Japan on the Millennium - See Kyoto via Osaka

[Mom39]

I have a bad knee (can't walk too much) and would appreciate advice on the best way to see the Geisha culture in Kyoto during while docked in Osaka.

 

We're booked on the Celebrity Millennium r/t Tokyo on June 8, 2024.  REALLY looking forward to this 12-night cruise with my teenager.  I booked early and managed to take advantage of discounts of up to 50% on shore excursions.  I'm worried about Osaka because I don't want to miss out on seeing the best of Kyoto. The ship will be overnight in Osaka and I look forward to visiting Osaka.  But, I'm worried.  We're currently booked on a Celebrity tour but I don't think it will include any of the Geisha culture in Kyoto and that's something I really want to see.  I'd hate to cancel our tour as it is now a lot more expensive, but, again, I really want to see the Geisha culture in Kyoto, or at least I think I do.  Here's our excursion description ($326 for the two of us for this 9-hour tour because I bought it during a special sale):   Explore Kyoto, the capital of Japanese culture. First stop: Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Head inside for a guided tour after soaking in the magnificent panoramic view of Kyoto city. Next, visit the famous Golden Pavilion, one of Japan's most popular attractions. And don't miss the gorgeous mirror reflection of the temple on the still pond in the garden - it's one of the most stunning scenes you'll ever see. Get to know this brilliant, vibrant city. Then you also visit Nijo castle which is a part of world heritage in Kyoto.

 

Now, a tour operator recently sent me a quote but they want a whopping $1.4K to take the two of us to Kyoto: 

• Arashiyama Area

> Bamboo Forest

> Togetsu-Kyo Bridge

• Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavillion)
• Ginkakuji Temple (the Silver Pavilion)
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple
• Stroll Higashiyama District if time permits
• Dinner & Tea Ceremony with Maiko at Nihonbunka-An

 

And, I'm thinking about just using the train and seeing Kyoto by ourselves.  But, I'm not sure aboutwalking and whether we'd be missing out on a lot by just doing the old town and the Geisha activities.  

 

So, I'd really appreciate some feedback/advice, particularly if anyone has done the tour we are booked on through Celebrity and/or had a special tour in Kyoto.

 

Thank you.  

 

 

 

[Mom39]

I'd really appreciate some Osaka/Kyoto suggestions.  Thanks!

 

[zitsky]

16 hours ago, Mom39 said:

I have a bad knee (can't walk too much) and would appreciate advice on the best way to see the Geisha culture in Kyoto during while docked in Osaka.

 

We're booked on the Celebrity Millennium r/t Tokyo on June 8, 2024.  REALLY looking forward to this 12-night cruise with my teenager.  I booked early and managed to take advantage of discounts of up to 50% on shore excursions.  I'm worried about Osaka because I don't want to miss out on seeing the best of Kyoto. The ship will be overnight in Osaka and I look forward to visiting Osaka.  But, I'm worried.  We're currently booked on a Celebrity tour but I don't think it will include any of the Geisha culture in Kyoto and that's something I really want to see.  I'd hate to cancel our tour as it is now a lot more expensive, but, again, I really want to see the Geisha culture in Kyoto, or at least I think I do.  Here's our excursion description ($326 for the two of us for this 9-hour tour because I bought it during a special sale):   Explore Kyoto, the capital of Japanese culture. First stop: Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Head inside for a guided tour after soaking in the magnificent panoramic view of Kyoto city. Next, visit the famous Golden Pavilion, one of Japan's most popular attractions. And don't miss the gorgeous mirror reflection of the temple on the still pond in the garden - it's one of the most stunning scenes you'll ever see. Get to know this brilliant, vibrant city. Then you also visit Nijo castle which is a part of world heritage in Kyoto.

 

Now, a tour operator recently sent me a quote but they want a whopping $1.4K to take the two of us to Kyoto: 

• Arashiyama Area

> Bamboo Forest

> Togetsu-Kyo Bridge

• Kinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavillion)
• Ginkakuji Temple (the Silver Pavilion)
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple
• Stroll Higashiyama District if time permits
• Dinner & Tea Ceremony with Maiko at Nihonbunka-An

 

And, I'm thinking about just using the train and seeing Kyoto by ourselves.  But, I'm not sure aboutwalking and whether we'd be missing out on a lot by just doing the old town and the Geisha activities.  

