Wisteria Tunnel-Pink Moss-snow wall

Hi, I will be visiting Japan in May and my main agenda is Tateyama Kurobe, wisteris tunnel at Kitakyushu and Fuji Shibazakura Fest.
PLease help with:
1. When should I better arrive in Tokyo avoiding Golden Week....
7, 8 or 9 of May?
2. I supposed first destination would be Wisteria Tunnel at
Kitakyushu... what is best way?... I dont mind spending one night
nearby to make it easier to go to the garden
3. Next destination would be Fuji Shibazakura Fest....and last is
snow wall at Tateyama Kurobe.
4. How is that? is it good itinerary?... which JR pass should I buy?
5. I reckon I would be based in Tokyo...which place to stay?
near Shinjuku station?..thank you very much onegaishimase

The wisteria tunnel in Kitakyushuu is really far from your other destinations. Have you considered the Ashikaga Flower Park as an alternative? They've got really impressive wisteria there too. I wanted to go to the wisteria tunnel in Kitakyushuu a couple years ago until I found Ashikaga Flower Park and wasn't disappointed.

Also, if you haven't come across it yet, check out the Nymophila at Hitachi Seaside Park. Seeing your other targets, I think you would like it, and you can easily visit both it and Ashikaga Flower Park in the time it would take you to go to Kitakyushuu and back.

I would stay near Ueno station as that would be more convenient for everything except the Fuji shibazakura.

May 8 or 9th is after Golden Week, so either would be fine. I suppose the 9th might be marginally better since there might be some shoulder traffic on the 8th, but I don't expect there'd be any real difference.

Thank you very much gfoulk.
I will certainly look up Ashikaga and Hitachi Park and most likely will visit those two instead of Kitakyushu.
I hope they also have tunnels..

Any idea on which JR Pass to buy?

Hostels at Ueno and perhaps staying overnight in a nearby places that would be visited is it advicable or just do day trip from Ueno?

Please advice.....thanks

The Ahikaga park didn't have a tunnel quite as impressive as the pictures I saw of the one in Kyushuu, but it's got some very impressive and beautiful wisteria. Just do a google image search for it and you'll see.

The national JR pass won't be worth it for you. A regional one might be, but I'm not very familiar with them - someone else might chime in, or you should be able to find info on the passes that JR East offers on this site.

Everywhere mentioned so far (except for Kitakyushuu) can be done as a day trip from Ueno (or anywhere else in Tokyo, really.) The only one I think you might want to consider staying overnight is near Fuji, both because the shibazakura is going to be the furthest away in terms of time (if you're going on public transit) and also because the area has more to offer. I don't think there was a whole lot of interest around Ashikaga or Hitachi besides the parks. Oh, the Ahikaga park is lit up at night, so if you want to see that you might want to stay in the area.

Thanks again.

have googled Ashikaga but sites mostly in Japanese.

will try to look JR East pass

which city near Fuji to stay?...Kawaguchiko?

oh forgot to ask..... which city near Ashikaga Park to stay overnight?

Many thanks

Just fire up Booking.com or Agoda or some other hotel engine in map mode and look for places nearby.

I have now worked my plan to more detail:
may 8 , . upon arrival check in at hotel in Ueno Iriyaguchi area
may 9 . take train to Hitachi seaside park and visit Ashikaga wisteria
park and stay overnight near Ashikaga station
may 10 . take train from ashikaga to Fuji Shibazakura fest then either
back to Ueno or stay overnight near Fuji ? ( please advice)
may 11. explore around Ueno
may 12 . take train to Alpine Kurobe route...overnight in Toyama
may 13 . go to shirakawago
may 15. fly back home

Can anyone please advice on this plan...and whether or not JR East Pass be the best to purchase...... thank you so very much...

My main concern (if I was doing that itinerary) would be that I would need to carry my luggage with me everywhere. I travel pretty light, and you can make use of coin lockers, but that's still a pain. Personally I would make Ueno my base of operations and return there every night. I know I'm the one that said you might want to stay near Ashikaga for the flower park at night... but check when sundown is and the train timetables - I bet you can see the lightup and still get back to Ueno comfortably.

Also May 11. Don't limit yourself to Ueno! There's lots around Tokyo to explore. Actually, I would advise against Shirakawago and spend the time in and around Tokyo instead. Shirakawago takes a lot of time to get to (and back,) and in my option wasn't all that (might be different during winter with lots of snow, but when I went in May... meh.)

My plan is leave luggage at Ueno hotel and just bring backpack to Ashikaga.... After overnight there next day go to Fuji Shibazakura....( can I do that with JR East Pass) ?.....then return to overnight at Ueno.

Which part near Tokyo would you suggest?...
This is my forth time to Japan.

I assume you are visiting those parks for the flowers.
avoiding Golden Week.... is advisable. However, missing the flowers would probably be a big disappointment. It pays to monitor closely about the blooms , and time your visit accordingly.

Ok....I will monitor....thank you very much

HI,
I have decided to still do Hitachi Seaside then Ashikaga in one day... and stay overnight near Ashikaga station for the light up.

Can I do this with JR East Pass?.... and how?