10 days in Japan - advice needed

Duration: 10 days (2011 Dec 2-12)
In-Out: Kansai air-port Osaka
Mode: budget

Here is my itinerary. Please advise if this plan makes sense especially on the JR passes.

Day 1 (arriving at 15:45hr)
Will stay 1 night near the airport/Osaka area before activate 7-day JR Pass. Any recomm for the accommodation?

Day 2–3 (activate 7-day JR Pass)
Osaka - Hiroshima: 2 days including Miyajima and Himeji

Day 4 -7
Tokyo: 4 days including transit time from Hiroshima (5 hours), and a day trip to Nikko

Day 8-9
Leave Tokyo to Kyoto : 2 days

Day 10
On the final day, return to Osaka (Purchase the JR West Kansai one-day pass for 2,000 yen.) to catch the flight home @16:55

Looks good to me.

JR Pass has great value for this itinerary.

Please pick out what to see/visit in Tokyo and Kyoto in advance as you don't have plenty of time there.

You should be able to get tickets from Kyoto - Osaka - Kansai Aiport which cost less than the JR West Kansai pass. www.hyperdia.com

Hints for budget travel:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2028.html

JR Haruka LTD Exp. 2980yen
JR Rapid 1830yen(1 transfer needed)
JR West Pass 2000yen

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2033.html

I'm a bit concerned about Hiroshima/Miyajima/Himeji in 2 days only. My only regret from my last trip was not planning in more time for Hiroshima and it seems you have even less.

Basically what you can do is visit Himeji on a stopover from Osaka-Hiroshima. After, you can visit downtown Hiroshima and check out the scenes.

For the next day, if you're interested in the Peace Park, go there and visit Miyajima afterward (you'll need to get away from it all for a while after visiting the park.)

There is only one hotel on the airport island, the hotel Nikko, and it is quite expensive. All the other hotels are on the mainland so you might as well take the Haruka to Shin-Osaka (the trip cost just under Yen 1400) because:
1-this is the station for the Shinkansen to Hiroshima etc. .
2-there are several hotels in the area, including the Toyoko-inn budget chain.

Himeji castle is being restored so the main towers are covered by scaffoldings and tarps. I would go myself if I was around as you can safely go up the scaffoldings and watch workers up close, but you can't take great photos.

As Monkey said Himeji Castle with all the huge renovation works (main castle is covered in tarps/scaffolding) is a bit of a dissappointment at the moment - sure you can still access a lot of areas but if you on such a tight schedule I would consider by-passing Himeji and using the time visiting somewhere else.

Here is my itinerary. Please advise if this plan makes sense especially on the JR passes.

Your itinerary looks good and your use of the JR Pass looks fine to me.

Day 1 (arriving at 15:45hr)
Will stay 1 night near the airport/Osaka area before activate 7-day JR Pass. Any recomm for the accommodation?

As mentioned I'd probably stay near Shin-Osaka station on the first night as it will make leaving for Hiroshima in the morning of day 2 much easier. I would definitely not stay near the airport.

We like staying at Shin Osaka Station Hotel Annex, it is small but the price is good. There are plenty of other options in the Shin Osaka area.

After checking in I would probably catch the train back to JR Osaka station and have dinner in that area. You may also wish to visit the Dotonbori area of Osaka later at night.

Day 2–3 (activate 7-day JR Pass)
Osaka - Hiroshima: 2 days including Miyajima and Himeji

Don't forget to check the tides at Miyajima, high tide will be around 3:30pm-4pm for your visit, so I'd do the Peace Park in the morning and Miyajima in the afternoon.

Day 4 -7
Tokyo: 4 days including transit time from Hiroshima (5 hours), and a day trip to Nikko

Sounds fine to me, just make sure you work out what you want to see in Tokyo and try and make a reasonable schedule. Feel free to ask if you want suggestions on what to see and how to schedule, the Japan-guide page on Tokyo gives lots of good information of course.

Day 8-9
Leave Tokyo to Kyoto : 2 days
I'd leave Tokyo early so you get the most out of Kyoto. If you want to see a castle other than Himeji you could consider a visit to Hikone Castle on day 8, it is a half day trip from Kyoto. You could possibly do this on the way to Kyoto. To be honest I'd probably just spend the time in Kyoto as there is lots to see!

Day 10
On the final day, return to Osaka (Purchase the JR West Kansai one-day pass for 2,000 yen.) to catch the flight home @16:55


This sounds good to me, I'd probably spend most of the last day in Kyoto, but you may also wish to consider a day trip to Nara (free with the JR West pass). You could also spend it in Osaka if you preferred.

Enjoy your trip!

Will stay 1 night near the airport/Osaka area before activate 7-day JR Pass.

Airport rapid trains use Osaka Station, and do NOT run via Shin-Osaka Station.
Ltd. Express Haruka trains and Shinkansen trains use Shin-Osaka Station, and do NOT run via Osaka Station.

