Need Your Expertise Guidance

Hey possible to see if this itinerary is workable. All feedback welcome.

Is it more economical to buy the JR 7 days pass?

Day 1 : arrival kansai, take train JR train to shinosaka (around 1hr)

Day 2 : Take JR train tokaido sanyo line to Universal studio. 1420hrs Take JR train to Umeda Sky building & namba shopping.

Day 3 : Take JR train Tokaido sanyo to kyoto, put luggage then proceed to Nara by JR train & also visit Todaiji temple.
1409hrs : take train back to Gion (Shijo station), CAN we walk from kiyomidera, higashiyama districkt, perial place then to Gion?

Day 4 : Visit Nishiki market around 7.30am, then take train to Himeji castle
around 1412hrs : take train from himeji to KObe (sannomiya station). visit earthquake museum, kobe harbourland, sake factory (not too sure how to move around).

Day 5 : Visit Nijo castle, kyoto tower, thereafter try to catch 1030hrs train from kyoto to Shinagawa (Tokyo). May I know how long is the journey & what train to take, very confusing for this route.
Not sure if can visit ueno park, asakusa, imperial palaza, shinjuku

Day 6 : Take JR train to Tokyo disneyland
Evening take train to odaiba, thereafter visit ginza & Roppongi

Day 7 : Take train to Mt Fuji, afternoon take train to shibuya, harajuku.
Thereafter evening take train from Tokyo - Osaka (Tanimach)

Day 8 : private appointment

Day 9 : Visit Osaka aquaium, tempozan park, instant ramen museum, namba shopping, shinsaibashi shopping. (Need to know how to move around in which sequence will be better?)

Thanks

So you are planning to cover,
Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Kobe, Tokyo, Mt.Fuji as well as USJ and TDL in 8 days, right?

Here is a suggested itinerary for 8 days.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_osaka_6.html

Hey
thanks for the info,need to know from hyperdia it reflected from Kyoto-Tokyo the travelling time is around 8hrs (quite puzzled).If using JR pass how should I travel & the journey time will take how long.

Kyoto-Shinagawa about 2h 30m via Hikari. In Hypedia, untick Airplane, tick not Nozomi to get the timing using JR Rail Pass.

Day 6 : Take JR train to Tokyo disneyland
Evening take train to odaiba, thereafter visit ginza & Roppongi
JR trains cover as far as Maihama Station for Disney Land, after Maihama you transfer to the Tokyo Monorail, which isn't covered by the JR Pass.
Roppongi isn't covered by the railpass.
Odaiba isn't covered by the railpass.

Also a day at Disneyland, then Odaiba, and THEN Ginza, AND Roppongi is one long tough day to pull off. Possible if you spend a few moments at each place, but thats about it.

This part of your plan (day 7) left me scratching my head.


Day 7 : Take train to Mt Fuji, afternoon take train to shibuya, harajuku.
Thereafter evening take train from Tokyo - Osaka (Tanimach)
So you plan to go way out to Mt. Fuji, then head way back to Tokyo, then head way out to Osaka in one day? Any particular thing you plan to do at Fuji. There are numerous areas to see Fuji, so its difficult to understand what exactly your plan for Mt. Fuji is.

Thanks to your sound advice. Another question from Nara deer park is it advisable to travel in this sequence, take train to Higashiyama, then walk from there to imperial palace, Kiyomidera then to Gion. Or alternative take train to Gion & do the reverse. Otherwise do you have better suggestion?

If we only have 5 hours can we still visit Mt Fuji, what is the best route to take? any feedback more than happy.

As John has already asked you, what do you mean by "visit Mt Fuji"? If you mean physically get onto Mt Fuji, then the answer is no. Even to get to somewhere like Gotemba will take between 1.5-3 hours one way. If you just want to get a better view of Fuji, I would suggest you go to Shibuya/Harajuku in the morning and leave early afternoon for Osaka. You can then make a 30 minute stop at Shin Fuji station. You will need to use the Kodama Shinkansen from Shizuoka as only Kodama Shinkansen serve Shin Fuji. You can then go to Mishima to pick up the Hikari to Osaka.

Thanks. No not going to shibuya/harajuku anymore. will visit mt fuji in the morning instead. we just want to go up to 5th station or hakone to view mt fuji, tat's abt all. if is just that how long do we need? best way to travel?

Your itinerary is too packed in itself.

You have 8 days in Japan and allocate 1 each day at TDL and USJ, you have still 6 free days.

How many days needed to the attractions:
Osaka - 1 day
Kyoto - 2 days(AT LEAST)
Nara - a half day(1 day is recommended)
Himeji - a half day(1 day is recommended)
Kobe - a half day
Tokyo - 2 days
Mt.Fuji - 1 day

If you left Shinjuku station at 07.00, you could be at Kawaguchiko 5th station by 10.30. The minimum time you would need to stay would be 1 hour, the return bus leaving at 11.30. Connecting trains would get you back to Shinjuku at 15.06. Please check these links:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6901.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/bus/fuji.html

You have not said when you are actually going to be in Japan, it may be that the weather conditions wiil make it not worth the trip.

As Ts has already said, this is too crowded an itinerary, especially day 4. You should also be aware that most shops in Nishiki Market don't open until 09.00.

Thanks a million. seems like train service is not so effective. Understand there is a bus service from shinjuku to 5th station kawaguchiko. can have the timing & also how much for both ways? the website is all in japanese don't understand

If you follow the links in the post above its covered there.

I also tend to agree your have quite a packed schedule especially back on day 6.

hi tks followed the bus link but the validity reflected until june 2008 only.now is already sept, so is it still operating ya? noted your comments will cut down on the places of interests.

For your last day in Osaka. Go to Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum first in the morning, it's the furthest from Osaka, about 20 min by private Hankyu rail to Ikeda Station. JR railpass is not valid, you have to pay 260 yen for a one-way ticket. BTW, note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.

Come back in the afternoon and use subway to go to Temmpo-zan Harbour Village and Kaiyukan Aquarium which are 5 min walk from Osaka-ko subway station on Chuo line.
Make use of the daylight for taking photos. in outdoor harbour area before visiting the aquarium.

Shopping and eating in Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori and Namba area can be done till after sunset. Actually these areas are more lively at night.