"Hostels are fine by me," says Sue. "They're a great way to meet other travelers." Budget Inn and Tour Club are clean, well-run, and less than 10 minutes by foot from the train station; both offer a choice of dorms and private rooms. Sue and Kate can rent bicycles at either to explore on their own, or join a bicycle tour run by the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project. At some point, the women want to experience a soak in a traditional hot spring. They might try western Kyoto's Funaoka Onsen, which has been in business since 1923 and remains popular for its wooden bathtubs, large sauna, and outdoor bathing area made of cedar and rock.

If they have any time left, Kate and Sue should head south of the train station to the Temple Tofuku-ji and its Garden of the Hojo, carefully designed with stone and moss. Or to Kyoto's Arashiyama district, where they can wander through a bamboo grove and visit Okochi Sanso Villa. Admission to the villa, which was built by a famous old samurai-movie star and boasts a spectacular view of Kyoto, includes access to its expansive gardens and a cup of green tea.

Sue Sholin and Kate Oliver at Kate's house in Tacoma, Wash. (Keri Leary) [enlarge photo] JUNE 2006 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Splurges! • Secret Hotels of the French Riviera • Testing our Cruise Tips • Road Trip: Eastern Kansas • Trip Coach: Japan • 40 Best Vacations

Hopefully, the weather will be clear on the train ride back to Tokyo so that Kate and Sue can catch one final view of Mt. Fuji. The Japanese believe that whoever passes by this sacred mountain should make a wish. We imagine that after whetting their appetites with this quick taste of Japan, Sue and Kate will be wishing for a return trip--with more than a week to spare.

Surprise!

The Japan National Tourist Organization helped us arrange seven-day train passes for Kate and Sue from the Japan Railways Group, free of charge. The passes, normally $240 apiece, will make it that much easier for the women to do (and afford) everything they want during their packed trip.

Operators

Transportation

Lodging