It's never too early to plan!

[Kitayama]

 

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 URL is: http://jikoku.toretabi.jp/

 

Name search for a train is done as shown below:

 

[Kitayama]

More on Toretabi:

Once you have found the timetable, you can click on the train and get a lot of details. At the right, you can see which dates the service is running. Useful for trains that are not daily.

The example below shows the Yufuin no mori from Hakata to Beppu.

 

[katoftw]

 

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,

You can ride one from Hakata early in the morning around 6am. 2 went past me between 0600 and 0643 when I was there. And one was the Plarail 500. Only goes as far as Kitakyushu/Kokura, and all 8 cars are non reserved. Catch a blue sonic back to Hakata. Sound only be a 90 minute round trip at best.

 

Leave the wife to have a sleep in. Go ride the trains. Bring back breakfast in bed to hotel around 8am. This last bit hopefully will buy you enough time to do the above plan if you convey her benefits to her correctly.

Edited November 23, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Thank you Kitayama san! That's a good resource site! Let me play around a little to see if I understand how to operate it....

 

Thanks katoftw, but I can't leave 'my precious' (I sound like golam) alone, even if she was sleeping in the hotel. Besides, she has also suggested we should take the 500 series together. I told her about the little 'side' trip for fun and she was all for it! 

 

Speaking of which, she gave me a fantastic idea to tip my entire plan over on its head, saying let's start from Tokyo instead! She has a point since we touch down early morning at Hakata and we can't book into any hotel, so might as well use this time to travel to Tokyo and by the time we reach Tokyo we can check in. Good thinking, but I now have to see if the Wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park is doable. It seems the wisterias only bloom in mid-april...  

[katoftw]

On my last day, we went from Hakata to Toyko, before moving onto Narita. Honestly I wouldn't recommend it. It is a good way to loose 8-10 hours of your trip.

 

If you arrive at Fukuoka that early, buy an allday ticket and then Subway it into Hakata. Lock you bags into some lockers and continue onto Ohori Park, Canal City and JR Hakata City. By the time 2-3pm comes around, you'll be ready to check in.

 

How early is early when you say you arrive early?

[Kitayama]

On my last day, we went from Hakata to Toyko, before moving onto Narita. Honestly I wouldn't recommend it. It is a good way to loose 8-10 hours of your trip.

 

If you arrive at Fukuoka that early, buy an allday ticket and then Subway it into Hakata. Lock you bags into some lockers and continue onto Ohori Park, Canal City and JR Hakata City. By the time 2-3pm comes around, you'll be ready to check in.

 

How early is early when you say you arrive early?

 

I agree, with one exception. There is not need to use lockers, unless the hotel location is inconvenient. The hotel would keep the bags for you even if you arrive early in the morning.   

[katoftw]

I agree, with one exception. There is not need to use lockers, unless the hotel location is inconvenient. The hotel would keep the bags for you even if you arrive early in the morning.

I wish I had done that on my trip more often. I planned for travelling between cities on HSR from checkout to check in times. So 10am to 2pm. But I found travelling early morning 7-9am was much easier and you could slip breakfast in on the train too.

 

So dropping bags off at your hotel, say at 10am and having the day free allows better usage of time. In my situation, the kids were up at 5-6am. So if became easier to move around early morning.

 

Already been planning a second trip. I will be puting this into place for trips like travelling from Hakata to Kagoshina. Getting to Kagoshina hotel around 0930-1000, and travelling to Ibusuki for lunch+afternoon.

Edited November 24, 2014 by katoftw

[westfalen]

I agree, with one exception. There is not need to use lockers, unless the hotel location is inconvenient. The hotel would keep the bags for you even if you arrive early in the morning.   

I've done this many times too.  I also find most if not all hotels will also store your bags after you check out if you are not leaving town until afternoon.

[JR 500系]

Thanks guys for the tips.

 

It's not really that early, but it's like 08:35 touch down so it's somewhere like 10:00 by the time I reach Kumamoto, which is my first initial location.

