Help with itinerary

Hi,

I'm a bit confused and could do with some advice. This will be my second time in Japan but I have friends coming with me who have never been and asked me to sort the itinerary.

This first one goes straight from the airport to Kyoto on the day of arrival. The reason for it, is that the first time we went we were too jet lagged to enjoy the first day so I rather make my way to Kyoto and start properly the next day.

The other option is to start in Tokyo, I need to finish in Tokyo regardless because of our flight back.

My main problem is the time it takes to travel between Hiroshima-Takayama and Takayama -Jigokudani. We have visited Takayama before and really enjoyed it but if there are better alternatives I have room for maneuver. The Kyoto first option assumes an overnight stay in Osaka to break the trip.

So far I have these two ideas:
Kyoto First
1. London-Tokyo
2. Tokyo-Kyoto
3. Kyoto
• Gingakuji
• Philosopher’s Path
• Nanzenji
• Nishiki Market
• Higashiyama
• Kiyomizudera
• Gion
4. Kyoto
• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Kinkakuji
• Nijo Castle
5. Kyoto
• Arashiyama
6. Kyoto
• Nara
• Higashi Hongashi (near our hotel)
• Nishi Hongashi (near our hotel)
7. Hiroshima
• Peace Park
• Myajima (stay overnight)
8. Himeji (Stay overnight in Osaka)
9. Takayama
10. Takayama - Shirakawago (stay overnight in Nagano)
11. Jigokudani (arrive Tokyo at the end of the day)
12. Tokyo
• Meiji Shrine
• Omotesando
• Shibuya
• Shinjuku
13. Tokyo
• Sky Tree
• Asakusa
• Odaiba
14. Tokyo
• Nikko
15. Tokyo
• Hakone
16. Tokyo
• Ueno
• Akihabara
17. Tokyo
18. Tokyo-London

Tokyo First
1. London-Tokyo
2. Tokyo (jet lag)
3. Tokyo
• Meiji Shrine
• Omotesando
• Shibuya
• Shinjuku
4. Tokyo
• Sky Tree
• Asakusa
• Odaiba
5. Tokyo
• Ueno
• Akihabara
6. Tokyo
• Nikko
7. Tokyo
• Hakone
8. Nagano – Jigokudani
9. Takayama (leave Nagano early)
• Shirakawa go
10. Takayama
11. Hiroshima
• Peace Park
• Myajima (stay overnight)
12. Kyoto
• Gingakuji
• Philosopher’s Path
• Nanzenji
• Nishiki Market
• Higashiyama
• Kiyomizudera
• Gion
13. Kyoto
• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Kinkakuji
• Nijo Castle
14. Kyoto
• Arashiyama
15. Kyoto
• Himeji
• Osaka
16. Kyoto
• Nara
• Higashi Hongashi (near our hotel)
• Nishi Hongashi (near our hotel)
17. Tokyo
18. Tokyo-London

Thanks a lot in advance

David

You could start from Hiroshima and skip Nagoya.

Tokyo-Hiroshima (jet-lagged, by Shinkansen or air)

Kyoto-(Kanazawa)-Shirakawago-Takayama-(Toyama)-(Iiyama)-Jigokudani-(Nagano)-Tokyo
(you could stay somewhere in this chain)

First, when are you planning to come to Japan?
The reason I'm asking is because All Japan High school sports Festival will be held in and around Hiroshima (Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Okayama, Shimane and Tottori) this year.
Between July 27 and August 6, it will be very busy in Hiroshima city.
You may want to avoid this time.
Just for your information.

If Takayama is causing major issues with the itinerary and you have already visited Takayama before. The solution is simple.

Thanks, I'll try to answer all comments below.

I'll look into the best way of getting to hiroshima on the first day.

We'll be going in November to see the fall colours, hopefully it will be busy but not crazy busy.

We visited before but my friends haven't. We also didn't go to Shirakawa go hence the return. What would be your suggestion on an alternative place to visit? Don't really fancy Kanazawa and the lengthy travel would be roughly the same.

Thanks
David

I like your idea of going directly to Kyoto. The problem that may arise is lost luggage. I usually try to book a hotel not too far from the airport and de- jet-lag the first day.

If you start in Tokyo, you could go directly by bus to Takayama. The Nohi bus line, based in Takayama, has a bus route from Shinjuku. It will take about an hour longer than taking the Shinkansen to Nagoya and a Limited Express to Takayama, but you only load your luggage once. The Nohi bus line is also what you will take to visit Shrakawa-go. Here is a link:

https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/

You can also take a Nohi bus to Kyoto. If you have been to Kyoto, you know that transportation for most of Kyoto is through the bus line, and a JR Pass is not necessary. Once again, you will add about an hour to your travel time, but drop a transfer between trains with your luggage.

While in Kyoto, you will use the day bus passes to visit places.

This will delay the need to activate a 7 day JR pass, and use it to get to Himeji(day trip), Nagoya (day trip), Hiroshima, and possibly Nara before heading back to Tokyo. For the remaining days on the JR Pass, use the remaining time in Tokyo for longer trips around Tokyo. If you are planning to go to Kamakura, for instance. You might place your trip to Hakone during this time, so that you only need the Hakone pass from the "free area", which will save you some money. Another link:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html

I hope this helps.

Thanks I'll have a look.
You've also brought up a good point I need to work out when to activate the JR Pass that will have an impact too.

