Travel: Japan - General

[Dnls_mum]

EatNonStop:

Dnls_mum:

[quote=\"EatNonStop\"]Hi


I am thinking to go Tokyo / Osaka / Kyoto for 12 days trip from end Oct to mid Nov with my family of 2A + 2C
1) Where is the best place to capture the beautiful autumn red leaves??
2) Rough itinerary (no detail ideas on the places of interest yet, welcome any recommendations)
Day 1 - Reach Tokyo
Day 2 - Disneyland
Day 3 - Any place for Anime/Manga ??
Day 4 - From Tokyo to Osaka
Day 5 - Universal Studio
Day 6 - Kyoto
Day 7 - Day 12 - TBD

Is it a good idea to do trekking in Nov?? Or any activities that could involve the kids of 9 and 12?Looking for a holiday with great food / great places and activities that could involve the children so it wont be just scenic trip. What is the train cost from Tokyo to Oasaka?

Thanks.

Oct may be a bit early for autumn colours. You can check out Japan Guide's 2015 reports for a general timing of the colours in the diff places. Look out for the 2016 reports nearer your travel dates. Here is the link:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014.html

I was in Kawaguchiko in the second week of Nov last year and the colours were beautiful!

If you are going to Kyoto, you'll need more than a day there. There are so many UNESCO world heritage sites. We spent 3 nights in Kyoto last Apr and still did not get to see everything, and we want to go back there again!

Hi Dnls_mum
Could you share your itineary?[/quote]I did 3 trips to diff parts of Japan between Dec 2014 and Nov 2015, one to Shirakawago, takayama, Kanazawa and Tokyo, one to Hiroshima, Osaka and Kyoto and one to Tokyo and lake Kawaguchiko. You can find my day to day itinerary and details of each trip with photos here:
http://www.mumstravels.com/?page_id=1180

[PTLMum]

Hi did anyone do a DIY one day trip from Tokyo to Hakone area (view Mount Fuji, lake cruise etc)? I heard we can buy a one day pass to Hakone area at Tokyo station and it will cover the train fare, cruise fare etc in the Hakone area. Care to share how you did it? Thanks in advance!

[EatNonStop]

Hi


My 1st draft itinerary after reviewing Dnls_mum and others blog / websites.
Is this do-able? Am I too agressive in visiting too many places at one day or which place of interest I can omit?? Appreciate if someone with experience in Osaks/Kyoto/Tokyo can fine tune my itineary

Question
1) If base on this rough draft, is it advisable to buy single tickets or JR?
2) Any family hotel / ryokan to recommend? I am thinking to base at Oasaka and move around Osaka/Kyoto/Nara and Shinjuku in Toyko stay. We also want to explore and enjoy Onsen in this trip too.
3) Which is the place that can capture the beautiful autumn maple leaves?
4) Can recommend a ryokan in Lake Kawaguchiko ??
5) Is it better to fly into Osaka then move to Toyko or from Toyko to Osaka? Intend to buy ticket in this coming travel revolution fair from SQ (now they have sales to fly to Tokyo, wonder the top up if asking for open jaw tics)
6) How to prebook Nissin chicken noodle making session?
7) Where in Singapore can I get tickets for Disneyland and USJ? Is it the same price as the online?


Our main objectives for the trip - Some hands on & fun activities for Children of 2 (age 12 and 9) with Nissin cup noodle / USJ / Disneyland / bamboo Grove nature walk, afew days of ryokan to enjoy Onsen with the full course meal / cultural experience of Japan in Osaka and Kyoto.