 

I have to do the 8-10 hour thingy to get from either Tokyo to Hakata or Hakata to Tokyo, one way or the other, since I HAVE to leave via Hakata (Fukuoka). By the way, I checked Hyperia, it's around 6-7 hours using Sakura and Hikari combined, the fastest combination, to get from either Tokyo to Hakata or vice versa. It will take around 4-5 hours though using a direct Nozomi service, but oh well that's unavailable for JR Pass holders so...  

 

So, using the front 'waiting' time for checking into hotel, I can make use of this time to get to Tokyo. I should reach Tokyo using Sakura 544 boarding Hakata at 09:43 to Shin-Kobe and Hikari 468 Shin-Kobe to Tokyo and arrive at 15:40, just nice to check in.  

 

The reason I want to change the plan all around is because there is no promise that the Wisteria will full bloom in mid April, which is one of the main attraction and also the main reason that Tokyo is at the rear of the 15 day trip. Instead, since there is no promise we compromise by taking chances visiting the Wisteria in early April, and work our way upwards, hence the starting point in Tokyo. That makes Kyushu the last region for the last 3-4 days and finally leaving Japan there.

 

Another is like katoftw said it's really not nice to waste 8-10 hours just by travelling alone, hence we take this 'waiting' time for hotel + the comfort of using Green class to rest during the journey as it is an overnight flight. We can then arrive at Tokyo more refresh to do sightseeing and the longer days ahead the following day.

[JR 500系]

And so it's finally completed!

 

Please see below for me planning document. I pasted in pictures for easy reference:

 

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So I made the trip to start from Tokyo and ending in Fukuoka instead. It saved waiting time plus we can move at a slower pace on the last day and the first few days of Tokyo.

Edited December 1, 2014 by JR500 のぞみ

[JR 500系]

I need some advice. Thanks Kitayama san for the link, but I see this on the website for Asama service:

 

[/url]">http://http://s225.photobucket.com/user/legofan/media/Asama_zps41a28142.jpg.html'>

 

Does this mean it is the E7, since it is a 12 car set? I couldn't find out if my Yamabiko 222 is an E5 too... It's not indicated, but youtube videos says it's E5, but sometimes E2. The reason for Omiya was to view the JR East Museum, check out Tomix world, and most importantly, ride the various E-series. I've gotten on the E2 so I wouldn't want to ride that again, and hope to ride the rest instead; mainly the E4, E5, E6 and E7.

Edited December 1, 2014 by JR500 のぞみ

[katoftw]

Enoshima Free Pass = 700 yen = Enoden + Monorail

 

Also you have alot of trains that require bookings like the NEX and Shinkansens to travel 15 minutes.  Don't bother.  Ride the commuters.

 

Also if Sakura 544 is full, do you have another plan?  542 and 544 are always very busy.  I couldn't book reserved seats on them 8 days out.  Had to use 540 @ 0700.

 

Will you be able to transit from you airplane, collect luggage, collect your rail pass and book the train in 68 minutes?

 

Also look like you need to stay in Fukuoka instead of Kumamoto, as all you trains expect SL Hitoyoshi start from there.

Edited December 1, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Thanks for the tips katoftw!

 

Firstly, i'm hoping that the Green class will have lesser people riding in them and hence we'll be able to get a chance on the Sakura 544. I've yet to encounter fully booked status on the shinkansen but definitely not wish to encounter! Say if the Sakura 544 is full then the following 546 will have to do. Luckily, there's no plan later except to check into the Tokyo hotel so that's not a big rush for time.

 

For the Ltd. Exp and shinkansens for 15mins, will proceed to do the reservations the day before for all the trips. I have to ride them as much to cover all the trains I wish to ride, even for 15mins or so. Commuters tend to be the same train over and over again, and I wish to ride as many before I get the chance for trip V3...

 

Which brings me to the next question, can all Midori No Madaguchi (Reservation Office) take reservations for any lines; i.e. say i'm at Hiroshima station can I make reservations for Kyushu trains, like Hayato no Kaze or Yufuin No Mori? Or do I have to go the respective JR branch to book them; i.e. JR West for JR West trains, JR East for JR East trains etc?

