Comments Wanted on Our Itinerary in Japan!
 

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Japan. We're going for five weeks in the September/October timeframe. Our interests are primarily in regard to cuisine and culture. We have the first ten days down (Tokyo and Nikko) and have twelve nights free before a three day booking in Takayama. We tentatively plan to have the following itinerary in central Honshu before going to Takayama:


Nagano (2 nights)
Kanazawa (3 nights)
Noto Peninsula (5 nights)
Toyama (1 night)
Matsumoto (1 night)

We will be taking trains from Nikko to Nagano and from Nagano to Kanazawa. We plan on picking up a car in Kanazawa and returning it in Toyama after visiting the Noto Peninsula. From Toyama, we plan to do the Tateyama Kurobe Alopen Route, then take a train from Omachi to Matsumoto. We plan to then proceed by train to Takayama.

Any thoughts on this itinerary? Is it doable? Are we neglecting anyplace or, conversely, spending too much time anywhere?

Any comments/suggestions are heartily welcomed.

Thanks in advance!

GotT

I'm gottravel's spouse. Here is the earlier thread that he posted in December. https://www.fodors.com/community/asi...erary-1661596/ This new itin is based on your feedback and others. Thanks for your input.

I haven’t been to most of those locations, but would consider 3 nights a bare minimum for Kanazawa. Of course, it depends on what you want to see and experience.

Enjoy!

I haven't been to the Noto Peninsula myself but I have seen videos and read about it....I really don't know if five days are necessary...your previous itinerary had 3.....what are your plans there....particularly if you have a car. When I go, I will have to take buses....lol....

Noto has some good places, but I'd say your time frame is excessive. It's also ideally explored by car. If you haven't considered it, I suggest you consider seeing some of Fukui. It has some very impressive places and I managed to get through part of my bucket list for the places last year. The dinosaur museum is one of the best you'll ever see in your life. Plus Tojinbo has some excellent rugged coastline, Eiheiji is a good temple to explore, and the Echizen Daibutsu is the hidden gem still unknown to most. It's like seeing Nara without the crowds. I also got to visit the Nekodera (Cat Temple) more famous to locals than internationally. There are normally around 80 cats tended to by the monks there but they managed to find homes for most of them, so there were just a couple dozen when I went...a kind of pleasant disappointment.

I agree about Fukui - I also went to Tojinbo, Eiheiji and Maruoka Castle, one of the twelve originals...

gottravel & I need some help figuring out where to go for 4 days after we leave Takayama and end in Kyoto for a week. We'd prefer one place to stay and be able to do a couple of day trips from there. This is our first trip to Japan and it will be in SEpt/Oct this year. Based on all the comments we've received here and elsewhere we've decided on the current itin is as follows. We appreciate any suggestions you can give us. Thank you

Tokyo (7 nights)
Nikko (2 nights)
Nagano 2 nights
Nagano (2 nights)
Kanazawa (3 nights)
Noto Peninsula (4 nights)
Toyama (2 night)
Matsumoto (1 night)
Takayama for a festival (3 nights)
4 nights OPEN
Kyoto (7 nights)

Kurashiki? It's a bit different than the other places you plan to visit and has an excellent small museum of art, the Ohara (with a stunning Modigliani). From Kurashiki, you could visit Okayama, Himeji, and Hiroshima / Miyajima (a bit further than I like to go for a day trip, but doable).

Thanks, tp & kja. We fly home from Osaka which is why we did Kyoto at the end. I have a feeling after 4 weeks we just might have our fill of temples and gardens. I will check out your other suggestions. We've thought about Naoshima. Either of you been there?

I have not been to Naoshima.

I think we might go to Naoshima just for a change of pace. We'll combine it with Kurashiki. So we won't get 4 nights in one place, but they both sound like we will like them. Thanks, kja & tp for your thoughts.
tp, if its ok, I might be contacting you via PM for some help translating a website for tickets.

Enjoy!

Of course, nothing has been simple with planning this trip. It appears that the Setouchi Triennale is this year and will be going on during our visit. Of course this makes accommodations more difficult nad perhaps more expensive. Oh well! we will enjoy, thank you.

