Itinerary Check - 11 Days in Tokyo, Gunma & Yamagata Feb - Mar 2023

Hi guys! I'm planning to visit Japan at the end of Feb (21 Feb – 5 Mar) next year mainly as a getaway kind of trip and also to see snow for the first time! Going solo

*Long post ahead*



21 Feb - Arriving Haneda

22:15PM – Land at Haneda Airport. Probably takes an hour until I can leave the airport.

23:15PM – Get on to the Limousine bus to Shinjuku Station if I’m lucky enough the catch the last bus. Else, overnight at Terminal 3

23:50PM – Drop off at Shinjuku Station and walk to Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae for overnight stay (however, I do feel unsafe leaving my luggage in the shared area… Thus, might drop off at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku if I think the USD 50 difference is worth to keep my luggage with me)



22 Feb - Tokyo

10:00AM – Wake up have random breakfast nearby. Walk around if I wake up early.

11:00AM – Take Yamanote Line to Ueno station

11:30AM – Walk around Ueno park and Shinobazu pond

12:30AM – Walk around Ameyoko Street

01:00PM – Walk to Maekawa for Unagi rice lunch

02:00PM – Asahi Brewery for some beer

02:30PM – Walk around Akihabara

03:20PM – Yushima Tenjin Shrine

04:20PM – Walk around randomly or maybe visit the Koishikawa Korakuen (seems a little too far on foot since I’m heading back to Sumida side)

05:50PM – Walk around Sumida Park

06:30PM – Have dinner at Daikokuya, San Sada or Owariya for Tempuraaa

07:20PM – Popeye for some beer

08:00PM – Walk to Asakusa Station -> Higashi-Nihombashi Station -> Shinjuku Station; or

Walk to Ueno Station -> Shinjuku Station

08:40PM – Walk around Shinjuku area until supper or perhaps just rest at hotel

10:00PM – Have supper and sleep at either Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae or Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku

*Note: Is it recommended to stay overnight at net café? Would like to stay overnight for once just for the experience



23 Feb - Tokyo

07:00AM – Would like to do some morning jog around the area. Shower and rest. Then get some breakfast

09:00AM – Take Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station (If it’s crowded, I will chill first)

and walk around (Crossing, Hachiko, Miyashita Park, etc.). Get some morning alcohol/coffee maybe

10:30AM – Walk around Yoyogi Park

11:30AM – Meiji Shrine

12:30PM – Walk around Harajuku (Maybe crepe too)

01:30PM – Lunch at either Harajuku or Shibuya?

02:30PM – Could be sunny, maybe walk in the malls. However, not much of a shopper really.

04:00PM – Ayoyama cemetery and walk around the area

05:00PM – Take the Ginza line from Gaiemmae Station back to Shibuya Station

06:00PM – Hakushu Teppanyaki for wagyu.

07:00PM – Go to Nonbei Yokochō for some beer/sake

08:00PM – Chill around or head back to Shinjuku Station

09:00PM – Maybe have a look at the Golden Gai at Shinjuku

10:00PM – Have supper and sleep at either Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae or Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku



24 Feb - Gala Yuzawa (Gunma)

09:30AM – Wake up, have random breakfast nearby or near Tokyo Station once arrived.

10:00AM – Take Chuo line to Tokyo Station

11:00AM – Take Jōetsu Line (Tanigawa train) to Gala Yuzawa Station (Lunch in the train?); or

Take Jōetsu Line (Toki train) to Echigo Yuzawa Station and walk north (Lunch in the train?)

01:00PM – Ski or snowboard*

05:00PM – Rest and check in at a hotel/ryokan at the area. (Have not found any yet)

06:00PM – Dinner: maybe provided by the hotel/ryokan or walk around for dinner

07:00PM – Walk around the area and chill. Maybe sake?

