First time in Japan - itinerary feedback
 

Hello,
I would like to get a feedback on the itinerary below and have some questions along the way.
It’s our first time in Japan (I was in Tokyo on business trip 20 years ago, doesn’t count). We are in our late 50s, well travelled, mostly in Europe, this is our first trip to Asia. We are interested in art, nature, cities, castles and temples – whatever is the best to see in a particular place. Our travel is in April. It’s 12 days not counting the day of arrival.

1 19-Apr Leaving New York
2 20-Apr 2:40 PM Flying into Tokyo-Narita, leave for Hakone, sleep in Hakone
3 21-Apr tour Hakone, at the end of the day travel to Kyoto (train 2 hrs)
4 22-Apr Kyoto - city tour
5 23-Apr Kyoto-VISIT OF IMPERIAL PALACE IN KYOTO & HIMENZI CASTLE
6 24-Apr Nara and Osaka – full day day trip
7 25-Apr Kyoto - day trip tp Miyajima (?) or in Kyoto
8 26-Apr Kyoto the whole day or travel in the afternoon to Takayama (or Kanazawa)?
9 27-Apr Takayama and/or Kanazawa
10 28-Apr Afternoon – travel to Tokyo
11 29-Apr Tokyo
12 30-Apr Tokyo - city tour
13 1-May Full day tour to Niko
14 2-May Kamakura?
2-May 6:15 PM Tokyo leaving at 6:15 PM

Questions.
1. Please provide the feedback on overall itinerary.
2. We would like to stay at riokan in Hakkone, but our arrival may be closer to 6 or after 6. Is it ok? I understand that some riokans may be rules about arrival.
3. Day 8. Should we stay in Kyoto and travel to Takayama next day morning? Or take afternoon train? Where should we base ourselves – in Takayama or Kanazawa?
4. Any tips on traveling from Narita to Hakkone on arrival day?
5. As I finalize the itinerary I will figure out if we need JR pass.
6. Traveling to Niko on May 1 when Japan is on holiday - is it a bad idea?

Are you thinking of pre-arranged tours rather than visiting places on your own? You can certainly take tours if that is your preference, but these are all places that are extremely easy to visit on your own.

Do you mean Himeji Castle? if so, I'm not sure I would combine it with the Imperial Palace; instead, if you go to Miyajima (see below), you might want to stop en route.

Although many people visit Nara as a day trip from Kyoto, I thought it worth 2 full days.

Unless you have a specific reason for visiting Osaka, you might want to skip it so you have more time for other options.

You can certainly take a day trip to Miyajima, but it's a place that is much more pleasant after daytrippers leave. Many people combine it with Hiroshima, staying overnight in Miyajima.

I'm not sure I understand your plan for Kanazawa and Takayama. For the pair, many of us recommend at least 5 nights. Trying to see both in just a day or so doesn't make much sense to me.

And even if you delay your departure for Kanazawa or Takayama until day 9, that leaves you with at most 5 days for Kyoto (depending on what you decide to do about Miyajima). I'm one of many people who thought a first taste of Kyoto / Nara worth at least 6 full days.

As for a ryokan, yes, most have strict rules about the time of arrival. The reason is that part of the experience of a ryokan stay is the exquisite dinner they will serve you and over which you linger. You can't simply show up and chow down. Be sure to be mindful of the hours when you explore your options and before you commit to staying.

For information about how to get to Hakone, click the "Getting there and around" tab that appears above Mt. Fuji in the picture on this page:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

My guess is that Nikko would be a mob scene on May 1. That whole first week of May is a major holiday in Japan ("Golden Week"), so I would imagine Kamakura would also be packed on the 2nd.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html

Hope that helps!

Agree with everything Kja has said.

Is this for 2017 or 2018? If 2017 you may need to adjust your plan based on what is available. I've had friends trying to book their first trip over the last week, their dates are virtually the same as yours, for this year. Availability is very limited, especially in Kyoto and other tourist hot spots. Not only is March / April peak sakura season, early May is Golden Week which is when many Japanese also take time off work and travel within the country.

0. Read about Golden Week: www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html
1. It is busy with travel. But that can be ok.
2. Not ok. Even if your flight arrives on time. You can move it to the end.
3. Up to you when. But neither of your two options would be good "bases" given that you would only have two nights.. The one you choose would be your destination.
4. Don't do it.
5. Maybe a JR pass. Might depend a lot on whether or not you keep Miyajima.
6. Not a bad idea.

How do people reserve a train seat on the day of arrival? I know the arrival time but can't be sure what time we will be done with customs, luggage, etc. How does the one reserve the seat in this case? Or it's better not to reserve and take the next available train? What if it's completely sold out?

I just took the next train, but I can't speak to whether that would be likely or not.

hi, another question on transportation. I am trying to figure out via HyperDia the routes. how does Hyperdia indicate that the train/route is eligible for JR pass?

I think you have to know which trains are eligible for the pass (e.g., run by Japan Railway, but NOT Nozomi). Check for more information here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2323.html

<<how does Hyperdia indicate that the train/route is eligible for JR pass?>>

It doesn't.

It tells you if it's a JR route or not. If not, the route is ineligible for using the JR pass. That means: you pay the normal fee to use it.

Also, the Nozomi and Mizuho trains are not included in JR pass use. You can search Hyperdia and use the "more options" toggle, uncheck "Private Railway" and uncheck Nozomi/Mizuho/Hayabasa and your results should yield JR pass-eligible train routes.

And get the full Sanyo/Tokkaido shinkansen schedule - it will tell you the Hikari times for going to and from Tokyo.

Based on your itinerary, if you don't go west of Osaka (e.g., to Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, etc.), you likely won't need a JR pass.

>>how does Hyperdia indicate that the train/route is eligible for JR pass?

