Overnight in Hakone or Nikko?
 

I will be travelling in Japan for 3 weeks in Nov. . I have 7 nights in Tokyo before leaving and travelling the country for the next 2 weeks. During the 7 nights in Tokyo I'd like to go to Nikko and Hakone as well as spend 2 or 3 full days in Tokyo.
1- Is this doable, and if so, is it better to overnight in Hakone or Nikko,? , I'd then do the other as a day trip I don't think I have time to overnight in both Nikko and Hakone unless I eliminate a day in Tokyo
2- If not doable, which do you recommend for a first time traveler..., Hakone or Nikko? Our first stops after leaving Tokyo are Matsumoto, Takayama Kanazawa.. Hiroshima and Kyoto.

For Nikko, it depends on what you want to do. Highlights can be visited in a very long day trip from Tokyo. To see the major shrines and temples in Nikko without rushing and also see Kegon-no-taki, an overnight would be MUCH better. I didn't go to Hakone.

I am also stucked between those two opitions. My concern is if its recommended to a stay 1 or 2 nights in nikko since I am also planning to stay in kyoto. Nikko or hakone hmmmm...

> My concern is if its recommended to a stay 1 or 2 nights in nikko since I am also planning to stay in kyoto.

Nikko and Kyoto are quite different from each other.

we have chosen hakone at the hyatt

we have chosen hakone at the hyatt

Are they? How? I got the impression that both places are filled with temples and gardens. I would love to see them, but dont want a trip with only temples as attractions. I am planning to stay 4 days ( 5 nights ) in Kyoto + 1 night at Mt Kyoto.

We are spending two nights in Hakone just before we fly home. Can't resist the hot springs.

> I got the impression that both places are filled with temples and gardens.

True, but the styles and settings are different. (Rome and Florence are both filled with churches and museums; doesn't mean they are interchangeable!) You can learn more at japan-guide.com

Depending on your itinerary, Hakone may well provide you with greater diversity. I'm merely commenting on Nikko and Kyoto.

Not much difference in travel time from either place to Matsumoto, depending on departure time. A bit under 4 hours. But you could use travel time as a tie-breaker if you departure or arrival times are not very flexible.

You don't have any bad choices, as far as places to visit goes. It is just a matter of how much time want to spend on trains and what you want to do at night. If you day-trip to Nikko then you are taking a day from Tokyo. How you spend the night is the difference. I wouldn't stay a night in Hakone and a night in Nikko because I don't need/want two calm and relaxing (boring) nights in a 2 or 3 night period. You might.

I chose Hakone because I wanted the scenery, primarily Fuji-san, and the onsen. And the cruise across Ashi-ko and the geothermal and other features on the loop, including the variety of transportation modes.

If I had that choice now, this year, and at that time of year I would pick Hakone. There aren't many main temples in either location. Actually there are more shrines in both locations mentioned. Also take into consideration that the Rinnoji Temple(the major dera in Nikko) along with Nikko's main attraction, the Toshogu Shrine, are undergoing major renovations for the next decade.

A few other reasons for Hakone imho

1. Hakone is in the direction you are traveling.

2. Nikko is two hours in the opposite direction of your
travels adding more train travel time(a plus for some).

3. Nikko's main sites are under construction.

4. The Nov-March time frame is the best weather wise for viewing of Mt Fuji from various sites within and around Hakone.

5. Transport within Hakone region utilizing the Hakone Free Pass makes Hakone not only more accessible but more user friendly. You can hop on the Romance train in Shinjuku, get off in Hakone-Yumoto, walk fifty feet to the Tozan railway cars and start the Hakone Round course which will take you up and around the Hakone region utilizing the train, cog-way train, funicular, cable car, then finally a pirate ship across Lake Ashi for a fantastic visual tour of the Hakone region (if weather permits of course) with very little walking between venues. You can eat a late lunch at one the pier restaurants in Moto-Hakone or Hakone-Machi. Then take a little walk down the Old Tokkaido Road to walk off your lunch or just sit lakeside for fabulous views of Fujisan (if she is showing herself that day) before taking the bus back to the nearest train station or to your ryokan along the route.

