Japan Train Enthusiasts Tour

[mich1409]

I agree with Jeff and Bikkuri Bahn san, it would be harder to access during the high season so it would be better and more cost effective to do this tour during the low season.

[mich1409]

Thank you for your patience everyone here's the rough itinerary that we've come up with. Feel free to post any comments! Thanks.

 

Day 1: Arrive at Tokyo: Coach to Hotel

Day 2: Visit Chiba and experience track cycle on Izumi Rail Line

Day 3: Private use of Arakawa Tram Line, then after lunch, visit the Omiya Railway Museum and visit rail yard which is next to the museum

Day 4: Visit Usuitoge Railway Theme Park

Day 5: Whole day free at leisure in Tokyo (use JR Pass to do your rail trips)

Day 6: Leave to Sumatakyo Onsen area: Highlight is Oigawa SL and Aputo Line

Day 7: Ride on Tenryu Hamanako Line and spend some time at Tenryu Futamata Station where there are railway museum and tumplate

Day 8: Travel to Nagoya: Nagoya Linear Museum and Guideway Bus

Day 9: Travel to Kyoto via Ise: Ise Jingu Shrine and Iga Railway Ninja Train

Day 10: Ride on Torocco Train in Saga Arashiyama, and Randen Line

Day 11: Travel to Takamatsu: Highlight: Umekoji Railway Museum, Seto Ohashi Line

Day 12: Travel back to Takamatsu by riding sleeper train Sunrise Seto

Day 13: Arrive at Tokyo. Rest of the day free at leisure

Day 14: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

Extension plan for people who want to stay longer

 

Day 14: Spend the day riding Choshi Dentetsu Line and visit the soy sauce museum

Day 15: Visit Matsumoto via Yudanaka and ride on Nagano Dentetsu Train. See the famous snow monkeys

Day 16: Travel to Toyama by Alpen Route

Day 17: Travel to Uozu: Ride on Kurobe Kyokoku Line, sightseeing at Keyakidaira

Day 18: Travel to Nikko via Niigata: Nikko sightseeing

Day 19: Ride on Tobu Line to Asakusa Tokyo. Free at leisure after lunch.

Day 20: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

[Martijn Meerts]

As I don't know much about the names of the various lines and such, I haven't much of a clue, but it sure does sound like you'll be seeing a lot of Japan and Japanese trains :)

 

 

Something I would personally add considering Kyoto is 1 of the destinations, is a trip to Gion. This could be done in the evening, maybe visit a traditional tea house, or perhaps see some performance if there happens to be one at the time. Of course, this could be done without planning ahead, but it would be nice to at least be able to discuss it with all people on the trip, and see if it's possible to get something going.

 

Also, the free day in Tokyo, could be nice to have the option of people to sign up for a visit to the Ghibli Museum. Unfortunately this isn't a place you can visit on a whim, as it's almost always sold out. Especially foreigners tend to have to make ticket reservations several months in advance. Doing this as a group would be a lot easier, and I'm fairly certain quite a few people would love to see it. (This could be as easy as asking people if they're interested in seeing the Ghibli museum when they sign up for the trip, and if enough people are interested, tickets could be bought for the whole group.)

 

Obviously, the cost of the Gion and Ghibli visits would fall outside the base cost, as it's optional :)

[Guest ___]

Hokkaido Trip Days in between reserved for area railfanning

 

Tokyo-Aizuwakamatsu (3:00)

13 nights Aizuwakamatsu

Narita → Tokyo Station (via N'ex)

Tokyo Station → Koriyama (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Yamabiko service)

Koriyama → Aizuwakamatsu  (via Ban'etsu West Line)

 

Aizuwakamatsu - Sendai via Koriyama (2:00)

Rail Connection

Aizuwakamatsu → Koriyama (via Ban'etsu West Line)

Koriyama →  Sendai (via Yamabiko Service)

 

Sendai - Hachinohe (2:00)

2 night Hachinohe

Sendai → Hachinohe (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Hayate service)

 

Hachinohe - Hokodate (3:00)

2 nights Hokodate

Hachinohe → Hokodate (via Super Hakuchō)

 

Hokodate - Sapporo (4:00)

