[naveen99]

quirkyhill wrote:

thanks all!!!

You finished exploring every corner of China already?

[jackieatbtu]

If jam like this, then I will remove Kanazawa and return to Tokyo one day earlier. Or go to nagoya’s nabana no sato on the same day I arrive in Nagoya. This way I will be hitting the pink moss on Thursday and nemophilia on Friday. The weekend before golden week just stay in Tokyo.

thwysg wrote:

Yes, it would be. I’ve done it few years ago (also flew back on 1 May) and it was massive jam all the way to Fuji Shibazakura Festival over the weekend. Took the bus from Kawaguchiko Station before 9am, the ride was supposed to be a 30 min journey and we were stuck on the bus for more than two hours. Your choice.

[evilerniex]

jackieatbtu wrote:

Hi planning a trip for next April 19th till May 1st. Slight overlap with Golden week but I hope to finish all my long train journeys before that and spend last few days in Tokyo.

For the weekend before golden week, April 27 and 28th, would it be very crowded at hitachi seaside park? I am trying to arrange my itinerary. If I need to visit on the Friday 26th, I will have to cut out one day from my Takayama section.

I plan to cover Alpine route, pink moss and nemophilia in this trip. If weather condition or blooming not ideal, I may skip but the hotels would have been booked and fixed. Thanks.

it is definitely going to be crowded at the peak of pink moss bloom in shibazakura park and nemophilia in hitachi seaside park, regardless whether it is golden week or not. best to cater more time for travelling, and buy park/transport tickets in advance.

[jackieatbtu]

I will be using JR Tokyo wide pass so transport won’t be an issue except for the final local bus segment. I was thinking to leave my itinerary flexible that if not at peak bloom, I will just skip the park. So should I still buy tickets first? And I am unaware both shibazakura and nemophilia can buy park entrance tickets online.

evilerniex wrote:

it is definitely going to be crowded at the peak of pink moss bloom in shibazakura park and nemophilia in hitachi seaside park, regardless whether it is golden week or not. best to cater more time for travelling, and buy park/transport tickets in advance.

[thwysg]

jackieatbtu wrote:

I will be using JR Tokyo wide pass so transport won’t be an issue except for the final local bus segment. I was thinking to leave my itinerary flexible that if not at peak bloom, I will just skip the park. So should I still buy tickets first? And I am unaware both shibazakura and nemophilia can buy park entrance tickets online.

Just to add on, I also went to Alpine Route during that period, very crowded because it just opened for the first week. Just be aware of the queues in every segment along the Route. Lots of Asian tourists armed with selfie sticks. They just swung the sticks around without thinking that they might injure someone.

[jackieatbtu]

Sounds dangerous. What time do you start on the route? I am hoping the first train from
Toyama would help. I still have to make my way to Matsumoto after the route.

thwysg wrote:

Just to add on, I also went to Alpine Route during that period, very crowded because it just opened for the first week. Just be aware of the queues in every segment along the Route. Lots of Asian tourists armed with selfie sticks. They just swung the sticks around without thinking that they might injure someone.

[thwysg]

jackieatbtu wrote:

Sounds dangerous. What time do you start on the route? I am hoping the first train from
Toyama would help. I still have to make my way to Matsumoto after the route.

We only managed to catch 7am train from Toyama station despite reaching there slightly after 6am. Tickets were sold out for the earlier timing. By then, it was already quite crowded.

[jackieatbtu]

Tickets could not be bought earlier? I will stay the night near Toyama station. Planning to use the alpine takayama Matsumoto pass. Supposed to cover the train from Toyama.

thwysg wrote:

We only managed to catch 7am train from Toyama station despite reaching there slightly after 6am. Tickets were sold out for the earlier timing. By then, it was already quite crowded.

[thwysg]

jackieatbtu wrote:

Tickets could not be bought earlier? I will stay the night near Toyama station. Planning to use the alpine takayama Matsumoto pass. Supposed to cover the train from Toyama.

We didn’t buy any pass as it would not cover our 3-week trip. Open jaw tickets - flying into Nagoya and out from Haneda.

