Yup, this may give you a clearer picture:
http://www.hakonenavi.jp/english/freepass/

Pasmo is just like out TnG card, universal card but no discount, fuss free. You may want to have a look at Kansai Thru Pass as another option when you are travelling in kansai area.

Rough calculation, it is not worth for the JR Pass since you are only travelling one way Osaka-Tokyo. However, since you are moving everyday from your base in Kobe to Osaka/Kyoto, you may use shinkansen using the JR Pass. So use hyperdia to add up your journey costs and compare which one is better, with or without JR pass, or using Kansai Thru Pass.

Have fun getting headache

Tips, plan your osaka trip to concide with weekends, then you can use the Eco card.

This post has been edited by Human Nature: Jan 6 2015, 12:48 AM

I try to avoid Shinkansen actually...
Unfortunately I'm leaving for Malaysia on Saturday's night, so the Eco card can be used on Saturday only. I will Google about this.
Honestly, I'm already crying at one corner now. So complicated.

Sunday also can use the eco card. Else have a look at Kansai Thru Pass.

For me, I used cash for shinkansen with icoca card and pasmo card

Combine it with Kyoto bus pass, Eco card, Haruka combo.

I'm going back on Saturday...

Alright, I will look into it. Thanks a lot ya.

When I was in Japan, since I move around a lot, naturally I get JR Pass.

On top of that, for each city (i.e Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka), I buy day passes.

Regarding Kansai area, I had fun taking shin-kaisoku (新快速) train on JR network

Yes. You'll need the IDL.
Can be done at JPJ or AAM.

overnight at shirakawa-go

haha...it's related because i have two days in Tokyo only. 1st day already plan somewhere else, 2nd day suppose to go eat sushi breakfast but then hubby suddenly say he wants to shoot Mt Fuji clearly so have to change location lor. Gotemba is not only about shopping....here's a spot to capture Mt Fuji Gotemba Peace Park

no worries, they have a service center -> http://www.odakyu.jp/english/center/

Thanks. I read from Google that I buy the Free pass first then go to the Romancecar ticket centre to top up for 890 yen (some said 870 yen). I can choose seat at that counter when I buy ticket? That's also possible right?

I think all of those can be done at the service center, cuz last time i only bought normal hokone pass. But no worries the staff there are very nice as they will explain all the sightseeing places and would recommend few nice place based on our liking.

When i bought my hakone pass previously, the staff spoke perfect British English!

back to my earlier post , i decided to rent a car for 3 days in hokkaido , is it advisable to do that ? because i cant find any way to back from otaru to niseko at night ...

my itineary
Feb 7th 2015 ( saturday ) -9am reach chitose
chitose go to niseko - stay 2 night
saturday evening to otaru , then back to niseko from otaru at night
sunday ski whole day at niseko
monday early morning go to sapporo for snow festival ,
tuesday early morning go to chitose to depart to osaka

for my plan , rent a car is more cheap than using public transport right ?
2 person , and also timing more flexible , is it easy to drive in hokkaido ?

rental fees so far i had asked for 3 days is

Honda rent a car	Hond Fit hybrid	29160 yen = RM854
Toyota rent a car	Toyota Vitz / passo	22140 yen = RM648
Nippon rental	Honda Fit	24656 yen = RM722
Jr rent a car	Nissan Note	14800 yen = RM433

All price for 3 days and including CWD insurance

is Jr rental is a good and reputable choice ?

so far nippon customer service very fast responce and willking to give me assitance in english , they also can let me pre-book the car without making any deposit

hope u can help RegentCid

This post has been edited by ping325: Jan 6 2015, 12:01 PM

anybody interested for Aug'15 Comiket?

are the prices from each rental agency equal? meaning the have the same insurance coverage, optional accessories, etc
i don't remember getting such big difference in pricing between JR and Toyota
i chose toyota last time because i have Hertz gold card which entitle me to a 10% discount and also they ease of access of toyota rental
i booked by walking into a rental office beside my hotel in Takayama and asked them to help connect me to the rental office. Then i pick up the car in Sapporo. No booking deposit needed too
you can check this site too:
http://www2.tocoo.jp/en

some may charge more for english GPS
4wd is usually a cost extra although you may end up getting 4wd version without without having to top up
there's also additional opt-in insurance too, but i think you already have that considered

Driving in Hokkaido is easier than driving in Malaysia (much less bikes, very polite drivers)
speed limit is low though, at 50km/h on most town and municipal roads
Having said that, you are planning to drive during winter months, and that is a challenge itself and 4WD is highly recommended. They have 4wd versions of all kinds of cars

if your main intent of renting a car is to drive from Otaru to Niseko at NIGHT, then it's not a wise idea, unless you have good experience in winter driving. Driving in Hokkaido winter is already challenging, add in the darkness and cold of the night, well, i hope you get the idea
if the places that you are travelling between are not many, use train. For the final mile connection (such as station to resort, etc), get a cab or bus if can't reach by foot

Car is most useful when you travel to Furano, Biei and beyond

This post has been edited by electron: Jan 6 2015, 01:55 PM

you only got 3 days but actually 1.5 days, shouldn't waste time on transportation. My advise to you is to stay at otaru and doing day trip to niseko for skiing.

electron
mamasos
at first i thought the train is until night 10pm....
after i book the hotel at niseko for two night and one night at sapporo and already paid , only i realize the last train is 7pm T.T

at first is use bus from chitose to niseko , and train from niseko to otaru , and train to sapporo from niseko , and train from sapporo to chitose.

seems like now only solution is renting a car , to save all the time and hassle,

estimate first day reach niseko ski hotel 1pm check in lunch prepare etc
3pm go otaru , estimate 6pm reach and stay until 10pm and back to niseko

second day early morning ski whole day till evening , night have some rest and third day early morning go sapporo snow festival until night , have a stay at dome hotel and forth day early morning return car at chitose and flight 930am from chitose to osaka for the ongoing trip...

hmm...i'll be staying at niseko red ski house and dome hotel sapporo

by the way what is the time turning dark in hokkaido ? as in malaysia is 7pm

another question is if i take taxi from otaru to niseko around 10pm , how much will they charge me ?

This post has been edited by ping325: Jan 6 2015, 02:31 PM

unfortunately all accommodation at shirakawa-go at that time was fully booked

Quoting this because I didn't know LYN supports auto tables

Forum Poster	Japan Knowledge Level
fruitie	50%
RegentCid	Over 9000

Why can't you visit otaru first till 7pm and then take the last train at 720pm to niseko.
Driving after 10pm in snow conditions, if unlucky u meet blizzard, nobody can save u. good luck.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-22...now-drifts.html

This post has been edited by mamasos: Jan 6 2015, 04:31 PM