 

So, I'd really appreciate some feedback/advice, particularly if anyone has done the tour we are booked on through Celebrity and/or had a special tour in Kyoto.

 

Thank you.  

 

 

Your disability and desire for a specific activity are exactly why people book private excursions.  I'd suggest getting a few different quotes, maybe from people you find on TripAdvisor.  It can be expensive but it all depends on what activity you need.  You might find it worth the price if you can be comfortable and achieve your goal of seeing the most you can.

[Poconolady]

Agree on the train idea. Book a hotel at, or near, the station. (Hotel Granvia Kyoto is above the station, not too expensive, clean and very convenient.) Go to Get Your Guide or Tours by Locals and arrange a Gion tour for the evening, and then a seperate short half daytour of several of the shrines and temples that you are interested in for the next day. Be sure to state upfront what your time restrictions are and the need for a guide who will take it easy on your knees. ( Japan guides walk very fast). The hotel will hold your bags while you do the half day tour and you will be right at the station to catch the train back. We did this several years ago and are doing it again at the end of the month. If you want to see Osaka, then just do the train and return late on day one.

[soccermommy]

We booked a ship tour on our October Millennium sailing from Osaka to Kyoto which included 2 temples, a lunch and a train trip on the Shinkansen  from Osaka to Kyoto (17 minutes!). I too wanted to see something of the Geisha culture and it wasn’t possible for us, but we did really enjoy the tour. Kyoto is so close to Osaka by train, and the temples are beautiful, but the older part of Kyoto is basically uphill, and there is a lot of walking. 
Imo, getting to and from Kyoto won’t be much to worry about, getting around might be more of a problem. While researching, I did see some tours on TripAdvisor for touring the Geisha district, but never investigated more deeply because we planned to spend our first day exploring Osaka, and the second day doing Kyoto. By the way, we also liked Osaka though it is very different from Kyoto.

I sympathize with your knee problems, and for that reason think the idea to explore Tours by Locals or other specialized agent a good idea. You should be able to customize for your needs.  I did read that booking a dinner with a geisha can be very expensive, which could explain the pricey quote you got.  We did find, however, that many tours are pricey. Japan is expensive!
What ever you do, you will have the cruise of a lifetime. We think this cruise was about the best one we have ever had, the ship is lovely, and the crew were fantastic. Please come back and let us know what you decided, and especially how you liked it! We loved Japan, and would go back in a flash, assuming we survive another flight from Boston.
 

[Mom39]

1 hour ago, soccermommy said:

We booked a ship tour on our October Millennium sailing from Osaka to Kyoto which included 2 temples, a lunch and a train trip on the Shinkansen  from Osaka to Kyoto (17 minutes!). I too wanted to see something of the Geisha culture and it wasn’t possible for us, but we did really enjoy the tour. Kyoto is so close to Osaka by train, and the temples are beautiful, but the older part of Kyoto is basically uphill, and there is a lot of walking. 
Imo, getting to and from Kyoto won’t be much to worry about, getting around might be more of a problem. While researching, I did see some tours on TripAdvisor for touring the Geisha district, but never investigated more deeply because we planned to spend our first day exploring Osaka, and the second day doing Kyoto. By the way, we also liked Osaka though it is very different from Kyoto.

I sympathize with your knee problems, and for that reason think the idea to explore Tours by Locals or other specialized agent a good idea. You should be able to customize for your needs.  I did read that booking a dinner with a geisha can be very expensive, which could explain the pricey quote you got.  We did find, however, that many tours are pricey. Japan is expensive!
What ever you do, you will have the cruise of a lifetime. We think this cruise was about the best one we have ever had, the ship is lovely, and the crew were fantastic. Please come back and let us know what you decided, and especially how you liked it! We loved Japan, and would go back in a flash, assuming we survive another flight from Boston.
 

Only 17 minutes?  Is it super easy?  I live in Chicago and we have travelled.  For some reason I've felt the need to over-book the excursions for this cruise.  

