Gero onsen - takayama & shirakawa - kanazawa

Hi,

1.I'm planning to travel from nagoya to gero onsen and then to takayama (in a day) by train. What is the best method?

2. How about from shirakawago to kanazawa?

3. Is it possible to travel to all these places using jr pass?

**additional ques:
-- is there any places to leave my luggages in gero onsen? As I'm planning just to spend a few hours there
-- is there public hot springs in gero onsen?
-- is it better to stay in nagoya then travel to gero onsen in the morning or travel at night to gero onsen and overnight there?

I hope that I don't confuse you all with my questions. (Sorry for asking so much)

Thanks in advance!!

Hi! No-one else has taken the bait, so I'll say what I know and guess at the rest. You catch the wideview Hida from Nagoya to Takayama, which stops at Gero Onsen. It is a lovely trip, so if you can, get the reserved seats up the front. Don't be startled when it goes backwards for the first 10 minutes or so. I didn't get out at Gero Onsen. It actually looked a little underwhelming, though most of our favourite places in Japan do at first blush. I'd probably look to stay there then go on to Takayama which appeared to be a bit more lively and is probably more expensive. Takayama is one of our favourite places. you take the bus from Takayama to Shirakawa, then the same bus on from Shirakawa to Kanawawa. Look at the pages for those towns on this site, it'll give you the access info. The Nohi bus leaves from JR station at Takayama. I'd reserve a seat, because I think (guess) that the reserved seat buses are better appointed and have toilets. But if you don't, it's only about an hour from Takayama to Shirakawa. I'm not sure about how long from Shirakawa to Kanazawa.