Third announcement

Third Announcement

Below is some comprehensive information concerning Hakone and the conference. Much information is also available about Hakone from various travel guide books and also from web sites, such as http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/introduction/index.html

[A]The hotel reservations

The reservations for your rooms have been made. 

The registration fee, 80,000 Yen, which should be paid at the hotel reception desk, covers almost everything, including accommodation for 25th-30th November, meals, initial drinks with dinner, coffee served at breaks, and the proceedings. It does not cover the charges for extra stays, room service, mini-bar, phone, laundry, drinks exceeding a certain amount at dinner and drinks at the bar. The fee for accompanying persons, 80,000 Yen, which also should be paid at the hotel reception desk, covers the same items described above but for the proceedings. Major credit cards are accepted.

If you need a receipt issued by the LOC rather than the one issued by the hotel at check-in, the LOC will be happy on request to issue you a receipt for your registration fee in exchange for the receipt issued by the hotel.

[B] Weather around Hakone

The Prince Hakone is located on the shore of Lake Ashi, which was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone. The elevation from the sea level is about 780 m. As a consequence, it is substantially cooler there than in Tokyo. The average maximum temperature in late November around Hakone is 12C and the average minimum is 6C. The useful weather forecast around Hakone is available at http://www.zoover.co.uk/japan/japan/hakone/weather

[C] How to reach The Prince Hakone

I. First, come to Odawara: (a) For those coming directly from Narita Airport (NRT): There are several ways to reach Odawara from NRT. Below is the most convenient and the most secure one.

Take the JR (Japan Railway) Narita Express (NEX) train bound for Tokyo, and then take the Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed train ``Kodama from Tokyo to Odawara (the third stop). The both lines are JR, hence the tickets can be purchased at once at the JR ticket counter. The total fare is 6,790 Yen including express charges. It takes about 60 minutes from the airport to Tokyo, and 35 minutes from Tokyo to Odawara. The timetables for these lines are available at http://jreast-shinkansen-reservation.eki-net.com/pc/english/common/timetable/e_nex_u/index.html and http://www.shinkansen.co.jp/jikoku_hyo/en/sanyou/sdh_tokyo.html respectively. Please note that there are three types of high-speed trains, ``Nozomi, ``Hikari, and ``Kodama; do not take ``Nozomi or ``Hikari, which do not stop at Odawara.

(b) For those coming directly from Haneda Airport (HND): Some of you might take flights arriving at Haneda. Take the Keikyu (Keihin Kyuko) railways to Shinagawa, and then take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed train ``Kodama from Shinagawa to Odawara (the second stop). The fare for Keikyu is 400 Yen, and that for Shinkansen is 3,470 Yen including the express charge. It takes about 15 minutes from the airport to Shinagawa, and 30 minutes from Shinagawa to Odawara. Do not take ``Nozomi or ``Hikari, which do not stop at Odawara. The timetable for Shinkansen ``Kodama is available at http://www.shinkansen.co.jp/jikoku_hyo/en/sanyou/sdk_shinagawa.html The Keikyu line runs about every 10 minutes from 5:25 a.m.

(c) For those coming after staying overnight in Tokyo: i) Take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed train ``Kodama either from Tokyo or Shinagawa. See above.

or

ii) Take the Odakyu Ltd. Exp. ``Romance car from Shinjuku. All the seats on the ``Romance car are reserved ones. It takes about 70 minutes. The fare is 1,720 Yen, including Ltd. Exp. surcharge. The timetable is available at http://www.odakyu.jp/english/rc/index.html#Timetable

II. From Odawara to the Hotel: (a) Free guests-only shuttle service to the hotel: A shuttle bus departs from Odawara Station, West Exit: 11:30 a.m./2:00 p.m./4:00 p.m. As a capacity is limited, advanced reservation is required with individual names. If you wish to take this service, please let us (h.shibahashi@gmail.com) know your preference of departing time so that we can make a booking. Please estimate carefully your arrival time at Odawara. If you would not be there at the departure time of the reserved shuttle, your reservation is automatically cancelled. A map of Odawara station is available at http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/traffic/stations/odawara.html

(b) Taxi: By taxi it takes about 45 minutes to reach the hotel. The cost is approximately 8,000 Yen.

(c) Public transportation: ``The Izu-Hakone Bus, bound for Hakone-en, departing from Odawara Station, East Exit, at 08:20, 08:50, 10:20, 11:50, 13:50 drop in the Prince Hakone. It takes about 65 minutes and the fare is 1,270 Yen.

[D] The Prince Hakone

We have received some inquiries about a possibility of extra stays at the Hotel before or after the conference. The Hotel offers some discounts for extra stays for the conference participants. If you wish to take this option, please let us know. We will make a booking from our side. The homepage is http://www.princehotels.com/en/the_prince_hakone/

High-speed internet wired connection is available at each guest room, but no wireless. Internet connection is not available at the conference room.

[E] Scientific programme and participants list

The latest list of the participants is available at the conference web site: http://seismology.astron.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/Fujihara_seminar2012/ The scientific programme will be announced soon. We will send you by email and will put it on the website. If you have any questions or requests, please do not hesitate to email to h.shibahashi@gmail.com.