The two stations are neighboring each other on another line of JR-West.
If you don't mind moving between the two, your options of districts for the accommodation include both Umeda and Shin-Osaka districts.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4009.html

Osaka - Hiroshima: 2 days including Miyajima and Himeji
MitsukiShiroi: I'm a bit concerned about Hiroshima/Miyajima/Himeji in 2 days only.

So am I.
In my last trip to Miyajima Island and City of Hiroshima, regrettably I didn't expect enough time, reaching the island in the evening and leaving it in the following morning to head to the city.
I recommend securing a daytime for each of the two sites.

Peace Memorial Park is vast, with A-bomb dome and Peace Museum located around its different ends.
I remember Hiroshima Castle was distant from Hiroshima Station more than I had thought and there was an underground passage for pedestrians to get close to it.

Around Himeji Castle's dungeon, there is a facility inside the covering for visitors to see Main Keep under the restoration work. Reservation is acceptable from one month before, which is not mandatory.
http://www.himejijo-syuri.jp/en/reservation/individual.html
If you visit Himeji Castle, you had better choose the timing when you will get recovered from jet fatigue. Between its entrance and dungeon, there are steep slopes and narrow roads.
In the facility an elevator is available.

On the final day, return to Osaka (Purchase the JR West Kansai one-day pass for 2,000 yen.) to catch the flight home @16:55

A Kansai Area Pass does not bring you a ride on a reserved seat of a Haruka train.
If you choose regular tickets, the cost with seat reservation will be 3290 yen on that day.

In Kyoto Station complex, the Shinkansen zone is around the south end (Hachijo end), while Track 30 for Haruka trains is around the north end (, in front of which over the street is Kyoto Tower).
Inner and outer passages between the two ends are on the 2nd floor; they are in the west half of the complex.
If your hotel is close to the north end, you just have to enter through Central Ticket Gate, walk to the right along Track 0 and reach the platform for Tracks 30 -34.
(Kyoto Station of JR-West does not have Track 1.)
http://www.jr-odekake.net/eki/img/premises/0610116_2d.gif

Your options include a limousine if you leave Kyoto in early morning. The cost is 2500 yen for one way.
The limousines use a bus terminal near Hachijo end.
You can try making reservation for a ride to KIX. Please take into account a possible delay of your limousine.
http://www.kate.co.jp/pc/e_time_table/e_kyoto.html

a ticket for the Haruka from the airport to shin-Osaka cost yen 1320. Reservation isn't always necessary as the train has non-reserved seat.
One could always buy at the last minute at the JR counter in the airport, a one day Kansai pass for yen 2000.
Depending how you feel (jet lag etc. ) you can eat in the JR Shin-Osaka station, where there are several restaurants. The area isn't extraordinary but I found it interesting for a first discovery of Japan....

Or you can take the Midosuji subway to either Kita -Osaka or Minami-Osaka...obviously you will need to read a guide book to learn about the area.

a ticket for the Haruka from the airport to sqhin-Osaka cost yen 1320.

1320 yen is just the base fare. You will also have to pay an express supplement, which raises the total cost to 2470 yen in case of a non-reserved seat or between 2780 and 3180 yen in case of a reserved seat.

Is it doable/worth for me to swap Hiroshima with Hokkaido?

BTW, thank you very much for the advice and its' very helpful.

OOPS, sorry for my appalling mistake about the Haruka ticket price...

Is it doable/worth for me to swap Hiroshima with Hokkaido?

Definitely not.

You will have to fly up to Hokkaido as you won't have time to take the train there. You will definitely want to spend more time in Hokkaido than just 2 days. I think your itinerary for Hiroshima is good enough.

Could I take the night train between Tokyo and Hokkaido? These save times.

Most night trains are not fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. If you take a night train from the Kyoto/Osaka Region, it is still going to take half a day plus the night to get there. So, it would actually be faster to fly there. If you go from Tokyo, you can get there conveniently overnight, but they are not fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Here are more details:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2356.html

Please find my revised itinerary, your comment/advice is very much appreciated.

Day 1 (15:45hr) Osaka
Accommodation near Taishi, Nishinari-ku, Osaka.

Day2 (activate With 7-day Japan Railpass)
Osaka – Hiroshima (Miyajima)
Mazda Museum (10am for the English tour), Peace Park, Miyajima (Misen and Daishoin Temple)

Day 3 Hiroshima – Tokyo (via Nara and Mt Fuji)
Kofukuji and Todaiji Temples in Nara Park, also see Nara National Museum
Can I make a stop @Nagoya to visit Toyota Car Factory?

Day 4 Western Tokyo
Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Shinjuku,

Day 5 Northern/Central Tokyo
Asakusa, Ueno Onshi Park. Maybe Edo Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum.

Day 6 Side trip to Nikko
Toshogu Temple, Tobu Nikko, Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls

Day 7
Tsukiji Fish Market (4am)
Northern Tokyo – Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Rikugien (landscape garden)

Where should I squeeze Odaiba and Imperial Palace and East Gardens between Day3-7?


