JR trips with Beautiful Scenery

ourcruise777 · January 2018

Hi
We will be using our 7-day JR Pass for the following places:
Kyoto to Himeji
Kyoto to Odawara (for Hakone)
Odawara to Shinjuku
Shinjuku to Otsuki (for Kawaguchiko)
Shinjuku to Hitachi Seaside Park
Shinjuku to Hitsujiyama Park

We’ve got two questions
(1)Will the above train trips involve going through a lot of tunnels or will they be through beautiful scenery? We would really like train trips with beautiful scenery.
(2)Is there a JR train ride from Shinjuku or Kyoto station you can recommend that would have nice scenery during the train journey?

Thank you.

ourcruise777 · January 2018

Hi
Forgot to mention, with reference to OP, time travel will be in April 14th to 20th.

LuisJp · January 2018

Kyoto - Himeji: Shinkansen has more tunnels than Shinkaisoku (rapid train).
Kyoto - Odawara: Shinkansen would be OK but in urbanized areas.
Odawara - Shinjuku: The same above. Odakyu has a direct route.
Shinkuju - Otsuki: A rural route once the train goes out from Tokyo.
Shinjuku - Hitachi: Mostly in the Greater Tokyo.
Shinjuku - Chichibu: By Seibu, not by JR. Chichibu Railways from Kumagaya would be OK.

Your routes are basically in the urbanized zone. JR is better on the countryside. Someone here recommends Sanyo railways from Suma to Maiko Koen, a part of Kyoto and Himeji.
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/3068177.html

Basically, you need to go to the sea or mountains to get the nice views. That would require detours, thus traveling time.
Kyoto - Kinosaki Onsen - Himeji
Osaka - Shingu - Nagoya
Nagoya - Takayama - Toyama
Kyoto - Kanazawa - Toyama
Nagoya - Matsumoto - Kofu - Otsuki
Tokyo - Katsuura - Tateyama - Tokyo
Toyama - Niigata - Tokyo
...

ourcruise777 · January 2018

Thank you for your advice and suggestions. As this is just our second time to Japan and first time using the JR Pass, we are still trying to figure out Hyperdia for the different routes and areas. Thanks.

Tenjin · January 2018

As mentioned, most of your routes are not in rural areas so there is not that much to see. There are far fewer tunnels between Tokyo and Kyoto than south of Kyoto however. If the weather cooperates (and it often doesn't), you could see Mt. Fuji going from Kyoto if you sit on the left hand side. If you have a JR Pass, seat reservations are free.

Along with Himeji Castle, be sure not to miss the Kokoen Garden next door.
For Hakone, be sure to pick up a Hakone Free Pass at Odawara if you will go see all the sights.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
The Loop Course is a common way to see all the sights and takes a full day.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html

In the Fuji 5 Lakes area, don't miss the shibazakura - they are wonderful.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6919.html
You can also see them at Chichibu.
For the Hitachi Seaside Park, if you like, you could stop in Mito along the way and see the Kairakuen Garden - it is rated as one of Japan's traditional Top 3.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6201.html
You can't take JR trains all the way to the Hitachi Seaside Park though. You can go up to Katsuta Stn and catch a 15 minute bus ride the rest of the way (¥400, 2-3 buses/hour).

LuisJp · January 2018

I have two topics.

1) Flowers

It is impossible to predict the true full bloom timing of flowers, however, cherry blossoms should be your main targets, for your travelling dates of 14-20 April. Until then, cherry blossoms would be over in Kyoto and Tokyo, but not in cooler areas. Kawaguchiko and Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu are such kinds. Shibazakura in Motosuko is said to be best in mid-May, and that at Hitsujiyama Park in early-May. Nemophilia at Hitachi Seaside Park is also in early-May. Wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park is the same, but the first of four there could be good in mid-April. Plum trees in Kairakuen in Mito are famous, but the season is just now and on.
https://afun7.com/archives/3541.html
https://afun7.com/archives/3586.html
http://lipgrape.com/outing/1205.html
http://momos-navi.net/781.html
http://www.koen.pref.ibaraki.jp/park/kairakuen01.html