 

[Mom39]

Does anyone want to tell me that the Geisha stuff is really just touristy?  And, should be avoided?  It's funny but this is really bugging me.  And, I saw one cruise review which said people complained about it being shrine after shrine after shrine.  So, I really want to see the Geisha stuff.  In my mind, the old area is what Kyoto is all about....  And, yes, I am REALLY looking forward to doing this cruise with my daughter.  Very excited.  And, we'll have two days in Tokyo post cruise which will be nice.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

12 minutes ago, Mom39 said:

Does anyone want to tell me that the Geisha stuff is really just touristy?  And, should be avoided?  It's funny but this is really bugging me.  And, I saw one cruise review which said people complained about it being shrine after shrine after shrine.  So, I really want to see the Geisha stuff.  In my mind, the old area is what Kyoto is all about....  And, yes, I am REALLY looking forward to doing this cruise with my daughter.  Very excited.  And, we'll have two days in Tokyo post cruise which will be nice.  

Do an internet search. There are about a half dozen companies that do small group shore excursion tours at Japanese ports.  Also go to both the ports and your rollcall.   Likely something is already there.

[soccermommy]

I can’t answer about the Geisha tours, but the trip on the Shinkansen was interesting. We as a group took a bus from the pier to the train station, and they aren’t close, btw. Then as a group we went to the track for the train and were warned that once we arrived in Kyoto, we had one minute to exit the train…Trains in Japan are strict about schedules! Once we boarded, I barely felt the speed or any movement.

Then we boarded another bus to visit the first temple, we parked and then walked uphill, then walked up quite a few steps inside the temple. The Golden Temple is much easier to walk because it’s level, but there is a fair amount of it.

Yes, most of the tours do feature a lot of temples, and this past year was the first year Japan was fully open, thus there wasn’t a lot of choice in tours. I really enjoyed most of our ship tours, and admit it was a bit top heavy on temples, but there are a lot of them and the Shinto and Buddhist temples are  very important to the Japanese.

Trains are actually not that hard to figure out, and we found there was always someone who spoke English who could help us. We took the train from Tokyo to Yokohama with just a little help. Trains are relatively inexpensive and frequent, and there are videos online to help explain things. Good luck and just have a ball!

[Mom39]

OK.  The room at the Kyoto station is inexpensive.  Still not sure if we want to do that.  I'll continue with the internet searches.  Would appreciate any advice.  Thanks!  Would especially like to hear what others have thought of Celebrity's tours.  I hate to give up my tour because it was 50% off, lol, but I want to see the best of Kyoto which means downtown with Geisha stuff, maybe even dressing up as one...  Sounds silly, I know, but when we were originally going to do Japan, it wasn't going be via cruise...

 

[Liao]

1 hour ago, Mom39 said:

OK.  The room at the Kyoto station is inexpensive.  Still not sure if we want to do that.  I'll continue with the internet searches.  Would appreciate any advice.  Thanks!  Would especially like to hear what others have thought of Celebrity's tours.  I hate to give up my tour because it was 50% off, lol, but I want to see the best of Kyoto which means downtown with Geisha stuff, maybe even dressing up as one...  Sounds silly, I know, but when we were originally going to do Japan, it wasn't going be via cruise...

 

You may want to do a little research on recent news of crackdowns on tourists in Kyoto regarding Geisha's.  Not suggesting you would be doing anything they are cracking down on, but it may have an overall impact.

[zitsky]

37 minutes ago, Liao said:

You may want to do a little research on recent news of crackdowns on tourists in Kyoto regarding Geisha's.  Not suggesting you would be doing anything they are cracking down on, but it may have an overall impact.

Could you explain what you mean in more detail please?

[Liao]

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Could you explain what you mean in more detail please?

In the past few days a number of stories; CNN, The Japan Times, The Independent and a few others.  Tourists being banned in certain areas in Kyoto for harassing the Geisha's in public very inappropriately.  I apologize but not sure if outside article links are allowed, otherwise I'd post, easy Google search though.

[zitsky]

17 minutes ago, Liao said:

In the past few days a number of stories; CNN, The Japan Times, The Independent and a few others.  Tourists being banned in certain areas in Kyoto for harassing the Geisha's in public very inappropriately.  I apologize but not sure if outside article links are allowed, otherwise I'd post, easy Google search though.

Yes I can use Google.  I just thought if someone brings up the subject I would ask them.

[Liao]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Yes I can use Google.  I just thought if someone brings up the subject I would ask them.

I'm sorry you misunderstood.  I wasn't being rude, just wasn't sure on posting links, so I tried to give as many resources that I have seen the stories on.

