Takayama Kanazawa

[rnanse]

i'm planning to head to Takayama, Kanazawa and Shirakawago next year.

I'll probably fly in and out from Osaka - I need advice on whether I should head to Kanazawa first or Takayama and whether I should take the shirakawago day trip from Takayama or Kanazawa. I am planning to stay in Osaka for the last few 3 days.

 

[thwysg]

Are you taking trains or buses? If you’re getting a Pass, you could do this - Osaka/Kyoto > Kanazawa > Shirakawago > Takayama > Kyoto/Osaka.

 

[Hetheone]

If u haven't get air tickets, mayb u can try fly in Nagoya n out osaka by sq.

There is a five days JR area pass u can use ( takayama-hokuriku area tourist pass ) It also cover the bus ride to shirakawago

From Nagoya u go straight to takayama then shirakawago then Kanazawa then osaka....

Takayama the hida beef.... Good. And also got one ramen stall open till 1am... Very yummy.

Kanazawa... Many good seafood at the omicho market.. Spoil by choices...
Night time their izakaya not bad... But some don't serve foreigner.. Thus have to used to this....

 

[coldkey]

There is a bullet train service from Tokyo, so it might be closer to go from Tokyo.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018_nagano.html

 

[rnanse]

I haven't bought tickets yet.

Maybe i'll give shirakawago a miss since i heard it is nicer in winter.

i'm going in April so alternatively, I thought of flying into Tokyo (as one of you mentioned), train to Toyama, base in Toyama so 1) I can take a day trip to Tateyama Kurobe alpine route, 2) day trip to Takayama to see Spring Festival then take a train down to Kanazawa (stay for 2 days? is it sufficient?) and last few days in Osaka.

Please let me know if this is better option?

 

[coldkey]

Can only comment on the alpine route.

You should probably do it when leaving Toyama instead of a day trip, once you reach Kurobe side, it will be long trip to return back to Toyama. Most ppl will just go until Murodo for a day trip. Imo, the best view is on the Kurobe side when you take the ropeway descent.

That being said, weather can play a big factor to your trip. If it is cloudy, then you won't see much.

I did the route in Autumn, going from Toyama to Kurobe and taking the bus to the Shinano-Omachi. There is a luggage forwarding service from Toyama to Shinano-Omachi. Then Matsumoto from there. Can catch a train to Nagoya from there.

Also from Matsumoto, you can visit the picturesque Kamikochi
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6040.html and there is an indirect bus from there to Takayama.
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/kamikochi-line-en/

 

[rnanse]

Can only comment on the alpine route.

You should probably do it when leaving Toyama instead of a day trip, once you reach Kurobe side, it will be long trip to return back to Toyama. Most ppl will just go until Murodo for a day trip. Imo, the best view is on the Kurobe side when you take the ropeway descent.

That being said, weather can play a big factor to your trip. If it is cloudy, then you won't see much.

I did the route in Autumn, going from Toyama to Kurobe and taking the bus to the Shinano-Omachi. There is a luggage forwarding service from Toyama to Shinano-Omachi. Then Matsumoto from there. Can catch a train to Nagoya from there.

Also from Matsumoto, you can visit the picturesque Kamikochi
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6040.html and there is an indirect bus from there to Takayama.
https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/kamikochi-line-en/

Wow just checked out Kamikochi and it is breathtaking. Maybe i will skip takayama altogether and focus on Alpine and Kamikochi this trip then head back to Tokyo for last few days instead of Osaka.

 

[jenahcoil]

Kamikochi is absolutely beautiful, one of my favourite places in Japan. If you're going in April it'll be quite cold, might still have some snow. I took a bus from takayama to kamikochi and out via mastumoto, which may be faster in getting back to tokyo.

 

[rnanse]

Kamikochi is absolutely beautiful, one of my favourite places in Japan. If you're going in April it'll be quite cold, might still have some snow. I took a bus from takayama to kamikochi and out via mastumoto, which may be faster in getting back to tokyo.

Thanks! Will a day trip be sufficient or should I stay one night there?

When did you go? I see pictures during autumn will be nicer - red leaves plus snow capped mountains

 

[Crescy]

I haven't bought tickets yet.

Maybe i'll give shirakawago a miss since i heard it is nicer in winter.

i'm going in April so alternatively, I thought of flying into Tokyo (as one of you mentioned), train to Toyama, base in Toyama so 1) I can take a day trip to Tateyama Kurobe alpine route, 2) day trip to Takayama to see Spring Festival then take a train down to Kanazawa (stay for 2 days? is it sufficient?) and last few days in Osaka.

Please let me know if this is better option?

omg why do you want to skip the best part of this loop? for me, I wanted to go to shirakawa, thus made plans to stay over at Takayama and Kanazawa.

i mean, its not even out of the way since you will be going Takayama and Kanazawa. from Takayama just take the bus to the village, tour then take bus to Kanazawa. its part of the Takayama-Hokuriku Area pass

 

[punggol12]

Takayama, Kanazawa and Shirakawago

I travelled through these places in Nov 2017.
I book a 5 day Hokuriku pass. I used the pass to take a train from Osaka airport to Kanazawa.
The Keurokuen garden in Kanazawa is a must see place.
Then I took the Nohi bus( part of the Hokuriku pass) to Takayama. I passed through Shirakawago along the way but didn't have time to spend in Shirakawago.
The next day I took the Nohi bus from Takayama bus to Shirakawago and back. Couldn't make it to Ainokura Village. Again the next day I tok the Nohi bus from Takayama to Ainoukura Village and also spend some time again at Shirakawago,
If you want to make it a one day trip from Takayama to Shirakawago and Ainoukura and back, you have to book the Nohi bus online before you reach Japan. You need to catch the first bus departing Takayam before 8 am.

 

[daxiong88]

Kamikochi is absolutely beautiful, one of my favourite places in Japan. If you're going in April it'll be quite cold, might still have some snow. I took a bus from takayama to kamikochi and out via mastumoto, which may be faster in getting back to tokyo.

Does the Takayama-Hokuriku Area pass cover the nohi bus from Takayama to Kamikochi?

 

[AndreFLo]

Hi TS, I did the route just last year.

I got the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass and stayed for 2 nights at Kanazawa, 2 nights at Takayama.

Day 1: Nagoya to Takayama by train. Took a bus from Takayama to Shirakawago for day trip. Took bus to Kanazawa and stay the night.
Day 2: Spend the day touring Kanazawa. Kenrokuen, Higashi Chaya, Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle. Spend the night at Kanazawa.
Day 3 and 4: Kanazawa to Takayama. Spend the next 2 nights back.
Day 5: Back to Nagoya

I like Kanazawa, feels like Kyoto but less touristy. I think personally its good to stay 2 nights there.