Hi guys, a quick question.

For the Haruka and Icoca pass, can I like buy the Kyoto to Kansai Airport at day 1, use the Icoca for the rest of my 10 days trip, then only activate the Haruka ticket from Kyoto back to Kansai Airport?

My initial plan was use the 7 days JR pass first at the airport > Kyoto/Osaka > Tokyo, as our first trip is lto Tokyo first.

Any ideas? I've read the guide the JR west provided but doesn't seem have the answer. The only concern is single trip only have 1 day validity.

Thanks for the clear up.
Guess I have no choice but to purchase the returned pass. Bummers, tot going to save that extra RM30 for a meal or something..

From what I know, the discounted ticket are entitled to reserve seats too(returned).

By the way, how to reserve seat? I heard JR Shinkansen also need to reserve seats before boarding.

lol, looks like transporter hotel if you had watch that movie.. so futuristic.. sadly I'm enrolled in full time ryokan, if not I would like to experience one night in those capsule hotel..

drafting my itinerary.. will drop bunch of questions soon...

oh ya, here's a quick one.. I'm travelling between 15th to 25th May 2014. 15th to 20th is in Tokyo.

For tokyo pass, I'm getting a tokyo subway ticket(new and only available from 22 April onwards) 3 days for 1500 yen for toei and metro. Should I get a suica card also? My friend studying in tokyo and said no need get a suica pass for my situation because :

15th May - half day in Tokyo because arriving at osaka @8am, settle this and that and reach around 2-3pm tokyo

16-19 May - one day disney sea, 3 days wondering around(still drafting from my list of chosen attractions)

20 May - back kyoto(6th day JR pass)

any advice? I still think suica not worth for us because the credit is not refundable, and I believe we can't finish 1500 yen in 1 and 1/2 days...

This post has been edited by jepertine90: Apr 7 2014, 12:17 PM

if homestay or ryokan, just personally e-mail them.. I got mine on December, but I'm going on May 15th, but they allow me to pre-book first.. sometimes you need to ask for such special exemption I guess?

because Im searching via airbnb, hostel.com, booking.com those because it is an agent, they much unlikely to attend your special request, so I figured and pm them and it works..

thats the reason I'm not opting for sushi dai no matter how good it is.. just waste of my precious time~ unless I have endless time to waste during my visit, then I might go for it..

you can travel on May 13 like that for spring.. not bad weather as it is not hot or cold.. between 17-23 according to my friend.. avoid golden week..

from what I research from the wonders of internet. Early May assume is 1st may to 10 may.. is still Spring, according to accu weather, the temp is around 16-22 temp..

I think the most common one got foreigner should be sumimasen sensei ~

-edit- SOLVED...

This post has been edited by jepertine90: Apr 11 2014, 02:07 PM

just back from 10 days japan trip... on the last day, the weather turned.. super hot in kyoto yesterday..

forget it, you won't make it / enjoy your stay.. I split into 5 tokyo, 6 kyoto in my trip.. guess what, I really missed many places..
Japan is a big county and lots to offer. Don't be greedy and just focus on one region or greedy a bit, cover tokyo and kansai..

Even 10 days alone in Tokyo/Kyoto, you won't finish exploring.

I'll visit again next year, got poisoned by the culture/food and mini skirts and girls!

schoolgirls and teenager are so well fashioned, when I come back malaysia, I saw lenglui(malaysian standards) I was like meh, not that pretty also.. Need few months to get off the JAPAN effect off of my head.

still pretty, been to taiwan.. also

never goes off, how to find GF like that? standard high liao.. haha

and true, rarely spot a big person.. the only big person was me during my stay in Japan.. haha

Okinawa of coz, beaches always attracts youngsters... but I'm more interested my next visit to Hokkaido

Hi ZombieLand,

We can't actually suggest anything for you based on this.. you need to do homework yourself for your itinerary.

1) good guesthouse/hostel that u recommend
-there's no good guesthouse/hostel as most of them are pretty good because it is japan, this sole based on the places you travel to set your base.

2) cheapest mode of transport to these places
-cheapest mode always public transport, train, buses, bicycle, and your leg

3) ur suggestion on the itinerary
-do homework as many forumers told me before

4) any good places that could not be missed
-do homework.. basically all place are good..

please visit https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/3092421/+2160
for all your inquiry...

Going Kyoto/Osaka again on Jan/Feb 2015.. I back from there less than a week and purchases ticket again to revisit some places I missed.. That's Japan.

I try squeeze my budget in less than 3k for 8 days trip.. due to I want to visit Universal Studio Japan.. budget increase to 3.5k.. breakdown as below as according to current rate :

Air fare - RM 875
Hotel - 6 night RM100 x6 = Rm600
Universal Studio Japan - Rm 223
Kansai Thru Pass - Estimate 3 days - Rm160
Kyoto Bus 1 day = Rm16
Haruka & Icoca = Rm130
Wifi 6 days - Rm45

Total : Rm2050 + Rm1450(Spending money)

which 1 day aprox 6500 yen to survive, which is acceptable..

wifi should be same as i just used, globaladvancecommunication wifi.
hotel still looking, but i'm looking at hana hostel in osaka, then stay some guest house in kyoto. still planning and working around my budget of rm600

sorry my cost were divided among 4 person, so Rm45 per person..

depends on where you want to go. you can always use hyperdia.com to check your train, it will show which type of train and fare you going to take. From there you can calculate how are you going to utilize those passes. However just within Osaka, you can buy Osaka Unlimited Pass.. In Kyoto, you can always take bus(kyoto 1 day buss = 500 yen)..

if you keep travel between osaka and kyoto, kansai thru pass is suitable.. which can go to Nara and other places as well..