Hi guys! I’m planning to visit Japan at the end of Feb (21 Feb – 5 Mar) next year mainly as a getaway kind of trip and also to see snow for the first time! (I live in a tropical country). 28M. Solo
*\*Long post ahead\**
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21 Feb
22:15PM – Land at Haneda Airport. Probably takes an hour until I can leave the airport.
23:15PM – Get on to the Limousine bus to Shinjuku Station if I’m lucky enough the catch the last bus. Else, overnight at Terminal 3
23:50PM – Drop off at Shinjuku Station and walk to Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae for overnight stay (however, I do feel unsafe leaving my luggage in the shared area… Thus, might drop off at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku if I think the USD 50 difference is worth to keep my luggage with me)
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22 Feb
10:00AM – Wake up have random breakfast nearby. Walk around if I wake up early.
11:00AM – Take Yamanote Line to Ueno station
11:30AM – Walk around Ueno park and Shinobazu pond
12:30AM – Walk around Ameyoko Street
01:00PM – Walk to Maekawa for Unagi rice lunch
02:00PM – Asahi Brewery for some beer
02:30PM – Walk around Akihabara
03:20PM – Yushima Tenjin Shrine
04:20PM – Walk around randomly or maybe visit the Koishikawa Korakuen (seems a little too far on foot since I’m heading back to Sumida side)
05:50PM – Walk around Sumida Park
06:30PM – Have dinner at Daikokuya, San Sada or Owariya for Tempuraaa
07:20PM – Popeye for some beer
08:00PM – Walk to Asakusa Station -> Higashi-Nihombashi Station -> Shinjuku Station; or
Walk to Ueno Station -> Shinjuku Station
08:40PM – Walk around Shinjuku area until supper or perhaps just rest at hotel
10:00PM – Have supper and sleep at either Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae or Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
\*Note: Is it recommended to stay overnight at net café? Would like to stay overnight for once just for the experience
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23 Feb
07:00AM – Would like to do some morning jog around the area. Shower and rest. Then get some breakfast
09:00AM – Take Yamanote Line to Shibuya Station (If it’s crowded, I will chill first)
and walk around (Crossing, Hachiko, Miyashita Park, etc.). Get some morning alcohol/coffee maybe
10:30AM – Walk around Yoyogi Park
11:30AM – Meiji Shrine
12:30PM – Walk around Harajuku (Maybe crepe too)
01:30PM – Lunch at either Harajuku or Shibuya?
02:30PM – Could be sunny, maybe walk in the malls. However, not much of a shopper really.
04:00PM – Ayoyama cemetery and walk around the area
05:00PM – Take the Ginza line from Gaiemmae Station back to Shibuya Station
06:00PM – Hakushu Teppanyaki for wagyu.
07:00PM – Go to Nonbei Yokochō for some beer/sake
08:00PM – Chill around or head back to Shinjuku Station
09:00PM – Maybe have a look at the Golden Gai at Shinjuku
10:00PM – Have supper and sleep at either Anshin Oyado Premier Shinjukueki-mae or Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
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24 Feb
09:30AM – Wake up, have random breakfast nearby or near Tokyo Station once arrived.
10:00AM – Take Chuo line to Tokyo Station
11:00AM – Take Jōetsu Line (Tanigawa train) to Gala Yuzawa Station (Lunch in the train?); or
Take Jōetsu Line (Toki train) to Echigo Yuzawa Station and walk north (Lunch in the train?)
01:00PM – Ski or snowboard\*
05:00PM – Rest and check in at a hotel/ryokan at the area. (Have not found any yet)
06:00PM – Dinner: maybe provided by the hotel/ryokan or walk around for dinner
07:00PM – Walk around the area and chill. Maybe sake?
10:00PM – Sleep at the available hotel/ryokan
\*Would appreciate recommendations/tips on equipment rental stores and class providers
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25 Feb
08:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold
10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast: maybe provided by the hotel/ryokan or walk around for breakfast
11:00AM – Take Jōetsu Line (Toki train) from Echigo Yuzawa Station to JRJomo-kogen station
12:00PM – Lunch at JRJomo-kogen station
12:40PM – Take courtesy bus to Takaragawa Onsen Ousenkaku (bus to arrive at 1pm)
01:50PM – Leave my luggage at the hotel and walk around the area
02:40PM – Check in, chill at onsen and rest afterwards (hopefully can get some laundry done too)
06:00PM – Dinner provided by the hotel
08:00PM – Some beer/sake/whiskey
10:30PM – Sleep
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26 Feb
07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold
07:30AM – Last onsen before leaving
09:30AM – Breakfast provided by the hotel
10:00AM – Check out
10:20AM – Head to station for bus to reach Minakami Station
11:00AM – Take bus again to reach Jomo-kogen Station and head back to Tokyo Station (lunch in between this time I guess)
02:00PM – Reach Tokyo Station
02:30PM – Check in at nine hours Otemachi so I can leave my luggage there. (If it’s not worth it, might leave my luggage at Tokyo Station’s locker and check in after dinner at nine hours Otemachi instead)
03:00PM – Ginza
03:40PM – Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden
04:40PM – Tokyo Tower and chill around
06:30PM – Have dinner. Maybe Sukiya?
