Hi Guys, I modified my itinerary due to cherry blossom begin earlier this year. My preference will be more to nature sightseeing. Will use public transport most of the time.
22 Apr | Arrive Haneda – Tokyo Tower & nearby
23 Apr | Ichinoseki, Iwate (JR East 5 day pass start)
\- POKÉMON with YOU Train to Geibikei \*(If ticket sold out at JR website then will swap travel day with Kakunodate)
\- Geibi Gorge (Geibikei) boat tour
\- Flying Dango Genbikei
\- Stay at Ichinoseki
24 Apr | Kakunodate for Cherry Blosoom
\- Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park, tracking progress at [https://s.n-kishou.co.jp/w/sp/sakura/sakura\_al.html?yosou=1](https://s.n-kishou.co.jp/w/sp/sakura/sakura_al.html?yosou=1)
\- Shizukuishi & Koiwai Farm for backup plan\*
\- Stay at Morioka
25 Apr | Lake Towada
\- Head to Hachinohe Station & take JR bus to Lake Towada
\- Oirase Gorge
\- Stay at Lake Towada
26 Apr | Lake Towada
\- Hokkoda Ropeway\*
\- Jogakura Ohashi Bridge
\- Explore surrounding lake according to JR Bus schedule
\- Stay at Lake Towada
27 Apr | Back to Tokyo. JR East pass end
28 Apr | Disneysea – avoiding weekend & golden week crowd
29 Apr | Mt Fuji – Bus to Mt Fuji via Tokyo Station or Shinjuku\*
\- Explore with Sightseeing Bus yen1500 unlimited 2 days
\- Chureito Pagoda
\- Stay at Lake Kawaguchiko area
30 Apr | Mt Fuji
\- Explore with Sightseeing Bus
\- Fuji Shibazakura Festival (optional)
\- Back to Tokyo late noon.
1 May | Day trip to Nikko via Tobu Railway.\*
\- NIKKO PASS world heritage area\*
\- Nikkō Tōshō-gū
\- Shinkyo Bridge & Kanmangafuchi Abyss
\- Stay at Tokyo or Stay at Nikko if manage to change Tokyo hotel.
2 May | Tokyo – SensoJi, Ginza, Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival
3 May | Tokyo – Meiji Jingu, Shibuya, Shinjuku
4 May | Tokyo – no plan yet
5 May | Tokyo – Kamakura
6 May | Tokyo – Depart night flight.
Questions:
1. Main Reason I choose Tohoku Region is because of cherry blossom, I gave up Hirosaki park in my previous plan due to hotel sold out. I got Koiwai Farm as backup but I can’t find any bus heading to the farm, is it easy to find a taxi from Koiwai Farm to Koiwai station around evening time? I’m worry might get stranded there.
2. For Hokkoda Ropeway, is it enough time if spend 80 min here? Bus arrive here at 10.48am, have to leave at 12.17pm. That’s the only bus schedule. Is there any bicycle rental around lake towada?
3. When is the peak of golden week crowd? Most people travel away from Tokyo on 29th Apr or 3rd May? Will it be terrrible traffic on 29th Apr(Sat) from Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko? Planning to take 8am+- bus
4. Most likely will do day trip to Nikko due to hotel locked in Tokyo. Planning to get NIKKO PASS world heritage area. With golden week crowd, is it difficult to upgrade to limited express train on the day itself? Can I buy the pass 1 week earlier and use later? Also, what’s the travelling time for local train? can’t seem to find the schedule, only found limited express took 2 hours only.
Thank you very much