Nagoya and Kyoto ~ Modern and Traditional

Nagoya and Kyoto ~ Modern and Traditional

May 11, 2015 | Adiek Sarah

Nagoya

From Takayama, I took a train to Nagoya. This route is included in Takayama pass and reservations can be made free of charge. For a more organized journey, I made a reservation the day before their scheduled departure.

On the way to Nagoya

I arrived at Nagoya station at around 11.00 am. As usual, I went to the information desk to get some information. Through the internet, I found out about MeGuru bus tourist bus in the city of Nagoya. I went to the counter just to ask for directions to get this loop bus. 

The counter staff tried very hard to explain, with the English language quite hard to understand. But I appreciate his determination to explain. I tried to follow the directions given. How easy it is to find the place, while the way his explanation seems very difficult. 

1 day Nagoya Pass is available for a price of 800 yen only for 2-way. In the map are set sights that can be visited at Nagoya. This pass is for transportation only, not included with admission.

Nagoya City

Here are the places I had visited during a half-day in Nagoya.

1. Nagoya Castle

From Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama Subway Line to Sakae Station (5 minutes) and change to the Meijo Subway Line to Shiyakusho Station (2 minutes). The total one way journey takes about ten minutes and costs 240 yen. From the nearest exit, it is a three minute walk to the castle's east gate.

Alternatively, the caste's main gate can be reached from Nagoya Station by the Meguru tourist loop bus in about 25 minutes. The fare is 200 yen per ride or 500 yen for a day pass.

Hours - 9:00 to 16:30 (entry until 16:00)

Closed - December 29 to January 1

Construction works cannot be observed on Tuesdays and Thursdays and during lunch break (12:00 to 13:00)

Fees - 500 yen

More stories about  nagoya-castle.

Nagoya Castle

2. Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology and the Toyota Automobile Museum

The museum is the first stop after Nagoya Station along the Meguru loop bus line for tourists. The ride takes ten minutes and costs 200 yen. A day pass for unlimited use of the Meguru bus is available for 500 yen. Alternatively, you can walk to the museum in about 20 minutes.

Toyota Techno Museum

Hours - 9:30 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)

Closed - Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) and New Year holidays

Fees - 500 yen

Toyota Automobile Museum

Hours - 9:30 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)

Closed - Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) and New Year holidays

Fees - 1000 yen

More information Toyota Museum

3. Midland Square and the Twin Towers of the JR Nagoya Station

Completed in 1999, the JR Central Towers rise elegantly above Nagoya Station. The building consists of the 245 meter tall Office Tower and the slightly shorter and slimmer Hotel Tower. The neighboring Midland Square surpassed the JR Central Towers in 2007 as Nagoya's tallest building.

The JR Central Towers stand on top of JR Nagoya Station.

JR Central Towers

After visiting Nagoya, I headed to the next destination, Kyoto. I will stay for 2 nights in Kyoto.Nagoya-Kyoto route is not included in Takayama Pass. There are several options to Kyoto:

1. Shinkansen - 6000 Yen (50 minutes) 

2. Normal trains - 2500 Yen (2 hours 30 minutes) 

3. Bus - 2500 Yen (about 2 hours 40 minutes) 

To try the bullet train to save some time, I finally decided to take the Shinkansen although it a bit pricy.

JR Shinkansen

Kyoto

Kyoto is famous as a tourist area. It has many natural attractions and sightseeing rich in culture and tradition, as well as architecture. In Kyoto, I spent the night in Origami Guesthouse for 2 nights worth 6000 Yen. It's a women's dormitory for 4 people. Clean, tidy but quite small.

Halal food? I actually have a little trouble to look for it. Japan can now be regarded as a Muslim-friendly country to attract more Muslim tourists to visit their country. As you surf the internet, you will find quite a few Muslim-friendly restaurants, but mostly it requires a 3-day advance booking. I can not think how to make a reservation when I stay in one place for less than 3 days!

Therefore, I have no choice but to eat whatever is available such as bread, fruit, etc. Not far from my stay, there is also a mini-market which sells cooked food. They have provided rice, squid, fish, and other foods in a separate package at an affordable price. So I bought it separately and then I heat it together to make a complete dinner.

One or two-day tickets for sightseeing in Kyoto (Bus-Subway)

These are all-day passes for travel within an allocated block by City Bus, Municipal Subway Line or Kyoto Bus. One-day tickets are good for one day. Two-day tickets can be used until the following day.

• One-day ticketsAdults: 1,200yen Children: 600yen

• Two-day ticketsAdults: 2,000yen Children: 1,000yen

One-day passes for City Buses

These passes are good one whole day on City Buses within a designated area of Kyoto City. (There is a diagram of this area printed on the passes.) If you get off a bus outside of the designated area, you will have to pay the difference in fare.

• Adults: 500yen Children: 250yen

Tips: There are only 2 subway lines in Kyoto, so it is not necessary to Bus-Subway ticket. The city bus had already covered the overall city

Source: Transportation in Kyoto

Below are the sight seeing attractions that I managed to visit. Not all, too tired to walk.

1. Arashiyama and Sagano - Getting here

Bamboo Graves

Path in the Garden

Hozu River

2. Nijo-Ji Castle

The entrance of Nijo Castle is a short walk from Nijojo-mae Station along the Tozai Subway Line.

From Kyoto Station, take the Karasuma Subway Line to Karasuma-Oike Station and transfer to the Tozai Line to Nijojo-mae Station. The whole trip takes about 15-20 minutes and costs 260 yen. Alternatively, the castle can be reached from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus numbers 9, 50 or 101 (15-20 minutes, 230 yen one way) or from Shijo-Kawaramachi by Kyoto City Bus number 12 (15 minutes, 230 yen one way).

Hours

8:45 to 17:00 (admission until 16:00)

Entry to Ninomaru from 9:00 to 16:00

Closed

Tuesdays in Jan, Jul, Aug and Dec (or following day if Tue is a national holiday)

December 26 to January 4

Fees

600 yen (English audio guides are available for 500 yen)

3. Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine is located just outside JR Inari Station, the second station from Kyoto Station along the JR Nara Line (5 minutes, 140 yen one way from Kyoto Station, not served by rapid trains). The shrine can also be reached in a short walk from Fushimi Inari Station along the Keihan Main Line.  

Hours - Always open  

Closed - No closing days 

Fees - Free

A walking path leads through a tunnel of Torii gates

4. Tofukuji Temple

Tofukuji is a ten minute walk from Tofukuji Station on the JR Nara Line (2 minutes, 140 yen from Kyoto Station) and the Keihan Main Line. Alternatively, the temple is a ten minute walk from Tofukuji bus stop (15 minutes, 230 yen from Kyoto Station by Kyoto City Bus 208). 

Hours:

9:00 to 16:30 (April to October)

8:30 to 16:30 (November to early December)

9:00 to 16:00 (early December to March)

Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.

Closed - No closing days

Fees - 400 yen (Tsutenkyo Bridge and Kaisando Hall), 400 yen (Hojo and gardens)

5. Kyoto Tower

Kyoto Tower stands on the north side of Kyoto Station.

Viewing Platform

Hours - 9:00 to 21:00 (entry until 20:40)

Closed - No closing days

Fees - 770 yen (700 yen with online coupon)

Public Bath

Hours - 7:00 to 20:30 (entry until 20:00)

Closed - No closing days

Fees - 750 yen (700 yen with online coupon)

Kyoto Tower Hotel

Disclaimer: Most of the information here are from Japan Guide.