Japan Sample Itinerary thread

[Vulpix]

Shinkansen is what they call their inter-city or regional trains travelling at hyper speed. Different from the Tokyo Metro (MRT). If you decide to take shinkansen, make sure you book well in advance. Most of hte locals during Golden Week travel out from the big cities leaving downtown Tokyo slightly empty (read somewhere on this). Totally avoid popular shrines, temples, disney resorts, etc. as they will be packed.

Wah like that how ah. My trip is from 20-30th April. My goal is KIX -> Kinosaki -> Kyoto -> Osaka. If I plan to go Universal Studios, will Thursday April 26th still be ok? I also still plan to visit Nara. I guess if I want to walk around Osaka best to do it on April 28th which is the start of Golden Week?

 

[purpleberry]

Wah like that how ah. My trip is from 20-30th April. My goal is KIX -> Kinosaki -> Kyoto -> Osaka. If I plan to go Universal Studios, will Thursday April 26th still be ok? I also still plan to visit Nara. I guess if I want to walk around Osaka best to do it on April 28th which is the start of Golden Week?

Mid-week still ok. You can check http://www15.plala.or.jp/gcap/usj/ to access the crowd levels. Nearer or during golden week perhaps you can spend these days to shop around Dotonbori. I am not sure how crowded Kobe, Hiroshima but definitely Himeji castle and Nara will be crowded.

 

[evilerniex]

Wah like that how ah. My trip is from 20-30th April. My goal is KIX -> Kinosaki -> Kyoto -> Osaka. If I plan to go Universal Studios, will Thursday April 26th still be ok? I also still plan to visit Nara. I guess if I want to walk around Osaka best to do it on April 28th which is the start of Golden Week?

I think ur trip still ok. U chionging to kinosaki and kyoto first, so by the time golden week starts, u already in osaka. If u are making any day trips out of osaka (himeji, nara etc) , do so before golden week. Or at least reserve the train tickets the moment u reach japan.

 

[purpleberry]

sucia will b better? feel like getting sucia too

Suica can personalize your name in the card

 

[thwysg]

Wah like that how ah. My trip is from 20-30th April. My goal is KIX -> Kinosaki -> Kyoto -> Osaka. If I plan to go Universal Studios, will Thursday April 26th still be ok? I also still plan to visit Nara. I guess if I want to walk around Osaka best to do it on April 28th which is the start of Golden Week?

26 April is good for USJ.

27 April (Friday) onwards might be crowded as it's the last Friday of the month also known as Premium Friday. Offices close at 3pm so that the office workers could have more time with their families. There'll be special deals in the malls and restaurants as well. This means next year's GW would be an extended one - 28 April to 6 May with the weekends.

 

[Vulpix]

26 April is good for USJ.

27 April (Friday) onwards might be crowded as it's the last Friday of the month also known as Premium Friday. Offices close at 3pm so that the office workers could have more time with their families. There'll be special deals in the malls and restaurants as well. This means next year's GW would be an extended one - 28 April to 6 May with the weekends.

Ok then I just make 28th onwards as shopping days in Osaka. I intend to go check out the porter store in Osaka.

 

[thwysg]

I just googled it. Thanks for the heads up. So is it recommended to delay the trip by a week? The main reason for wanting to travel that week is my gf wanted to view the cherry blossom. But i am not able to depart anytime earlier than that period.

As evilerniex had suggested, head to Tohoku if you wanted to see sakura. Else you could stick to other seasonal flowers such as nemophila at Hitachi Seaside Park, wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park/ Kameido Jinja, shibazakura at Fuji-Shibazakura Festival, azalea at Nezu Jinja. Perhaps you can check out sakura at Oshino Hakkai. Just some suggestions if you want to see flowers.

Do note all these are subjected to weather conditions.

 

[Vulpix]

Ok, I more or less finalized my Kansai region trip.

Day 1-> Sleep in Kansai airport hotel
Day 2-> Take limousine bus to Kyoto (It stops near my hotel vs Haruka), then drop by Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji temple, late afternoon go Nishiki Market and the Gion area
Day 3-> Go Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine and Inari Shinko Festival! I checked for 2018 and it's the closest Sunday of the 20th of April. Then go back Nishiki market in afternoon.
Day 4-> Take train from Kyoto to Kinosakionsen, then jalan jalan
Day 5-> Kinosaki go to Osaka
Day 6-> Go to Nara
Day 7-> Universal Studios
Day 8-10-> Osaka misc inclusive of Minoo Park

Anyone got comments? I checked out Kyoto and the only 2 places me and my wife interested in checking out are those 2 shrines. Fushimi shrine just nice got festival.

