Transportation in Japan

We will arrive in Japan on 30.11 and will spend 10 days in Japan. There are 8 of us (4 adults and 4 children.I know transports and accomodations are very expensive and we plan to go to Sapporo, Osaka and Tokyo. Is there any cheaper transportations ex:pickup at airport then to Mt Fuji and to hotel. If by bullet train, buses etc will it be more expensive.

If you're staying only 10 days, you have to consider time constraints as well, and if you are worried about costs, I would suggest you think about dropping Sapporo from your trip.

Transport and accomodation very expensive:? Narita airport to Tokyo ( 70 km ) for Yen 1000 on keisei railway compared to EUR 8.50 Paris-CdG to downtown by train, USDollar 15 Newark Airport to New York Penn station.
A 7 day JR Rail Pass at Yen 28300 adult offers you all mentioned train ride from Tokyo to Sapporo ( 10 hours train ride for 1200 km ), from Tokyo to Osaka ( 3 hours shinkansen for 550 km ) and return and for 7 days. Compared to one single train ride from Munich to Paris at EUR 142 or from New York to Washington by Acela train at USDollar 157.
Good hotel twin-room in Tokyo are available starting at Yen 15 000 compared to three star hotel in London?, Paris?, New York?

I don't think the original poster is making any argument that its expensive compared to any other place, other then that its expensive to their budget.

I understood that JR Pass cost Yen 28300 and must be brought outside of Japan and can only be exchanged at Narita Airport. By the time when you arrived and make booking, most of the seats have been reserved. Now we are thinking of taking the coupons wherby I only have to pay Yen 11,000 for any destination in Japan for one way. Now the problem is the internal transports and hotel. Everything x 8pax.

Oh I forgot to ask if it is wise to buy 2 flight coupons and JR pass. Will this work out to be more exensive. I only need the pass for JR lines to Disneyland,Shinjuku,to and fro Narita airport and other areas. As for hotel, any ryokan to recommend whereby they charge per room basis.

Oh I forgot to ask if it is wise to buy 2 flight coupons and JR pass. Will this work out to be more exensive. I only need the pass for JR lines to Disneyland,Shinjuku,to and fro Narita airport and other areas. As for hotel, any ryokan to recommend whereby they charge per room basis.

Joyce,
The 7 day JR Rail Pass you buy outside Japan and you receive a so called Exchange Order. After arrival in Japan and having the "temporary visitor" stamp you will receive while officer checks your passport, you can exchange the Exchange Order to the JR Rail Pass. Besides Narita airport railway station this is possible at any major JR railwaystation ( for example 7 within Greater Tokyo area ). No, it is not true that all seats are reserved in advance. End November/Early December expect to be able to get 8 seats even 30 min before departure of a shinkansen. But the JR Rail Pass only makes sense for long-distance travel. A ticket Tokyo station to Maihama ( station in front of Disneyland ) is Yen 210 adult. A subwayride Tokyo station to Shinjuku station is Yen 190. The Yen 11000 flight coupon is ideal for your Tokyo - Sapporo travel, 90 min flight from Tokyo-Haneda airport compared to 10 hours train ride. Ryokan typically charge per person and include dinner and breakfast. But in Kyoto for example a ryokan, used to foreigners and offering room only, is Tomiya, opposite Kyoto station. http://japaneseguesthouses.com/db/kyoto/tomiya.htm

Joyce,
a sample itinerary for you can be: ( 2 flight coupons, one 7 day JR Pass )
30 Nov
arrival Narita. Comfort: By Limousine Bus for Yen 3000 per adult from airport to hotel entrance, porter service at bus. Budget: by keisei train Yen 1000 to Tokyo-Ueno, by further train, subway Yen 200 near hotel. Balance of day Tokyo by subway.
01 Dec
By train to Tokyo-Haneda airport Yen 600 to 800, by flight coupon to Sapporo
02 Dec
by flight coupon Sapporo - Tokyo
03 Dec ( first day to validate JR Pass ) Tokyo - Disneyland ( as you have the Pass for your long distance travel later and it is valid 7 days so you use it from today already )
04 Dec Tokyo
05 Dec day trip to Hakone to see Fuji san and boiling earth by JR shinkansen to Odawara, from there by Hakone Weekday Pass make the round, see under travel.
Interesting day for the kids ( mountain train, ropeway, ship across lake Ashi )
06 Dec by JR shinkansen to Osaka
07 Dec Osaka
08 Dec by shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo
09 Dec by JR Narita Express to Narita airport ( = last day of 7 day JR Pass )

