im going shirakawago and gokayama on april
as below bus timetable, they remark gokayama 1 as boarding only and 2 for unboarding only...i dont understand if i want go back to takayama from gokayama i should refer 1 or 2 timetable?

elifen, not sure bout you or your spouse packing skills. Do bear in mind that you have 2 young kids with you. Frequent change of accommodation means a lot of daily packing unpacking. We used to DIY all along, but basically for me.. the travelling/moving hotel day almost equal to a less active day, as we need to pack and unpack; check-out and check-in hotel. Or probably I am the "maid" of the family. I need to dig out clothing for them, pack stuff bk in and worst still when you bought something on the way.. and need to find the best space in the luggage to store it. Imagine doing it almost daily, it is hectic.

Yes, joining travel agency is the same, moving hotels daily. But don't forget that tour guide will discipline you with their timing, but DIY .. no matter how discipline you are on the timing, you won't willing to wake your kids up earlier (as in tour guide rules) and may end up daily get out a bit later than your planned time. Another thing is you maybe worry bout transportation, trying to catch buses/train and if this happen daily due to change of hotel, I don't think you will enjoy much.

My last Dec Japan holiday, I planned start our day around 9am. We have this timing in all our past vacation (Osaka, Kyoto, UK, HK, TWN, etc).. no problem at all. But this round really shock us, we were sandwich in the train terribly in Tokyo and Sapporo. Then we adjust our time much earlier til 7.30am (shake the kid up at 7am, he slept bout 12am daily) yet train still crowded.. move up to 7am then.. wah!!! end up we get out later at 10am unless we choose to walk escape the train (which we did actually). And we stay 6N totally in Sapporo.. no move hotel.. still alot to enjoy and see. But looking at the snowy weather, the thick clothing, the kids' pace, the public transportation..if possible avoid move around too much.

We expect crowded train during peak hours but never imagine that level or sandwich til kepit each other tightly. And the local are quite ignorant when it comes to the fighting their way to squeeze in the train. With kids, this is definitely dangerous. There were once my boy manage to squeeze in but not us. Lucky he know where we are heading and quite use to DIY trip with us.. so he waited us there. And he have h/p & $ with him. He is 11yrs old.

Thanks for sharing. I believe February is the peak of snowfall. My visit is in December and should have no train delay issue. I have not finalise my itinerary yet but you had given me a good info that i can travel by train from sapporo to noberibetsu. At first i thought self driving is to rent car at sapporo and drive all the way to noberibetsu. Ha Ha

Hi,

I went to Sapporo from 25 dec - 1/1/2018.

I experienced train delay in Otaru. Waited around 1 hour in the train station, then decide to take the bus back to Sapporo. Have to stand in line , in heavy snow fall and waited for 1- 2 hour, then the bus operator said that the bus service already stop, stop at 7pm.

Decide to stay in Otaru but all the hotels are fully booked so no choice have to take taxi back to Sapporo. A few taxis passed by but don't want to go to Sapporo and luckily one taxi stopped and agreed to take us back to sapporo.

Although the driver couldn't speak english but very helpful. He called our hotel to check on us and sent us there. The fare is according to the meter at it's around 10,000 yen.

Lesson learned - don't go to Otaru during snow fall.

I always find this a chicken and egg situation. If you've never tried, you'll never have the experience driving on ice there's no snow in Malaysia, when else do one get the experience driving on ice?

Dear All,

First time to Japan, will be visiting Fukuoka in summer.

How hot is it gonna be in July?
- Will it be unsuitable for onsen during the day?
- Will it be suitable for an open top bus trip in the city?
- Is outdoor activity advised?
- How about a trip to the beaches?

Please advise as it would help with planning. Thank you.

Dear sifu,

Planning trip to okinawa and hokkaido this summer. I have plenty question regard of trip to okinawa. Hokkaido still in research.

1. which place will you recommended for scuba diving?
2. is it necessary to learn to swim for scuba diving?
3. will rain effect the schedule of scuba diving?
4. which company is suitable for beginner (non license)?
5. what is the best time for scuba diving?

Additional information and pointer will be helpful for the trip. Thank you.

Not exactly Hokkaido, but this parking lot I came across in Yokohama came across to me as being remarkably exorbitant, even for Japan standards ...

so guys, hows the sakura there? any sightings yet? flying there soon.

Is there recommendation for good and affordable hostel in tokyo? would opted for airbnb but friends thinking of hostel as its might be cheaper.

going in april ^^

Share my experience.

In april 2017, sakura season, I managed to get RM 1200 by ANA.

KL- Tokyo, Tokyo-KL.

8 month ahead.

For transport, I would get
1. Narita Express return ticket
2. 3 day + 3 day + 1 day Pass for Tokyo Metro
3. Hakone day pass

Are these passes able to cover all my transport needs in Tokyo?

Why would anyone get pocket wifi? Isnt tourist sim card more convenient?

No issue of wifi battery running out

Hi Guys, I will be going to Osaka and Kyoto for few days. Any suggestion or recommendation for my itinerary? Thanks.

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Sorry. Typo, should be around 11:30pm reach hotel. Then probably I will go for nankai express because parent might be tired.

Kaiyukan Aquarium & Tempozan can get special price -> I saw this from the website. But if i purchase at there, will the queue very long at counter? Or get from Klook directly?

For last day, no choice because night time will be leaving to tokyo. Might skip kinkakuji if unable to make it.
Okay will check with hotel. Thanks.

Hi! Am planning to buy a pass from klook, the only problem is that plane lands at 9.40pm klook counter closes at 10pm? Will i be able to redeem the pass when i arrive? Anyone has any experience?

Thanks!

> chooses an atas expensive hotel
> complains that accommodation is expensive

The prediction ady not accurate, fukuoka they predict 19th, until today not yet bloom.

Ill be in japan 27th till 10 april, if still miss... really speechless, start gan jiong now

guys my flight from airasia reach at 9.40pm , may i know anyone have idea how can i collect those ticket that buy from klook which their counter mostly closed at 10pm? i already bought the plane ticket

I dont suggest you do it. You might have a long queue at immigration or customs and the outcome would be the same. Try to make it out to the Klook counter by 10pm is not doable if you ask me. Try pickup elsewhere.

option 1 is exciting but risky, may i know what is the success rate of using option 1? don't you need to wait for clearance and luggage?

if ur talking JR related pass (e.g Hiroshima, Kansai, or JR Pass), ask for MCO/Exchange Order instead of Klook voucher etc, which allowed u to change em at any major JR station.
u can request Klook for that arrangment (mailing it to u directly).
or otherwise any 3rd party tat sell it which u can collect em (exchange order) at KLIA directly (e.g. Travel Recommend) or JTB malaysia (pay n collect on the spot)