It's never too early to plan!

[lurkingknight]

this is of interest to me...

[westfalen]

My friend and I stayed at the Apa hotel in Ogaki last year, couldn't complain about it.

 

Another good point about Toyoko Inn is that they all have free in-room wifi, something I always look for in a hotel these days and something more expensive places sometimes do not.

[katoftw]

It goes well with saki. Saki make the wife look better ... same as makeup ... ;)

haha

 

post of the week!

[katoftw]

Another good point about Toyoko Inn is that they all have free in-room wifi, something I always look for in a hotel these days and something more expensive places sometimes do not.

I did the same while looking for hotels. Wifi needed to be on the list of options.

 

Mainly because having kids meant the ability to leave the room is lower than without kids. Most had wifi in the lobby/foyer/common areas.

 

But if I wanted to download photos at 7:30pm while the children slept, then those areas weren't suitable.

Edited July 25, 2014 by katoftw

[ijontichy]

I've stayed in an APA hotel in Osaka. My room had private bathroom, air-con and free-wifi. Small, but par for the course when it comes to Japan.

[JR 500系]

Thanks guys!

 

This discussion about hotels helps me to gain more feedback. Seems like the APA is quite a normal hotel to actually stay in. It's kinda cheap, like US$70 or something for a night with morning breakfast, perhaps even cheaper than the Toyoko Inns.

 

Settling each hotel in each area is quite fun. I've noted the APA hotel for Hiroshima, Toyoko Inn for Kumamoto, Cilo Hotel for Hakata and probably the Tabata METS hotel for Tokyo if I can get it.

 

Still looking for a good onsen hotel in Fuji/ Hakone, a nice hotel in Matsumoto, Nagoya too.. etc.

 

 

Hello Mr JR500,

 

So sorry about Setsugetsuka price, but that is the price you must pay for private onsen and view of Mt Fuji.  Each room also has a private outdoor bath on balcony.  It goes well with saki.  Saki make the wife look better ... same as makeup ... ;)

 

You must also understand that Setsugetsuka includes 12 course dinner and 10 course breakfast.  These meals are prepared by experienced chefs of considerable fame.  Many guests, such as my wife, stay at Setsugetsuka for the food alone.  I would still recommend as a fine reward to any wife who is married to a railfan ... ;)

Thanks E6 san!

 

I do agree one have to pay for certain quality. But it's gonna cost like US$1000 for 2 nights, that's really too steep for a poor man like myself...  :(

[lurkingknight]

you can probably do better than 70$/night depending on city.. I paid that for the new osaka hotel right across the street from shinsaibashi and only a 10 minute walk from dotonbori and namba... the heart of downtown osaka. Hiroshima we were at dormy inn which was right on peace blvd only a 5 minute walk from the bomb memorial. We were a bit out of the way in kyoto just 2 or 3 stops south of kyoto station at hotel anteroom... I won't mention the dive hotel we ended up at in ueno tho... we kinda lost that roll of the dice. 3 out of 4 wasn't bad. lol

 

 

I did all my hotel booking on agoda.com really great rates.

[E6系]

I do agree one have to pay for certain quality. But it's gonna cost like US$1000 for 2 nights, that's really too steep for a poor man like myself...  :(

 

Hello Mr JR500,

 

With the $1000 worth of trains you've had delivered from MTP over the last week, I hardly think you're poor ... ;)

[JR 500系]

you can probably do better than 70$/night depending on city.. I paid that for the new osaka hotel right across the street from shinsaibashi and only a 10 minute walk from dotonbori and namba... the heart of downtown osaka. Hiroshima we were at dormy inn which was right on peace blvd only a 5 minute walk from the bomb memorial. We were a bit out of the way in kyoto just 2 or 3 stops south of kyoto station at hotel anteroom... I won't mention the dive hotel we ended up at in ueno tho... we kinda lost that roll of the dice. 3 out of 4 wasn't bad. lol

 

 

I did all my hotel booking on agoda.com really great rates.

 

Yap me too. I do most of my booking on agoda.com, besides the cheap rates there is also a reward point system, and I've actually claim off 2-3 nights using these points for hotels at other locations. Thanks for the information! I'll definitely be looking at the hotel at Shinsaibashi since it's near Dotonburi, and the dormy inn for Hiroshima.

 

 

Hello Mr JR500,

 

With the $1000 worth of trains you've had delivered from MTP over the last week, I hardly think you're poor ... ;)

 

Haha ~ Exposed by E6 san! 

 

But that was my secret stash... so secret I don't even know where they came from.  :help:

 

Nevertheless, i'm still a poor man~  :help:

 

For Japan, I need to spread out my capital since I need to spend on hotels, food and hobby train models... So typically I need to budget more... 

[lurkingknight]

honestly, I would spend the money on things I can't get online or locally. :P I would go to japan just to eat if it weren't for the price of the air fare.

[katoftw]

 

But that was my secret stash... so secret I don't even know where they came from.  :help:

I tell the wife that too. haha

 

The current one I'm using is that items arriving are all pre-orders and cannot be cancelled due to store policy. Dunno how long I can keep using that excuse. I always tell her that this is the second last one. I've had 4 second last ones since Feb.