 

[evilerniex]

Ok, I more or less finalized my Kansai region trip.

Day 1-> Sleep in Kansai airport hotel
Day 2-> Take limousine bus to Kyoto (It stops near my hotel vs Haruka), then drop by Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji temple, late afternoon go Nishiki Market and the Gion area
Day 3-> Go Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine and Inari Shinko Festival! I checked for 2018 and it's the closest Sunday of the 20th of April. Then go back Nishiki market in afternoon.
Day 4-> Take train from Kyoto to Kinosakionsen, then jalan jalan
Day 5-> Kinosaki go to Osaka
Day 6-> Go to Nara
Day 7-> Universal Studios
Day 8-10-> Osaka misc inclusive of Minoo Park

Anyone got comments? I checked out Kyoto and the only 2 places me and my wife interested in checking out are those 2 shrines. Fushimi shrine just nice got festival.

if u are not into temples and shrines, then kyoto probably nothing much. nevertheless, u may want to visit some of the more iconic attractions such as kiyomezudera and kinkakuji

u may want to activate ur JR West Kansai Wide Area pass on day 2, and make use of it to take Haruka to kyoto instead of bus. probably going to be much faster. since it ends on day 6, u still can use it to get to nara via JR nara line. alternative, u can use it for a day trip to himeji and kobe on day 6 to make full use of the pass.

 

[Vulpix]

if u are not into temples and shrines, then kyoto probably nothing much. nevertheless, u may want to visit some of the more iconic attractions such as kiyomezudera and kinkakuji

u may want to activate ur JR West Kansai Wide Area pass on day 2, and make use of it to take Haruka to kyoto instead of bus. probably going to be much faster. since it ends on day 6, u still can use it to get to nara via JR nara line. alternative, u can use it for a day trip to himeji and kobe on day 6 to make full use of the pass.

Does this mean I no need to buy that special package of Haruka + ICOCA package? Didn't know kansai wide area also can board Haruka...

Is the limousine bus really that much worse?

Me and wife checked out those 2 temples online but it doesn't interest us both.

 

[Ruriel]

Does this mean I no need to buy that special package of Haruka + ICOCA package? Didn't know kansai wide area also can board Haruka...

Is the limousine bus really that much worse?

Me and wife checked out those 2 temples online but it doesn't interest us both.

If the limousine bus is nearer to your hotel and you are okay with the schedule and timing that your bus reaches the bus stop that you want to alight, stick to the limousine bus. If you take Haruka, you only alight at Kyoto station and still have to drag your luggage onto normal buses/subways.

For me, the temples in Kyoto have fabulous gardens and I went strictly for the gardens and scenary instead of the temple buildings itself. If you are heading to Arashiyama bamboo forest, may I recommend dropping by Okochi Sanso? It's not a temple, but a garden. The admission is a little steep but the place is really very beautiful. I feel it's a must-go especially if one is into zen-like atmosphere / landscape.

 

[evilerniex]

Does this mean I no need to buy that special package of Haruka + ICOCA package? Didn't know kansai wide area also can board Haruka...

Is the limousine bus really that much worse?

Me and wife checked out those 2 temples online but it doesn't interest us both.

Yup, haruka is a limited express train which is covered by kansai wide area pass. However, the pass only covered unreserved seats and u will need to pay the difference if getting a reserved seat.

Limo bus is subjected to traffic.. Probably not much worse lah. Just tt since u already getting the pass, might as well make full use of it.

All a matter of personal preferences. Can skip those temples if u are not interested. Personally, i dun like kyoto also, because of the crowd.

 

[Vulpix]

If the limousine bus is nearer to your hotel and you are okay with the schedule and timing that your bus reaches the bus stop that you want to alight, stick to the limousine bus. If you take Haruka, you only alight at Kyoto station and still have to drag your luggage onto normal buses/subways.

