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Wonton posted:Tbh I don’t see the need to go from Tokyo to Okayama immediately We're travelling at the end of December and over new year, accommodation in Tokyo is stupid expensive at that time. When I did the maths on doing Tokyo at the end of our trip (mid Jan) instead of at the start it saved at least $200 a night in accommodation costs. Japan is one of the more expensive places I've planned to visit so I'm trying to make my paltry $  stretch as far as I can.
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Apr 26, 2023 10:31
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I'm looking into having our luggage shipped from Tokyo to Kyoto but do train stations have lockers available for luggage? For example, we're thinking of checking out Kamakura on the way to Kyoto but we'd have our big luggage with us. Is there a place to stash the luggage at the station for a few hours? Edit - Looks like there are lockers but a limited amount for large sizes. Kaddish fucked around with this message at 13:19 on Apr 26, 2023 |
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Apr 26, 2023 13:08
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Kaddish posted:I'm looking into having our luggage shipped from Tokyo to Kyoto but do train stations have lockers available for luggage? For example, we're thinking of checking out Kamakura on the way to Kyoto but we'd have our big luggage with us. Is there a place to stash the luggage at the station for a few hours? Lockers big enough for large suitcases don't really exist as far as I've seen in my time here. You might want to consider a luggage storage service. e.g. https://www.trip-kamakura.com/article/411.html#ichijiazukari https://www.trip-kamakura.com/uploaded/attachment/1510.pdf The prices are reasonable compared to lockers, but you'd have to be careful of the opening times. Most I think will be 9am-5pm or something similar.
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Apr 26, 2023 14:55
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DiscoJ posted:Lockers big enough for large suitcases don't really exist as far as I've seen in my time here. Awesome, thanks for the info.
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Apr 26, 2023 15:28
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You can specify the delivery date with luggage delivery. If you're going to Kamakura for a day then Kyoto, you could just send the luggage on to Kyoto then bring a day's stuff in a backpack. Though as convenient as it is and I'm glad I used it, I also discovered on this trip that some hotels will refuse to send luggage and you're just screwed, so don't base your travel decisions around not having to carry it.
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Apr 26, 2023 16:02
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Coin Lockers.
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Apr 26, 2023 16:08
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Are you staying in a hotel in Kyoto? You could probably leave it with them before check in time.
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Apr 26, 2023 16:24
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Grand Fromage posted:You can specify the delivery date with luggage delivery. If you're going to Kamakura for a day then Kyoto, you could just send the luggage on to Kyoto then bring a day's stuff in a backpack. Yeah for sure, that will be another option. With regards to hotels not sending luggage, my understanding is companies like Yamamoto with either pick it up or we can drop it off at Tokyo station. However, it seems unlikely they would be able to deliver same day (I haven't checked yet) so there is some added inconvenience of having to carry all we need with us for a couple of days. Guy Axlerod posted:Are you staying in a hotel in Kyoto? You could probably leave it with them before check in time. Yeah, we're staying at a fancy-ish Ryokan and I haven't even checked with them yet to see if we can have luggage delivered. We won't have a crazy amount of luggage, one 'regular-sized' suitcase per person. I'm guessing we won't have much trouble with that on a Shinkansen yeah? Kaddish fucked around with this message at 16:58 on Apr 26, 2023 |
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Apr 26, 2023 16:55
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Posted before, 9kg near shin Osaka to near Tokyo station was 1680 yen, 7am pickup, 3pm delivery. Maybe a day in Advance to be safe. If your hotel can’t handle luggage forward (even the sotetsu kyobashi and Dormy inn did it) then convenient stores will
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Apr 26, 2023 17:02
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Wonton posted:Posted before, Thanks, that's extremely reasonable! Edit - In Tokyo, we're staying at JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom Shinjuku and it looks like they will help arrange luggage transfer to maybe we'll go that route. Kaddish fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Apr 26, 2023 |
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Apr 26, 2023 17:05
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Don't rely on same day either. I asked one hotel if they could do same day (Kyoto to Osaka so not exactly a big trip) and they said no problem, then on the day of sending told me same day is impossible. Bringing luggage on the shinkansen is fine. They have seats with luggage space, just tell them when you get your ticket.
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Apr 26, 2023 17:18
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Regardless of what we choose, it looks like we have options re: pit stop on the way to Kyoto so we'll figure it out. Thanks for the tips/info everyone.
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Apr 26, 2023 17:22
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Yeah you have options, it's not a huge deal. Just good to be prepared to change without warning at the last moment.
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Apr 26, 2023 17:25
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That's just the joy of international travel.
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Apr 26, 2023 17:31
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Kuroneko Yamato officially changed their luggage delivery to be within 2 days now. Seems like the next day delivery is still happening but not guaranteed.
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Apr 26, 2023 18:14
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Good to know. Sounds like I'll be OK if I just put all my day one stuff in my carry-on and ship my big bag to Osaka where I don't plan to be for two days anyway.