6. All popular sites in Nikko are uphill from the roads, in fact everything in Nikko is uphill starting from when you arrive at the train stations.

7. In Nikko there are buses, taxis, car rentals but mostly foot power (not necessarily a bad thing if you like to hike).

8. There are beautiful ryokan in both areas but many more in the Hakone region that I have seen if that is your intention.

All that said we do love Nikko and the sights there are lovely but save it for a return trip when you can give it the time to do it justice.

Aloha!

HT from your description Hakone sounds fab, am glad we managed to get in the Ryokan we wanted. ( got the last room and booked MONTHS ago)

Smeagol, Hakone is a fab destination...just wish we had more than an overnight when we are there with the Kimball's in the fall. Can you guess which option Bob will pick after lunch? Let's see walk the Old Tokkaido road or sit by the lake and watch Fujisan?
I think Karen and Linda will be walking the road while I keep Bob company and study Fujisan from the lake shore :))

Which ryokan did you get in Hakone?

Aloha!

I'm glad we have two nights in Hakone. Sounds just wonderful!

Think it's called Ginyu. Looks lovely. ( should be for the price) :)

Hakone Ginyu? Several people are jealous.

Many thanks for all your replies.

HT-Do you know where I can find the morning schedule for the Romance Car leaving Shinjuku? I am interested in going to Hakone for the sightseeing, not the ryokan experience. (If I overnight in Hakone I'd probably stay at the Hyatt as I have a free night there.)I'm not quite sure if overnighting in the area would give me more sightseeing time than just doing it as a day trip, as sunset is around 4:45, and I'd be leaving the next day after breakfast. Am i missing something?

Your replies have helped me decide that I do not want to spend a night in Nikko. If we go we will go as a day trip to see only the shrines, not the lake, and return to Tokyo in the evening.

http://www.odakyu.jp/english/romancecar/

So you are just doing a day trip to Hakone...and what about Nikko?

I haven't decided on whether to overnight in Hakone or do it as a day trip. If we go to Nikko I will do it as a day trip and visit only the shrines, not the lake. I will check closer to our departure as to how much in Nikko is actually covered with scaffolding before making a final decision. Doing both Nikko and Hakone as day trips seems easier logistically as I can choose the days to go depending on the weather, rather than being locked in because of a hotel reservation. And i don't have to worry about luggage transport. The downside to day trips is it is more rushed.

yes spending and overnight would give you more time, also you are missing the free drinks served from 4-7 pm in the Hyatt fireplace room along with their huge onsen in the spa which is free to all guests.
You could ideally leave Tokyo one night earlier and spend that one night in Hakone before going on to the rest of your trip. It would be a shorter ride from Hakone unless you can catch the 10:03 am train from Nikko to Matsumoto. All other trains and departure times from Nikko take a much longer time to get to Matsumoto.

Save Nikko for next time as it is worth more than a day trip. Our first trip to Nikko was a day trip and I remember on the way back to Tokyo thinking what a waste of time(more than four hours) it was to rush around Nikko in order to get back to Tokyo in time for dinner.....just mho.

Aloha!

If I did leave Tokyo a day earlier and the next day took the train from Hakone to Matsumoto, then I would not buy the Free Pass that included the roundtrip transportation to/ from Tokyo, correct? I would buy the Free Pass for just the local transport and pay the train fare each way on my own? Or would I get the Free Pass including roundtrip transport, return to Shinjuku station and then take the Azusa to Matsumoto on a seperate ticket?

You can check hyperdia.com to see which would work the best for you - I started with Hakone Yumoto to Matsumoto to see different choices - you have to change twice and then I added Shinjuku as Pass1 in Search Parameters to see how it would work that way - it seems there would only be one change - as far as the cost I didn't figure that out....and the times varied somewhat as well.

Will you have a JR Pass - I don't remember your earlier posts...sorry....I am thinking not...

That's why I always do a spreadsheet for each trip - it helps keep track of train names, times, costs et al....

Just doing the Round Course one-way is 6300 yen so getting the transport from Shinjuku and the HFP for two days at 5000 yen is a bargain. Plus you can use for your transport to JR Odawara from your hotel for the Shinkansen ride your day out.

