first trip to Japan

Hello Regina,

Japan is certainly one of the best places to spend your honeymoon. I also like this itinerary -it's got many great visits in it and it's very detailed. Now let's look at what passes and tickets would help your itinerary best! On arrival I would buy an ICOCA card, you can use it for all your local travel in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo (it also serves as a PASMO card) and you won't have to purchase normal tickets all the time.

Now for the JR Pass, I actually think it would be better to buy normal tickets for travel between Kyoto - Fuji - Tokyo. For two reasons, the first is that it is actually more economic to just buy tickets as you travel one way Kyoto - Fuji - Tokyo (the JR Pass would be great if you made a return). The 2nd is that travel around Fuji (such as to Kawaguchiko) is partly done by bus if you come from Osaka/Kyoto.

As for baggage, the offical JR guidelines state: you may bring up to two pieces of baggage on board free of charge. For each bag the total of the length, width and height must not exceed 250 centimeters, the length must not exceed two meters and the weight must be no more than 30 kilograms. Which should allow of plenty of shopping!

Enjoy your time in Japan!
Daniel

Hello, Daniel-san

First, thank you for your suggestion. I can make extra savings for my travel.
I have a few question for you and I wish you can help me to make it clearly.

1. ICOCA card can be used between Kansai area (in my itinerary Osaka and Kyoto) and Kanto area (in my itinerary Tokyo). I don't need to buy PASMO card in Tokyo. Am I right? With ICOCA card, I can use JR train in Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo (Osaka Loop Line-Yamato Line). Am I right?

2. For other transportation (non JR) in Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo, such as : Tokyo Metro, Fujikyu bus, Kyoto bus, Keifuku railways, etc; can I use my ICOCA card or I have to buy another tickets or card like PASMO?

3. I want to try Shinkansen (Nozomi/Hikari). Which route do you think the best for me to try Shinkansen? Can I use my ICOCA card or I need to buy another tickets?

4. With my itinerary above, would you give me some suggestion about :

   1. Ghibli Museum or Doraemon Museum? I am interested with Ghibli Museum but I really want to go to Doraemon Museum too. Doraemon is my favorite since my childhood time. Can you help me to arrange one (or two) of them to my itinerary?
   2. Is it too long 2 nights in Osaka, 2 nights in Kyoto?

Thank you, Daniel-san.
Best regards,
Regina

Hello Regina!

1&2.) You can use the ICOCA card for most of your travel (including JR, local buses, Metro etc.). Note that the Shinkansen end express bus services do require normal tickets beforehand.

3.) The Shinkansen is only one line, so you always have the right train to Tokyo. Just tell the staff that you wish to travel to Tokyo and they will find the best connection for you.

4.) Ghibli Museum, Disneyland and Disneysea does seem a bit much for a single day. So it may be better to move the Ghibli visit to Day 12. Visiting the Doraemon Museum from Tokyo does that the better part of a day. Perhaps you could plan it on day 9 and leave some other things out. This does look like to best time to me to plan it in.

Hope this helps too!
Daniel