Hakone VS Kawaguchiko

[shawn4881]

Hi, I'll be heading to Japan for 3 weeks next year to explore both Hokkaido and Tokyo. Currently the rough plan is this:

Hokkaido (9-10 days)
- Chitose + Sapporo (3/4 days)
- Otaru (1 day)
- Noboribetsu (1 day)
- Lake Toya (1 day)
- Hakodate (2 days)

I'm thinking of including the following in the rest of the days:
- Izu (2 days)
- Hakone (1 day)
- Yokohama (1 day)
- Kawaguchiko (maybe)
- Nikko (maybe)
- Disneyland (1 day)
- Tokyo (remaining days)

Ideally, I would like to spend at least 5 days in Tokyo. I have 2 questions..
Firstly, if I want to experience the Mt Fuji view, is Hakone or Kawaguchiko a better option?
Secondly, does everything seem to be too much to do for 3 weeks?

Thanks y'all!!

 

[samtcy]

Hi, I'll be heading to Japan for 3 weeks next year to explore both Hokkaido and Tokyo. Currently the rough plan is this:

Hokkaido (9-10 days)
- Chitose + Sapporo (3/4 days)
- Otaru (1 day)
- Noboribetsu (1 day)
- Lake Toya (1 day)
- Hakodate (2 days)

I'm thinking of including the following in the rest of the days:
- Izu (2 days)
- Hakone (1 day)
- Yokohama (1 day)
- Kawaguchiko (maybe)
- Nikko (maybe)
- Disneyland (1 day)
- Tokyo (remaining days)

Ideally, I would like to spend at least 5 days in Tokyo. I have 2 questions..
Firstly, if I want to experience the Mt Fuji view, is Hakone or Kawaguchiko a better option?
Secondly, does everything seem to be too much to do for 3 weeks?

Thanks y'all!!

If you want to see Mt Fuji, then Lake Kawaguchi (also known as Kawaguchi-ko) is better than Hakone.

 

[shawn4881]

thanks sam! for Hakone, wad is actually their main attractions? it seems like many people like to travel there eh..

 

[cpuer]

actually i also struggled with these 2 choices. But if you have 2 days, you can visit the 2 places with this pass:
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/fujihakone/

 

[samtcy]

thanks sam! for Hakone, wad is actually their main attractions? it seems like many people like to travel there eh..

More info:Fuji Five Lakes Travel: Lake Kawaguchiko

 

[shawn4881]

actually i also struggled with these 2 choices. But if you have 2 days, you can visit the 2 places with this pass:
Fuji Hakone Pass | Economical Excursion Tickets | Odakyu Electric Railway

Yea, that's a good pass.. but i'm struggling to figure out which passes to use as i wld still be headin over to izu and yokohama too.. so all the passes are kindda confusing me.. won't the bus journey take a relatively long time?

 

[cpuer]

Yea, that's a good pass.. but i'm struggling to figure out which passes to use as i wld still be headin over to izu and yokohama too.. so all the passes are kindda confusing me.. won't the bus journey take a relatively long time?

Normally bus would take longer time but i do notice their schedule can be quite good too and if your hotel near the bus stations, it would be even more attractive. But only problem is the traffic can be unpredictable.

 

[fiopsy]

do the buses at shinjuku still run to kawaguchiko station in winter period? does anyone know where i can find the bus schedule? thanks in advance..

 

[samtcy]

More info for Hakone:Hakone Travel Guide

Usually, people who go to Hakone will go on the Hakone classic course.
Hakone Travel: Hakone Round Course

 

[samtcy]

Yea, that's a good pass.. but i'm struggling to figure out which passes to use as i wld still be headin over to izu and yokohama too.. so all the passes are kindda confusing me.. won't the bus journey take a relatively long time?

For rail pass, maybe consider getting the 3days JR Kanto Area Pass?
JR Kanto Area Pass
Although it doesn't include Shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Atami and Odawara, but it does include regular JR train rides to Atami and Odawara.
If you intend to go Kawaguchi-ko, this pass also includes the train to Kawaguchiko.

It's not really economical to use this pass to get to Yokohama though, since going to Yokohama from Tokyo is not exactly expensive.

If you want to experience travelling on bullet train, you could use this pass to take Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Omiya (and then take normal train to Kawagoe), or Karuizawa.

It's more worth it to use this pass if you were to make at least 1 Shinkansen ride though.

 

[shawn4881]

For rail pass, maybe consider getting the 3days JR Kanto Area Pass?
JR Kanto Area Pass
Although it doesn't include Shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Atami and Odawara, but it does include regular JR train rides to Atami and Odawara.
If you intend to go Kawaguchi-ko, this pass also includes the train to Kawaguchiko.

It's not really economical to use this pass to get to Yokohama though, since going to Yokohama from Tokyo is not exactly expensive.

If you want to experience travelling on bullet train, you could use this pass to take Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Omiya (and then take normal train to Kawagoe), or Karuizawa.

It's more worth it to use this pass if you were to make at least 1 Shinkansen ride though.