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Apr 26, 2023 18:28
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harperdc posted:So an hour the other way
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Apr 26, 2023 23:10
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Proof of vaccination etc. are gone by the end of the week apparently.
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Apr 27, 2023 02:38
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Yeah covid is officially basically nonexistent policy-wise as of Friday
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Apr 27, 2023 03:04
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From Kyoto, would it be reasonable to try to see both Himeji Castle and the Hiroshima park and museum in a single day trip, using a rail pass? Looking at the transit times on google maps it seems doable if we got to Himeji castle around when it opens and spend 2-3 hours in each place (though it'd be a good 12+ hour day overall), but I'd prefer not to rely on those estimates alone.
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Apr 27, 2023 07:13
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Would not recommend that, it's doable but you won't like it.
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Apr 27, 2023 07:57
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Doable, especially if you have lunch on the train between Himeji and Hiroshima. It’s the closing time for the museum you’ll need to be careful of. And I think the park itself doesn’t need 2 hours unless there’s some event going on.
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Apr 27, 2023 08:00
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Well you don’t need nearly that long a time at Himeji I think. I’d say it’s doable.
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Apr 27, 2023 08:27
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If you are going all the way over to Hiroshima you should stay a night so you can see Miyajima as well. You could book overnight at a cheap hostel or love hotel or something.
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Apr 27, 2023 08:44
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Stay on Miyajima (not cheap).
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Apr 27, 2023 09:03
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We'll probably be making the trip to Hiroshima somewhere around July 1st, so I'm worried that if we tried to see Miyajima there's a good chance we'd end up with awful, cloudy and rainy weather. I'd like to see the Hiroshima museum and park either way so I was figuring on just planning to see those, and not having to worry about the weather.
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Apr 27, 2023 09:20
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The train from Kyoto to Hiroshima is 1.5 hours, if you depart 720 you can get to town by 9. It’s a bit brisk to tbh, Rather go himeji + kurashiki and go to Hiroshima another time or for a full day
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Apr 27, 2023 09:37
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Also don't underestimate what visiting Hiroshima may do to you mentally / emotionally.
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Apr 27, 2023 16:07
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Riptor posted:Also don't underestimate what visiting Hiroshima may do to you mentally / emotionally. Yeah, don't plan to do anything fun for a few hours after. After the recorded stories of survivors and the display of personal effects from the victims I just wandered through the park and then a Shukkeien garden for a while (which after the bombing became a gathering place for victims). Then I visited a bunch of shrines, all of which mysteriously had to be rebuilt after the 1940s (literally everything in the city has been touched by the bombing). It can be a rough but worthwhile visit.
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Apr 27, 2023 16:19
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It’s important to go, I think.
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Apr 27, 2023 16:59
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Pollyanna posted:It’s important to go, I think. 100% agreed! It's one of the places I'm most glad I went in all my travels, but it's (rightly) not a breezy, light visit for most people
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Apr 27, 2023 17:04
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Since the renovation finished a few years ago, I think the museum is even more of a sobering experience than it was before. It used to start with the history of the city and end with viewing the effects of the bomb on the city. Now it starts with survivor stories and the bombs effects, which is a gut punch that you carry for the entirety of the museum and then long after.
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Apr 27, 2023 17:14
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On our first trip, half our group went to the Hiroshima museum while me and the other went to Okunoshima to coo over the bunnies. We had very mismatched vibes that night when we all got back together.
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Apr 27, 2023 18:28
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If your hotel won't send it, you can mail suitcases from convenience stores to hotels. Anywhere with staff should accept incoming luggage. When I needed to mail something to a tourist goon staying in an airbnb, I learned that you can send directly between Yamato offices and they'll hold the item for the recipient to pick up.
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Apr 27, 2023 23:47
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I went to the Hiroshima museum and site and I was, you know, fine to get ramen afterwards or whatever. YMMV though. It's a serious place but just don't let it sour your trip or anything.
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Apr 28, 2023 01:42
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Holy poo poo, I just realized I never got ramen while I was there. So many other good things to eat.
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Apr 28, 2023 21:07
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My goal for next few weeks is going to not be intimidated by the loving ramen ticket machines. I'll just have to make sure I'm not holding up a line.
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Apr 28, 2023 21:19
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Put money in and press the ramen button. There you're done.
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Apr 28, 2023 21:23
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Zettace posted:Put money in and press the ramen button. There you're done. I'm going to push a random button and someone will bring me a tiny dish with a single sliver of ginger on it. I'm going to commit to eating it so as to look like that's EXACTLY what I meant to order. Mmmm oishi katta as I stroll out with a big grin on my face
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Apr 28, 2023 21:33
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Pollyanna posted:Holy poo poo, I just realized I never got ramen while I was there. So many other good things to eat. How
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Apr 28, 2023 22:05
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