Hi everyone!
I am halfway done with setting up our trip to Japan for this December. Some things are already in place, and a lot are open to schedule, so I come in search of opinions and some additional questions.Also, any and all recommendations are welcome.First, the schedule:
2022/12/17 – 1730 – Arrive at Haneda, take either bus or train to the Ikebukuro Hotel (Sunshine Prince)
2022/12/18 -22 – Nothing scheduled yet, Maybe Jump Festa on the 18th? but the idea is that Mon\~Fri be used to study/exam preparation in a cat cafe or other nice place to work (ideally a place that has additional monitors…).
Other stuff to see in Tokyo: Asakusa + Asakusa underground shoutengai, Rikkunland (Japan Ground Self Defence Force Museum in Saitama) Ghibli Park with our friends (I am making sure we buy the tickets this 2022/11/10, otherwise we would have to buy in Dec for Jan). IJN Mikasa @ Yokosuka,
2022/12/23 – Move to the Akihabara Washington Hotel + Start roaming Akiba + ???
2022/12/24 – Vienna String Orchestra concert @ Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall (1100hs) – Lunch + either visit the Meiji complex or the Shinjuku park that are nearby then back to the New National Theater Opera Palace for the Nutcracker (1700hs)
2022/12/25 – Christmas with friends
2022/12/26-27 – Nothing scheduled yet
2022/12/28 – Move to Tavinos Hamamatsucho Hotel + Tokyo Tower and nearby temples + ???
2022/12/29 – Nothing yet
2022/12/30 – COMIKET – Try to get the full experience, get early tickets and stand in line…
2022/12/31 – Activate JR Pass (14-day) + Travel to Fushimi Inari + Checkin at AirBNB near the shrine – Welcome the new year at the shrine
2023/01/01 – Hike up the mountain to try and catch the first sunrise (I know, Kyoto itself is bad for this due to the facings, still…) – Train to Osaka to attend The Phantom of the Opera at the Osaka Shiki Theater – Maybe Osaka Castle?
2023/01/02-03 – Kyoto, still to be scheduled but Kiyomizu, Ginkakuji, maybe Kinkakuji, Mt Hiei…
2023/01/04 – Checkout + Maybe see something else in Kyoto but then travel to Hiroshima, checkin @ Sotetsu Fresa Inn and visit Shukkeien garden + outlets and find a good okonomiyaki place
2023/01/05 – Kure – Yamato Museum + JMSDF Museum + Irifuneyama Memorial Museum + Special Kure halfmoon okonomiyaki
2023/01/06 – Go very early to Miyajima and in the afternoon/evening take a train to Sasebo – Checkin @ Sasebo Washington Hotel
2023/01/07 – Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort, Take the boat trip + Aquarium and maybe Zoo?
2023/01/08 – JMSDF Museum + Travel to Fukuoka – Checkin @ Hokke Club Fukuoka
2023/01/09 – Find something to do in Fukuoka + Marasy8 Concert @ Channel City Theater (1600hs)
2023/01/10-13 – Not scheduled yet, check what we missed from Tokyo to Sasebo or go all the way North to Hokkaido just for giggles (And maybe Ooarai and the Zao Fox village)
2023/01/14 – 18 – Nothing scheduled yet, the Tears of Themis themed cafe opens on the 14th so that’s one thing we’ll go to.
2023/01/19 – Back to Haneda to take the flight home.Shiki Theater – Maybe Osaka Castle? and back to Fushimi Inari
Now a question:
We’ve been in Japan only once before and that was on a tour we both have a basic (N3) understanding of Japanese, it might be a bit rusted. I’ve downloaded the Japan Official Travel app and I’m not sure I understand how it takes travel passes into account. It is my understanding that the JR Pass covers all JR trains (save for those 2 shinkansens that it doesn’t). So I’m not sure why it still lists prices for seat-class or JR trains. Say, for example, an Ikebukuro to Fushimi Inari route. It says:
1. Yamanote line (nice red Japan Rail Pass banner and no price)
2. Hikari shinkansen (which should be covered, since only Nozomi and Mizuho aren’t). It has the red Japan Rail Pass banner but a grey box with: “SEAT CLASS: Non-reserved 4960yen, Reserved 5290 yen, Green car 10360yen”.
3. Nara line to Inari, again I have the red banner stating the Japan Rail Pass but it says 8360yen.
There’s an explanation at the bottom saying that the price is the amount charged when you are NOT using the pass, but it doesn’t make sense, if it were like that, why does the first segment (on the Yamanote line) not priced?
2 comments
It always listed the actual price. JR fare rule is pretty complex, but what is happening here is that there is a basic fare, 8360 yen, which will take you from Ikebukuro to Inari station. If you take local trains all the way, this is the price you need to pay (without JR pass obviously). Then there is a Shinkansen supplement fare, which varies by the seat class. The supplement fare is per-train basis (outside of a few exceptions), but the basic fare is calculate through from your origin to destination.
Bear in mind when you transfer hotels its generally checkout 10am, check in 3pm, but most hotels ive been to will hold your suitcase while you go explore the area.