Travel Advice: Tokyo - Niseko - Kyoto

Hi there!

Hokkaido is pretty far away from Tokyo (10 hours by rail to Sapporo) and even further from Kyoto and Osaka, so I think think that the best way to travel there with kids would be to fly. However the last part Kyoto - Tokyo is in my opinion best travel by rail, a train connection between Kyoto - Tokyo takes about 140 minutes and you don't have all the airport hassle about check-in on time. The fare is ¥ 13,520 for one way, kids below 12 pay half price.

I hope this helps!
Daniel

Thank you for your help. Are there any places that you would recommend to visit during Dec? Thanks.

Hi again!

Consider a visit to the Kobe Luminarie which is a beautiful light show commemorating the Great Hanshin earthquake. It's is a very beautiful show and many people from all of Japan come to visit it. I would certainly recommend taking your kids there if you have a change.

Thank you, we'd definitely do that. We could go from Kobe to Kyoto directly by JR trains?

Yes you can take a direct train from Kyoto to Kobe, this line is called the Shinkaisoku and and will take you directly from Kyoto - Osaka - Kobe in an hour. Note that the central station is called Sannomiya (and not actually Kobe).

Thank you for your help. I am thinking rather flying to Osaka then going to Kobe/Kyoto, is there anywhere you would recommend to go enroute from Kyoto to Kobe, that way we could do the journey by train and maybe buy a JR Pass instead of having the hassel of going to airports and etc? Thanks!

Hi Again!

Kobe - Osaka - Kyoto are all on the same train line and you will always travel via Osaka if you go to Kobe. I have marked the 3 places on a map so you can get a feel for the distances.

Travel between Kyoto - Osaka takes about 30 minutes and an other 30 minutes from Osaka - Kobe so you can reach Kobe from Kyoto in an hour.

However if you want my recommendation for recommendation, make a visit to Hiroshima (for the The peace memorial museum) and Miyajima, you could do this as a day trip from Kyoto/Osaka or spend the night there. A JR Pass would also become worth it, if you make this trip!

Hope this helps!
Daniel

Thanks once agin!