Very ngam...haha...may i kniw have you bought the express pass?

no i havent, i havent even purchased the entry pass, planning to buy from klook before i go

is the entry pass really recommended ? im stoked for cool japan 2018

Hello

Happy New Year

hi all, i'll be heading to jpn on the 16th of january. 10 days, i have already paid for accommodation and disney theme parks ticket. probably will visit ramen museum/cup noodle museum, but not any other theme parks. ive changed 205000 jpy now, will that be enough? for food and train tickets. will only stay in tokyo. light shopping maybe too

Some new destination for Japan till this May.

http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/naba...apan/index.html

If its only for you, it will be more than enough. However, if its for 10 people you will barely survive.

I stayed 3d2n at Takayama Ouan Hotel last spring. It was just few days before the festival.
RM1,400 for 2 included bf & dinner which served Hida beef. Private onsen + free flow of Yakult. Plus a bonus ramen meal at 10pm.

It located walking distance from Takayama station, where I can easily book for the next day bus ride to Shirakawa-Go day trip using my Hakuriku Pass.
As for me, I really like Takayama. Very relaxing and don't miss the A5 Hida Beef at Maruaki. (2 x Lunch Set at 5K Yen). Yum...

Do note, Sakura still not bloom before the spring festival in Takayama.
But after I checked out on the 3rd day, I went Toyama for a day trip. The Sakura there were 'fantastic' along the river. Even nicer than the famous Kyoto which are full of tourist.
Make sure you check the train schedule before hands from Takayama to Toyama. Cheers

This post has been edited by artman: Jan 3 2018, 11:30 AM

Winter Illuminations in Japan 2017-2018:

http://bluemoonpear.blogspot.my/2017/10/wi...-2017-2018.html

Thanks for your input.

I'm planning for 12-14 Apr and it seems freaking impossible to get decent accomodation at decent price. For now, I think i will likely do this way

12 Apr - Depart Kanazawa. Visit Shirakawago and reach Takayama in evening. Spend the night in Takayama (probably just a cheap and decent hostel/hotel)
13 Apr - Travel to Hirayu Onsen area for Shin-Hotaka Ropeway. Spend the night at a ryokan there.
14 Apr - Check out and spend the day in Takayama for the festival. Take late evening train to Toyama and spend the night there.

Wondering if I'll miss out anything in Takayama if i do it this way sweet_pez

This post has been edited by tohff7: Jan 3 2018, 01:21 PM

just back from Japan last Friday.
My 5th Trip to japan, i like chubu so much, so this time i go kanto and chubu again, self drive
Destinations i visit
- Tokyo - Disneyland and DisneySEA
Christmas special event is superb, personally i prefer Disneyland, it is much much better compare to DisneySEA in terms of the street parade and environemt
- Mount Haruna
mainly for initial D, it actually quite short, only take about 10 mins drive from start point to end point. i actually booked toyota 86 for this destination, but due to 86 do not have snow tyre, i change to toyota prius, so not so shiok, but achievement done
- Karuizawa
town inside a jungle, everywhere also tree, more like an European town than a japanese town, houses are in European style build inside the jungle, each houses have some distance, not like japanese style houses beside houses. very peaceful and relax, my visit was not a good timing, a lot of attraction having renovation or maintenance, very low light pollution, i can see full of star in my hotel room area
- Kusatsu
a place everywhere also got onsen, longkang water also got steam come out. a very nice and peaceful onsen town
- Yudanaka - Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
famous onsen town because of a bunch of monkeys enjoy open bath onsen
- Ryuoo Ski Park
heavy snow area, start snowing at the beginning of December, this year winter coming early, when i was there (mid december), the snow is about 100cm, first time to learn what powder snow was
- Matsumoto
do not have much time at this destination, only visit matsumoto castle during the night and morning
- Kawaguchi
visit all the 5 lakes, personally Lake Yamanaka got the best mount Fuji view, didnt manage to shooting the diamond fuji, the timing is too short. visit the Aokigahara (famous suicide forest) didnt go in deep, as i have young children with me. FYI, last week, a blogger found a dead body when filming this forest, google logan paul
- Shimoda
i visit this place because of kinmedai fish and Japanese spiny lobster, i like kinmedai do much, during the 1 day visit, we had 4 whole kinmedai fish, this fish is expensive in Singapore, but not so in this place. Visit the Tsumekizaki Park, wild narcissus flower full blossom the whole park is full of flower, see the sunset at Tsumekizaki light house