I was thinking of that too, but i think i won't be able to complete everything within 3 days.. if i stay a day each at kawaguchiko and hakone + another 2 days at izu, it wld alr be 4 days.. unless i take a bus to kawaguchiko and only use the pass for hakone, izu and yokohama..?

 

[cpuer]

I was thinking of that too, but i think i won't be able to complete everything within 3 days.. if i stay a day each at kawaguchiko and hakone + another 2 days at izu, it wld alr be 4 days.. unless i take a bus to kawaguchiko and only use the pass for hakone, izu and yokohama..?

It seems like you are staying in Hakone and Izu? IMO, Kanto Pass is not that useful once you reach a town where JR is not the key transport provider. That's why special passes comes in to takes care of the local travelling needs(most of the time non JR).

 

[shawn4881]

It seems like you are staying in Hakone and Izu? IMO, Kanto Pass is not that useful once you reach a town where JR is not the key transport provider. That's why special passes comes in to takes care of the local travelling needs(most of the time non JR).

i'm thinkin about staying a night in kawaguchiko, a night in hakone and maybe 1 or 2 nights in izu.. the train passes seem rather steep though.. are thr cheaper alternatives?

 

[cpuer]

i'm thinkin about staying a night in kawaguchiko, a night in hakone and maybe 1 or 2 nights in izu.. the train passes seem rather steep though.. are thr cheaper alternatives?

I guess you will have to check in detail by using hyperdia. Check from point A to point B how much and within the locality what will be the sights you will be visiting. Most can be check with Hyperdia. Some times within the town they also have unlimited travel passes.

Examples:
Yokohama-Minatomirai Pass | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST

Kamakura-Enoshima Pass | Fares & Passes | JR-EAST

 

[evilerniex]

Yea, that's a good pass.. but i'm struggling to figure out which passes to use as i wld still be headin over to izu and yokohama too.. so all the passes are kindda confusing me.. won't the bus journey take a relatively long time?

for kawaguchi, bus is likely to be faster coz there is no direct train to kawaguchi. u will need to change train at otsuki station, and the entire trip is at least 2hrs by ltd exp train.

 

[mickeycena]

for kawaguchi, bus is likely to be faster coz there is no direct train to kawaguchi. u will need to change train at otsuki station, and the entire trip is at least 2hrs by ltd exp train.

I thought there's a kawaguchiko station??? I've book a resort there as iirc there is one.

 

[evilerniex]

I thought there's a kawaguchiko station??? I've book a resort there as iirc there is one.

yes, there is a kawaguchiko station, but there is no direct train from tokyo. need to change train at otsuki station

 

[samtcy]

There is direct train from Shinjuku station to Kawaguchiko station, but only on certain days, not daily, and it's seasonal.

Check this page for more details. The train is called the Rapid Holiday Kaisoku Fujisan.
Japan Rail Pass and rail travel in Japan complete guide – JPRail.com » Blog Archive » Schedule of 2013 fall seasonal trains of Japan Railway

It is a seasonal train, and it operates on:
October 5,6,12-14,19,20,26,27 2013
November 2-4,9,10,16,17,23,24,30 2013

There are only 2 direct trains on the above days between Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko.

Otherwise, normally, people will have to take a train from Shinjuku station to Otsuki station, and then transfer train at Otsuki station to go to Kawaguchiko station.

 

[evilerniex]

There is direct train from Shinjuku station to Kawaguchiko station, but only on certain days, not daily, and it's seasonal.

Check this page for more details. The train is called the Rapid Holiday Kaisoku Fujisan.
Japan Rail Pass and rail travel in Japan complete guide – JPRail.com » Blog Archive » Schedule of 2013 fall seasonal trains of Japan Railway

It is a seasonal train, and it operates on:
October 5,6,12-14,19,20,26,27 2013
November 2-4,9,10,16,17,23,24,30 2013

There are only 2 direct trains on the above days between Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko.

Otherwise, normally, people will have to take a train from Shinjuku station to Otsuki station, and then transfer train at Otsuki station to go to Kawaguchiko station.

learn something new today

travel time on this direct train is slightly longer than the 2hrs by bus, and it cost 2900yen compared to 1700yen by bus. but it will be a good alternative for those who are using JR pass.. just need to top up 1110yen for the non-JR portion of the trip

 

[mickeycena]

There is direct train from Shinjuku station to Kawaguchiko station, but only on certain days, not daily, and it's seasonal.

Check this page for more details. The train is called the Rapid Holiday Kaisoku Fujisan.
Japan Rail Pass and rail travel in Japan complete guide – JPRail.com » Blog Archive » Schedule of 2013 fall seasonal trains of Japan Railway

It is a seasonal train, and it operates on:
October 5,6,12-14,19,20,26,27 2013
November 2-4,9,10,16,17,23,24,30 2013

There are only 2 direct trains on the above days between Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko.

Otherwise, normally, people will have to take a train from Shinjuku station to Otsuki station, and then transfer train at Otsuki station to go to Kawaguchiko station.

Thanks a lot man! I should research more on the trip to my resort.