10:00PM – Sleep at the available hotel/ryokan

*Would appreciate recommendations/tips on equipment rental stores and class providers



25 Feb - Takaragawa Onsen (Gunma)

08:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold

10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast: maybe provided by the hotel/ryokan or walk around for breakfast

11:00AM – Take Jōetsu Line (Toki train) from Echigo Yuzawa Station to JRJomo-kogen station

12:00PM – Lunch at JRJomo-kogen station

12:40PM – Take courtesy bus to Takaragawa Onsen Ousenkaku (bus to arrive at 1pm)

01:50PM – Leave my luggage at the hotel and walk around the area

02:40PM – Check in, chill at onsen and rest afterwards (hopefully can get some laundry done too)

06:00PM – Dinner provided by the hotel

08:00PM – Some beer/sake/whiskey

10:30PM – Sleep



26 Feb - Tokyo

07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold

07:30AM – Last onsen before leaving

09:30AM – Breakfast provided by the hotel

10:00AM – Check out

10:20AM – Head to station for bus to reach Minakami Station

11:00AM – Take bus again to reach Jomo-kogen Station and head back to Tokyo Station (lunch in between this time I guess)

02:00PM – Reach Tokyo Station

02:30PM – Check in at nine hours Otemachi so I can leave my luggage there. (If it’s not worth it, might leave my luggage at Tokyo Station’s locker and check in after dinner at nine hours Otemachi instead)

03:00PM – Ginza

03:40PM – Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden

04:40PM – Tokyo Tower and chill around

06:30PM – Have dinner. Maybe Sukiya?

07:30PM – Walk around the area. Find some bar for a drink

08:50PM – Get laundry done if possible and not done yet

10:00PM – Sleep at nine hours Otemachi



27 Feb - Zao Onsen (Yamagata)

09:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast

10:00AM – Head to Tokyo station again to take JR Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Yamagata Station. Takes around 3 hours so probably bento lunch on the train.

01:00PM – Reach Yamagata Station and take bus to Zao Onsen Bus Terminal. Takes an hour

02:00PM – Reach Zao Onsen. Find a skiing/snowboarding school/provider* and leave my luggage with them so I can move on to skiing

06:00PM – Check in at Takasagoya Ryokan and have dinner around the area.

07:00PM – Chill around or maybe enjoy the onsen at hotel/public (if any)

08:30PM – Walk around the area. Maybe some sake

10:00PM – Sleep

*Would appreciate recommendations/tips on equipment rental stores and class providers



28 Feb - Zao Ropeway (Yamagata)

10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast

11:00AM – Head to Zao Ropeway for the ropeway (maybe book ticket on Klook first?).

01:00PM – Have lunch around the area

02:00PM – Ski/snowboard if I have the energy. Else, just enjoy the snow while heading back to Zao Onsen Bus Terminal. A bus will depart at 5.20PM

05:20PM – Leaves Zao Onsen Bus Terminal and head back to Yamagata Station

06:20PM – Check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Yamagata Ekimae. Dinner and chill for awhile

08:00PM – Walk around the area. Maybe some sake

10:00PM – Sleep



1 Mar - Hijori Onsen (Yamagata)

07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold

09:00AM – Breakfast

10:00AM – Head to Yamagata Station and take the Yamagata Shinkansen to Shinjo Station

11:00AM – From Shinjo Station, take a bus to Hijori Onsen

12:30PM – Arrive at Hijori Onsen. Check in at Ebisuya Inn Hijiori Onsen to leave my luggage

01:00PM – Walk around and find lunch

02:00PM – Beer/sake

03:00PM – Enjoy some onsen provided by hotel/public

04:30PM – Explore around the area until dinner time

06:00PM – Have dinner provided by hotel or elsewhere

08:00PM – Walk around or get laundry done if needed

10:00PM – Sleep


2 Mar - Ginzan Onsen (Yamagata)

07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold

09:00AM – Breakfast and chill until 12PM for the departing bus to arrive

12:00PM – Depart Hijori Onsen back to Shinjo Station

01:00PM – Arrive at Shinjo Station. Have lunch here.

01:30PM – Take Yamagata Shinkansen to Oishida Station

02:00PM – Arrive at Oishida Station and take the free shuttle bus to Ginzan Onsen

03:00PM – Check in at Takimikan to leave my luggage there.

03:30PM – Walk around Ginzan Onsen.

06:00PM – Head back to Takimikan for dinner and onsen afterwards

08:00PM – Sake and walk back to Ginzan Onsen for some night walk

10:00PM – Sleep



3 Mar - Yamadera Temple (Yamagata)

08:30AM – Breakfast provided by ryokan or find breakfast around the area

09:30AM – Last onsen before leaving the ryokan

11:00AM – Take shuttle bus to depart from Ginzan Onsen to Oishida Station (not sure about the schedule)

01:00PM – Have lunch at Oishida Station or lunch benta from Oishida Station to Yamagata Station via Yamagata line

03:00PM – Arrive at Yamagata Station. Take train again to Yamadera Station via Senzan Line

03:40PM – Arrive at Senzan Line. Hike the Yamadera temple. Closes at 5PM tho

05:00PM – Take Senzan Line back to Yamagata Station.

