The best route!

Hi there

From 02. August - 29. August (flight home) I'm in Japan. We were 3 Days in Tokyo, now I'm sitting in Kyoto (07. August). Now I don't know how to plan the next trips to the places I want to see. We stay here in Kyoto until 09. August and then want to make daytrips and travel to the south an to the north. Which is the best order? Places I want to see (which one you also recommend to me?):

Hiroshima
Nara
See mount Fuji, but from where?
Nikko
Hakkone

Any other suggestions?

Thanks for helping me!

PanSe

I'm assuming that you are leaving Japan from Tokyo. If this is the case, I'd recommend you first go south to Hiroshima and work your way north to Nikko and Tokyo.

Staying at Kyoto, you can do a daytrip to Nara (it's less than an hour away). This can be done now while you're in Kyoto, or later as you work your way back north.

From Kyoto, head south to Hiroshima (you can see Himeji on the way, if you're interested in castles, or Kobe, or Osaka). Both Hiroshima and Miyajima can be done in 2 days.

From Hiroshima, you can head back north to Hakone (more to do than in Fuji five lakes area--though probably busier with tourists), either by train or by bus (i.e from Kyoto, etc). A full day on the Hakone loop and overnight at an onsen would be a nice experience.

From Hakone you can get back to Tokyo and then go up to Nikko. A couple of days will let you do the temple complexes and see something of the national forest.

And after Nikko, you'll return to Tokyo and fly out. If you've still got time while in Tokyo, you can daytrip to Kamakura (1 hr from Tokyo center), if you're not tired of temples.

Have the great rest of your trip!

Dear Mike, thank you for your super fast answer, how do you think about this route? Got some free Days at the end, thank you for your comment!

Route Japan 2009
02. – 06.
Tokyo
07. – 09.
Kyoto
10.
See Nara (Bus), Grosser Budda, grösste Holzkonstruktion, Night in Kyoto
11.
Himej, Nightin Kyoto
12.
Ise, Night in Kyoto
13.
Drive to Hiroshima, Peace Museum, Garden, Night in Hiroshima
14.
Hiroshima, See Miyajima (Vorortbahnbahn, Fähre), Bycicle tour, Night in Hiroshima
15.
Drive to Beppu, Höllen, Onsen, Night at Train Station

???????? Do what? North?
25. – 29.
Tokyo, Trip to Kamakura, Shibuya, Mono, Capsule, Akihabara, Host Club, Rush Hour, Aquarium,
Hakone

It looks like you're traveling by car around Japan, which makes the itinerary easier.

Getting to Nara: I'm not sure what (bus) means, but from Kyoto to Nara the JR line is 690 yen one way and takes 45 minutes. In Nara itself, the park is walkable--in fact, I'd recommend you get a map from the city tourist office and create a walking tour from shrine to shrine.

Also, a note for day 15: Beppu is a nice place with lots of onsens, but not much to really see. If you've got the whole day, you might think about stopping for a bit in Fukuoka (1.5 hr from Shimonoseki) before getting to Beppu (~2 hrs from Fukuoka). Fukuoka's basically a city with shopping, a castle park, etc. As for staying overnight at the train station, most train stations in Japan close around midnight, when train service stops (unless you're taking an overnight train?). I would strongly recommend you to try a hostel for low price accommodation that night. I stayed at Khaosan Beppu Hostel, which was nice: http://www.khaosan-beppu.com.

On the way north, I think you can comfortably fit an overnight in Hakone and an overnight in Nikko plus a daytrip to Kamakura. This should leave you with a couple of days in Tokyo to see some extra stuff and shop, presumably.

-mike

As to traffic jams:
Speedways [highways] are expected to be crowded with cars around 13 - 16 August, during which Obon period is set in many places across Japan.
As to this year 2009, there will be so many cars partly due to seasonal discount on toll.
Hiroshima is about 350 kilometers away from Kyoto. You'd better get ready to be caught in traffic jams when you drive to Hiroshima on 13 August. I don't recommend running such a risk if your budget permits you to go on railroad.
www.japan-guide.com/e/e2286.html

As to Nara day trip:
Is your hotel located near Kyoto Station?
If so, you can make a day trip by train to Nara to see "Grosser Budda" (Great Buddha) statue in the "grösste Holzkonstruktion" (largest wooden construction) of Todaiji Temple and meet holy deer in Nara Park.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4100.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4103.html
A Rapid or Miyakoji Rapid train indicated in green digits on this timetable (for weekdays) departs from Kyoto at Track 8 / 9 / 10 and is destined to Nara. The closest gate of Kyoto Station is a non-Shinkansen gate in Hachijo-East entrance.
http://www.jr-odekake.net/eki/time_08/Kyoto260701.htm

As to Ise trip:
Ise? In Mie Prefecture and famous for shrines? That's a bit far from Kyoto, about 2 hours even if you take a Ltd. Express train of Kintetsu. It sounds better to visit Ise between Kyoto and Nagoya on the way you head to Tokyo.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4310.html

As to Hiroshima trips:
Unless you go only on Shinkansen lines, you will not have enough time in Hiroshima City on the same day you leave from Kyoto in the morning. You'd better lodge near Hiroshima Station for 3 nights or, for 2 nights there and for 1 night in Miyajima.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3400.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3403.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html

As to the route to Beppu:
Mike seems to mean a district around Hakata Station of Fukuoka City.
(Note: There is no JR station named "Fukuoka" in Fukuoka Prefecture.)
If you go to Beppu by JR trains, however, dropping by Hakata district will make the route longer by about 130 kilometers; it's easier to change trains at Kokura Station.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4700.html

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Fares:
[Kyoto - Nara]
- JR round-trip fare = 1,380 yen = 2 x 690 yen.
[Kyoto - Himeji - Hiroshima]
- JR one-way fare = 6,300 yen.
[Kyoto - Himeji - Hiroshima - Kokura - Beppu]
- JR round-trip fare = 17,760 yen.
[Inside Hiroshima City]
- Hiroshima Electric Railway [Hiroden] streetcar fares = ??? yen.
[Hiroshima - Miyajimaguchi - Miyajima]
- JR round-trip fare = 1,140 yen = 2 x (railroad 400 + ferry 170) yen.

Charges and times:
[Kyoto - Nara]
- Rapid or Miyakoji Rapid: about 1 hour or less, charge = none.
[Nara - Kyoto]
- Rapid or Miyakoji Rapid: about 1 hour or less, charge = none.
[Kyoto - Himeji]
- Special Rapid: about 1 + 1/2 hour, charge = none.
[Himeji - Hiroshima]
- Shinkansen: about 1 hour, one-way charge = 3,960 yen.
- Local to Okayama + Shinkansen: about 2 + 1/2 hours, one way charge = 3,120 yen;
Himeji 18:05, Okayama 19:46 HIKARI # 583, 20:29 Hiroshima.
- Local to Aioi + Local: about 4 + 1/2 hours, charge= none;
Himeji 16:36, Aioi 16:58, 20:54 Hiroshima.
[Hiroshima - Miyajimaguchi]
- Local (except ones destined to Itsukaichi): about 25 minutes, charge = none.
[Miyajimaguchi - Miyajima]
- JR-West Miyajima Ferry: about 10 minutes.
[Miyajima - Miyajimaguchi]
- JR-West Miyajima Ferry: about 10 minutes.
[Miyajimaguchi - Hiroshima]
- Local: about 25 minutes, charge = none.

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