour tour day (DIY).  What did this day cost us?  If we had purchased breakfast at our hotel, it was about $16 per person/day for a decent buffet. But DW and I are not big on breakfast, so we never bought the meal package saving nearly $190 during our 6 night stay.

 

So, this morning we went out to a coffee shop and had coffee and some Danish (less than $10 for breakfast).  Our total transportation cost (trains and buses) for the entire day was about $10 per person.  Lunch cost us $9.48 (total) for two salads topped with delicious fried chicken pieces, a big order of French fries. 1 beer and 1 coke.  One of the 3 major sites we visited was free. The two other sites had small admission fees totaling about $20 (for the two of us).  So, a 7-hour tour of 3 of the best sites around Kyoto, with lunch, cost us less than $50 (total cost for two).  

 

Just imagine what it costs to book a 7 hour tour (for two) including transportation, 3 major sites, and lunch!  You would likely pay around $500 (for a couple) which is 10 times our DIY cost.  Is everyday this cheap?  No, but it is more typical than not.  We love DIY because we are not stuck in a large group and can do our own thing.  But the cost savings benefits over a long cruise (with many ports) can easily be in the thousands of dollars.  DIY is not for everyone, but it remains a very valid option for this senior couple.

 

Now let's talk about cruisers who stop at Osaka.  If they wanted to book the bullet train to Kyoto it would cost them about $70 per person (round trip).  So, their cost for the day could be in the $120 per person range (depending on eating and drinking habits).  

 

I am not writing this to persuade folks to DIY, but rather just trying to point out the various cost options.  The downside to our DIY day was that we did use trains and public buses.  On the other hand, we did not need to wait for that one person who is always late back to the bus, 60 folks going to the bathroom, etc.  And when it came to lunch we could choose our own venue, menu, etc.

 

Hank

 

[Hlitner]

20 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Planning to do this on my own from Kobe on Westerdam. It was my favorite place I visited in Kyoto in 2010.

 

Kathy and I do want to meet you, on the cruise.  Perhaps at a bar, for lunch, etc.  Let us know :).  We will be in 8040.

[SFO Peter]

Hankyu rail from Kobe with a change in Osaka to Kyoto is cheaper (but slower) and puts you close to the river in Central Kyoto.  Shinkansen is not too close to central Kyoto.

Peter

 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Kathy and I do want to meet you, on the cruise.  Perhaps at a bar, for lunch, etc.  Let us know :).  We will be in 8040.

 

Definitely. I don't like to broadcast my cabin number but have noted yours and I'll get in touch. 😊

[IslandThyme]

I want to ask you about language issues. On the Grand Asia I did walk around alone in all the ports except Tokyo, using just one word of Japanese (sumimasen) and a lot of gestures plus a smattering of English, but I didn't venture onto trains or buses alone. 

Assuming that you don't read Japanese, how do you find your DIY way everywhere without getting hopelessly lost?

[cruisemom42]

12 minutes ago, IslandThyme said:

I want to ask you about language issues. On the Grand Asia I did walk around alone in all the ports except Tokyo, using just one word of Japanese (sumimasen) and a lot of gestures plus a smattering of English, but I didn't venture onto trains or buses alone. 

Assuming that you don't read Japanese, how do you find your DIY way everywhere without getting hopelessly lost?

 

Signage is very good in the (admittedly major) cities I have visited to date. I was concerned about this when I visited in 2010 as DS and I had planned two weeks entirely on our own. We based ourselves in Tokyo and Kyoto, with a brief stay on Miyajima as well (with visit to Hiroshima).  At no point did we encounter any difficulty with English signage in stations. In fact, DS and I were just reminiscing about that trip and we couldn't recall a single time we made a wrong turn. Only once did I have to ask someone in a station about directions, and that was because we were in a huge station with multiple exits and wanted to find the correct exit that would put us close to where we were headed.

 

Some examples of signage in Tokyo:

 

 

 

 

 

Some stations even have color-coded paths you can follow to your chosen line's tracks (e.g., follow the yellow brick road):

 

[Travelexpert35]

I’m enjoying your posts and am looking forward to following you on the cruise. A friend of mine is getting on the ship April 10 and will disembark in Seattle. Which hotel did you stay in Tokyo and also Kyoto? My husband and I definitely want to return to Japan as we did a Transpacific in 2019. Would love to stay in Tokyo and travel around as you are doing. I know the subway system was very intimidating so I would have to do some research. We’ve travelled a lot using subways etc but that map in Yokohama station threw me off.

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, IslandThyme said:

I want to ask you about language issues. On the Grand Asia I did walk around alone in all the ports except Tokyo, using just one word of Japanese (sumimasen) and a lot of gestures plus a smattering of English, but I didn't venture onto trains or buses alone. 

Assuming that you don't read Japanese, how do you find your DIY way everywhere without getting hopelessly lost?

My only visit to Tokyo (other than changing planes) was in 1984, and in trying to manage the subway, there was always someone seeing your concern and stopping to help.  They all want to practice their English.  (Found the same in China in 1983 & 1993).  EM

[USN59-79]

Sara and I are very comfortable travelling on public transportation in Japan.  When we pick a hotel we want one near a subway terminal and with breakfast included.  In 1963 when we in Japan for our honeymoon we were a large train station with tickets for Fukuoka.  I wasn't sure which side of the platform we should be on for our train.  A train stopped and I stepped aboard to ask a passenger if this was the right train.  The doors closed, the train left, and Sara was still on the platform.  She was smart enough to just stay there.  I got off at the next stop, went to the other platform and caught the next train back.  In ten minutes we were reunited.  Ten minutes of panic of course.

Ray

[whogo]

You did well, Hank. I, on the other hand, seem to just miss transportation connections.

 

There is something to be said for a good guide. On a DIY trip to London, where we almost speak the same language, I welcome a docent led museum tour or a guided walk. I do much better with a good guide than I do with a good guidebook.

 

 

5 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

The doors closed, the train left, and Sara was still on the platform.

We did the same thing, abandoned one of our tweens on a tube platform.