Second time in Japan - please help
Feb 24, 2014, 4:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 13
Second time in Japan - please help
Hello,
I am seeking for a help with the itinerary for our 17 April - 3 May Japan trip.
We have been there last year during Sakura and had a great time in Tokyo (8 days), Kyoto (4 days), Nara (1 day), Yoshino Mt (1 day) and Hiroshima/Mijayima (1,5 days). We enjoyed everything we've seen, from temples and gardens to neon cities and big town bustle, also good food, bars, entertainment. Even a simple walk without a particular plan, where you easily get entertained or amazed with everyday lifestyle of contemporary Japan. For sure the highlight were Kyoto and Tokio so that's where we gonna go again this year.
I could choose between landing in Tokyo or Nagoya and opted to arrive to Nagoya and depart from Tokyo. Landing in Nagoya gives us option either to find something interesting nearby or to move directly to Kyoto without activating immediately our 7-days Japan Rail Passes, or to buy a Kansai Rail Pass (how much for 2-3 days?). Is Nagoya worth of an overnight stay (we arrive around 2PM) or should we carry on to Kyoto upon arrival?
An important portion of the trip is related to a 7 day JR Pass we want to use to go from Kyoto area to Fukuoka, travel around, and return to Tokyo. The main question for experienced travels would be various recommendations how to fill in these 7 days. We are interested in Fukuoka as well as the whole island, we want see the real life but also to see some interesting nature (a hiking day to some mountain would be nice) and for sure we need a recommendation for an onsen or two as that is what we have not experienced yet so far. For sure we don't want to go Fukuoka Tokyo in one go, so we need a recommendation for a break somewhere half way, most likely in or around Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe.
Also it would be great to have a recommendation for places that are preserved/avoid WW2 bombings, which could somehow fit in this itinerary with too much detour but with a JR pass. There is a town north of Nagoya whose name escapes me now which is often quoted as the nicest town in Japan that doesn't see a Kyoto amount of foreign tourists - anyone?
As the last week falls into Golden Week, I assume it's wise to be in Tokyo so we escape hords of people and expensive accommodation around. As we have an Airbnb appt there, the plan is to stroll around and do a day-trips (Yokohama, Kamakura, Odaiba). Is it possible to do Nikko as a day-trip?
So this is a vague plan, pls feel free to intervene or
18/4 - arrival to Nagoya, a day in Nagoya or around
19/4 - Nagoya - Kyoto
20/4 - Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe
21/4 - Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe
22/4 JR Pass
23/4 JR Pass
24/4 JR Pass
25/4 JR Pass
26/4 JR Pass
27/4 JR Pass
28/4 JR Pass, arrival to Tokyo late night
29/4 Tokyo
30/4 Tokyo - Yokohama day
01/5 Tokyo
02/5 Tokyo - Nikko/Kamakura day
03/5 Tokyo, departure in the evening
Many many thanks!
I am seeking for a help with the itinerary for our 17 April - 3 May Japan trip.
We have been there last year during Sakura and had a great time in Tokyo (8 days), Kyoto (4 days), Nara (1 day), Yoshino Mt (1 day) and Hiroshima/Mijayima (1,5 days). We enjoyed everything we've seen, from temples and gardens to neon cities and big town bustle, also good food, bars, entertainment. Even a simple walk without a particular plan, where you easily get entertained or amazed with everyday lifestyle of contemporary Japan. For sure the highlight were Kyoto and Tokio so that's where we gonna go again this year.
I could choose between landing in Tokyo or Nagoya and opted to arrive to Nagoya and depart from Tokyo. Landing in Nagoya gives us option either to find something interesting nearby or to move directly to Kyoto without activating immediately our 7-days Japan Rail Passes, or to buy a Kansai Rail Pass (how much for 2-3 days?). Is Nagoya worth of an overnight stay (we arrive around 2PM) or should we carry on to Kyoto upon arrival?
An important portion of the trip is related to a 7 day JR Pass we want to use to go from Kyoto area to Fukuoka, travel around, and return to Tokyo. The main question for experienced travels would be various recommendations how to fill in these 7 days. We are interested in Fukuoka as well as the whole island, we want see the real life but also to see some interesting nature (a hiking day to some mountain would be nice) and for sure we need a recommendation for an onsen or two as that is what we have not experienced yet so far. For sure we don't want to go Fukuoka Tokyo in one go, so we need a recommendation for a break somewhere half way, most likely in or around Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe.
