13 day trip / Itinerary-Transportation

Hello all,

I would like your input on the plans we have made for a stay of 13 days on Japan at the end of March (we come back April 1st), we are 3 people traveling on a budget. Do you think we want to do too much, too little?? Also do you think we will be able to enjoy the cherry blossoms?

We are planning to buy 7 day JR Pass and two Seishun 18 passes (is it possible to travel from Narita Airport to Tokyo with the Seishun 18 Pass?) Or are there any better choices?

Day 1:
Arrive at Narita Airport (14:00) just get to the hotel in Ikebukuro. Find a place to have dinner and rest from the long trip.

Day 2:
Day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima (with Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass)

Day 3:
(Start using JR Pass) Day trip to Nikko

Day 4:
Travel to Kyoto really early, leave things at hotel. Go to Fushimi Inari Temple and spend the day.

Day 5:
Day trip to Hiroshima. Atomic Bomb Museum. Peace Memorial Park. Downtown. Eat Okonomiyaki. Travel Back to Kyoto.

Day 6:
Day trip to Nara. Park, Todaiji, Yoshikien, Kasuga, (Is it worth it to go go Gangoji?)

Day 7:
Arashiyama, Bamboo Grove, Monkey Park

Day 8:
Ginkakuji, Philosophers Path, Gion

Day 9:
(Last day of JR Pass) Travel back to Tokyo really early, leave things at the hotel and go explore the city (Shinjuku, Akihabara, Tokyo Sky Tree, Shibuya)

Day 10:
(3 stamps of Seishun 18) Day trip to Mt. Takao

Day 11:
(3 stamps of Seishun 18) Asakusa and Odaiba

Day 12:
(3 stamps of Seishun 18) Ghibli Museum

Day 13:
Return via Haneda Airport


Thank you all for your input!

You don't need a whole day for the Ghibli Museum; only half a day max. Most people spend about two hours; you can spend longer if you line up to eat at the cafe or have a really intricate look at the displays.

You also do not need a whole day to visit Fushimi Inari. You can easily see it in a couple of hours.

The shrine is also open in the evening, so if there is something else you would like to see in Kyoto, you might consider using your time during the day for that.

:)

I would not bother with Seishun 18 tickets for a short-distance rides in/around Tokyo. They are 2,370 yen a piece, only valid on JR trains, it is unlikely to pay off, and you can't get to Asakusa or Odaiba only on JR trains anyways. I recommend simply using prepaid cards for convenience.

I find it unlikely that you can cover that many places on Day 9. Maybe Shinjuku can be moved down to Day 12?

I have spent several hours at Ghibli Museum (12 noon till almost 5 or so). It's up to your preferences, but if you really want to see everything and are a Ghibli fan, it can take many hours. So I would try to book the 10 or 12 o'clock slots if possible.


If you are on a tight budget, you could use night buses for travel between Tokyo - Kyoto, for example.

Thank you @sq and @... for the Ghibli information.
I am a die hard fan of those moveis, so I think I will be spending a little more time there than I probably should. However doing Shinjuku after it if we leave early is a good idea :)

@Ohara isn't climbinf Fushimi a little strenuous? Even if we do take our time visiting, is it only owrth it for half a day? You think Tofukuji temple is worth it after visiting Tofukuji and Sanjusangendo?

@... we are not planning to go to Odaiba. I know Seishun is not for non JR trains, but we are keeping most of our to see places within JR reach (i think only Asakusa is not).
Would the Seishun allow us to travel from Narita airport to Tokyo Station via JR Sobu line (Rapid service)?

Or would you recommend that we get a Tokyo Combination Ticket (is it possible to buy for many days)??

I'm sorry for so many questions!

:)

A few impressions from your plans.
As said, for Day 4 it probably won't take you all day at Fushimi Inari unless you really want to run over every last trail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EandKTAwfOM
But there are other good sights you can see that are close by, such as Tofukuji, or going down to Uji to see a number of good places. Since you'll likely be starting at Kyoto Station, there are some good places near there as well, like Sanjusangendo, the Toji Pagoda, and Honganji Temples (which open around dawn, so lots of time). Even seeing the station itself is worth it, and it is just a train station!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XVIFadHzZ8
For Day 5, it won't take all day for that either. You could fit in Miyajima as well, which is very worthwhile.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-iCNZ6AdsKGUB-HPKNxP1...
For Nara, Yoshikien is fine (and free for foreign tourists) but the real jewel is next door, the Isuien Garden. Quite pricey but with Yoshikien it balances out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk-7IoLELio
Only you can say if Gangoji is worth it; for me, I'd choose Kofukuji and spending some time getting mauled by the deer.
For your Day 7, you can get through the bamboo grove and monkey park in about 90 minutes. There are still many other places in Arashiyama. Don't miss the Otagi Nenbutsuji - it's very unique in Japan and you surely won't forget it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efvtB_5jmjA

What I am trying to say is that (though I don't know exactly where in Tokyo you are staying), going from Tokyo station to Takao on JR one way costs 920 yen. And there are less costly alternative (using a private railway called Keio Line).

And Tokyo to Mitaka on JR costs 390 yen one way (for Ghibli day).

So you need to ride the JR a whole LOT per day to make the Seishun 18 tickets pay off.

For Tokyo itself, people generally say (and I agree) that there isn't any pass that pays off. Thus I suggested a prepaid card (for convenience, not for discount), and PASMO or SUICA can be used on JR, subways, and other private railways, so saves you hassle of buying tickets every time.

Tofukuji is interesting for the bridge. Otherwise it is known more for being an autumn spot.
FI can be ascended in slightly over an over. There is not a need to spend a full day there. Taking the early train from Tokyo, you would reach Kyoto and can visit FI before noon.

Your Day 5 can add more activities. E.g. Boat ride to Itsukushima or Hiroshima castle. In fact you can do both and more.

Wow @ken, that is very detailed, thank you very much.
Miyajima sounds incredible.
I'll incorporate Mijajima, Uji and Otagi Nenbutsujito my itinerary.

@... Thank you for clarifying! Well, with those prices I can really see that the Seishun pass is not worth it :)
Can one PASMO or SUICA be used for the three of us, or do each one of us need their own?

@jh Thank you, for day 5 we'll go to Mijajima as ken sugested.
For day 4 we'll also do Tofukuji and Sanjusangendo.