Long Itinerary - 60+ days

Hey all, I will be visiting Japan for two months around July-September. I tried building up an itinerary for my journey, though I am sure there will be many changes. If anyone feels like reading it, I would love to hear your opinion!

Some notes:
JR Pass: Days 4-10, 38-58
Languages: I speak Japanese
My goals for this journey: Using Japanese and getting to know people! Enjoying the beauty of Japan - especially Temples and Shrines

Day 1: Tokyo
Day 2: Tokyo
Day 3: Tokyo
Day 4: Magome+Tsumago
Day 5: Nagoya
Day 6: Takayama
Day 7: Shirakawa-go+Kanazawa
Day 8: Kanazawa
Day 9: Kurobe Gorge+Train back to Tokyo
Day 10: Kairakuen Gardens
Day 11: Tokyo (meeting up with a friend and staying at an appartment in Tokyo from here to day 30)
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Tokyo
Day 14: Tokyo
Day 15: Tokyo
Day 16: Tokyo
Day 17: Tokyo
Day 18: Tokyo
Day 19: Tokyo
Day 20: Tokyo
Day 21: Tokyo
Day 22: Tokyo
Day 23: Mitaka (Ghibli Museum)
Day 24: Nikkou
Day 25: Nikkou
Day 26: Chuuzenji
Day 27: Hakone
Day 28: Fuji
Day 29: Kamakura
Day 30: Yokohama
Day 31: Osaka
Day 32: Nara
Day 33: Nara (Sleeping in Kyoto)
Day 34: Kyoto
Day 35: Kyoto
Day 36: Arashiyama (sleeping in Kyoto)
Day 37: Ueno Iga (Sleeping in Kyoto)
Day 38: Train to Himeji, enjoying the castle, and continuing to Hiroshima
Day 39: Miyajima
Day 40: Hiroshima/Onomachi
Day 41: Train to Kagoshima, and enjoying the city a bit before departing on Ferry Hibscus to Yakushima
Day 42: Yakushima
Day 43: Yakushima, taking a ferry in the afternoon back to Kagoshima, and a train to Kumamoto
Day 44: Mt. Aso+Beppu
Day 45: Beppu+Train back to Kyoto
Day 46: Kyoto
Day 47: Koya-san
Day 48: Koya-san+Train to Shingu/Katsuura
Day 49: Visiting Nachi Taisha, Hayatama Taisha and hopefully will have time for Hongu Taisha too
Day 50: Hongu Taisha+Kumano-shi+Matsumoto Pass+Magose Pass+Train back to Kyoto
Day 51: Amanohashidate (Sleeping in Kyoto)
Day 52: Kyoto
Day 53: Train to Sendai+Matsushima
Day 54: Hiraizumi+Yamadera
Day 55: Kakunodate+train to Tsuruoka
Day 56: Haguro+Churenji+Dainichibo (sleeping in Tsuruoka)
Day 57: Gassan+Yudono+Night train to Tokyo
Day 58: Tokyo
Day 59: Tokyo
Day 60: Tokyo
Day 61: Tokyo

It seems to me that you are spending a lot of days in Tokyo. Personally I would spend less days, maybe a week maximum. It is a nice place, but there is so much else to see too!

I would recommend ditching a few days in Tokyo and maybe explore more of Kyushu. Fukuoka and Nagasaki are worth visiting in my opinion. Either way, apart from your stay in Tokyo, it seems that some of the others might be a bit too rushed, especially your trips out of Kyoto.

I would also consider shifting the order of some of the items on your itineary to make more use of your JR pass and to save some time. For example, you could possible shift your activites in Kanazawa towards the end of the first part of your stay in Tokyo on your way to Kansai. It would save you having to spend time travelling from kanazawa back to Tokyo then to Kyoto, when it would be quicker to go from Kanazawa directly to Kyoto etc.

Thanks for the tips Taiakun!
Sadly I have a few limitations, I am meeting with a friend in Tokyo on Day 11, and he rented a place there until Day 30. I tried to keep as little Tokyo as I could under the limitations (had to put in some more Tokyo towards the end due to running out of money for another JR Pass).

About the parts that are rushed - I'd love to hear more about what parts exactly, do you think maybe Ueno Iga would be two days Instead of 1? Maybe I should sleep another night in Shingu/Katsuura before heading back to Kyoto?

