Japan 11-day Itinerary
Jun 28th, 2007, 02:33 PM
#1
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Japan 11-day Itinerary
Hi, can I get some feedback on my itinerary for 11 days in Japan.
I want to definitely go to Tokyo, Takayama, Shirakawago, and Kyoto. But I don't know how best to break it up in terms of number of days and I don't know if I should additionally include Hakone/Fuji or include Nara or somewhere else near Osaka. I am flying into Tokyo on Sept 7 and out of Osaka/Kansai on Sept 19. Thank you.
I want to definitely go to Tokyo, Takayama, Shirakawago, and Kyoto. But I don't know how best to break it up in terms of number of days and I don't know if I should additionally include Hakone/Fuji or include Nara or somewhere else near Osaka. I am flying into Tokyo on Sept 7 and out of Osaka/Kansai on Sept 19. Thank you.
Jun 28th, 2007, 07:02 PM
#3
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thank you for that suggestion; that sounds about right! So you suggest one day in Hakone in between Tokyo and Takayama? What to do in Hakone one day? Is it easy to get to? Any suggestions on the actual route from each place? thank you!
Jun 28th, 2007, 07:58 PM
#4
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Use this site for some information on the areas you want to visit.
Click on the Takayama/ S Go button and the pdf has lots of the info you seek. Also for Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, etc.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html
You can take a JR train from Tokyo to Odawara(Hakone) or the Odakyo train out of Shinjuku(Tokyo) to Hakone in about 90 minutes.
Then from Odawara to Nagoya and transfer to Takayama
and then bus to S Go.
Train from Takayama to Nagoya then Kyoto
You can check train schedules here
http://www.hyperdia.com/
It's a start.....do some research and come back with more questions. Sorry so rushed but am on my way out!
Aloha!
Click on the Takayama/ S Go button and the pdf has lots of the info you seek. Also for Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, etc.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html
You can take a JR train from Tokyo to Odawara(Hakone) or the Odakyo train out of Shinjuku(Tokyo) to Hakone in about 90 minutes.
Then from Odawara to Nagoya and transfer to Takayama
and then bus to S Go.
Train from Takayama to Nagoya then Kyoto
You can check train schedules here
http://www.hyperdia.com/
It's a start.....do some research and come back with more questions. Sorry so rushed but am on my way out!
Aloha!
Jun 28th, 2007, 09:15 PM
#5
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Hi
My wife and I went to Japan a couple of years back and we visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there that can help you in the planning
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
My wife and I went to Japan a couple of years back and we visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there that can help you in the planning
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Jun 28th, 2007, 10:07 PM
#6
ht's itin does sound about right.
Search the web, or japan-guide.com, for a description of the Hakone Free Pass. That can get you familiar with the layout of the Hakone region.
Hakone/Fuji can be visited as a day trip or overnight from Tokyo. I kind of don't like the idea of going from Odawara to Takayama. Really ought to get into Takayama by noon so that you can have some time to see the town and then get the bus to Shirakawago at 11AM or so the next day.
From Odawara, be careful to get a Hikari train to Nagoya enroute to Takayama, if you do that. The Kodama trains can be quite slow. The Nozomi doesn't stop at Odawara. In fact, you would probably be better off taking a train back to Shin Yokohama and then transfer to a Nozomi to Nagoya.
Which reminds me: you probably don't need a JR Pass for this trip. Could take Odakyu train to Hakone Yumoto roundtrip. Spend a couple more days in Tokyo and then Nozomi train to Nagoya and connect to the train to Takayama.
At the jnto link that ht gave, take a look at the guide for Takayama & Shirakawago, and study the transportation map for the region.
You can see that there is a bus (seasonal) from Shirakawago to Nagoya, so you wouldn't have to return to Takayama. Your other route is to take the bus to Kanazawa and then train to Kyoto. Kanazawa is another place where you can spend a night or two and see some great sights.
Search the web, or japan-guide.com, for a description of the Hakone Free Pass. That can get you familiar with the layout of the Hakone region.
Hakone/Fuji can be visited as a day trip or overnight from Tokyo. I kind of don't like the idea of going from Odawara to Takayama. Really ought to get into Takayama by noon so that you can have some time to see the town and then get the bus to Shirakawago at 11AM or so the next day.
From Odawara, be careful to get a Hikari train to Nagoya enroute to Takayama, if you do that. The Kodama trains can be quite slow. The Nozomi doesn't stop at Odawara. In fact, you would probably be better off taking a train back to Shin Yokohama and then transfer to a Nozomi to Nagoya.
