Takayama/Shirakawa-go/Matsumoto..

Hi,
Need your suggestion and tips for my travel plan.
Arrive Nagoya at 8pm on Oct 7.
OC 8, 9, 10 in Takayama for the festival.
Oct 11 Shirakawa-go and hope to spend at least a night.
Also love to stop by maybe: Gokayama, Okuhida, Matsumoto and Always wanted to go to see the Monkey Onsen in Yudanaka Onsen and spend a night there. (Want to have a great outdoor onsen wxperience) I know I'm very greedy but it will be the only chance I'll be in Japan.

I need to be back to Tokyo on Oct 16. Should I not go all the way to the Monkey Onsen?

Would appreciate any suggestions and helps on making my trip plan.

I have a 7 day JR. pass and o course love to take bus for certain scenic ride to see the autumn leaves. (Where to see these autum leaves scene???)

Thanks so much!

You can catch a bus from Takayama to Matsumoto, then a train from Matsumoto to Nagano and from Nagano to Yudanaka to see the snow monkeys. From there you can take the train via Nagano to Tokyo. Obviously this would include at least 1 nights stay somewhere along the way such as in Yudanaka.

good luck with the festival at october.. i went at april and it was cancelled due to rain. hope you would have better luck than me.

I was in shirakawago too... I can not really say i did not like it. it was nice, though i dont understand the decisions to make a certain place world heritage place... i think one hour is enough at shirakawago. it was expensive to get there, about 4300 yen for round trip.

Matsumoto was great little town. Jigokudani was nice, but is far from matsumoto! When you get to nagano, look for the direct bus to the park! the train and after that the bus are not more than one big and long nightmare!!! the direct bus is better. you would still need to walk 30 minutes to get to the monkey park.

matsumoto is a good base for a day trip to kisso valley. Maybe to Kamicochi too! you can easily spend few days over there as base for travelling around.

Hi,

I'm planning to go to Takayama Festival in October. And since this is my first time to Japan. May I ask your advise and suggestion on my following trip itinerary?
I would like to see the autumn foliage scene. Am I picking the right route below? I must be back to Tokyo on Oct 16 evening. Is my plan doable or would you please suggest and feel free to edit for me if you think it's too rush or if I make a big detour on my travel route? I try to use JR as much as I can as I have the pass for 7 days.



Oct 7 Arrive Nagoya at 8pm. Overnight at Nagoya
Oct 8 JR to Takayama Overnight:Takayama
Oct 9 Takayama Festival Overnight:Takayama
Oct 10 Takayama Festival Overnight:Takayama
Oct 11 Bus to Shin-Hotaka Ropeway and Overnight: Local onsen hotel
Oct 12 bus back to Takayama then bus to Shirakawa-go Overnight: Shirakawa-go
Oct 13 to Gokayama Overnight: Gokayama (don't know how to get there yet)
Oct 14 Gokayama to Kanazawa (don't know how to get here yet) Overnight: Kanazawa
Oct 15 Kanazawa Overnight: Kanzawa
Oct 16 Kanazawa to Toyama to Kurobe Kyoukoku (JR then Kurobe Valley Rail? Not sure how to get to these places yet????) then back to Toyama then JR to Tokyo (is today schedule too rush?)
Oct 17 Tokyo

Thank you so much for all your helps!
MM9