HELP - with Takayama and area itinery

Old Oct 1st, 2013, 05:54 AM
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HELP - with Takayama and area itinery

Hi guys,

I am flying to Tokyo Narita on 8th October, and land at 7.30pm. I would like to see the Takayama festival (9-10th October) atleast for one full day. Then travel or vist these other places:
Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Kamikochi - Matsumoto - Nagoya

Anyone has a good itinery that I can visit all these places? I have a 10am flight on 16th October at tokyo Narita.

Here is the itinery I have come up with

8th - land at narita - rent car and drive to matsumoto - stay there for the night
9th - Spend a day at matsumoto, seeing acstles - then take bus to takayama at apprx 7pm - stay night at takayama
10th - Spend whole day at Takayama for the takayama festival
11th - take a whole day tour to Kamikochi, then stay a night at takayama
12th - Join half day tour in the morning to Shirakawago then return takayama in afternoon to get suitcase, the take JR to Kanazawa, stay a night there.
13th - Spend whole day at Kanazawa
14th - Travel to nagoya in the morning and spend day at Nagoya
15th -Spend half day at Nagoya, Travel back to Tokyo at night
16th - catch flight at Narita at 10am.

Would this work or should I miss out Kamikochi? I have the hostel booked at Takayama for 9th-12th October, will need to plan my itinery soon. Please help!
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Old Oct 1st, 2013, 03:33 PM
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kja
 
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Will driving immediately upon your arrival be safe or will you have jet lag?

I see time in your itinerary for the festival in Takayama, but not for anything else there. Don't you plan to see anything else in Takayama?

One day is not much for Kanazawa.
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Old Oct 1st, 2013, 06:47 PM
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I don't know where to start.
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Old Oct 1st, 2013, 11:21 PM
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The trip sounds divine.
you'll have a great time
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Old Oct 2nd, 2013, 01:01 AM
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I think you will have plenty of time in Takayama to explore as well as enjoy the festival, as you have 3 nights scheduled there.
I would suggest you try and arrive by early afternoon on 9th so you can enjoy walking around the town / shops / museums that afternoon, then enjoy your dinner, and then go back out to watch the night time parade of floats in the evening.
On the 10th, you can explore the morning markets and the display of the floats outside the shrine, and shrine events as well. In the afternoon, you could do the temple walk if that appeals or more wandering within the town.
And even though you'll be away for most of the 11th, you'll still have evening hours in Takayama that day as well.
Seems plenty of time to me.
(We were there for 9th/ 10th last year and left on the morning of the 11th, but we don't claim to have seen all that Takayama had to offer).
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Old Oct 2nd, 2013, 05:23 AM
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I think it would be difficult to see Hida no Taki or the amazing museum of art in Takayama in the time you have there, and many of the sights right in town also have limited opening hours.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2013, 05:06 PM
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8th - Have you driven in Japaan before (i.e. do you know what you are getting into for this)? Driving across the world's largest metropolis at night after a long? haul flight would not be my choice.

alternative 8th - spend the night in Tokyo. Shinjuku.

9th - Matsumoto is nice but not nice enough for me to have driven there. Riding in a bus at night across the Japan Alps to Takayama would not be fun (nightmare might be too strong).

aternative 1 for the 9th: go to Takayama.

alternative 2 for the 9th: get the Azusa train from Shinjuku to Matsumoto. Visit the castle. Early afternoon (or earlier), get the bus from Matsumoto to Kamikochi and spend a couple of hours there then go on to Takayama - but I would make a stop at Kamikochi only if I was assured of getting a seat on a bus to Takayama.

(or just keep the car and drive it across to Kanazawa)

10th - Takayama matsuri

11th - Make a day trip to Shirakawago, returning to Takayama. Or, take your bag and leave it at the S-go tourist office, see S-go, then go on to Kanazawa

12th - Go to Kanazawa via Toyama (not via Nagoya) Takayama to Toyama train ride in daylight.
13th - Kanazawa
14th - Kanazawa
15th - Go back to Tokyo. Make a stop on the way to see the castle and a bit more at Hikone.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2013, 05:33 PM
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Is that 8 Oct THIS year? Do you have reservations?
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Old Oct 5th, 2013, 06:14 AM
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Thanks guys. I do have a hostel reseravation at takayama from 9th to 12th October. I have a new revised itinery as we have decided to rent a car and drive the whole trip.. As seems more cheaper and have more time to relax.

Please see if my new itinery work or not?

Tuesday 8th - land at 7.30 at Narita then drive to Matsumoto and stay a night at Matsumoto (We have a short haul flight from HK)

Wednesday 9th - Spend half day at Matsumoto and see the acstles. Leave for Takayama, and stay there for a night

Thursday 10th - Spend whole day at Takayama, see the festival, market etc

Friday 11th - drive to Kamikochi for half a day, have dinner at Takayama then stay a night

Saturday 12th - Check out of hostel, visit shirawago half day then drive kanazawa and stay a night there

Sunday 13th - Whoel day at Kanazawa and stay a night

Monday 14th, spend morning at Kanazwa then drive to Gero and spend night at Gero

Tuesday 15th - half day at Gero then drive back to Narita return car then stay night at hotel nearby

Wednesday 16th - catch the 10am flight back to hong kong.

Would this be an okay itinery? Or too packed? I can leave out Kamikochi .. or should I leave out somewhere else?
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Old Oct 5th, 2013, 08:48 AM
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It doesn't make a lot of sense to backtrack to Kamikochi because you can stop at Kamikochi on the way from Matsumoto to Takayama. OTOH, having a car for that day trip makes it more feasible.

Gero is only a half-hour from Takayama. You could visit Gero and spend more time in Takayama on the 11th. The Green Hotel in Takayama has a nice onsen with public access hours, so it is an option to Gero. Hida Furukawa might be interesting. It is just north of Takayama.

You could fly to Tokyo on the 15th. ANA has an "Experience Japan Fare" of only $107.10 per person and it is available for 2 pax from Komatsu, the airport for Kanazawa.

3PM departure from Komatsu arrives Narite at 4:15 PM
4:15 PM Komatsu departure, arrives Tokyo Haneda 6:10PM
7:50 PM Komatsu to Tokyo Haneda arrives 9PM

That last option gives you a lot more time in Kanazawa (instead of time driving). It would mean spending the night in Tokyo instead of Narita. Unfortunately, the last bus from Haneda to Narita leaves at 9:05PM. There are no good train options that night.
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Old Oct 5th, 2013, 09:01 AM
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JAL has a 6PM flight arriving Haneda at 7:05PM but it is about US$100 more per person.
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Old Oct 5th, 2013, 05:44 PM
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You do realize that arrival at Narita at 7:30 you won't be in your car before 9:00 best case and you have a 4 hour drive at least ahead of you? And from Gero Onsen to Narita Airport is 5 1/2 hours drive at least? If you can fly to HND and then use mrwnunfl's suggestion of flying from KMQ at the end you might be better off. Or can you fly into Nagoya?
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