Edited July 29, 2014 by katoftw

[Ochanomizu]

honestly, I would spend the money on things I can't get online or locally. :P I would go to japan just to eat if it weren't for the price of the air fare.

 

Hello Mr lurkingknight,

 

Yes.  This is my strategy when I travel.  Good food and accommodation turn a memorable holiday into a fantastic one.

[JR 500系]

And finallly it was confirmed!

 

So happy since I grabbed the tickets during a recent Singapore Airlines promotion sales. More than 50% off! Down side is maximum only 14 days and there were black-out dates, mainly golden week, Weekends like Friday, Saturday and Sundays, and only on certain flights. It has to be two-way too, i.e. landing and flying off at the same airport. They're having several areas to fly to, like Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, but flight timing for Fukuoka was the best since it is an early morning flight so basically you can get one full day upon arrival in Japan~

 

Sweet deals! Now on to actual planning, with dates!  :)

eticket-.pdf

Edited November 23, 2014 by JR500 のぞみ

[JR 500系]

Finally I get more in-depth into the plan since I have tips from katoftw's recent trip and log, and also more travel shows like 'Hello Nippon' on cable. It seems I will remove Aso since Aso mountain is only about the caldera, and of course the Aso Boy trip with it's triple switch-back. Also, we need to take the Toroko-trolley at Aso (which is not covered by JR Pass) for a nicer scenic view, but it seems we need to walk around an hour (according to Train Cruise Episode 8 - Aso Mountain) to get to the 'best' view of the caldera and the 'live' volcano. All in all,  it would seem 'pretty boring' as discussed with the Mrs, as it would be just only be for the train ride and a terrible 1-hour walk just to see the caldera.

 

That frees up one day in Kyushu. The Huis Ten Bosch park is confirmed, together with the train cruise route and Beppu, for the eight-hells tour and sand bath. Thinking of squeezing in Nagasaki, but i'll need to see what more interesting stuff could be in Kyushu which I missed out.  

 

My question is, I tried hyperia but it just doesn't seem to display the 'joyful' train sets, like for example:

 

On Kyushu web page, travel information for the Yufuin-no-mori:

Hakata - Beppu

Depart Hakata 10:25, arrive Beppu 13:35, Yufuin-no-mori No. 3.

 

But on Hyperia, once I log in the actual dates, it only reflects the Ltd. Exp. Sonic

 

Route2

Take time: 125 Minutes  Transfer: 0 Times  Distance: 188.0 km 
Total:¥ 5,560(TicketFare:¥ 3,670  Seat Fee:¥ 1,890)  Commuting ticket(1mon:¥ ---   3mon:¥ ---   6mon:¥ --- )

 

UsefulLink Commuting ticket

 

Time Route Fare Seat Fee Commuting ticket UsefulLink 1Month 3Month 6Month

10:19

HAKATA
[ Departure track No.2 ]
Station timetable | Add to favorite        

• Map
• Hotel

• Rent-a-car
•  

[125 Min]

• LTD. EXP SONIC 15

Train timetable | Interval timetable

¥3,670

Green seat: ¥2,950Reserved seat: ¥1,890Unreserved seat: ¥1,380        

12:24

BEPPU
Add to favorite

 

 Is it the joyful trains cannot be displayed on hyperia? Or is it too early? I recall seeing Yufuin-no-mori, hayato-no-kaze etc on hyperia, perhaps the dates were too far to be actually displayed, hence the only confirmed Ltd. Exp trains were listed?  

[katoftw]

Hyperdia would log the quickest route, which would be the blue sonic to Beppu.  Add Yufuin to pass 1.  And remove ordinary train.

 

I found tho that the jp and en kyushu website does match hyperdia perfectly.

 

Also using the interval timetable is great cos it shows all the services for you destination on said day.

Edited November 16, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Thanks katoftw!

 

I tried, but now we got yufu 3 instead:

 

 

Time Route Fare Seat Fee Commuting ticket UsefulLink 1Month 3Month 6Month

12:20

HAKATA
[ Departure track No.5 ]
Station timetable | Add to favorite        

• Map
• Hotel

• Rent-a-car
•  

 

[203 Min]

• LTD. EXP YUFU 3

Train timetable | Interval timetable

¥3,990

Reserved seat: ¥1,890Unreserved seat: ¥1,380        

15:43

BEPPU

 

The Yufu 3 uses the Kiha-185 red train set, and now I really want to ride the Yufuin-no-mori. It just doesn't seem to want to appear ...

 

Now I think I understood. My guess was correct. I change the dates to Dec instead of Apr 2015 and this is what I got:

 

 

Time Route Fare Seat Fee Commuting ticket UsefulLink 1Month 3Month 6Month

10:25

HAKATA
[ Departure track No.5 ]
Station timetable | Add to favorite        

• Map
• Hotel

• Rent-a-car
•  

[190 Min]

• LTD. EXP YUFUIN NO MORI 3

Train timetable | Interval timetable

¥3,990

Reserved seat: ¥1,890        

13:35

BEPPU
Add to favorite Edited November 16, 2014 by JR500 のぞみ

[katoftw]

I only did tomorrows date.  May only show reverse ticket only trains 1 month in advance.  To prove your theory, pick a date 32 days from now and test.