For me, the temples in Kyoto have fabulous gardens and I went strictly for the gardens and scenary instead of the temple buildings itself. If you are heading to Arashiyama bamboo forest, may I recommend dropping by Okochi Sanso? It's not a temple, but a garden. The admission is a little steep but the place is really very beautiful. I feel it's a must-go especially if one is into zen-like atmosphere / landscape.

Oh Okachi? It's in my itinerary but an optional thing, was thinking of going Kamayama Koen. Is it like much prettier than Kamayama?

 

[Vulpix]

Yup, haruka is a limited express train which is covered by kansai wide area pass. However, the pass only covered unreserved seats and u will need to pay the difference if getting a reserved seat.

Limo bus is subjected to traffic.. Probably not much worse lah. Just tt since u already getting the pass, might as well make full use of it.

All a matter of personal preferences. Can skip those temples if u are not interested. Personally, i dun like kyoto also, because of the crowd.

Hmm ok. Thanks a lot. I'll discuss with my wife on this. I am guessing from the train interiors the luggage must put at the front of the carriage?

 

[evilerniex]

Hmm ok. Thanks a lot. I'll discuss with my wife on this. I am guessing from the train interiors the luggage must put at the front of the carriage?

Cant remember how is the train interior like.
Ruriel brought out a good point. If the limo can take u straight to ur accom, whereas train need to change, then maybe better to go with limo bus. Cost vs convenience lah

 

[Ruriel]

Oh Okachi? It's in my itinerary but an optional thing, was thinking of going Kamayama Koen. Is it like much prettier than Kamayama?

I haven't been to Kameyama Koen, so I can't quite comment on which is prettier. I guess you can just keep to your itinerary and make Okochi Sanso as an optional place to visit if you have the spare time.

I just went to google Kameyama Koen a bit... seems like a nice walking/hiking trail. Will probably include it in my Kyoto itinerary next year. Thanks for the sic!

 

[Ruriel]

Hmm ok. Thanks a lot. I'll discuss with my wife on this. I am guessing from the train interiors the luggage must put at the front of the carriage?

For Haruka, yes the luggage compartments are in front of the carriage, very much like NEX in Tokyo. But there's no lock/security feature like what they have on NEX though.

 

[Vulpix]

Cant remember how is the train interior like.
Ruriel brought out a good point. If the limo can take u straight to ur accom, whereas train need to change, then maybe better to go with limo bus. Cost vs convenience lah

For Haruka, yes the luggage compartments are in front of the carriage, very much like NEX in Tokyo. But there's no lock/security feature like what they have on NEX though.

Hmmm ok. I checked both schedules and it seems like the bus will take 20 minutes more pending traffic smoothness, plus my hotel is 2 stops away from Kyoto station (Shoji), so it's not like it's THAT far.

I haven't been to Kameyama Koen, so I can't quite comment on which is prettier. I guess you can just keep to your itinerary and make Okochi Sanso as an optional place to visit if you have the spare time.

I just went to google Kameyama Koen a bit... seems like a nice walking/hiking trail. Will probably include it in my Kyoto itinerary next year. Thanks for the sic!

Some of the blogs I went through showed that Koen is quite often a place most tourist miss so I was quite curious.

By the way, I see the nearest station from the bamboo grove is the station Saga-Arashiyama Station, I assume that train need to use JR pass one?

 

[Ruriel]

By the way, I see the nearest station from the bamboo grove is the station Saga-Arashiyama Station, I assume that train need to use JR pass one?

Just buy ICOCA and use it like our ezlink. Top up as you go along. You don't need a JR pass.

PS: JR lines in Japan doesn't mean you die die need a JR pass to take. It just means if you have a JR pass, you can have unlimited travel on JR lines.

 

[evilerniex]

Hmmm ok. I checked both schedules and it seems like the bus will take 20 minutes more pending traffic smoothness, plus my hotel is 2 stops away from Kyoto station (Shoji), so it's not like it's THAT far.


Some of the blogs I went through showed that Koen is quite often a place most tourist miss so I was quite curious.

By the way, I see the nearest station from the bamboo grove is the station Saga-Arashiyama Station, I assume that train need to use JR pass one?

Yes, u can use ur JR kansai wide area pass to take from kyoto to JR saga-arashiyama station