Hi Everyone,
Sorry in advance if it's kind of a regular type of question, but i'm planning a 14 days trip in Japan and will stay in Tokyo but will do several 1 day trips.
Here below the itinerary that I have more or less planned and was wondering if the JR Pass is a better option for 14 days or should i add a suica card and some special 1 day passes here and there ??? :
-Tokyo->Nikko
-Tokyo->Hakone
-Tokyo->Matsumoto
-Tokyo->Kanazawa
-Tokyo->Umihotaru
-Tokyo->Ibaraki
-Tokyo->Rokkakudo
-Tokyo->Fukuroda falls
-Tokyo->Oarai
-Tokyo->Hitachi
-Tokyo->Tochigi
-Tokyo->Gunma (Kusatsu onsen and Oze national park)
-Tokyo->Saitama(Railway Museum)
-Tokyo->Kanagawa (Minato mirai and Kamakura)
Any insight from anyone is highly appreciated.
Thanks for any help provided and keep your awesomeness awesome
Sam.
Comments
You could, but it seems to me you'd get better value and flexibility using a 7 day pass for the most far flung places like Kanazawa, and regional passes for the rest.
For Hakone, you can't use JR passes to see the area - take the train from Tokyo and get off at Odawara Stn., then to save money, buy a Hakone Free Pass
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
The Hakone Loop Course
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html
is a common way to see the area.
Many of the places you mention can easily be reached with a Tokyo Wide Pass:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_06.html
Each pass is good for 3 consecutive days, which can give you some flexibility if the weather forecast says you're going to have some rain on some days.
You also might consider looking at the JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_nagano_niigata.html
For Kamakura, you might look at getting an early morning start and adding Enoshima, and using the Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass:
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/enoshima_kamakura/
For the Falls, this info can help you:
http://bit.ly/2p742af
Oze really can't be done as a day trip - you'd need to do an overnight. Also you'd need to pay for a bus at least partway. Here is more info:
http://bit.ly/2pIRD0g
A suica card offers you nothing in savings, but it is convenient to get around and not need to carry a bunch of coins with you to constantly buy tickets.
Thanks for your helpful insight, I do really appreciate it, If i understood correctly, all my planning would be covered by the JR pass, (beside Hakone non being covered with it) ?
I will have to skip Oze for another time and choose between convenience with the 14 days JR pass and saving by mixing local area passes.
Thanks.
Sam.
Well, actually, aside from what I've already mentioned, you'd need to board a bus for the final leg to Kusatsu Onsen, which is covered by the full JR Pass but not Tokyo Wide Pass. If you plan to go to the Hitachi Seaside Park, you'd need to take a bus from Katsuta Stn or board a private rail line to Ajigaura and walk the last 30 minutes. If you're going through Mito, be sure to also see the Kairakuen Garden, which is one of Japan's traditional Top 3.
For "Ibaraki" and "Tochigi", these are full prefectures, and I have no idea where you are going, so I can't comment.
For the railway museum, there is a very short shuttle bus ride from Omiya, but the Pass does not cover it - but the Tokyo Wide Pass does.
If you're going to skip Oze, there are plenty of other places you can go.
Try Karuizawa, Izu, the Fuji 5 Lakes area, Takao, Okutama, Kawagoe, or if you are going to get the full JR Pass, Sendai is another option and just 90 minutes away.
Thank you so much for those valuable informations and tips.
I'm still planning what to do in Ibaraki, anything you would recommend, I'll take it.
About Tochigi, the Wisteria Festival is on my list and anything I'll figure out along the way, getting lost somewhere leaves you amazing memories.
Nothing is set yet but anything would start early, we call it the land of the ring sun for a reason
Thanks.
Sam.
The wisteria at the Ashikaga Flower Park is in season NOW. If you go at any other time you won't see it. There are other flowers of course but the wisteria is what the park is famous for.
www.japan-guide.com/blog/sam/170427.html
I have not explored Ibaraki but I have made up my plans to do so. First and foremost I would go and see the Hitachi Seaside Park.
http://en.hitachikaihin.jp/
There is something spectacular there every season except for winter.
Also in Mito along the way is the Kairakuen Garden, especially good in the plum blossom season, though I doubt I'll make it during that time.
The Ushiku Daibutsu (120m) (Great Buddha) is another place I plan to see, and it's one of the world's tallest.
http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-temples-shrines/ushiku-daibutsu
The Oarai Isosaki Jinja is also on my list. It's a rare seaside shrine and looks very nice.
http://bit.ly/2pTc8W 7
(I can't put the pure URL above - copy & paste the URL without the space in your browser).
And to unwind, there is the Seizansou - Mito Komon retirement villa.
www.tokugawa.gr.jp/seizanso/
And in case something goes terribly wrong like the weather sucks (and it sometimes does) then as a back up plan there is the Oarai Aquaworld. Always have a back up plan.
http://www.aquaworld-oarai.com/en/
There are others, but these are some of my priorities. Your interests may differ, however.
Thanks for all the tips and details, i'll be there in the coming days
I'll share it back here about how was it.
Thanks.
Sam.