Day 8 Tokyo – Kyoto (Osaka)
AM Kinkakuji/ Nijo castle
PM Kiyomizudera temple, walk Higashiyama trail to Yakasa shrine and Gion. See show at Gion Corner

Day 9 Kyoto (Osaka-Kyoto)
Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), Ryoan-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple complex, Gion
How about Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Heian Jingu Shine, Philosopher’s Walk ?
Where should I squeeze them in Day8-9?

Day 10 Kyoto (Osaka) – Kansai Airport
On the final day, return to Osaka to catch the flight home @16:55

I'm a big fan of highspeed travels, but this i sjust killing yourself man!

Day 2: The Peace Park & Miyajima itself took me a FULL DAY (10am till 9pm) to see. Unless you're going to run though the park, the museum and the island itself you simply cannot add the Osaka - Hiroshima trip AND a guided tour of the Mazda museum in there as well.

Day 3: Hiroshima - Tokyo = 5 hours. You'd first have to stop in Nara (Hiroshima - Nara = 2 hours), have time in Nara to see Todaiji, the deer park and Kofukuji which sets you back maybe another 2 hours.

Nara - Nagoya = another 1,5 hours of train time. Nagoya - Tokyo = 1,5 hours.

I could go on like this but I hope you get the message. I understand that you want to see as much as possible, but if you're going to do all of these things in this little time, you're going to miss out on the TRUE essence of Japan.

You have 10 days only. Pick our the destinations you REALLY want to see and make sure you have enough time in each place WHILE thinking about transit times etc.

As for Tokyo, I'd do it like this:

Day 1: Shibuya - walk to Yoyogi Park - visit Meiji shrine - exit the park and enter Omotesando - eat lunch in Takeshita dori and shop around a bit - take the Yamanote line to Ikebukuro and look around there for a bit, finish the day with dinner in Namco Namja town (if you like those food parks) and visit the top floor for a view.

Day 2: Tsukiji - Asakusa - Ueno - ferry to Odaiba - spend evening in Odaiba.

Day 3: Imperial Palace & Gardens - Yasukuni & war museum (if you're interested) - Shinjuku (Gyoen)

That would be my choice for a Tokyo itinerary. Did them quite a lot and I especially love the day 1 loop.

Day2 (activate With 7-day Japan Railpass)
Osaka ・Hiroshima (Miyajima)
Mazda Museum (10am for the English tour), Peace Park, Miyajima (Misen and Daishoin Temple)

Day 3 Hiroshima ・Tokyo (via Nara and Mt Fuji)
Kofukuji and Todaiji Temples in Nara Park, also see Nara National Museum
Can I make a stop @Nagoya to visit Toyota Car Factory?

I agree with MitsukiShiori that this is very fast paced. I suggest dropping Miyajima and just focus on Hiroshima. Doing both in one day is very difficult. I would recommend going to Hiroshima only for a daytrip and return to Osaka at night. This will give you more time the next day to go to Nara in the morning and Nagoya in the afternoon. I am not sure whether you will have time to go somewhere decent with good views of Mount Fuji.

Day 4 Western Tokyo
Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Shinjuku

Are you going to these places on a Sunday? Harajuku is more lively then, and Akihabara and Ginza has several roads closed to be more pedestrian friendly. Personally I would drop either Shibuya or Shinjuku and spend more time at each of the other locations.

Day 5 Northern/Central Tokyo
Asakusa, Ueno Onshi Park. Maybe Edo Tokyo Museum or Tokyo National Museum.

Day 7
Tsukiji Fish Market (4am)
Northern Tokyo ・Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Rikugien (landscape garden)

These seems okay. If you have time in the evening on either day you can squeeze in Shibuya or Shinjuku here too.

Where should I squeeze Odaiba and Imperial Palace and East Gardens between Day3-7?

One option is to go to Odaiba from Asakusa. You can try taking one of the boats for the experience. I just noticed you have included Asakura twice in your itinerary. You can drop one of those to go to Imperial Palace instead.


Day 8 Tokyo ・Kyoto (Osaka)
AM Kinkakuji/ Nijo castle
PM Kiyomizudera temple, walk Higashiyama trail to Yakasa shrine and Gion. See show at Gion Corner

Day 9 Kyoto (Osaka-Kyoto)
Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), Ryoan-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple complex, Gion
How about Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Heian Jingu Shine, Philosopher痴 Walk ?
Where should I squeeze them in Day8-9?

Day 10 Kyoto (Osaka) ・Kansai Airport
On the final day, return to Osaka to catch the flight home @16:55

Here would be my suggestion:
Day 8 - Kinkakuji and Ryoanji in the morning/early afternoon, Nijo Castle + surroundings later in the afternoon.

Day 9 - Focus on eastern Kyoto (i.e. Kiyomizu, Gion etc)

Day 10 - You should have enough time to go to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in the morning. You can take a try which bypasses Osaka and goes straight to Kansai Airport.