Also it would be great to have a recommendation for places that are preserved/avoid WW2 bombings, which could somehow fit in this itinerary with too much detour but with a JR pass. There is a town north of Nagoya whose name escapes me now which is often quoted as the nicest town in Japan that doesn't see a Kyoto amount of foreign tourists - anyone?
As the last week falls into Golden Week, I assume it's wise to be in Tokyo so we escape hords of people and expensive accommodation around. As we have an Airbnb appt there, the plan is to stroll around and do a day-trips (Yokohama, Kamakura, Odaiba). Is it possible to do Nikko as a day-trip?
So this is a vague plan, pls feel free to intervene or
18/4 - arrival to Nagoya, a day in Nagoya or around
19/4 - Nagoya - Kyoto
20/4 - Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe
21/4 - Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe
22/4 JR Pass
23/4 JR Pass
24/4 JR Pass
25/4 JR Pass
26/4 JR Pass
27/4 JR Pass
28/4 JR Pass, arrival to Tokyo late night
29/4 Tokyo
30/4 Tokyo - Yokohama day
01/5 Tokyo
02/5 Tokyo - Nikko/Kamakura day
03/5 Tokyo, departure in the evening
Many many thanks!
Feb 24, 2014, 5:54 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,416
Name of the town you want is Kanazawa
Since Nagoya is your start point...
Inuyama - lovely castle and the wonderful Meiji Mura Historical Architecture park - lots of notable buildings that made it through WWII were transported here
A visit to Tsumago and Magome - you can travel on to Shirakawa go and from there get a bus to Kanazawa. From Kanazawa there is a train back to Kyoto.
Since Nagoya is your start point...
Inuyama - lovely castle and the wonderful Meiji Mura Historical Architecture park - lots of notable buildings that made it through WWII were transported here
A visit to Tsumago and Magome - you can travel on to Shirakawa go and from there get a bus to Kanazawa. From Kanazawa there is a train back to Kyoto.
Feb 24, 2014, 10:56 am
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Location: N/A
Posts: 403
Ise Shrine, would that be too far from Nagoya? http://www.isejingu.or.jp/shosai/english/index.htm
Or, Kumano (?)
http://www.hongu.jp/en/
Just throwing these in here. (my impression is both Ise Shrine and Kumano are somewhere between Nagoya and Osaka *coast line?)
I was going to suggest taking a ferry from one of Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Ehime to Ohita (Beppu Onsen) on a JR pass but unfortunately, the JR Pass only covers between mainland and Miyajima (that's it?!! bit suprised).
Here is the link to ferry service from Osaka to Beppu.
https://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/language/english/
Once landed in Beppu, you could enjoy the Onsen there and the use JR pass up to Fukuoka? Just a thought. Oh, I love Beppu Onsen.
You can buy a Onsen passport for around $10 or less and you can pick&choose 9(?, don't remember number) different onsen for free/minimal fee (sorry, I vaguely remember this part, so please double check before buying the passport, if you decide to visit Beppu).
Or, Kumano (?)
http://www.hongu.jp/en/
Just throwing these in here. (my impression is both Ise Shrine and Kumano are somewhere between Nagoya and Osaka *coast line?)
I was going to suggest taking a ferry from one of Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Ehime to Ohita (Beppu Onsen) on a JR pass but unfortunately, the JR Pass only covers between mainland and Miyajima (that's it?!! bit suprised).
Here is the link to ferry service from Osaka to Beppu.
https://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/language/english/
Once landed in Beppu, you could enjoy the Onsen there and the use JR pass up to Fukuoka? Just a thought. Oh, I love Beppu Onsen.
You can buy a Onsen passport for around $10 or less and you can pick&choose 9(?, don't remember number) different onsen for free/minimal fee (sorry, I vaguely remember this part, so please double check before buying the passport, if you decide to visit Beppu).
Last edited by msiamsia; Feb 24, 2014 at 11:11 am
Feb 24, 2014, 1:45 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 873
I wrote this on a different thread:
In terms of nature/hiking, there is Mt. Aso in the middle of Kyushu, Sakurajima off of Kagoshima in the south, and if you are very adventurous, the island chain including Yakushima. I'm sure there are plenty of other hiking opportunities in Kyushu that others can chime in about, as well.
