Toyko n Kyoto

Hi there,

1.) It does not really matter, either place is a good start!

2.) I would recommend getting a Japan Rail Pass if you can include a return Tokyo - Kyoto with it at the very least. The more travel you cover with it the better of course.

3.) Kyoto can be hard to find an accommodation in during busy periods. You may want to try other places like AirBnB. Did so a couple of times without issue.

Kind regards,
Daniel

Hello,

1. This depends on several things - November is the season of autumn colours, and if you plan to see them, they start up north and work their way southward. So Tokyo might be better first. But there is not much difference either way. You can see a good list of popular places to see them here. The second half of the month is the best time.

2. You don't give your full itinerary (or could expand it), but for what you give, a 14 day pass would not pay off. With just a bit more you can make a 7 day pass pay off, and with some day trips you can really add in a lot of savings. So it's up to where you will go. I suggest though that 3-4 days for Tokyo are quite enough, and you could add some day trips to see great places like Nikko, Kamakura/Enoshima, Karuizawa, Kusatsu, Takao, and more. With the pass, even Sendai is not too far by bullet train and would really add a lot of value.

3. Everyone has their own idea of what mid-range is, naturally, but there are still some good economical options. I suggest you look at some business hotels - they are typically about ¥10,000 a night for a couple, and some chains are Superhotel, Toyoko Inn, Comfort Inn and Route Inn. They are not fancy, but they are clean, quiet, usually conveniently located, and provide free internet and free breakfasts. If you find it crowded, you might try for a neighbouring city, such as in Otsu instead of inside Kyoto (which is still a 10 minute train ride to Kyoto Stn).

And since it's your first time in Japan (and hopefully not your last), I highly recommend you stay in a Japanese inn (ryokan) at least one night for the experience. They can range from mid-range to exorbitant depending on the location and facilities. You might look at the Japanese Inn Group, Japanese Guesthouses, Japan Ryokan or here.

Good luck.