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14 days for two person 2016/12/22 23:40
Hi, my partner and I will be visiting the country Japan soon, we've made the accommodation bookings so the cities itinerary is pretty much fixed. I wish for experts review on the most suitable travel passes for our itinerary below:

Day 1 (Sat): Arrive KIX 8.40am - Namba station - Osaka Castle area - Shinsaibashi area
Day 2 (Sun): Minoh Park - Museum/Theatre
Day 3 (Mon): Travel Osaka to Kyoto - Temples & Castles - Gion
Day 4 (Tue): Arashiyama - Temples - Fushimi Inari Taisha
Day 5 (Wed): Travel Kyoto to Kanazawa - Sightseeing - if possible take bus trip along Chirihama Beach Highway for coast sightseeing
Day 6 (Thu): Travel Kanazawa to Shirakawago - Ainokura
Day 7 (Fri): Ainokura - Shirakawago - Takayama - Matsumoto - Nagano - Shiga-kogen
Day 8 (Sat): Jigokudani park - Travel Nagano to Tokyo (Asakusa)
Day 9 (Sun): Shibuya - Harajuku - Shinjuku
Day 10 (Mon): Ginza - Akihabara - if possible Nippori
Day 11 (Tue): Ghibli Museum - Travel Tokyo to Fujikawaguchiko
Day 12 (Wed): Sightseeing
Day 13 (Thu): Travel Fujikawaguchiko to Osaka
Day 14 (Fri): Umeda Station to KIX by 10am

First Option (~92,000 Yen)*:
Day 3: Takayama – Hokuriku pass 5 days (Can this be used to travel between Osaka to Kyoto?)(include bus reservation from Kanazawa to Shirakawago)
Day 7: Japan Rail Pass 7 days (overlaps with above but I need it to take the train from Matsumoto to Nagano right?)
When not applicable: icoca/ticket/local buses

Second Option (~80,000 Yen)*:
Day 1: 2 days Osaka Amazing Pass
Day 3: Japan Rail Pass 7 days
Day 10: Tokyo Tokunai Pass
When not applicable: icoca/ticket/local buses

Or are there other better options?

Many thanks in advance!

*Cost calculations are roughly made and I might be totally wrong.
by Tuan (guest)  

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 13:11
by sq (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 15:46
Check Hyperdia or Jorudan for all your train travels. When in Kyoto, check Arukumachi Kyoto website. I am not sure exactly what season is your travel time. I am checking here as well in Japan Guide.

Suggestions:

* If base is Namba, I suggest you to ride Rap:t (fastest) or local train by Nankai from KIX.

*Review Osaka Amazing Pass valid areas.
-It is a good pass yet if you are limited to Osaka Castle and Dotonbori Area make sure that you fully utilize its many perks. Else, much better to combine IC for subway travels (Namba to Osaka Castle and Dotonbori/Shinsaibashi) + Osaka Castle Entrance.
- Osaka Amazing Pass is not valid in Hankyu line going to Minoo. I am not sure what other museum or theatre you will be going to afterwards.

* Day 3:
- Kyoto has several passes as well but if you care to be punctual then ride the trains. Bus is dreading yet economical.
- Are you doing the Higashiyama walk as ending up in Gion?

* Day 4:
- Saga-Arashiyama is JPY 240 away from Kyoto Station.
- Kyoto Station to Inari Station is only JPY 140.
- All JR lines unless you are travelling to other location/line within those areas.

* Day 5: This is a little iffy.
- If you want, you can check the overnight bus from Kyoto to Kanazawa via Nishinihon Bus/Kousoku Bus. Saves you accommodation day. Bus is separate payment.
- Activate on this day your Takayama-Hokuriku Area Pass to use it for the train from Kyoto to Kanazawa (which also includes your bus travels in Shirakawago and Gokayama until Takayama on the following days). It is so good that the problem is that you are only until Takayama by bus or train from Kanazawa.
- If you activate on this day 7-day JR Pass, shell out for the Gokayama-Shirakawago pass or separate bus tickets until Takayama. Or, return to Kanazawa by bus, take shinkansen to Toyama then Wide View Hida to Takayama to fully utilize the JR Pass.
- All bus travels from Kanazawa to Shirakawago and Shirakawago to Takayama are all reserved in advance, whether you hold a pass or not. Check Nohi or Hokutetsu Bus. Shirakawago to Ainokura is a first come, first serve basis (no need of reservation) courtesy of Kaetsuno Bus.
- If you plan to see the coast via bus from Kanazawa station then check Japan Guide to Chirihama Beach Drive http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4254.html or here http://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/kanko/english/20003.html on how to get there. Kanazawa city tour is also something visitors look forward to.
- I assume your base is in Kanazawa.