One other thing to keep in mind, and this is true for much of Asia in general: Even if places were spared bombing in WWII, there is a very fluid idea of what constitutes a historical building, and very often you'll find that a building was completely rebuilt 100, 50, 25 years ago or even more recently. In Japan, buildings were historically made out of wood, and devastating fires were fairly common over the long stretch of years. I think many historical sites were rebuilt for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Don't let that stop you, as some were painstakingly recreated like Kumamoto Castle, while others are not as authentic, like the concrete museum that is Osaka Castle.
I would recommend Kyushu- it is diverse, with a different feel from Honshu (where your entire itinerary is based), and lots of great nature, culture, and street cars! I would suggest 1-2 days in Nagasaki and the other days in some combination of Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Beppu, and Kagoshima. These are all charming cities most Western tourists don't make it to, especially on a first-time trip to Japan. If Nagasaki were closer to Tokyo, I would push for it to be on most first-time itineraries- it is that cool.
Nagasaki has a very cool Peace Park full of sculptural gifts from around the world. I prefer its A-bomb museum to Hiroshima's, as it puts the bomb within the greater context of the war and how Japan got to that point. There is also the reconstruction of Dejima, which holds a unique point in Japanese history serving as the "sole point of contact" with the Western world for 250 years, as outsiders were prohibited from setting foot on Japanese soil (keep this in mind for later). There is a cable car up the mountain with a great view of the area, the Catholic church, a strange Dutch amusement park, and great neighborhoods to walk around in. There is probably more that I am forgetting, but I spent a very full day there and left wanting more.
Kumamoto has a cool park modeling the stops of the Tokkaido road and a nice reconstructed castle.
Beppu is a fun touristy onsen city.
Kagoshima has lots of sites related to Saigo Takamori, the real "Last Samurai" and is the heart of the Satsuma clan. When the shogun had consolidated rule over Japan, imposing isolation and different rules to maintain power, the Satsuma clan mostly said "screw you" and did what they wanted. The combination of being a powerful family and among the most remote from Edo, they were the exception to the isolation rule but the Shogun couldn't really do anything about it. Also, there is a freaking smoking volcano right there in the harbor. It is at the southern coast of Kyushu, so even with full bullet train access takes a while to get to, but is a very cool city.
Fukuoka has a cool Hakata folk museum and lots of other things that I squandered by not knowing what to see.
Kumamoto has a cool park modeling the stops of the Tokkaido road and a nice reconstructed castle.
Beppu is a fun touristy onsen city.
Kagoshima has lots of sites related to Saigo Takamori, the real "Last Samurai" and is the heart of the Satsuma clan. When the shogun had consolidated rule over Japan, imposing isolation and different rules to maintain power, the Satsuma clan mostly said "screw you" and did what they wanted. The combination of being a powerful family and among the most remote from Edo, they were the exception to the isolation rule but the Shogun couldn't really do anything about it. Also, there is a freaking smoking volcano right there in the harbor. It is at the southern coast of Kyushu, so even with full bullet train access takes a while to get to, but is a very cool city.
Fukuoka has a cool Hakata folk museum and lots of other things that I squandered by not knowing what to see.
One other thing to keep in mind, and this is true for much of Asia in general: Even if places were spared bombing in WWII, there is a very fluid idea of what constitutes a historical building, and very often you'll find that a building was completely rebuilt 100, 50, 25 years ago or even more recently. In Japan, buildings were historically made out of wood, and devastating fires were fairly common over the long stretch of years. I think many historical sites were rebuilt for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Don't let that stop you, as some were painstakingly recreated like Kumamoto Castle, while others are not as authentic, like the concrete museum that is Osaka Castle.
Last edited by Pureboy; Feb 24, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Feb 24, 2014, 2:51 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
I agree that Nagasaki is a fine choice but for an itinerary that goes from Nagoya to Fukuoka and back up to Tokyo, it is probably a bit of a reach. Unless, that is, the OP wanted to fly that last leg from FUK to HND or NRT.
I think the Centrair airport in Nagoya is a great place to arrive in Japan. I only wish my preferred airline still used it. However, there is not really much to see in Nagoya. Since the trip to Kyoto is less than 2 hours, I'd just go straight to Kyoto without the overnight in Nagoya.
I think the Centrair airport in Nagoya is a great place to arrive in Japan. I only wish my preferred airline still used it. However, there is not really much to see in Nagoya. Since the trip to Kyoto is less than 2 hours, I'd just go straight to Kyoto without the overnight in Nagoya.