3 nights Sapporo

Hokodate → Sapporo (via Super Hokuto)

 

Sapporo - Tokyo (9:00)

1 night Tokyo

Sapporo → Hokodate (via Super Hokuto)

Hokodate → Hachinohe (via Super Hakuchō)

Hachinohe → Tokyo Station (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Hayate Service)

Tokyo Station → Narita (via N'ex)

 

 

Total days of JR Railpass: 12

 

Aizu-Korriyama Schedule: http://www.aizu.com/train/index-e.html

[westfalen]

Day 1: Arrive at Tokyo: Coach to Hotel

Day 2: Visit Chiba and experience track cycle on Izumi Rail Line

Day 3: Private use of Arakawa Tram Line, then after lunch, visit the Omiya Railway Museum and visit rail yard which is next to the museum

Day 4: Visit Usuitoge Railway Theme Park

Day 5: Whole day free at leisure in Tokyo (use JR Pass to do your rail trips)

Day 6: Leave to Sumatakyo Onsen area: Highlight is Oigawa SL and Aputo Line

Day 7: Ride on Tenryu Hamanako Line and spend some time at Tenryu Futamata Station where there are railway museum and tumplate

Day 8: Travel to Nagoya: Nagoya Linear Museum and Guideway Bus

Day 9: Travel to Kyoto via Ise: Ise Jingu Shrine and Iga Railway Ninja Train

Day 10: Ride on Torocco Train in Saga Arashiyama, and Randen Line

Day 11: Travel to Takamatsu: Highlight: Umekoji Railway Museum, Seto Ohashi Line

Day 12: Travel back to Takamatsu by riding sleeper train Sunrise Seto

Day 13: Arrive at Tokyo. Rest of the day free at leisure

Day 14: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

Extension plan for people who want to stay longer

 

Day 14: Spend the day riding Choshi Dentetsu Line and visit the soy sauce museum

Day 15: Visit Matsumoto via Yudanaka and ride on Nagano Dentetsu Train. See the famous snow monkeys

Day 16: Travel to Toyama by Alpen Route

Day 17: Travel to Uozu: Ride on Kurobe Kyokoku Line, sightseeing at Keyakidaira

Day 18: Travel to Nikko via Niigata: Nikko sightseeing

Day 19: Ride on Tobu Line to Asakusa Tokyo. Free at leisure after lunch.

Day 20: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

The days I've highlighted in red are things I've already done or done part of so I'd be going off on my own most of the time to see new things but it sounds like a good introduction to Japanese railways.

[mich1409]

As I don't know much about the names of the various lines and such, I haven't much of a clue, but it sure does sound like you'll be seeing a lot of Japan and Japanese trains :)

 

 

Something I would personally add considering Kyoto is 1 of the destinations, is a trip to Gion. This could be done in the evening, maybe visit a traditional tea house, or perhaps see some performance if there happens to be one at the time. Of course, this could be done without planning ahead, but it would be nice to at least be able to discuss it with all people on the trip, and see if it's possible to get something going.

 

Also, the free day in Tokyo, could be nice to have the option of people to sign up for a visit to the Ghibli Museum. Unfortunately this isn't a place you can visit on a whim, as it's almost always sold out. Especially foreigners tend to have to make ticket reservations several months in advance. Doing this as a group would be a lot easier, and I'm fairly certain quite a few people would love to see it. (This could be as easy as asking people if they're interested in seeing the Ghibli museum when they sign up for the trip, and if enough people are interested, tickets could be bought for the whole group.)

 

Obviously, the cost of the Gion and Ghibli visits would fall outside the base cost, as it's optional :)

 

 

Thank you Martijn Meerts san,

 

This is a great idea. I think there will be few people that would like to stay on in Japan to do their own thing in Japan and this is certainly something that we can help you with. Ghibli Museums are quite restrictive as you mentioned so we can pre-book them for you also, that can also be done on the free day during the tour if the museum is open on that date.

 

Thanks again!

