Tokyo Metro pass doesn't cover 2 areas:

1. Disneyland (JE Keiyo Line)
2. Odaiba (Yurikamome or Rinkai Line)

Personally I've decided to use Roaming Man after comparing it with travel recommend. Similar pickup & dropoff and no deposit required for malaysian.

Coverage is good, IM and navigation for 12hrs out of hotel used about 50-70% of the device own battery.

But with 1 or 2 odd days it will drain all the battery AND 10k powerbank. I suspect becoz i leave it inside backpack instead of pocket or my wife is streaming video while in the bus.

This post has been edited by scchan107: Mar 12 2019, 08:23 AM

Personally, follow the lines based on google map is fine by me. Biggest issue is looking for the correct exits and/or changing lines at big station.

I manage to get lost in Tokyo station twice. Google map doesnt help when you are underground

Can consider spend few nights at Kawaguchigo? 2hrs bus frm tokyo.

You can go straight to shinjuku station and buy the bus ticket yourself (ticket vending machine with english language)

Personally, best part of kawaguchi go is staying in ryokan (watch out your budget) and enjoy onsen. If timing is right, there are fireworks as well (so choose lake viewing room).

Another landmark will be Chureito Pagoda, which is covered under World Heritage Loop bus from Kawaguchi go station.

I spend 2 nights there,

First day check in afternoon, walk around the lake and visit some shops. Few nice spot where you can take photo with Mt. Fuji in background. Evening having kaiseki in own room and enjoy onsen.

Second day, took the above mentioned bus to visit Chureito. Do take note on the bus timing. Limited trip per day, so if you missed 1 of the trip, you may not able to enjoy all the stops/attractions. Evening, dinner and onsen again.

Third day just check out and go back Tokyo

This post has been edited by scchan107: Aug 14 2019, 04:19 PM

Quick check with review in Tripadvisor gives me shivers. Those utterly cheap hotel will gives you really bad impression of Japan.
I will always use Toyoko inn as reference of good "budget" hotel in Japan, lifetime and worldwide membership for the discounted rate.


I will be going Osaka - Kyoto mid November with wife.

1st day- Estimated check in hotel time 8pm in Osaka, walk around hotel area.

2nd day- USJ

3rd day- Train to Kyoto, check-in. Take train thru Momiji tunnel and hav lunch at Kirobun, dropby Kifune shrine after lunch. Evening may visit 1 of the temple if still have energy.

4th day- Early morning walk thru Arashiyama bamboo forest, followed by the scenic train. May consider taking the (overpriced) boat trip back. Visit 1 of the nearby temple and nearby onsen. Evening walk around Kyoto town and nearby temple.

5th day- Back to Osaka, check-in, eat like no tomorrow in Dotonbori.

6th day (and 7th day) We are considering Osaka pass hence will target those facilities covered by the pass-
Morning: Osaka Castle Museum + nearby garden
Afternoon: Considering one of the boat trip followed by onsen covered by the pass
Evening: Evening cruise or bar hopping by ourselves

7th day-
Morning: Considering Sakuya Konohana Kan and/or Nagai Botanical Garden since wife likes all sorts of flower
Afternoon till evening: Food and walk around town

8th day-
Morning to afternoon: Let wife shop till satisfied (self reminder: make sure my own credit card is still in my wallet)
8pm flight go back

Google map will show you all the cost required from 1 spot to another, so plan out your itenary and list down the total cost vs metro pass.

What I did is buy tokyo metro pass via Klook (or whatever website) with discount coupon, especially those "first time user" coupon with heavy discount, open multiple account if necessary.

There is klook event on 28th and 29th Sept, need to rsvp (free) via klook

That will be the deposit RM200?

Where for Roaming Man, no deposit is required.

Just a quick check, based on Sagano Scenic homepage

"Reserving and purchasing basic fare tickets for the Sagano Torokko train became possible on May 21, 2019, through JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION, JR-West’s new online reservation service. Visit our website(Reserve/Purchase Tickets) to reserve or purchase tickets."

and I do manage to find the route here
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/route_search/

This is the scenic train you are referring to right?

As far as I know they have 2 types of ticket, Advance sales (1 month advance) and On-the-day ticket.

There's Hozugawa boat ride that is overpriced and slower.

Serve the same purpose as Sagano scenic train

or...

You can opt for more exiciting water rafting (Last run early November)

https://www.hozugawakudari.jp/rafting/course/jyujitsu

Just curious, will there be any other Klook offer that is Japan related?

