hawaiiantraveler

Trains are put into and taken out of service at Ōsaki. Thus the loop starts and ends at Osaki. When you have an orange T on hyperdia it means that the train terminates at that stop so you get off and wait for the next onward train usually minutes behind you. The double arrows means the same train will arrive at the terminus and then start the inner loop again in a minute and no train transferring is necessary.

Aloha!

Sue_xx_yy

Ah, Mara, thanks, I should have thought to have double checked japan guide. That's a fabulous site!

hawaiiantraveler, thank you. Generally I've found hyperdia pretty intuitive, but that one eluded me, so I am grateful for the clarification.

DonTopaz

Hyperdia is usually an excellent source, but it has its quirks (esp some station names & spellings) and mysteries. (I have never found a way to show NEx trains to/from Shinjuku, for example.)

Sue_xx_yy

Fine tuning:

Unusual for me, I decided to alter the itinerary even though I've now bought our plane tickets. With some reluctance, I altered it to avoid the Takayama spring festival. My reasoning ran something like this: If all we wanted to do in Takayama was see the festival, the crowds would not be so problematic. But this is our first trip, and we have a lot of competing desires for which crowds will be a pain.

Nights 1-5. Kyoto via Osaka, as before. I am trying to work out the fine itinerary for days 2,3,4,and 5. Suggestions welcome. I am again anticipating a need for patience, as we will be visiting during cherry blossom season (and on a weekend to boot) so I am allowing extra time just to move around.

Night 6-7. Day 1 (and 2) of the pass. Takayama from Kyoto, about 4 hours.

Nights 8-9. Nagoya from Takayama, use as a base for the hike Magome-Tsumago. Also museum of Industry and Technology.

Nights 10-11. Okayama from Nagoya. Yes, we're back-tracking a bit, but it's not serious.

En route, we'll stop in Osaka, stash bags in the left luggage, and catch a little of the peace museum that is on a corner of the Osaka Castle grounds. This museum is much smaller than the one in Hiroshima, but I was intrigued by the proximity to Osaka Castle, since we'll get a glimpse of it coming and going.

Nights 12, 13, 14. Tokyo from Okayama, using last day of pass. Since our flight doesn't leave until very late on our last day, we in effect have three full days.

One of these days I think we'll head to Mount Takao, and hike up to the top for a (maybe) view of Fuji. The hike sounds intriguing even if weather precludes a glimpse of Fuji, plus this trip involves a much shorter jaunt than either Hakone or Kawaguchiko.

Meanwhile I'm still struggling with an itinerary for Tokyo. Such a big city, with time only for a glimpse.

hawaiiantraveler

If you don't have time to do Takaosan you might want to consider Showa Kinen Park 30 minutes outside of Tokyo on the same JR Chuo line. Fantastic fall colors there if you will be there then and great cherry blossoms if you are there in that season(forget when you are going). A fantastic place to visit and rent a bike to cruise this HUGE park in Tokyo's suburbs.

http://www.showakinenpark.go.jp/english/index.htm

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

For me a more interesting museum across the street from Osaka-jo is The Osaka Museum of History. Very well done with lots of elaborate visual scenes of Osaka's history dating from when it was the capital of Japan to the present....pretty impressive and it takes a lot to impress me. They even had a gassho-zukuri house set up outside that you could climb into and explore although I think that was a seasonal display and not a permanent one.

Aloha!

Sue_xx_yy

Hawaiian, that does indeed look like a super park, thank you.

I'm torn now about Osaka, now that you have indicated that there are TWO museums worth visiting near the castle. Decisions, decisions.

hawaiiantraveler

@DT- I forgot to answer this when I first saw your remark about hyperdia not showing NEx trains to and from my beloved Shinjuku.

