Order Your JRPass
Back to Itinerary check

Travelling between Osaka, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Himeji and Kyoto.

Yip2880
Yip2880
over 6 years ago
3 responses

Hi there,

I will be flying into Osaka on October 20, 2017. As news of the impending move of Tsukiji Fish Market was announced, I have decided to stray from my original schedule and make a trip to Tokyo.

Due to time constraints, I will be travelling to Tokyo on the same day that I land at Kansai International Airport. My rescheduled itinerary will be as follows:

Rescheduled Itinerary:

20-10-2017 - Land at Kansai International Airport @ 8.00 a.m. and leave for Tokyo the same morning after freshening up. In Tokyo, will stay within walking distance to Tsukiji Market.

21-10-2017 - Take a train to Narita Station. Visit Narita-san Shinshoji Temple as well as savour Kawatoyo Honten's famous grilled unagi.

22-10-2017 - Leave Tokyo in the morning for Kyoto's Jidai Matsuri. Travel back to Osaka at night.

23-10-2017 - Travel from Osaka in the morning to Nara and Kobe,

24-10-2017 - Travel from Osaka to Fukuoka in the afternoon @ 3.00 p.m..

25-10-2017 - Travel from Fukuoka to Kumamoto in the morning and back to Fukuoka for the night.

26-10-2017 - Travel from Fukuoka to Nagasaki in the morning and then leave for Hiroshima in the afternoon.

27-10-2017 - Travel from Hiroshima in the morning to Miyajima and back to Hiroshima for the night.

28-10-2017 - Travel from Hiroshima to Himeji..

29-10-2017 - Travel from Himeji to Kyoto in the morning.

30-10-2017 - Travel within Kyoto and maybe to Lake Biwa.

31-10-2017 - Travel from Kyoto to Osaka in the afternoon.

1-11-2017 - Leave for Kansai International Airport.

Appreciate if you could advise on the following:

  1. Should I purchase a 14 days JR Rail Pass for my entire trip or would a 7 days JR Rail Pass and a 7 days JR Sanyo San'in Northern Kyushu Pass be more economical and still cover all the places that I am visiting?

  2. Does the Shinkanshen travel to all the above places that I intend to visit OR do I need to purchase one way travel tickets on conventional / local trains to visit some of this destinations? What would be the additional costs incurred?

  3. Could I use the JR Rail Pass to travel from Kansai International Airport direct to Tokyo?

  4. When I am in Tokyo, could I use the JR Rail Pass to commute on local trains / subways and also travel from Tsukiji Fish Market to Narita Station?

  5. On my journey from Tokyo to Kyoto on 22-10-2017, can I make a short stop at Hakone to have a view of Mt. Fuji?

  6. After the Jidai Matsuri is over on 22-10-2017, I intend to visit the Inari Shrine at Fushimi. Could I use JR Rail Pass to take a train to Fushimi?

  7. From Fukuoka to Kumamota and Nagasaki, are there any other interesting places along the way that I should stop over for a short visit using the JR Rail Pass / JR Sanyo San'in Northern Kyushu Pass?

  8. Along the way from Fukuoka to Hiroshima and Hiroshima to Himeji, are there any interesting towns / places that I could stop for a short visit?

  9. Apart from travelling between the cities, can the JR Rail Pass / JR Sanyo San'in Northern Kyushu Pass be used for travelling in the cities that I am visiting?

Appreciate your advice / guidance on the above.

Thank you.

Toraneko
Toraneko
1303 posts
over 6 years ago

Hi,

I'll try to answer your questions.

1) The simple fact is that if you used a 7 day Pass for your first 7 days, you would be far from making a JR Sanyo San'in Northern Kyushu Pass pay off for the rest. The 14 day pass makes far more sense. But another thing that jumps out is that your plans for Oct 26 are simply unworkable. It will take you 2 hours to go from Fukuoka to Nagasaki and then over 3 hours to get to Hiroshima. There is no way you can do any significant sightseeing for both cities in a day with that.

You do however put in a full day for Kumamoto. The highlight of the city, Kumamoto Castle, is completely closed due to earthquake damage. The other major sight is the Suizenji Garden, and there are a few other minor places of interest, but honestly, you might consider just skipping Kumamoto to put in more time for Nagasaki and Fukuoka. The Nanzoin Temple near Fukuoka is one of Japan's finest. And in Saga along the way to Nagasaki is the Yutori Inari Shrine - not quite as big as the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto but it still is very impressive. The Arita Porcelain Park is also very unusual and like suddenly walking into Germany.

2) JR goes to all the cities you mention. There is no bullet train to Nara and Nagasaki though.
3) Yes. You can take the Haruka train to Shin-Osaka, then catch a bullet train.
4) You can use the Pass on JR trains but NOT the subway. You can pay for the subway from Tsukiji to Tokyo Stn (transferring at Ginza along the way), then catch the Narita Express train to Narita.

5) If the weather cooperates, you'd be able to see Fuji from the left hand side of the bullet train. You could get off at Mishima if you get lucky, and take JR as far as Gotemba, with its famous shopping complex. The weather is infamous for not behaving well though. You can't go all the way to the sights of Hakone by JR though.
6) Easily. Take the Nara Line from Kyoto Stn 2 stops. Fushimi Inari is across the street from Inari station.
7) See above
8) Many, but you just don't have time the way you've arranged things. Fukuoka itself has a lot. See this site as a good guide. Sarakurayama in Kitakyushu offers a spectacular view, Shimonoseki has a number of good places, the Akiyoshido Cave is Japan's finest and has some amazing mind blowing scenery, and Iwakuni has its iconic historical bridge and mountaintop castle.

9) Yes, but only to a limited extent.

Best of luck.

Toraneko
Toraneko
1303 posts
over 6 years ago

One correction - #5, if going from Tokyo to Kyoto, Fuji would be on the right hand side.

Yip2880
Yip2880
3 posts
over 6 years ago

Hi Toraneko San,

Thank you very much for your advise / guidance pertaining to my itinerary. I have made revisions to my itinerary after reading your comments which is very practical.

Could you provide further advise / guidance on the following:

  1. From Hyperdia, I notice that the only Shinkansen service from Kyoto to Tokyo is the Hikari. May I know if this is correct?

  2. When travelling from Kyoto to Tokyo, I would need to reserve a seat on the left hand side of the coach in order to be able to see Mt.Fuji? May I know if this is correct?

Thank you.

Regards,

Toraneko
Toraneko
1303 posts
over 6 years ago

Hi,

  1. Actually, most trains are Nozomi trains, but you cannot use those with the JR pass. Another train is the Kodama, but you should avoid them since they stop at every single bullet train station and will needlessly take a lot more of your time.

  2. Yes, that's right. But the weather is notoriously uncooperative in Japan when trying to see Mt Fuji.

Best of luck.

Yip2880
Yip2880
3 posts
over 6 years ago

Hi Toraneko,

Thanks for your advice / clarification.

Regards,


Looking for more information? Search the forum

Select Category

Instant Quote

Starting from $343.00 for 7 days of unlimited Japan Rail travel

Can’t find the answer?

Learn from over 17329 questions about the Japan Rail Pass, or ask our Japan Rail travel experts

Ask Question

Get pocket Wifi in Japan

Get pocket Wifi in Japan

Visit us on Facebook

Get inspired for your visit to Japan by following us on Instagram and don't forget your own shots once you are there.


Find out where to buy the japan rail pass online.

Order your JRPass Now!

We have special prices for children and great first class options. See all tickets or see our range of Regional Passes