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21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 06:52
We've been to Japan during cherry blossom season (Sakura) before so not an important element in our planning this trip. We will be in Japan from about March 8 to April 8. We like slower travel so generally more time in each city/town to just enjoy walking the neighborhoods and get good local food (recommendations?).

Itinerary
Tokyo 4 nights/3 days (been here before)
Nikko 2 nights/1 day
Nagano 4 nights/3 days - lodging recommendations?
Matsumoto Castle
Snow Monkeys (worth it in mid-March)?
Kanazawa 5 nights/4 days
Shirakawa 2 nights/1 day - lodging recommendations?
Nagoya 3 nights/2 days - lodging recommendations?
walk Magome to Tsumago
Kyoto 4 days/3 nights (been here before)
Shikoku Area 4-5 nights/3-4 days
bike Onomichi to Imabari 2 days/1 night
Osaka 4 nights/3 days (been here before)
day trip to Yoshino (been here before, but may have Sakura)
day trip Himeji Castle
Back to Tokyo
day trip to Hitachi Seaside Park for spring flowers? Or is April still too early?

Any idea where the 21 day JR pass makes the most sense? If we move Nikko visit to end, would it be better to use a JR East regional pass for Nikko and Hitachi Seaside Park? Other suggestions?

Note we've been to Hiroshima and surrounding area before. Also have been to Takayama.
by Amy (guest)  

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 10:06
You are travelling way too slowly to make decent savings with a national rail pass.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 10:20
If you move Nikko and Hitachi you can just use the 3 day Tokyo Wide Pass since that covers all 3 and you're not overnighting in Hitachi.

I might (and this is working under the assumption you don't care about sakura)
go:

Tokyo to Nagano (I've stayed at the Dormy and the Metropolitan) both are super close to the station. The Dormy has a top floor public bath, the Metropolitan feels more upscale and is attached to the station. It had probably the best coin operated washer and dryer I've used in a Japanese hotel. I like them both and would use both again.

Nagano to snow monkeys (I don't know what it is like in March, I went in February. I suspect it varies based on the weather. A friend of a friend went in mid March and had a great time.) I stayed at Senjukaku in Kanabayashi onsen. It's expensive but quite lovely and they offer free boots for the walk, if you don't want to bring your own.

Nagano to Matsumoto

Matsumoto to Tsumago and Magome

Tsumago and Magome to Nagoya

I forgot where I stayed in Nagoya, it was a long time ago and it was just there, where I would stay now would depend on budget and plans in Nagoya

Steal a day from Nagoya and go to Takayama

Takayama to Shirakawa Go,

Shirakawa Go to Kanazawa (we went budgetary in Kanazawa and stayed in the Vista I believe. I would probably book earlier and stay elsewhere like the Nikko or the ANA Crown Plaza. I know the hotels near the garden are nicer, but I just like being near the station.

Kanazawa to Kyoto

Kyoto to Shikoku

Shikoku to Imbari to Onomichi

Onomichi to Osaka

Osaka and Yoshino and Himeji

and end in Tokyo with the Nikko and Hitachi trip.

One of the JR West passes might work for you. You might need to play around with dates.

You could also go to Nagoya first, then to Tsumago and Magome, then continue to Matsumoto, then go to Nagano, then the monkey park, then Kanazawa, then day trip to Shirakawa Go, then Kanazawa to Kyoto.

I'm not sure any of the national passes pay off.

Good luck!

by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 10:33
With long trips and slower travel paces, the full JR Pass often doesn't work. But if not, you might consider where you could use some regional rail passes.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html
You also need to flesh things out more. Such as 4 days in Nagano, doing what? The snow monkeys in March can be good. The time that really doesn't work is in the summer, when it is hot outside and the monkeys don't go into the water. Sometimes they have to be bribed by having food thrown into the water for them, but that is really not a genuine experience anymore. Shirakawago is worth a night, and for places to stay, this website lists some farmhouses. But you will be done seeing the place in a few hours, and there is very little you'll get with a 2nd night there that you won't get with the first. Takayama has a fair number of places actually, it is likely you can see a lot more if you branch out. If driving, the whole region is wide open to you. The Shinhotaka ropeway, hida limestone cave, and a bunch of others are there. Or try going to Gero Onsen or Gujo-Hachiman.
If you have not done an overnight at Koyasan, I highly recommend it.
You also didn't mention Nara either - if you have not been there, it is well worth your time. There is also Uji. If you're already seen Nara Park, the southern area near Sakurai also has a number of very good places.
You don't go into detail about Shikoku, but I found Kagawa and Ehime to be the more interesting areas.
by Ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 10:37
I doubt a 21 day pass would pay off with so little travel.
by H (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 11:14
Thanks for the fast responses! You confirmed my fear that the value of a 21 day rail pass is a stretch. Sounds like we may need to look into regional passes or a mix of regional and/or 7 day passes for potential savings.

