sandrahofis
Member
I have been planning to take an October/November vacation in Japan next year. I originally was going to take a cruise to Japan to start the vacation, but I couldn’t squeeze everything in. Here goes:
Oct 15: Arrive at NTR. Using a Suica IC card, take Skyliner to Ueno. If possible, attend “Taste of Tokyo” in Hibiya. Stay four nights in Ueno.
Oct 16: Day trip to Kawagoe to attend the festival.
Oct 17-19: Activate JR Tokyo Wide Area 3 day pass. I plan to do a full day trip to the Fuji Five Lakes, half day trips to Hitachi Seaside Park and Karuizawa, and an evening trip to Ashikaga Flower Park for Ashigaga Flower Fantasy illumination. The best Kochia ‘bright red’ date will decide the order. The final use of the pass will be to get to Kinogawa Onsen, for a second four night stay.
Oct 20-22: Activate a four day Toby Nikko All Area Pass. The pass gives train access to Nikko, as well as the bus service to attractions. Nikko should be in full fall colors.
Oct 23: Return to Ueno using the final day of the Nikko Pass. Attend Ueno Tenjin Masturi. Overnight in Ueno.
Oct 24-25: Activate 14 day JR Pass, head to Tomiya and do the Kurube Gorge scenic railway and the Alpine Route day trips. Two nights in Toyama
Oct 26-27: Day trip to Takayama, followed by a move to Kanazawa. Two nights in Kanazawa.
Oct 28: This is either another day in Kanazawa with an evening train to Hiroshima, or, a morning train to Hiroshima and a day at Miyajima Island. Night in Hiroshima.
Oct 29-30: Early morning train to Takachiho. Two nights in Takachiho, so that I have two chances to see the dawn cloud inversion “Sea of Clouds” at Kunimigaoka.
Oct 31: Travel to Miyazaki. Overnight in Miyazaki. I will try to see the full size copies of the Easter Island Moai.
Nov 1-2: Another day in Miyazaki, followed by traveling to Kagoshima in the evening. Ohara Festival in Kagoshima. Two nights.
Nov 3-4: Possibly, more Ohara festival in the morning, followed by travel to Bitchu Takahashi for two nights. Once again, I’m trying to see the morning cloud inversion, “Castle in the Clouds”.
Nov 5: Travel to Nagoya for an overnight. Go to “Nabana No Sato” illuminations in the evening.
Nov 6-7: (6: final day of JR Pass) I haven’t decided which day trip to take. It’s either back to Kyoto to watch Geisha Dances for Gion Oderi, or, to Inuyama to see Meiji Mira. The day ends with going to Odawara, getting a three day Hakone Pass, and staying two night in Hakone. Doing the Round Course on the 7th.
Nov 8-9: Return to Ueno in Tokyo, overnight in Ueno. Fly home on the 9th.
I know it has a lot of travel, but I knew that I wanted to go all the way to Kagoshima and back. I know that sunset in October and November will be between 4 and 5 PM, so I am trying to limit travel to early mornings, and late afternoon/evenings.
Thank You, in advance, for any comments or suggestions that you can give me.
Oct 15: Arrive at NTR. Using a Suica IC card, take Skyliner to Ueno. If possible, attend “Taste of Tokyo” in Hibiya. Stay four nights in Ueno.
Oct 16: Day trip to Kawagoe to attend the festival.
Oct 17-19: Activate JR Tokyo Wide Area 3 day pass. I plan to do a full day trip to the Fuji Five Lakes, half day trips to Hitachi Seaside Park and Karuizawa, and an evening trip to Ashikaga Flower Park for Ashigaga Flower Fantasy illumination. The best Kochia ‘bright red’ date will decide the order. The final use of the pass will be to get to Kinogawa Onsen, for a second four night stay.
Oct 20-22: Activate a four day Toby Nikko All Area Pass. The pass gives train access to Nikko, as well as the bus service to attractions. Nikko should be in full fall colors.
Oct 23: Return to Ueno using the final day of the Nikko Pass. Attend Ueno Tenjin Masturi. Overnight in Ueno.
Oct 24-25: Activate 14 day JR Pass, head to Tomiya and do the Kurube Gorge scenic railway and the Alpine Route day trips. Two nights in Toyama
Oct 26-27: Day trip to Takayama, followed by a move to Kanazawa. Two nights in Kanazawa.
Oct 28: This is either another day in Kanazawa with an evening train to Hiroshima, or, a morning train to Hiroshima and a day at Miyajima Island. Night in Hiroshima.
Oct 29-30: Early morning train to Takachiho. Two nights in Takachiho, so that I have two chances to see the dawn cloud inversion “Sea of Clouds” at Kunimigaoka.
Oct 31: Travel to Miyazaki. Overnight in Miyazaki. I will try to see the full size copies of the Easter Island Moai.
Nov 1-2: Another day in Miyazaki, followed by traveling to Kagoshima in the evening. Ohara Festival in Kagoshima. Two nights.
Nov 3-4: Possibly, more Ohara festival in the morning, followed by travel to Bitchu Takahashi for two nights. Once again, I’m trying to see the morning cloud inversion, “Castle in the Clouds”.
Nov 5: Travel to Nagoya for an overnight. Go to “Nabana No Sato” illuminations in the evening.
Nov 6-7: (6: final day of JR Pass) I haven’t decided which day trip to take. It’s either back to Kyoto to watch Geisha Dances for Gion Oderi, or, to Inuyama to see Meiji Mira. The day ends with going to Odawara, getting a three day Hakone Pass, and staying two night in Hakone. Doing the Round Course on the 7th.
Nov 8-9: Return to Ueno in Tokyo, overnight in Ueno. Fly home on the 9th.
I know it has a lot of travel, but I knew that I wanted to go all the way to Kagoshima and back. I know that sunset in October and November will be between 4 and 5 PM, so I am trying to limit travel to early mornings, and late afternoon/evenings.
Thank You, in advance, for any comments or suggestions that you can give me.
