Monday 1 February 2010

Sushi, Sumo ... and Seoul

Japan, Japan, Japan. So much to see, so much to do, so many questions…
I’ve decided to go in May, just after the Cherry Blossoms, before the rainy season kicks in, followed by the hot, humid summer. Deciding when to go was the easy bit – now for the real important stuff!

1) Do I do a 3 night stopover in Seoul and 11 days in Japan? If so itinerary will run:
3 nights Seoul
3 nights Tokyo
2 nights Hakone
3 nights Kyoto (day trip to Nara and Osaka)
2 nights Hiroshima (day trip Miyajima)
2) If I do the above, am I missing any key places in Japan?
3) Do you REALLY have to bathe naked in an onsen? Surely there must be one somewhere that allows you to wear a swimsuit?? Not that I have anything to be ashamed of, naturally…
4) What happens if it’s cloudy when I visit Hankone and I don’t get a view of Mt Fuji?
5) Is it worth arranging a visit to the Imperial Palace? I understand you have to make arrangements in advance.
6) Are Ryokans really that expensive? I’ve been quoted more than £300 per night!
7) Is it worth staying in a Ryokan in Kyoto as well or just in Hakone?
8) Is Asiana a good airline? Never flew them before.
9) Luggage forwarding system seems like a great idea. Is it really that simple?
10) 14 day rail pass is too long. 7 day pass will expire the day before I need to return to Tokyo for flight (seems cheaper than flying from Hiroshima) What to do?....

And the list goes on…. HELP!
Then there’s the questions of what I’m going to see, where I’m going to go. Time to visit a specialist me thinks.

2 comments:

  1. Promised to take the little lady to Asia later this year so let me know how you get on with the arrangements - and if you'd recommend it once you're back!

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  2. Love that you love to travel so much.

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