Travel: Japan - General

[dimitri_can]

Do pm me if u need any additional assistance or post over here.

[elmo80]

Hi, anyone can advise me on the weather in Tokyo in early august?

[dimitri_can]

Refer to here

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2273.html

[dasalo]

Hi, I’m venturing Shikoku and the islands around it with my dd it in April. My first time there and wondering what is the best option to travel from Narita to Takamatsu and Okayama to Tokyo.


We’ve checked the nite-bus from Okayama to Tokyo but it looks a painful 10.5hrs ride. We try to budget ourselves as tight as possible for this 15 days trip.

How realistically tight can we be?

Anyone been around Shikoku care to share insights?

[dimitri_can]

dasalo:

Hi, I'm venturing Shikoku and the islands around it with my dd it in April. My first time there and wondering what is the best option to travel from Narita to Takamatsu and Okayama to Tokyo.


We've checked the nite-bus from Okayama to Tokyo but it looks a painful 10.5hrs ride. We try to budget ourselves as tight as possible for this 15 days trip.

How realistically tight can we be?

Anyone been around Shikoku care to share insights?

If u can, try to go via Kansai airport. If cannot, its about 5-6 hrs via Shinkansen n express train from Narita to Takamatsu n back is bout another 4 hours.

How does ur itinerary look like now? If u post ur itinerary, i can do some toogling to help save some money.

I m also going in April with my disciple.

[dasalo]

dimitri_can:

dasalo:

Hi, I'm venturing Shikoku and the islands around it with my dd it in April. My first time there and wondering what is the best option to travel from Narita to Takamatsu and Okayama to Tokyo.


We've checked the nite-bus from Okayama to Tokyo but it looks a painful 10.5hrs ride. We try to budget ourselves as tight as possible for this 15 days trip.

How realistically tight can we be?

Anyone been around Shikoku care to share insights?

If u can, try to go via Kansai airport. If cannot, its about 5-6 hrs via Shinkansen n express train from Narita to Takamatsu n back is bout another 4 hours.

How does ur itinerary look like now? If u post ur itinerary, i can do some toogling to help save some money.

I m also going in April with my disciple.

Hi Dimitri, you and your disciple? Going for the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? :nailbite: joking!

Via Kansai was our original plan but ANA had good offers on Sin-Nrt at $320 before tax! So we grabbed it.

My tentative itinerary would be:

Sin - Tyo - Nite bus to Takamatsu

Takamatsu/Tokushima/Matsuyama/Kochi (basically utilising the All shikoku JR pass routes) 6-7 days

Naoshima 2 nights

Teshima

Shodoshima 2 nights

shikoku-okayama via nite bus to Tokyo for 2 nights

These were planned by my dd and I vaguely remember by heart. We are visiting mostly Museums and Art Galleries and of course, Wild Nature and their local food.

Basically we are doing a round trip back to Tokyo.

Love to hear your views.

[dimitri_can]

dasalo:

Hi Dimitri, you and your disciple? Going for the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? :nailbite: joking!

Via Kansai was our original plan but ANA had good offers on Sin-Nrt at $320 before tax! So we grabbed it.

My tentative itinerary would be:

Sin - Tyo - Nite bus to Takamatsu

Takamatsu/Tokushima/Matsuyama/Kochi (basically utilising the All shikoku JR pass routes) 6-7 days

Naoshima 2 nights

Teshima

Shodoshima 2 nights

shikoku-okayama via nite bus to Tokyo for 2 nights

These were planned by my dd and I vaguely remember by heart. We are visiting mostly Museums and Art Galleries and of course, Wild Nature and their local food.

Basically we are doing a round trip back to Tokyo.

Love to hear your views.

Ya. My disciple learning from me on how to teach Japanese.
So i am bringing him to Japan to learn more about the history of some places, like Kurashiki in Okayama, Hiroshima Atomic Dome, etc... Being a Japanese teacher is not ez...

My suggestion would be that if you can, go to Matsuyama first instead of Takamatsu first via bus, so that you can save some time on the travelling..

http://shikoku-railwaytrip.com/railpass.html

Followed by
Kochi->Tokushima->Takamatsu, and the small islands, Naoshima->Teshima->Shodoshima->Okayama, then lastly Tokyo.

From Matsuyama, it's 4 hours to Kochi.
From Kochi, it's about 3.5 hours to Tokushima.
From Tokushima, it's about 1 hour to Takamatsu.
For the small islands, it's about 30-1 hour away from Takamatsu.

I guess in this way, you might save some time on the travelling...

See the attached map....
http://i58.tinypic.com/2r5uuix.png\">

For Shikoku, i have been to Tokushima only to watch the whirlpools. Very nice...

Try to plan that you should be in Tokyo on the last day in case of any train faults,etc...

I think i have a Japanese travel guide on Shikoku. If you want, i can find it and lend it to you.

Hope it helps.

