12 days Summer Tokyo - Hokkaido -Kyoto

hi There,

have planned my macro 12 days itinerary as follows. Appreciate any advices/tips thanks. :)

17th Aug Tokyo - Hokkaido (Chitose 1pm flight arrival) - Sapporo
18th Biei & furano
19th Asahikawa zoo & kamikawa
20th Otaru
21st Noberibetsu & Lake Toya
22nd Lake Toya & Hakodate
23rd Hakodate - Tokyo (Haneda) 10am flight

23rd Tokyo
24-25th Kyoto
26-28th Tokyo (28th morning flight out)

1) since JR rail cover thoroughout Japan. is it still worth while to get the 14 day pass 45,100yen, even though i have gotten my domestic flight (which is free - redeemed from points :)
2) or i can do a flight from tokyo to sapporo , then a ordinary night train on JR pass from hakodate to tokyo?
3) Since its summer, would like to catch the flowers season at furano and biei - they are walk distance from those seasonal train stations ? or need to pay for the twinkle bus tours?
4) Can use JR pass for buses to Zoo, Lake toya places of interest, Kamikawa - gorges , and other recommended places stated in this website and JR websites?
5) let me know if my above itnerary could be improve further, any places of interest i should visit during summer. First time to Japan so anything is new to me :)

Need to fix the places, then can go ahead to source and book my hostel accommodation. if there is any suggested accommodation pls share too. will be getting the HI membership for discounts :)

thanks for your help in advance !

Regards
Janet.

First of all, I recommend the following, more effective route:

Tokyo - (air from Haneda to Asahikawa Airport) - Biei/Furano/Asahikawa - Sapporo/Otaru - Noboribetsu/Toya - Hakodate - (air from Hakodate to Osaka's Itami Airport) - Kyoto - (shinkansen) - Tokyo

For the above itinerary, a rail pass makes no sense. For your original itinerary, a 7-day Japan Rail Pass for the round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto pays off.

Since its summer, would like to catch the flowers season at furano and biei - they are walk distance from those seasonal train stations ?

Farm Tomita can be reached on foot from Lavender Batake Station. Other farms and flower fields are more difficult to explore. There are bicycle rentals and tour buses, including the JR Twinkle Buses, which can be used by holders of certain JR passes. But they are relatively inexpensive even otherwise (600-1500 yen per person).

Can use JR pass for buses to Zoo, Lake toya places of interest, Kamikawa - gorges , and other recommended places stated in this website and JR websites?

No, the Japan Rail Pass and Hokkaido Rail Pass are not valid on the buses to the zoo. I am not sure what gorges you refer to. Sounkyo maybe? Sounkyo is not accessible by JR transportation, either. You will have to use a non-JR bus.

''Tokyo - (air from Haneda to Asahikawa Airport) - Biei/Furano/Asahikawa - Sapporo/Otaru - Noboribetsu/Toya - Hakodate - (air from Hakodate to Osaka's Itami Airport) - Kyoto - (shinkansen) - Tokyo''

- wow. so meaning can cover hokkaido in 4 days? based on ur suggestion: should i get JR hokkaido pass (5 days?) ? or just pay per trip? Kyoto to tokyo is 1 way, hence pay per trip is more savings?


Farm Tomita can be reached on foot from Lavender Batake Station. Other farms and flower fields are more difficult to explore. There are bicycle rentals and tour buses, including the JR Twinkle Buses, which can be used by holders of certain JR passes. But they are relatively inexpensive even otherwise (600-1500 yen per person).
- noted. thanks :)

No, the Japan Rail Pass and Hokkaido Rail Pass are not valid on the buses to the zoo. I am not sure what gorges you refer to. Sounkyo maybe? Sounkyo is not accessible by JR transportation, either. You will have to use a non-JR bus.
- yes Sounkyo. able to advise where i can find out the timetabble and bus prices for these transportation, in english? hee :)

thanks in advance for your great help !

so meaning can cover hokkaido in 4 days?

