Itinerary Advice - is this ok?

Hi there

As a first time visitor to Japan in September, I'm trying to see as much as possible but would appreciate any advice as to whether my itinerary would work (or any alternatives if i'm being too ambitious). Please point out anything you think of as the more info i have the better. Also can i do all this with a Japan Rail Pass?

13 September: Arrive Tokyo at 10.45pm
14 September: Tokyo
15 September: Tokyo
16 September: Travel to Hakone / Mt Fuji (1h 30 m train) – either stay over or come back
17 September: Tokyo to Kyoto (3h 30 m train) or Hakone to Kyoto (3h train)
18 September: Kyoto
19 September: Kyoto
20 September: Kyoto / Nara (1h 30 m train)
21 September: Kyoto to Miyajima and stay in Ryokan (3h train + JR ferry) Alternatively stay in Hiroshima (and take 1h30 trip to Miyajima)
22 September: Hiroshima to Kagoshima (2hr – change at Kyushu?)
23 September: Kagoshima + day trip to Ibusuki (1hr 6m)
24 September: Kagoshima to Hiroshima (2hr then Hiroshima to Kanazawa 5h)
25 September: Kanazawa to Shirakawago (Bus 1h15m – stay in farmhouse overnight)
26 September: Shirakawago to Takayama or should I go back to Kanazawa (Bus 50m)
27 September: Takayama to Tokyo (4h 30m)
28 September: Tokyo
29 September: Tokyo
30 September: Leave Tokyo at 10.20pm
1 October: Arrive in London at 1.15pm

Thanks so much for your help

Dan

There are flights from Kagoshima AIrport to Toyama Airport through Haneda that would get you there in 3:15. It may be a way to halve the travel time.

23 September: Kagoshima + day trip to Ibusuki (1hr 6m)

Try to book early for LTD. EXP IBUSUKI-NO-TAMATEBAKO instead of ordinary train.

As Hyperdia does not show Airline on September, this is the timetables for tomorrow.

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KAGOSHIMA-CHUO&...

As you will see, there are many ways to to from Kagoshima to Kanazawa. I think the one including flights might be too tight for transfer. Well, honestly I would take trains especially if I have a JR pass.

You could get a 7 day JR Pass, and use it to get from Tokyo to Kagoshima. From there, you would take a plane to Kanazawa.

You would then finish up, using busses. You are already planning to take a bus to Takayama. Take a second bus from Takayama back to Tokyo. There is a direst bus, and it takes just an hour longer than the Limited Express/Shinkansen trains.

Just a thought.

I don't understand all the effort to travel so far for just a day in Ibusuki? Kyushu has some wonderful sights to see.

If you stick with your locations of interest. Then I would stay a few days in Tokyo first. Then fly to Kagoshima and start a 14 day rail pass. then work you way back to Tokyo, visiting all the sights on your itinerary. End your trip with a few days in Tokyo.

Basically, It takes 3 hours from Hiroshima to Kagoshima-chuo station even if you use Shinkansen(which is called Sakura).
and you may need to change the line at Hakata station depending on the timing.

FYI about change guidance
http://www.hyperdia.com/en

Strongly agree with Hakata.

You're taking a huge detour to basically go and have a sandbath at Ibusuki.

If you cut that from your itinerary, you will save two or three days which could be spent elsewhere. As it is, you're choosing to spend (the most part of) two or three days on the train instead.

If you have an overwhelming desire to have a sandbath, you could probably get from Hiroshima to Beppu more quickly than to Ibusuki.

Hi there

Thanks for the feedback and advice.

We were interested in Kagoshima and Ibusuki as we'd be interested in seeing the volcano and do the sand baths but I understand it's a long way to travel just to see that.

Can I use a Japan Rail Pass for most journeys on my itinerary?

And could someone explain to be how to book seats in advance once i have the JR pass?

Thanks v much for all your help so far

Kagoshima is meant to be nice but it's definitely a long way to travel for a couple of days.

Have you thought about spending a bit more time around Takayama/Kanazawa/Noto Peninsula?? instead of going to Kagoshima.

The suggestion of putting most of your days in Tokyo together at the start so you can use a 14 day JR pass is helpful.

