My wife and me (both 60+) are first time visit to Japan, have booked accommodation at Tokyo/ Shingjuku for 4 nights arriving 8th Dec 2016, for total of 15 days trip.
We intend to purchase the JR 14 days pass and wish to visit and view Mt Fuji from both sides - Hakone and Kawaguchiko, before proceeding to Matsumoto and Takayama.
We are afraid it may be inconvenience to carry our luggages for site seeing and the timing constraint for JR train service from Otuski station to Matsumoto/Takayama, if we undertake a continual 2 days/1 night trip.
In view of that, we are considering to separate it to 2 different day trips to Hakone and Kawaguchiko respectively.
If we intend to stay one night in either one of these 2 locations (Hakone or Kawaguchiko), which is a better choice in consideration of our next destination is either Matsumoto or Takayama?
Thank you in advance.
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Comments
If you wanted to go to Matsumoto, then going from Kawaguchiko would be much better. (And not all of it is on JR, so some is not covered with the pass). You could get up to Matsumoto in as little as 2½ hours from Tokyo. From Kawaguchiko the best time would be about 2¾ hours. If you wanted to go to Takayama, then from Hakone (specifically Mishima Stn) would be a lot easier.
Please be aware that Matsumoto and Takayama may look close to each other on a map, but they are separated by mountains and there is no direct rail link between them. To reach one from the other by rail with a good connection would take about 4½ hours. If you wanted to go from one city to the other, a faster way is the highway bus, which takes 2½ hours, costs 3190 yen one way, and obviously not covered by the JR Pass.
Also to see the Fuji area, one of the Odakyu passes can save you a lot.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/
The JR Pass can only help you part of the way there.
You can see regular fares, routes and schedules on Hyperdia
http://www.hyperdia.com
It's not clear that the 14 day pass will save you money or end up costing you more - you didn't give your full itinerary.
Here is my full Itinery;
1) 4 nights in Tokyo
2) 3 nights still open - either Mt Fuji areas or Tokyo or Kanazawa
3) 2 nights in Takayama
4) 2 nights in Hiroshima
5) 4 nights in Kyoto
My concern is the (3 nights still open).
I am considering whether to return to stay the nights in Tokyo or somewhere nearby after visiting Hakone and Kawaguchiko as day trip, taking into consideration my next stop will be Matsumoto.
a) Does it make sense to do 2 separate "1-day trip" to Hakone and Kawaguchiko ?
b) Can I go to Matsumoto from Tokyo by Shinkansen?
e) or is it better I go to Kanazawa from Kyoto?
d) or should I spend extra night in Takayama, and do day trip to Kanazawa instead?
I think checkin and checkout of hotel accommodation can cause lots of inconvenience and lose time. If those areas that are viable to go by day trip, I rather do so since travelling time is also part of holiday.
Any suggestion, opinion and feedback will be valuable to me.
Cheer.
Thank you very much.
Well you gave your full itinerary, which doesn't include Matsumoto, but then you write you want to go there. So it is a little confusing.
You could do Matsumoto as a day trip, although as I mentioned with a good connection you could get there in 2½ hours. If you used Hyperdia as I suggested, you'd see that at best you could take the bullet train as far as Nagano, and then you'd need to change trains. Actually, from Shinjuku you could be in Matsumoto in 2½ hours as well by just a limited express train.
Regarding your luggage, given your concerns, you basically have 2 choices - one is to travel by day trips as you suggested, leaving your luggage at your hotel. Another is a luggage forwarding service, and the most well known are Yamato and Sagawa. You can get more info on:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html
Many people give very high praise about staying at a hot spring resort at Hakone - if you have the desire and means, it may be a very rewarding experience for you.
If you'd like to see Kanazawa, it is definitely worth an overnight, and going by bus from there to Takayama and Shirakawago is very easy as well. It is better to group all those places together to save time.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5950.html
The total order of your trip is not so important; you could go to Kyoto from Tokyo, then do the side trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima, then go to Kanazawa and then Takayama, etc - it is up to you.
You can make the 14 day pass pay off for you though, since you are going down as far as Hiroshima. One other thing you could do is take a day off of Tokyo and do a day trip to Nikko - it is well worth seeing and would add more value to your pass. And while in Kyoto, take at least half a day and go see Nara as well - it has some of Japan's best sights.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html
There are some good previews of the places you plan to see on:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanfaq/videos
Thank you very much. Your messages are crystal clear, I got it.
One more question, regarding the Fuji Hakone Pass and the Hakone Free Pass - If I purchase the 2 or 3 days Pass, if leave the vicinity at the end of first day, can return the next day using the same pass?
Cheer!
Thomas
The valid transport options within the area are unlimited for the duration of the pass.
I have decided to stay 1 or 2 nights in one of the Mt Fuji areas (Hakone or Kawaguchiko). I am coming from Shinjuku and next destinations are Matsumoto / Takayama / Kanazawa, which location should I spend the 1 or 2 nights in Mt Fuji area (Hakone or Kawaguchiko).
Any suggestion please?
Once again, thank you.
Well, only you know what you like best - if you are in the Fuji area only 1 night, decide which place you want to concentrate on:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6900.html
If you want to do 2 nights in the area, why not do 1 in each?
And if you want to go to Matsumoto after the Fuji area, I suggest you end your time near Fuji in the 5 lakes area.
From Matsumoto to Takayama, I suggest you take the highway bus. You'll need to pay for it, but you'll save about 2 hours.
For your valuable information and advice.
With due consideration, I have decided to travel light, spend 1 night in Hakone, next 1 night in Kawaguchiko, and leave early to Matsumoto.
Now I need to seek information as how to travel from Hakone to Kawaguchiko.
Once again, thank you TENJIN.
Cheer
Well as I mentioned, the Odakyu passes can save you a lot.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/
To get to Kawaguchiko, please look at:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html
and from the drop down menu, pick "To/From Hakone"
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html
Bon Voyage.