First time in Japan - Itinerary check and train travel question

Hi there,

Did you know that we have great interactive map which you can use in order to look up travel routes? You can find it here.

In general I think your itinerary looks like a great start. One thing that you should look at is Jogokudani, given the travel time involved I think that it is almost impossible to day as a day trip and it would be better to stay near Nagano or Yudanaka in order to visit it.

As for your days in Osaka, why not add in a day trip to Hiroshima. This is a great way to see a little extra of Japan and make the best of your JR Pass!

For the rest, all routes are simple and you don't really have to worry about planning them. Just go to the ticket office and tell the JR Staff where you wish to go. They will then find the best route for you and print your tickets.

Hope this helps!
Daniel

Thank you so much for your reply Daniel-san...that is very helpful.

Can I please ask, which JR Pass should we buy? Do we need to make reservations in advance, and do we need an upgrade or special pass for the Shinkansen?

Sorry if my questions seem silly, but I've never been to Japan before :)

Hi Again!

I'd advise a 7 day JR Pass if you can use it to cover your nation wide travel, such as to Jogokudani, Nikko and Kyoto.

Local travel in Tokyo and Osaka is not expansive and it's best to buy local tickets there.

The Shinkansen are covered by the JR Pass. Trains marked as Nozomi/Mizuho are not but there are plenty of alternatives available. When reserving seats, just show your JR Pass to the staff and they will find the right trains for you.

Hope this helps!
Daniel