Day 1 – Kansai international Airport. Explore the Geisha district of Gion at night
Day 2 - Visit Kyoto’s top cultural attractions: Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji (home to the Golden Pavilion) and Kyoto Imperial Palace. Travel to the city of Nara to see the Great Buddha of Todai-ji temple complex. Admire the 3,000 bronze lanterns in the Kasuga Shrine, and feed the wild deer in Nara Park
Day 3: Osaka (USJ)
Day 4 –930 Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine / 1135 Sanjusangendo Hall / 1300 Kiyomizu dera Temple / 1520 Yasaka Shrine / 15:55 Chion-in
Day 5 – 930 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove / 1155 Arashiyama Monkey park / 1350 Tentyuji Temple / 1505 Okochisanso Garden / 1635 Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
Day 6: Osaka (Umeda/Dontonbori canal / Shinsekai district).
Day 7 : Osaka to Tokyo / Shinjuku. Harajuku/Yoyogi Park/Shinjuku/Shibuya
Day 8 : Yogohama for Chinatown, Cup Noodles Museum
Day 9 : Disneyland
Day 10 : Tsikuji Market (is it moving to new place by end Oct or Nov? / Akihabara/Asakusa (Nakamise Dori , Sensoji temple) / Ueno / Ameyoko market
Day 11 : Lake Kawaguchiko for Mt Fuji / 1 night stay. The autumn colors around the first half of November. Kachi Kachi Ropeway / Kawaguchiko Museum of Art /Shuhoukaku Kogetsu
Day 12 : Back To Tokyo morning. Edo Tokyo Museum / Ginza
Day 13 : To Narita airport back to Singapore

Thanks in advance.

[Dnls_mum]

EatNonStop:

Hi


My 1st draft itinerary after reviewing Dnls_mum and others blog / websites.
Is this do-able? Am I too agressive in visiting too many places at one day or which place of interest I can omit?? Appreciate if someone with experience in Osaks/Kyoto/Tokyo can fine tune my itineary

Question
1) If base on this rough draft, is it advisable to buy single tickets or JR?
2) Any family hotel / ryokan to recommend? I am thinking to base at Oasaka and move around Osaka/Kyoto/Nara and Shinjuku in Toyko stay. We also want to explore and enjoy Onsen in this trip too.
3) Which is the place that can capture the beautiful autumn maple leaves?
4) Can recommend a ryokan in Lake Kawaguchiko ??
5) Is it better to fly into Osaka then move to Toyko or from Toyko to Osaka? Intend to buy ticket in this coming travel revolution fair from SQ (now they have sales to fly to Tokyo, wonder the top up if asking for open jaw tics)
6) How to prebook Nissin chicken noodle making session?
7) Where in Singapore can I get tickets for Disneyland and USJ? Is it the same price as the online?


Our main objectives for the trip - Some hands on & fun activities for Children of 2 (age 12 and 9) with Nissin cup noodle / USJ / Disneyland / bamboo Grove nature walk, afew days of ryokan to enjoy Onsen with the full course meal / cultural experience of Japan in Osaka and Kyoto.


Day 1 – Kansai international Airport. Explore the Geisha district of Gion at night
Day 2 - Visit Kyoto’s top cultural attractions: Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji (home to the Golden Pavilion) and Kyoto Imperial Palace. Travel to the city of Nara to see the Great Buddha of Todai-ji temple complex. Admire the 3,000 bronze lanterns in the Kasuga Shrine, and feed the wild deer in Nara Park
Day 3: Osaka (USJ)
Day 4 –930 Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine / 1135 Sanjusangendo Hall / 1300 Kiyomizu dera Temple / 1520 Yasaka Shrine / 15:55 Chion-in
Day 5 – 930 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove / 1155 Arashiyama Monkey park / 1350 Tentyuji Temple / 1505 Okochisanso Garden / 1635 Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
Day 6: Osaka (Umeda/Dontonbori canal / Shinsekai district).
Day 7 : Osaka to Tokyo / Shinjuku. Harajuku/Yoyogi Park/Shinjuku/Shibuya
Day 8 : Yogohama for Chinatown, Cup Noodles Museum
Day 9 : Disneyland
Day 10 : Tsikuji Market (is it moving to new place by end Oct or Nov? / Akihabara/Asakusa (Nakamise Dori , Sensoji temple) / Ueno / Ameyoko market
Day 11 : Lake Kawaguchiko for Mt Fuji / 1 night stay. The autumn colors around the first half of November. Kachi Kachi Ropeway / Kawaguchiko Museum of Art /Shuhoukaku Kogetsu
Day 12 : Back To Tokyo morning. Edo Tokyo Museum / Ginza
Day 13 : To Narita airport back to Singapore

Thanks in advance.