Accormodations
- Hilton Tokyo Bay
stay here is because Disney resort fully booked, family room is big and nice, only have 3 restaurants, dinner buffet is nice and reasonable price, got a convenient store inside hotel, you can get bento here, if you opt for budget food, service is good, staffs are friendly, overall 7/10
- Hoshinoya Karuizawa
my friend recommended this resort, it only accept 2 nights stay and above, super nice environment, got 2 onsen, 1 is open for public, another one is only for resort guest, room is huge and comfortable, i'm staying lakeside room (Mizunami), service is superb, you just need to make a call and everything will arrange for you nicely. the in room dining is a great experience, a must try. the only downside, going any place (within the resort) you need to call a car to come and bring you. overall 9.5/10
- Ryokan Tokinoniwa
this ryokan got 2 buildings, Tokinoniwa and Konoha, Konoha only provide standard room, Tokinoniwa only provide room with private onsen bath (im staying this), as per standard package come with 2 meals, breakfast and dinner (kaiseki), it got 2 big onsen (open air and indoor), 2 different hot spring source overall 8.5/10
- Yuyado Sekiya
a small new ryokan with only 8 rooms, this ryokan got 2 big onsen (open air and indoor), 3 private open air onsen, very near to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park entrance, peaceful and quiet, i'm staying in a big room with private onsen bath, inside the room got a bose wave sound touch, 60 inch tv and a massage chair, service is great, 2 meals are delicious, the only downside is they got too little staffs, about 5, overall 9/10
- Richmond Hotel Matsumoto
business hotel with great location, 10 mins walk to matsumoto castle, beside is parco shopping mall, downside, i need to pay parking fees, even it was belong to the hotel. overall 7/10
- Cottage Pastorale
very small double storey house, great location, from the room window, you can see the mount fuji, 10 mins walk to Kawaguchiko Music Forest, stay here for 2 nights, having a bbq at the house garden with temperature 2c is definitely a great exp
- Gardenvilla Shirahama Resort Hotel
very pretty seaside villa, owner is very kind and good English speaking, you can see pacific ocean from your room window, the sunrise is beautiful, and you can view it from this hotel. overall 8/10
- KEIKYU EX INN Shinagawa-Station - Tokyo Shinagawa
business hotel with great location, opposite is Shinagawa-Station, only take 5 station to shibuya, downside, i need to go lobby to take extra bath towel overall 6.5/10

additional sharing, uber in tokyo only provide premium, price is about the same as Singapore, but non peak period, it is cheaper compare to Singapore

Eh your ShirakawaGo only day trip? Not staying overnight in the gassho zukuri?

Better check the bus schedule. If you want to visit the villages of ShirakawaGo, it has to be early. Visitors can only enter some of the village from 10am-4pm. By 4pm, outsiders not staying in the village cannot access the place. And the last bus that leaves the village is quite early. I think it's before 4pm. Do check on Hyperdia.

However if you only have plans to drop by a nearby village and take photo from Viewing Point, then I believe it's possible.

14th Apr seems doable. You can just do few things in Takayama before the festival - morning market, shrine, Hida Folk Village, Sanmachi suji etc. Maybe spend less time at the shrine. You'll have to take a bus to Hida Folk Village. I stayed in K's Hostel and the staff told us it's also accessible by bike, which is available for free (by the Hostel). But sadly, it was Winter and friends didn't like the idea of cycling in the cold

Thanks for sharing your experience! Nice to earn SGD!

Still haven't decided whether to stay at Shirakawago. I think i mentioned before to my other half but she doesn't seems to be keen. Anyway, my schedule is flexible and i can easily fit in a day for Shirakawago.

I'll spend a day in Kanazawa, so no issue for me to start early to travel to Shirakawago the next day (in case i'm not staying overnight at Shirakawago)

The gassho-zukuri have to be booked several months in advance. We were lucky to be able to book 2 months prior to our trip, but that also was the last 2 available rooms in ShirakawaGo

Spring is peak, best for you two to decide asap.

Hi, Anyone taken a flight route like this? Your opinion, how risky it will be? As the stopover is below 3 hours, any delay will jeopardized my connecting flight. Any advise will be appreciated. Tq


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Since if its the same airline you should be fine as you dont need to check out/in. Furthermore 2 hours is more than enough. I have done numerous connecting flights (though not with VN) that are about an hour apart. Normally if there is a slight delay, there will be staff waiting for you at the gate to rush you to the connecting flight. However if you are really one of the unlucky ones, better check with VN what's next.

Don't have to worry. It's just a short transit via the same Airline. So even if your arrival to Hanoi is late, the flight to Osaka will wait (unless delayed by too long).

And yes, like sacwoc mentioned - you don't have to check in/ out from the immigration. I believe VN will require you to stopover at the Transit Counter to check-in after you've arrived in Hanoi.

I took the same VN flight time in Dec 17. The only q needed is through carry-on bag scanner (your shoes too).
Do not worry, 2-3 hours manageable. Still have time for burger or a smoke...

My experience reaching Osaka at 6.40am. Need to wait HIS counter open at 8:30am for sim card or ticket collection ordered from Klook.
Took a bus (200yen) to Rinku premium outlet, snack shop at Supercenter Trial to kill time before 3pm Airbnb check-in. Feels sleepy since night flight.

This post has been edited by artman: Jan 4 2018, 10:54 PM

price cheaper compare to airasia?

Hi sacwoc, thank you for the advised, will check-out other airline as well.

This post has been edited by ~mingwei~: Jan 5 2018, 08:59 AM