Kyoto, the OLD capital of Japan.

Advantages: Cheap area, gorgeous attractions and temples, good for short visits!
Disadvantages: Limited activity so best for -5 day visits.

...I visited Japan at the end of this July, and have only just returned. I must say it was the holiday of a lifetime. Flights cost £900 each via British Airways. We visited Kyoto for 3 days. We got there via Shinkansen from Tokyo, and stayed at the New Miyako hotel, just over the road from Kyoto station. Kyoto was absolutely gorgeous and very easy to navigate around. You can get just about anywhere you want to from Kyoto Station. There are buses, subway trains etc. 220 yen is all you need for a bus ride to anywhere along the Kyoto bus lines. That works out at around £1. You just hop on the bus and pay when you get off. We visited Toei movie land which was a bit of a dissapointment. www.eigamura30.com. Looking at brochures we expected amazing movie scenes etc but it left a lot to be desired. A lot of it was shut off, and most...

Jellypigs 18.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

Konichiwa Kyoto

Advantages: It is a fascinating city which presents many of the contrasts of Japan
Disadvantages: This review is very long - but there is so much to Kyoto that I've only given you the main sites

...Warning: many of you may want to scan this review, as it is far too long. Kyoto has a great deal to see though... Kyoto gives its name to possibly Japan's most historically and culturally rich prefecture (kyoto-ken), and is contained within the Kansai region. The city itself which was then known as Heian-kyo, was used as the country's capital before Tokyo and shares this privilege with nearby Nara which predates it. Along with Osaka, Nara is also well worth a visit if you are interested in learning a little about Japan's history or seeing many of its most beautiful shrines and temples; many of which are national treasures, UNESCO sites or important cultural properties. The earthquake devastated and recently rebuilt Kobe is also an easy distance (all are reached within half...

ickkate 27.08.2004 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

  Key to Kyoto

Advantages: Enormous temples, exciting centre & good wooded walks.
Disadvantages: Disappointment if you let the guidebooks build it up too much & expensive.

...KEY TO KYOTO I went to Kyoto determined to dislike it. Everyone had said I should go – parents, employer, students and friends had all told me how wonderful it was. However, I’d also heard several things that put me off. For example, Kyoto does not have a baseball team. Apparently you must live in Kyoto for three generations before you’ll be accepted as a “Kyoto person”. When I met other westerners working in Japan those that worked in Kyoto would always tell me so in a declaiming air that smacked of a fat baby born into riches, talking to the poor, confused cousin. I was even told that “Kyoto was proudly waiting for the Emperor to return” by some, and all in all it sounded like a snobby town of overcrowded, over exaggerated attractions. Looking at the map it was an unbroken grey...

Hmatt 08.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

A Taste of ye olde Japan

Advantages: beautiful, hundreds of temples and shrine
Disadvantages: real danger of shrine overload

...For most visitors to Japan if Tokyo encapsulates modern Japanese culture Kyoto does the same for traditional Japan. For the most part it doesn't disappoint the shear number of Temples and shrines to be found here is absolutely incredible. Some of them are extreamly famous and as expected are pretty impressive but some of the better finds are hidden away on the outskirts of the city and exploring is very much rewarded. Getting there- Most travellers will arrive at either Osaka or Tokyo airports. Kyoto can easily be reached by bullet train or bus from Tokyo. The train takes a few hours the bus about twice as long but for about half the price. Both arrive at Kyoto station. From the station find the right exit and start exploring, most of the sights are to to the north of the station. Trains from Osaka to Kyoto are frequent and only...

randymutley 29.06.2004 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

Kyoto is fabulous.... shame about the hotel!

Advantages: Location
Disadvantages: uncomfortable, not very clean, dated decor

...I stayed in this hotel for 2 nights on a short break to Kyoto when we were on holiday in Tokyo last year. The location is excellent and is only a few minutes walk from the beautiful Gion district. The rooms are very small but I have to say this is standard across Japan in the lower priced hotels especially in the main Cities. The room wasn't comfortable and I wouldn't like to have stayed here for any longer than 2 nights. The decor was very dated and there was a lack of air conditioning which wasn't much fun as it was extremely hot when we stayed there. The room did have everything you need, it was just a little cramped and not very welcoming. The standard of cleanliness wasn't great, it wasn't really dirty, but it certainly could have been better. One little detail that I did like even though it is very small is that they left...

lacedcandy 04.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Karasuma Kyoto Hotel

Curious Customs: Tips for Visiting Japan, Part 2

Advantages: A great adventure
Disadvantages: Leave that handkerchief at home!

