Japan Sample Itinerary thread

[Whispers]

paiseh for hijacking the discussion

will be going to japan in july but i have not booked any accommodation yet -___-||
only bought air tix (Delta) and 14D JR pass

spend about 3 weeks there. will be trekking Mt Fuji, then Hokkaido (Lavender Season), Kyoto-Osaka, Tokyo

Questions

- where to find the time table for all the trains valid with JR Pass? Hyperdia.com gives the routes but not the timings, will want that to plan if day trips are possible without staying over

- Pocket wifi and SIM rental

- accommodations (Hostels preferred) as im travelling solo

- and LASTLY, THINGS AND SIGHTS TO SEE! THERE IS SO MANY PLACES AND ONLY SO LITTLE TIME!

will appreciate any inputs!

will finalize accom and itinerary by this week so i will appreciate any inputs!

Thanks!

 

[evilerniex]

paiseh for hijacking the discussion

will be going to japan in july but i have not booked any accommodation yet -___-||
only bought air tix (Delta) and 14D JR pass

spend about 3 weeks there. will be trekking Mt Fuji, then Hokkaido (Lavender Season), Kyoto-Osaka, Tokyo

Questions

- where to find the time table for all the trains valid with JR Pass? Hyperdia.com gives the routes but not the timings, will want that to plan if day trips are possible without staying over

- Pocket wifi and SIM rental

- accommodations (Hostels preferred) as im travelling solo

- and LASTLY, THINGS AND SIGHTS TO SEE! THERE IS SO MANY PLACES AND ONLY SO LITTLE TIME!

will appreciate any inputs!

will finalize accom and itinerary by this week so i will appreciate any inputs!

Thanks!

it is a quite late to be booking accommodations now. suggest u do it soon.

wat u mean by timing? hyperdia got all the timing info. can choose the time u want to depart, or choose the time u want to arrive by.

u need not be restricted to just hostels. japan have many business hotel chains that cater to solo travellers, such as toyoko-inn and super hotel.

have u booked ur domestic flight to hokkaido? or are u planning to take train up? do note that it is a whole day of travelling if u are going from sapporo to kyoto by train. quite time consuming and tiring, unless u have places u want to go along the way

 

[Whispers]

it is a quite late to be booking accommodations now. suggest u do it soon.

wat u mean by timing? hyperdia got all the timing info. can choose the time u want to depart, or choose the time u want to arrive by.

u need not be restricted to just hostels. japan have many business hotel chains that cater to solo travellers, such as toyoko-inn and super hotel.

have u booked ur domestic flight to hokkaido? or are u planning to take train up? do note that it is a whole day of travelling if u are going from sapporo to kyoto by train. quite time consuming and tiring, unless u have places u want to go along the way

hey thanks!

timing as in schedule of the trains. in that way i can know when is the first and last train to catch. Hyperdia gives the timings ard the time u input?

no internal flights...all by rail...hmm i dun think i will stop along the way for other things. first time in japan. mainly is to trek, see cities and eat food

 

[Whispers]

have any sites to plan itinerary? suggestions?

 

[evilerniex]

hey thanks!

timing as in schedule of the trains. in that way i can know when is the first and last train to catch. Hyperdia gives the timings ard the time u input?

no internal flights...all by rail...hmm i dun think i will stop along the way for other things. first time in japan. mainly is to trek, see cities and eat food

After u search on hyperdia, check on the "interval timetable" below the train name (eg. Shinkansen hikari xxx)

 

[evilerniex]

have any sites to plan itinerary? suggestions?

U cant try japan guide website. Or refer to the trip reports in the sticky thread

 

[MilesTeh]

Hi All,

I'll be heading to Osaka end of Nov for 8days, hopefully able to see Koyo. Flight tix already booked. Appreciate your help to re-arrange my draft itinerary. TIA!

