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2019 Spring Central Japan Trip
Hello
We, two females, have booked tickets to Singapore-Osaka-Singapore on 10th May 2019 to 26th May 2019. Our itineraries as follows : 1. 10th-11th May 2019 Osaka (2 nights) 2. 12th-13th May 2019 Tokyo (2 nights) 3. 14th-15th May 2019 Morning Bus to Mount Fuji and Hakone (2 nights) 4. 16th-17th Tokyo (2 nights) Day trip to Ashikaga Flower Park and Tochigo 5. 18th May 2019 (1 night) Takayama 6. 19th May 2019 (1 night) Matsumoto for Alphine 7. 20th-21th 2019 (2 nights) Kanazawa for Shirakawa-Go 8. 22nd-23rd May 2019 Kyoto (2 nights) 9. 25th-26th May 2019 Osaka (2 nights) We are considering to buy the 7 days JR pass or 5 Days Alphine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass or 5 days Takayama-Hokuriku Area Pass. Experts advices/suggestions on better route for the above-mentioned. Thank you. |
It is busy. Maybe you and I have a different meaning for "Central Japan" as I see 4 nights in central Japan and 8 nights in Tokyo and Osaka and other days elsewhere. Anyway, the middle part of your trip is suffering from the fact that you gave four nights to Osaka.
You have Matsumoto and Takayama in the wrong order, imo. Better to go Tokyo to Matsumoto then the Alpine Route and end up in Toyama, then go up to Takayama from there. |
Agree that I don't understand all those nights in Osaka. As soon as you arrive in Japan, head to Tokyo (too late now, but flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka would have made more sense).
The is much faster travel than I would want: too much moving around, not enough time anywhere. How much of Kanazawa are you going to see if you only have two nights and are spending one day at Shirakawa-go? Why are you only giving Kyoto two nights? |
Originally Posted by mrwunrfl
(Post 16892154)
It is busy. Maybe you and I have a different meaning for "Central Japan" as I see 4 nights in central Japan and 8 nights in Tokyo and Osaka and other days elsewhere. Anyway, the middle part of your trip is suffering from the fact that you gave four nights to Osaka.
You have Matsumoto and Takayama in the wrong order, imo. Better to go Tokyo to Matsumoto then the Alpine Route and end up in Toyama, then go up to Takayama from there. |
Originally Posted by thursdaysd
(Post 16892164)
Agree that I don't understand all those nights in Osaka. As soon as you arrive in Japan, head to Tokyo (too late now, but flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka would have made more sense).
The is much faster travel than I would want: too much moving around, not enough time anywhere. How much of Kanazawa are you going to see if you only have two nights and are spending one day at Shirakawa-go? Why are you only giving Kyoto two nights? |
I spent four nights in Kanazawa, one night in Shirakawa-go and two nights each in Matsumoto and Takayama. Aside for Kanazawa, where you could drop a night, I thought I was traveling fairly fast. Kyoto (with a day trip to Nara) needs at least four nights.
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It depends on your interests, but for what it’s worth, I would not have found a single night in Takayama sufficient, nor 2 nights in Kanazawa (I think Takayama & Kanazawa best with at least 5 nights; Shirakawago can fit as a stop of a few hours between them), and certainly not 2 nights in Kyoto (which IMO easily merits 5 full days on a first visit).
Maybe it will work for you, but I would encourage you to plot your trip on a calendar first: identify the things you most want to see in each location (japan-guide.com is an excellent resource), check their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting lost/oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together. Good luck! |
Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16892180)
It depends on your interests, but for what it’s worth, I would not have found a single night in Takayama sufficient, nor 2 nights in Kanazawa (I think Takayama & Kanazawa best with at least 5 nights; Shirakawago can fit as a stop of a few hours between them), and certainly not 2 nights in Kyoto (which IMO easily merits 5 full days on a first visit).
Maybe it will work for you, but I would encourage you to plot your trip on a calendar first: identify the things you most want to see in each location (japan-guide.com is an excellent resource), check their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting lost/oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together. Good luck! |
Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16892180)
It depends on your interests, but for what it’s worth, I would not have found a single night in Takayama sufficient, nor 2 nights in Kanazawa (I think Takayama & Kanazawa best with at least 5 nights; Shirakawago can fit as a stop of a few hours between them), and certainly not 2 nights in Kyoto (which IMO easily merits 5 full days on a first visit).
Maybe it will work for you, but I would encourage you to plot your trip on a calendar first: identify the things you most want to see in each location (japan-guide.com is an excellent resource), check their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting lost/oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together. Good luck! |
Originally Posted by thursdaysd
(Post 16892164)
Agree that I don't understand all those nights in Osaka. As soon as you arrive in Japan, head to Tokyo (too late now, but flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka would have made more sense).
The is much faster travel than I would want: too much moving around, not enough time anywhere. How much of Kanazawa are you going to see if you only have two nights and are spending one day at Shirakawa-go? Why are you only giving Kyoto two nights? |
We bought Singapore Osaka Singapore ticket at promotion rate we will be mostly doing easy sightseeing in Matsumoto for the castle, Takamaya and Kanazawa. |
Originally Posted by mannequin_yeo
(Post 16892403)
my Friend, she is not a mountain trekker nor traveller so we will be mostly doing easy sightseeing in Matsumoto for the castle, Takamaya and Kanazawa. |
Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16892411)
I'm not sure how that responds to my point -- you are planning what I would consider to be an extremely ambitious itinerary. There is a LOT to see in Takayama and in Kanazawa, things that don't require mountain trekking.
Thank you. I will relook to add two nights each to Takayama and Kanazawa. |
Revised itineraries as follows :
1. 10th May 2019 Osaka (1 night) 2. 11th-12th May 2019 Tokyo (2 nights) 3. 13th-14th May 2019 Morning Bus to Mount Fuji and Hakone (2 nights) 4. 15th-16th Tokyo (2 nights) Day trip to Ashikaga Flower Park and Tochigo (optional or to be removed) 5. 17th May 2019 (1 night) Matsumoto for Alphine 6. 18th-19th May 2019 (2 nights) Takamaya 7. 20th-21st 2019 (2 nights) Kanazawa for Shirakawa-Go 8. 22nd-24th May 2019 Kyoto (3 nights) 9. 25th-26th May 2019 Osaka (2 nights) |
Again, 3 nights is extremely little for Kyoto / Nara, but maybe you aren't interested in traditional Japan?
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Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16892547)
Again, 3 nights is extremely little for Kyoto / Nara, but maybe you aren't interested in traditional Japan?
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Still don't understand the first night in Osaka. What time does your plane land? |
Originally Posted by thursdaysd
(Post 16892640)
Still don't understand the first night in Osaka. What time does your plane land? |
I assume you are flying into and out of Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX).
The trip between KIX and Osaka is about 60 minutes. The trip between KIX and Kyoto is about 80 minutes - it is a straight shot on one limited express train. So, you don't need those last two nights in Osaka. |
Ok, you are on SQ 620, I think, with travel time of only 6h 40m. And you only lose one hour in time zone change. You don't have to stop in Osaka the first night. I think I would, tho, maybe at the JR hotel at Shin Osaka.
You could fly from KIX to Tokyo Haneda on ANA for only US $76. There are seats at that price for nonstops at 15:15 and 21:35. |
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