Cherry blossom is the national flower in Japan, and you could see it everywhere. You may even enjoy pink flowers on a train. As in the data attached below, Sagano Romantic Train, Eizan Cable Car & Ropeway, Fujikyu Railway, Chichibu Railway, and Kominato Railway. offer such opportunities. I could suggest these two routes for cherry blossom viweing.
Kyoto -(JR Shin-Kaisoku)- Himeji/Sanyo-Himeji -(Sanyo)- Sumaura Koen -(Sanyo)- Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya - (Hankyu) - Kawaramachi
Shinjuku -(JR)- Kumagaya -(Chichibu)- Mistumineguchi -(Chichibu)- Ohanabatake/Seibu-Chichibu -(Seibu)- Seibu-Ikebukuro

Apr 14-20
Motosuko: Moss phlox before the full bloom.
http://www.shibazakura.jp/info/2016/04/post-35.html
Chichibu: Moss phlox similar to Motosuko, or better.
https://navi.city.chichibu.lg.jp/p_flower/9307/
Hitachi: Mainly narcissuse and tulip. A bit too early for nemophila.
http://en.hitachikaihin.jp/flower-calendar.html
Ashikaga: Tulip, spiraea, wisteria, and azalea.
https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/season/season02.html
https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/season/season03.html

Cherry blossoms in mid-April
Kyoto: Ninnaji (16th in Japan, 2nd in Kyoto) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_303.html
Daigoji (3rd in Kyoto) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_301.html
Sagano Romantic Train https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_321.html
Eizan Cable Car & Ropeway https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_749.html
Shiga: Uguigawa (2nd in Shiga) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_522.html
Nara: Ouda (1st in Nara) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_343.html
Takami no Sato (2nd in Nara) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_345.html
Yoshino (3rd in Nara) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_341.html
Osaka: Mint (4th in Japan, 1st in Osaka) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_329.html
Hyogo: Sumaura Park (3rd in Hyogo) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_335.html
Tokyo: Shinjuku Gyoen (2nd in Japan, 2nd in Tokyo) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_110.html
Rikugien (7th in Japan, 3rd in Tokyo) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_139.html
Roppongi Hills (10th in Japan, 4th in Tokyo) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_135.html
Chiba: Omigawa (2nd in Chiba) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_104.html
Kominato Railway https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_692.html
Tochigi: Tenpyo no Oka Park (1st in Tochigi) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_66.html
Nikko Kaido (2nd in Tochigi) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_71.html
Hachimanyama Koen (3rd in Tochigi) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_69.html
Gunma: Akagi Nanmen Senbonzakura (1st in Gunma) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_81.html
Numata Park (3rd in Gunma) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_79.html
Yamanashi: Kawaguchiko (2nd in Yamanashi) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_208.html
Fujikyu Kotobuki https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_714.html
Fujikyu Mitsutoge https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_718.html
Fujikyu Higashikatsura https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_716.html
Fujikyu Tanokura https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_715.html
Ibaragi: Shizumine Furusato Park (2nd in Ibaragi) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_65.html
Saitama: Hitsujiyama Park (8th in Saitama) https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_95.html
Chichibu Railway https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanami/spot_666.html

Sagano Romantic Train https://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp
Eizan Cable Car & Ropeway http://eizan.keifuku.co.jp
Fujikyu Railway http://www.fujikyu-railway.jp
Chichibu Railway http://www.chichibu-railway.co.jp
http://www.chichibu-railway.co.jp/slpaleo/access.html
Kominato Railway http://www.kominato.co.jp

LuisJp · January 2018

2) Beautiful scenaries and Japan Rail Pass

Japan Rail Pass is a rather expensive pass and should be treated as a kind of an air pass. You should need to ride long-distance Shinkansen trains multiple times in order to pay off the pass. As you have already worried about, most of Shinkansen train tracks are tunnels, just like clouds from airplanes. Shinkansen trains should run fast. The tracks should be as straight as possible. Japan is a mountainous island country. There are many roads and train tracks in narrow plains. Tunnels are thus unavoidable to Shinkansen tracks lately built.

I show a list of all the places appeared in the following two FAQ pages at the next post. It should be far from complete, however, there is only one entry from Shinkansen tracks. That is Oshimizu Tunnel on Joetsu Shinkansen. It is said that it would be a wonderful moment to see a snow world just after passing the tunnel from the dry Kanto Plain in winter.
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/3068177.html
https://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/5080489.html

Those places listed are usually visited with a local train. Seishun 18 Kippu could be suited for such travels. Or, cruise trains such as Nanatsuboshi, Mizukaze, and Shikishima.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html
https://www.cruisetrain-sevenstars.jp
http://twilightexpress-mizukaze.jp
http://www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/

Among those places, your itinerary includes Suma Coast, Akashi Channel, Mt Ibuki, Lake Hamana, Fuji River, and Manazuru Coast. For the first two, I have already shown you a suggested itinerary in the post above. For the rest, you could see them if you take local trains on Tokaido line from Kyoto to Odawara, not by Tokaido Shinkansen trains. If you want, you could do it in a day. The sunset in mid-April is around 18:00.
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=ODAWARA&via_node01=&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2018&month=04&day=16&hour=08&minute=56&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=0&max_route=1&faretype=0&airplane=off&ship=off&sprexprs=off&sprnozomi=off&utrexprs=off&slputr=off&exprs=off&slpexprs=off&liner=off&bus=off&privately=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7

Basically, your itinerary does not require a use of Japan Rail Pass. There is a direct Odakyu train from Odawara to Shinjuku or a direct bus from Hakone to Shinjuku. There is a direct Fujikyu bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, and even up to Motosuko. There is a direct Ibako bus from JR Tokyo to Hitachi Seaside Park. There is a direct Seibu train from Ikebukuro to Chichibu.
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?p=0&from=Odawara&to=Shinjuku&date=04/17/2018&time=09:00&ft=0&ic=0&ut=0&up=0&us=1&nzm=0&sort=2&sub_lang=nosub
https://www.odakyu-hakonehighway.co.jp/common/pdf/english.pdf
http://bus-en.fujikyu.co.jp/highway/detail/id/1
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?p=0&from=Tokyo&to=S-E92007835&date=04/18/2018&time=09:00&ft=0&ic=0&ut=0&up=0&us=1&nzm=0&sort=2&sub_lang=nosub
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?p=0&from=Shinjuku&to=S-E92006235&date=04/19/2018&time=09:00&ft=0&ic=0&ut=0&up=0&us=1&nzm=0&sort=2&sub_lang=nosub

Japan Rail Pass is better to be used for a sightseeing of distant places with long distant Shinkansen trains. You may go to Makurazaki as a day trip from Kyoto, and to Sapporo from Shinjuku.
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Kyoto&to=Makurazaki&date=04/15/2018&time=17:06&ft=2&sub_lang=nosub&estt=Makurazaki&estf=Kyoto
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Makurazaki&to=Kyoto&date=04/15/2018&time=17:06&ft=3&sub_lang=nosub
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Shinjuku&to=Sapporo(Hokkaido)&date=04/17/2018&time=15:13&ft=2&sub_lang=nosub
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Sapporo(Hokkaido)&to=Shinjuku&date=04/17/2018&time=15:13&ft=3&sub_lang=nosub&estf=Sapporo(Hokkaido)

Taking a Resort Shirakami train is possible with Tohoku and Akita Shinkansen trains in a day starting from Shinjuku.
https://www.jreast.co.jp/akita/gonosen/timetable/index.html
Aomori 1351-1857 Akita
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Shinjuku&to=Aomori&date=04/17/2018&time=13:51&ft=1&sub_lang=nosub
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&from=Akita&to=Shinjuku&date=04/17/2018&time=14:17&ft=3&ic=&ut=&up=&us=&nzm=&sub_lang=nosub
Akita 1417-1914 Aomori
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&from=Shinjuku&to=Akita&date=04/17/2018&time=14:17&ft=2&ic=&ut=&up=&us=&nzm=&sub_lang=nosub
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/japan-rail-pass/?p=0&xpd=1&from=Aomori&to=Shinjuku&date=04/17/2018&time=14:17&ft=3&sub_lang=nosub&estf=Aomori

