Kansai Wide Area Pass for 8 days

I'm planning to buy Kansai wide area pass for 8 days. But then I noticed, a visitor may purchase Kansai WIDE Area Pass ONLY ONCE per visit.

I'm a bit confused, is this rule only valid for purchase inside Japan (so I can actually buy 2 pass if I purchase it outside Japan) or I really can only buy 1 pass per visit?

Here is my itinerary.

Day 1: Hikone
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 5: Kinosaki
Day 6: Osaka

What is your suggestion?

The limitation of one pass per person only applies if you buy the pass inside Japan. It does not apply if you buy the passes outside of Japan.

Day 1: Hikone
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 5: Kinosaki
Day 6: Osaka

Where are you based? Assuming you are based somewhere around Kyoto or Osaka, a Kansai Wide Pass will only pay off for the Kinosaki side trip.

Thanks for the reply.

I'll stay overnight in those 4 cities. But mostly in Kyoto.

What I get from this website:
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/travel-information/pass/kansai_wide...

There are 3 options purchasing the pass:
1. Through travel agency outside Japan
2. Online
3. At JR West ticket office.

If I'm not mistaken, the only option available if I want to get 2 passes is the first one.

Or can I also get 2 pass if I buy it online from my home country?

Thanks

I'm confused because from what I read from westjr website, it seems the second option is not possible.

But there's no caution on http://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass-regional/kansai/jr-kansai-wide-are...

As far as i understood, you cant get the same pass more than once on a single visit on one person name.
So you cant get the WideArea pass twice. I believe they will have a log entry when you get your first pass, making it impossible to get the 2nd same one.

The other big payoff for the Wide Area pass is going to the Kumano Region. The cost of the 4 day pass is 7200 yen, and the cost of an unreserved ticket from Shin-Osaka station to KiiKatsuura Station is 6370 yen, so the 4 day pass almost pays off on the one trai ride.

It is a somewhat expensive pass to purchase, and you probably better off getting just one. That said, It does depend on where you plan to travel.

I plan to purchase 2 Kansai Wide Area Pass since I'm going to Hikone on the first day and Kinosaki on the fifth day.

Or is there any better alternative?

What can I see in Kumano?

just get one pass to be used when you go to Kinosaki.

The Kumano Region has three big shrines and many hot spring resorts and Onsens. Shirahama is one of the big three hot springs beach resort (along with Atami and Beppu). Here is the Japan guide link:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4950.html

I hope this helps.

I believe that you can get just one Wide area pass for your trip.

At the airport, purchase a ICOCA & Haruka Package, probably the one way package for 3030 yen. Ride the Haruka Limited Express to Kyoto and then use the ICOCA card to ride a rapid service train to Hikone. The cost of the rapid service train is 1140, and will wipe out most of your 1500 yen that your ICOCA card has one it.

On day two, when you are ready to move to Kyoto, put an additional 1000 yen on the ICOCA card and use it to return to Kyoto. You will have spent 3030 + 1000 = 4030 yen, instead of 7200 yen, and you will still have 260 yen on the ICOCA card for any incedental travel in Kyoto.

You will also find out that touring around Kyoto usually means getting on a bus, so the JR Wide area pass does not help you. There are some exceptions, such as going to the Inari Shrine, which is 140 yen each way. You can use the ICOCA card for that short trip.

On day five, activate the JR Wide pass, and use it to go to Kinosaki, and anywhere else for the final four days of your trip.

I believe that this is more cost effective for where you want to go.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion.

I'll visit Kyoto during the Hanami season, so I want to avoid going around by bus since I'm afraid it would be too crowded.

There will be 3 persons traveling. Should I buy a pass or should I just use taxi?

Kumano looks interesting. But I'm rather afraid since I don't speak Japanese. How is the English language support there?

I have had no problems in the Kumano region with English. Being a resort town, almost any hotel in Shirahama will have someone who speaks English. The tourism office in KiiKatsuura (below the station) has always had someone who speaks English. I also talked to several people in English, including a few monks at Nachi Falls.