I hate reviewing itineraries but I was intrigued by the long trip. Suggestion: Since you have so much time in Tokyo, take day trips to kamakura and Yokohama. Then you can free up time to go the area around Ise or the Izu peninsula on the way to Mt Fuji. Your time in Nikko seems a bit too much as well, but I'm not sure since you have the extra time. Also check out Kawagoe as a day trip from Tokyo.

Thanks Mike!
I'm doing Nikkou, Chuuzenji, Kamakura, Fuji, Hakone, etc. as day trips from Tokyo, but I didn't know about Kawagoe! Many thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to check it out!
It might be really cool to put it just before Magome and Tsumago, for a real time-travel feel.

I am not doing as long of a trip as you are, but we overlap in a few places. I leave in two days, and I can try to give you some feedback if you need it.

I am going to give you some ideas as to what I am planning to do.

You plan to visit Yakyshima Island, and I am also planning to do that. My original plan was to use the Ferry Hibiscus, but I was not able to get information about what happens when you dock at Tenekashima Island at 9PM. You may have to disembark and get a hotel, and then return before 5:30AM, when the ferry leaves. I've decided to do the roundtrip jetfoil ferry route.

I am also not going to rent a car, and do the two day bus tour (A & B). depending on when you can get to your hotel on the day 42, you may not be on time to do the all day "A" tour, but will have to do the afternoon "C" tour.

Yakushima bus map and schedules:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/103326219/Bus-map-and-free-pass

The "B" tour ends at 1:15PM, and you will have to take the jetfoil ferry back to Kagoshima.

I am also going to visit Koyasan and then go to the Kumano region (yours days 47-51) . I was orininally going to get a three day Kansei Wakayama pass, and use it to go to Koyasan and the three temples in the Kumano area, Nachi Taishia, Hongu Taisha, and Hayatama Taishia.

My original plan was to vist Koyasan on the first day, go to Tanabe by bus on the second, and visit the three temples on the third by bus, and take the train back to Tanabe. This is do-able, and will cost less. It also looks like the bus service from Koyasan to Tanabe is weekends only, So since I am planning on doing this on May 7th (a Tuesday), I had to change my plans. I now have an active JR Pass while I an traveling in the Kumano region.

Link to English KW Pass and bus timetables:
http://tb-kumano-news.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-kansai-wakayama-pass-w-...

After looking at the cost for the tickets, I decided to get a two day Koyasan World Heritage pass, and use a JR pass on the second day to stay in Katsuura at a hot springs resort. If I feel like seeing one of the temples that day, I will take the train to Shingu, and see Hayatama Taisha.

On the third day (your 49th), I intend to activate a two day Kansei Wakayama pass, and go to Hongu Taisha and Nachi Taisha. If you plan to stay at any of the onsens near Hongu Taisha, I would recommend going this route. I plan to spend that evening to Shirahama and stay in a beach hot springs resort, and use the second day of the pass to get around Shirahama and possibly go to Ryujin Onsen or Takahara, before leaving the area. Your plan looks like you could also buy both pass like I am planning.

I would also like to add that Shirahama has nightly fireworks each evening, but they have a massive fireworks display (two and a half hours) on August 10th, so if your plans make it possible to be there at that time, there are still some hotel rooms in Tanabe, which is close to Shirahama, and the KW Pass can be used for the Tanabe-Shirahama beach bus, which makes about 30 round trips a day.

I hope this helps.

Hello! :)

First of all, I would never ever stay so many days in Tokyo. I understand you want to meet friends, but do you really need so many days there?

It's Onomichi in Hiroshima and not Onomachi.

For Yakushima you'll need at least 2.5 days to enjoy everything. More if the weather is bad or you are without a rental car.

For Beppu you'll need 1 day and for Mount Aso you'll also need 1 day to be able to enjoy it fully.

It's almost impossible to visit Nachi Taisha, Hayatama Taisha and Hongu Taisha in one day if you don't have a rental car!

You won't be able to do Yamadera and Hiraizumi in one day!
Especially Hiraizumi has so much to offer! Even if you just visit the 2 main attractions, you probably won't have enough time:
http://zoomingjapan.com/travel/hiraizumi-chuson-ji-temple/
http://zoomingjapan.com/travel/hiraizumi-motsuji-temple/

Oh my bad, I did not read the part regarding your restriction regarding accommodation in Tokyo.

