9D April Itinerary using JR East pass

Hi,

My wife and I are making a 2nd trip to Japan this April. Would like to seek your views if the itinerary is too ambitious and if you have any suggestion on where I should go. Will be interested especially in the Cherry Blossom viewing.

6 Apr – Arrive evening into Narita, Proceed to Shinjuku
7 Apr – Time in Tokyo, Ueno Park
8 Apr – Use JR East 4D flex pass to travel to Nagano and ending day at Matsumoto, overnight at Matsumoto
9 Apr – Take Nohi bus to Takayama
10 Apr – Time in Takayama
11 Apr – Take Nohi bus to Matsumoto and use JR East pass to travel to Aomori, overnight either at Aomori
12 Apr – Morning in Aomori, use JR East pass to travel to Nikko & return to Shinjuku
13 Apr – Time in Shinjuku
14 Apr – Use JR Pass to make day trip to Yokohama
15 Apr – Time in Tokyo, Ginza area
16 Apr – Depart Shinjuku for Narita and thereafter airport.

KYC

Since you will be too early for cherry blossoms in Aomori anyway, I recommend to go there right after your initial few days in Tokyo, and then visit Matsumoto and Takayama towards the end of your stay when there is a chance of seeing the blossoms in those areas.

Is there any reason to stop by Aomori?
I been there over 10 times (transfer mostly) and not much to see (except early Aug)especilly at night.
Since you are planning to Nikko and return to shinjuku that day, you are not suppose to stay at Aomori for very long the next morning or else you will not have enough time to tranel to and view nikko.

You don't mention your transportation plans for getting to and from Narita airport. If you don't already know of it, you should consider the N'EX + Suica deal:

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/suica-nex/

This will get you to Shinjuku, then use Suica for getting around Tokyo.

Thanks for the comments.
Here is a revised itinerary but in a way I too am not sure if I should go to Aomori and Nikko. I don't fancy the shrines and temples, so for Nikko I am interested in the natural forests and the waterfall. I am also not too sure about Aomori. is there a suggestion as to where else on the JR East network I should go in Apr? I welcome any suggestions.

6 Apr (Suica+N�fEX Pass) Arrive evening into Narita, Travel to Shinjuku. overnight (SHinjuku)

7 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ueno Park

8 Apr (JR East 4D flex pass – Day 1)
Travel to Nikko, before proceeding to Aomori, overnight in Aomori

9 Apr (JR East 4D flex pass – Day 2)
Travel to Nagano, before proceeding to Matsumoto

10 Apr Take Nohi bus to Takayama

11 Apr Time in Takayama, evening depart by Nohi Bus to Matsumoto

12 Apr Tour Matsumoto, depart for Nagano.
(JR East 4D flex pass – Day 3) Travel from Matsumoto to Nagano, evening return to Shinjuku

13 Apr Time in Shinjuku (Suica Pass) Shinjuku

14 Apr JR East 4D flex pass – Day 3) Day trip to Yokohama

15 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ginza area

16 Apr (Suica+N�fEX Pass) Depart Shinjuku for Narita city. Fly home in the evening

Have a look through the Tohoku section and see if anything catches your fancy. I'd suggest Hachimantai (especially nyuto onsen), Kakunodate (probably bit early for sakura season, but you'll see plenty elsewhere and there's more than that on offer there), Yamadera, etc. There's a lot of beautiful nature on offer in Tohoku. Morioka is a convenient place to day trip from too.
Have fun!

Thanks, SAL1280,

Do you think it is better for me to take a day trip out of Shinjuku to Nikko, Aizu, Nasu area instead of going all the way to Aomori. This way, it would also make my next day trip to Nagano/Matsumoto travel (from Shinjuku, instead of Aomori) shorter to give more time for these places.

Would anyone recommend an itinerary for my day trip to Nikko, Aizu and Nasu area. I am keen to do some hiking for great sceneries and waterfalls.

I am thinking of making Hundred Stay in Shinjuku my base. Is the location of this hotel close to stations?

