KANSAI AREA PASS & KANSAI AMAZING PASS

Hi there,

A Kansai Area Pass could be worth it when you include a visit to Himeji with it. The Kansai Amazing pass could be great as well, depending on what places you visit in Tokyo.

Rest of your itinerary looks good to me!
Daniel

Hi Daniel

Thank you for yr prompt reply.

Do you think I can visit Nara & Himeji on the 1st day?

How do I know whether which railway is covered by the pass?

😊

Hi,
There is no way you could realistically see both Himeji and Nara on your first day. Be aware also that while you can go to Himeji on a Kansai Area Pass (as well as break even on it), you can't use any limited express trains or bullet trains from Osaka to go there on the pass.

If you want to see the Arashiyama area, you could spend either a half day or full day, depending on what you want to see. The Tenryuji Temple and the Sagano Bamboo Forest are next to each other and definitely worth a visit. For Higashiyama on the city's east side, you can see this half day sample course, but you could realistically add a few more places if you wanted, like Heian Shrine, Maruyama Park, and the Nanzenji Temple.

You also can't use the JR Pass to see the sights of Hakone. Take the bullet train from Kyoto and get off at Mishima Stn., then to save money, buy a Hakone Free Pass. After seeing the area, return but go to Odawara Stn., then catch the next bullet train into Tokyo. The Hakone Loop Course is a common way to see the area.

Good luck.

Hi Toraneko,

Thank you very much.

So, it would be better that I purchase the Icocca card with Haruka Express for my arrival.

Would it be better if I use the Kansai Area pass on the 2nd day to go Nara & Himeji. May I know where else I can go to make full use of the pass on the 2nd day.

I am not going to Hokone as it is too far & I don't hv enough time.

At first I was thinking of going to Kinosaki Onsen but I don't know how to squeeze my time for the 1st 2 days and not sure which pass I should get.

Thanks again.

Hi,
The Icoca & Haruka ticket is one of the better ways to get from KIX and see Kansai. But again, you are being unrealistic in trying to see both Nara & Himeji in one day. Just going from one to the other with the Kansai Area pass would take you 2 hours one way. Your original plan of seeing Himeji on Day 1 and Nara on Day 2 makes far more sense.

If you want, you could see Himeji on Day one, and then for the return, you could see Kobe in the late afternoon and evening.

Good luck.

Thank you very much.

I still couldn't figure out which trains are covered under the Kansai Area Pass.

Is Yamotoji line covered?

How do I check when using Hyperdia?

Basically, if it is a JR line, it's covered.
It clearly shows JR Yamatoji when you look up the route like Nara to Osaka, so you're fine.