Feb 25, 2014, 3:06 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 13
Many many thanks for such a thorough and informative answers. Some of my dilemmas are now cleared and the trip is slowly shaping.
If my wife agrees, we would try to reach Kanazawa or at least Takamura straight from Nagoya Airport for 2-3 nights in the region. These are anyway connected by bus so we don't need to activate our JR Passes yet.
After that we would hop to Kyoto/Osaka for a night or two.
Than Kyushu for 7 nights with the last night ride to Tokyo. I found on net the following Osaka - Kyushu - Tokyo itinerary:
http://jprail.com/sample-itineraries/kyushu-7-days.html
For our taste the pace is a bit high:
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka ss, Nagasaka Kumamoto early afternoon, Kumamoto ss
3 day: Kumamoto - Aso - Mt Aso, morning. Aso - Beppu late afternoon. Bepu ss and overnight.
4 day: Beppu - Takachiho morning, Takachiho ss, Takachiho - Miyazaki late afternoon/evening transfer
5 day: Miyazaki - Aoshima transfer, Aoshima ss, transfer to Udo shrine, Miyazaki Kagoshima evening transfer
6 day Kagoshima ss, afternoon transfer to Hakata
7 day Hakata, evening transfer to Okayama to catch Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
This is CLEARLY too much travel for our taste. 4th and 5th day we believe we should maybe skip, stay a bit longer elsewhere. I also see they are very much south so this is definitely something we don't want to do - spending daytime in travel so much. If we go to Mt Aso that will be pretty enough of nature so we can skip the gorge, also we'd like not to rush so much from Nagasaki or Beppu. Any suggestions for an alternative, slower itenerary? Sasebo - Nagasaki - Kumamoto - Beppo - Hakata (Fukuoka)? Do we miss something important or is there anything spectacular to add along these routes?
If my wife agrees, we would try to reach Kanazawa or at least Takamura straight from Nagoya Airport for 2-3 nights in the region. These are anyway connected by bus so we don't need to activate our JR Passes yet.
After that we would hop to Kyoto/Osaka for a night or two.
Than Kyushu for 7 nights with the last night ride to Tokyo. I found on net the following Osaka - Kyushu - Tokyo itinerary:
http://jprail.com/sample-itineraries/kyushu-7-days.html
For our taste the pace is a bit high:
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka ss, Nagasaka Kumamoto early afternoon, Kumamoto ss
3 day: Kumamoto - Aso - Mt Aso, morning. Aso - Beppu late afternoon. Bepu ss and overnight.
4 day: Beppu - Takachiho morning, Takachiho ss, Takachiho - Miyazaki late afternoon/evening transfer
5 day: Miyazaki - Aoshima transfer, Aoshima ss, transfer to Udo shrine, Miyazaki Kagoshima evening transfer
6 day Kagoshima ss, afternoon transfer to Hakata
7 day Hakata, evening transfer to Okayama to catch Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
This is CLEARLY too much travel for our taste. 4th and 5th day we believe we should maybe skip, stay a bit longer elsewhere. I also see they are very much south so this is definitely something we don't want to do - spending daytime in travel so much. If we go to Mt Aso that will be pretty enough of nature so we can skip the gorge, also we'd like not to rush so much from Nagasaki or Beppu. Any suggestions for an alternative, slower itenerary? Sasebo - Nagasaki - Kumamoto - Beppo - Hakata (Fukuoka)? Do we miss something important or is there anything spectacular to add along these routes?
Last edited by anubisgrau; Feb 25, 2014 at 3:35 am
Feb 25, 2014, 4:37 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,648
Feb 25, 2014, 3:18 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Location: N/A
Posts: 403
In case, if you decide to stop by Beppu. Here is the very infromative website explaining Onsen in Beppu. But it is all in Japanese!! (Couldn't find English counterpart)..
http://onsendo.beppu-navi.jp/
And, this is how Beppu Onsen Passport look like. This is 2013-2014 version, the latest one.
http://onsendo.beppu-navi.jp/topic/1493.html
If you decide to visit Kumamoto, there is a Kurokawa Onsen in Kumamoto (so, you don't have to boil your brain about squeezing Beppu). Kurokawa Onsen is very popular amongst Japanese. My parents loved it very much.
Kurokawa Onsen
http://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/english/
As for your itinenary, that 7-day Kyushu trip?! I will be exhausted by the time I reach Hakata with that much activity packaged in.
