Hi there,
I am planning a trip to Japan in April 2015. I will be travelling with an elderly (60yrs old) so I don't want a trip that's too fast paced. We are interested in seeing a combination of historic sites and urban communities. We want to visit the highlights and tourist spots but also spend time trying local food and enjoy street adventures. We won't be out too late so night life isn't a big deal.
I am planning to land in Osaka and fly out from Tokyo. I am trying to squeeze in an itinerary for 7 day JR Pass although, please provide advice if my itinerary is too rushed or if I should purchase a 14 day JR pass instead.
Day 1 land in Osaka in the afternoon, explore Osaka
Day 2 Osaka full day
Day 3 Osaka to Nara and back to Osaka at night
Day 4 Osaka to Kobe and back to Osaka at night ( should I stay in Kobe instead?)
Day 5 Osaka to Kyoto and back to Osaka at night - is half day in Kyoto enough?
Day 6 Osaka to Nagoya - stay in Nagoya
Day 7 Nagoya- day trip to Kiso Valley (I heard it's worth a visit) and back in Nagoya at night
Day 8 Nagoya to Nikko ( Stay in Nikko)*
Day 9 Nikko to Tokyo
Day 10-13 Stay in Tokyo
A few questions:
1) Is it the best way to activate the JR pass by day 3?
2) Is it enough time to stay in Kyoto for half day, or should I spend another day there, or possibly stay for a night?
3) Should i stay in Nikko for the night in day 8? I was originally thinking about visiting Yokohama but I don't think I have enough time on my JR pass to do so before heading to Tokyo
4) In general, how do I get in and around the local areas? Will I be buying local train passes or still be able to use JR pass to get around?
I am planning this trip early April and leaving by around 17th. Will this be considered prime travel for Golden Week in Japan?
Thank you so much for your help.
V