Maybe one thing you can do is, instead of covering Kanazawa etc initially, what about covering the Sendai area first? You can purchase a 5 day JR east pass to cover this area.

You can cover Kanazawa on your way to Kyoto later on. I am not sure if it is worthwhile using a 7 day JR pass to cover this leg. Check with Hyperdia to see if it pays off.

When you activate your JR pass when leaving Kyoto, you have some additional time to spend in Kyushuu, since the Sendai part of your trip has been shifted to the front. Also consider shifting the daytrips from Kyoto to before you activate your JR pass. That way you can activate your JR pass later, and won't have to spend so much time in Tokyo at the end of your trip.

ebaychucky311-
That's awesome! Our plans are very similar and I also intend to use the same passes, but I had to give up a visit Shirahama, sinceI really want to do Matsumoto and Magose passes. I want to sleep at Katsuura so I can wake at first light so I have a chance to finish all three temples in one day, hopefully hiking as much as possible and minimizing bus trips. I will check the possibility of doing this from Tanabe, since it sounds interesting!

As for the jetfoil ferry, it's sadly above my budget...
Many thanks for the help! I think I may be able to save some costs!


Zoomingjapan, I absolutely agree about Tokyo, I will have to stay there due to my friend and apartment, but I am trying to "pull" at least two days to go to Kyoto/Ise.

Thanks about the correction about Onomichi! The first time I saw it in Japanese I actually read it Omichi, lol.

About Yakushima- Hmmm... My current plans give me 1.5 days, how about doing this instead?:
Day 40: Train to Kagoshima, and enjoying the city a bit before departing on Ferry Hibscus to Yakushima
Day 41: Yakushima
Day 42: Yakushima
Day 43: Yakushima, taking a ferry in the afternoon back to Kagoshima, and a train to Kumamoto

I was also thinking maybe this would be safer:
Day 40: Train to Kagoshima
Day 41: Taking the morning ferry to Yakushima
Day 42: Yakushima
Day 43: Yakushima, taking a ferry in the afternoon back to Kagoshima, and a train to Kumamoto

It costs a bit more, and I lose half a day at Yakushima but I get a proper night's sleep and don't have that weird night at Tanekashima.

Taiakun, I can switch up the Kanazawa and Sendai parts Or the Kanazawa and Kumano parts (both look like a good idea), but I am not sure it's a good idea to visit the Kanazawa area in September, won't July be preferable?

Not too sure. I've only been there once in winter. Any reason for preference for July over September?

I heard that many of the attractions and huts in the area are closed from September, since there is a lot less tourism and a lot more snow. On the other hand July and August have extra trains and buses...

Here was my plan to do the Komano Region from Tanabe.

Day 1: Use KW pass to go to Koyasan.

Day 2: From Koyasan, use Timetable 7 to get to Tanabe. It appears that it is now running weekends, but during Golden Week, and in August, the bus will run everyday. Take either the 10:05AM or 2:05PM bus, which will get you to Tanabe at 1:57PM and 6:42PM. STay at a hotel close to Tanabe Station, because the morning bus leaves early. Gongo-Mae is the closest bus station to Hayatama Taisha.

Day 3: This is a long day.
Timetable #1 6:24 AM bus to Hongu Taisha, Arr 8:12 AM
Timetable #4 10:40 bus to Gongen-mae, Arr 11:55 AM
Timetable #12  2:34 PM bus to Nachi Station
Then take the 3:05 PM bus to Nachiisan. Arr 3:30 PM
Time table #8 5:40 bus from Nachisan to Katsuura, Arr 6:05 PM
Hyperdia 7:36 PM Liner back to Tanabe, Arr 9:52

I was planning to do this without an active JR Pass. I am arriving in Fukuoka from the U.S. My plan was to get around Kyushu using an overnight bus to Kagoshima, a SunQ Bus pass to get back to northern Kyushu, stopping at Takachiho, and then a Northern Kyushu pass to get around for a few days. I was then going to take an overnight ferry from Kitakyushu to Osaka, and eventually go to Koyasan. All this travel was going to be done without a JR Pass.

My plan was to have my JR Pass activate the following day to leave Tanabe.