* Day 6: Travel by bus, ok.
- Will your base be in Shirakawago or Ainokura? I suggest you to be in Shirakawago.
- Tour Shirakawago and Ainokura.
- There is a bus pass called three-star route http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/ticket/pdf/panf701[1].pdf (add '[1].pdf' if the link omits it after your click). The said bus pass are all bus travels for 4 consecutive days that you can start from either Kanazawa or Matsumoto. In your case, you will start in Kanazawa so have it activated on this day.
- Review the said link. Note that you shell out for another fare/pass from Shirakawago to Gokayama.
- Check Alpico Bus as well.

* Day 7:
- Clarify please. From Ainokura are you going all the way to Nagano and no tour around Takayama and Matsumoto?
- Or this day will be your travel from Ainokura to then tour Takayama and Matsumoto tour prior going to Nagano?
- Take note of the travel times. Ainokura to Shirakawago is more than 30 minutes. Shirakawago to Takayama is 1 hour.
- Takayama-Hokuriku Pass is valid only in Takayama. Ride all the way up to Toyama then pay separate shinkansen ticket to Nagano and local/Shinano train to Matsumoto. Travel time is approximately 3.5 hours.
- The same pass from Takayama then ride down all the way to Nagoya then separate ticket to reach Matsumoto and Nagano. Travel time is 4.5 hours.
- With JR Pass, it's the same train travel except all JR train rides to reach Matsumoto and Nagano are included.
- With bus, it's a direct service from Takayama to Matsumoto for almost 2.5 hours. To reach Nagano is either bus or train from Matsumoto.
- With the said travel times, either forgo Takayama or Matsumoto tour or both.
- Base in Nagano.

* Day 8:
- Your Nagano travels then train to Tokyo.

* Day 9 to 11:
- I am not sure if Tokyo Tokunai or IC will do.
- Day 11 is the end of 7-day JR Pass if you plan to purchase that.

* Day 12 to 13
- Fujigoko/Kawaguchiko Travels. There is a pass covered from Shinjuku round trip. Check here http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html.
- There is actually an overnight bus from Mt. Fuji Station or Kawaguchiko station from around 21:00 that will arrive at OCAT (Osaka City Air Terminal, a bus terminal) at around 7:00.
- If you want to go back to Tokyo, there is also an overnight bus from there arriving around 6:30 to 7:00 at Osaka station the next day.
- You can even fly from HND to ITM or KIX. That is, if you plan to sleep in the airport.

* Day 14
- If you ride the overnight bus from Mt.Fuji/Kawaguchiko, you can even catch the bus from there all the way to KIX. Check here http://bus-en.fujikyu.co.jp/highway/detail/id/9/ and here http://www.kate.co.jp/en/timetable/detail/OC.
- Fly out of Japan
by stikiting rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 15:54
I forgot to mention of Day 14 that as per Google, OCAT to Namba station is a kilometer walk for 13 minutes then from Namba ride the Rap:t or local train by Nankai all the way to KIX.

I didn't mention that discounted Rap:t train KIX to Namba and vice versa can be purchased online as Kanku Tokuwari or Kanku Webtoku. Check How to Osaka website.
by stikiting rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 16:09
Sorry Rap:t Kanku Webtoku by Nankai is the ticket that can be purchased online. Rap:t Kanku Tokuwari is via Nankai station window.
by stikiting rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 20:04
@sq @stikiting

I literally said 'Wow' when I first saw your detailed response - thank you for all the references you provided, I'm checking them out now.

Previously I've tried to use Hyperdia, but I couldn't understand how to use it because I wasn't sure on the station names to use. Your inputs have given me the motivation I need to try and use Hyperdia again!

Btw, http://www.aoimirai.net/japan/jrpass_calculator.html is a great link!

Response:

- After Osaka and Kyoto, I will be spending one night in Kanazawa, and one night in Ainokura.

- Day 7: I will travel from Ainokura then tour Takayama and Matsumoto prior going to Nagano, if time permits. Otherwise, as you recommended I will forgo either/both. It's easier to go to Nagano if I go back to Kanazawa but Takayama and Matsumoto is too interesting to miss.

- I will be spending two of my last three nights in Japan in Kawaguchiko, and the last night in Osaka. I had considered overnight buses, but settled with a slower pace ending.

Will share here after my trip! Thanks again.
by Tuan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2016/12/23 21:54
Hi, Tuan.

Yes please review your travels.

Hyperdia is easy to understand. Check Japan Guide for more information.

The Takayama and Matsumoto may be too much of travel, especially at Matsumoto if only the castle will be your interest. Most importantly, check the schedules of all of your travel.

There is also one impressive castle that you can cover while you are in Namba and that is the Himeji Castle. Both Himeji and Matsumoto Castles are part of 12 original castles in Japan.

Your travel from Namba to Minoo to Himeji is doable. Mine was the other way around. You still have time for your museum or theatre visit only if you start at Minoo first thing in the morning, arriving there at either 6:11 or 6:30. You'll spend at least 2 hours there, 40 minutes will be spent on walking from Minoo Station to Minoo Waterfalls then 40 minutes walk for the return, unless you want to go to the peak.