In the search parameters, uncheck NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN). The JR Pass can't be used for those shinkansen.

If you want to find a JR only route then uncheck Private Railway.

Private railway trains and subways have pink logos and the names start with their (non-JR) company names. There is at least one exception to this, the JR Miyajima Ferry, which has a pink log and won't appear if Private Railway is unchecked, but it is eligible for the JR Pass.

JR trains have blue logos for shinkansen and green logos for the rest.

JR train names start with: SHINKANSEN, LTD. EXP, or JR.

>> In the search parameters, uncheck NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN). The JR Pass can't be used for those shinkansen.

No. You can use Hayabusa with a Japan Rail Pass.

I continue to plan the transportation. Question about Hakone Free Pass and what is the best way to get from Narita Airport to Gora.

I looked up HyperDia and this is what I find.

Narita Airport – take Ltd Exp Narita to Tokyo and from the change on the same platform to Shinagawa or may be it's just a stop at Tokyo Train station and then it proceed to Shinagawa. From Shinagawa take Shinkansen Kodama to Odawara. From there Hakone Tozan Railway to Hakon-Yumoto and then to Gora.
Does it sounds right?

We are going to go next day from Gora to Odawara to Kyoto.
Does it make sense to get Hakone Free Pass if we are not going back to Tokyo?

>>Narita Airport – take Ltd Exp Narita to Tokyo and from the change on the same platform to Shinagawa or may be it's just a stop at Tokyo Train station and then it proceed to Shinagawa.<<

If you want to go NRT -> Shinagawa, then when purchasing your NEX ticket, or when reserving your NEX seat if you are using a JR Pass, tell the clerk your want to go to Shinagawa, so that he/she may assign you a seat on the correct train car. After Tokyo station, some train may split. Therefore if you were on the incorrect car, past Tokyo station your next stop may be some place than than Shinagawa.

I hope someone else will help you with the rest of your questions.

>>Does it sounds right?

Yes, that is right. It is a change of trains at Shinagawa, not just a stop.

8040 for 185 min or 7320 if you don't get a reserved seat on the Kodama shinkansen.

If you are interested in trading time for money, then uncheck "Bullet Train" in hyperdia and look for an itinerary that uses the JR Tokaido Line from Shinagawa to Odawara. That would cost less yen (5590) but take more time (225 min).

But be careful not to arrive too late to Gora. You likely will not get there until after 7PM or later if your flight is delayed. You need to find out how late you can check in. For a ryokan, you may be too late. For a hotel, ok.

The Hakone Free Pass or another discount option might save a bit. But the commit you to using them or losing money if you don't go or choose some lesser option.

Here are some options:
http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/freepass/

If you scroll down, it shows some prices for the loop segments.

Your costs depend on your actual sightseeing plan. Maybe a cruise and ropeway ticket or train and cable car ticket, and pay for other segments. Or pay as you go to keep options open.

You won't be able to buy your travel option in the Hakone area until you get to Odawara station. Definitely check on the open hours of the service center there if you decide on a pass.

At Narita Aiprort you will only be buying your ticket(s) to Odawara. That's a JR trip.

As I have indicated above, I recommend utilizing other newer applications. Google Maps would be the best for now. Jorudan has a dedicated Japan Rail Pass filter. (I take Hyperdia as Windows XP, while Jorudan as Win 7 and Google as Win 10.)

Google Maps:
Usage:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/<start point>/<end point>/
Examples:
Any names should work. Add Japan for sure.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/NRT Japan/Gora Japan/
Here I use plus signs to be converted as links.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/NRT+Japan/Gora+Japan/
Just put your Hotel name. Google searches nearest stations for you.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/NRT+...owakien+Japan/
Even a set of longitude and latitude should work. Move a balloon for that.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/NRT+...5,139.0417797/

For trains (and also buses), click the mark at the top. Specify date and time. Utilize the options, such as fewer transfers. At the bottom of the left panel, there is the route comparison tool. You can check the neighboring candidates by scrolling the panel.

Jorudan:
It is similar to Hyperdia. As the top tab suggests, this page is dedicated for Japan Rail Pass.
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/j...s/?sub_lang=ja

NRT=>Gora:
There are many routes from NRT to Gora. One of the best would be to take a Keisei Skyliner at NRT, transfer at Nippori to a JR line -- Yamanote(Green) or KeihinTohoku(Blue) --, another transfer at Tokyo station to a JR Shinkansen, and finaly transfer at Odawara to your hotel by bus. This would take 2:41, if you could leave at 15:42.

Hakone is a hilly area. I recommend choosing a nearest station or bus stop. Google Maps incorporate bus stops as well. However, you could use another map-based planner by Hakone Tozan Bus itself.
http://hakone-tozanbus.jcld.jp/Hakon.../defaultEN.htm

If you prefer a JR Narita Express (NEx) in the case to use a Japan Rail Pass, you should directly go to Shinagawa. NEx is a submarine. I mean NEx goes down to deep in the ground around Tokyo station up to B5F level. It makes quite hard to transfer at Tokyo. So, forget about Tokyo for NEx. The rest would be similar. It would be 3:37 in the case of 15:44 departure.

You could see other results by Jorudan below.
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?...=0&sub_lang=ja
And Japan Rail Pass part like this:
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/j...m=&sub_lang=ja

Pass:
Hakone Free Pass could be purchased at Odawara for 2 days.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/hakone/
Read "Assessment" and others at Japan Guide.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
If you go around Hakone intensively before you go to Kyoto, it might be better to get one. Note it would take about 4 hours to Kyoto, even using a Nozomi.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Gora+Japan/Kyoto+Japan/
2 hours for a Hikari, but for only the part of Odawara-Kyoto. Do you plan to stay near Kyoto station?
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/j...=0&sub_lang=ja