Nagano 2 nights
Nagano (2 nights)
Is one of these a typo or just an unintended repeat?

How are you getting from Matsumoto to Takayama? Are the Takayama dates 'locked in"? I assume you're doing the Alpine Route from Toyama to Matsumoto? Takayama is south of Toyama, so logically you would go Toyama to Takayama (and back) before doing the Alpine Route east to Matsumoto (and then south via Nagoya to get to Kyoto, (perhaps walking the trail from Megome to Tsumago on the way to Nagoya).

As for the spare four days, I would add them to Kyoto - plenty to see and do. You can always do some day trips from Kyoto - Himeji, Hiroshima etc. (although for the latter you really need to overnight if you want to go to Miyajima).

Yes, sorry that Nagano 2 nights is an unintended repeat.
Matsumoto to Takayama is by direct bus. Yes, Takayama dates are locked in as that is when the festival is. Yes, I realize the order is somewhat illogical but we were working around the festival dates. Thanks for your comments.

I suggest moving the Toyama and Matsumoto stops after Takayama. You could then add a night to Matsumoto so that you could sightsee there or go to Kamikochi for the day. That fills the 4 nights that you have open and opens some nights earlier. Drive up to Takayama from Noto/Kanazawa via Shirakawago/Gokayama.

If you do take the bus from Matsumoto to Takayama then you will need to get your reserved bus seats in advance. (I would not really want to do that bus trip without stops at Hirayu Onsen or Kamikochi or other spots along the way.) Same thing for getting reserved train seats to Takayama. Get them sooner. Leaving the day after the festival is over shouldn't be an issue for reserved seats or traffic (I think most people bug out when the festival ends - at least that was what I saw at a spring festival).

Getting back to this after a great trip to the Balkan countries. I've reworked this a bit. We've decided that where possible we'd like to stay 3-4 nights. We begin with a week in Tokyo and end with 8 nights in Kyoto as we do enjoy settling in esp in big cities and slowly taking in the city. We end up with 2 long train rides, but that's ok. The order to a certain degree was determined by our desire to go to the Takayama Fall Festival so I realize it may not be in the logistically perfect order. Your comments are welcome!

Tokyo (7 nights) Tobu train to Nikko
Nikko (3 nights)
5 hr Train with 2 changes to Kanazawa
Kanazawa (4 nights)
Pick Up Rental Car
Noto Peninsula (3 nights)
Drive from Noto Peninsula to the Tojinbo cliffs (3 hours per Google Maps). Explore the cliffs and spend the night somewhere in the Fukui City area -- suggestions as to where? (1 night)
Next day drive to Toyama with a stop in Shirakswago
Return rental car & sleep in Toyama (1 night)
Next day the Alpine Route ending in Matsumoto
Matsumoto ( 2 nights)
Bus to Takayama - Anyone know how to reserve bus tickets in advance?
Takayama for the festival (3 nights)
Train to Kurashiki (4 hr 40 w/ 2 changes)
Kurashiki (3 nights)
Train to Kyoto (90 minutes)
Kyoto 8 nights

I haven't been to the places you will visit between Kanazawa and Takayama, but the rest sounds good to me. Given that you like a relaxed pace and will be attending the festival in Takayama, you might want another night there; it really depends on what you want to do in that city.

Thanks, yestravel, my trip was absolutely wonderful!

What I meant about Takayama is that the city itself -- not counting the festival -- has a lot to offer, possibly more than the time you have allotted will allow. In addition to the festival, Hida no Sato can easily take a full day. The Hida Museum of Art is stunning, with its collections of glass and Mackintosh and other things; easily several hours. The Jinya can take an hour or two. And then there are all the temples, which I didn't have time to see -- and some people spend a day or three just visiting them.

Hope that helps!

Thanks - I should check over there. What I am reading is that bus tickets for that route are not reserved and can only be bought on the day of travel.

If you are going to ask elsewhere, I'd ask on japan-guide.com

Yes, thanks, I did -- I have a question in with them. So far nothing helpful back.

