Tohoku and Hokkaido - year end 2010

My wife and I are planing to go to Japan in Dec 2010. I would appreciate any input towards the following plan and questions.

1. 27 Dec from Sin to Tokyo

2. 28 Dec Tokyo to Fukuoka by domestic flight then take night train from Osaka to Tokyo

3. 29 Dec Tokyo - overnight at Tokyo

4. 30 Dec Tokyo - take night train to Yamagata

5. 31 Dec Yamadera@ Yamagata, Dewa Sanzan (to see pagoda), stay overnight at temple.
Q1: Would I have enough time to go to Yamadera then Dewa Sanzan?
Q2: I am confused after reading the guide to go to Dewa Sanzan. What is the right route upon arriving at Tsuruoka? How to go to the pagoda and where it is located? Will it be on the way going to the temple which I will stay overnight?

6. 1 Jan Matsushima Bay, Nyuto Onsen - overnight at Akita

7. 2 Jan Aomori - take night train to Sapporo
Q: I have no better idea for the time being for 2 Jan. Could I have some suggestion if there is any place worth to visit?

8. 3 Jan Sapporo - stay overnight

9. 4 Jan Otaru, Hakodate - stay overnight
10.5 Jan fly from Hakodate via Tokyo (Haneda) to Singapore

If there is a better route and other good place worth visiting, please let me know. Many thanks in advance!

It might be pretty snowy and inaccessible to Dewa Sanzan. Actually, another thread on this site said it is closed. I know for a fact that it's already started snowing up there.

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+71000

Some more info at:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Dewa_Sanzan

4. 30 Dec Tokyo - take night train to Yamagata

There is no night train to Yamagata City or the vicinity of Yamadera. The Akebono night train gets you from Tokyo's Ueno Station to Tsuruoka Station, but arrival in Tsuruoka is at 4:34!

Q1: Would I have enough time to go to Yamadera then Dewa Sanzan?

Only if you find an alternative to the non-existing night train. Even if you do, it will be a busy day.

I am confused after reading the guide to go to Dewa Sanzan. What is the right route upon arriving at Tsuruoka?

The only shrine/mountain open in December is Hagurosan. There is a bus that gets you from Tsuruoka Station to Hagurosan (either to the base of the mountain, where the pagoda is located or directly to the summit). It is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7902.html

How to go to the pagoda and where it is located?

It is located a 15 minute walk or so into the forest from "Haguro Center" bus stop, at the base of Hagurosan.

Will it be on the way going to the temple which I will stay overnight?

It depends on what temple you stay at! There are multiple temple lodgings in the area!

Generally speaking, it is a rather busy schedule, and I am afraid that you do not realize how time consuming transportation can be around the Tohoku area.

Dear Funny Chicken and Uji-San

Thank you for your advice. Knowing the place will be cold, I still wish to visit it.

Please help me with some of the details as follows.


Q1: If I took the Akebono train and arrive at Tsuruoka at 4.34, do I have to wait for quite some time before I can take the first bus? I tried to check the official website (in English) , but there is no schedule there.

Q2: Am I right to conclude that it is better to go to Yamadera on a separate day?
If yes, which one will be a better earlier destination from Tokyo? Yamadera first or Dewa Sanzan first?

Q3: We will be staying at Mt Haguro Saikan. I read the given website, but I wonder how shall we go about it. Would I pass the pagoda on the way to Saikan?

Q4: We plan to visit Akita for the famous Nyuto Onsen. Would all the onsen open for non-staying guests during new year holidays (1-3 Jan 2011)?

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

If I took the Akebono train and arrive at Tsuruoka at 4.34, do I have to wait for quite some time before I can take the first bus?

Yes, the first bus isn't until 7:50.

Here is the timetable in Japanese:
http://www.shonaikotsu.jp/jikoku/t_small_haguro.html

Am I right to conclude that it is better to go to Yamadera on a separate day?

Not necessarily. It is possible, if you start/end the day not too far away and figure out the transportation.

If yes, which one will be a better earlier destination from Tokyo? Yamadera first or Dewa Sanzan first?

I understand that you will continue to Nyuto Onsen afterwards. Then it does not make a big difference. Below is a possible itinerary:

Day 1:
Take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Niigata and the limited express train from Niigata to Tsuruoka. Then the bus to Hagurosan where you stay overnight.

Day 2: Return to Tsuruoka Station in the morning and take the bus to Yamagata (not covered by the JR passes; 2400 yen). Then the train to Yamadera and then the train to Tazawako from where you can take a bus to Nyuto Onsen

We will be staying at Mt Haguro Saikan. I read the given website, but I wonder how shall we go about it. Would I pass the pagoda on the way to Saikan?

The Haguro Saikan is located on the summit of the mountain, next to the shrine. In summer, it would be possible to take the bus to Haguro Center and then walk up the mountain from there to the summit, passing the pagoda along the way. However, I am not sure whether this trail is passable in winter due to the snow.

We plan to visit Akita for the famous Nyuto Onsen. Would all the onsen open for non-staying guests during new year holidays (1-3 Jan 2011)?

Yes, I think so.

Dear Uji-San
You are a great help. Thank you for your elaborated answer. I see a better picture now.

When you have time, could you help with the following? I forgot to ask about them earlier.
1. We will go be at Aomori on 02 Jan 2011. Would there be something special that we could do or visit at Aomori before we leave the town at night? (we are going to take night train to Sapporo).

2. We would like to spend a night at Sapporo on 03 Jan 2011 and half of the day at Otaru on 04 Jan 2011. We would appreciate any suggestion for day time sight seeing. We are open for the options of going for a bath, museum or even factory.

Hope I do not trouble you all the time.

About Aomori:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3750.html

About Sapporo:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2163.html

About Otaru:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6700.html

Beware of closing days.

Uji-San

Many thanks for your great help!