thanks for the suggestion, sifu
for 14day JR pass, it's about RM530 per person extra over the 7 day pass, for 2 person it'll add up to RM1060
The Seishun 18 Kippu cost about RM380 for 5 days, and can be shared. In my case, i can use it for 2 person for 2 days
Having said that, a friend said that i might find buses more suited for certain destinations in Hokkaido
alternatively, i can use the money saved from JR pass to rent car for 2 days instead.
Does it make good sense?

Day 1-4 - Osaka+Kyoto+Nagoya (Planning to use Kintetsu Pass)
Day 5 - Head to Tokyo (activate JR 7 day pass)
Day 6-8 - Tokyo area+Hakone (Likely need to use Suica pass)
Day 9 - Head to Hokkaido (Using JR pass - day 5 of 7)
Day 10-11 Hokkaido (JR pass day 6&7)
Day 12-13 Hokkaido (Considering need of getting a 5 day Seishun 18 Kippu to be share between 2 person for local train)
Day 14 - return to Malaysia

Seishun 18kippu is seasonal. So you have to ensure that its available on the dates that you are travelling.

yup, i've checked
it's available during the time when i'm there

hi all, any1 know if we can buy night bus ticket from osaka to tokyo on the spot? so far i only found willerexpress may able to do so, any other choice?

Got JR Company Bus

But WillerExpress was most comfotable and most best way to travel.

Still a useless pass for me.
When you travel. You need fast. Speed againt time.

This Pass cannot used on limited express or Shinkansen. Do you know how big is Hokkaido Land? WIthout Limited Express. From Sapporo to Otaru by local train will take up to 3 hour just for the journey. The train have to stop all station and limited to 80km/h only.

Local Train = same as our KTM Komuter. If crowded mean u have to standing all the way. Tired of standing...you still got energy to walk around when you reach your destination?

I told you if you usedd this stupid seishun pass. All your day at Hokkaido will be wasted just on train journey.

From Sapporo to Hakodate without Limited Express ...you need interchange train on middle journey. Total hour might take up to 6 hour just for journey. While Limited Express just 3 hour.
So do you start your homework already? Which station have to get down and do the intercahnge

Seishun Or JR Rail Pass?

Do your Plan wisely

This post has been edited by RegentCid: Mar 20 2014, 11:20 AM

ok, thanks for the tips

JR rail Pass are more Expensive but save you alot of time. All those Limited Express are fast plus it also help you save up doing intercahnge station homework.

I have used 18Kippu before but not in Hokkaido. Shinkansen is a defenite no-no. However you can used some rapid or limited express. If you can read and write Japanese, there is actually a website that plan for you the trip using 18Kippu。A simple check: Sapporo to Hakodate will take you 7 hours - Leavin at 10:30 am and reaching 7:30pm and changing trains 3 times.

thanks for all the feedback and reminding the travel time between Hakodate and Sapporo
now revising the plan a little
instead of tokyo->Sapporo will do a tokyo -> hakodate (spend a night or two) -> hakodate


In Hokkaido, now leaning towards renting a car for 2 days to cover Furano/Biei and the surrounding areas to save time considering Sapporo to Furano takes at least 3 hours even by limited express
The remaining JR pass will likely be used for Otaru

To drive in Japan, need to go JPJ to translate the license right?

This post has been edited by electron: Mar 20 2014, 12:33 PM

18 Kippu cannot used on Limited Express. Only Local Train Rapid.

Changing train only need 2 times. Hakodate > Oshamambe > Otaru > Sapporo

This post has been edited by RegentCid: Mar 20 2014, 01:50 PM

Need International Licence. Go JPJ pay for that licence

Ya just bring ur license and RM150 (forget )

1. beware if u never drive in the snow, take the train
2. hokkaido have highest accident rate in whole japan, why? foreigner lo and mayb icy road
3. the car is right hand drive, same as our car
4. buy insurances!
5. japanese drive very politely, never above 70km/h + 100m gaps between u and them + they know u r foreigner with rental car (they let u go first) + never over take car (can oni do it at certain road with 2km straight line)
6. there is no traffic light to cross road (for car), u just have to take chances to cross it
7. google maps gps work better than japanese gps (car rental gps)
8. if driving to furano during nite time (from or to chitose airport), some area cover with fog (in my case fog+rain) + narrow 1lane road... u hv to drive extremely slow... no fun using this route... (using it during day time)
9. it is advisable to rent car in hokkaido, some tourist attraction can only be access using car... if use train, some place u need to use bus (u will hv fun happily waiting about 30mins to 1hour + limited schedule)

You left out the most important thing which is totally different from Malaysia. If there is a zebra crossing, people is King. Make sure everyone have cross the road first before you proceed. Hence always stop to make sure unless there is traffic lights.

I take Helicopter

i donno about u
i alwayz practice stop at zebra line and i alwayz stop before i make any turn
isn't it a common sense here too??
dont tell me, u from JB?~

ya rite, no pix no talk

thanks for the tips
my travel will be during summer, so less concern bout snow
for point #9, that's the reason i'm leaning toward renting car for some of the trips and destinations

i do that in Malaysia too, until sometimes kena horn and even once, the car just overtake me, almost running down the pedestrian

you stay in haneda airport? what time is ur plane arrived?
my friend just back from japan also and she said her plane arrived 10:10pm and enough time to go to your hotel.

if u r going during summer, remember to visit Unkai Terrace
http://www.snowtomamu.jp/summer/en/unkai.php
depend on luck, u might able to see it

ps: i saw b4 at mount kinabalu, gold in color somemore... VERY nice

This post has been edited by lucaswjk: Mar 20 2014, 04:05 PM