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Japan - Day Trips & JR Pass advice

  • 18-09-2014 12:06am
    #1
    lc180
    Registered Users Posts: 1,999 ✭✭✭


    Hi I am going to Japan for 11 nights at the end of October and I'm looking for feedback and advice on my itinerary, specifically day trips.

    I plan on basing myself in Tokyo for 5 nights, Kyoto for 4 and Osaka for 2 nights.

    Tokyo - bear in mind one night will be kinda lost to jetlag so that leaves 2 full days for sightseeing and 1 day for a trip to Nikko.(Activate JR Pass). 1 final day sightseeing if needed or will leave early for Kyoto.

    Kyoto - 2 days sightseeing, 1 day in Nara & 1 day Hiroshima and Miyajima island.

    Osaka - 1 day sightseeing (JR Pass expires), 1 day at Universal Studios for light relief as I think I'll be temple'd out of it by then! I fly to Seoul the following morning from Kansai airport.

    Just wondering am I right to base myself in the cities or should I consider staying overnight in these day trip locations? I've heard Nikko is dead after 5pm so maybe rule that out but Nara or Hiroshima, should I consider finding accommodation? I get the feeling Hiroshima & Miyajima in one day will be fast paced, and maybe getting a train to Osaka or Kyoto the following morning instead the last train of the day might be a better option? Is there any other day trips I should consider?


    Buying a JR Pass - I've seen this UK site mentioned in a few old Japan threads, is there any new options on the market worth considering.
    http://www.japanspecialist.co.uk/japan-rail-pass/buy-online/

    Japan from all accounts is an amazing country and 11 nights is nowhere near enough time to see it all but its all I have. I could write a massive thread but I'll stop it there for now. Any feedback or observations on my plans would be greatly appreciated.

    Cheers!
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    ScottSF
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭ScottSF


    Your itinerary looks very similar to the one I'm building for a planned first trip to Japan. So we must be following similar advice online and from guidebooks. I've found the book "Japan By Rail" is excellent for this sort of advice.

    I've been looking at this site for buying the Japan Rail Pass. I'm not sure how much the price can vary between sites and whether you pay in Euros, Dollars, or Yen. The exchange rates seem to vary so much over the past year but at least the Yen is weak.
    http://www.japan-rail-pass.com/jr-pass

    Have you considered seeing the monkeys in the hot springs up North?

    A few links to useful travel blogs I've discovered:
    http://www.ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-tokyo-japan/
    http://www.tofugu.com/2012/05/08/traveling-to-japan-for-the-first-time-planning-a-1-2-week-trip/
    http://www.besudesuabroad.com/2013/04/5-strange-cafes-in-tokyo/


  • #3
    Spazdarn
    Registered Users Posts: 1,986 ✭✭✭Spazdarn


    Kyoto was beautiful but I'm not sure there's an awful lot there to justify that many days there.


  • #4
    lc180
    Registered Users Posts: 1,999 ✭✭✭lc180


    ToiletFusion wrote: »
    Kyoto was beautiful but I'm not sure there's an awful lot there to justify that many days there.

    I'll really only have 2 full days in Kyoto for sightseeing, the other 2 days will be on day-trips outside of there.

    Is there anywhere else you'd recommend?


  • #5
    edeldonlon
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭edeldonlon


    I would make a stop off at the Himeji castle on the way to Hiroshima. It will only take a couple of hours and is definitely worth a visit. Nara is also a nice day trip out from Kyoto.


  • #6
    lc180
    Registered Users Posts: 1,999 ✭✭✭lc180


    edeldonlon wrote: »
    I would make a stop off at the Himeji castle on the way to Hiroshima. It will only take a couple of hours and is definitely worth a visit. Nara is also a nice day trip out from Kyoto.

    Great wee suggestion, thanks!


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  • #7
    Hrududu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭Hrududu


    I'm planning a similar trip and I read somewhere that the castle at Himeji is under scaffolding at the moment. Is it still worth stopping off to see?

    My question is whether an overnight stay in Koyasan is worth the trip? I keep seeing people saying they loved it. But at the moment I'm trying to fit it into my itinerary and I'm not 100% sold yet on it. Has anyone been or could nudge me one way or the other. It would be taking a day and night from Kyoto but I'd already have spent 3 days there so that may be enough.


  • #8
    mrskinner
    Registered Users Posts: 387 ✭✭mrskinner


    Will those who were planning trips to Japan please give a report of how they got on there. How many days in Kyoto? Is Himeji worth a visit despite the renovations? What about Hiroshima and Miyajima?


  • #9
    schemingbohemia
    Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    Himeji is about to re-open, we're planning on visiting it just after it re-opens at the end of March. Will report here when we get back.


  • #10
    ScottSF
    Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭ScottSF


    I skipped Himeji back in November because it was closed as reported. I took a day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima plus Miyajima island (a popular combination). A most perfect day trip and with the rail pass the ferry ride is also included. After staying in Tokyo for 5 nights in Shibuya we stayed in Kyoto for 2 nights. Then we moved onto Osaka for 3 nights since the hotels are less expensive than Kyoto and you also have good night life and days trips options such as Hiroshima and Nara.

    http://www.sidewalksafari.com/2015/02/top-5-osaka-japan.html

    I read that Osaka castle is also worthwhile as an alternative to Himeji, but I didn't have the time to make it there. With so many amazing cities, cultural and historic sites, and especially food experiences, the trip exceeded expectations.

    If you want to learn a bit of Japanese language I took a class at the Sanford language institute in Dublin. It was a bit expensive and you won't learn a ton in just one class, but it helped with the basics including pronunciation and Japanese etiquette and such.


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