05:30PM – Check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Yamagata Ekimae. Dinner and chill for awhile

08:00PM – Walk around the area.

10:00PM – Sleep



4 Mar - Yonezawa, Tokyo
10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast

11:00AM – Take Yamagata Line from Yamagata Station to Yonezawa Station

12:30PM – Reach Yonezawa Station.

01:00PM – Head to Yonezawa Beef Dining Bekoya for Yonezawa beef as lunch

02:00PM – Head back to Yonezawa Station and take Yamagata Shinkansen to Tokyo Station

06:00PM – Arrive at Tokyo Station. Dinner around the area.

07:00PM – Check in at nine hours Otemachi so I can leave my luggage there. (If it’s not worth it, might leave my luggage at Tokyo Station’s locker and check in after dinner at nine hours Otemachi instead)

10:00PM – Sleep at nine hours Otemachi



5 Mar

Buffer Day: Some flight tickets depart in the morning while some at midnight. If this day is travelable, I would probably jog a little and hope on to some random train (within reasonable range from base) to explore for fun


*Additional:

1) None of the hotel/ryokan/onsen/transportation have been booked. (However, the ryokan/hotel listed here are available for booking at the time of posting for the respective dates). Please feel free to suggest alternatives to any of the above.

2) If the schedule seems too tight, I wouldn't mind missing some of them so I could stay longer at some others. Not trying to hit any tourist KPI

3) Would appreciate additional suggestions for places to try "real"/"local" Japanese foods such as Kobe beef, tempura, unagi, ramen, sushi, etc., as well as Japanese beers and sakes!

4) Would also need advice on what to wear at Tokyo and Gunma/Yamagata area as this is my first time visiting Japan and experiencing winter season.

5) Also, not too sure if JR Pass is worth it, but it does seem like a Suica IC card would be sufficient for all the transportation needed in my itinerary?

Thank youuuuuu

Follow up question.. The air ticket for ANA now is around RM3k for the planned dates. Do you guys think it will go lower afterwards? Or is this like the normal price already? Air Asia's flights have that warning sign which worries me lol

it's actually 2.9k now... pretty close to per-covid i guess

I actually haven't look into whether or not any of the JR passes would be worth it in my case haha. will look up on the areas suggested to see if taking out Gunma would be more suitable. The main reason for Gunma is actually the Takaragawa Onsen's environment that I'm after... onsen with snow falling from the sky and snow pilled up around seems pretty dreamy to be in

This is semi-good news to me.. I was worried that I won't be able to see snow fall (like not just snow on the floor but snow actually falling) going at the end of winter season.. at the moment another small area in tokyo (Akabane) is on the backup list if I end up having too much free time... I guess I can include upstair's suggestion on other Tohoku places if Gunma couldn't work or isn't worth it

Doing a lot of google-ing now and it does seem skiing is quite easily accessible there... Still looking for available beautiful outdoor onsen tho also found out that, as you've suggested, it makes more sense to stay at Ueno Station in my case for the direct access to shinkansen, morning jog at Ueno park as well as cheaper rates

Thank you Sifus Will make sure to come out with alternatives hahahha. Definitely don't want to be stuck and miss my flight home as well lol Is there like an app (or, is official website good enough already?) where I can check, when at Japan, if a certain railway is closed for say tomorrow until xx date or certain line will have reduced frequency due to heavy snow?

Thanks for the extra tips! Actually found a pretty nice onsen at Matsushima area, which I also wanted to visit for the bay area and Gyutan as well as sake vending machine at Sendai station hahaha

Hi guys, facing some issue on a ryokan's Japanese website when trying to do a booking. Aside from full name, it's also asking for name in furigana as well as a Japan address.. like 7 digits postcode..

I figure I can just put the address of my stay at Tokyo/Yamagata for the address part but the Furigana name part worries me lol. Does it have to match with my ID, which of coz will not have that. Or is it just for reading aid purposes (from my google search ) and shouldn't matter?

To those considering Philippines Airlines.. I actually booked PAL for my coming trip to Japan sometime back... Just today they rescheduled my departing flight.. From about 3 hours layover to about 17 hours layover at Manila✈️

riding on this... is it better to go with Maxis 30 days RM100 package or get data sim card after arriving in Japan?
10+days trip