Ask me any questions

[gentoro]

Why I didnt think of airbnb? Tks

 

[ahbock]

If it is advisable to visit Nara, Nagano and Tokyo for a 7 days trip? Will be taking ANA flight, so will arrive in Japan early morning.

My itinerary as follows:

Day 1: Arrive at Haneda Airport, proceed to Nagano Prefecture via Shinkansen
Day 2: Visit Jigokudani Monkey park
Day 3: Proceed to Nara Prefecture (pls advise the fastest way to travel there by train)
Day 4: Visit Nara Koen park, Naramachi
Day 5-7: Proceed to Tokyo, will be visiting these places: Disneyland, Bandai Museum, Shinjuku and Akihabara

Thanks.

 

[purpleberry]

If it is advisable to visit Nara, Nagano and Tokyo for a 7 days trip? Will be taking ANA flight, so will arrive in Japan early morning.

My itinerary as follows:

Day 1: Arrive at Haneda Airport, proceed to Nagano Prefecture via Shinkansen
Day 2: Visit Jigokudani Monkey park
Day 3: Proceed to Nara Prefecture (pls advise the fastest way to travel there by train)
Day 4: Visit Nara Koen park, Naramachi
Day 5-7: Proceed to Tokyo, will be visiting these places: Disneyland, Bandai Museum, Shinjuku and Akihabara

Thanks.

You can check via Hyperdia on the fastest way to reach Nara but I strongly won't recommend it. You can save it for another trip when you decide to explore Kansai area.

 

[evilerniex]

If it is advisable to visit Nara, Nagano and Tokyo for a 7 days trip? Will be taking ANA flight, so will arrive in Japan early morning.

My itinerary as follows:

Day 1: Arrive at Haneda Airport, proceed to Nagano Prefecture via Shinkansen
Day 2: Visit Jigokudani Monkey park
Day 3: Proceed to Nara Prefecture (pls advise the fastest way to travel there by train)
Day 4: Visit Nara Koen park, Naramachi
Day 5-7: Proceed to Tokyo, will be visiting these places: Disneyland, Bandai Museum, Shinjuku and Akihabara

Thanks.

any reason for choosing this 3 places? they are in 3 different regions in japan and it will be expensive and time consuming to get ard. nara is especially out of the way and will take more than 5hrs (Nagano -> Kanazwa -> Kyoto -> Nara). u will need to get a 7-day JR pass to cover the entire trip.


for 7 days, it is usually better to just focus on just 1 location and places nearby to it. for example, Nara is usually done together with Kyoto and Osaka and that is enough to take up the entire 7 days

 

[ahbock]

any reason for choosing this 3 places? they are in 3 different regions in japan and it will be expensive and time consuming to get ard. nara is especially out of the way and will take more than 5hrs (Nagano -> Kanazwa -> Kyoto -> Nara). u will need to get a 7-day JR pass to cover the entire trip.


for 7 days, it is usually better to just focus on just 1 location and places nearby to it. for example, Nara is usually done together with Kyoto and Osaka and that is enough to take up the entire 7 days

Thanks for the advice, no particular reason for choosing these 3 places, just want to visit the main attractions within the prefectures.

Guess I have to re-consider my plan.

 

[jacques.jiean]

what are the difference between these economy fares? sorry first time taking JAL.. usually other airlines quite straightforward.

Sent from bored hole using GAGT

 

[jackieatbtu]

Been thinking of visiting Tokyo in July/August during their massive matsuri or firework festival. It seems that Gion Matsuri is in mid July while Sumida River fireworks is late July. Should I make the trip down to Kyoto for the festival, counting in the expensive shinkansen and peak hotel rates? Or will there be other festivals around the time of the Sumida River fireworks? I am thinking of spending around 5-6 days in Tokyo.

 

[xtwis7]

Any recommendation for single room hostels/guesthouses near Odaiba or Shingawa? Found this which is about 10 mins away from Shinagawa station. http://bp-shinagawashuku.com/en/

If staying outside Odaiba, I need to make one trip in and one trip out for 3 days so I'm thinking if it's worth it after adding in the extra train tickets.

