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1 month in Japan? 2016/10/27 20:59
Hi Everyone,

Im going to Japan on Feb 16 until March 16th, and i really need advice for my itinerary and transportation option while im there,
ill go with my partner and its my second time and her first time, she is obsessed about japan, which is why i decided to go for a month.
The first time i went to Japan, it was with tour & travel, so basically i have no experience on going by myself and arranging all itinerary & transport.
We will be travelling on budget (but not really on a very tight budget), we both really love Food, sightseeing, scenery, and a little bit of history.
Im planning to stay for 2 weeks in Kyoto and 2 weeks in Tokyo, and during my time in each Kyoto & Tokyo, ill travel to another cities.
When i reach on the 16th of Feb (in Osaka) ill go to Kyoto directly and stay there for 2wks, and during that stay, i will travel to osaka to explore and for the universal studio, Kobe & Nara.
The third week, ill go to Tokyo and stay there for 2weeks, we will travel to Yokohama, Shizuoka, and we will spend 1 night of Ryokan in Gunma.
In Kyoto, we will stay at Ōmandokorochō, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 600-8413
And in Tokyo, we will stay at Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 160-0023

My questions are :
- Do you think i should visit Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Hokkaido?
- How do you think my itinerary roughly should be like?
- As we will be travelling a lot to different cities, do you think i should buy for a month worth of JR pass? or should i just buy of total 2 weeks, 1 week for Kyoto and 1 week for Tokyo? and travel on those first week, and the second just do locally? (kyoto & tokyo)?
( sorry, im very confused about the transportation thingy :(
- Is there any other City / places that we should visit during our trip?
- How to save money on the transportation? as i realise that it is very expensive there? but also considering that it is our first time and have no experience, we dont wanna get lost there, coz i realise that transportation there are very complicated?
- As we will be staying @Airbnb, do you think i should bring basic dry food, Herb & spices, or i should just buy there?
- I got the information that i should bring lots of cash, as mostly they only accept cash, for food and sightseeing entrance fee, etc, is that true?
- How much do you think at least i should bring for our 1 month trip? and is there any maximum limit of cash that i could bring there?
- What important tips that i should know for our 1 month trip?

Thank you so much for any answer, as i know maybe you guys keep answering the same question again and again, and mine also definitely similar with some, i appreciate it very much :)
by maventy  

Re: 1 month in Japan? 2016/10/28 09:30
1. Visiting Hiroshima from Kyoto is easy as a day trip, but better as an overnight stay so you can spend a day in the city and a day at Miyajima. Nagoya isn't very interesting (the Japanese people recently voted it the most boring city!), but could be okay for a day. Fukuoka is a bit further out, so if you want to travel there just for the city I wouldn't bother; however, if you want to visit more of Kyushu like Nagasaki, Beppu, etc. it could be a good choice. I don't think you'll have time for Hokkaido.

2. I can't answer that, because I am not you and don't know what you would like! You should be able to formulate a sensible itinerary yourself; post it here when you're done and we can critique it. We're not travel agents; if you want someone to plan your trip for you, pay someone to do it!

3. Which JR Pass you get will totally depend on your itinerary. Finalise that first, and then find passes to match.

4. Look into more places around your base cities. Look at maps of Japan, or suggestions from this website (the day trip and nearby sections).

5. Rail passes are the best way to save money. Or, take overnight buses instead of the shinkansen. The transport system isn't complicated if you do your research, so read the transportation section on this website thoroughly.

6. I would advise against AirBnB. It's not regulated in Japan and many of the listings are illegal. There's no legal harm to you, as the renter, but if your host gets reported or caught, they could cancel your booking at the last minute. Hotels and hostels are easy to find at reasonable rates if you start looking early enough (bookings open 3-6 months ahead). Staying at a hotel or hostel also means you can keep your luggage there before/after check-in/out, and you have the reception desk to contact in case of emergency.

7. You will need cash on you at all times, but credit cards are accepted in places like hotels, department stores, other stores, some restaurants, etc. But at small shops and restaurants, temples/shrines, reloading transport cards, etc. cash is the only option.

8. I don't know your budget, or how much you like to spend while you're on holiday. There are lots of websites that tell you the approximate prices of things. I'm sure you can work it out. You can always get more cash from the ATMs in 7/11s and post offices (these accept foreign cards).

9. Read the Travel Planning section of this website carefully so you understand the transport system. Read up on simple etiquette rules. Learn some basic Japanese phrases (e.g. hello, thankyou, how much does this cost). Organise your accommodation well ahead of time to get the best rates (always check the official website before booking through a third party). Organise rail passes ahead of time (e.g. JR Passes must be purchased outside of Japan, and other passes are cheaper if you buy them outside of Japan). Do not leave things to the last minute! If you're going in February, get an itinerary sorted out ASAP!
by sq (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 1 month in Japan? 2016/10/28 20:25
One month is long, but you are staying only two cities... Do you think you could make another long time slot in future? If I were you, I would try to include furthest points in this travel. Honestly, I do not like a travel with day trips. It is a waste of time to go back to the departing point.

Anyway, there are many people who loves day trips. Here are some practical advice.

You nominate Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Hokkaido. Then, it would be better to visit these places. No one would nominate his boring sites for the first question.

If you decided not to include the above, you do not need to buy a Japan Rail Pass. Many private sectors provide better services in Tokyo and Kyoto, or Kanto and Kansai areas.

Here is a 21 day sample. You could do Hokkaido with one month.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_tokyo_19.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2028_transportation.html

Carry light, buy there. Then, you could go around the nation.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2196.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2028.html

It seems you should go into this site more deeply...
by Luisjp rate this post as useful

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