Another option when in Kyoto is to stay at Koya-san for 1 night. Some people find it tacky - but it was one of my highlights of Japan.

I understand it's a long way to travel just to see that.

Well, I might be biased since I am a resident of Kagoshima, but Kagoshima is not so far from Hiroshima when you get Sakura Shinkansen. Acturlly, it is about 150 min (of course depending on the train) ride. Ibusuki is about 50 min from Kagoshima if you take limited express "Ibuskuki no Tamatebako" which by itself should be fun to ride. From Ibusuki you can go by bus (25 min) to Healthy Land (Sand bath and open air bath with a view of sea and Kaimon-dake.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4677.html

Can I use a Japan Rail Pass for most journeys on my itinerary?

Yes. You must pay bus fares separately, in Kyoto, from Kanazawa to Shirakawago, etc. But they are not so expensive as compared to JR pass fare. If you go as far as Ibusuki, 14 day JR pass will be a big bargain.

If you decide to go to Kagoshima then Shirakawago, you might better go Takayama first, since Kagoshima-Takayama-Shirakawago-Kanazawa-Tokyo route is less time consuming than Kagoshima-Kanazawa-Shirakawago-Takayama-Tokyo route.

This is the result of Hyperdia.

http://goo.gl/Y542N3

And could someone explain to be how to book seats in advance once i have the JR pass?

Basically, you can do it after you land in Japan. Go to JR station which is convenient for you and show your JR pass (after receive it) and show your itinerary. I recommend you to print out Hyperdia results and mark your choice. Most of the staff might not be able to speak English, but they can read the Hyperdia results and will issue your tickets of reserved seats. September is not the busy season so I believe you will have no problem.

Thanks so much, this is super useful. Do let me know if you have any other tips etc in terms of places to stay

THANKS

If you don't need to travel in the order you specified, you may want to consider flying to Kagoshima from Tokyo first. Of course you must pay for the flight, but at present JAL and ANA offer special promotion fare to Kyushu (to support Kyushu damaged by the recent Kumamoto earthquake) which is around 6000 yen per one leg. By flying directly into Kagoshima, you can save time, and if you are lucky, you can see Mt. Fuji and Sakurajima from the plane.

September is not busy season in general, but 17th is busy and the room rate is expensive, especially in Kyoto. You can allocate 17th to less touristic place such as Kagoshima. Other than that, your dates seems not to be crowded, and the hotel rate is rather reasonable even in Kyoto and Tokyo.

If you fly on 16th and start using JR pass on 17th, you can use it anywhere anytime. You can day-trip to Kawaguchiko if you can expect a good view of Mt Fuji that day (in general, September is not a good season for seeing Mt Fuji).

Again thanks very much. Reflecting on it, i think you are right. It makes more sense to fly from Tokyo to Kagoshima and work our way back up the country on the Japan Rail Pass than go up and down on a train. Are there any websites that you'd suggest we book domestic flights on?

Are there any websites that you'd suggest we book domestic flights on?

JAL
http://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/201606/003841.html

Purchase before departure of the first sector of customer�fs international flight. at JAL office in your country.

http://www.jal.co.jp/en/information/inter/branch/euro.html#THE_NETHERL...

ANA

http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/promotions/share/experience_j...

You can buy it online.

Jetstar
ANA
Skymark
JAL

If you do plan to fly to Kagoshima. A limo bus departs the airport every 10 minutes to travel into Kagoshima city. It costs 1320 yen and not bookings are required. Takes 40 minutes from memory.

Great thanks v much.

Not trying to dissuade you from Kagoshima, but do remember that it's entirely possible that you may not be able to see Sakurajima as it may well be covered in cloud/steam.

As has been said, though, it's a nice city. Just don't be too disappointed if you spend two or three days there and don't see Sakurajima. That's what happened to us, but we had a lot of fun despite that.

But getting the ferry over to it and using the footbaths and doing all the boardwalks is nice either way. You have to be very unlucky not to see the crater. It is a very different climate zone to Mt Fuji.

Hi Higgid,

Perhaps you would like to write up a new itinerary so all the comment-ers can see anything else that they can add.