[mich1409]

Hokkaido Trip Days in between reserved for area railfanning

 

Tokyo-Aizuwakamatsu (3:00)

13 nights Aizuwakamatsu

Narita → Tokyo Station (via N'ex)

Tokyo Station → Koriyama (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Yamabiko service)

Koriyama → Aizuwakamatsu  (via Ban'etsu West Line)

 

Aizuwakamatsu - Sendai via Koriyama (2:00)

Rail Connection

Aizuwakamatsu → Koriyama (via Ban'etsu West Line)

Koriyama →  Sendai (via Yamabiko Service)

 

Sendai - Hachinohe (2:00)

2 night Hachinohe

Sendai → Hachinohe (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Hayate service)

 

Hachinohe - Hokodate (3:00)

2 nights Hokodate

Hachinohe → Hokodate (via Super Hakuchō)

 

Hokodate - Sapporo (4:00)

3 nights Sapporo

Hokodate → Sapporo (via Super Hokuto)

 

Sapporo - Tokyo (9:00)

1 night Tokyo

Sapporo → Hokodate (via Super Hokuto)

Hokodate → Hachinohe (via Super Hakuchō)

Hachinohe → Tokyo Station (via Tōhoku Shinkansen: Hayate Service)

Tokyo Station → Narita (via N'ex)

 

 

Total days of JR Railpass: 12

 

Aizu-Korriyama Schedule: http://www.aizu.com/train/index-e.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Morail Cat san,

 

I did think about Hokkaido, but it didn't seem that popular in this thread, so I actually took it out of the itinerary!

Though, as I've said to Martijn Meerts san, there will be people doing their own thing after the tour so this would probably be something that people can do after the tour. From what I can see in the itinerary I can certainly assist you with the rail pass and the accommodation so no worries there.

 

Thanks again, will let you guys know once I work out the pricing structure.

[mich1409]

Day 1: Arrive at Tokyo: Coach to Hotel

Day 2: Visit Chiba and experience track cycle on Izumi Rail Line

Day 3: Private use of Arakawa Tram Line, then after lunch, visit the Omiya Railway Museum and visit rail yard which is next to the museum

Day 4: Visit Usuitoge Railway Theme Park

Day 5: Whole day free at leisure in Tokyo (use JR Pass to do your rail trips)

Day 6: Leave to Sumatakyo Onsen area: Highlight is Oigawa SL and Aputo Line

Day 7: Ride on Tenryu Hamanako Line and spend some time at Tenryu Futamata Station where there are railway museum and tumplate

Day 8: Travel to Nagoya: Nagoya Linear Museum and Guideway Bus

Day 9: Travel to Kyoto via Ise: Ise Jingu Shrine and Iga Railway Ninja Train

Day 10: Ride on Torocco Train in Saga Arashiyama, and Randen Line

Day 11: Travel to Takamatsu: Highlight: Umekoji Railway Museum, Seto Ohashi Line

Day 12: Travel back to Takamatsu by riding sleeper train Sunrise Seto

Day 13: Arrive at Tokyo. Rest of the day free at leisure

Day 14: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

Extension plan for people who want to stay longer

 

Day 14: Spend the day riding Choshi Dentetsu Line and visit the soy sauce museum

Day 15: Visit Matsumoto via Yudanaka and ride on Nagano Dentetsu Train. See the famous snow monkeys

Day 16: Travel to Toyama by Alpen Route

Day 17: Travel to Uozu: Ride on Kurobe Kyokoku Line, sightseeing at Keyakidaira

Day 18: Travel to Nikko via Niigata: Nikko sightseeing

Day 19: Ride on Tobu Line to Asakusa Tokyo. Free at leisure after lunch.

Day 20: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

The days I've highlighted in red are things I've already done or done part of so I'd be going off on my own most of the time to see new things but it sounds like a good introduction to Japanese railways.

 

westfalen san, thank you!

 

Wow, you are certainly experienced there! Absolutely, if you or people like yourself have already experienced certain things and would like to do your own thing, discounts should apply. The main point of this tour is for rail enthusiasts to get together and enjoy Japanese railways on their own or with the group whatever is the preference.

 

Thanks again!

[westfalen]

 

westfalen san, thank you!

 

Wow, you are certainly experienced there! Absolutely, if you or people like yourself have already experienced certain things and would like to do your own thing, discounts should apply. The main point of this tour is for rail enthusiasts to get together and enjoy Japanese railways on their own or with the group whatever is the preference.

