Im planning to visit Japan Tokyo for about 2 weeks around Nov - Dec
I like eating, photography n occasionally buy some toys for collecting
Kubricks + transformersG1 etc
I'm going with my gf, who wants to see snow...
The thing is I have little or no idea on -
Places i can visit in 2 weeks
Where to stay. ( 2 weeks seems enough time to venture out and back again. If I'm going out and back, I'll need to plan lodging ahead)
How much would I need for a 2 weeks trip?
What are other stuff that a 1st timer to japan Shld take note of?
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For collector's stuffs, maybe try Nakano Broadway perhaps?
End Nov-Early Dec is going to be kinda hard to find snow around Tokyo.
I've once went to Hokkaido (Sapporo, Noboribetsu, Otaru) during 1st week of Dec a couple years back, and all I saw were some snow leftover on the pavement, but no falling snow at all.
Since it will be autumn foliage season for Tokyo and Kyoto, so you can consider going down to Kyoto as well. But, bear in mind that since it is peak travel period of Kyoto for end Nov, so you might have trouble finding accommodations at Kyoto on certain days. If Kyoto's accommodations are either full or too pricey, then you can consider staying at Osaka since its just a short train ride between Osaka and Kyoto.
I've posted some guides for Japan travels on my blog, not sure if they are of any help to you:
Go Away, Sam...: My Japan guides and articles
Assuming you are getting a 7days JR Pass, and your gf still want to see snow, and considering that you are into photography, you guys might want to go to Takayama and Shirakawa-go. It should have a higher chance to see snow than probably Karuizawa, well, in my opinion that is.
Although JR Pass covers the long train ride all the way up to Takayama station, but the bus ride between Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go to Takayama is not covered by JR Pass though.
http://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/shirakawago_kanazawa.html
If you guys plan to fly in/fly out of Japan using Tokyo, then you guys might want to consider this:
Day 1: Arrival at Tokyo. Stay Tokyo
Day 2: Visit Tokyo. Stay Tokyo.
Day 3: (JR day 1) Tokyo to Kyoto via Shinkansen. Visit Kyoto. Stay Kyoto.
Day 4: Visit Kyoto. Either stay at Kyoto or Osaka.
Day 5: Visit Osaka. Stay Osaka.
Day 6: Osaka to Kanazawa via Ltd Exp train. Visit Kanazawa. Stay Kanazawa.
Day 7: Morning take bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go. Visit Shirakawa-go. Stay at either Shirakawa-go or at Takayama.
Day 8: If stayed at Shirakawa-go the night before, then take morning bus from Shirakawa-go to Takayama. Visit Takayama in the morning till afternoon. Take late afternoon Ltd Exp train from Takayama to Tokyo (transfer to Shinkansen at Nagoya station). Arrive Tokyo at night. Stay at Tokyo.
Day 9: (JR day 7) Day trip to Karuizawa. Stay at Tokyo.
Day 10: Visit Disneysea. Stay Tokyo.
Day 11: Visit Tokyo. Stay Tokyo.
Day 12: Visit Tokyo. Stay Tokyo.
Day 13: Visit Yokohama. Stay Tokyo.
Day 14: Departure from Tokyo.
