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Should we get JR Pass for 2 weeks' trip? 2015/9/2 11:39
Hi all,

My sister and I will be visiting Japan for 2 weeks in September 2015 and this is our itinerary in a nutshell. We are on a tight budget and would like to know if the JR pass is the best choice to travel cheaply (versus buying single trip tickets / travel on buses etc). If it is, should we get the 7-day or 14-day pass? Which day shall we activate it to get the best bang for our bucks? :P

By the way, we have already booked the accommodation so the sequence of the itinerary can't be changed.

Day 1 - Arrive at Tokyofs Haneda Airport in the evening
Day 2 - Tokyo
Day 3 - Tokyo
Day 4 - Leave for Kyoto on overnight Willer Express bus (donft have to travel by bus if we use JR Pass?)
Day 5 - Arrive in Kyoto at dawn
Day 6 - Kyoto
Day 7 - Day trip to Nara (is an entire day too much? shall we visit Osaka too?)
Day 8 - Kyoto
Day 9 - Leave for Gifu in the afternoon
Day 10 - Day trip to Takayama and Shirakawago
Day 11 - Day trip to Kanazawa
Day 12 - Leave for Tokyo before noon
Day 13 - Day trip to Kamakura/Nikko/Hakone (we haven't decided which one yet)
Day 14 - Tokyo
Day 15 - Fly home from Narita Airport in the morning

Regards
Brian
by bcheww  

Re: Should we get JR Pass for 2 weeks' trip? 2015/9/2 12:41
Overnight bus is definitely the money saver and time saver, but if you do consider JR pass, get at JR 7 days pass if you can make a return journey to Tokyo within 7 days (your current itinerary is 8 days before Tokyo), then you will save some money as round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto alone already pay for the pass.

Unless there are more significant long trip in the itinerary, JR 14 pass is definitely not suitable for your itinerary.

A day in Nara? Entire day too much? = No way~ It's a lovely town that worth exploring with as much time as you can afford to.

Osaka on the other hand, is a modern city and quoting what my friend said "Whatever you can find in Osaka, you can find it in Tokyo and better". If you have extra time, might be worth a visit for "I have been there", otherwise spend more time in Kyoto would be better.

Hakone worth 2 days to really worth it. Nikko can be pricey to get to if you on tight budget. Kamakura has a few good spots, I personally recommend Enoshima.
by vinces7 rate this post as useful

Re: Should we get JR Pass for 2 weeks' trip? 2015/9/2 15:42
Nara is pleasant. And has its quirks. The question you should be asking instead of "a whole day too much/little?" is if I do not spend a whole day in Nara and spend the extra time in say Kyoto or Kanazawa.... is this time better spent? Well, why don't you go to Nara and if you feel like Kyoto was more your thing, return to Kyoto.

What exactly is Day 8 Gifu? Shirakawago and Takayama is the next day. If you can cut off Day 8 and leave for Kyoto on the shinkansen on early morning Day 5, you can use a JR Pass. If not, overnight coaches are the way to go. You sleep as you travel and you don't have to pay for a bed! Though, if comfort is very important for you, a hotel might be better.

Osaka is best visited at night. Not that the day attractions aren't great but I won't go there just to see an aquarium or Universal Studios. The castle and park may be interesting day activities. Though, your time would be better spent going past it one night after touring Kyoto, on your way to Namba.
by joshua hugh (guest) rate this post as useful

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