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happy The night bus leaves in two and a half hours!
I am on vacation
YAY!
After some days mucking around in another concrete jungle--but at least a new concrete jungle--we're going to hit Fuji-san :)
Catch up with everyone when I get back that is if I find my way back with the help of Lonely Planet ;)
PS-Im going to DisneyLand...(or in this case Tokyo Disney Sea)...anyone remember that from the Lillehammer Olympics with Nancy Kerrigan?
July 7 2002, 04:41:31 UTC 9 years ago
A Lonely Planet Addendum
Note: This is an email I sent to Lonely Planet suggesting an update. I'll let everyone know what comes of itI have been living in Japan for the last eleven months and overall have found the latest edition of LP Japan (and to a certain extent the more localised ones i.e. Tokyo) to be quite helpful. However on my recent trip to Tokyo and the Fuji Goko region I found a lot that was not mentioned in the latest edition (hotels, booking locations) or has changed drastically. I know this can be posted on Thorn Tree but there is no guarantee that it will be read/paid attention to. Here are just a few of the suggestions:
Tokyo:
The free booking office at Tokyo Station has closed. There is a new one in the JTB office but they charge a 500 Yen "finding fee" and will only contact a small number of hotels on your behalf. However their staff can speak English and are overall very helpful. I'd also recommend thehotel they booked us into:
Hotel Urashima
http://www.hotelurashima.co.jp/main/ind
(in Japanese however you can see photos. English info is available at
http://www.itcj.or.jp/facility/3/fa
It is fairly cheap hotelbut its services put it well above "budget" accomodations. It is only 10 mins from Tokyo Station by JR Yamanote Line/Toei Oedo Subway Line and a mere 5 min from Hammamatsucho on the Yamanote Line
If you add any information on Disney Sea you might want to mention that tickets can be bought at JTB offices throughout the country for face value and are easily exchanged for Disney's "Passport" at the front gates--that is after you pay the 200Yen to ride the park's monorail!
Near Tokyo:
In addition to the bus service you mention from Shinjuku-Kawaguchiko (Fuji Goko region) it is also possible to get a similar bus from Tokyo Station to Kawaguchiko/Lake Yamanako for 2000Yen.
Sunnide Village in Kawaguchiko also deserves more than the blurb you gave them for their excellent English speaking staff and courtesy and the value of the 4000 Yen "backpacker's special" In addition, when you book that through Kawaguchiko TIC there is no finder's fee.
One attraction in the Fuji GoKo region that receives no mention in your book is the Fujikyu Highland Amusement Park in the Shadow of Fuji-san. It has rides for the whole family; from Thomas Land for kids to the world’s highest and fastest roller coasters for the more adventuresome people. Their all day pass is 4500 Yen but it is possible to purchase admission and pay for each ride separately; a good option if many rides are closed at a given time.
Kyoto:
Great job mentioning Shomenyu sento, an especially good find for us tattooed foreigners who cannot go to some of the more popular sento/onsens. Howver, how about some more specific directions. South of Gojo-dori and 300m east of the Kama River got us to the general area but it took a trip to the post office, police box, and stopping two women on the street to actually find the place. Kyoto Station’s TIC does not know of it either.
Hope these suggestions are helpful. I've enjoyed using LP in my travels this year (side trips to Australia and Korea) and look forward to using it again in Spain come October. Any suggestions on where to find LP Spain (clicks on LP Shop result in a variety of internal server error messages)
Thanks
-Cari
5 July 2002