I agree with you that maybe stick to selected few places in Kyushu for, say 5 days? (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, left top-half of Kyushu)
http://onsendo.beppu-navi.jp/
And, this is how Beppu Onsen Passport look like. This is 2013-2014 version, the latest one.
http://onsendo.beppu-navi.jp/topic/1493.html
If you decide to visit Kumamoto, there is a Kurokawa Onsen in Kumamoto (so, you don't have to boil your brain about squeezing Beppu). Kurokawa Onsen is very popular amongst Japanese. My parents loved it very much.
Kurokawa Onsen
http://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/english/
As for your itinenary, that 7-day Kyushu trip?! I will be exhausted by the time I reach Hakata with that much activity packaged in.
I agree with you that maybe stick to selected few places in Kyushu for, say 5 days? (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, left top-half of Kyushu)
Last edited by msiamsia; Feb 25, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Feb 25, 2014, 11:42 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,381
As for your itinenary, that 7-day Kyushu trip?! I will be exhausted by the time I reach Hakata with that much activity packaged in.
I agree with you that maybe stick to selected few places in Kyushu for, say 5 days? (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, left top-half of Kyushu)
I agree with you that maybe stick to selected few places in Kyushu for, say 5 days? (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, left top-half of Kyushu)
I think you can skip places like Beppu and Fukuoka. I like Fukuoka, but I'm not sure if it's distinctively high-yield for a western tourist visiting Japan. Beppu can be totally skipped imo.
Kumamoto to Tokyo via bullet train is pretty fast & comfortable btw. It's ~7hr, and 7hr on shinkansen is pretty relaxing.
Feb 26, 2014, 2:12 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 873
Mar 23, 2014, 5:27 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 13
OK it seems like we cut it down to the following:
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka sightseeing
3 day: Nagasaki - Kumamoto
4 day: Kumamoto - Mt Aso trip, evening at Kurokawa Onsen
5 day: Kumamoto Hakata
6 day Hakata sightseeing
7 day Hakata - Okayama, Okayama ss, Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
so it's 2 nights Nagasaki, 2 nights Kumamoto, 2 nights Hakata plus overnight trip to Tokyo
does this look okay? we slowed down a bit, not too crazy to rush around and more open for a shorter, daily trips from hakata, nagasaki and kumamoto.... any suggestions?
how do i com from kurokawa to kumamoto, how much time i need for that?
i also can't seem to find any option for online reservation of the Sunrise Sun train, anyone?
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka sightseeing
3 day: Nagasaki - Kumamoto
4 day: Kumamoto - Mt Aso trip, evening at Kurokawa Onsen
5 day: Kumamoto Hakata
6 day Hakata sightseeing
7 day Hakata - Okayama, Okayama ss, Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
so it's 2 nights Nagasaki, 2 nights Kumamoto, 2 nights Hakata plus overnight trip to Tokyo
does this look okay? we slowed down a bit, not too crazy to rush around and more open for a shorter, daily trips from hakata, nagasaki and kumamoto.... any suggestions?
how do i com from kurokawa to kumamoto, how much time i need for that?
i also can't seem to find any option for online reservation of the Sunrise Sun train, anyone?
Last edited by anubisgrau; Mar 23, 2014 at 5:56 pm
Mar 23, 2014, 5:55 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 88
OK it seems like we cut it down to the following:
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka sightseeing
3 day: Nagasaki - Kumamoto, evening at Kurokawa Onsen
4 day: Kumamoto - Mt Aso trip
5 day: Kumamoto Hakata
6 day Hakata sightseeing
7 day Hakata - Okayama, Okayama ss, Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
1 day: Osaka - Sasebo, 3 hours sightseeing in Sasebo, Sasebo Nagasaki ss in the late afternoon
2 day: Nagasaka sightseeing
3 day: Nagasaki - Kumamoto, evening at Kurokawa Onsen
4 day: Kumamoto - Mt Aso trip
5 day: Kumamoto Hakata
6 day Hakata sightseeing
7 day Hakata - Okayama, Okayama ss, Sunrise Sun overnight train to Tokyo
3 day: Nagasaki - Kumamoto, sightseeing and stay in Kumamoto city.
4 day: Kumamoto - Mt Aso - Kurokawa Onsen. (the Kyusanko Odan bus runs from Aso to Kurokawa Onsen)
5 day: Kurokawa - Hakata (there is a direct bus to Hakata, 2 departures a day)
Note that reservations are required for the buses to and from Kurokawa Onsen.