Prince Hotel BlogsAs COVID regulations have eased in Japan, the country is seeing a massive uptick in tourism. As an island nation, Japan is surprisingly populous and its cities exemplify this. From the thousand plus years of history in Kyoto to the dazzling futurism of Tokyo, guests of the Prince Hotel chain have a varying array of experiences set out for them.
COVID regulated Japan from 2020 through 2022 meaning that visitors from abroad could only book package holidays with a guide included. But now the rules have been relaxed, visitors can make their own itineraries for a stay in the country. From the Hotel Prince Shinagawa to Kyoto, the country is teeming with affordable accommodation in some of the countries most character defining cities, and Japan is truly your oyster when it comes to how you navigate your stay.
Of course, with so much freedom of choice, comes an overwhelming number of options. Below you’ll find a few tips for how to make your stay manageable, and some of the ways you can prepare for your week in Japan.
For this blog, we will be assuming that visitors will want to visit, or have a base in Japan’s major cities – Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka during their stay, making day trips out to other tourist attractions during their stay in these cities. Taking into account city sizes, we’d recommend 3 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kyoto and 2 days in Osaka.
Haneda and Narita Airports serve the massive city that is Tokyo. Each serves long and short haul flights but for guests of the Prince Hotel Tokyo in downtown Tokyo, Haneda airport is only a 15 minute drive away. Narita is an hour and half out of the city centre, closer to Chiba.
Flying can be cheaper if you do so with a connection. That being said, the layover can cut into the time you have in Japan and make the trip far more uncomfortable and tiring. Whilst for some it might not be an option to fly direct, it’s a good rule of thumb to try and do so.
Japan’s public transport system is famously efficient, and Tokyo’s is no different. Its subway system is spacious, comfortable and fast and for a day ticket, the cost is only 900 yen, which translates to around £6 to £7 depending on conversion rates. Guests of the Sunshine City Prince Hotel with a Japan Rail Pass, which we’ll talk more about later, can get on the yamanote line for free.
The Kyoto metro is another spacious and efficient trainway, but the bus is also an important mode of public transport in Kyoto. For a bus pass, you’ll have to pay around 600 yen, or you can pay for single journeys at a rate of 230 yen, but will have to do so in cash. It’s worth noting that to board a bus in Japan, you will do so from the middle door rather than the front.
The Osaka metro is the easiest and cheapest way to get around the city. Again it should only cost around 600 yen for a day pass. The great thing about Japan is how unified the pricing system is for public transport. The price for public transport in one area will translate roughly to the price of another.
Below are some of our best tips for planning your trip to Japan. Whatever your agenda is, keeping to these rules will help you navigate and organise your stay at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa.
From metro machines to buses, many public transport systems in Japan only take cash. To complicate matters, ATM machines can be hard to find and can have long queues to use them. If you can’t find one, pop into the closest 7-Eleven shop and use their ATM machine, most of which take international cards. Alternatively, take out the money you need when exchanging your currency upon arrival.
Pocket WiFi cells can save you money on data when visiting Japan. Having the ability to navigate the cities with your phone connected to the internet can make all the difference when planning routes and buying tickets for events and attractions. The cheapest pocket WiFi comes in at around 299 yen a day.
If you’re planning on spending a lot of time travelling, then it might be worth buying the Japan Rail Pass. Public transport is incredibly efficient in Japan and a daily pass costs only £212 for 7 days of public transport travel. When you consider how much you will be using the public transport in cities like Tokyo, they are well worth the price.
As the largest city in Japan, Tokyo has a district that will suit all tastes. Highlights include the Studio Ghibli Museum, the busy Shibuya Crossing – acting as Tokyo’s Times square equivalent – and the national sumo wrestling tournaments – which take place in March and May. The district of Akihabara is teeming with anime shops and Harajuku is famous for its clothing and restaurants.
As the historic ex-capital of Japan, there is plenty of attractions to enjoy during your visit to Kyoto. Popular landmarks include the Golden Pavilion, Fushimi Inari Taisha and the Bamboo Grove, whilst many Japanese gardens, shrines and museums show how this city retained and protected its more than 1200 year history.
The smallest of the cities on this list, Osaka is close to Hiroshima, which you can also spend a day visiting if you like, especially for the beautiful Peace Memorial there. Osaka’s attractions include Nara Deer Park, just over half an hour outside the city as well as Japan’s first sushi “conveyor belt” restaurant called Genrokuzushi. Osaka Castle is also worth a visit, a beautiful fortress which dates back to the 16th century.
One of the most stunning landmarks in Japan, Mount Fuji is a mountain and volcano in Honshu, about 100 kilometers outside of Tokyo. The stunningly symmetrical cone of Fuji is even visible from the capital city, and on clear days can tantalize tourists and guests of Tokyo’s Prince Hotels from the city itself. Often found […]