You can go to http://www.hyperdia.com to price out the price of individual train trips and compare it with the price of a JR pass, then see which is more worth it.
I think your Kyoto itinerary is quite pack. Eg day 2. Nara is almost a full day trip in its own, I feel.

[piyo88]

Hi,


Planning a 10D F&E trip in end Nov 2016 to Tokyo and Hokkaido for my family of 2A2C. Need comments and advice on the itinerary and transport as I still could not make up my mind after reading through many pages on this thread.

My draft itinerary is like this :
day 1 : SG -> Tokyo - Shinjuku/Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Building
day 2 : Tokyo
day 3 : Tokyo - disneyland / disneysea
day 4 : Travel to Hakone / Kawaguchiko (Mt Fuji 5th station, Kawaguchiko music forest)
day 5 : Hakone/Kawaguchiko -> Hakodate
day 6 : Hakodate
day 7 : Hakodate
day 8 : Hakodate -> Tokyo
day 9 : Tokyo shopping / Onsen hotel
day 10: Tokyo -> SG

1. Is it advisable to go to Hakone or Kawaguchiko to see Mt Fuji, given that my next stop after that is to go Hakodate? What mode of transport should I take from either Hakone or Kawaguchiko to Hakodate (train or fly)?

2. Is it possible to take highway bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguichicho Station, check in to hotel near kawaguichio station, go Mount Fuji 5th station by local bus, kawaguchiko music forest?

3. Any nice, reasonable onsen hotel to recommend that is convenient for travelling to Narita Airport on the next day?

4. Is it worth to travel to Hokkaido for 4D3N stay by train or flight, considering the time and cost involved?

5. I am considering getting the flexible 6 Day JR East-South Hokkaido pass at 28,000 yen or the 7 day JR pass at 29,110 yen? Or not get either pass at all if I fly to Hokkaido?

Any comments or advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[annkarin72]

Hi


We are also going Hokkiado and Tokyo end Nov

Will be at Hokkiado first fro 4 days then to Tokyo

We will be staying at Sheraton Kiroro Resort for 2 days then to Sapporo

Any reccomendations for day tour at Hokkiado?

Any transport to recommend to pick up from Hokkiado airport to Sheraton Kiroro resort.

We have 7A 2C.

Hi piyo88 ,

When are you leaving? Which airline? have you book all the hotel?

CHeers
Karin

[piyo88]

Hi Annkarin72,


I am going to Tokyo on 19 Nov by Delta Air. Staying in Tokyo for 3 nights first, then planning to go Hokkaido for 4D3N before coming back to Tokyo to fly back to SG. Have booked first 3 nights in Tokyo only, staying in Super Hotel, Shinjuku. Other nights not confirmed yet coz itinerary not firmed up yet. Still trying to do my research. I am going crazy planning this trip.

Do note that 23 Nov is a public holiday there. So guess not good day for popular places like Disneyland.

Has anyone used the Fuji Hakone pass with departure from Shinjuku? Does it cover highway bus both ways? I read the pamphlet and it says only can use for one way bus between shinjuku and kawaguchiko. It does not cover the bus from kawaguchiko to fuji 5th station also, right?

Haven’t heard much feedback about people travelling from tokyo to kawaguchiko, covering fuji 5th station, lake cruise, ropeway all in a day. Is it doable? The feedback that most people have about those day trips is that the duration at fuji 5th station is so short, only 30 mins. Travelling time so long comparatively. Anyone can share more?

[annkarin72]

Hi piyo88


We are leaving on the 22nd Nov. taking ANA. Will go hokkiado first.

Will be in Tokyo from 26th nov. book Airbnb in Tokyo.

Ya me too I’m also don’t know how to plan.

There is day trip to Mount Fuji, Hakone tour.

Thanks taken note on the holiday 23rd nov

Thanks

[galaxyraider]

Internet is your best friend!


Hope these links will help:
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_014.html
- http://www.jrpass.com/blogs/itinerary-tip-mt-fuji

[piyo88]

Galaxyraider, thanks for the link. It was very helpful to explain much clearer about the use of the Fuji Hakone pass.