 

Thanks again!

That would be the appealing thing about this type of trip, the camaraderie of like minded people. Many of the places I have been would be worth a return visit especially since it's been a few years since I done some of them, I certainly wouldn't expect a discount for things I've already seen.

[mich1409]

Thank you Westfalen san!

 

I got the figures now.

 

Day 1: Arrive at Tokyo: Coach to Hotel

Day 2: Visit Chiba and experience track cycle on Izumi Rail Line

Day 3: Private use of Arakawa Tram Line, then after lunch, visit the Omiya Railway Museum and visit rail yard which is next to the museum

Day 4: Visit Usuitoge Railway Theme Park

Day 5: Whole day free at leisure in Tokyo (use JR Pass to do your rail trips)

Day 6: Leave to Sumatakyo Onsen area: Highlight is Oigawa SL and Aputo Line

Day 7: Ride on Tenryu Hamanako Line and spend some time at Tenryu Futamata Station where there are railway museum and tumplate

Day 8: Travel to Nagoya: Nagoya Linear Museum and Guideway Bus

Day 9: Travel to Kyoto via Ise: Ise Jingu Shrine and Iga Railway Ninja Train

Day 10: Ride on Torocco Train in Saga Arashiyama, and Randen Line

Day 11: Travel to Takamatsu: Highlight: Umekoji Railway Museum, Seto Ohashi Line

Day 12: Travel back to Takamatsu by riding sleeper train Sunrise Seto

Day 13: Arrive at Tokyo. Rest of the day free at leisure

Day 14: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

Land only price will be: AU$5,585 per person twin share

($6,252 if you are single traveller)

 

Extension plan for people who want to stay longer

 

Day 14: Spend the day riding Choshi Dentetsu Line and visit the soy sauce museum

Day 15: Visit Matsumoto via Yudanaka and ride on Nagano Dentetsu Train. See the famous snow monkeys

Day 16: Travel to Toyama by Alpen Route

Day 17: Travel to Uozu: Ride on Kurobe Kyokoku Line, sightseeing at Keyakidaira

Day 18: Travel to Nikko via Niigata: Nikko sightseeing

Day 19: Ride on Tobu Line to Asakusa Tokyo. Free at leisure after lunch.

Day 20: Travel to Airport by Skyliner Train

 

Extension Plan:

AU$2,500 per person twin share

($2,983 if you are single traveller)

 

Solo travellers who want to share with somebody else on the tour can do that provided there are people who also want to share.

 

If you need to check the rate in your currency, you can use this site:  http://www.xe.com/ucc/

 

In terms of the price point, this would probably be the final price but would love your thoughts on it.

 

I will also be offering 10% discount for people on this forum.

[westfalen]

It's hard to compare prices between tours because of different content and other factors, this years Trainaway Tours trip (which as we speak should be enroute from Tokyo to Toyama) was AU$6,490 for 23 days including return airfare via Jetstar from the Gold Coast, but your pricing sounds reasonable depending on what is included, eg;meals, entry into attractions, quality of hotels, green car or standard pass? Trainaway and others I've traveled with offer twinshare as the standard fare with a single room supplement for those who desire it, usually out of two dozen or so there are only two or three who opt for single rooms.

 

Have you decided on dates yet?

[Guest ___]

 

Thanks Morail Cat san,

 

I did think about Hokkaido, but it didn't seem that popular in this thread, so I actually took it out of the itinerary!

Though, as I've said to Martijn Meerts san, there will be people doing their own thing after the tour so this would probably be something that people can do after the tour. From what I can see in the itinerary I can certainly assist you with the rail pass and the accommodation so no worries there.

 

Thanks again, will let you guys know once I work out the pricing structure.

 

See for me, planning the trip is half the fun if not often times more. And for most trips I can do most all of the planing and reservations myself. However with this trip, because of the locations being where they are, none of my travel booking sites will let me make reservations at places like Aizu or Hachinohe. The only trip I ever needed an agent for was when I had to use JALPak now part of JTB, for my hotel reservations at Miyazaki which I could not find a hotel at Logistically, this would be the hardest trip I ever planned for because of this. The Hokkaido trip to date has been the most complicated trip I have ever written an itinerary for because it is restricted by the use of a 14 day JR Pass.