Which reminds me: you probably don't need a JR Pass for this trip. Could take Odakyu train to Hakone Yumoto roundtrip. Spend a couple more days in Tokyo and then Nozomi train to Nagoya and connect to the train to Takayama.
At the jnto link that ht gave, take a look at the guide for Takayama & Shirakawago, and study the transportation map for the region.
You can see that there is a bus (seasonal) from Shirakawago to Nagoya, so you wouldn't have to return to Takayama. Your other route is to take the bus to Kanazawa and then train to Kyoto. Kanazawa is another place where you can spend a night or two and see some great sights.
Jun 28th, 2007, 10:17 PM
#7
Ogimachi = Shirakawago on the traffic netwaork map on that guide:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-409.pdf
My thinking about leaving for Takayama from Tokyo is that it would be more likely that I would get an early start. Might want to linger if you are in Hakone. In fact, if you were returning to Tokyo for the night, then you would have an option of going anytime - spend the whole day in Hakone if you want, or not. (this being after spending the night there)
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-409.pdf
My thinking about leaving for Takayama from Tokyo is that it would be more likely that I would get an early start. Might want to linger if you are in Hakone. In fact, if you were returning to Tokyo for the night, then you would have an option of going anytime - spend the whole day in Hakone if you want, or not. (this being after spending the night there)
Jun 29th, 2007, 08:43 AM
#8
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As for Nara - I'm very glad that I visited it! It has a more quiet feel to it than Kyoto (which is truly remarkable), and it also has some really wonderful temples and shrines. The statues in Kofukuji's treasure house are among the most beautiful Japanese sculptures I've ever seen! Nara can be visited as a day trip from Kyoto or - if you are willing to relocate for a night or two - as a separate stop. Hope that helps!
Jun 29th, 2007, 11:55 AM
#9
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Thank you for all these great suggestions and links. Now I'm thinking of maybe cutting out Hakone altogether, so the trip is not so rushed from once place to the next. Maybe this as an itinerary, or please offer suggestions if you think it's to limited:
sept 8-11 Tokyo
Sept 11-12 Takayama
Sept 12-13 Shira-go
Sept 13 (or 14) leave for Kyoto
Sept 13/14-17 Kyoto
Sept 18 - day trip Nara from Kyoto
Sept 19 depart from Osaka.
thank you.
sept 8-11 Tokyo
Sept 11-12 Takayama
Sept 12-13 Shira-go
Sept 13 (or 14) leave for Kyoto
Sept 13/14-17 Kyoto
Sept 18 - day trip Nara from Kyoto
Sept 19 depart from Osaka.
thank you.
Jun 29th, 2007, 01:48 PM
#11
It just depends on what you want to do: spend a day in Fuji-Hakone National Park or see the sights of the city of Kanazawa. Either can be a great day.
If I read your updated itin correctly then you are considering staying Shirakawago for two nights. I think that if you got to S-go by noon then you could leave the next day in the afternoon and spend the night in Kanazawa or go onto Kyoto. You could spend the whole day (14th) in Kanazawa and go to Kyoto that night, or stay over in Kanazawa.
I think that you've got a very workable plan with several itinerary options. Basically, I recommend that you choose 0 or 1 night in Hakone and Shirakawago. And choose 0,1, or 2 nights in Takayama and Kanazawa. A day for Nara. The rest of the days balance in favor of Kyoto over Tokyo.
If I read your updated itin correctly then you are considering staying Shirakawago for two nights. I think that if you got to S-go by noon then you could leave the next day in the afternoon and spend the night in Kanazawa or go onto Kyoto. You could spend the whole day (14th) in Kanazawa and go to Kyoto that night, or stay over in Kanazawa.
I think that you've got a very workable plan with several itinerary options. Basically, I recommend that you choose 0 or 1 night in Hakone and Shirakawago. And choose 0,1, or 2 nights in Takayama and Kanazawa. A day for Nara. The rest of the days balance in favor of Kyoto over Tokyo.
Jul 3rd, 2007, 11:56 AM
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Thank you. Do you know how long it will take to get from Shira-go to Kyoto? I keep seeing different routes and can't figure out the best one. So now I think I'm going to skip Hakone and just do 3 days in Tokyo, then on to either Takayama for 2 night or one night Takayama and 1 night Shira-go, then to Kyoto. Any suggestions on the Takayama versus Shira-go issue? Thanks.
Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:15 PM
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I think that you will probably have to go through Takayama to get to Shirakawa-go. You might want to check www.japan-guide.com/e/e5953 for more information.
Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:32 PM
#15
I would go from Tokyo to Takayama to Shirakawago to Kanazawa to Kyoto.
You would want to stay two nights in Takayama if you don't want to travel by bus from Takayama to Shirakawago to Kanazawa. I think that staying overnight in Shirakawago is more interesting, though.
But Takayama is a nice visit. You'd be able to take your time with two nights. If you stayed there two nights then you should visit the Hida No Sato (Hida folk village) that has several of the traditional Hida farmhouses, gassho zukuri, like the ones in Shirakawago. It's an outdoor museum. In Shirakawago you can spend the night in a gassho zukuri in a town of many, and also visit an outdoor museum.
If you go to S-go then you can skip the Hida No Sato in Takayama.
You would want to stay two nights in Takayama if you don't want to travel by bus from Takayama to Shirakawago to Kanazawa. I think that staying overnight in Shirakawago is more interesting, though.
But Takayama is a nice visit. You'd be able to take your time with two nights. If you stayed there two nights then you should visit the Hida No Sato (Hida folk village) that has several of the traditional Hida farmhouses, gassho zukuri, like the ones in Shirakawago. It's an outdoor museum. In Shirakawago you can spend the night in a gassho zukuri in a town of many, and also visit an outdoor museum.
If you go to S-go then you can skip the Hida No Sato in Takayama.
Jul 3rd, 2007, 01:15 PM
#16
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Thank you. I am leaning towards 2 nights in Takayama, except for the fact that 2 nights in Ryokan might be a bit too pricey. Otherwise, one night in Takayama, then bus to Shira-go, which is a bit less than 2 hours away. But then couldn't I take bus back to Takayama and go from there to Kyoto?
Jul 4th, 2007, 10:24 AM
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ok - I think I'm sold on Shira-go for 2 nights. I think I can get there and save time by going from Nagoya, yes? Also, any suggestion on how to book accomodation since the individual minshuku don't seem to speak English or have websites. thank you! Again, any suggestions on what to do during the 2 days without a car?
Jul 4th, 2007, 02:47 PM
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Booking in S-go is tricky without Japanese. http://www.vill.shirakawa.gifu.jp/e/ list almost all of the places. It's also a great resource for what to do in the area. A car is a nice thing to have around there, but not necessary.
You want to stay in Ogimachi, which is the gassho village. If you click on the places listed, you can see some pictures, some have small websites, all in Japanese.
You can ask the tourist info office in S-go to book for you, although they have no English speaker last I knew. You can try faxing them your dates and how many people you are, then following up with a phone call. It's best to do this in the midday, after people check out and before the next people check in...around 1:00 PM Japan time. Some of the places do have someone who speaks English, but most do not. Koemon should have an English speaker. Jyuemon might. Both are fine choices. When you book, you just give your name and the place you are before there if you don't live in Japan. Do call to reconfirm about 1 week before check in.
You want to stay in Ogimachi, which is the gassho village. If you click on the places listed, you can see some pictures, some have small websites, all in Japanese.
You can ask the tourist info office in S-go to book for you, although they have no English speaker last I knew. You can try faxing them your dates and how many people you are, then following up with a phone call. It's best to do this in the midday, after people check out and before the next people check in...around 1:00 PM Japan time. Some of the places do have someone who speaks English, but most do not. Koemon should have an English speaker. Jyuemon might. Both are fine choices. When you book, you just give your name and the place you are before there if you don't live in Japan. Do call to reconfirm about 1 week before check in.
Jul 5th, 2007, 06:40 PM
#19
Making the bus/train connection in Takayama instead of Kanazawa would have the benefit of the small size of the station. The JR Takayama station is tiny and is literally next door to the bus station.
Two nights in Takayama would of course, not have to both be spent in a high-end ryokan.
Two nights in Takayama would of course, not have to both be spent in a high-end ryokan.
Jul 12th, 2007, 07:40 AM
#20
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Thank you for the advice. I've decided to stay 2 nights in Shira-go and have been in touch with the tourist office, which will help me make the reservations. I wanted to stay at Otaya, but it is booked. They suggested SHIMIZU - does anyone have any opinion on that place? Otherwise, I was looking at either Inn Sirayama-So or Jyuemon - does anyone know anything about those places? Thank you.