 

[taokayTeo]

that is under 800... could be cheaper but Nov-Dec is a pretty peak period

u might want to grab them early to save on the flight

im looking at SQ now is around $1.8k after tax and everything. is it reasonable?

 

[saffronsatire]

im looking at SQ now is around $1.8k after tax and everything. is it reasonable?

unless 1.8k is for 2 pax or premium economy (i think haven't start yet?), otherwise it's ex. my SO paid 1.3k, i find it ex ard.

i would take ana/jal instead for <1k.

 

[anyhowsaysay]

im looking at SQ now is around $1.8k after tax and everything. is it reasonable?

to be honest, not so expensive. one person 0.9k.
If you get the good flight timing (Red eye flight).. Normally i pay around 1.3 to 1.5k for SQ per pax.

 

[evilerniex]

im looking at SQ now is around $1.8k after tax and everything. is it reasonable?

for 1 person??
that is a full price ticket, those where u can change date kind.


anything above 1k is expensive, especially since u can get MH for below $500 and CX or Thai for less than $600 (non-direct though). the recent promotions also have ANA, JAL and SQ for $600+ iirc

 

[taokayTeo]

for 1 person??
that is a full price ticket, those where u can change date kind.


anything above 1k is expensive, especially since u can get MH for below $500 and CX or Thai for less than $600 (non-direct though). the recent promotions also have ANA, JAL and SQ for $600+ iirc

im so sorry, its for 2 person. SQ direct flight.

 

[taokayTeo]

unless 1.8k is for 2 pax or premium economy (i think haven't start yet?), otherwise it's ex. my SO paid 1.3k, i find it ex ard.

i would take ana/jal instead for <1k.

i see ANA and JAL total around 1.4++ for 2 person. 300 cheaper for SQ. But their flights are quite old and seats a little less spacious compared to the SQ im looking for at 1.8k.

Flight timing for SQ is good, going at night reach in the morning for both ways.

 

[Vismark]

Any recommendation for single room hostels/guesthouses near Odaiba or Shingawa? Found this which is about 10 mins away from Shinagawa station. http://bp-shinagawashuku.com/en/

If staying outside Odaiba, I need to make one trip in and one trip out for 3 days so I'm thinking if it's worth it after adding in the extra train tickets.

You can look at Toyoko Inn. Its a budget hotel and its within 5 minutes walk from Shinagawa station.
If you stay more then 3 night, I think you can get the 1.5k YEN membership.
I think that way you can save abit rather then paying the general rate.

isit worth to go on tour?

I think it depend on individual.
Tour you have to follow their itinerary and everyday have to wake up very early cause have to follow the bus. But for tour most meals is covered and they will bring you to tourist places.

If free and easy, you will have to plan yourself the itinerary and book the hotel yourself etc. But this way you can wake up at your timing don have to rush. Just that transporting around have to take public transport unless you rent a car and drive around. You can anytime stop and take a break at a Cafe or have a snacks.

Free and easy can be cheaper depend on the hotel you book and air ticket promotion.

For me will be going Tokyo this year October and free and easy first time.
I check some online tour agency it cost roughly 2k for 7D6N tour.
But my F&E I book the early bird SQ promo for Tokyo, each pax air ticket roughly 725. Plus 6N hotel at Toyoko Inn a budget hotel which is near to Shinagawa station, each pax roughly 1k per night for hotel and air ticket.
Then will change 1k SGD to spend and bring some cash there in case not enough.

