best itinerary for 14 days trip in japan

Hi Sienny,

That's some really nice planning you've done. By using the 7 day JR Pass from day 3 - 9 you will put the JR Pass to great use. Local travel around Tokyo is not very pricey so it's best to use the JR Pass for your long distance travel and buy normal tickets or a local pass for travel around Tokyo.

Kanazawa or Takayama? Personally I love both places and ideally I would recommend a visit to both. Since you have to pick one I would visit Kanazawa because it is easier to travel there from Kyoto and you can take the bus to Shirakawago directly from Kanazawa station.

For Tokyo you can consider buying an All Day Metro Pass which is 710 yen and allows for unlimited travel on the Tokyo Metro for a full day, alternatively you buy a JR Tokyo day Pass which is 730 yen and allows for unlimited travel in all 23 wards of Tokyo for a single day.

For planning, timetables and route information I would recommend using Hyperdia this website covers all information you would ever want to know about public transport in Japan. There's a lot of information so I would recommend reading our blog post on how to play with Hyperdia to get your started.

I hope this helps you!
Daniel

thanks Daniel.

after I check the detail, I think better to change the itinerary, mine is to tight.

I plan to skip Shirakawa Go, although I'm really want to go there.

or you have any idea for my itinerary, since my point of interest is : Osaka, Nagasaki, Huis ten Bosch, Kyoto, Shirakawa Go, Hakone, Hitachi, Tokyo. pls help me to re arrange my schedule, if not possible so I skip Shirakawa Go, or you have any idea ? we arrive at osaka at 10pm on 31 march 2014 and our back home flight from Tokyo on 13 April at 8 pm/

waiting your prompt reply.

thanks and warm rgds,
Sienny

Hi Sienny,

Visiting Shirakawago may indeed be a little much for the allotted time. Why not go straight to Hakone instead? Hakone has lot's to offer and can keep you easily for busy for days. You could also visit Fuji Five Lakes which is a very beautiful area.

Alternatively consider a visit to Nikko and or Kamakura which are places that convey Japanese tradition in a very impressive way.

Let me know what you think,
Daniel

Thx Daniel-san.

Still have more questions, hope you don't mind to answer that, thanks in advance.

1. We still stay at Ikebukuro or Hatagaya area. And in Tokyo, we plan to go to Disneyland, Hitachi, Hakone. Pls advise which one better to ease our transportation.

2. If we stay at Ikebukuro, how to go to Disneyland, we have to by one day JR Tokyo or one day Metro pass ?

3. In Kyoto, Hiroshima and Kyoto, what kind city transportation we have to buy, to explore the city.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Sienny

Hi Sienny,

1.) Ikebururo is a pretty good place to stay, lot's to do and directly on the JR Yamonote line, making for easy access to the rest of Tokyo.

2.) The station for Disney Land is Maihama, you can use the JR to get there. Here is an example route.

3.) It really depends what you wish to see. Tokyo is best traveled by rail, Kyoto by bus and Hiroshima by bus/tram/metro.

I hope this helps!
Daniel

Hi Daniel.

I have 2 days free in Tokyo. I plan to go to Giblhi Museum,Odaiba area, Shinjuku, Ginza, Shimokitazawa. Pls advise the effective route. Ad if I buy Tokunai Pass, which places that I still have to buy ticket ?

If I buy suica pass, and at the end of the trip I still have deposit, can I refund the money ?

I plan to go to Hitachi Seaside park, and I still have 7 days JR pass, can I use it ? Ad I plan to go to Tsukiji market before I go to Hitachi, is the JR pass can be used to there ?

Thanks.

Hello again,

Those places are pretty much spread across all of Tokyo making planning a little hard.
The station for the Ghibli museum is Mitaka and reachable by JR. Going to Odaiba, I'd use the local trains to travel to Shimbashi station and use the Yurikamome from there to Odaiba, the Yurikamome is not covered by the Tokunai ticket.
You can use to Yurikamome to travel back to Shimbashi and use the Yamanote line from there to reach both Ginza (near Yurakucho station) and Shinjuku.

The Suica pass can be refunded at any JR Station, you'll get the deposit back of 500 yen plus the remaining balance. There's a fee of 210yen if you have any balance remaining that needs to be refunded.

Tsukiji fish market is within walkable distance from Tokyo or Yurakucho station which are both accessible by JR.

Hope this helps!
Daniel

Hi Daniel

Just check Sagano Railway. If we have JR pass, is it free to take that scenic railway ? Or which partof this railway which including JR pass.

Thx

Hi Again!

The Sagano Railway really is an attraction, in stead of a railway and requires an admission ticket even with the JR Pass. The ticket is 600yen.

Hope this helps :)
Daniel