Kagoshima to Tokyo trip

Hello all,

I am going to Japan for the first time. Luckily (and somewhat unfortunate) that the airline that my girlfriend is working for does not offer a stand-by flight from BKK- TYO. I have to stop at Kagoshima (KOJ).

*It is a 7-day trip.
*I plan to buy the 7-day JR Pass.

1. I am going there on the 17th, and will arrive at 3:30PM at the Kagoshima Airport.
2. I plan to take the Shinkansen from Kagoshima - Osaka which I believe I will be in Osaka at dusk. I will stay in Osaka for two nights (the night of 17th and 18th).
3. On the 19th, I am taking the Shinkansen to Kyoto and spend a night there.
4. On the 20th, I am taking the Shinkansen to Shizuoka, specifically the Fuji-san, and spend a night there.
5. On the 21st, I am taking the Shinkansen into Tokyo, and spend two nights.
6. On the 23rd, I am taking the plane (Jetstar) back to Kogoshima which will arrive at around 4:25PM, and plan to spend a night in Kagoshima. I am leaving Japan on the 24th at 4:00PM. The reason why I have to go back to Kagoshima on the last day of the trip is because the flight is considerably cheaper on the 23rd than the 24th (around 5000 yen), so I plan to just spend my last day in Japan in Kagoshima (probably going to do the city-view bus and the Sakurajima sight).

Will buying the 7-day JR Pass worth it? If so, should I buy the Regular or the Green?

**The plane tickets (Roundtrip BKK-KOJ, NRT-KOJ, KOJ-BKK) cost $275 per person.
***JR Pass $270 (Regular) or $370 (Green) per person.

I truly appreciate the helps. Thank you!

7 day JR pass is worth it , especially if you use shinkansen for Tokyo to Kagoshima on the 23rd .

Alternatively you could fly Peach air upon your arrival from Kagoshima to Osaka and activate your JR pass on the 18 OCT, and take Shinkansen to Kagoshima on your last day : http://book.flypeach.com/default.aspx?ao=B2CENUS&ori=KOJ&des=KIX&dep=2...

It's actually this month, July. Will the rain ruin my trip?

I wouldn't feel bad about going to Kagoshima at all. It is one of Japan's most picturesque cities, and worth a visit. The most imposing site is Sakurajima, and a chance for you to walk around a live volcano. There is also the Senganen Park, which offers a beautiful view of the volcano behind the bay. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxDmLuq6ssI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpnDK_Wux9Q
for some nice video of them.
Osaka is a great city to visit, but the cultural jewels are really Kyoto and Nara, and worth more of your time. After the temples and shrines close about 5PM you still have a chance to see Osaka, which really comes to life in the evening - Dotonbori is great, and the view from the new Abeno Harukas building is spectacular. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AyUZmGbW8g
Tokyo is an exciting city, and you won't have enough time. But you can get some idea of what to see and do on this website as well as:
http://www.gotokyo.org/en/index.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/tokyo/index.html
http://www.ar.jal.com/world/en/guidetojapan/city_information/tyo/see/a...
Yes, a 7 day JR Pass is worth it - don't need the Green car though. Look into a prepaid subway pass for Tokyo too - see:
http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ticket/value/travel/index.html#anc03

Thank you. According to my plan, I will be in Osaka at around 8PM on the 17th by Shinkansen. Will there be still anything open at that time? If not, I can take a flight from Kagoshima to Osaka instead, which will arrive at around 5PM. I believe since you are saying that the city comes to live at 5PM, I will be able to explore the richness of the Osaka on the night of the 17th, and then the Osaka's daytime on the 18th. So if I want to cover Nara, what is the best adjustment?

1. Spending 2 nights (17th and 18th) in Osaka but traveling to Nara during the daytime on the 18th and come back to Osaka in the afternoon (so I can visit the Osaka Castle and Shitenno-ji, and spend another night in Osaka), then leaving for Kyoto in the morning of the 19th?

2. Spend a night and half day in Osaka (night of the 17th and morning half day of the 18th), Nara (Afternoon half day and a night of the 18th), and Kyoto (the whole 19th and spend one night)?

@m0bbie

I guess the time you arrive in Osaka it comes later than 21:00. Train two types of Mizuho and Sakura has been operating in the Kyushu Shinkansen, but as long as you use the JR Pass, you will not be able to ride only on Sakura. In the same way, in the Tokaido Shinkansen, you can not only use Hikari and Kodama.

It is takes 40 minutes to Kagoshima Chuo Station from Kagoshima Airport by bus. It is necessary to redeem the JR Pass on that station you. When ticket counter crowded, you may have to wait next Sakura train.

Kagoshima Chuo Sta. - Osaka Sta. Hyperdia
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KAGOSHIMA-CHUO&...

