Where to go with 21days of JR pass?

Hi there,

Back from a 21 day JR Trip and already planning the next, that's how I prefer it myself!

I see you've already made the trip from Kyushu - Hokkaido, so it is hard to say what area you should visit.

However a lot of places do come to mind, think of Nikko, Kamakura, Nara, Hiroshima, Mt. Fuji.

You can also add smaller places, such as Kinosaki-Onsen, Hikone and Shikoku.

I can also give you some more specific recommendations if you tell me what else you like to see and do.
Daniel

I would love to go kanazawa and osaka again. Hokkaido I just been Sapporo and Hakodate only. I yet to go any other places of hokkaido. Would love to spend time in hokkaido again. I never been to Nara, Takayama, Fukuoka, Kobe. Therefore, I still don't know how to plan, I seem you are really good with it. Therefore I'm here to seek for my answers from you. And thank you being so efficiency to anws my question.
I don't mind to go beach or small places because I love everything in Japan. They are so lovely. Yeah. I'm planning to go on Dec. But Dec & Jan will be very busy holiday and expensive to go with. Therefore I will go after Japanese New Year which is after 3/1. I planning to go on 7/1-7/2. 21 days of JR pass I will buy.
I never been to otaru yet. Biei and many in Hokkaido I yet to discover.
Would Iove to get the routes from you which is 21 days of JR pass where to go, where to start, where to end. :)
Appreciate your efficiency.

I love beach, I love park, I love sight seeing, I love scene, I love taking picture. If you don't mind you can do add my Instagram-sandeeluk, to check out my pic in Japan. I love eat! I love food! Love to eat sashimi, sushi! Of course not the expensive one. I will be backpacking alone. Therefore I will need very budgeting to stay and spend.

Hi there,

Starting in Hokkaido, I would include a visit to the fishing town to Otaru. Here you can have the best Sashimi Lunch for a very reasonable price. I also recommend a visit to some of the National parks in Hokkaido if you like Nature. Such as Sounkyo and Asahidake.

I see that Takayama and Kanazawa are also important in your itinerary. Both are located near the Japanese Alps. You could extend your stay in the Japanese alps and visit places as Shirakawa-go, Matsumoto and the Tateyame Kurobe Alpine Route.

You could make a trip from Hokkaido all the way down to Kyushu and also visit the Japanese alps, where will you arrive?

I had wrote my date in my previous msg. Which is 7/1-7/2/2016. After Japanese New Year. Due to the holiday and New year that will be very expensive to travel during Dec-New Year. Therefore I planned to go after their New Year. But I just checked my Chinese New Year on next year will be fall on 8/2/2016. Haha. I might back 2 days earlier. Which is 7/1-5/2/2016. I went Matsumoto & hakuba on early this year Jan, 2015.
I went to shirakawago-go few days ago.
I love kanazawa coz they serve cheap and best sushi ever I had in Japan at the moment. That's why I want to go again on my next trip. :)
Yes, I love national parks. Can you probably tell me how my route will going to be for 21 days? Should start from hokkaido or Fukuoka? Or any place? I am very new to Japan. Everywhere is just an explore for me.
Anything to do in Kumamoto? Fukuoka? Mizayaki? Okayama? Kobe? Nagoya? Toyama? Sendai? Aomori? How many days I should stay and where is the must to go?
Thank you for your lovely advise.

http://ww.share001.net/cat59/node627282/139818

Daniel San,

I just saw this forum. If you can understand mandarin that will be awesome.
I am so excited because they are all so beautiful and I would love to visit them!
I been to nagasaki for the night view and shirakawa-go for day trip only.
And from the forum, what do you recommend I must go?

Daniel San,

Kagoshima-kumamoto-Miyazaki-Fukuoka-Hiroshima-Nara-kanazawa-Takayama-tokyo-bier-furano-otaru-Hakodate-Tokyo.

Should I add on anything inside? Osaka? Kyoto? Kobe?
How many days I need to spend in all these places? 21 days of JR pass is that enough for me to cover all these places?
:(

Sorry I meant, what place will you arrive at? Narita Airport or Kansai?

