Ahh okay. Noted. Thanks

Hi guys, if I have the JR pass already, for the shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto and back, should I buy beforehand the tickets? Or I can just buy on the spot...?
I will be using it early to mid April

Nozawa onsen video



The main issue is transport cost maybe (if you wanna do both areas) cos as you know, Nagano and Yamagata are on different shinkansen lines and different JR east passes. Also, the JR East Tohoku pass does cover Yamagata plus Miyagi prefectures but they split really far south - Fukushima.

Other than that the villages are small and cozy and don't have much nightlife. Nozawa onsen still better, at least there's a small shotengai and lots of eateries around town, Zao onsen really super dead at night.

Also note that although there are many public baths around both villages, getting around outdoors in wintertime can be ... logistically challenging, so you could consider checking in to a slightly more upmarket ryokan with it's own onsen (so that you can just bathe in the hotel if you're lazy to walk out).

This post has been edited by deodorant: Mar 27 2018, 05:09 PM

Hi all,

I wanna ask if my schedule using Fuji Hakone Pass workable
My schedule as following:
1st Day:-
7:05am Arrive at Narita Airport
10:00am Buy Fuji Hakone Pass at Shinjuku
11.45am Take Bus to Kawaguchiko Lake
2:00pm Arakurayama Sengen Park
5:00pm Check in Hostel
6:30pm Dinner Udon
8:30pm Walk Around

2nd Day:-
6:00am Watch Sunrise
7:30am Breakfast
8:30am Check out
9:30am Oshino Hakkai Spring
12:00pm Gotemba Premium Outlet
2:30pm Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
4:00pm Hakone Shrine
6:00pm Check in Hotel@Hakone Yumoto
6:30pm Dinner Soba

3rd Day:-
7:30am Breakfast
8:30am Check Out
10:00am Owakudani
12:00pm Lunch
2:30pm Owadara Castle
4:00pm Take Train to Shinjuku
6:00pm Dinner

Looks fine to me. You can actually make reservation for the bus trip (Shinjuku-Kawaguchiko) earlier online if you wish (not need CC or pay first).

For the Hakone-Shinjuku train part, you can pay slightly extra to take the faster Odakyu Romancecar

EDIT
You might want to check how are you going to Odawara? Don’t think the pass cover it

This post has been edited by tohff7: Mar 27 2018, 06:14 PM

If i'm not mistaken, the pass is for 3 days. So for 3 days the transport and some attractions are covered, so doesn't matter how you go about it. However rides like the cruise (in Hakone), you can only ride it once and you'll still need to pay to go in Museums but with a discounted rate with the pass.

Thankyou! now i''m looking around collecting which place i would like to visit then only decide the train line.



checked on the domestic flight, it will cost 900RM from osaka to tokyo on november

Yes, noted on your comment, i'll study more on rail way line. but i couldn't find RM150+ flight ticket tho, only found 900+

i thought jetstar and some budget airlines offer rm150+ one way from kix to narita and vice versa in oct / nov ?

Just got back from Kansai, did Kyoto Osaka and Nara.

For local travel around these cities, my partner and I just got the ICOCA card which is like our Touch and Go. Basically ICOCA can use anywhere subway and buses except for limited express lines like the Nankai and Haruka which you need to buy physical ticket. Any other subway or railway you can use. No need for special pass and it works well to get to all the places. Easy to top up at any MRT station.

You can get ICOCA at the KIX as soon as you exit the main entrance. You can also prebook which saves processing time. When you leave KIX you can surrender the card and get a refund of balance minus processing fees.

Thanks for your feedback, i have already reserve the bus seat, just want to assure the schedule is fine
I think i will take limited express instead of Romancecar as only 15 minutes faster & need to pay extra 890yen per person
For going Odawara, I have checked the map at Odakyu website, i can take Hakone Tozan Train going there


Thanks for your feedback too, 3 days are quite limited, need to choose which attractions you want or skip
what i am worrying now on the bus schedule on Fuji & Hakone, seems take quite some time to travel around

Found 900+ available on the date. Actually the whole November is around 900+




Attached thumbnail(s)

u can book em early or even when u trying to exchange ur JR pass on Japan itself.
it doesnt matter if the date u choose to active is not on current date. as long u r travelling within the active date, u can book it 1st.
just book it n secure a better seat, window seat facing Mt Fuji.

some flight only manage til 6 months prior, hence u cant certain cheap flight on it for now. u can try search it again when its within that date n see.

u can try switch around date n u will notice some flight company wont show up on later date.

these are not budget airlines...

i guess jetstar and peach / vanilla air still unable to book in advance of 6 months ahead

i am also searching for domestic flights between kix to narita/haneda in oct / nov

icocoa / pasmo / suica is indeed very flexible..not tied to certain train companies

if you plan your itinerary carefully (not 100% flexibility)...jr pass or any passes can save some money

what you found is international flights...those are korean airline that make you transit in Incheon before taking you to NRT.

for domestic flight usually its available on a closer date. Maybe you can try search again when its about 2-3 months of your departure date?

This post has been edited by Chaud: Mar 28 2018, 09:26 AM

Last time I think I left my onsen in Gora around 10am and reach Kawaguchiko bus station by 5pm, including 2 hrs spent at Gotemba Premium Outlet

If you are a Initial D fan, you'll find the first half journey quite familiar . It's basically the mountain road for the 2nd last team battle (Team Spiral) and the Ryusuke-Rin Hyojo deathmatch dogfight

No problem, I know what you mean. I'm having the same dilemma but friends and I have agreed to do Fuji-Q Highland, so there's even less time for us to go around

Additionally, if the ryokan/ hotel you're staying doesn't have an onsen, you can go to a bath house for a visit (whichever near your accommodation). Just pay a fee, go in and enjoy onsen for an hour or two (with Mt Fuji view) and then balik. This was recommended by another Mod, after I told him my Hotel/ inn's onsen doesn't have Mt Fuji view. The one he went was Yurari, but from where I stay, Benifuji is nearer so I'll go to that one instead.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6902.html

As about the flight from KIX to Tokyo, did you try finding low cost carriers like Peach or Jetstar.

Normally i use https://www.skyscanner.com.my/ to scan all flights.

maybe jetstar promotion ticket no yet release.
train is a option to you, not doubt flight sure cheaper than train
but.......just for your info

for flight
4000 flight + 1200 luggage = 5200 (80mins)
osaka town to kix airport = 1200 (70mins)
narita to tokyo town = 1400 (90mins)

total for flight at least 7800 yen, 240mins exclude waiting time, pros is cheap, cons is need drag your luggage here and there, long travel time

for train is 14650 yen, 153mins, pros fast and convenient, train station is in the town, cons is price high

no way~ that episode about Ryusuke and the long hair guy in Skyline about the ex-gf or something.

Take Willy Night Bus

Cheap & extremely comfort. Save Hotel money too