 

It seems a little tight at 68 mins, but i'll see how it goes. Might not be able to catch that Sakura 544, then it's the 546 then. Lastly, kudos and thank you for the suggestion to stay at Hakata. It is indeed more practical since i'll only need to travel to Kumamoto for the SL Hitoyoshi, and no hotel change is needed once in Kyushu. Great idea! Thanks!

[Kitayama]

Hi JR 500-のぞみさん。Let's see if I can add some valuable information.

 

"For the Ltd. Exp and shinkansens for 15mins, will proceed to do the reservations the day before for all the trips"

Please keep in mind that most trains have unreserved seats so if you don't have the time to book, you could always get on board the train anyway. NEX is an exception.

 

"can all Midori No Madaguchi (Reservation Office) take reservations for any lines"

All JR reservation offices can reserve seats for any JR train, regardless of JR company.

 

DAY 1:

68 minutes is tight.  4 minutes from Shinkansen to Yamanote is very tight... but it doesn't matter.  Do you like trams? Your hotel is close to the Arakawa line.

 

DAY 2:

If your only trip on Yurikamome is Shimbashi - Odaiba - Shimbashi, it's cheaper with single tickers (640 yen). To Skytree, take the Asakusa line (220 yen) to Asakusa station and walk.

 

DAY 3:

1.5 km from Omiya to the museum. Not so long walk, but take the train in one direction (just for the fun of riding it).

 

DAY 5:

You will miss the auction at the fish market. At 09:30 everything is done and what's left is the loading of fish into the trucks.  http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/youkoso/24hour_e/24hours.htm

 

DAY 6:

Don't miss the best part of the Hakone line - the part beyond Hakone-Yumoto.  The line up to Gora and the cable car/ ropeway to Owakudani is a must if you are in this area.

 

To be continued...

[Kitayama]

DAY 5:

The flower park closes at 18.00 - unless the Wisteria festival has started. You are a bit too early for that, but maybe you are lucky.

Anyway, I would cut 2 hours on the Tsukuji visit (as you will only see trucks and get a decent breakfast) and arrive at the flower park earlier. Then you can return earlier to Tokyo. Sunset is at ~18.15 so by 19.00 it's dark.

 

 

DAY 7:

You are really planning for tight transfers. OK, Japanese trains are on time, but changing trains takes time, especially at the large stations. To change from Shinkansen to Sagano line in 6 minutes is tight, especially if you should put your luggage into the a coin locker. At 14:15, it can be hard to find a coin locker at Kyoto station. I have been running around the whole station area without finding a coin locker (it was the same in Nagoya). However, there are coin lockers close to track 33, that's your best chance. You can also use the coin lockers at Saga-Arashiyama station. http://www.jr-odekake.net/eki/img/premises/0610704.pdf

Torokko Saga station, and the SL & Piano museum (!) is next to Saga-Arashiyama station.  Map from japan-guide.com:

 

 

DAY 8:

As I said above, finding a coin locker at Nagoya station can be a night mare. My wife arrived at 11.25 - and we couldn't find any locker.

You are missing a lot of nice scenery if you travel between Nagoya and Matsumoto in the dark. Try to catch the 16.00 Shinano. Just leave Osaka one hour earlier. 4.5 hours would be enough for the museum.

 

To be continued...

[Kitayama]

DAY 9:

April 17 on Tateyama Kurobe Route...  I would say you have a "75%" chance that it will be possible. This year, as well as in 2013, they opened on April 16.

If it is not possible, continue on the Oito line to Itoigawa. From there you can take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa.

 

Let us hope that you will use the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route! In that case, you have to replan the Toyama - Shin-Osaka section. The Thunderbird will not be running between Toyama and Kanazawa.

You will have to use the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa and then the Thunderbird to Shin-Osaka.

 

That's all I have to add to your own excellent planning. You have chosen a lot of places that I have/would like to include in my Japan tours.  Just make sure that you don't plan to tight connections if they are essential for the onward journey.

