First ever solo trip!

[Gappyvic]

Hi guys,

I need some help with my itinerary...few questions to ask before booking for accommodation.

5-Nov Day 1 TOKYO
6-Nov Day 2 TOKYO
7-Nov Day 3 TOKYO
8-Nov Day 4 TOKYO
9-Nov Day 5 MATSUMOTO/NARAI
10-Nov Day 6 KAMIKOCHI
11-Nov Day 7 TAKAYAMA/Hida takayma
12-Nov Day 8 KYOTO
13-Nov Day 9 KYOTO
14-Nov Day 10 OSAKA
15-Nov Day 11 OSAKA
16-Nov Day 12 HOME



1.Is Narai much like Hide takayama? I am arriving Matsumoto around noon, kinda unsure if I've enough time to travel to Narai.

2.Should I based myself in Osaka and travel to and fro Kyoto instead of lugging my luggage around?

3. Should I buy the Kansai 5-day pass or any pass? I went to do a quick search (Takayama --> Kyoto/Osaka bus trip cost ~ 4200- 4700yen)

Thanks in advance! =)

 

[stars87]

Not doing the tateyama kurobe alpine route ? You're very very close to it.

Can takkyubin your luggage over, go light and pickup your luggage on the other side.

 

[kifo]

From the website, Narai looks more like a typical post town, while Takayama is a city in the mountains that has preserved a section of their old streets. They are quite different. I have not been to Narai but I have been to both Magome/Tsumago and Takayama.

Anyway, it looks like it takes about an hour for the train from Matsumoto. A quick to and fro should certainly be doable, but then won't you be unable to visit the magnificent Matsumoto Castle as a result? The castle is one of the top original castles in Japan. I don't think you should give it up.

 

[Gappyvic]

hmm...I went to find out more abt the Alpine route and was thinking to add it into the itinerary. Can I do Alpine route in the day and reach Matsumoto in the evening?

Am actually confused with the info i googled. Was wondering which is the more effective route

1. Tokyo > Tateyama > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Hide Takayama > Kyoto?

2. Tokyo > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Tateyama > Hide Takayama > Kyoto?

 

[evilerniex]

hmm...I went to find out more abt the Alpine route and was thinking to add it into the itinerary. Can I do Alpine route in the day and reach Matsumoto in the evening?

Am actually confused with the info i googled. Was wondering which is the more effective route

1. Tokyo > Tateyama > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Hide Takayama > Kyoto?

2. Tokyo > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Tateyama > Hide Takayama > Kyoto?

yes, alpine route can be done in a day. most ppl do it in a day, although I think it will be better spend more time to explore the place.


route 2 is better coz matsumoto is nearer to Tokyo. u can make use of their luggage forwarding service to send ur luggage from Shinano omachi to tateyama within the same day, so u dun have to carry ur luggage up

 

[Gappyvic]

Tokyo > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Tateyama > Hide Takayama > Kyoto

my accommodation plans would be:

Matsumoto (Noon Arrival) -> Explore the castle and surrounding area
Day trip to Kamikochi -> Back to matsumoto for the night -> Day trip to tateyama via ?bus -> Travel to Takayama for the night -> Explore Hida takayama > Travel to Kyoto around noon/evening?

I was checking out Hyderdia and they have a section of reserved seats vs unreserved seats. Does using the JR pass allows for one to reserve without any fees for all travels? Or there's no need to do reservation?

Please comment. Thank you!!!


EDIT

I came across this Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass and it seems to be able to fit it most places that i intend to visit. Was wondering if it is a better idea to get this instead of the JR pass...

 

[evilerniex]

Tokyo > Matsumoto > Kamikochi > Tateyama > Hide Takayama > Kyoto

my accommodation plans would be:

Matsumoto (Noon Arrival) -> Explore the castle and surrounding area
Day trip to Kamikochi -> Back to matsumoto for the night -> Day trip to tateyama via ?bus -> Travel to Takayama for the night -> Explore Hida takayama > Travel to Kyoto around noon/evening?

I was checking out Hyderdia and they have a section of reserved seats vs unreserved seats. Does using the JR pass allows for one to reserve without any fees for all travels? Or there's no need to do reservation?


[it depends on which pass u are using. different pass have different coverage and rules. the 7-day JR pass and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass allows reservation of seat to be made for free.]

Please comment. Thank you!!!


EDIT

I came across this Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass and it seems to be able to fit it most places that i intend to visit. Was wondering if it is a better idea to get this instead of the JR pass...
[if the places covered and the duration is sufficient then this pass will be better since it is a lot cheaper than the 7-day JR pass. the trip to kamikochi and the alpine route are not covered by the JR pass anyway, so the only extra trip covered by the 7-day pass is Tokyo to Matsumoto, which doesn't justify the cost of the 7-day JR pass]

see comments above

 

[coldkey]

With the new Shinkansen line, you can start at Toyama for tateyama/kurobe line. There is Kanazawa nearby and Kurobe gorge (diff from Kurobe Dam) also worth visiting. I stayed at Toyama for one night and started the route in the morning, reached Matsumoto in the evening and went Kamikochi the next day.

Leaving Matsumoto is slow though, took me 2hrs to reach Nagoya then took Shinkansen to Osaka. Best is to take the early train out and continue sleeping on the train.

 

[hawkwind]

Spend more days in Kyoto instead of Osaka if you are keen on cultural destinations like shrines. Just book hotel in Kyoto rather than travel about 45min from Osaka to save time.

 

[Gappyvic]

With the new Shinkansen line, you can start at Toyama for tateyama/kurobe line. There is Kanazawa nearby and Kurobe gorge (diff from Kurobe Dam) also worth visiting. I stayed at Toyama for one night and started the route in the morning, reached Matsumoto in the evening and went Kamikochi the next day.

Leaving Matsumoto is slow though, took me 2hrs to reach Nagoya then took Shinkansen to Osaka. Best is to take the early train out and continue sleeping on the train.

My intention was to bus from Shinjuku to Matsumoto and take the train to Shinano Omachi to start my Alpine journey.

If I were to buy the new takayama-hokuriku pass, i would do Toyama > Takayama > Shirakawa-go > Kanazawa > Kyoto. Based on what I've read, the whole journey should be covered?

There are 2 problem now:
1. Baggage service is only valid till 10th Nov? Anyone encountered this issue?

2. What is the differences between this and the Hokuriku pass if both uses the same shinkansen?Do I have to purchase both?http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/tateyama_kurobe/index.html

 

[evilerniex]

My intention was to bus from Shinjuku to Matsumoto and take the train to Shinano Omachi to start my Alpine journey.

If I were to buy the new takayama-hokuriku pass, i would do Toyama > Takayama > Shirakawa-go > Kanazawa > Kyoto. Based on what I've read, the whole journey should be covered?

There are 2 problem now:
1. Baggage service is only valid till 10th Nov? Anyone encountered this issue?

2. What is the differences between this and the Hokuriku pass if both uses the same shinkansen?Do I have to purchase both?http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/tateyama_kurobe/index.html

1. u can use luggage forwarding services such as Ta-Q-Bin to forward ur luggage from ur hotel in matsumoto to ur next hotel. however, it is an overnight service, so u need to bring a day worth of luggage with u.


2. this pass covers only the alpine route and there is no shinkansen on the alpine route. u shld get both, coz the takayama-hokuriku pass doesn't cover alpine route