June 2022 itinerary

9 comments

1. I would hold off on airfare till around 6 months beforehand. However if you see a great deal come along before then, defiantly snag it. I would also sign up for Secret Flying on Facebook as I was able to score a few fantastic deals ($425 from LA to NRT and $250 from RDU to HND )

2. First of all, no JR Pass is you fly out of Osaka. Just doing Tokyo-Takayama-Kyoto is 23 000 yen, and there is no way you will use for 7000 in Kyoto/Osaka. So just go with an IC card for local transit and go to the ticket office to buy your two tickets for the long distance. As a bonus you will be able to take the faster Nozomi shinkansen.

   It is not super clear, but you will take the train to Takayama the day after Disney, right ?

   Osaka castle, a lot of people will tell you to skip because it is a concrete reconstruction with a museum inside, but personally I would rather go check it than not see a castle at all. What is often recommended it to check an original castle, either Himeji or Hikone, but with the limited numbers of day you have, it may just make sense to check Osaka castle, even if you decide to not go inside (but it’s not that expensive, so why not ?)

   I would personally wait to have more news about re-opening before buying tickets. Considering the elections, I personally think we won’t have a solid re-opening plan announcement before December/January.

3. JAL has a policy right now, if you purchase before the end of the month you can change the dates once for free.

   Not sure what their policy will be after this month though.

   I was considering doing it, that way I didn’t have to worry about a) rescheduling costs or b) the great rush to buy tickets once things open

4. Wishing you the best on your trip! I too am planning for June 2022. I’m waiting for December to buy my airline tickets. Hoping we can enter/visit Japan next year 👏🏼

5. The first week of June is when Hydrangea blooms in full swing. If you love flowers it’s gonna be amazing sights to see.

6. Stay in Tokyo, save commuting time and money. 10 days isn’t enough for Tokyo alone and if you get tired of the city there’s always Kamakura or the outskirts of Tokyo (Mt. Takao). I’d also recommend the Asakusa/Ueno area for a somewhat older feel of Tokyo.

7. Which Tokyo airport are you flying into? Haneda or Narita?

   I stayed in Shinjuku when I was there two years ago, I’d love to stay there again.

   Look into whether or not it’s worth buying a JR pass, it might work out cheaper with Suica or individual ride tickets. There’s [calculators available online](https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/).

   Have a look into [luggage forwarding](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2278.html). This could be really convenient for you.

   Suggestions for your and your teens: if you’re into video games, take the kids to Super Potato in Akihabara, it’s a retro game store, but it’s like a museum for us westerners! Takeshita Street in Harajuku is a teen hotspot that might appeal to them too.

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9. Covid is weird and border policies are even weirder. My only advice on flights is to make sure that, whatever you do, you have the option for a fully refunded cancellation. Best book directly with the plane company rather than going through any middlemen, too.

   As for the itinerary, I have just one comment. Doesn’t it seem such a terrible shame to have your night in Osaka, famous for things that happen at night, be, uh, the one night when you’ll probably have to leave the city before sunset anyway?

   (If the rest of the plan is bolted on, Osaka is right next to Kyoto, you could go to Dotombori on one of the evenings you have in Kyoto)