They do show NEx times to and from Shinjuku but of course that is not the fastest option nor the most frequent to get to/from Shinjuku so you have to change the output to the max 10 where you will usually see the Nex options as per the attached searched for on a random day in July.

http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi/en/searc...d&sum_target=7

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

DT - Also on spellings of cities or stations you don't insert any punctuations or spaces thus Shin-Osaka becomes Shinosaka and Kawagushi-ko becomes Kawaguchiko. Lots of mistakes as you know come from not knowing the JR station(s) for a city for example Odawara for Hakone or Hakata for Fukuoka etc.

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

or mistakes like my first misspelling of Kawaguchi-ko above

hawaiiantraveler

Sue,
Patience is a good thing to have during cherry blossom season. See a few of my trip reports if you haven't already about cherry blossom season in Japan.

My favorite cherry blossom viewing site or venues in and about Kyoto are in this order:

1. Arashiyama-if you catch this place in peak blossoms and a beautiful day it is a sight to behold.
2. Kiyomizudera-The most popular and I hate the walk up the hill as I usually start from the Hyatt Kyoto but the sights on a peak day are unbeatable, its just the crowds you have to worry about.
3. Philosophers Path-A long walk but just serene in peak viewing conditions....Kirei!
4. Heian Shrine: I love the weeping cherry trees the best and this is the place for them. If you are late into the season these cherry trees usually blossom later than the rest so your chances are good.
5. Maruyama Park especially pretty at night viewing parties with the lights but can be very chilly in the evenings.
6. Tofukuji Temple- one stop south of Kyoto on the JR Nara line is fabulous if caught at the right time.

Choose one or a max of two of those venues a day for Kyoto along with other things you want to do that day should fill your Kyoto time well.

For Tokyo my fav cherry blossom spots are:
1. Shinjuku-gyoen
2. Ueno Park and adjacent temple
3. Chidorigafuchi-if you have time rent a row boat
4. Showa Kinen Park-fabulous in the suberbs of Tokyo in Tachikawa. Just a fabulous venue that not many visitors hear about or visit and THE gem of parks in Tokyo.

Each of the Tokyo venues will require several hours and patience to do right during this season. Buy a bento lunch and enjoy your own hanami.

Aloha!

rhkkmk

how will the cherry blossoms be in october?

hawaiiantraveler

Actually Mr. Weisenheimer(rhkkmk) there are winter cherry blossoms known as fuyuzakura in a little town I know just outside in the foothills around Tokyo's suburbs. Not nearly as impressive as the spring varieties but we will be in Tokyo at the right time of year in late October. We can take a little train ride out of Tokyo one day on a short day trip if you want to see them and some beautiful fall foliage at the same time. Just be sure to get some hiking shoes and be prepared for a little uphill walking

http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo...09_sakura.html

Of course there are a few fuyuzakura trees closer to Tokyo, in fact right in Shinjuku-gyoen park that is just a hop, skip and short walk from the Citadines. It's not the walk to the park but the long walk in this park that can be daunting for you. BTW it's one of the parks that were featured in my sakura calendar I gave away the other year at your BOS GTG. Dorothy your not in Thailand anymore.

Aloha!

DonTopaz

Thumbs up for Shinjuku-gyoen! It's a wonderful place, welcome relaxation from the city. Yes, plenty of walking involved, but also plenty of spots to sit for a bit. (Though I continue to wonder if Japan and Bwana Kimball are a good match.)

Sue_xx_yy

Just saw these entries today, thanks all for the contributions. HT, I am hoping I will catch some blossoms somewhere but I am prepared to be philosophic. I think we'll reach Tokyo too late for them but Kyoto and elsewhere we might strike it lucky. Several hours per venue! Well, at least now I know.

I want to catch the Miyako Odori while we're in Kyoto. Oh, my, but time is going to go by fast.

Very intrigued about weeping cherry trees. I didn't have Heian Shrine on my 'list' and now I feel I must squeeze it in.

kja

> I didn't have Heian Shrine on my 'list' and now I feel I must squeeze it in.

Oh, do try to find time for it! The gardens and grounds of Heian Shrine were among my favorites in Kyoto, and that says a LOT!