train travel

Hi there,

There are a very limited amount of night trains in Japan that you can use for free with the JR Pass. These include the Hamanasu, Akebono and Sunrise express. I Don't think they resemble the US Amtrak a lot but it is a nice way to save some money on accommodations if you can take a couple of these trains.

I have to tell you that these trains do sell out very quickly and you would have to make a reservations for them days in advance.

This is a great blog post for further trips on budgeting in Japan if you are interested.

Enjoy Japan!
-Daniel

I have six days in Japan and want to go to the remote ocean city in Hokkaido.

day 1 in Tokyo

day 2 from Tokyo to Otaru Hokkaido

day 3 day trip to Rumoi back to stay in Otaru

day 4 from Rumoi to Tokyo

day 5 Tokyo

day 6 to Narita

Is my plan reasonable enough or do you have any suggestions such as places or plan?

Is getting a JR Pass the most economical way ?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Again!

Otaru is a very lovely fishes village and certainly worth a visit. What I am a little worried about however is the travel time involved. Traveling from Tokyo to Otaru takes almost 11 hours! You would lose almost 2 full days worth of day time with a return to Tokyo. A return flight is likely to be somewhat more expansive but you would have more time to enjoy Hokkaido.

I can also heartily recommend Nobori Betsu. If you are looking for an other great destination near the sea in Hokkaido.

If you do decide to take the train to Hokkaido, than the JR Pass would be by far the most economic option.

I hope this helps!
-Daniel