Travel: Japan - General

[starlight1968sg]

Kokuya in Shibu onsen and Snow Monkey Park etc are our favourites.

[Dnls_mum]

luvtravel:

Hi all,


Just came back from my 2 weeks holiday in Japan covering Takayama, Shirakawa, Gokayama, Kanazawa, Shibu Onsen, Nozawa, Kawaguchiko and finally back to Tokyo to spend 3 days at Disney Sea and Disneyland.

Thanks to all fellow KSPs who provide useful information for planning my 1st Japan trip and specially thanks to Dnls_mum who answered lots of my queries.

Japan is very suitable for 1st time visit with all the convenient transportation although at times we need to rush for trains and buses. I use the courier service to send my luggage from airport/hotel to another hotel, all arrived safely without any hiccups.

We flew by JAL, in Nagoya and out Narita. However, for the internal flight from Narita to Nagoya, the plane cannot land in Nagoya due to strong wind and we actually landed in Osaka airport instead. We were given free bus and train tickets to transfer from Osaka to Nagoya. Few hours wasted…..

Hotels that we stayed
1) Nagoya - Hotel Trusty Nagoya, very old hotel, not recommended
2) Murakami - Ryokan Hidagyu no Yado, very good recommendation from Dnls_mum, nice private onsen and good food
3) Takayama - Hidatei Hanaougi, nicest hotel that we stayed and food vice only “so so”
4) Gokayama – Akaokan, surprisingly good food provided although in a remote location
5) Kanazawa - Toyoko Inn Kanazawa, very convenient and near to Kanazawa station
6) Shibu Onsen - Shibu-onsen Kokuya, also recommended by Dnls_mum, good onsen, we had a “snowing onsen” in our own room
7) Nozawa - Nozawa Onsen Tokiwaya Ryokan, good food
Ginza - Hotel Sunroute Ginza, convenient location and near train station
9) Kawaguchiko - Shuhoukaku Kogetsu, also recommended by Dnls_mum, good view and very yummy food, we can see a clear Mt Fuji view from our window in the morning
10) Urayasu - Hotel Emion Tokyo Bay, provide free shuttle bus to both Disneyland & Disney Sea

Some of the places that we enjoyed
1) Shin-Hotaka Ropeway – very scenic
2) Bears Park – Kids enjoyed feeding the bears
3) Shirakawa vs Gokayama – we prefer Gokayam
a as we feel Shirakawa too commercialised
4) Nozawa Onsen - initially we plan to ski here but ski resort not open due to not enough snow, we had the most relax day in Nozawa, having foot bath and yummy food
5) Snow Monkey Park – monkeys in hot onsen
6) Oshino Hakkai – good spot to view Mt Fuji
7) Kawaguchiko Music Forest – kids and adults enjoyed touring the place
Disneyland & Disney Sea – my kids (age 6 and 9) prefer Disney Sea more than Disneyland

We enjoyed very much of the Japanese food, all very yummy, including those bento that we bought from supermarket/train station. I love the onsen, had it twice in a day, after dinner and before breakfast. Japanese are nice and helpful, place is clean. Definitely we will go back again to Japan. :rahrah: :rahrah:

Luvtravel,
Glad that you can enjoyed the ryokans.
I am so jealous that you had a good view of Mt Fuji from the ryokan. It was covered in clouds when I was there! I need to go again!

[starlight1968sg]

Dnls_mum

Me too & stayed in an expensive ryokan whereby can see mt fuji at the outdoor onsen, only to see clouds when i was there
So this is another valid reason of visiting japan again & stay in a posh ryokan

[Dnls_mum]

starlight1968sg:

Dnls_mum

Me too & stayed in an expensive ryokan whereby can see mt fuji at the outdoor onsen, only to see clouds when i was there
So this is another valid reason of visiting japan again & stay in a posh ryokan

Do you think it is the season? Someone was telling me winter normally less cloudy and clearer sky. I went in autumn........

But nowadays, weather so unpredictable lor.......

[luvtravel]

starlight1968sg:

Kokuya in Shibu onsen and Snow Monkey Park etc are our favourites.

Initially my hubby \"unwilling\" to go Snow Monkey Park as he commented what so special of these monkeys, we have lots of monkeys here....

After the trip, he voted the Snow Monkey Park as one of his favourite place :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[luvtravel]

Dnls_mum:

Luvtravel,
Glad that you can enjoyed the ryokans.
I am so jealous that you had a good view of Mt Fuji from the ryokan. It was covered in clouds when I was there! I need to go again!

