angethereader

I have a tentative itinerary for a trip to Japan in March of 2006. Our itinerary is based partly on wanting to have a couple of home bases (I don't do well with every day being a travel day - I can't relax), and partly on the fact that we are visiting our son who is attending the University of Hiroshima
Wednesday, March 15: Leave US
Thursday, March 16: Arrive Tokyo Narita and check into hotel. (Meet up with son)
Friday, Saturday March 17&18: sightsee in Tokyo.
Sunday March 19: Start use of 1 week JR pass and travel to Kyoto.
March 19-23: Sightsee Kyoto - we're thinking at staying at a Ryokan in Kyoto.
March 24: Travel to Hiroshima and directly to Miyajima. Stay at Ryokan Friday night. Sightsee in Miyajima on Sunday and travel back to Hiroshima. That will be last day for JR pass (Saturday, March 25).
March 25-27: Sightsee (Including University) in and Hiroshima.
March 28: Travel back to Tokyo and stay overnight before heading home.
What do you think? Is it a smart plan?? I realize we will have to pay separately for the train trip back, but otherwise our trip to Kyoto will be too short.
Any suggestions, deletions, subtractions???
I welcome any input,
Thanks!

glorialf

Looks good

someotherguy

A better plan might be to do open jaw international flights: fly into Narita and out of Kansai (the nearest to Hiroshima) or Nagoya, United flies to all three of these; I don't know about other airlines. That way you avoid the tedious and expensive train journey back to Narita. Plus, Kansai and Nagoya are simpler airports to deal with. Open jaws are no more expensive than straight returns.

Florence

Bonjour Angethereader,

I'd suggest you activate your JR pass on the 22nd and that you pay only for the Tokyo-Kyoto shinkansen, rather than for the longer Hiroshima-Tokyo segment. That way, you can also use the JRpass to Narita.

Alternatively, you should consider an open jaw ticket entering Japan in Narita and leavind from Osaka-Kansai so you won't have to return all the way to Tokyo, which would save one day of travel.

angethereader

Thank you! Both are good suggestions. Saving money on travel (train) or even an extra night at a hotel would be great! It will probably depend on the airline tickets.
Thanks again!