[Dnls_mum]

phyedw:

Thanks.

Do you think booking through hotels.com and agoda.com will be cheaper?

We will be going on the 2dec, reaching narita at ard 1705, departing tokyo on the 16dec, 2050.

My 3 kids are 14,12 and 9. This is our first time.

Currently places to visit on my mind is disneyland/sea, pokemon center(kids' request), nissin noodle museum, odaiba, ginza, tokyo tower, mount fuji, etc.

I book the hotels of my upcoming trip through japanican. If you plan to stay at Toyoko Inn, I suggest booking through their website directly. Sign up for membership. Members can get discount.

[dasalo]

dimitri_can:

dasalo:

Hi Dimitri, you and your disciple? Going for the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? :nailbite: joking!

Via Kansai was our original plan but ANA had good offers on Sin-Nrt at $320 before tax! So we grabbed it.

My tentative itinerary would be:

Sin - Tyo - Nite bus to Takamatsu

Takamatsu/Tokushima/Matsuyama/Kochi (basically utilising the All shikoku JR pass routes) 6-7 days

Naoshima 2 nights

Teshima

Shodoshima 2 nights

shikoku-okayama via nite bus to Tokyo for 2 nights

These were planned by my dd and I vaguely remember by heart. We are visiting mostly Museums and Art Galleries and of course, Wild Nature and their local food.

Basically we are doing a round trip back to Tokyo.

Love to hear your views.

Ya. My disciple learning from me on how to teach Japanese.
So i am bringing him to Japan to learn more about the history of some places, like Kurashiki in Okayama, Hiroshima Atomic Dome, etc... Being a Japanese teacher is not ez...

My suggestion would be that if you can, go to Matsuyama first instead of Takamatsu first via bus, so that you can save some time on the travelling..

http://shikoku-railwaytrip.com/railpass.html

Followed by
Kochi->Tokushima->Takamatsu, and the small islands, Naoshima->Teshima->Shodoshima->Okayama, then lastly Tokyo.

From Matsuyama, it's 4 hours to Kochi.
From Kochi, it's about 3.5 hours to Tokushima.
From Tokushima, it's about 1 hour to Takamatsu.
For the small islands, it's about 30-1 hour away from Takamatsu.

I guess in this way, you might save some time on the travelling...

See the attached map....
http://i58.tinypic.com/2r5uuix.png\">

For Shikoku, i have been to Tokushima only to watch the whirlpools. Very nice...

Try to plan that you should be in Tokyo on the last day in case of any train faults,etc...

I think i have a Japanese travel guide on Shikoku. If you want, i can find it and lend it to you.

Hope it helps.

Ya...I saw your blog/s. I thought Naruto whirlpool was scary!!

Yes, our last stop before Okayama should be Shodoshima. My only worry is the nite-bus ride from Okayama to Tokyo. Saw your Willer Express experience, they look quite cool actually with a canopy. Not sure what we are travelling on though. We have 3 pax, Tokyo accommodation still not fix. We should be finalising the accom this wk.

Another Q. Is it advisable to bring 24\"x 4 wheels luggage for 2pax as oppose to each dragging their own 20\"x 4 wheels cabin luggage? We will have backpacks on each of us too.

Saw some updated videos on Kagawa prefecture on Earthquake. Are they anticipating any?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc7e2JWGlxA

[dimitri_can]

dasalo:

Ya...I saw your blog/s. I thought Naruto whirlpool was scary!!

Yes, our last stop before Okayama should be Shodoshima. My only worry is the nite-bus ride from Okayama to Tokyo. Saw your Willer Express experience, they look quite cool actually with a canopy. Not sure what we are travelling on though. We have 3 pax, Tokyo accommodation still not fix. We should be finalising the accom this wk.

Another Q. Is it advisable to bring 24\"x 4 wheels luggage for 2pax as oppose to each dragging their own 20\"x 4 wheels cabin luggage? We will have backpacks on each of us too.

Saw some updated videos on Kagawa prefecture on Earthquake. Are they anticipating any?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc7e2JWGlxA

If you are going via Willer Express, no need to worry too much.
Usually if overnight trips, there will be 2 drivers. Every 2 hours, the drivers will take a rest for 15 mins.

If you are expecting yourselves to climb a lot of staircases, then 20\" x 4 wheels will be better. For me, i usually bring 27\" x 4 wheels for long trips of more than 1 week. Recent trips, i will bring 20\" x 4 wheels + 1 跑路bag for my extra purchases... Save on luggage money (i usually take budget airlines like Scoot)

Earthquakes are hard to predict. Don't worry too much about it. Just remember when earthquake happens, do 3 things

1) Open window
2) Turn off all electrical appliances/off stove (if you stay in AirBnB)
3) Hide under table...

I am creating an album for the public to see my pictures of my 26 trips to Japan... less pictures of me...

You can see it over here. Will add in the pictures slowly.

http://goo.gl/a4vS4e