Trip in the books
Tokyo to Singapore
London (LHR) → Tokyo (NRT) → Singapore (SIN) → London (LHR)
October 3-25, 2020 · 23 days
Trip summary
Three weeks and three countries, joined up by one train and two long flights. The train was the best part, which is not what anyone expects to say about the leg in the middle.
- Nights
- 22
- Flights
- 3
- Stays
- 3
- Bookings
- 7
The route
Oct 3 – 25, 2020 · 23 days
Oct 4 – 11
Tokyo
A tower in Shinjuku
7 nights
Oct 11 – 17
Kyoto
A ryokan near the river
6 nights
Oct 17 – 24
Singapore
A hotel on the river
7 nights
- LHR to NRT Oct 3
- Tōkaidō Shinkansen Oct 11
- NRT to SIN Oct 17
- SIN to LHR Oct 24
How you remember it
Recorded after the trip · an invented reflection for this sample
What stayed with you
Breakfast at the ryokan, looking out over the river before anyone else was up.
- Overall
- Excellent, 5 out of 5
- Do it again
- Yes, again
- Pace
- About right
Along the way
Hotel stay
A tower in Shinjuku
- Stay again
- Maybe
- What stood out
- Quiet, Small room
Quiet room and a view worth waking up to, but a long walk to the station every morning.
Train
Tōkaidō Shinkansen
- What stood out
- On time, Scenic
Destination
Kyoto
- Stayed at
- A ryokan near the river
- Go back
- Yes
- Time there
- Too few
- What it was like
- Walkable, Great food
Hotel stay
A ryokan near the river
- Stay again
- Yes, again
Remember for next time
Reserve seats on the right-hand side of the train to Kyoto. That is the side that faces Mount Fuji.
Leave one Kyoto afternoon with nothing booked. The unplanned hours were the best ones.
KyotoNext visit
Rent bicycles for the flat eastern side of the city. The buses are full by mid-morning.
A ryokan near the riverRoom tip
Ask for a room on the river side. The futons were firmer than I would choose, so request an extra mattress at check-in.
The Journey
Day by day, as it happened
Flight
LHR → NRT
Japan Airlines JL044 · 12h 29m · £412.40 · 90,000 Avios
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner · Premium Economy
Weather at check-in · A tower in Shinjuku · 68°F / 52°F · Partly cloudy
Check-in
A tower in Shinjuku
Shinjuku, Tokyo · 7 nights · 84,000 Hyatt points
Rail
Tōkaidō Shinkansen
Tokyo → Kyoto · £74.00
Check-out
A tower in Shinjuku
Shinjuku, Tokyo · 7 nights · 84,000 Hyatt points
Check-in
A ryokan near the river
Kyoto · 6 nights · £576.00
Check-out
A ryokan near the river
Kyoto · 6 nights · £576.00
Check-in
A hotel on the river
Singapore · 7 nights · £672.00
Flight
NRT → SIN
Singapore Airlines SQ637 · 7h 12m · £460.00
Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner · Economy
Check-out
A hotel on the river
Singapore · 7 nights · £672.00
Flight
SIN → LHR
Singapore Airlines SQ322 · 14h 06m · £388.10 · 120,000 Avios
Airbus A380-800 · Business
The route
Travel footprint
Keep handy
Trip record
Hotel
A tower in Shinjuku
84,000 Hyatt points
Hotel
A ryokan near the river
£576.00
Hotel
A hotel on the river
£672.00