philco

For pure indulgence I Booked a sale WT+ MFU to Club into Haneda and out of Narita for just 4 days in November...but having already seen Tokyo,Kyoto and Osaka I'm now wondering where else to fly on to internally and if there's a TP earning opportunity to factor in. Wondering about Kobe/Nagasaki/Hiroshima but no clear plan yet. Love Japanese food and the sea. Any experts at hand to advise? I'd ideally fly straight on from Haneda and back to Narita to connect home.

nizolidas

I visited Japan this summer and I visited Ishigaki ISG. A small island closer to Taiwan than Japan. All JAL group flights to ISG are via OKA so you would have the TP of at least 4 flights. I can only recommend it. Pics can be found in my TR here. PM me if you want more information.

nizolidas

Polomarc

I went to Hiroshima and Nagasaki a few years ago. Both are interesting cities such as the museum in Hiroshima and the scenery in Nagasaki.

HKGBCN

I'm afraid Philco you are out of luck for cheap TP earning opportunities ex Japan - suggest instead you pick up a rail pass before you depart (I know that sounds heretic on FT!) and see some more of this fantastic country...

If you were absolutely determined you could make a quick HND-TPE-HKG-CGK-HKG-TPE-NRT to get you circa 400 TP's (if all in club) for quite cheap, but the time in Japan can be so better spent.

lorcancoyle

Though if you are flying the class J option makes a lot of sense I believe - minimal extra cost vs. TP uplift (if you need them) - I'm not an expert, but have been looking at it a bit as used my last DC miles for MUC-TYO-LAX-LHR this December

For 4 days not sure if the really good value train passes would make sense - if you've got more than 2 or 3 journeys they do seem to come into their own

LTN Phobia

Class J is only 1000 yen more expensive than economy class, and First is 8000 yen more than economy class. Domestic First is only available on limited routes though.

Basically class J earns 40 TPs, First earns 60 TPs, as a general rule. There may be some destinations that earn more due to distance but I don't know - I only tend to go to Osaka or nearer.

You could go to Okinawa if you fancy the beach, although November may be chilly even in Okinawa. Warning - fares to Okinawa is generally not that cheap.

If you just want a normal ticket and not concerned about Class J / First, then get the Yokoso ticket for 10k yen per flight. Cheaper than catching the bullet train. I believe you can upgrade it to Class J or First subject to availability but note that it's not uncommon for Japanese domestic flights to be completely full and therefore your opportunity to upgrade at the airport may not be available. I am also unsure if airport upgrade earns higher TPs.

If you just want somewhere near Tokyo by the sea, you could go to Kamakura or Yokohama - just cheap, more or less 'local' train rides and there. In fact there are some interesting Japanese restaurants in Kamakura that may be worth a visit, as well as some tourist sites.

_nate

If you go to Ishigaki (and it is beautiful) also take a ferry to Iriomote and do a river cruise down into the mangroves. Try the local awamori (a shouchu-like spirit) and dine on seaweed delicacies.

philco

Thanks for the reminder (by PM but useful for all) that oneworld "visit Japan" national fares are a fraction of the regular ones. Can't decide between ISG or OKA (too short a trip for both but I'm certain I'm doing one!) Meanwhile BA plan to call me back as they need to get their fares dept to think about/quote these special fares.

LTN Phobia

You will find it easier to have JL price the Yokoso/Visit Japan fare than BA.

You can call JL in London (if you are based in the UK) to have them book it for you. You are likely to need to provide the proof of (return) tickets that are booked on OW.

http://www.jal.co.jp/yokosojapan/online/ar/

mkjr

if you have miles, it is better to use only 4500 for many flights with no taxes.

OP could fly from HND to KOJ, see Mout Aso and then take then activate a rail pass (or just pay OOP depending on whether you take the train back to NRT or fly from KIX or ITM) and take the Shinkansen Sakura train to FUK (pretty much J class in the whole train or green - 2:2 seating, buitiful interiors), take advantage of the street food/Yatai culture (perhaps check out a shochu brewery or the Asaihi brewer in Hakata), unless OP is there on the Sunday (Yatai's are mostly closed), then same Sakura train to Hiroshima (which I think with 4 days, i would chose Hiroshima and not Hiroshima and Nagasaki - check out the peace museum, a-bomb dome and miajima (scafolding is down now as i recall on the floating tori gate)), should also be a ber month to get some fresh oysters there and back again on the Sakura train to Shin Osaka (it does not go to Kyoto.. and terminates at Shin Osaka)...(not sure if OP has been in Osaka but the food is remarkable...http://www.bento.com/kansai/rev/8277.html this place was just wow when i was there in May...then another 4500 from ITM or KIX to NRT....

if you want to get off at Himeji for a few hours, that is OK also but I think the castle is still covered until 2013 or 2014...

depending on when in Nov, perhaps catch a play off baseball game and perhaps the hawks will be in the hunt and catch them in FUK...

also, being down near FUK, again, depending on your time, you could catch a match at the Nov sumo grand tournament at Kokusai...

[Note, if you want to fly HND to FUK, you can upgrade even a miles ticket to F for only 8000, I have done it and also upgraded 3 people to J class for 3000 on miles tickets]