 

[gentoro]

Dear Evilenex,

Thanks for your recommendations and completed booking my major part of my itinerary:
Traveling via JAL in Dec 11-18.
Day 1 0930 - Haneda Airport - rental car - Nagano (check-in Minshuku Miyama)
Day 2 - Hop around Yudanaka, Zenkoji Temple, Snow Monkey, visit some osen and play around with SKi in snow
Day3 - Depart to Tokyo (Shinjuku - Higashi Pte apt & Returning Rental car)
Will be dropping family off the pte apt and myself returning the car to Haginaka). Most likely R&R, walk ard surrounding and replenish food supply
Day 4 - Disneyland!
Day 5 - ??
Day 6 - ??
Day 7 - R&R from Haneda Airport (check out - depart for 0005hr flight) - Likely to deposit luggages at airport ard noon and spend the rest of day till evening

Can help me plan my itinerary for Day 5, 6 & 7 - intending to visit Odiaba (Gundum!!), Akihabara, Shubuya, Renji Temple? Day 7 hopefully a short easy relaxing one till evening.

I have been staring at the Tokyo Train maps for days. I am still in chaos!!

 

[saffronsatire]

i see ANA and JAL total around 1.4++ for 2 person. 300 cheaper for SQ. But their flights are quite old and seats a little less spacious compared to the SQ im looking for at 1.8k.

Flight timing for SQ is good, going at night reach in the morning for both ways.

some ppl like ana for the service. ana seats are new but not much legroom. never take jal lately.

i will go for whichever cheaper and better timing. my threshold for ana/jal is 700+ and sq 900+. but i will only wanna land at hnd for tokyo. no nrt for me e.g. sq a380.

 

[taokayTeo]

some ppl like ana for the service. ana seats are new but not much legroom. never take jal lately.

i will go for whichever cheaper and better timing. my threshold for ana/jal is 700+ and sq 900+. but i will only wanna land at hnd for tokyo. no nrt for me e.g. sq a380.

For my period, ANA is 1.4k for 2 ways.

 

[evilerniex]

Dear Evilenex,

Thanks for your recommendations and completed booking my major part of my itinerary:
Traveling via JAL in Dec 11-18.
Day 1 0930 - Haneda Airport - rental car - Nagano (check-in Minshuku Miyama)
Day 2 - Hop around Yudanaka, Zenkoji Temple, Snow Monkey, visit some osen and play around with SKi in snow
Day3 - Depart to Tokyo (Shinjuku - Higashi Pte apt & Returning Rental car)
Will be dropping family off the pte apt and myself returning the car to Haginaka). Most likely R&R, walk ard surrounding and replenish food supply
Day 4 - Disneyland!
Day 5 - ??
Day 6 - ??
Day 7 - R&R from Haneda Airport (check out - depart for 0005hr flight) - Likely to deposit luggages at airport ard noon and spend the rest of day till evening

Can help me plan my itinerary for Day 5, 6 & 7 - intending to visit Odiaba (Gundum!!), Akihabara, Shubuya, Renji Temple? Day 7 hopefully a short easy relaxing one till evening.

I have been staring at the Tokyo Train maps for days. I am still in chaos!!

What is Renji temple?


Odaiba has lots to see and do, can spend half day or more there and stay for the night view of rainbow bridge and statue of liberty. u can visit Tsukiji market in the morning, then walk over to Shiodome or Shimbashi station for the Yurikamome train to Odaiba.


Shops in Akihabara probably opens only around noon. for morning, maybe u can head over to Ueno park or Asakusa first for some sightseeing.


Shibuya is just 2 stations away from Shinjuku. u can just drop by on one of the evenings if u have time

 

[love_indulgence]

With opt 1, you get to use a 7D JR pass and get to Tokyo straight when you return (make sure you have things to do for the 7 days though)

With opt 2, you get to save money but you will land at the airport when you returned and so have to take airport transfer again. You will probably need to calculate time spent while taking plane, as well as consider airport transfer cost.

That's an option 3 actually... hotel lodging + round train trip package from Japanican that are quite discounted.
http://www.japanican.com/en/special/tours/shinkansen/tokyo_other.aspx#nav

Thanks for your reply! after some consideration, decided to take the shinkansen even though its more expensive, dislike the idea of changing train here and there.

May i also ask if there are Hikari service from Shin-Osaka to Shinagawa? i tried Hyperdia and it says Kodama. i am using JR Pass so unable to take Nozomi.