I don't like the fact that it said *T&C applies
while I don't see the T&C anywhere

What's your per night budget?

Rejoice! No more scalper.

Quick check on Toyoko inn (plenty of locations for you to choose), single room (incl. breakfast) is roughly RM 260 per night.

Reservation seems to be open for 6 months in advance (can only check until March 2020) so should be still fine for Olympic (July), just remember to reserve early.

Do consider apply for their lifetime membership (1500 yen) for the discount rate, advance reservation and early check-in.

Hi all,

I would need some advice/tips regarding luggage carry service between Osaka and Kyoto.

For information, I will be staying hotel in Osaka and airbnb in Kyoto.


1st issue:

Planned trip - Check out hotel in Osaka, go to Kibune / Kurama in Kyoto, then check in airbnb near Kyoto station.
Issue - As far as i know there are no concierge service available in the airbnb and earliest time they allowed us to leave luggage will be 12 noon (too late for my Kibune / Kurama trip)

Question - Is there any luggage carry service that can deliver to Kyoto station from Osaka?

Or worst case scenario I would need to use coin locker, so far based on the station map found online, there's locker available in Demachiyanagi station in Kyoto which is along the train route to Kibune.

2nd Issue:

Planned trip - Check out airbnb in Kyoto, go Fushimi Inari shrine, followed by half-day trip to Nara, then go back Osaka check in.

Only manage to find Crosta (Kyoto) https://handsfree-japan.com,

where earliest drop off (office in Kyoto station) is at 8am, pick up (Hotel in Osaka) available from 8pm, rate of 1700 yen per item.

or another option will be carry along the way with coin locker available in Inari Station and Kintetsu Nara Station (Cheaper and early collection)


Note: There are Crosta in Shin-Osaka but there is no information regarding luggage delivery from Osaka to Kyoto.

Should I stick to luggage delivery or coin locker?

This post has been edited by scchan107: Sep 25 2019, 11:56 AM

I will be spending few nights in Kyoto including places that i will visit late evening or night. Those 2 issues are just my first day and last day in Kyoto.

Do note the following itinerary is not finalised as I'm still throwing ideas around and fine tuning things abit.

Day 1 - Check-in Osaka evening

Day 2 - USJ, dinner at Hokkyokusei? for the omurice

Day 3 - Osaka check out, go Kifune Shrine via Eizan railway with Momiji tunnel between Ichihara Station and Ninose Station.
Hike from Kibune to Kurama passing through Kurama-dera temple followed by Kurama Onsen.
Check-in Kyoto and evening to decide where to go in Kyoto.

Day 4 - Early morning to Arashiyama bamboo forest (Target to reach by 7am), Sagano romantic train, followed by Hozugawa boat (Yet to decide). Take a break at Sagano Onsen Tenzan-no-yu.
Flea market at Toji temple. (List of Flea Market in Kyoto)
Dinner kaiseki at Teramachi Yoshikura

Plan to visit Fushimi Inari at night (Either day 3 or day 4)

Day 5 - Kyoto check out, visit Fushimi Inari side trail. (Guide for Fushimi Inari side trail)
Either visit Nishiki market and enjoy slow and lazy day in Osaka (option 1), or continue (half-day trip?) to Nara (Option 2).
Once reach Nara plan to visit Yoshiki-en garden (Free for foreigner) and Isui-en garden, obviously will spend some time within Nara park. Wife been to the temple in Nara so we won't spend much time on visiting temple.

No plan for evening in Osaka yet.

Day 6 - Either day trip to Himeji castle, Koko-en and Mount Shosha
or chill out in Osaka

Day 7 - Osaka full day, still considering buying Osaka pass and cover the incl. attraction spots in Osaka pass.
Place to consider in Osaka pass:
One of the river cruise (Day or evening)
Sakuya Konohana Kan (Indoor green house)
Nishinomaru Garden
Santa Maria cruise (Day or evening)
Natural Hot Spring Naniwa no Yu
Natural Open-air Hot Spring Spa Suminoe
Keitaku-en Garden
Nagai Botanical Garden (Quick check, november seems to be season for Chrysanthemums)
Shitennoji

Dinner kaiseki at Masuda

Day 8 - Last day, shopping
Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, flight at 8pm

Note: Wife had stayed in Japan for 3 months once upon a time, therefore we will skip most of the famous (and jam-packed) temple/shrine in Kyoto. On the other hand, she is crazy about flowers and plants hence the focus of garden in Osaka (Still need to fine tune day 7)

Mine still at RM496 , already 1 month in cart still don't feel like buying it.