hi JRP,
we are planning our first ever trip to Japan in March 2017 and would appreciate feedback on the most economical travel pass and itinerary ideas. below is our plan for the trip:
Day 1 (5th-Mar) - arrive Kansai airport ~1:00pm
Day 2 staying Kyoto - sightseeing around Kyoto east district, 花燈路 (Hanatoro) from 清水寺 (Kiyomizu Dera) to 青蓮院 (Shorenin Temple)
Day 3 staying in Kyoto - with day trip to Arashiyama and Sagano
Day 4 staying in Kyoto - Kyoto Imperial palace & 元離宮二条城 (Nijō Castle), Heian Shrine (cherry blossom), Ginkaku-ji Temple, Honen-in Temple, the Path of Philosophy and Nanzen-ji
Day 5 staying in Kyoto - downtown Kyoto
Day 6 - Kyoto to Nara on JR - staying in Nara - Nara deer park, Taito-Ji Omizutori, Otaimatsu
Day 7 - Nara to Osaka on JR - staying in Osaka until Day 10 - this will mostly be sightseeing around Osaka with a day trip to Mount Koya
Day 11- Osaka to Tokyo on JR Shinkansen - staying in Tokyo - sightseeing in Tokyo
Day 12 - Staying in Tokyo - explore Tokyo
Day 13 - Staying in Tokyo - day trip to Hakone and Mount Fuji
Day 14 & 15 - Staying in Tokyo - explore Tokyo
Day 16 Tokyo to Hakodate on JR Shinkansen - staying in Hakodate
Day 17 - staying in Hakodate - sightseeing around Hakodate
Day 18 Hakodate to Nororibetsu on JR - staying one night at Nororibetsu
Day 19 Nororibetsu to Sapporo on JR - staying one night at Sapporo
Day 20 Sapporo to Asahigawa on JR - staying one night at Asahigawa onsen
Day 21 Asahigawa to Sapporo on JR - sightseeing around Asahigawa in the morning and back to Sapporo via JR - staying at Sapporo
Day 22 to 24 - Staying at Sapporo with day trips to Otaru and Niseku
I have never been to Japan and not familiar at all with the rail pass system and would like to ask if a National JR Pass will cover all the locations as mentioned.
If it does cover these places, I am thinking of buying a 4-day Kansai Pass for the first four days then a 21-day National JR pass to cover the remaining sites for the trip.
Could you please advise if these two passes will be
a) able to cover the places mentioned and
b) would it be more economical then individual tickets
c) will the JR pass allow us to use on the Shinkansen bullet trains between Kansai Airport to Kyoto,
Kyoto to Nara
Nara to Osaka
Osaka to Tokyo
Tokyo to Hakone
Tokyo to Hakodate and
with Sapparo
must appreciate the feedback and thanks in advance
To Ly
0
Comments
The JR Pass would cover nearly all of your plans except going to Koyasan and Hakone. Frankly though a 4 day Kansai Pass would not likely pay off. It's only good with more long distance travel, like a day trip to Himeji (which is well worth it). Instead, you might look at the Icoca & Haruka discount ticket.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_icoca_haruka.html
For Koyasan, there is the Koyasan World Heritage Ticket.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_012.html
If you're going to see Tokyo, you can mostly skip Osaka, although there are a few good places like anywhere, and Osaka is really the best at night. Instead, you could go see Kobe, Himeji, Miyama, or Amanohashidate.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2159.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3500.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3985.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3990.html
Hiroshima & Miyajima is another possibility. In that case, a 21 day pass would pay off very well.
For Hakone, there is the Hakone Free Pass.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/hakone/
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html
I suggest you look at a 14 day JR Pass used for Days 11-24. It's still unclear what you do after Sapporo. Are you leaving Japan from there, or taking the train all the way back?
we will be flying home from Sapporo on day 24.
with the amount of travelling from day 1 to day 10 around the Kansai region above, is there any tickets better than buying individual trip tickets from Kyoto to Osaka & Kyoto to Nara?
thanks in advance
To
could you please also advise if there are any multiple use tickets that allows to travel within Kyoto & Osaka & Tokyo subways.
thanks
To Ly
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_kansai.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/transportation/discount/rail-bus.html
For Tokyo one of the best money savers is the 3 day subway pass:
http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ticket/value/travel/index.html#anc03
But if you have the JR Pass in Tokyo, you can use it on the Yamanote Line which goes to many popular tourist areas.