5 person 10 days Japan trip advise needed Takayama , Shirakawa-go , Hokkaido, Niigata , Tokyo

Hi Sandy,

That's a very interesting journey, you will be sure to have a great time in both Takayama and Shirakawago are very beautiful places to visit. Al the same time I am somewhat worried about how to plan Hokkaido in. Going there by rail will take a very long amount of time. Going there straight from Takayama or Shirakawago may take 14-16 hours of straight travel. I would really recommend looking at flight options for this or alter your plan.
If you had more time I would say make your way up there with a stop or 2 on the way but there's simply not enough time to do so and enjoy Hokkaido. Instead you could head down south by rail, visit Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka or Kobe), go to Hiroshima and Miyajima or even all the way down to Kyushu for a visit to Fukuoka or even Nagasaki. Alternatively you could go and explore Tohoku, Sendai and Akita are interesting places. There are a lot of alternatives, an other would be to go to the Japanese alps and have some snow fun.

The only way to see the light up at Shirakawago is to stay the night there or rent a car and make your way back to Takayama. Staying at Shirakawago in one of the traditional houses is a worthwhile experience but making a reservation can be hard, because many can only be reserved by phone and you English is not always spoken. You can find more information about staying at a farmhouse in Shirakawago here. (the last bus departs around 6 p.m. depending on the day)

I hope this helps!
Daniel

Hi, Daniel San .

Thanks for your advise ，we will change our plan on the 28 , 29 & 30 and go to Kyoto , any suggestion for us to visit .
we will like to visit historical place & local good food .
on the night we arrive in Haneda should we use JR Pass ?
How much will cost us to reach Shinjuku if we use other transport ,should we buy JR Pass for 7 days or 14 days ?
Thanks you .

Sandy you

Hi Sandy you,

I would recommend buying normal tickets for your arrival day (or night). Travel to Shinjuku only costs ¥ 660/per person and takes 45minutes by train. It's not worth using the JR Pass for this unless you've got a day to spare. I would recommend buying a 7 day JR Pass because you can use it to pretty much cover all of your long and expansive travel. Just be sure to be back in Tokyo on the last day of use.

When you are in Kyoto, be sure to visit Kyomizu-dera, Ginkakuji (golden pavilion), the Imperial Palace and Nishiki Market. You can also head to Kurama for a beautiful temple visit and enjoy the local onsen!

Happy travels!
Daniel

Hi, Daniel San ,

Morning , noted with Thanks .
Arigatō .😊

Regards
Sandy you

Hi, Daniel San ,

Morning , noted with Thanks .
Arigatō .😊

Regards
Sandy you

Hi, Daniel San,

Morning ! is me agian....:))
Marry X'mas & Happy new Year how meny hour do i need on traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo with JR pass, how frequent time is the express train.
& please recommend where is good for us to visit too. Thanks

Regards
SandyYou

Hi Sandy You,

The trip with the Hikari Shinkansen takes just 160 minutes between Tokyo - Kyoto and departs every 30 minutes.

As for Tokyo, consider a visit to Odaiba, it's the newest part of Tokyo with great shopping malls and a beautiful water front. You can also enjoy a beautiful night view of the Tokyo Skyline from there.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (in Japan)!
Daniel

Dear Daniel San ,

Noted with Thanks .
Marry Xmas & Happy Holiday to you & your beloved one .

Regards
SandyYou