...Welcome to the second part of my top ten tips for visitors to Japan. As this follows on from Part 1 (surprisingly enough), I'll be kicking off with number 6. By the way, in case you haven't read Part 1 I'll just mention that gaijin is Japanese for foreigner. <6> ◄Eating in Japan► Japan is home to one of the one of the world's great cuisines and the Japanese are passionate about food; indeed it is a bigger topic of conversation in Japan than the weather is in Britain. Japanese food is a huge subject and as I'm only offering a few tips for travellers here I can only scratch the surface. I should perhaps mention that my Japanese friends have persuaded me to try just about every weird and wonderful culinary concoction imaginable and I've never suffered any ill effects. Often the things I could barely bring myself to put in...

Mitsudan 22.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Customs (Japan)

Konnichiwa! Tips for Visiting Japan Part 3

Advantages: Successful communication feels like an achievement
Disadvantages: It pays to invest some time and effort

... <10> Communication Welcome to the third and final part of my top ten tips for visitors to Japan. Having looked last time at the potential pitfalls for gaijin (foreigners) in blowing their noses and taking a bath amongst other hazards, this time I'm dealing with the biggest minefield of the lot - the all-important business of communication. So here is tip number 10. The Devil's Language? The brick wall up against which most foreign visitors come in Japan when trying to communicate is of course the Japanese language itself. It's said that in the sixteenth century the missionary St Francis Xavier, on discovering the difficulty westerners had in deciphering a single word spoken or written by the Japanese people, concluded that Japanese had been devised by the devil to prevent Christian missionaries from doing their good...

Mitsudan 25.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of General: Japan

Japan delivered to your door

Advantages: All things Japanese for the discerning British shopper
Disadvantages: In store labelling/signage isn't the best

...*Japan is now apparently in the centre of London!* Japan Centre is a series of businesses based in London Piccadilly, with the stated aim of having Japan 'delivered to your door'. It's an absolutely wonderful idea for a diverse range of people: from someone looking to take their first tentative steps towards trying sushi, or for crazed Japanophiles who can't cope without a weekly supply of edamame, sake and good quality sushi rice. All under one roof you can find a retail store, a popular website for ordering Japanese goods, a restaurant, sushi classes, Japanese recipes (in English), a user forum and a bilingual recruitment agency. Much as I love Japanese cuisine I can't speak more than ten words of Japanese, so this review will focus on the retail and online stores and some of the added extras offered on their site (www...

edinburgher 14.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Japan Centre

Hotel Alpha Kyoto

Advantages: Great location
Disadvantages: Cannot think of any

...straight to Sanjo or Shijo station from Osaka. Alight at Sanjo station and after coming out of the station, cross the bridge. You can only check in after 3pm so if you are travelling around Kyoto before that and want to find your hotel later, it is better to take the subway Tozai line to go to Kyotoshiyakushomae. - The hotel is off the main street and there are signs showing clearly where it is. Coming out of your hotel, you are on Sanjo market street which has a lot of shops and restaurants. Shops close at 8pm. Restaurants around 11pm. There are lots of things to see (for example, camera shops, souvenir shops etc.). The whole area is the heart of Kyoto and you will definitely enjoy shopping there. Rooms: The twin room that we booked is big enough for 3 of us. We have heard enough about small japanese hotel rooms before we went to Japan so...

dance 15.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Hotel Alpha, Kyoto

Golden Temple of Japan

Advantages: breathtaking castle, glistening in the sun
Disadvantages: A long way from England!

...visitors perhaps. However, the pathway around the temple itself is fairly level and easily accessible. I am not sure of current charges as it was some months since I was there, but you can check these at the tourist information office in Kyoto or look on the website. For me the highlight of this visit was gazing in wonderment at the reflection of this elegant building reflected in the water. In fact, I took a photo of the reflection itself and it is hard to distinguish which is the real temple and which is the reflection. Do visit if you are in Japan!...

inejenn 24.11.2006 · Read review
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Review of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto