Hello!
I hope somebody can help my friend and I decide. I have received advise to use the Hokuriku-Takayama Area Tourist Pass but I saw that it is only valid for 5 days against our 8 day-itinerary. Plus I am not sure if we can use it for getting around within the cities we are visiting. Which lines/trains it will be accepted or what route we should use. I am so worried that will end up wasting the pass because we used the wrong train! 😔
Do you think it will still be efficient and economical to use this pass or is there another type of pass you can suggest? Or what pass can we use after the first 5 days are up? Perhaps, single tickets are better for our trip? I included a rough draft of our itinerary below, maybe it will help. Thank you so much in advance!
Oct 25, OSAKA
12PM ETA KIX
2:00 Sumiyoshi Taisha
3:15 Shinsekai
4:30 Check in hotel, Dotonburi area
5:30 Shinsaibashi
6:30 Hozenji Yochoko
7:30 Dotonburi
Oct 26, OSAKA
6:30AM ETD from hotel
8:00 Nakanoshimi
10:00 Osaka Castle & Park
11:30 Museum of History
1:30PM Floating Garden Observatory, lunch
3:00 Minoo Park
6:00 ETA Hotel
Oct 27, OSAKA
6:30AM Leave hotel
8:00 USJ
2:00PM Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho
3:00 Back at hotel, collect luggage
4:00 Train station to Takayama
10:00 ETA Takayama Sta., check in ryokan
11:00 Nakabashi Bridge
12:00AM Back at ryokan
Oct 28, TAKAYAMA
6:00AM Leave hotel
7:00 Start walking tour: Hida Kokubuji Temple > Sanmachi St. (Old Town) > Miyagawa Morning Markets (lunch),
12:00PM Start bike tour : Higayashima Walking Course: Higayashima Temple > Shiroyama Park
2:00 Takayama Sta., bus to..
2:30 Hida no Sato
5:00 collect luggage at Ryokan, travel to Kyoto
9:00 ETA Kyoto, Downtown area, dinner
Oct 29, KYOTO
6:00AM Leave hotel, breakfast
7:00 Nishiki Market
8:30 Kyoto Imperial Palace & Garden
10:00 Sento Imperial Palace & Garden
11:30 Philosopher's Walk
12:30PM Ginkaku-ji
4:00 Fushimi Inari-Taisha
6:00 Daimaru Kyoto Basement Food Hall, dinner
7:00 Back at hotel
Oct 30, KYOTO
6:00AM Leave hotel
7:30 Chion-in
8:30 Maruyama Park
9:30 Yasaka Shrine
10:15 Ishibei-koji
10:45 Kodai-ji Temple
11:30 Nene's Pat
12:00PM Ninenzaka
12:40 Sannenzaka
1:30 Kiyomizu-dera Temple
2:30 back at hotel
6:00 Pontocho Alley
7:00 Shimbashi Dori
8:00 Hanamikoji Dori
9:00 back at hotel
Oct 31, KYOTO
6:00AM leave hotel, breakfast, check out
7:30 Kareyama-koen
8:30 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
10:00 Togetsu-kyo Bridge
11:00 Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
1:30PM Kinkaku-ji, lunch
2:30 Ryoanji Temple
4:00 back at hotel, collect luggage
5:00 catch train to Osaka
6:00 ETA Osaka, dinner, check in at Capsule Hotel (Rinku Town, Izumisano or Shinsaibashi/Dotonburi area)
7:00 free time to explore around area
9:00 back at hotel
Nov 1, OSAKA, KIX
7:00AM breakfast, check out
8:00 ETA KIX
1:00PM boarding
Comments
The Hokuriku-Takayama Area Tourist Pass really is not practical for you. It would take you to Takayama via Kanazawa, and take over 6 and a half hours. The more direct route via Nagoya takes only 4.
Not for long distance with your itinerary.
You could possibly get some savings from a Hankyu Tourist Pass
https://www.kansai360.net/m/en/ticket.html
for some of your plans.
I also highly recommend making some time available to see Nara. Missing the Todaiji Great Buddha would be a tragedy.
https://bit.ly/2wv2VKO