 

Best regards,

Göran (Kitayama)

[cteno4]

Tsukiji is well worth getting up at 4am! I've throughly enjoyed it. One time while prowling thru the stalls I got invited by a buyer to go in and watch tuna auctions and then I took him out to breakfast. Quite a time! He was impressed that I showed up at 4.30am to watch the action!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Wow.... Thanks Goran (Kitayama) san for going through my plan so carefully! Thank you very much! Greatly appreciate that!  :)

 

Thanks for the tips on the reservation of tickets. Now I feel more at ease as I can be sure to book my tickets early. I intend to print out small slips of paper, in accordance to the table above, for the trips; i.e. I will print Tokyo - Omiya, Komachi 13, depart Tokyo 10:20am arrival 10:45 in Japanese on one small slip of paper. Then i'll pass the slip to the staff at the counter for booking. This ensures I can get on the trains I want with the correct tickets ~ That will also mean i'll have tons of small slips of paper for reservation purposes.  

 

The reason why I wish to reserve is so that ii can secure a seat, and also use the Green Car. I'll be using the Green pass this type so hope to take as many of the Green cars available as possible. Can one use the Green car without reservations, i.e. just boarding the train?

 

Let's review the comments one by one:

 

Day 1: HHmmm I think so too, immigration procedures, collect baggage, exchange of pass, booking all within 68 mins is kinda tight. Might use the later Sakura instead then. As there's no other plans after reaching Tokyo, time is not so much of an essence. Hotel is not finalised, and may change if I can find a better deal elsewhere. Mejiro isn't exactly the best spot as it's kinda in the 'centre' of the Yamanote line and can't get to the main interchange stations like Tokyo or Shinjuku fast. Will perhaps go for Hamamatsucho instead.

 

Day 2: Thanks! Will look at these, since Rainbow bridge and the Gundam Front are the main attractions we would like in Odaiba.

 

Day 3: 1.5km? Then I think the train is much better... The Mrs. wouldn't like that... 

 

Day 5: @ Jeff too: I know about the auction at the Tsukuji... However, it is way too early for the Mrs. I dun think she will like the idea of waking up so early just to see men shouting for fishes... I seriously doubt she'll be interested....

 

Day 6: Noted thanks! I was thinking about the Hakone Free pass, that allows quite a number of rides, including the Romance Car... Need to get on the VSE 50000!

 

Day 7: I saw on the Ashikaga Flower Park official webpage that there are two types of entrance fee, one for the morning, and the other for the night. It seems that the morning is from 10:00 to 15:00, and the night is from 15:00 to 21:00. Definitely the night is better since we get both day and night flowers (the lighting)... Thing is, this year the wisteria was opened only on the 19th... Hence I may run a high chance of missing this...

 

http://www.ashikaga.co.jp/fee.html

 

Day 8: You make a good point there. Thanks! It seems the 16:00 Shinano is the way to go, since we can view the scenery and arrive at Matsumoto with some time to spare for the night. Good idea!

 

Day 9: Trying to balance both the wisteria and the Tateyama Route is the most challenging of this planning. In the end, I pushed the wisteria forward so that we can at least get the Tateyama. I do hope it's open then! Without the Tateyama, i'll have 2 FULL days of spare time instead... Which may push me further up east on the Tohoku Shinkansen...

 

Thank you Goran (Kitayama) san once again for the comments! Really helpful!

 

I like sharing my planning here, as some good buddies here have provided excellent comments to streamline my planning better. Thanks!

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr JR 500

 

So sorry, but I strongly suggest you abandon Day 4 plan.  You will have little more than 3 hours in the Enoshima district.  It really won't be enough time to enjoy much more than the scenery from the Enoden window.

 

Likewise, I cannot see the point in such a short stay at Hakone.  There is so much to do, especially around Gora.  But the trip from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora on Tozan will take 40 min each way.

 

Many of your rail connections are extremely tight.  Much of your travelling is at night, when travelling is unenjoyable due to lack of scenery.

 

The trip to the fish markets is pointless, really, as you will miss the event and only catch the end of fish being loaded into trucks. 

 

I hope Mrs JR is as enthusiastic about trains as you are, because there really won't be time for her to enjoy much else.

[miyakoji]

Ochanomizu!  Ohisashiburi!

Edited December 4, 2014 by miyakoji

[katoftw]

Somewhat truth do it though.  There also is alot of back and forth on the map which is wasting alot of time travelling.