Himeji Castle opens at 9:00. I also would like to suggest to you to combine visit of Himeji Castle and its Kokoen Garden. The visit to both will be at least 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the pace of line in Himeji Castle.

Note that going from Namba to Minoo you have to take Midosuji and Hankyu lines. Therefore, you will have to transfer. Review the Osaka station transfer map.

There are shinkansen trains (35 minutes) from Shin-Osaka Station as well as JR rapid trains (90 minutes) from Osaka Station that will get to Himeji Station. Same goes for non-JR line (Hanshin) from Umeda to Sanyo-Himeji Station (100 minutes). 15 minutes walk from either station to Himeji Castle grounds. The question now is the best pass to cover Minoo and Himeji. Review the passes offered by JR West and Surutto Kansai. Each may come in handy as you start from KIX. My choice will be Kansai Wide Area Pass combined with IC Card. It will be up to you. So many choices so choose well.

If you would ask me what castle is more beautiful, then I would only say Himeji since I haven't been in Matsumoto.

Kyoto also has Nijo-jo or Nijo Castle if you are also planning to visit it.

I cannot help you on your Kawaguchiko travel. However, I see that you are already basing yourselves there in the afternoon. I am not sure what pass will be available to you or if you want, shell out travel from Tokyo or Odakyu Free Pass. I'm not sure though.

From Kawaguchiko to Osaka then bus or train as you may separately pay or what-not. It will be up to you.
by stikiting rate this post as useful

Re: 14 days for two person 2017/2/4 13:37
Hi, so to answer my own question:

We opted for Japan Rail pass & Takayama-Hokuriku pass. We also purchased two ICOCA card and filled Y10,000 each. And that was sufficient for our whole trip with extra monies refunded.

For two person, we invested [Y29,110(JRP)+Y14,000(THP)+Y10,000(ICOCA)]*2=Y106,220.

Haven't calculate if the passes were actually worth it, but they were really convenient. There were cities that doesn't accept ICOCA card, but they still have JR buses/trains you can take to main point-of-interests. We also use the ICOCA card for some purchases e.g. 7-Eleven, Familymart etc.

Note: If you're exchanging the passes in KIX, you have to exit the Terminal building, cross-over the bridge to the train terminal. Took us some time to figure that out, blur on arrival.

Also, below is our 14-days itinerary if anyone may find it useful.

14/1 (Sat): Arrive KIX 9.00am
15/1 (Sun): Minoh Park (best and most beautiful walk/hike) - Namba+Shinshai-bashi+Dotonbori (food hunt)
* might be the day I walked the most in my life: 24,241 steps, and it felt great!
16/1 (Mon): Osaka Castle - Travel to Kyoto - Nijo Castle
17/1 (Tue): Nishiki Market (best market) - Fushimi-inari Shrine - Arashiyama Bamboo Forest - Ayam-ya restaurant (best ramen)
18/1 (Wed): Travel to Kanazawa (Takayama-Hokuriku pass activate) - Nomura Samurai House (beautiful neighbourhood walk) - Kenrokuen Garden (most, most, most beautiful garden)
19/1 (Thu): Omi-cho market - Shirakawa-go (Nohi bus) - Goyomon Guesthouse, Ainokura (most, most, most beautiful village and guesthouse and dinner and breakfast)
20/1 (Fri): Ainokura - Shirakawago - Takayama - Nagano - Takamagahara
* there was super heavy snow on the day and the next and blizzard in some areas, kudos to the public transports that plough on.
21/1 (Sat): Nagano Stn to Ueno Station (Tokyo) - walked to Asakusa
*Jigokudani park was closed due to blizzard
22/1 (Sun): Kappabashi Kitchen Street (must buy souvenir: knives) - Sushiken restaurant (best sushi) - Sumida River cruise (stop at Hamarikyu Garden, otherwise there's not much to see along the river) - Don Quijote Asakusa (best place for souvenirs shopping: beat Akihabara's branch which was small)
* Asakusa was a great part of Tokyo to be at that we didn't even bother to go to Shibuya/Harajuku/Shinjuku
23/1 (Mon): Tsukiji Fish Market (must eat the scallop grill and foods on sticks) - Akihabara: Laox was useful for souvenir shopping too - Kappabashi shopping market and Don Quijote again
* We find Tokyo is the best place for cheap souvenir shopping
24/1 (Tue): Travel to Fujikawaguchiko
* Fujisan truly is beautiful, different from others, so glad we spent two nights there with her in our backyard.
25/1 (Wed): Lake walk with Fujisan (some walks you want to last forever...) - walked to Bell's shopping mall (best souvenir for myself: gold ring, memory for life), also went to Daiso for MORE souvenir shopping.
26/1 (Thu): Travel back to Osaka - Hankyu shopping mall - Grand Front Osaka - Yodobashi building
27/1 (Fri): Osaka Museum of Housing & Living (best museum, go early to avoid long queue) - KIX

We are missing Japan - the nature, culture and most importantly, their people.

Note: All are my own opinions.
by Tuan (guest) rate this post as useful

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