**Day 1 (December 7)**
Fly into Sapporo (Land 3 PM)
Eat food and checkout shops
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**Day 2( December 8)**
Explore City
Sapporo TV Tower
Cookie factory
Sapporo Beer Museum \[Cant drink cause im 19\]
Shopping
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**Day 3 (December 9)**
Day Trip to Noboribetsu \[how to get tickets?\]
Onsen
Hell Valley
date jidaimura (if there’s time – probably not)
Return to Sapporo
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**Day 4 (December 10)**
Chill in the morning
Fly into Komatsu Airport, Arrive at 4:30PM
Kenroku-en or Gyokusen’inmaru Garden (if feeling up for it)
Hotel
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**Day 5( December 11)**
Explore the old streets as well as the main city
Higashi Chaya
Naga Machi (includes Nomura-ke Samurai Residence)
Nishi Chaya
Ninjabuki Museum
Kazuemachi
Omicho Market
Tea ceremony (if possible)
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**Day 6 (December 12)**
Bus to Shirakawa-Go \[How to get tickets?\]
Explore the city in the day \[How late would it be possible to stay here as it would be nice to see the place with all the lights but I don’t want to stay the night\]
Open-air museum
Observation deck
Go to Takayama
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**Day 7 (December 13)**
Miyagawa Morning Market
Sanmachi-Suji
Hida-Furukawa
Higashiyama Walk
Onsen (if time)
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**Day 8 (December 14)**
Train to Kusatsu Onsen (This one looks like a tough route – Google says 6 hours and 13,000 yen) (Also considering switching to Matsumoto or another day in Takayama?)
Onsen
Yubatake
Sainokawara Park
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**Day 9 (December 15)**
Travel to Mount Haruna
Train to Tokyo
Chill in Tokyo
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**Day 10 (December 16-18)**
Chill for a few days
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Any problems with my itinerary? Especially concerning reservations as I am not too familiar with which things need to be reserved vs which things don’t need to. As for all transport, I am going to be using bus/train, as I don’t want to drive in the snow. This is a solo trip btw.
1. What website should I use to find the train times and do I just get tickets there or in advance?
2. ​
Travelling on a bit of a budget but want to try a ryokan, which of these places should I try a ryokan at? 3. What to do if I get sick/should I plan my days more spread out in the case I get sick? 4. I’d say I’m a pretty picky eater, is it rude for me to tell them before I order that I don’t want this in my dish or should I just always order something where I’ll like everything.
Also if it matters, I don’t know any japanese except for basic phrases.
2 comments
Kanazawa – If you like ninjas, Myo-ryuji is fun. There’s a tour that shows you all the ninja hidden stuff inside. (In japanese but they give you an english clearbook to follow along lol)
Shirakawa go – you can buy a bus ticket somewhere in Kanazawa station. I think you can do it online but i’ve never tried. Google for the bus timetable. I think nohi bus is the most frequent (still not as frequent as one would like).
Day 1 – visit hokkaido jingu. Collect Goshuin. Visit zoo. Theyre closed on tuesdays though
Day 2 – ramen alley at night because the area where it is close to susukino where the night life is awesome.
Also JR tower is a nice visit (if you’re not going up the odori sapporo tower)
Day 3 – take the train to noboribetsu. Hokkaido only has a few train lines so a quick google map search will help you. I took the Hokuto line which is covered in JR pass. If you don’t have jr pass, buy ticket in station.
Once you get to noboribetsu station, buy bus ticket with return at a vending machine. You’ll see it right away. The station is very small. Also theres a full time dude there who speaks perfect English and will give you bus time table and help you buy ticket.
Note that hell valley is about 30 to 45 min hike. Bring water. Also best to stay the night. Otherwise, the entire day will be traveling.
Day 4 5 6 7 – no comment. Never been there
Day 8 – you can train to Karuizawa station, then go to bus station 11 and take a direct bus route to Kusatsu bus stop. The bus ride is 2400 (or 2900?) yen. Not covered by Jr Pass. This is better since less transfer
Or
You can train to Takasaki, switch to a train to Naganohara, then take bus to Kusatsu Onsen. All covered by JR Pass
Not much to do in Kusatsu but dont miss out on the 1800 yen pass for the three main onsens. The pass is being sold inside the bus station. You can also watch the water cooling presentation where ladies sing and dance and paddle “cool” the water. They have multiple showings a day. Also try the yakitori shop near 711. So good. Also if you go to the main souvenir shop, a dude is selling rice. Apparently best rice in Japan.
Day 9, 10, 11 – awesome plan just chilling. Go to akihabara and check out pop life department m’s.
Have fun!
EDIT
To answer your questions
1. Google maps is quite helpful , although it doesnt show some of the routes. But if everything else fails, google map is your friend. It shows you time table, station stops, cost, and direction of travel. Its awesome
2. Dai Ici Takimotokan in Noboribetsu is awesome. But the three onsens in Kusatsu is equally awesome. My personal favourite is Kusatsu because of the open air bath at Sainokawara Public Bath (1 of 3)
3. Dont get sick. Wear mask when commuting.
4. Download google lens on your phone. It can translate japanese writings on the fly. Most shops have photos of what theyre selling. Just point at the photo of what you want. Or best, google research before buying