I will be in Osaka at around 8PM

I do not think you can reach Osaka as early as 20:00. Your plane will land at 15:30 and you must go through custom, which takes at least 30 min. They you must take a bus to Kagoshima Chuo station which takes about 40 min. Hyperdia says it will be 21:03 at Shin-Osaka which is not the city center.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KAGOSHIMA-CHUO&...

If not, I can take a flight from Kagoshima to Osaka instead, which will arrive at around 5PM.

If you take peach aviation, you will land at Kansai airport at 21:30.

http://book.flypeach.com/default.aspx?ao=B2CENUS&ori=KOJ&des=KIX&dep=2...

You can take ANA flight 550 (KOJ 16:55 18:05 ITM) at a expensive fare of 18000 yen.

If I were you, I would take JR pass route since you do not have to reserve a specific flight and avoid the risk of missing the flight. You are unlikely to miss the peach flight but you have to wait until 20:20 in the boring Kagoshima airport (I know well since I am a Kagoshiman.). You can take the last Sakura train to Shin-Osaka at 18:29. If you miss it, you can sleep in Kagoshima and start your JR trip the next day.

Are you aware that you cannot directly purchase a Japan Rail Pass inside Japan and you should purchase an Exchange Order outside Japan?
Which areas will you stay in?
Have you checked your routes to the hotels?

[From KOJ to Osaka City]

As is explained by passby168 and frog1954, you cannot reach Shin-Osaka Station by Shinkansen before 21:00.
You had better expect at least 1 hour to take a bus from Kagoshima Airport to Kagoshima-Chuo Station (for about 40 minutes), find Travel Service Center, turn in your Exchange Order for your Japan Rail Pass, reserve your Shinkansen seat if you hope to, pass through the Shinkansen entrance gate by showing your JRP to a station attendant and catch a Shinkansen train.

The "Sakura" train departing at 18:29 from Kagoshima-Chuo Station will be the last direct "Sakura" train to Shin-Osaka Station.
The last Shinkansen connection to Shin-Osaka for you to take with a Japan Rail Pass will be
Kagoshima-Chuo 19:04 --[Sakura 412]-- 20:39 Hakata 20:51 --[Hikari 444]-- 23:32.
You cannot rely on this last Shinkansen connection if you hope to take another train on the way to your hotel.

[In Kansai Region]

On the 19th, I am taking the Shinkansen to Kyoto and spend a night there.
if I want to cover Nara, what is the best adjustment?

Personally I recommend a first-time visitor to Kyoto City would allot at least 2 days, even if he/she shortens time for Osaka City.
You can make a Nara trip from Kyoto.

You do not always need to use Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto.
Please note that Shinkansen trains do not run via Osaka Station.
Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka Station and Kyoto Station are connected by non-Shinkansen JR trains, such as Special Rapid trains connecting Shin-Osaka and Kyoto in about 25 minutes. This day will be a Saturday, so there will be no morning rush of commuters.

Kyoto Tourist Information Center (open 8:30 - 19:00) is located along the north-south walkway on the 2nd floor outside West Gate of Kyoto Station.
: From a non-Shinkansen track on the 1st floor (= ground floor) used by trains from Osaka, you can go up an elevator to a pathway, pass through West Gate to the walkway, walk to the right a little and find the information center.
: From a Shinkansen track on the 3rd floor, you can go down to the concourse, pass through Shinkansen Central Gate (not Transfer Gate), walk to the right a little, go up an escalator to the walkway, proceed until you pass by West Gate and find the information center.

[Around Mt. Fuji]

On the 20th, I am taking the Shinkansen to Shizuoka, specifically the Fuji-san, and spend a night there.

Mt. Fuji rises in both Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures.

You cannot reach Mt. Fuji by Shinkansen. If you take a "Hikari" train + a "Kodama" train to Shin-Fuji Station, you may have a chance to watch Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen platform, unless the weather is too bad.

Monday, 21 July 2014 will be a national holiday. So, the weekend from the Saturday will be practically expanded to Monday. And, probably many schoolchildren will have a summer vacation from around this weekend.

Considering possible crowdedness,
if you hope to Miho area (in Shizuoka Prefecture) I recommend you would travel early in the morning from Kyoto,
and if you hope to visit Kawaguchiko area (in Yamanashi Prefecture) or Hakone area (in Kanagawa Prefecture) I recommend you would travel early in the morning from Tokyo instead of Kyoto.

[Back to KOJ]

On the 23rd, I am taking the plane (Jetstar) back to Kagoshima

Please note that Jetstar uses Narita Airport [NRT] (Terminal 2). Although the airport is away from Tokyo Metropolis, it is often regarded by airline companies as a Tokyo airport. If you travel to NRT by rail, Airport Terminal 2 Station is the second last stop for trains.