By the time when you arrived and make booking, most of the seats have been reserved. Now we are thinking of taking the coupons wherby I only have to pay Yen 11,000 for any destination in Japan for one way. Now the problem is the internal transports and hotel. Everything x 8pax.

Why are you makign the assumption that all the trains will be full? Odds are trains to/from Narita Airport will have plenty of space available, also if in the off chance they are there are plenty of other transportation options.

There's a New Ticket, called Suica & NEX, you ride anywhere Narita Express goes for only 1500 yen (thats 500 yen more then the Keisei Limited express, but more comfortable and faster, only 400yen cheaper then Skyliner) PLUS you get a 1000yen SUICA card that you can use for other transport within Tokyo.

You don't need a JR pass to browse around Tokyo etc. Its good if you make a roundtrip between Tokyo and Osaka.

Again, have you considered dropping Sappporo from the itinerary? It doesn't really have much time if you want to visit Tokyo (Mt. Fuji in November/December? I suggest maybe Hakone istead of Mt. Fuji) and Osaka within a 10 day time frame is short, but whatever floats your boat.

Hi Peter and John,

Thanks for the feedback. Are they are other variations of coupons and JR Pass for cost effectiveness inorder to go to 3 places.

Thank Peter,
Based on yr sample, I have redraft my itinenary.

Nov 30 Narita to Sapporo using coupon
DEC 1-2 Sapporo
Dec 3 Sapporo to Tokyo using shenkansen leaving 09.00 arrv 19.00 Tokyo (1st validation of JR pass)
Dec 4 Tokyo Disneyland
Dec 5 Tokyo-Osaka-Kobe
Dec 6 Universal studio
Dec 7 Kobe-Osaka-Tokyo
Dec 8 Hakone-Mt Fuj
dec 9 Narita airport at 3.00 last day of JR pass. Is there any timing to use it on last day.

Total save is 88,000 yen for 8 pax as child only pay 14150 for JR Pass. Coupon is Yen 11,000 for one pax. No discount for children.

Again, back to Sapporro, is there something up there that you must go and see it or have to be there?

If you look at your schedule its packed and fast pace, especially Tokyo-Osaka-Kobe.

Also i'm not exactly sure which coupon you maybe talking about do you mean something like the Japan Air Pass? Are you sure you can find availability the day you arrive into Narita Airport and fly right to Sapporro?

Hope the I'm not intruding, but...

Dec 3 Sapporo to Tokyo using shenkansen leaving 09.00 arrv 19.00 Tokyo (1st validation of JR pass)

There's NO SHINKANSEN between Sapporo and Tokyo!
You need another AIR PASS back to Tokyo.

This is the flight coupon (ANA AND JAL)and only can be
and book outside of Japan 60 days prior departure.
I have friend in Sapporo and as this is the first time for the kids to experience mountain and snow if any.
In fact I have been to Japan including Sapporo,Osaka Tokyo 6 times.
Maybe I can reconsider about going to Osaka.

Thanks

That certainly changes the dynamics. I would certainly go to Sapporro if your friend is there. The only issue I see is that if you include Osaka - Kobe You're doing a lot of traveling, and if money is a concern and I understand budget can be hard with a lot of travelers and kids plus travel times, you should consider dropping Osaka/Kobe in this case.

Since you will be in the Tokyo region visiting Tokyo disney etc, I think everyone will still have a great time even missing USJ, plus it gives you and many other people relief as they are not constantly traveling accross the country.

If you go Sapporo to Tokyo by train this is covered by JR Pass, but true not all is shinkansen. You can go: Sapporo - 3 hours ride on ltd express train - transfer at Goryokaku or Hakodate 3 hours ride on ltd express train - Hachinohe - 3 hours ride on shinkansen to Tokyo.