We’ll look into the itinerary changes suggested by rkold and Ken as well; especially changing number of nights in Nagano and Shirakawa. And Imabari to Omonichi may be a better direction - something to think about!
by Amy (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 11:22
3-week JR Pass is about twice the price of the 1-week pass - not three times. So, it is not expensive. I buy a 21-day pass on almost every trip 4 weeks long. I don't use it within Tokyo, for Tokyo I use 72-hour subway pass. I also like being able to just hop on and off any JR train, including Shinkansen (non reserved seats), on a whim.
https://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ticket/travel/index.html

by kamahen (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 11:42
You are traveling very slowly, which is not a bad thing. I also do not think a 21 day JR Pass will be cost effective. There is also a section (Shirakawa-Go) where transportation is essentially by bus.

I am going to suggest using a Willer Bus pass for three legs of your journey. This nice thing about this pass is that it is good for three or five transportation days within a three month period.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2369.html

I am going to suggest moving Nagoya, and walking the Kiso Valley to much later. I understand putting Hitachi Seaside Park and Yoshino later, so that it will fall into cherry blossom time.

How about the following:

Get a 5-day JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, and use it to go to Nikko, Nagano, and a side trip to Matsumoto from Nagoya. The pass will end while you are still in Nagano, so do whatever side trips, like Matsumoto, that would be covered by the pass.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_nagano_niigata.html

To get to Kanazawa, just pay for a train or bus to get there. This is the first use of the Willer Bus Pass.

To get from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-Go requires bus transportation. I think going through Takayama makes sense to get to your next destination, which should probably be Kyoto. All this can be done by Nohi bus line.

https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/

In Kyoto, a daily bus pass is probably the best way to get around, so once again, you do not need a train pass.

At this point, a Train Pass might be useful. Since you do not actually say where you are going on Shikoku Island other than saying you are going to walk or bike the Shimanami Kaido. Take a bus or ferry to Shikoku Island. There is a Willer Bus that goes to Matsuyama, so the bus pass could be used here. The ferries leave from Kobe and Wakayama. Check out the Japan Guide Transportation section for more information. The JR train pass may be useful, so I will put a link in.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_shikoku.html

After the Shimanami Kaido, you will start your journey back towards Tokyo. You are going to Osaka next, so this is the second use of the Willer Bus Pass.

I am going to suggest a 2-day or 5-day Kintetsu Rail pass to get to Yushino, possibly Nara, and the to get to Nagoya. If you get the two day, use the Willer Bus pass to get to Nagoya.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_006.html

You will either do a train/bus, or just use busses to walk the Kiso Valley. At this point, you need to get back to Tokyo. So this is the final use of the Willer Bus Pass.

I hope this gives you a framework on how to work on your transportation issues.

Good Luck, in planning you trip.
by ebaychucky311 rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 11:54
Oops… one mistake and an omission. The mistake was that the Willer Bus Pass is only good for two months, not three.

I also forgot to include Himeji. A Kansai Thru Pass will work, as well as get you to an additional side trip (excluding Yoshino {grrr} ). So, look at this pass while in Osaka.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_005.html

Once again, good Luck planning you trip.
by ebaychucky311 rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/26 12:09
If the idea of taking a ferry does appeal to you, then move the day trip to Himeji forward to after Kyoto and before Shikoku Island. The Kansai Thru pass could be used to get you to Himeji, and the to either Kobe or Wakayama. Visit Nara from Kyoto, and end the day in Osaka (Namba area). If you are going to use the Wakayama ferry, on the second day of the pass, check out of the hotel, but have them hold your luggage. You would then visit Himeji, return and collect your luggage, and go to Wakayama.

I hope this helps.
by ebaychucky311 rate this post as useful

Re: 21 day JR pass - 30 day trip? 2023/1/27 22:02
Beside JR pass, you can buy Japan bus pass
3 Day =10200 yen
5 Day =12800 yen
7 Day =15300 yen
by Jo (guest) rate this post as useful

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