Nagoya-Takayama-Shirakawago-Toyama-Alpine Route-?-Nagoya

dolr

Hope someone can help.

My plan for 2 persons around 5 Jun:
Day 1. Nagoya - Takayama - Shirakawago (overnight Takayama)
Day 2. Takayama - Toyama (overnight Toyama)
Day 3. Tateyama Alpine Route - where should I stay this night?
Day 4. Back to Nagoya

Questions:
1. Is it more expensive/ better to hire a car & drive, take a bus or buy a 5 day JR pass for the above plan?
2. Should I buy the Alpine Route JR pass (about 17k yen I think)?
3. Is the above schedule too rushed?

Tenjin

Hi,
Driving is the most convenient, but you can't drive through the Alpine Route. The Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass (17,500 yen) is the only one that covers the width of the places you want to go (except for Shirakawago).
Instead of staying overnight in Takayama, a farmhouse stay in Shirakawago might be more more memorable.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5952.html
I wouldn't say it's too rushed, but after the Alpine route, you'd need to stay somewhere such as near Shinano-Omachi or Matsumoto. The latter has some good places to see as well.

dolr

Thks Tenjin. With the JR Alpine pass, can i do a backtrack & return to overnight at Toyama instead of Shinano-Omachi after the Alpine route?

Tenjin

According to the official info on:
http://touristpass.jp/en/alpine/
there is "Unlimited use of transportation within the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (between Toyama – Tateyama – Murodo – Daikanbo – Kurobe Dam – Shinano-Omachi)".