Shirakawago and Takayama

Hello

I wish to travel to Shirakawago from Kanazawa and understand that I need to make reservation on japanbusonline.com. However, I couldn't find an option to reserve a return trip. It seems that I have to book separately for inbound and outbound trip. How do I get the cheaper return trip price (JPY 3290)?

Can anyone also comment about whether I still need to visit Gokayama? Is there anything special there that doesn't exist in Shirakawago? If a stop is recommended, how do I stop at Gokayama and continue to Shirakawago using the return trip ticket?

Hi.

As you mentioned, you booked thru japan bus online. There was one which is j-bus in Japanese.

The threads exists before your topic in which had all explained that you can ask for the help of your hotel or tourism office to book/reserve seats for you.

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+136671

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+113160

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+129323

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+136622

For the price, are you referring to Takayama-Kanazawa price? I believe that's already the published price.

Going Gokayama will take you to the other world heritage sites of Suganuma and Ainokura villages from Shirakawago. That's covered by another pass operated and sold by Kaetsuno Bus. The bus requires no reservation so a first come, first serve basis.

Hi stikiting. Thank you for the kind reply. I have emailed the Shirakawago tourist information but they haven't replied.

The fares listed on http://www.japan-guide.com/bus/shirakawago.html show that Kanazawa-Shirakawago return trip is JPY 3,290. But on japanbusonline.com it's written JPY 1,540~ one way. That means only JPY 3,080, which is cheaper than the fare informed on japan-guide.com. I wonder what's the catch?

I also wondered why.

So I checked here https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/highwaybus/shirakawago.pdf. The JPY 3290 is already the round trip Kanazawa-Shirakawago-Kanazawa price!

If you have emailed them already, wait for their feedback.

I have already received a reply from Shirakawago Information Office. They said that they can no longer make bus reservation due to new company policy.

Japan-bus-online.com also doesn't offer round trip. After following the booking steps, I did find that the one way Kanazawa-Shirakawago is JPY 1,850. The JPY 1,540 fare is for stopping at Suganuma only. So is there any other website where I can book the round trip Kanazawa-Shirakawago for JPY 3,290?

If I cannot book online, can I book from Osaka or Kyoto?

Oh wow thanks for the information regarding booking thru Shirakawago Tourist Association! I hope admins here in Japan Guide able to capture this and disseminate to others that we are no longer able to just email that office for purpose of bus reservation.

If ever, can you try asking for help with your hotel accommodation to reserve bus for you? Many in this forum have advised to do that but I have not yet experienced it so you shoot for the moon.

You can call Nohi Bus although I have not tried it myself.

You can do online reservation which I have not tried either. I have mentioned you in earlier posts that you can go to J-Bus website which is in Japanese.

You may follow this post if it's still applicable this time http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+109764.

I hope you have an add-on in your browser for google translate. With Chrome, that's already built-in. The reason is for you to be able to highlight katakana/hiragana/kanji terms into romanized letters.

This website are the options where you can do reservation from Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Takayama https://secure.j-bus.co.jp/hon/Search.mvc?dpcd=19&apcd=21&dtym=201611&dtdd=21.

Look for these. Note that I only did google translate of the important locations you wish to go.
北陸 - Hokuriku Region
石川県 - Ishikawa Prefecture
東海 - Tokai Region
岐阜県 - Gifu Prefecture
富山 - Toyama
金沢 - Kanazawa
白川郷 - Shirakawago
高山線 - Takayama Line

This is another link http://www.j-bus.co.jp/web/asp/hnsent5.asp?mode=1&id=21&id2=19. The said link had been in the timetable of Nohi Bus last April 2016 before the bus company deleted it for unknown reasons.

This is great! Thank you, stikiting, for going above and beyond in helping me :)

Not a problem, stelle789!