The point of this was, that the JR pass kinda rots while you are in the Kyoto/Okasa area, and I felt that I could use my Suica Card and pay for the short train travel in that area. You will probably need a 1 week JR Pass to get you to Kagoshima, and then a second 7 day pass once you have finished in the Kyoto/Osaka area, but that's it. Count the actual days that you are outside the Kansei and Kanto regions, and you exclude Yakushima Island (because it requires a Ferry, and not a train), you may be suprised what you can do with just two 7 day passes.

I am also including additional use of a Tobu Nikko Pass, and a Hakone Pass, of course. You will need to adjust your schedule a bit, so that the Kyoto/Osaka area is covered at the same time.

Cutting back on the length of your JR Passes can be a huge cost savings for your trip.

ebaychuicky, you are absolutely correct, and I noticed it myself. The problem is that two 7 day passes and a 21-day pass are roughly the same price, so there's not much point to it unless I can switch around the order of the Kumano and Sendai parts (which I am reluctant to do).

OK, you are correct, a three week pass is about the same cost as two one week passes. I saw that you basically leave the Tokyo area on day 31, and a 21 day pass would end on day 51 (day 31 counts as day 1 of your pass). At that point, you are in Kyoto, and cannot yet switch to a JR East Pass (the 4 flexable day version seems like an absolutely fantastic value).

Are you planning to take a bus or use a Purratto Kodama ticket on Day 31 to get to Osaka? I think this is more cost effective than adding a JR East Pass.

If so, you could activate a three week JR pass on Day 37, and the last day would be arriving in Tokyo on day 57. If you push what you are doing on day 46 or 52 to day 36, and shift everything down, This would work out well.

Good luck with your planning! I have bookmarked this thread so that I can look up the places I don't know about after I get back from Japan. I may look into going to some of these places next year.

Thanks for all the help!
I want to activate the JR Pass on day 38 (will last until day 58). Since the Night Train on day 57 is past midnight, it counts as day 58, so I don't have much of a choice there.
Basically the rides I am doing without the pass are those around the Kyoto area - Tokyo to Osaka, Osaka to Nara, Nara to Kyoto. Since I am probably going to add another Kyoto day before the Nara and push Osaka to day 30 due to festivals and other limitations, you can also add Osaka-Kyoto and Kyoto-Nara to that list.

Overall the only expensive ride is the Tokyo-Osaka, I might use a bus there to save money, but I am not very good with buses, so I'd rather look into local trains.

Not sure where you heard about snow in September. It's still summer/autumn then. As far as i am aware, most places start closing in december, october the earliest. But I could be wrong.

I will limit my comments to just the Tokyo part of your trip. I lived in Tokyo for 3 years and went out pretty much every weekend and many weekdays and still didn't get to see and do everything. I think you'll find that even with the many days you'll have there it will still not be enough to do it all.
Having said that you could claim back an extra 2 days if you put Yokohama on day 30 as a day trip from Tokyo as it's only 30 or so mins from Tokyo...and Kamakura on day 29 for that matter too. You could also include Kawasaki in place of one of your Tokyo days or do it on the way down or back from Yokohama.
Not sure if money is a big issue but have a look at Jetstar and swap a few days in Tokyo for a flight down to Okinawa. Flights are very reasonably priced and you can get cheapish accommodation and see a VERY different side of Japan.
Btw, looks like a great trip!

Taiakun, thanks again! It makes sense, I was afraid it closes as early as September.
halfnhalf, I am glad to hear that about Tokyo. As for a flight to Okinawa, it's one of my dreams... The flight itself is not too expensive (10,000 yen there and back), but I can't see a 5-6 day trip to Okinawa costing less than 40,000-50,000 yen, there so many ferries and flights involved, and the hotels are also expensive... Maybe one day when I have a little more money, and a little less time to spare:)

I am on my trip in Japan at this time, and I am at the Yakushima Seaside Hotel. I checked about staying overnight on the Ferry Hybiscus, and you are allowed to do that. You do not have to disenbark at 9:30PM and go to a hotel.

I took the "A" scenic bus course listed on the bus service schedule, and it requires reservations a day in advance. A tourist agency in Kagoshima should be able to do this for you, if you do not speak Japanese.

The service will pick you and your bags up at Miyanoura Port and give you a guided tour of the Island before dropping you off at one of the three cities. The tour lists six different hotels that they go to directly.

I ended up spending my first night at a hot springs Onsen near the airport, and the bus far from Miyanoura Port to the airport was 510 yen.

For a tour service that also takes your bags to your hotel, I think this was a very good value.