 

PS- this is monorail cat. I change icons every 30 days. Last time it was easier to change screen names than icons.

[westfalen]

I booked into the Toyoko Inn across the street from Miyazaki station for my trip in November using their website.

[keitaro]

lol i don't book hotels except the first night. so easy to find accomodation in jpn.

 

makes your schedule flexible.

 

looks like a good trip

[westfalen]

If it's a holiday or there's something on in town you could still have problems.

[keitaro]

True.

 

Not saying anything wrong with planning just making humour at how i roll. 

 

I'll never forget my nagoya stay haha some how managed to arrive at 9pm at night and some random old japanese lady was like come stay at my Ryokan.

 

But she was limited to 15 words approx in english and kept talking in japanese and i'm sitting there grinning and nodding my head hahaha.

 

Then there was the time i was hitching car rides in some remote location i had no idea where i was. Near takamatsu. Very kind lady.

[mich1409]

It's hard to compare prices between tours because of different content and other factors, this years Trainaway Tours trip (which as we speak should be enroute from Tokyo to Toyama) was AU$6,490 for 23 days including return airfare via Jetstar from the Gold Coast, but your pricing sounds reasonable depending on what is included, eg;meals, entry into attractions, quality of hotels, green car or standard pass? Trainaway and others I've traveled with offer twinshare as the standard fare with a single room supplement for those who desire it, usually out of two dozen or so there are only two or three who opt for single rooms.

 

Have you decided on dates yet?

 

Sorry, this tour took a long time to plan.

The date is now fixed for 13 May 12. Info is up on the website: http://www.experiencejapan.com.au/japan-rail-enthusiasts-tour-14-days

You'll notice that the pricing is higher than what I've mentioned earlier. I'm doing a deal with another travel wholesaler that can also sell it on my behalf so I had to bring up the price.

However, the pricing will stay as it was for JNS members exclusively for if you are interested let me know through this forum or by emailing from the website (make sure you put your username here so I can identify you)

 

Quality of accommodation is quite good, especially in Tokyo, where all rooms are renovated and has a view of the Shinagawa Station railway

 

There's also a farewell dinner at a train themed bistro, so that's going to be fun as well.

 

If we can gather 20 people on day 4, instead of going to Shonan, we'll be doing the Poppoya experience.

 

I'm also looking into see if my tour operators can get me a copy of Daiya for May 2012 so tour participants can receive that upon arrival in Tokyo.

The question I have is would you want to carry around a copy of Daiya or would you prefer to leave it at home? (i.e. would you pay postage to get it sent to your country prior to departure?)

 

Would love your thoughts.

[mich1409]

 

Thanks Morail Cat san,

 

I did think about Hokkaido, but it didn't seem that popular in this thread, so I actually took it out of the itinerary!

Though, as I've said to Martijn Meerts san, there will be people doing their own thing after the tour so this would probably be something that people can do after the tour. From what I can see in the itinerary I can certainly assist you with the rail pass and the accommodation so no worries there.

 

Thanks again, will let you guys know once I work out the pricing structure.

 

See for me, planning the trip is half the fun if not often times more. And for most trips I can do most all of the planing and reservations myself. However with this trip, because of the locations being where they are, none of my travel booking sites will let me make reservations at places like Aizu or Hachinohe. The only trip I ever needed an agent for was when I had to use JALPak now part of JTB, for my hotel reservations at Miyazaki which I could not find a hotel at Logistically, this would be the hardest trip I ever planned for because of this. The Hokkaido trip to date has been the most complicated trip I have ever written an itinerary for because it is restricted by the use of a 14 day JR Pass.

 

PS- this is monorail cat. I change icons every 30 days. Last time it was easier to change screen names than icons.

 

Good to know, thanks Shashinka-san, (so used to calling you Monorail Cat -san though)

 

I guess the point of difference with this trip is 1., as mentioned previously, gives the rail enthusiasts from all walks of life to travel together 2. there are activities that you can only do as a group and I tried to add them in as well.

 

Having said that, totally understand the fun behind planning your own trip, thats why I work in travel as well.