Tue
--------
Land in Osaka at 9.20pm
Checkin to First Cabin at KIX Airport
Rest

Wed (OSAKA)
--------
Checkout First Cabin
Leave Luggage in Kinki Hotel
Osaka Castle, Aquarium (buyOsaka Kaiyuu Kippu pass?)
Checkin Hotel Kinki 3-11pm
Nipponbashi Den Den Town
Dotonbori
Namba (Glico Man)
Shinsaibashi shopping area

Thur (USJ)
----------
USJ

Fri (day trip to NARA)
---------
Deer Park
Daibutsu

Sat (KYOTO - Stay overnight Kyoto, becos no Hotel in Osaka due to marathon)
--------
Check out Kinki Hotel
Travel to JR Kyoto Station
Leave Luggage at hostel
Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine
Kiyomizudera Temple
Higashiyama Historic District
Ginkaku-ji Temple
Nishiki Market
Gion (both Hanamikoji Dori and Shirakawa-minami Dori sides)


Sun (KYOTO) stay in osaka
--------
Check out hostel
Arashiyama (Sagano Romance Train+Hozugawa River Cruise+Tenryu-ji Temple+bamboo grove)
Travel back to Osaka
Check in Kinki Hotel

Mon (OSAKA)
--------
??

Tue (OSAKA)
---------
Shopping
Umeda
Umeda Sky building
Daimaru Department Store Umeda


Wed (Flight Home)
---------
Morning check out Hotel Kinki
Leave Luggage here
Where to go jalan ?
Lunch
Where to go jalan ?
Dinner
Collect Luggage from hotel
Take bus to airport at 7.30pm
Flight home at 11.30pm

 

[evilerniex]

Hi All,

I'll be heading to Osaka end of Nov for 8days, hopefully able to see Koyo. Flight tix already booked. Appreciate your help to re-arrange my draft itinerary. TIA!

Tue
--------
Land in Osaka at 9.20pm
Checkin to First Cabin at KIX Airport
Rest

Wed (OSAKA)
--------
Checkout First Cabin
Leave Luggage in Kinki Hotel
Osaka Castle, Aquarium (buyOsaka Kaiyuu Kippu pass?)
Checkin Hotel Kinki 3-11pm
Nipponbashi Den Den Town
Dotonbori
Namba (Glico Man)
Shinsaibashi shopping area

Thur (USJ)
----------
USJ

Fri (day trip to NARA)
---------
Deer Park
Daibutsu

Sat (KYOTO - Stay overnight Kyoto, becos no Hotel in Osaka due to marathon)
--------
Check out Kinki Hotel
Travel to JR Kyoto Station
Leave Luggage at hostel
Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine
Kiyomizudera Temple
Higashiyama Historic District
Ginkaku-ji Temple
Nishiki Market
Gion (both Hanamikoji Dori and Shirakawa-minami Dori sides)


Sun (KYOTO) stay in osaka
--------
Check out hostel
Arashiyama (Sagano Romance Train+Hozugawa River Cruise+Tenryu-ji Temple+bamboo grove)
Travel back to Osaka
Check in Kinki Hotel

Mon (OSAKA)
--------
??

Tue (OSAKA)
---------
Shopping
Umeda
Umeda Sky building
Daimaru Department Store Umeda


Wed (Flight Home)
---------
Morning check out Hotel Kinki
Leave Luggage here
Where to go jalan ?
Lunch
Where to go jalan ?
Dinner
Collect Luggage from hotel
Take bus to airport at 7.30pm
Flight home at 11.30pm

ur wed and sat looks a bit packed, especially since u still need to check-out and travel to the next accomodation.

since u have a free day, u can use it to cover whatever u didnt managed to cover on other days. it is only 30min from osaka to kyoto, so u can head there if u miss out anything.

u may want to stay for the autumn night illuminations in kiyomizudera

 

[Ruriel]

I agree with evilerniex. Sat esp, seems too packed and you'll definitely have to skip some listed places. Kiyomizudera and the old street leading up to it can easily take half a day to just enjoy the shops as well as the sights from the temple. Fushimi inari itself is probably a 3-4hrs hike if you intend to trek all the way. Otherwise probably a 2hrs is good. And Nishiki market doesn't stay open too late, till around 6pm only. Most shops at higashiyama old street also close early, like 6~7pm I think? Considering you are checking out and in, and there's that train ride from Osaka to Kyoto, and all other train rides to and fro from place to place, it feels a little impossible to visit all the places that you list for your saturday...

 

[MilesTeh]

Hi evilerniex and Ruriel,

Thank you both for your comments! I have modified the itinerary as below. Please advise if I am grouping the attractions together.
Is it a bad idea to travel to Kyoto during the weekends? I could only find a cheaper hostel at 3800yen for a jap-single room in Kyoto on the 25th (sat).

Wed (OSAKA)
--------
Checkout First Cabin
Leave Luggage in Kinki Hotel
Osaka Castle, Aquarium (buyOsaka Kaiyuu Kippu pass?)
Checkin Hotel Kinki 3-11pm
Nipponbashi Den Den Town
Dotonbori


Sat (KYOTO - Stay overnight Kyoto)
--------
Check out Kinki Hotel
Travel to JR Kyoto Station
Leave Luggage at hostel
Higashiyama Historic District
Kiyomizudera Temple
Autumn night illuminations in Kiyomizudera

Sun (KYOTO) stay in osaka
--------
Check out hostel
Arashiyama (Sagano Romance Train+Hozugawa River Cruise+Tenryu-ji Temple+bamboo grove)
Travel back to Osaka
Check in Kinki Hotel
Namba (Glico Man)
Shinsaibashi shopping area

Mon (KYOTO)
--------
Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine (most likely not hiking up all the way)
Nishiki Market
Ginkaku-ji Temple
Gion (both Hanamikoji Dori and Shirakawa-minami Dori sides)
Travel back to Osaka

Thanks again!

 

[Ruriel]

Kyoto on weekends are definitely more crowded, especially in Nov during the illumination period.

Your Kyoto attractions now look doable, most attractions are correctly grouped (if that's what you are asking) as they are roughly around the same area, except for your Monday itinerary. I feel it might be a bit ambitious to travel to ginkakuji from nishiki and still have time to go back to Gion before going back to Osaka (assuming you don't rush through attractions). It might be doable if you wake up at 6am to reach Fushimi Inari at 7am to start off the day though.

BTW, you do know that kiyomizudera main hall is all boarded up with scaffolding right? Some regulars here feel its not worth it to go anymore until the renovation works is over. Personally I feel kiyomizudera is more than just that main hall... So I guess it's up to individual. Just FYI in case you didn't know.

 

[rain_myth]

Hi bros

can ask hw to know whether the sounzan station is open?

read some says can only travel to owakuni station then uturn back to ubako station..some say can travel to sounzan station..nt sure which is which

 

[HikarU123456]

I think it is ok. Can rest on the plane. Then train ride is 1+hr from narita to shinagawa by narita expres, then 2hr by shinkansen to nagoya. U will be taking reserved seats for the trains, so can rest also. And by the time checkin hotel in nagoya, can go for quick dinner then sleep already

Bro I got changes in plan

1st Apr fly to Narita (reach narita at 8am like tt) then straight JR to Nagoya
1-2nd Apr at Nagoya
3rd go Kyoto (staying at Kyoto for 3 nights)
4th Apr go Nara day trip for wedding shoot
5th Apr enjoy Kyoto
6th leave for Hiroshima，visit Miyajima and stay Hiroshima
7th JR back to Tokyo
8th enjoy Tokyo
9th return to SG

Maximise my 7day JR pass .. initally plan to stay at hiroshima one more night but dunno if just buy teain ticket back to tokyo with JR is ex or nt..

Any comments bro

 

[evilerniex]

Bro I got changes in plan

1st Apr fly to Narita (reach narita at 8am like tt) then straight JR to Nagoya
1-2nd Apr at Nagoya
3rd go Kyoto (staying at Kyoto for 3 nights)
4th Apr go Nara day trip for wedding shoot
5th Apr enjoy Kyoto
6th leave for Hiroshima，visit Miyajima and stay Hiroshima
7th JR back to Tokyo
8th enjoy Tokyo
9th return to SG

Maximise my 7day JR pass .. initally plan to stay at hiroshima one more night but dunno if just buy teain ticket back to tokyo with JR is ex or nt..