Edited November 16, 2014 by katoftw

[Kitayama]

The JR timetable for April 2015 is not published yet. The Hyperdia information is preliminary based on the current schedules. You must check your whole itinerary once the 2015 timetable is published (normally in February valid from mid-March). In 2015 that is especially true for all lines affected by the opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen.

 

I checked Toretabi, a timetable site in Japanese where you can search on train names. The Yufuinnomori runs almost daily so far as they show the schedules (end of January).

Edited November 16, 2014 by Kitayama

[Jensen]

I haven't checked recently but the english website of JR Kyushu timetable doesn't match the actual or printed timetable, but this is back in 2012 when went there. 

 

And finallly it was confirmed!

 

So happy since I grabbed the tickets during a recent Singapore Airlines promotion sales. More than 50% off! Down side is maximum only 14 days and there were black-out dates, mainly golden week, Weekends like Friday, Saturday and Sundays, and only on certain flights. It has to be two-way too, i.e. landing and flying off at the same airport. They're having several areas to fly to, like Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, but flight timing for Fukuoka was the best since it is an early morning flight so basically you can get one full day upon arrival in Japan~

 

Sweet deals! Now on to actual planning, with dates!  :)

 

I think you need to blank out the E-ticket number, I heard some people get more info though that just like the new 3D bar code on your air tickets. 

 

Hello Mr lurkingknight,

 

Yes.  This is my strategy when I travel.  Good food and accommodation turn a memorable holiday into a fantastic one.

 Me too!  Eat and Train are my main aim of holidays! Sight seeing are my secondary objective.

[katoftw]

JR Kyushu site is not incorrect. English or Japanese version. The english version doe omit some trains, which is why I'd use the japanese site, and it is easy to navigate anyway for a non japanese reading person. or just use google chrome browser.

[JR 500系]

Thanks Jenson san for the headsup! Edited the e-ticket.  I think some people can track back using the reference number on the e-ticket?  

 

Thanks Kitayama san! Don't mind telling me about the Toretabi website that you're referring too? I only have on Toretabi website:

 

http://www.tabi-o-ji.com/go/

But that is only for Shinkansen, and only From Tokyo to Kagoshima-Chuo. I like this as it shows what train the service will use, and it's nice to know since I really hope to ride as many of the shinkansen as available, especially so for the soon retiring 500 series and Rail Star. Speaking of which, there only seems to be 2 Rail Star service left:

 

The Hikari Rail Star 440 leaving Hakata at 06:00 and arriving at Okayama at 08:34.   

The Hikari Rail Star 442 leaving Hakata at 06:16 and arriving at Shin-Osaka at 10:04. I need to catch this!  

 

With comparison, although the Kodama is sometimes also using the Rail Star set, it has 4 more stops from Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka than the Hikari, so it'll be nice to ride on a Hikari Rail Star instead of the Kodama Rail star...

 

Back to the Yufuin, I tried and indeed joyful trains can only be shown on Hyperia, which is the site I trusted more, one month from now. Any further dates will show the regular trains in service instead, like the Yufu or Sonic for Beppu, Kyushu Odan Tokyu for Hitoyoshi (instead of SL Hitoyoshi), even the Huis Ten Bosch Ltd Exp!

[E6系]

 

The Hikari Rail Star 442 leaving Hakata at 06:16 and arriving at Shin-Osaka at 10:04. I need to catch this!  

 

 

... but I think Mrs JR is planning to leave at 08:16 ..... :D

[JR 500系]

... but I think Mrs JR is planning to leave at 08:16 ..... :D

 

No worries E6 san, I'm boarding the Hikari Rail Star at Hiroshima, so that's about 07:45 and arrive Shin-Osaka. No choice since these two are the only Hikari Rail star services left.

 

As a matter of fact, I'm finding it a lot of problem to try and fit in 500 series Kodama service into my plan, they're either too early or too late, with no 500 series services between 09:00am to 13:00pm, which is the prime time to travel since we just check out and it's about time to check into the next hotel....

 

Hence, to fulfil my wish to ride the 500 series, I made a little 'fun-trip' from Hiroshima, using the Kodama 758 depart Hiroshima at 20:02 and arrive Mihara (2-stops away) at 20:29. Wait for 17 mins at Mihara watching trains and then taking another 500 series Kodama 757 depart Mihara 20:46 and arrive Hiroshima 21:26. Fun!   

[E6系]

Have you tried using this timetable: http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/index.html ?  It shows the type of train.  RailStar services are shown by a white diamond on a black square.

[Kitayama]

Have you tried using this timetable: http://english.jr-central.co.jp/info/timetable/index.html ?  It shows the type of train.  RailStar services are shown by a white diamond on a black square.

 

The 500 services are marked with a 500 symbol.  

Edited November 23, 2014 by Kitayama