Hi everyone, mind giving me a quick sanity check before I start booking the “in-betweens”? Flights at either end are booked and the 1 night at Bonsui Ryokan is booked but that could be cancelled no charge. Going solo as an early 30s Male, been to Tokyo \~2017 for a week with a day trip to Mt. Fuji/Lake Ashi. It’s been a stressful last couple years so really just looking to take in the wonderful sights/experiences of Japan and relax (and ofc the food).
I’m interested in the Kyushu region but no matter how I look at it, there seem to be a lot of doubling back all over the place and I don’t exactly have 5 days to spend there. I definitely want to hit one of Yufuin or Beppu but Nagasaki could probably be struck off the list if there are optimizations that could be made for a better place in Kyushu or if another day is needed at either Kyoto or Osaka. Or am I better off flying directly to Oita from Tokyo and then work my way north-east from Kyushu instead? Looks like flights from Tokyo to Oita are pretty cheap!
It looks like with all the trains involved and the longer-than-7-days duration, I might as well get the 14 day rail pass and would still be par vs buy individual tickets for the last leg from Osaka to Tokyo. Also that means I can activate at Narita when I land and get 1 leg of the Narita express covered. Thoughts?
|Date|Start City|End City|Notes|
|:-|:-|:-|:-|
|2022-02-07|YVR|NRT|Arrive 14:50 Feb 7 – Train to Tokyo, Dinner and check in to Hotel (any recommendations? preferably close to a place that could teach me how to pachinko?? I was so intrigued on my previous trip but could only work up the courage to play medal game….)|
|2022-02-08|Tokyo|Izu|Wake up when I wake up and then travel to Bonsui Ryokan (booked but could cancel) – Buy and activate 14 day JR pass????? Or activate the day before at Narita??|
|2022-02-09|Izu|Kyoto|4-5hr Train|
|2022-02-10|Kyoto|Kyoto|Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine, Golden Temple and the Bamboo Forest if there is time|
|2022-02-11|Kyoto|Kobe|Short train to Kobe in late afternoon, Kobe for Dinner/Overnight|
|2022-02-12|Kobe|Himeji|Check out Himeji Castle until \~12 ish, onto train to Nagasaki|
|2022-02-12|Himeji|Nagasaki|4hr train – dinner/ check in to hotel/wonder around|
|2022-02-13|Nagasaki|Nagasaki|Maybe the bomb memorial? Any other recommendations? Check out Mt Inasa at night|
|2022-02-14|Nagasaki|Yufuin|Probably find an Onsen Ryokan here and then head over to Beppu in the AM?|
|2022-02-15|Yufuin|Beppu|Check out the hells and maybe get a sand bath, then board ferry in the evening|
|2022-02-15|Beppu|Osaka|Overnight Ferry to Osaka|
|2022-02-16|Osaka|Osaka||
|2022-02-17|Osaka|Osaka||
|2022-02-18|Osaka|Hakone|Not really settled on Hakone, could flex a day or go somewhere interesting in between? Any recommendations? If I stay here I’ll probably find another Ryokan?? OR maybe I should bootleg it to Mt Haruna and try to bum a ride up and down the touge?????|
|2022-02-19|Hakone|Tokyo||
|2022-02-19 to 2022-02-21|Tokyo|Tokyo|02-19 Akiba, 02-20 Akiba, 02-21 Akiba/Tokyohands. Maybe try to squeeze in Teamlab and Yokohama Gundam Factory while going from Akiba to Akiba??|
|2022-02-22|NRT|YVR|:(((( But at least Premium Economy gets me in the ANA lounge at the airport……… Wouldn’t cost that much to push the return date I think… I’m off until Mar 3… Think I should extend???????????|
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2 comments
>1 night at Bonsui Ryokan
Can I ask why this particular place? Looks nice.
>I might as well get the 14 day rail pass
If you decide to fly to Oita, then you might not get the value of the JR pass.
If you are to get the 14 days pass, at least use it as much as you can and take the train from Oita/Beppu back to Osaka.