Matsumoto and Alpen Route before Kanazawa seems more efficient. You can avoid the stop in Toyama by taking the Alpine Route on the way from Matsumoto and dropping off the car in Takayama, if that is feasible. You could visit Kamikochi from Matsumoto, if that is part of your plan, or Hirayu/Okuhida from Takayama with that car or by bus.

Anyway, I am not clear if you are taking the bus directly from Matsumoto to Takayama or if you are planning to make stops enroute, as I mentioned.

Uji at japan-guide forum could likely answer the bus ticket questions. Maybe JNTO could help.

Thanks for your thoughts. I realize our route is not the most efficient. We want to go to the festival in Takayama so that is a determining factor in the order of where we are at various dates.
I'm not sure I understand == are you suggesting we go from Nikko to Matsumoto, then take the Alpine Route? Then Kanazawa?
Our current plan is to go from Matsumoto by bus directly to Takayama.

I've gone on several fora and what I have learned re the bus ticket from Matsumoto to Takayama is that there are no reservations for that line. You need to buy it that day. There are frequent buses.

Yes, that is what I am suggesting. Are you planning to make enroute stops between Matsumoto and Takayama?

The fora are correct for the Nohi bus between Matsumoto and Takayama.

Here is a link to the Nohi Bus webpage that shows the route map, timetable, and fares for their Takayama - Matsumoto Line:
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/highwaybus/matsumoto_en/

It clearly says: Reservations are not required for the Matsumoto Line.

It was in Kamikochi where I had to buy a reserved seat for a bus to Matsumoto.

Ok, thanks. I will look at how that rerouting might work. No, at this point we do not plan stops between Matsumoto & Takayama. Is what you are suggesting for stops ones for a few hours or are you suggesting overnight stays? Thanks

By "enroute stop", I was asking if you were planning to make stops along the way for a few hours. I was assuming that you were - which is why I made my comments about bus seat reservations - even though those stops were not mentioned.

Anyway, I don't know why I didn't just suggest going to the bus company's webpage instead of another forum or JNTO! It does show that some of their lines do require reservations.

If you are now thinking about an enroute stop in Kamikochi then I suggest you go to the webpage of the company(ies) that operate the transport to/from there to find out about reserved seats.

>> even though those stops were not mentioned.
... by you

At this point I'm trying to work out the big picture itin. Specific stops or other places to see will come later. Thanks for the suggestions I will certainly look into them.

I had looked at the bus line's web pae and somehow I missed the statement about the reservations - or the no need for them.

Help with Trains re Japan Railpass - Our itin is set and listed below. We leave in a few weeks. I've been playing with the train website trying to see if we would benefit from a rail pass, likely a 7 day one which is $264. I looked at shortest least transfer routes. Some didn't require a JR pass. I can't figure out any way that we benefit price-wise, but perhaps I am missing something. I am definitely a novice at this. Is there some combination I am missing that would be a benefit to get a pass.

Tokyo (7 nights) Tobu train to Nikko ($25.88)
Nikko (3 nights)
5 hr Train with 2 changes to Kanazawa ($107)
Kanazawa (4 nights)
Pick Up Rental Car
Noto Peninsula (3 nights)
Drive from Noto Peninsula to the Tojinbo cliffs (3 hours per Google Maps). Explore the cliffs and spend the night somewhere in the Fukui City area
Next day drive to Toyama with a stop in Shirakswago
Return rental car & sleep in Toyama (1 night)
Next day the Alpine Route ending in Matsumoto
Matsumoto ( 2 nights)
Bus to Takayama
Takayama for the festival (3 nights)
Train to Kurashiki (4 hr 40 w/ 2 changes) ($153)
Kurashiki (3 nights)
Train to Kyoto (90 minutes) ($77)
Kyoto 8 nights

When I do my calculations I use yen but I assume your numbers are equivalent. A JR national pass usually works when one takes a long trip or several short trips in a few number of days so your itinerary looks like it wouldn't work. Nor would a regional pass as far as I know....

Yes, this is the $ equivalency per Oanda. (My mind is not there yet with yen.) What it seemed to me is exactly what you say. We're in places too long to take advantage of the pass. Might have been different if the festival didn't fall when it did.