I wouldn't day trip to Nikko or Aizu-wakamatsu from Tokyo because so much time would be lost on travel.
My suggestion:

6 Apr (Suica+N�fEX Pass) Arrive evening into Narita, Travel to Shinjuku. overnight (SHinjuku)
7 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ueno Park

8 Apr (JR East 4D flex pass – Day 1)
Travel to Nikko in the morning, sightsee Nikko and Nasu, overnight Nikko

9 Apr (JR East 4D flex pass – Day 2)
Travel to Aizu in the morning, sightsee. Overnight Aizu.

10 Apr (JR East 4D flex pass – Day 3) Travel to Matsumoto via Nagano (if you catch the train just before 8am you'll be in Matsumoto at 1:10pm - there's a lot of transfers, but at over 14000 yen in travel costs, you're really making the most of your pass that day and getting suitable time in Nikko and Aizu). Take Nohi bus to Takayama

11 Apr Time in Takayama, evening depart by Nohi Bus to Matsumoto

12 Apr Tour Matsumoto, depart for Nagano.
(JR East 4D flex pass – Day 4) Travel from Matsumoto to Nagano, evening return to Shinjuku

13 Apr Time in Shinjuku (Suica Pass) Shinjuku

14 Apr Day trip to Yokohama (pay upfront - it's really cheap to get there and you're better off using your JR East on expensive trips)

15 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ginza area

16 Apr Off the top of my head, I think the Suica+NEX return trip needs to be within 10 days, and the 16th of April would be day 11. I would buy a one way Suica+NEX pass and make your way to Ueno on the 16th to catch a Keisei Skyliner to Narita. (Or catch a train to Narita itself if that's what you meant, not the airport)

The quick estimate of costs for the JR east pass days came in at nearly 30000 yen, which definitely makes the pass worthwhile without having to sit on a train to Aomori and backtrack.

As for the Hundred Stay in Shinjuku, it looks fine in terms of access. You've got Okubo station (Chuo Sobu Line, aka local, all stations line) and Shin-Okubo station close by (or you can transfer to the Yamanote line at Shinjuku if you didn't want to walk to Shin-Okubo).
Suica map (has the JR, subway, private rail lines) http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/routemaps/pdf/RouteMap_majorrailsub.pdf

JR map (the colours correspond to signage and markings on platforms)
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/info/map_a4ol.pdf

Thanks for your inputs again.

I checked on the N'EX Suica return pass, it is valid for 2 weeks. So I will get the return pass.

Your inputs on Aizu and Nikko are very appreciated. Thank you.

Dear all,

I'm planning a visit in Apr.

Originally planning to use 4-Day JR East Pass but the 3-Day JR East Special Pass was just announced.

So I am changing my itinerary as follows:

6 Apr (Suica+N�fEX Pass) Arrive evening into Narita, Travel to Shinjuku. overnight (Shinjuku)
7 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ueno Park

8 Apr (JR East 3D pass – Day 1)
Travel to Nikko in the morning, Take Tobu bus to Chuzenji Lake, Overnight Chuzenji

9 Apr
Travel to Kinugawa Onsen, sightsee. Overnight at Kinugawa Onsen.

10 Apr (JR East 3D pass – Day 2) Travel to Matsumoto via Nagano. Take Nohi bus to Takayama (Does anyone know if the JPY 2,500 return ticket special from Matsumoto to Takayama is applicable for the 3D JR East Pass too? I tried checking for an email contact on JR East pass website but could not find)

11 Apr Time in Takayama, evening depart by Nohi Bus to Matsumoto

12 Apr Tour Matsumoto, depart for Nagano.
(JR East 3D pass – Day 3) Travel from Matsumoto to Nagano, evening return to Shinjuku

13 Apr Time in Shinjuku (Suica Pass) Shinjuku

14 Apr Day trip to Yokohama

15 Apr Time in Tokyo, Ginza area

16 Apr Time in Shinjuku, Use Ne'x Suica card for return journey to Narita to return home

Does anyone know how I can confirm if the Nouhi bus return ticket (Matsumato - Takayama) is also applicable to 3Day JR East Pass Special just released?