[sunfun1433]

I am going to Japan on Millenium May 27 and when is Osaka, I found a hotel called "The Bridge Hotel" that I have booked. I am traveling with another friend and my son who is 22 and her grandson who is 21. We will take the train and check out Kyoto but we have booked this hotel to be near the foodie areas at night. This hotel also has free ramen, ice cream and cocktails for a certain time each night. The night we stay, they have a "kimono hour" where you can try them on. (They do this Mondays and Thursdays).

 

[NMTraveller]

2 hours ago, soccermommy said:

Yes, most of the tours do feature a lot of temples, and this past year was the first year Japan was fully open, thus there wasn’t a lot of choice in tours. I really enjoyed most of our ship tours, and admit it was a bit top heavy on temples, but there are a lot of them and the Shinto and Buddhist temples are  very important to the Japanese.

Hmmm.  Any ideas on scheduling tours that have fewer temples?  We did a Singapore to Bali cruise.  Yet again more temples than we would have liked.  We would like to enjoy the Japanese culture,  but not go to all 100 temples.

[zitsky]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Hmmm.  Any ideas on scheduling tours that have fewer temples?  We did a Singapore to Bali cruise.  Yet again more temples than we would have liked.  We would like to enjoy the Japanese culture,  but not go to all 100 temples.

What would you like to see?  We are thinking to go to Japan in a year or two.

[NMTraveller]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

What would you like to see?  We are thinking to go to Japan in a year or two.

Just the usual.  Food, shopping,  museums,  culture.  And some temples,  but not more than one per excursion.

[zitsky]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Just the usual.  Food, shopping,  museums,  culture.  And some temples,  but not more than one per excursion.

I hear they play baseball in Japan….

[zitsky]

43 minutes ago, Liao said:

I'm sorry you misunderstood.  I wasn't being rude, just wasn't sure on posting links, so I tried to give as many resources that I have seen the stories on.

Ok thanks for clarifying.  The number one answer on the internet is “Why didn’t you google?”  We could eliminate this entire website if we just googled everything.

[Texter2]

You might consider two tour companies that I have used with good results. One is Tours By Locals and the second is Context Travel. I looked them up for Kyoto and (without knowing your dates) found some tours that might suit your interests and are reasonably priced. Context also had a Geisha online course for $27. 

[soccermommy]

While we were in Tokyo we found a registered tour guide through TripAdvisor who worked with us before our trip to set up an all day tour based on our interests. As a result,  we saw the Imperial Palace, several gardens, hit a couple of tourist areas, a museum,  and ate at a restaurant in the Fish Market area frequented by locals which allowed us to try some of the freshest tuna we have ever had, and got a saki tasting. He was a lovely elder gentleman whose English was excellent and was probably the most organized guide I’ve ever met. I saw a number of tours on TripAdvisor which mention the guides are registered. I would highly recommend that as a good place to start.

 

[rinshin]

9 hours ago, Mom39 said:

OK.  The room at the Kyoto station is inexpensive.  Still not sure if we want to do that.  I'll continue with the internet searches.  Would appreciate any advice.  Thanks!  Would especially like to hear what others have thought of Celebrity's tours.  I hate to give up my tour because it was 50% off, lol, but I want to see the best of Kyoto which means downtown with Geisha stuff, maybe even dressing up as one...  Sounds silly, I know, but when we were originally going to do Japan, it wasn't going be via cruise...

 

Glad you mentioned dressing up as one because almost all you will encounter dressed as one during daytime hours is doing cosplay ie tourist dressed as one walking around.  Perhaps in the evening hours there is a possibility to see one or two real working ones in the Gion district.  
 

The Japanese walking tour guides with their flags move very fast.  And Kyoto is a walking town with some steps, small hills, etc.  

 

Best to arrange a good tour letting them know your mobility issues.  
 

 

Edited March 8 by rinshin

[Mom39]

9 hours ago, rinshin said:

Glad you mentioned dressing up as one because almost all you will encounter dressed as one during daytime hours is doing cosplay ie tourist dressed as one walking around.  Perhaps in the evening hours there is a possibility to see one or two real working ones in the Gion district.  
 

The Japanese walking tour guides with their flags move very fast.  And Kyoto is a walking town with some steps, small hills, etc.  

 

Best to arrange a good tour letting them know your mobility issues.  
 

 

Thank you.  Good to know.  If it isn't really authentic, maybe all I need is an afternoon tea with a Geisha the next day in Osaka...