 

I'd try to do a few destinations on the way to Tokyo, and a few back.  To save time going back and forth to Osaka.

 

Also starting alot of days @ 11am means you loose alot of the day.  Maybe a few 9am starts to allow more time for sightseeing.

 

Also there are 11 Fukuoka (FUK) to Toyko (NRT) 1h45m flights though the day.  Thought of startng at Toyko and finishing at Fukuoka?  Arrive at Narita, travel on the N'EX and cross that train off your list.  Be in Tokyo by 12-2pm.

 

I would also agree that you need to slow down in Arashiyama and Enoshina.  At Arashiyama needs minimum 3 hours, and then you'd still be cutting alot of corners.  And if you wanna see the Komono Garden lit up, then aim for the afternoon, so it is dark at night.

Edited December 4, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Thanks guys for the comments ~ Thank you all for expressing your views and concerns as this really helps me to streamline the plan even better! :)

 

Firstly, I understand it would seem like a roller coaster ride to some, but like I mentioned before, we really don't have the luxury of time (nor cash actually) to re-visit Japan over and over again year after year. This V2 trip is a 'compromise' for executing a major project this year for the Mrs, and would also mean a minimum 5 years span before V3. It was with this mind set that the routing became somewhat like a roller coaster ride.

 

An over-ambitious shot at trying to cover a lot in little time...

 

Luckily, the Mrs. isn't into much slow and walking around. She tend to be like only scenery watching, and luckily for me not really into shopping. The Wisteria parks, Endoshima, Ramen Museum, Tateyama Route are mainly for scenery viewing for her (and myself alike, but of course i'm more for the train rides). I tried in V1 when we went Takayama, and seriously we arrived around 4pm and left Takayama at around 11am. Many people would like saying 'That's no point in visiting Takayama in such a short period of time', but I think it kinda lets us have a nice feel of Takayama, hence I get the feeling 'touch-and-go' is ok with her rather than stay-and-linger'

 

We do tend to stress out rushing around a fair bit, but as mentioned before both of us know we do not have the luxury of visiting again in some time, unless until we have went to most of the countries that we would like to visit. Our trips have all been like this since we got married for almost 10 years so I guess that's fine with us.  :)

 

Starting at around 11am was so that the Mrs could get some sleep in, especially after a long and hard day of travelling around. We could recuperate a little in the hotel, slow down, sleep in, grab a nice breakfast, and ride the 'roller coaster' again ~~ :)

 

I started out planning with the mind set of entering Tokyo and leaving via Fukuoka, but the airline (Singapore Airlines) was having a impossible to resist air ticket promotion. It is cheaper by half if I were to do the initial Tokyo-in-Fukuoka-out route, and that means it's like automatically getting a one-for-one deal o the airline. Downside is, the promotion ticket only allows two way flights in and out at the same place....  Unfortunate for poor budget holiday goers like us...   :(

Edited December 4, 2014 by JR500 のぞみ

[E6系]

Firstly, I understand it would seem like a roller coaster ride to some, but like I mentioned before, we really don't have the luxury of time (nor cash actually) to re-visit Japan over and over again year after year.

 

All the more reason to spend less time in the train, I suggest.

 

 

... This V2 trip is a 'compromise' for executing a major project this year for the Mrs, and would also mean a minimum 5 years span before V3 ...

 

"A major project"?  ... ah ... I C ... well then, what better time to celebrate with a romantic dinner? ;)

 

Good luck with the major project ... :angel10:

 

Starting at around 11am was so that the Mrs could get some sleep in, especially after a long and hard day of travelling around. We could recuperate a little in the hotel, slow down, sleep in, grab a nice breakfast, and ride the 'roller coaster' again ~~ :)

 

 

Quite sensible. 

 

Sorry to be so cheeky, but I sincerely wish you all the best!  Enjoy your trip, but try to slow down and relax too ... Also, bento boxes make a great affordable dinner on the way back from a day's sightseeing.

[Ochanomizu]

Ochanomizu!  Ohisashiburi!

 

おかげさまで 元気 です

[katoftw]

http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/joe/141209.html