Oh man. just saw some replies. Sakura will bloom earlier. Am arriving in Tokyo on the 4 Apr 2015. Hopefully still get some good views

anyways, sharing my itinerary. Need sifu help to assess if its doable or perhaps recommend better sights.
Will be 4 person trip. 3 adult, 1 senior.

Day 1 (Tokyo, Akihabara Washington Hotel)
- Arrive Saturday morning.
- Deposit luggage at hotel & go sightseeing
- Asakusa, Nakamise, Sensoji Temple
- Take Water Bus / River Cruise from Asakusa Pier (May Skip if insufficient time)
- Check in Hotel
- Evening head out to Chidorigafuji Park / Yasakuni

Day 2 (Tokyo)
- Morning head to Shinjuku & Shinjuku Gyoen
- Afternoon check out Harajuku & takeshita Dori
- Evening End with Shibuya

Day 3 (Tokyo)
- Monday Morning Tsukiji Fish Market & Sushi
- Koshikawa Korakuen for sakura viewing
- Afternoon back to Ginza
- End with dinner near Yurakucho

Day 4 (Hakone)
- Morning take train up to Hakone (romance car)
- Do Hakone Round Course
- Stay the night

Day 5 (Osaka) (Hotel Near Tennoji Station)
- Travel from Hakone to Osaka
- Chill around Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi

Day 6 (Osaka)
- Go to Himeji Castle
- Back to Kobe, Steakland
- Check out Nankinmachi, Chinatown
- Evening back to Osaka, Shinsekai

Day 7 (Osaka)
- Kuromon Ichiba
- Osaka Aquarium
- Still considering what to do remainder of the day
Day 8 (Kyoto)
- Travel to Kyoto
- Leave luggage at Kyoto station and chill around
- Check in at Machiya near Higashiyama Station
- Evening look see Maruyama Park + night scenes
Day 9 (Kyoto)
- Fushimi Inari
- Tofukuji Temple
- NIshiki Market
- Arashiyama (night)
Day 10(Kyoto)
- Kiyomizudera Temple,
- Gion District
- Miyako Odori
- Nanzenji Temple / Ginkaguji
Day 11
Travel to Osaka Airport and back to KL

That looks like a hectic but interesting itinerary.

I am going to Osaka for the first time this May. Would appreciate some information :

1) with regards to buying Japan Rail Pass : do I have to buy an Exchange Order from here before I go to Japan? If so, where can I get this from?
2) I am confused by the many types of transport passes available. Can someone please help me understand better? I intend to go straight to Kyoto from Kansai Airport, stay three nights there and take a day trip to Nara, then go back to Osaka for the last three nights. Do I need to get a Pass? If so, which one?

Thanks very much in advance.

If you are only covering Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, no point getting JR Pass.

I suggest Haruka + Icoca combo for airport transfer and Kansai Thru Pass. Check them out

hey guys, seem to have really a lot of frequent japanese travellers here.

Well AA sale and just got myself tickets to Japan.
I went once to Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto and back to Osaka. This was done in 6 days. We rushed pretty much the whole way.

This time round.

15 days in total, getting hitched end of this year. so this trip is considered a honeymoon trip!

hey guys, seem to have really a lot of frequent japanese travellers here.

Well AA sale and just got myself tickets to Japan.
I went once to Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto and back to Osaka. This was done in 6 days. We rushed pretty much the whole way.

This time round.

15 days in total, getting hitched end of this year. so this trip is considered a honeymoon trip!

Would love to get some advice from the forumers here.
No idea where to start the planning.

I am flying in from Osaka, and will be exiting Haneda.

Me and my fiancee, love temples. Love local culture but we also love to see city life too.

I am guessing city life in Tokyo and all the culture and lovely views will be at Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and maybe Hiroshima area.

Would u suggest me to go for a 7 day JR Pass? or I would save money if I plan the trip really well and need not utilize the pass?

would also love to have any recommnedations for accomodation airbnb style we pushed our budget a little above the beyond cause of the 15 day stay.. haha we were looking at 10-12...but.. hahaha what the heck.

thanks in advance guys

This post has been edited by ch1ck3n: Mar 24 2015, 11:14 PM

Nice, when is your travelling period? congrats too

didnt realize i double posted..what the heck.

20th March 2016 - 4th April 2016. hoping sakura will come early next year and we can go hunting for it if we miss it in osaka Ie: going tokyo

another 2016 sakura hunter here

i wanted snow, it was simple to get snow.. my wife to be wants the sakura.. try not to fail her as a new husband hahaha!

Thanks for your reply and suggestion.

Do I buy the combo and Kansai Thru Pass from KL here or when I arrive in Osaka?

Sorry for my ignorance but I am really confused.

Thanks again.

i see, but it is under same ticket right? i mean i have haruka ticket then i stop at kyoto then go board biwako line (train), which means when i out kyoto station then i need to retain the ticket then go to biwako line show the ticket again.

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/travel-i...s/icoca-haruka/

on the website, it show that the biwako line is included.

i think you can book online to reserve the ticket, then go to the kyoto counter to buy the ticket, print out the email.

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/travel-i...s/icoca-haruka/

if i gonna travel from seta (shiga) to kyoto station, and only biwako line is available, is there any specific ticket or pass for this trip. as i staying in seta (shiga) for few nights, so will be few trip (go and return) between kyoto station and seta (shiga)

this is one thing that i am not sure but since it was mentioned by Uji, the helpful forumer at japan travel guide, then I suppose he is correct.

you'll need to get the JR pass outside Japan but exchange your order booklet for a pass in Japan
You can do it at the airport.
If you don't plan to start using it immediately, tell the officer the starting desired start date so that it will be properly marked in the pass

maybe this?
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_03.html

but seems expensive and jr lines are not so helpful in kyoto

Kyoto to Tokyo on nozomi train one way reserved = SGD154
7 days JR pass which cannot use nozomi trains = SGD328

So you sendiri calculate whether worth it or not lo.

Generally for 15 days ... do one week kansai (osaka/kyoto and all the side trips) then one week tokyo and all the side trips lo.

http://www.japan-guide.com/

Kanasai, i won't pregnant now one la.....
Thx for your suggestions...I too free in office mah, do some research loh

might want to give this 3 places some consideration in kyoto..Keage Incline, Haradani-en Garden and Philosopher's Path ..for sakura viewing

This post has been edited by ilikehandphones: Mar 25 2015, 10:58 AM

I will be travelling the same starting date and also fear of the miss of the sakura season. What I do or have plan b plan is that hit location with sakura bloom starting of the trip, so that will not entirely miss it.

As for your day 1, while you're at the location of Asakusa, go to Sumida Park that is near to the water cruise. Day 2 is okay as you will be at Shinjuku Goen.

As for the rest of the days is about luck how late the sakura staying around. Do take note on the weather forecast i see there is raining here and there.