I think that you have made a great start so far. The route works but I am unsure if 21 days is enough. I would recommend staying at least two days in each place you visit. Nara, Bie, Furano and Otaru can all be visited as day trips.

So Kagoshima (2) kumamoto (2) Miyazaki (2) Fukuoka (2) Hiroshima (2) -Nara (1) -kanazawa (2) -Takayama (2) -tokyo-bie(1)-furano(1)-otaru(1)-Hakodate(2)-Tokyo. This already adds up to 21 and that is without any time in Tokyo. I think I would remove Miyazaki and add those days to Tokyo after Takayama. Then make one day trip less in Hokkaido and use that day to travel back to Tokyo. That would be a good start, although personally I'd start in Hokkaido and make my way down, somehow that feels more natural.

I also read the forum you posted my, my mandarin is very bad but the pictures speak for themselves!

With your ideas, I kind think you should get an other 21 day JR Pass ;)

Oh. Ya. Will be arrive at Narita or haneda airport either one.
May I know all these places that I want to visit on Jan, is that great? Or March is the best time to visit?
If in Jan, I will go on 7/1/2015. Then I will start my JR pass on 11/1/2015-1/2/2015.
So I will have time in tokyo to spend before I start my JR pass. Then I will be leaving on 4/2/2015.

The previous trip I was the same. I started in Sapporo 1st.
I don't mind to start from hokkaido 1st. What do you prefer?

Hahahaha. No, I'm backpacking alone. How I wish I can get another 21 days of JR pass.

Going up or down is totally a personal preference. Jan is great is you want to see and experience snow, if you want a little less cold, go in March.

Well there is always a next trip :)

Daniel San, thank you for your fast response. It's really useful. And do you have any email to contact? If you don't mind?

Kagoshima (2) 11-13/1/2016
kumamoto (2) 13-15/1/2016
Miyazaki (2) 15-17/1/2016
Fukuoka (2) 17-19/1/0216
Hiroshima (2) 19-21/1/2016
Nara (1) 21-22/1/2016
kanazawa (2) 22-24/1/2016
Takayama (2) 24-26/1/2016
tokyo (1) 26-27/1/2016
Biei 27-29/1/2016, 27 evening time arrive from Tokyo. 14 hours.
28 discover Biei
29 discover Furano ( check out from Biei and put my bag at furano coin locker )
Otaru 29-30/1/2016 ( check in at 29/1/2016 evening time, discover otaru on 30/1/2016)
** but I notice that if I go on Jan, there's only snow to see, nothing much to discover? I don't ski, should I go Biei, Furano & Otaru on Jan? Hakodate(2) 30-1/2/2016 ( check in at 30/1/2016 evening time, relax at Hakodate till 1/2/2016, check out and back Tokyo )

Hi again!

I prefer to keep posts to the forum, this way we other travelers can also benefit from information here. However you can drop me a mail at mail(at-mark)miyazakiman(dot)com, if you want too.

In is true that Hokkaido is very much snow and ice in Winter. Otaru and Sapporo are still worth visiting during that time but you may not have good enough weather to visit any of the National Parks. Hakodate is also nice, on the way there you could stop at Nobori-Betsu it is a nice onsen resort.

Hi,
Daniel San, Isn't [email protected]?

Hakodate on the way? How to be on the way to stop by JR? Don't understand.

Regards,
Sandee Luk

Hi again!

Yes, I had to remove the exact mail address to avoid spam but you are correct.

As for Hakodate. It is located on the south side of Hokkaido and visitors always pass there on the way up to Sapporo or the way down to Tokyo. With on the way to Hakodate, I meant the route between Hakodate and Sapporo. Does that make sense?

Daniel

Hi Daniel,

But I will be traveling from otaru to Hakodate, will that be pass by?

Regards,
Sandee Luk

Hi Sandee Luk,

Yes it will, Otaru is very close to Sapporo and traveling to Hakodate basically is the same route.

Does that help?
Daniel

Daniel San,

I won't be able to make a trip to Sapporo as the timing actually quite tight up for the coming trip.