Pre/post Essence of Japan
We’d like to arrive in Tokyo a few days before our tour (2026) begins and are also staying a few nights in Osaka after it ends. Thinking of booking my own hotels for those in order to protect the budget a little. We should get one night from Tauck, not certain whether we want it pre or post tour.
Can anyone tell me (1) which hotels in Tokyo Tauck usually uses, specifically what neighborhood/area, and how much earlier you’d suggest arriving to best acclimate? (2) where you’d suggest staying in Osaka (I think the tour stays in Kyoto but we will fly from Osaka to HongKong) specifically what neighborhood/area and whether 2 days is enough time? Or whether you think it would be better to add a day in Hong Kong and only 1 day in Osaka? Have never been to Asia so trying to be as comprehensive as possible!
Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Comments
We found Tokyo the least interesting of all the places we have visited in Japan. I would stay on in Osaka and visit as many of the places you can that Tauck does not take you to… from there you can visit such as Himeji Castle…seen in Shogun, the Richard Chamberlain one. .Also Mount Koya, where you can Stay in a monastery..…. We visited those from Osaka years ago and again on our most recent trip. Hong Kong is worth staying several days. My husband had been there many times before I went with him in 2019 with Tauck. We stayed an extra day and went to Lantau island, it has old fishing villages on stilts, a massive Buddha on a hill and temple and a long cable car back over the harbor. One of the best days days of my time there.
Sue,
If you go to the Tauck website for the Essence of Japan tour you can see which hotels it uses. The picture is for 2026 tours.
We used our gift of time at the start of the tour, in Tokyo at the Shangri-La. A beautiful hotel, located near the main train station and the Metro lines. We loved Tokyo and I would have liked one more day there, and would like to return some day. There is a lot to do and many areas to explore. I recommend reading some guide books, and depending on your interests, deciding on what areas you want to focus on that are not covered by the tour. we did not stay on in Kyoto after the tour concluded, and I was ready to go home.