Hi there! We will travel by train within 3 weeks from Kagoshima to Tokyo with stops in Beppu, Hiroshima, Kobe and Kyoto. Which Rail Pass do you recommend for this trip? Thanks for your advice!
You need to give more info. Where are you starting from? You could see the places you mention within 7 days, but is that what you want? Or do you want to travel across the country during those 21 days? And when are you planning to travel?
You should make your itinerary FIRST, then decide the best way to get there.
Hi Tenjin, we start in Kagoshima on 11 october. Here our itinerary: 2 days Kagoshima, 2 days Beppu, 3 days Hiroshima incl. Miyaijma, 2 days Kurashiki, 2 days Kobe, 5 days Kyoto and 5 days Tokyo. Thank you for your advice!
Hi, While you have an enviably long 21 day trip, with a slower pace as yours, you simply can't make any full JR Pass really pay off, especially since you're only going one way and leaving Japan from Tokyo.
I would also definitely recommend that you take a day and go see Nara, and at least half a day to go see Himeji - the castle is Japan's finest and the Kokoen Garden next to it is also very nice. You could also see Osaka in the evening after seeing Kyoto during the day. At night the city comes alive and has some great places to see, such as Dotonbori, plus the night views from the Umeda Sky Bldg and Abeno Harukas Bldg are wonderful.
Comments
You should make your itinerary FIRST, then decide the best way to get there.
While you have an enviably long 21 day trip, with a slower pace as yours, you simply can't make any full JR Pass really pay off, especially since you're only going one way and leaving Japan from Tokyo.
At best, you could barely make a 7 day rail pass break even from Kagoshima to Kushashiki, or barely make a JR Sanyo Sanin Area Pass pay off between Hakata and Kobe.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_sanyo_sanin.html
A 3 day Kyushu Rail Pass from Kagoshima to Kokura would also pay off.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_05.html
You can see a lot of previews of places you want to visit at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanfaq/videos
I would also definitely recommend that you take a day and go see Nara, and at least half a day to go see Himeji - the castle is Japan's finest and the Kokoen Garden next to it is also very nice. You could also see Osaka in the evening after seeing Kyoto during the day. At night the city comes alive and has some great places to see, such as Dotonbori, plus the night views from the Umeda Sky Bldg and Abeno Harukas Bldg are wonderful.