No, I did not group them by day, but rather geographically. I recommend at least five or six days for the Hokkaido part.

based on ur suggestion: should i get JR hokkaido pass (5 days?) ?

Regular train tickets probably will cost you around 15,000 yen. The 5-day pass costs almost 20,000 yen. I think that regular tickets probably come cheaper. Tips to save more: take a bus instead of train between Asahikawa and Sapporo, and note that some hotels in Noboribetsu offer a free bus from Sapporo to staying guests.

Kyoto to tokyo is 1 way, hence pay per trip is more savings?

Yes, that provides a major saving, provided that you can also book Haneda-Asahikawa and Hakodate-Itami for free.

yes Sounkyo. able to advise where i can find out the timetabble and bus prices for these transportation, in english? hee :)

Here you go:
http://www.youthhostel.or.jp/sounkyo/access_e.html

wow. Thanks for ur prompt reply. This is really useful . Yes, initially thot for arriving at asahikawa , then travel down to hakodate Let me check if I can change my booking . Aren't there direct jal flights fr narita airport to asahikawa ? Ok then I shall venture via normal rail n bus ticket. Btw, I don't really understand japanese. did learnt basic hiragana ages ago. Would I be able to survive thru buying my own tickets n getting directions ard my way ? Oh, for the osaka to kyoto , should I tour osaka a bit , or go straight to kyoto, spend a night there, then give myself more time in tokyo ? Also, how is the weather in kyoto n tokyo during end aug? Really very hot ? Well , im coming from singapore , so hotter than here ? Sorry for long questions. you have been a great help :)

Aren't there direct jal flights fr narita airport to asahikawa ?

No, there are no direct flights from Narita. Only from Haneda.

Also, if you are limited to JAL flights, note that there are no direct JAL flights between Hakodate and Osaka. Only ANA flies between Hakodate and Kansai Airport. So, my above suggested route seems impossible (aside the fact that no flights go into Itami, at all).

So, my new suggestion is to swap the order of travel in Hokkaido. First, fly from Haneda to Hakodate, make your way to Asahikawa, and then fly from Asahikawa to Osaka's Itami Airport. JAL operates both on the Haneda-Hakodate and Asahikawa-Itami routes. Again, there are no direct flights from Narita to Hakodate.

I don't really understand japanese. did learnt basic hiragana ages ago. Would I be able to survive thru buying my own tickets n getting directions ard my way ?

Most foreign tourists don't know any Japanese. And most of them manage to get around relatively easily, although there are exceptions (especially those that tend to get lost in their home countries, too). There are ample of English signs and people willing to help, especially in cities and along the routes frequented by foreign travelers.

Oh, for the osaka to kyoto , should I tour osaka a bit , or go straight to kyoto, spend a night there, then give myself more time in tokyo ?

It think this is pure personal preference.

Also, how is the weather in kyoto n tokyo during end aug? Really very hot ?

It still tends to be hot and humid. The average daytime high is around 30 degrees, and humidity is still quite high. I am not sure, though, how i it compares to Singapore.

Yes. i'm only able to redeem free flight on JAL.

Taking international flight (SQ) to Narita (arriving 750am). So either way, still need to take the Keiyu Train to Haneda airport, jounrey is 2hours?

So either way, still need to take the Keiyu Train to Haneda airport, jounrey is 2hours?

I recommend the 90 minute direct bus ride over the 120 minute train ride:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2430.html?aFROM=2027_2430

hi Uji,

Thanks for your suggestion. Managed to change my domestic ticket.

17 Aug Haneda - Hakodate
21 Aug Asahikawa (4pm) - Osaka Kansai (6.30pm) Fiight into Itami is all booked out. :(

22-28 Aug - Kyoto & Tokyo

Still ok to follow ur latest itinerary? no need to buy JR Pass too right? :) thanks again for your wonderful help !

Hi,

could advise if biei or asahikawa station is nearer/easier to get to asahikawa airport? and how ?

thanks !

There is a bus from Biei Station and from Asahikawa Station. It takes 15 minutes from Biei Station. 35 minutes from Asahikawa Station.