As for your route, it depends on where you are coming from and where you are heading afterwards. For example, if you start and end in Tokyo, I recommend:

6-8 days, not including Tokyo and Kyoto.

If we do travel in November, any idea which season it will be? Will it still be autumn colours?

Hope to check on the following:
1) Where is the best place to end to make our way back to Tokyo? Tentatively, Im planning to end at Nagano, and take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.

2) Im contemplating to cover both the Tateyama Alpine Route and the Kurobe Gorge Railway. Any suggestion how best i could cover both, by not back tracking in either of the routes?

3) Around Nagano Prefecture or Nigitta prefecture, any suggestion of place that there is possible of snow over the 3rd week of November? (excluding at Murodo, the highest point on the Tateyama Alpine Route)

4) Is a rented car any benefit to move around easier, when coverin Toyama and Nagano areas?

Thanks

I have read one of yr responds on dropping of lugguages at Toyama as follows:
Where can we drop our luggages at Toyama and pick them up at Shinano-omachi? How much does it cost for same day service?

Drop off is at Toyama-Chitetsu Toyama Station before 9:30am. Pick up is at the Alps Roman building near Shinano-Omachi Station. i believe it is between 3pm (or 4pm?) and 6:30.

A) Is this the same service as Takkyu Bin?

B) Is this only available for same day travel? What is we plan to stay one night in Murodo? Will the lugguage be available for collection the following day, over the same timing as indicated by you?

C) Do you information on the cost of this lugguage forwarding service?

Thanks

But i cant read the japanese texts though :((

I have plan to do Tateyama Route as I read that it should be winder up in Murodo. So I supposed I will see snow since I dont seem to be able to find elsewhere with snow opportunity in November.
Is this correct?

I have ask Prince Karuizawa about snow in 3rd week Nov and Prince Customer service in Spore says that thre is no snow.
If anyone knows where we can see / find snow in Nov, kindly do advise? It will be great if it is along the JR east route, of which we can make use of the 3 days flexi pass.

People go on the Alpine Route to see snow, but mainly for the snow corridor. After summer the snow corridor would be gone, starts to build up again when winter kicks in and reaches its peak in April when it is opened for access. That's why the best time to go there is from late April to May. Yes, in Murodo you may see a bit of snow in Nov., but the question is whether it's worth paying 10,000 + yen to do the Route just to see some snow when one can see in other parts of Japan for less.

For snow destinations in Japan, take a look at the following reference sites:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2265.html
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/start-here.html

2.5 hrs. by train from Tokyo plus a connecting bus is the onsen town of Kusatsu:
http://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/
Weather permitting, you can enjoy a memorable outdoor onsen under the snow in Sai-no-kawara. Note that nowadays it's pretty difficult to predict the weather, so that's no guarantee you'll have snow there during your visit.

William, Im flying in Nagoya and out tokyo becos Im starting to cover central japan and end in tokyo. Im planning to move fr Nagoya - Kiso Valley - Matsumoto - Kamikochi - Takayama - Shiragawago - Gokayama - Kanazawa - Noto Peninsular - Toyama - Nagano - Tokyo - Kawaguchiko - Tokyo - Tokyo Disneyland - Narita.

With plan of visting Tateyama Alpine route, i thought is best to end at Nagano and take the JR east back to Tokyo. With this route, I also think it may be best to get the 3 day flexi JR east. To maximise the pass, i am thinkg of visiting any place up in Tohuku where i can experience snow in Nov 3rd week. We have another group joining the us in 3rd week from Tokyo - Kawaguchiko - disneyland part. AS we have 8 nites for this part, i thought is feasible to move up Tohuku if there is snow...

If not doing Tateyama Alpine Route, I should be using the coastal trains to Nagano, is it correct?
Is this route cover by JR East?

William, Uji,
If you hv more suggestions, pls feel free to advise......

Yes, Tateyama alpine route is closed from 1st Dec.

Hi Yummymomo,

From Tateyama to Murodo, besides at Murodo that it is heavily snow, is it autumn on the stretch of road before Murodo?

Thats really encouraging for me since I come from a country without 4 seasons!.. Im thinking of a trip up to Murodo and return within the day, to spot snowing!

But I understand snow storm is no joke though! I will seriously think aboutit...

You'll be taking a bus from Tateyama to Murodo, approx 1 hr. I think you do get to see a little autumn before the snowy scene appears. It's breath-taking when you reach Murodo. I love it!

"Thats really encouraging for me since I come from a country without 4 seasons!.. Im thinking of a trip up to Murodo and return within the day, to spot snowing!"

I understand what you mean. I also come from a "seasonless" country, until I lived in Japan for 2 yrs.
Why don't you start your journey up to Murodo earlier? Then you can catch the snow, cross over to Kurobe (more autumn scene) and back to Murodo for a final snowy finale. =)

That would cost more due to the transportation. If you want to save cost, Murodo will be sufficient. =)