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11 Days Itinerary Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto 2015/5/29 15:34
Hi guys! I have just booked a flight to Japan on 21st Nov for 11 days and I am very excited to finally be able to visit the beautiful country.

I have looked through a lot of the sites and guides and roughly decided to this itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive at Tokyo 3pm
Day 2 and 3: Travel around central Tokyo
Day 4: Morning train to Hakone, stay for a night
Day 5: Hakone to Kyoto
Day 6 and 7: Eastern Kyoto and Arashiyama
Day 8: Day trip to Nara
Day 9: Day trip to Himeiji castle, train to Osaka
Day 10: Full day at Osaka
Day 11: Fly off in the afternoon from Itami airport

Is the itinerary sound? I understand this is a one way trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, but would the 7 days rail pass be worth it since there are some day trips involved?

Is Hakone worth visiting in late November? If I read correctly there will be no more fall foliage by then. If it is not visiting I might consider cutting one day off the Kanto region and maybe go for a night of temple lodging at Koyasan.

One more question would be on Day 9, since I will be travelling to Himeiji from Kyoto and plan to go straight to Osaka after that, I will have to take my luggage along to the train station. Will there be places for me to leave my luggage at the Himeiji station while I visit the castle?

Thanks for any help and comments!
by superpc  

Re: 11 Days Itinerary Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto 2015/5/29 17:07
Use hyperdia.com/en to calculate your train fares to work out if a 7-day JR Pass will pay off. Chances are that it won't, though. Maybe look into the Kansai Pass since you're doing a lot of travel there (again, don't know if it pays off).

Hakone is definitely worth it in late November. I went in early December and did the Round Course, and thoroughly enjoyed it. When the weather is cold is one of the best times to go, as there is a better chance the weather will be clear and you'll see Mt. Fuji from Oawakudani ropeway station. If you're worried about time, just skip the overnight stay. However, many people enjoy staying overnight in a ryokan with an onsen; and as a day trip it's quite long. Odakyu Railways' Hakone FreePass is the best value ticket if you want to do the Round Course.

I'm fairly confident Himeji would have lockers available for luggage; the question is will any be free! Consider sending your luggage forward to your next hotel using the takyubin service - it's cheap and efficient. You'll probably need to send it the day before you leave Kyoto; you could even send it to meet you at the airport and just pack a bag with a few days' essentials!
by sq (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 11 Days Itinerary Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto 2015/5/29 17:14
Will there be places for me to leave my luggage at the Himeiji station while I visit the castle?

Himeji has a big coin locker room on the north side of the station. How big is your luggage though? Large size lockers may be in short supply.
by yllwsmrf rate this post as useful

Re: 11 Days Itinerary Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto 2015/5/29 21:12
Thanks for the help guys!

@sq: Didn't know about takkyubin service. Thanks for the information! I am really torn between Hakone and Koyasan temple lodging. I am worried about the volcanic activity level currently at Hakone and thus quite hesitant to make a booking to stay overnight. Would it be extremely rush as a day trip?

@yllwsmrf: I will keep that in mind and pack light I guess. Thanks!
by superpc rate this post as useful

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