[evilerniex]

jackieatbtu wrote:

I will be using JR Tokyo wide pass so transport won’t be an issue except for the final local bus segment. I was thinking to leave my itinerary flexible that if not at peak bloom, I will just skip the park. So should I still buy tickets first? And I am unaware both shibazakura and nemophilia can buy park entrance tickets online.

There is some highway bus + shibazakura combo ticket that can be purchase in advance. But I think tt is for traveling from shinjuku. Not sure if there is such tickets from Kawaguchiko.

Highway bus tickets itself can be bought online, so at least get tt one, since seats are limited. Park tickets at most just queue loh

Sent from Sony G8342 using GAGT

[jackieatbtu]

evilerniex wrote:

There is some highway bus + shibazakura combo ticket that can be purchase in advance. But I think tt is for traveling from shinjuku. Not sure if there is such tickets from Kawaguchiko.

Highway bus tickets itself can be bought online, so at least get tt one, since seats are limited. Park tickets at most just queue loh

Sent from Sony G8342 using GAGT

Yes, I plan to get the Shirakawago bus tickets, Kofu to Kawaguchiko and Kawaguchiko to Shinjuku/Tokyo Station. At least book online and reserve first. The combo that I read about is the bus from kawaguchiko station to the park return ticket and park entrance ticket, which is bought on the day itself.
By the way, I posted my full itinerary at the itinerary thread.

[Chys]

Hi Dimitri, I will be bringing my family of 7 (MIL, wife, myself and 4 below 12yo kids) to Japan this Nov.

As a first timer, appreciate your kind advice on my draft itinerary and th e options for transport.

Thanks in advance!

Date Prefecture
Attractions Hotel

19-Nov SG->HND
Depart from SIN, arrival at HND at 20Nov 06:55

20-Nov Osaka
1. HND to Osaka 2. Osaka Castle 3. Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade (besides Dotonbori), Dotonbori, Hozenji Temple??? Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

21-Nov Osaka
Osaka USS Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

22-Nov Osaka
Tempozan Ferris Wheel Mt. Tempozan Osaka Aquarium: Kaiyukan Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

23-Nov Kyoto
Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji Temple, Bamboo forest & Iwatayama Monkey Park 2. Take photo in kimono??? Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

24-Nov Nara
Nara Park Todai-ji Temple Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

25-Nov Osaka/Tokyo
1. Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社) 2. Bullet Train back to Tokyo KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

26-Nov Tokyo
1. Sensōji (浅草寺) 2. Nakamise (仲見世) 3. Tokyo Tower KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

27-Nov Tokyo
Disneyland Hilton Tokyo Bay

28-Nov Tokyo
DisneySea Hilton Tokyo Bay

29-Nov Tokyo
Disney Land/Sea KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

30-Nov Tokyo
1. Nissin Cup Noodle Museum, Shinyokohama Ramen Museum (maybe) 2. Ekibenya, Tokyo Character Street, Pokemon Store KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

1-Dec Tokyo
1. Ghibli Museum KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

2-Dec Tokyo
1. F&E 2. Depart for HND airport by 21:00 KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station -Tokyo Shinagawa

3-Dec Tokyo
SG

[shadow84]

Is it worth trying out omakase in tokyo? But its quite ex and hard to even get a slot there.

[anyhowsaysay]

shadow84 wrote:

Is it worth trying out omakase in tokyo? But its quite ex and hard to even get a slot there.

Omakase just means the chef will decide. Got many kind of omakase, Yakitori omakase, Tempura Omakase, Kaiseki omakase etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omakase

I think what you are after is Kaiseki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseki

Huge range of prices

[shadow84]

anyhowsaysay wrote:

Omakase just means the chef will decide. Got many kind of omakase, Yakitori omakase, Tempura Omakase, Kaiseki omakase etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omakase

I think what you are after is Kaiseki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiseki

Huge range of prices

I have seen some youtube vids on this and even joined their FB for more info. Saw some at 140k yen +/- and offer 10+ varieties of sushi, depending on season. But was wondering if my tastebuds can taste the diff. lol.