We loved the ryokans stay, for the yummy food and onsen !!

We are very lucky to have sunny days during our Kawaguchiko visit. We can see a clear Mt Fuji in the train towards the Kawaguchiko station. Then, have the best view of Mt Fuji when we were in Oshino Hakkai. Later, we took the rope way and boat ride but the view not as nice as what we get in Oshino Hakkai.

For the next day, the Mt Fuji was covered in clouds in the early morning. But we had a clear view when we checked out.

Later in the afternoon, we captured the sunset Mt Fuji when we were in the Gotemba outlet.

So, when is yout next trip to Japan ?? :evil: :evil:

[luvtravel]

Dnls_mum:

Do you think it is the season? Someone was telling me winter normally less cloudy and clearer sky. I went in autumn........

But nowadays, weather so unpredictable lor.......

Saw comments in other forum that the best time to view Mt Fuji is during winter, and its true for my visit...

[Dnls_mum]

luvtravel:

Dnls_mum:

Luvtravel,
Glad that you can enjoyed the ryokans.
I am so jealous that you had a good view of Mt Fuji from the ryokan. It was covered in clouds when I was there! I need to go again!

We loved the ryokans stay, for the yummy food and onsen !!

We are very lucky to have sunny days during our Kawaguchiko visit. We can see a clear Mt Fuji in the train towards the Kawaguchiko station. Then, have the best view of Mt Fuji when we were in Oshino Hakkai. Later, we took the rope way and boat ride but the view not as nice as what we get in Oshino Hakkai.

For the next day, the Mt Fuji was covered in clouds in the early morning. But we had a clear view when we checked out.

Later in the afternoon, we captured the sunset Mt Fuji when we were in the Gotemba outlet.

So, when is yout next trip to Japan ?? :evil: :evil:

I had originally planned to go in May. Maybe to kiso valley, Matsumoto to see the black castle and alpine route? I have already redeemed my tickets. But now, as we are going UK in June with the kids, hubby thinks we should not go Japan in May. Both trips too near and afraid too much things to do in the office. So may need to cancel my redemption booking now :sad:

If I really cancel this may trip, then probably will only go in Oct or nov. Anytime earlier, hubby will say too close to London trip again

I definitely want to go again lor........

[MyPillow]

Dnls_mum:

luvtravel:

[quote=\"Dnls_mum\"]

Luvtravel,
Glad that you can enjoyed the ryokans.
I am so jealous that you had a good view of Mt Fuji from the ryokan. It was covered in clouds when I was there! I need to go again!

We loved the ryokans stay, for the yummy food and onsen !!

We are very lucky to have sunny days during our Kawaguchiko visit. We can see a clear Mt Fuji in the train towards the Kawaguchiko station. Then, have the best view of Mt Fuji when we were in Oshino Hakkai. Later, we took the rope way and boat ride but the view not as nice as what we get in Oshino Hakkai.

For the next day, the Mt Fuji was covered in clouds in the early morning. But we had a clear view when we checked out.

Later in the afternoon, we captured the sunset Mt Fuji when we were in the Gotemba outlet.

So, when is yout next trip to Japan ?? :evil: :evil:

I had originally planned to go in May. Maybe to kiso valley, Matsumoto to see the black castle and alpine route? I have already redeemed my tickets. But now, as we are going UK in June with the kids, hubby thinks we should not go Japan in May. Both trips too near and afraid too much things to do in the office. So may need to cancel my redemption booking now :sad:

If I really cancel this may trip, then probably will only go in Oct or nov. Anytime earlier, hubby will say too close to London trip again

I definitely want to go again lor........[/quote]dnls, can try later dec ? i managed to see gd snow capped view fr Toky Metropolitan building in dec and day trip to hakone. Totally agree with all here, another reason to go get a closer view or new angle view of Mdm Fuji

[Dnls_mum]

MyPillow:

dnls, can try later dec ? i managed to see gd snow capped view fr Toky Metropolitan building in dec and day trip to hakone. Totally agree with all here, another reason to go get a closer view or new angle view of Mdm Fuji

That's an idea! :please:
We were in Tokyo in Dec 14, but did not go to hakone or kawaguchiko as we were doing a central Japan trip of shirakawago and Takayama. I always think of going only spring or autumn for the Sakura or maple leaves, maybe should really go Dec again