Any comments bro

it is going to be very expensive to travel from hiroshima back to tokyo without the JR pass. u can use hyperdia to check with train route and fare. it is about 18k yen from hiroshima to tokyo. if u really want to extend hiroshima, it will be better to start ur JR pass from day 3 and pay the 10k yen from tokyo to nagoya instead.

btw, i notice u did not include osaka. not planning to go at all? u can travel to osaka from kyoto in the evening to do some shopping and eating,since kyoto and nara have nothing much to do at night.

i also notice u only have 1 day for tokyo. that is very short, unless u have been to tokyo, and that 1 day is just for shopping

 

[evilerniex]

Hi bros

can ask hw to know whether the sounzan station is open?

read some says can only travel to owakuni station then uturn back to ubako station..some say can travel to sounzan station..nt sure which is which

japan-guide didnt mention anything about closure. however, hakone ropeway website have a notice that says that there is substitute bus between sounzan and owakudani. so i dunno which is which. but i am reading the english website, and it is possible that the hakone ropeway website did not update and remove the notice. best to get someone who can read japanese to look at the japanese website for the ropeway

 

[HikarU123456]

it is going to be very expensive to travel from hiroshima back to tokyo without the JR pass. u can use hyperdia to check with train route and fare. it is about 18k yen from hiroshima to tokyo. if u really want to extend hiroshima, it will be better to start ur JR pass from day 3 and pay the 10k yen from tokyo to nagoya instead.

btw, i notice u did not include osaka. not planning to go at all? u can travel to osaka from kyoto in the evening to do some shopping and eating,since kyoto and nara have nothing much to do at night.

i also notice u only have 1 day for tokyo. that is very short, unless u have been to tokyo, and that 1 day is just for shopping

Hmm i went osaka before so unless realli gt free time then might skip it..

I spent ard 10 days at tokyo during my last trip, most of the places visited before alr, so the 1 day actually intend to go disneysea...

Well i am intending to use just JR pass, dont feel like spending more on long dist train rides, so i thinn this itinerary wld best suit my budget? I am contemplating to skip nagoya.

 

[evilerniex]

Hmm i went osaka before so unless realli gt free time then might skip it..

I spent ard 10 days at tokyo during my last trip, most of the places visited before alr, so the 1 day actually intend to go disneysea...

Well i am intending to use just JR pass, dont feel like spending more on long dist train rides, so i thinn this itinerary wld best suit my budget? I am contemplating to skip nagoya.

Since u have been to osaka and tokyo, i think this itinerary is pretty good already.

I wouldnt recommend spending extra on train fare either. Not really worth it to pay so much more just for another day.

So now it is just whether to skip nagoya or not. U will have to decide how keen u are on the attractions in nagoya. If u skip nagoya, u will have 1 less change in accommodation, so there is some time saving there. And u will have have an extra day. Can extend another day in Hiroshima, or stay in kyoto and make a day trip elsewhere. Maybe visit some sakura spots?

 

[HikarU123456]

Since u have been to osaka and tokyo, i think this itinerary is pretty good already.

I wouldnt recommend spending extra on train fare either. Not really worth it to pay so much more just for another day.

So now it is just whether to skip nagoya or not. U will have to decide how keen u are on the attractions in nagoya. If u skip nagoya, u will have 1 less change in accommodation, so there is some time saving there. And u will have have an extra day. Can extend another day in Hiroshima, or stay in kyoto and make a day trip elsewhere. Maybe visit some sakura spots?

Thanks bro for the feedback

I am considering nagoya seriously... but feel like at least go there walk walk one day

I am afraid staying in kyoto is very ex.. that why dun wan stay more than 3 nights already..

Argh delimma, dont wan miss nagoya and hiroshima at the same time haha

 

[evilerniex]

Thanks bro for the feedback

I am considering nagoya seriously... but feel like at least go there walk walk one day

I am afraid staying in kyoto is very ex.. that why dun wan stay more than 3 nights already..

Argh delimma, dont wan miss nagoya and hiroshima at the same time haha

If u have not book ur accom for kyoto, maybe switch to staying in osaka instead? Then make day trip to kyoto and nara. Osaka easier to find cheaper accom.

 

[HikarU123456]

If u have not book ur accom for kyoto, maybe switch to staying in osaka instead? Then make day trip to kyoto and nara. Osaka easier to find cheaper accom.

Yup I was told Osaka hotel cheaper also... just tt Everyday make day trip to Kyoto or Osaka will it be very tiring....?