I have gone to Japan four times, and stayed at the Hot springs resort hotel Urashima in Katsurra every time I have visited Japan. Of the four times that I have stayed in Katsuura at the hotel Urashima, there has been an English speaking check-in clerks twice, and when there was not an English speaking clerk, one clerk found some transation software on their computer, and we communicated that way. I really like going to the hot springs in the resort that are located in a sea cave about 20 meters above sea level (they actually have 6 hot springs within the resort). You can hear the waves crashing against the rocks as you soak. The meal is buffet style, but it also has a sushi carving demonstration, which is interesting to watch.

I have stayed in Shirahama twice, and had no problems either time. I believe that I was supposted to have buffet style meals at both places that I stayed, but my last stay was upgraded to a sit down multi course meal. This was because the hotel was hosting a middle school field trip, and the students were using the dining room. That meal was probably one of the best four meals that I have every had in Japan.

I have not stayed at any of the three mountain hot springs onsens near Hongu-Taisha, but I would expect minimal problems. I have gone to Hongu-Taisha, and do not remember communicating with anyone in English. When I have gone to a booth to pick up a charm or post cards, I have handed what I wanted to someone and they whip out a calculator, total up the items, and show me the final price.

Many times the only time I speak is to point to a broshure and say "English?", or I say "Bus.....Nachi Taisha?", and that is all I need to say. Sometime I get the crossed hand, which means no or not available, but most of the time, people can be very helpful with little knowledge of English.

About getting around Kyoto, I would still use the bus system. Some of the spots are fairly far away, and it will cost a lot.

Last year, I went in the spring and went to Nara during Hanabi. It was fun to sit out on a blanket (I had brought a beach towel) in the park. I went on a Saturday, and lots of people were there, and most parents were giving their children money to buy the wavers that are fed to the deer. Each deer probably had two or three children holding out wavers for them to eat. The deer were stuffed when I got there around noon.

I am assuming that you are going to Hikone to see the castle. I am aware that Himeji Castle is still under renovations, and than many people substitute Hikone Castle. Have you thought about going to Nagoya instead? You can get the Kintetsu Wide Area Pass, which will give you transportation from the airport to the Namba area in Osaka. From there, you can use the five day Kintetsu pass to go to Nagoya and see Nagoya Castle instead fo Hikone Castle. The Kintetsu pass will then get you to Kyoto, and can also be used to go to Nara. Here is a link to the Kintetsu pass:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_006.html

The other benefit would be that Yoshino is accessable on the Kintetsu rail system. Yoshino is one of Japans best known cherry blossom locations. Here is a link:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4150.html

If you are going to travel at the very end of March for cherry blossums, there is a second reason to go to Nagoya, which would be the Winter Illuminations at Nagashima Resort. Here is a pair of links:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3313.html
http://rivercam.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/jp%E3%80%82winter-illuminatio...

The Nagashima resort also has a "Spaland" which might also interest you.

This is probably too much stuff to on your trip, but it may give you more options. Some of which might be better choices for the limited time that you have.

I'll go to Japan in early April. Himeji restoration should be finished by then I believed. I plan to go there also during my stay in Osaka. I wonder if it would be very crowded.

But I'm still visiting Hikone simply because I'm a big history geek :p. So, I won't skip it. Hopefully, I can also meet the cute mascots.

I wonder if 1 night in Kumano is enough. I only plan to visit Nachi Taisha and spend the night in Nakanoshima. I wonder if Urashima is better...

Between Himeji, Hikone and Nachi Taisha, do we need to climb steep stairs? I'm going with 50 years old parents, so that sort of concerns me.

Thanks.

Don't go to Nachi-Taisha, unless you only wish to go to the lower shrine and see the falls from the bottom. The bus will go around a hairpin turn and stop for the path to the lower shrine.

The bus will continue to the upper parking lot, and there is at least 100-150 steps to
the level where the 4 story pagoda is at. There are then about 50-75 more steps to the main shrines.