07:30PM – Walk around the area. Find some bar for a drink
08:50PM – Get laundry done if possible and not done yet
10:00PM – Sleep at nine hours Otemachi
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27 Feb
09:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast
10:00AM – Head to Tokyo station again to take JR Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Yamagata Station. Takes around 3 hours so probably bento lunch on the train.
01:00PM – Reach Yamagata Station and take bus to Zao Onsen Bus Terminal. Takes an hour
02:00PM – Reach Zao Onsen. Find a skiing/snowboarding school/provider\* and leave my luggage with them so I can move on to skiing
06:00PM – Check in at Takasagoya Ryokan and have dinner around the area.
07:00PM – Chill around or maybe enjoy the onsen at hotel/public (if any)
08:30PM – Walk around the area. Maybe some sake
10:00PM – Sleep
\*Would appreciate recommendations/tips on equipment rental stores and class providers
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28 Feb
10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast
11:00AM – Head to Zao Ropeway for the ropeway (maybe book ticket on Klook first?).
01:00PM – Have lunch around the area
02:00PM – Ski/snowboard if I have the energy. Else, just enjoy the snow while heading back to Zao Onsen Bus Terminal. A bus will depart at 5.20PM
05:20PM – Leaves Zao Onsen Bus Terminal and head back to Yamagata Station
06:20PM – Check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Yamagata Ekimae. Dinner and chill for awhile
08:00PM – Walk around the area. Maybe some sake
10:00PM – Sleep
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1 Mar
07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold
09:00AM – Breakfast
10:00AM – Head to Yamagata Station and take the Yamagata Shinkansen to Shinjo Station
11:00AM – From Shinjo Station, take a bus to Hijori Onsen
12:30PM – Arrive at Hijori Onsen. Check in at Ebisuya Inn Hijiori Onsen to leave my luggage
01:00PM – Walk around and find lunch
02:00PM – Beer/sake
03:00PM – Enjoy some onsen provided by hotel/public
04:30PM – Explore around the area until dinner time
06:00PM – Have dinner provided by hotel or elsewhere
08:00PM – Walk around or get laundry done if needed
10:00PM – Sleep
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2 Mar
07:00AM – Would like to jog around the area if it’s not too cold
09:00AM – Breakfast and chill until 12PM for the departing bus to arrive
12:00PM – Depart Hijori Onsen back to Shinjo Station
01:00PM – Arrive at Shinjo Station. Have lunch here.
01:30PM – Take Yamagata Shinkansen to Oishida Station
02:00PM – Arrive at Oishida Station and take the free shuttle bus to Ginzan Onsen
03:00PM – Check in at Takimikan to leave my luggage there.
03:30PM – Walk around Ginzan Onsen.
06:00PM – Head back to Takimikan for dinner and onsen afterwards
08:00PM – Sake and walk back to Ginzan Onsen for some night walk
10:00PM – Sleep
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3 Mar
08:30AM – Breakfast provided by ryokan or find breakfast around the area
09:30AM – Last onsen before leaving the ryokan
11:00AM – Take shuttle bus to depart from Ginzan Onsen to Oishida Station (not sure about the schedule)
01:00PM – Have lunch at Oishida Station or lunch benta from Oishida Station to Yamagata Station via Yamagata line
03:00PM – Arrive at Yamagata Station. Take train again to Yamadera Station via Senzan Line
03:40PM – Arrive at Senzan Line. Hike the Yamadera temple. Closes at 5PM tho
05:00PM – Take Senzan Line back to Yamagata Station.
05:30PM – Check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Yamagata Ekimae. Dinner and chill for awhile
08:00PM – Walk around the area.
10:00PM – Sleep
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4 Mar
10:00AM – Wake up and have breakfast
11:00AM – Take Yamagata Line from Yamagata Station to Yonezawa Station
12:30PM – Reach Yonezawa Station.
01:00PM – Head to Yonezawa Beef Dining Bekoya for Yonezawa beef as lunch
02:00PM – Head back to Yonezawa Station and take Yamagata Shinkansen to Tokyo Station
06:00PM – Arrive at Tokyo Station. Dinner around the area.
07:00PM – Check in at nine hours Otemachi so I can leave my luggage there. (If it’s not worth it, might leave my luggage at Tokyo Station’s locker and check in after dinner at nine hours Otemachi instead)
10:00PM – Sleep at nine hours Otemachi
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5 Mar
Buffer Day: Some flight tickets depart in the morning while some at midnight. If this day is travelable, I would probably jog a little and hope on to some random train (within reasonable range from base) to explore for fun
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\*Notes:
1) None of the hotel/ryokan/onsen/transportation have been booked. (However, the ryokan/hotel listed here are available for booking at the time of posting for the respective dates). Please feel free to suggest alternatives to any of the above.
2) If the schedule seems too tight, I wouldn’t mind missing some of them so I could stay longer at some others. Not trying to hit any tourist KPI 😛
3) Would appreciate additional suggestions for places to try “real”/”local” Japanese foods such as Kobe beef, tempura, unagi, ramen, sushi, etc., as well as Japanese beers and sakes!
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Thank youuuuuu