The Romance car would cost an extra 870 yen if you wanted that train instead of an express from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto
From Odawara use your JR pass or buy tickets.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

Aloha!

Thanks Mara and HT. Found a train leaving Odawara at 2:57 getting to Matsumoto at 6:34 with 2 switches. Lots to think about-overnights, 1 week or 2 week JR Pass, hotel reservations.

It is complicated, isn't it, Shelley? I think this is one of the most complicated trips I've planned!

Thanks for the feedback Kathie. I thought it was just me feeling that way.

Well at the Hyatt you can cancel up to 24hrs before without penalty. You can also bookmark and check this site for weather while your in Japan. Pretty accurate, will give you one week forecasts and I use it all the time when in Japan.

http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html

Just a rough summary of your train travel shows me you need a 14-day JR pass and the freedom it will afford you not having to worry about buying tickets, you can literally fly by the seat of your pants with a pass. Hop on whatever train to where ever you want to go in two weeks. Your itinerary as I see it from this thread...

Odawara to Matsumoto ¥7360-9020 depending on train taken

Matsumoto to Takayama ¥7860

Takayama to Kanazawa ¥5440 with some lower fares at random times

Kanazawa to Hiroshima ¥14950

Hiroshima to Kyoto ¥10590

Total ¥46200

Cost of 14-day JR Pass ¥45100

Aloha!

HT- My main reason for going to Hakone is to see the scenery, do the loop, and visit the Open Air Museum (which should take about 2 hours). Anything more would be a bonus.

Could you provide a little more information re the Hyatt, specifically how to reach it from the train station and how long it takes? As some of the loop transport closes at 4 in Nov. I would not want to waste time getting to the hotel until the end of the day. Also, how would I get from the hotel to the Open Air Museum if I chose to do the Museum the day I leave? I am concerned about the time "wasted" getting to/from the Hyatt from loop transportation. I am aiming to make a 1:52 train at Odawara.

There is a Hotel Fujiya that I was considering because it looks more centrally located than the Hyatt (walking distance from a ropeway stop), but it gets very mixed reviews. Do you have any other recommendations for a centrally located good hotel in the area?

If you have a free Hyatt night, it would sure be tempting to use it at Hakone!

Free is good, but we will be arriving at the hotel in the dark, and leaving the next morning. I would not want to take time away from sightseeing to be at the hotel. So a convenient location may trump free for me in Hakone. Too bad it gets dark so early in Nov.

The Hyatt is located a short walk down the road off the second to the last funicular stop(Kami Gora). Or you can call the Hyatt shuttle to pick you up from the Gora train station.....real easy. Just because its dark when you arrive does not mean you can't enjoy the free drinks and onsen. There is also a free shuttle from the Hyatt to Odawara Station(where you would catch the shinkansen towards Matsumoto). You would take the 11:30 am or 12:15 pm shuttle from the Hyatt. See here for details:

http://hakone.regency.hyatt.com/en/h...portation.html

HT-Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions.

do itashimaste !!

I will be in Japan for 17 days in November. While Nikko sounded interesting, I included Hakone in my itinerary for many of the reasons already mentioned. I couldn't imagine going to Japan and not (at least trying) to see Fujisan. The volcanic hot springs, the onsen, the cable car over the valley and all the scenery just sound incredible. I am keep crossed fingers of seeing Mt. Fuji while there. I ended up booking a two day tour from Tokyo (my only tour-dependent days of my trip) for both ease as well as to be with other tourists as I'll be traveling alone during my trip.

shelley, I missed your question on how to get to the Open Air Museum from the Hyatt. The Open Air Museum is located one stop down from the Gora station on the Tozan line. Just take the Cable Car down to Gora station or have the Hyatt shuttle drop you off at Gora station and walk down one stop to the museum. Thats what we did, its only a 5-7 minute walk downhill or one stop if you want to wait for the train. We took the train one stop back uphill though ;)
The Open Air Museum is fantastic and it was a bright sunny fall day when we went. Just be ready for hiking up and down the hillside as that is where this museum is built, along a hillside.

Aloha!