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Tokyo - Mt Fuji - Kyoto 7 Days

Hi,

I am wondering if getting a JR pass is a better deal for my itinerary below:

May 11 -14 - Tokyo (arrive in NRT, staying in Minato)

May 14 - Leaving Tokyo heading to Mt Fuji day trip, and head to Kyoto ( stay in Kyoto for 14 night)

May 17 Kyoto - Tokyo, Leaving Tokyo from HND 17 night.

Would I be use JR pass for airport to hotel, all inter-city trips above as well as subways / buses visiting attractions in Tokyo and Kyoto? Is it a better deal than purchasing shinkansen ticket and subway passes separately?

Do I need to get the regional kansai pass separately if i am getting the national JR pass?

Also, is May the busy season? Would green pass make any difference?

Thanks a lot for your help.


Comments

  • edited March 2017
    Hi,
    Yes, you could use the JR Pass from Narita into Tokyo, although not for subways or city buses. You would barely break even on a 7 day pass.
    For Hakone, take the bullet train from Tokyo and get off at Odawara Stn., then to save money, buy a Hakone Free Pass
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
    After seeing the area, return but go to Mishima Stn., then catch the next bullet train to Kyoto. The Hakone Loop Course
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html
    is a common way to see the area.

    The first week of May is Golden Week and extremely busy. The time you mention however is not. As for Green seats, it's up to how much you want to splurge. You can compare seats at
    http://bit.ly/2mgKS3U

    If you do get the full JR Pass, a Kansai area pass would be a total waste of money.
    Be sure to see Nara as well - it has some of Japan's top sights. After the temples of Kyoto close down around 5PM, you can zip over to Osaka for the evening. 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.
    On another evening, you could also go and see Kobe.

  • Hi

    Thanks a lot for the suggestion! Nara, Osaka & Kobe looks fun and if I am to add them in my itinerary, would JR pass be more cost efficient ?

    Just want to make sure I understand how the JR pass works, if i get the 7 day full JR pass, i should be able to use for the following trips?
    - Narita to Tokyo
    - Tokyo to Odawara Stn
    - Mishima Stn to Kyoto
    - Kyoto to Nara rountrip ( if hotel was booked in Kyoto)
    - Kyoto to Osaka rountrip ( if hotel was booked in Kyoto)
    - Kyoto to Kobe rountrip (if hotel was booked in Kyoto)
    - Kyoto back to Tokyo
    - Tokyo to HND

    Is it better to get the Pasmo card on the site? Or it's the same if we get when we get to Tokyo?

    Thanks.
  • You can take JR trains on all those routes, so no problem. Be aware though that in Kansai there are also other rail lines (Kintetsu, Hankyu, etc) that you can't use a JR pass with.
    For the Pasmo card, it's up to you. It's more convenient, but there is no savings or discounts from it.
  • Hi,
    i am hoping to get some suggestion on my itineraries; I will arrive Tokyo(Nat) on May 2nd around 2:30pm. My plan is to take the bullet train to Kyoto first.
    On May3rd, sightseeing Kyoto (Fushimi, Inari, Nara,...).
    May4th from Kyoto to Hakone, sightseeing this area (Mt. Fugi, Onsen Hot Spring,..). Take bullet train from Hakone to Tokyo(Shinjuku).
    May 5th, sightseeing Tokyo(not sure where to go, should I buy a one--day tour in Tokyo?)
    May 6th, leaving Tokyo take a 5:30pm flight out of NRT.
    I would like to know which train do I take? Which station do I go? any suggestion about my itineraries? Am I too rush to see all these places/ Thank you for your advice.
    yenquen
  • Hi,
    You are extremely rushed and it is not worth going to Kyoto for just a day. There is no way you can see both Nara and Kyoto to any significant degree. I would say it would be far better to stay in the Tokyo area and save Kansai for a future trip.
    You could see Hakone as a full day trip from Tokyo, and a Hakone Free Pass is a good way to save money.
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html

    Please note also that you will be in Tokyo during Golden Week, which is a peak holiday period. Many popular places will be very crowded. However, your timing is perfect to see the wisteria in Japan, which is simply stunning to look at.
    https://goo.gl/EvSI3v

    The Ashikaga Flower Park just north of Tokyo is one of the best places in Japan to enjoy it.
  • Thanks for the valuable information. Will I be able to see Kyoto and Hakone and not Nara? One day in Kyoto, one day in Hokone.

    Is the JRpass also good to go to Ashikaga Park? Any other one day trip to suggest if I cancel the Kyoto trip? I heard a place called Kamakra, is this a good one day trip? What is the other pass needed if I cancel the Kyoto trip? Sounds like JR Pass is good If I do go to Kyoto but not worth it if just in the Tokyo area. Thank you again for your advice.
  • Hi,
    Again, Kyoto is not worth it if you go there for just a day. With the pass it would take you 3 hours one way to get there from Tokyo.
    If you stay in the Tokyo area, you don't need the JR Pass. You can see many good places with a Tokyo Wide Pass.
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_06.html
    You can use it to go to the Ashikaga Flower Park, and Kamakura too if you like. Nikko is also a very good place to visit in the area.
  • Hello,
    I will be travelling to Japan from April 20-30. Will be staying in Tokyo initially for the first 4 days - and then will travel to Kyoto for 3 days. Will I be able to use the JR Pass for this travel - to and fro? Also, I plan to visit Mt Fuji from Tokyo - will the JR Pass allow me to travel this route as well?
  • First, it's better to start a new thread and not piggyback your question on someone else's.
    Yes, you can use JR to go down to Kyoto and back easily. For Hakone, take the bullet train from Tokyo and get off at Odawara Stn., then to save money, buy a Hakone Free Pass
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
    After seeing the area, return but go to Mishima Stn., then catch the next bullet train to Kyoto. The Hakone Loop Course
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5210.html
    is a common way to see the area.
    But for costs, your trip still leaves you a little short to break even on a 7 day pass.
    If you did a day trip to Himeji or Hiroshima/Miyajima, that would put you over the top. You should not miss Nara either which has some of Japan's top sights - put in at least half a day for it.
    If you don't want to do the extra trips, then do Hakone as a day trip from Tokyo using the free pass, and go to Kyoto on a japanican ticket.
    http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/VJOPENTK1/

    You can see previews of some of the best places to see on:
    https://www.youtube.com/user/thejapanfaq/videos
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