Some people also walk down from the "lower shrine stop" to the floor of the valley. This is part of the Kumano Kodo trail. The only part of the trail that I have done is from the upper shrine to the lower shrine, and I used a walking stick to help with my footing. After doing that, I decided to walk back to the upper bus stop by following the road. On that day, the lower bus stop was closed for the Nachi Fire Festival. There are other paths, which have nice concrete steps, and not the rocky paths. If you walk down from the lower shrine, There is a bus stop at the road, so you do not have to walk back up, but I have not done this, and I can't tell you how long of a trek it is.

I have not gone to Himeji or Hikone yet. I am more into hot springs and temples than castles.

What I wrote was a bit confusing. The bus that you take from KiiKatsuura will follow a river for a while, and then start to go up the side of the valley.

From the hairpin turn, you can walk down to the lower shrine and then back up to the bus stop. There are some steps, but not a huge amount. Somewhere around the bus stop is part of the Kumano Kudo trail that leads to the road at the bottom.

I know people got off the bus to walk up the path, but I am not sure where the trail head is in relation to the valley bus stop, or the bus stop for the lower shrine.

The upper bus stop is a large parking lot that will accomidate 20+ busses. Yo walk from there to a set of steps that lead further up the hillside. There are lots of shops, and even a Post Office as you walk up the steps. You will then come to a level landing, which has a resteraunt, and a more or less level walk to the three story Pagoda (I said it was four story on a earlier post).

Here is a link to a website on Nachi-Taisha. Look at some of the photos and you will see that some are taken from the bottom of the falls, and some are take at almost the same le3vel as the top of the falls. The upper shrine may be a lottle lower than the top of the falls. Since Nachi Falls is supposted to be 133 meters high, this should give you an idea of the amount of steps you will have to go up and down.

That said, I am 57 years old, and I did enjoy going there. It was a lot of steps, but the views were fantastic. It rained in the morning, and the mist comming from the rain gave the whole place a very mystical aura as you looked out the vistas. There were lots of shops with interesting things to look at, and I spent at least 5-6 hours at the Nachi Fire Festival that day.

I am about the age of your parents, but I would show them the website, and ask them if they are up to going up and down all those steps.

Somehow the linkn't show up on the last reply. Here it is again:

http://stayingglobal.blogspot.com/2014/05/kumano-kodo-kumano-nachi-taisha-shrine.html

Here is a link to something about the Nachi Fire Festival, which I attended this year:

http://japan-festival.net/nachi-fire-festival-2/

The men carrying flaming torches at the top of the page at going up (and down) some of the steps to the lower shrine.

Thanks for the explanation. I think I'll just visit the Pagoda.

The thing is the hotel is located in an island. I estimate that I'd arrive at 11.33. But I could only check in at 3 pm. I'm concern about the luggage. Is there lockers that are big enough at the station? Or should I take the ferry and leave the luggage at the front office?

Or is it better to go to the Nachi Taisha on the next day?

I wonder if one night stay would be enough.

I don't remember if the Jr Pass allows you to make seat reservation, but if you can, try to sit on the right side of the train going from Shin-Osaka Station to KiiKatsurra Station. The view of the coastline ouside of the train is wonderful, especailly between Shirahama and KiiKatsuura. You will pass by little bays between going through tunnels.

When you get to Katsuura, there are some lockers at the station, but I would go through the town, go to the boat dock, and take the turtle shaped boat to the Urashima Hotel and have them hold your luggage.

You would then get back on the turtle boat and go back near the station to catch the bus to Nachi Falls. The bus station that is near the dock is for longer haul busses, such at a bus from Katsuura to Tokyo. The bus depot near the train station is where you catch the bus to Nachi Taisha. There is an all day Nachi Taisha bus pass that you can get at the bus terminal near the train station. I seem to remember the cost to be in the range of 800-1200 yen, but I don't remember the exact amount. The bus ride is about 30 minutes each way.

If you do stay at the Hotel Urashima, ask at the front desk when the sushi carving demonstration is, and make your dinner reservations near that time. It is usually in the upper dining hall, which means you get to ride the monster escalator up to it.

Thank you for all the explanation.

Hopefully, I will be able to visit Kumano. :D