There are other possibilities. Try to check their validities, if you are interested.
Shinjuku -(Joestu Shinkansen)- Niigata -(Sasagawa Nagare)- Tsuruoka -(Yamagata Shinkansen)- Shinjuku
Shinjuku -(Joestu Shinkansen)- Urasa -(Tadami Line)- Aizu-Wakamatsu -(Tohoku Shinkansen)- Shinjuku
Shinjuku -(Hokuriku Shinkansen)- Nagano -(Shinonoi Line)- Matsumoto -(Iida Line)- Toyohashi -(Tokaido Shinkansen)- Shinjuku
Shinjuku -(Hokuriku Shinkansen)- Toyama -(Takayama Line)- Nagoya -(Tokaido Shinkansen)- Shinjuku
Kyoto -(Kosei Line)- Tsuruga -(Hokuriku Shinkansen)- Toyama -(Takayama Line)- Gifu -(Tokaido Shinkansen)- Kyoto
:
http://japanrailpass.net/img/about_jrp/file/rosen_ja.pdf

LuisJp · January 2018

LuisJp · January 2018

ourcruise777 · February 2018

WOW!! Thank you, LUISJP for your many many links. I’ve looked at those that were presented in English.

One question – in your post, for Kyoto to Odawara, your suggestion is to take local trains on Tokaido line, NOT by Tokaido Shinkansen.

Based on the hyperdia link you attached, doing the local line will take 435 minutes with 6 transfers, leaving at 0929 and arriving at 1644.
Initially, we were planning to just use Shinkansen Hikari, which will take us 123 min with 0 transfer, leaving at 0832 and arriving at 1035.

So, doing the longer local trains will give us a more scenic ride while doing the Hikari would be mostly through tunnels?

We will have to work out whether we want a longer scenic ride or spend more time in Hakone.

Thank you again for putting in so much time attaching the links.

LuisJp · February 2018

You could check the tunnel status with the following maps. Shinkansen tracks are shown in blue, while local ones in black. Near Mt Ibuki, there are some tunnels on the Shinkansen tracks. But it would be possible to see Mt Ibuki between the tunnels from a Shinkansen.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/?ll=36.10638888888889,137.55333333333334&z=15#13/35.380163/136.401787/&base=std&ls=std&disp=1&vs=c1j0l0u0t0z0r0f0
There are no tunnels near Lake Hamana and also over Fuji River, although the Shinkansen passes them very quickly.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/?ll=36.10638888888889,137.55333333333334&z=15#14/34.693180/137.597237/&base=std&ls=std&disp=1&vs=c1j0l0u0t0z0r0f0
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/?ll=36.10638888888889,137.55333333333334&z=15#14/35.137844/138.629694/&base=std&ls=std&disp=1&vs=c1j0l0u0t0z0r0f0
The part of Manazuru Coast is covered with tunnels, even on the local line. But the fraction of tunnels is much higher on the Shinkansen line.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/?ll=36.10638888888889,137.55333333333334&z=15#13/35.155495/139.127426/&base=std&ls=std&disp=1&vs=c1j0l0u0t0z0r0f0

So, you may choose one of the followings, depending on your preference.
1. Kyoto-(Shinkansen)-Odawara
2. Kyoto-(Shinkansen)-Atami-(Local)-Odawara
3. Kyoto-(Local)-Nagoya-(Shinkansen)-Atami-(Local)-Odawara
4. Kyoto-(Local)-Odawara

I may add another route to cover the part of Kizu River on JR Kansai Line, not passing by Mt Ibuki.
http://maps.gsi.go.jp/?ll=36.10638888888889,137.55333333333334&z=15#13/34.760865/135.942078/&base=std&ls=std&disp=1&vs=c1j0l0u0t0z0r0f0
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=NAGOYA&via_node01=OKAWARA&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2018&month=02&day=07&hour=08&minute=00&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=1&max_route=1&faretype=0&airplane=off&ship=off&sprexprs=off&sprnozomi=off&utrexprs=off&slputr=off&exprs=off&slpexprs=off&liner=off&bus=off&walk=off&privately=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7

I have found a 4 transfer case for local trains from Kyoto to Odawara, but the departure time is at 5:49.
https://www.jorudan.co.jp/norikae/cgi/nori.cgi?Sok=1&pg=0&Dym=201802&Ddd=06&Dhh=6&Dmn=9&eki1=京都&eok1=R-&eki2=小田原&eok2=R-&C1=1&C2=1&C3=1&C4=1&C6=3&C18=0&Cfp=1&Cway=0&rf=nr&Add=-30

ourcruise777 · February 2018

Thank you very much for all your input. I'm sure we will enjoy your beautiful country.

JR trips with Beautiful Scenery

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