Japan in July? and sightseeing questions

Is mid July to beginning August a good time to visit Japan? To arrive in Tokyp then do cruise for that entire time to various places in Japan. Please advise if this is a good time for it - weatherwise and sightseeing etc?

Also is it worth it to try fit in day trip to Mt Fuji, or can we get good enough views from Tokyo? If so, where?

Also, is Tokyo best place to do sushi making tour? Which one?

Do rail/bus/metro/subway transport run 24 hours? For one day in Tokyo (and to get from Haneda airport into Tokyo and Tokyo places and to Yokohama cruise port) what is cheapest best option of public transport? Which pass? How much

What are must-see sights in the following places (or nearby):
Tokyo
Kushiro
Otaru
Hakodate
Aomori
Nagasaki
Maizuru
Kanazawa


Are the above good/best places to visit in Japan (these are on cruise itinerary).

Near Aomori, there is tour to Hirosaki Castle. We read it is getting moved and renovated. During mid July to beginning August will moving/renovation have started? will it be worthwhile to go see or will it not look nice with renovating and scaffolding?

Please reply to help on these questions

Weather will be very hot and very humid, every single day. When I lived in Tokyo I carried two or three wash cloths for wiping sweat.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2273.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e627.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623a.html

Summer is not a very good time to visit Japan, it's insanely hot and humid.

But you could focus on Hokkaido where it has a much milder climate and Hokkaido in summer is super beautiful:
http://zoomingjapan.com/travel/hokkaido-in-summer/

You could climb Mt. Fuji which is only possible in summer.
You can get views of Mt. Fuji from Tokyo, but they're not very breathtaking - and the weather needs to be super beautiful.
You could go to Hakone, Enoshima or Shizuoka, Yamanashi for much better views.

I don't know how long you want to stay in Japan, but going from Hokkaido all the way to Nagasaki is a bit crazy unless you have a lot of time (and money).

Thank you for replies.
To clarify - we would be arriving in Tokyo mid July then doing cruise ship around Japan until beginning of august
the cruise ship would stop each day at a different place - those are the places I listed in my original post.
Therefore based on that, would you still say not to come in July?

It seems the cruise ship plans this cruise itinerary each july?

Are those places it stops covering the main places that are best to see when in Japan. We would do cruise ship tours to the main sights in each place.

Also we would fly into Haneda airport. but arrive very late . AFter 11pm. We are worried there wont be any pubclic transport - trains/bus etc - into Tokyo?
Please advise.

Also - would it be best we take transport into Tokyo (perhaps to hotel near) Hamamatsucho and see some Tokyo the next morning then get train/bus to Yokohama port. Or should we go straight to Yokohama area when we arrive and to cruise ship next day without Tokyo touring. The tour we thought to try do in morning before cruise is Sushi making with Fish market.
Is there cheap airport hotels incase we stayed night there then next day into Tokyo/Yokohama? We are very confused at all the different transport options.
What is cheapest ticket to allow us travel between these areas I have mentioned. For one day.

Also in Aoomori we can take tour to Hirosaki Castle. But we read it is being moved and renovated. During mid July to beginning August will we still be able to see it there, and will it be nice view. Or is it not worth it with scaffolding and construction?

Are those places it stops covering the main places that are best to see when in Japan.

The cruise seems really neat and you get to see a lot of sights. However, I can think of plenty examples of why those are not "the main places that are best to see when in in Japan."

Also we would fly into Haneda airport. but arrive very late . AFter 11pm. We are worried there wont be any pubclic transport - trains/bus etc - into Tokyo?
Please advise.

Since the trains stop running, you should consider the special late-night bus services. There are more than a few options.

http://hnd-bus.com/route/nightmorningbus.html


Also - would it be best we take transport into Tokyo (perhaps to hotel near) Hamamatsucho and see some Tokyo the next morning then get train/bus to Yokohama port. Or should we go straight to Yokohama area when we arrive and to cruise ship next day without Tokyo touring. The tour we thought to try do in morning before cruise is Sushi making with Fish market.

I'd do Tokyo. You can then get to Yokohama quickly by rail.

They arent the best places to be. And you will be missing out on the flower fields. But considering it is a cruise, those are one of the better port cities. Now if only Osaka was in there.

It feels weird though, I'm sure in the future if you go to say Furano or Asahikawa or Daisetsuzan you would most certainly past through Sapporo or Hakodate. So it seems like a waste of time as you would be returning. Might as well do one region per plane ticket.