Not sure about Nagoya, we don't intend to go there. I can't see it above.

David

OK, I misread the city. You would need to add your trip to Nagano after returning to Tokyo.

What I was trying to do was add bus trips around Takayama and Kyoto with bus transportation into and out of Takayama. This means you don't need to activate a JR Pass until much later.

This means the JR Pass will be needed for Hiroshima, Himeji, Nagano, and finally to get back to Tokyo. If you have extra time, then Hakone could be added, but the 1000 or so extra per person is little compared to the Shinkansen Ticket cost for the round trip to Nagano.

Here are a list of bus connections for Shirakawago and Takayama. If you would like to do Shirakawago on the way, Kanazwa or Toyama could be the next connecting point.

Shirakawago
Bus #Buses From Train From
0:50 12 Takayama 3:04 Kyoto / (via Nagoya)
1:15 8 Kanazawa 2:05 Kyoto / direct
1:25 4 Toyama
2:00 6 Takaoka
2:50 2 Nagoya 0:33 Kyoto

Takayama
2:40 12 Nagoya
2:20 7 Matsumoto
5:30 7 Shinjuku
2:00 6 Gifu
4:10 3 Kyoto
5:40 3 Osaka
3:30 1 Ohgizawa (Alpine route / east)
4:43 1 Mt Fuji


Another solution could be doing Takayama and Jigokudani separately on the go and the back, such as

NRT-(NEX)-Shinjuku-(bus)-Takayama-(bus)-Shirakawago-(bus)-Kanazawa-(JR)-Kyoto
:
Kyoto-(JR)-Iiyama-(bus)-Jigokudani-(bus)-Nagano-(JR)-Tokyo

Some of this idea seems to be already discussed in the above, though.


Depending your interest on autumn colours and exact dates in November, some more time around Takayama would be worthwhile to visit Northern Japan Alps: Okuhida, Kamikochi, Alpine Route, and Kurobe Gorge.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6043.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5940.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014_where.html

Thank you everyone for all your help so fat. I think I cracked it. We will no longer visiting Takayama but will visit Shirakawago from Kanazawa instead.

Kanazawa is much easier to get to from Hiroshima and it's also quick to go from Kanazawa to Tokyo.

Here's the new itinerary, do let me know if you think it's not doable.

London-Kyoto
1. Kyoto (pm)
2. Kyoto
• Gingakuji
• Philosopher’s Path
• Nanzenji
• Nishiki Market
• Higashiyama
• Kiyomizudera
• Gion
3. Kyoto
• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Kinkakuji
• Nijo Castle
4. Kyoto
• Arashiyama
5. Kyoto
• Nara
• Osaka
6. Kyoto (activate 7 Day JR Pass)
• Himeji
• Higashi Hongashi (near our hotel)
• Nishi Hongashi (near our hotel)
7. Hiroshima
• Peace Park
• Myajima (stay overnight)
8. Kanazawa
9. Shirakawago (arrive at night in Tokyo)
10. Jigokudani (day trip)
11. Hakone (day trip)
12. Nikko (day trip) (End of 7 day JR Pass)
13. Tokyo
• Meiji Shrine
• Omotesando
• Shibuya
• Shinjuku
14. Tokyo
• Sky Tree
• Asakusa
• Odaiba
15. Tokyo
a. Ueno
b. Akihabara
16. Tokyo
17. Tokyo-London

Thanks

David

We've done an evening flight from London to Narita, and then gone straight to Kyoto.

For us, it worked well to do all the travelling when we were jetlagged. The first couple of days in Kyoto we were still a bit hazy (I never sleep on planes for more than the odd half-hour, so there was an element of jet lag plus a big lack of sleep).

What helped us was that we stayed very centrally (near Yasaka Shrine), so it was easy to pop out for a few hours, pop back for a nap if needed, then pop out again for another few hours without needing to spend any significant time travelling from the sights to our hotel.

Of course, you may not have such bother with jetlag. We were travelling with a 3 yr old at the time, so we probably took things a little bit easier than we might have done if it was just adults.

can some one please tell me if the Togakure Ninpo Museum, will it be open? it says it closes in mid november, can some one please tell me when that date is because i want to go there on saturday the 5-6 th of November, do they have a web site? thanks

I think you laid out a good trip plan. It does make sense to jump to Kyoto. If you have the time, I think you will enjoy the gardens in Kanazawa.

The other thing I would suggest is to plan your travel in the late afternoon/early evening. Some shrines and other attractions will start to close around 4:00 PM. If you can check out of your hotel, and have the hotel hold your luggage for you. You can then go and visit the place where you are until the afternoon. You would then return to you hotel, pick up the luggage, and move to your next location.

There are exceptions to this rule, such as going to Fireworks, the Gion District in Kyoto, or the Dotonbori District in Osaka, where you want to go there in the evening. I also think that if you are booking a ryokan somewhere, you should also want to get there early.

Overall, I think you have planned well. Good luck with your trip.

The Togakure Ninpo Museum (戸隠流忍法資料館), about an hour from JR Nagano, will open until the end of November in this year.

Opening dates: Apr 23/Sat - Nov 27/Sun (no closure between) in 2016
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00

http://www.nagano-cvb.or.jp/nagano/sightseeing/29/02_01_01b_index.htm

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6006.html