​
Preface
I have traveled to Japan many times over last 15 years but I haven’t never purchased and used a JR pass because I didn’t think the economics was compelling. I had done overland trip from Hakata to Tokyo via stop in Hiroshima, Osaka, and Nagoya, by bus or by train. Did Narita to Nagoya via JR using seishun 18, and tour around North eastern Japan using seishun 18 and bus many years ago. Also, I use the JAL and ANA fare for foreigners extensively, and award tickets to get around Japan. There was never a strong reason to buy JR Pass.
However, JPY has gone down and the price of JR rail pass was planning an increase on Oct 1. So I figured it would be my last chance to do a JR pass travel with a train specific focus on this trip. So I went to Klook to get a 7 day JR pass for <200 USD on Sept 29.
\—-
I arrived Japan on Nov 16, and then started to think about using the JR pass. I didnt know about the holiday in Japan on Nov 23, so the train was obviously more packed than usual. I was then waiting for cyber monday deal (Last year, I stayed in Holiday Inn Sapporo almost free for 16 nights because of promotions). But there is no such good deal this year, and I found out that I have an appointment back home on Dec 15. It gives me 2 options. 1) finished the 7 days train pass by Dec 13, or activate the train pass before I leave Japan for travel 1 month later.
I op for travel in Dec as there is no cyber monday deal and I dont have much to do in Japan before I go home.
I was busy enjoying my stay in Fiji speedway hotel on Nov 29 – Nov 30. I then moved to a manga cafe in Gotemba on Nov 30 (1540 yen for 24 hours). I started planning the trip aggressively. I was planning to do a bunch of Sunrise express during the validity of the pass, and travel off from each ends during the day time. Due to the last minute nature of my trip, the sunrise express was full (or close to full) on weekends. I had the idea that I didnt need to start in Tokyo, I could have started in anywhere after midnight to get an extra night (and more flexibility.) I had considered to start in Kobe (i could fly there easily and cheaply using frequent flyer miles). In the end, I decided to start in Shizuoka.
I had things plan out on Dec 1 early afternoon and then decided to execute it. I learned that one can only redeem JR pass in specific places, and Gotemba is not one. The closest one is in Mishima. But I had to go there and back (my 24 hours end at 5:51 and I wasnt sure if I could prebook more 24 hours. ) it seems that I had to wait until I checked out before I could re-check in. (I dont speak Japanese).
So I went to Mishima office on Dec 2. It was very smooth to exchange the pass, and booked the sunrise express segments. Unfortunately, some of the availability that I had earlier was gone. so I had a suboptimal schedule. I then walked around Mishima and keep checking, some space opened up again, so I went back to the office to rebook and cancel some segments with the same agent I dealt with a few hours earlier. happy camper.
My pass would start on Dec 4 until Dec 10.
On dec 3, I had to position to Shizuoka to start. I figured out a way to get to Mishima for free using the free shuttle bus. \[wish i had known that a few days earlier\] . I was debating if i should just get a gate ticket or buy a ticket all the way to Shizuoka and I op for paying full fare 990 yen. (had i stayed inside the gate in Shizuoka, I dont think it matters)
​
Dec 4.
Shizuoka to Okayama and then change car to go to Takamatsu. The door between the car 7 and 8 was blocked once I was ready to move (before the trained was stopped). so i had to go out and run back in.
Once in Takamatsu, the opposing platform had a train for Matsushima leaving in a few minutes. So I just jumped on it. I wasnt thinking too much about this part of the trip as I was planning on the last 2 days of this trip. I had thought about jumping off the trip once i have hit Ehime prefectures as I had seen train in the opposite platform but I did arrive Matsushima, and spend over an hours there walking around briefly.
I then took a trip to Kochi and spend 40 minutes in Kochi, and hopped on a train to Awa Kawaguchi (part of Tokushima prefecture.) spend an hours there and got some supply and started playing with self ticketing machine to issue to train reservations.
Back to Takamatsu, walked around eat something, and then lined up the the train back to Tokyo.
Figure out how to get a shower card and able to take a shower on a train for the first time.
​
Dec 5. The train back to Tokyo was delayed for 1.5 hours but it didnt matter because I didnt have a solid plan for today (i should have planned more).
Took a shinkansen to Niigata, walked around (I must have been there twice or 3 times previously), and took a train to Takasaki (walked around a bit) and then to Kanazawa. (it was kind of surprised that that is the best rise, probably because of the train being late to tokyo, i was in Niigata too late for a limited express down along the west side of Japan). I had been to Takasaki area because as I did a seishun 18 ticket to visit Tomioka silk mill (walked across a mountain 4km each way from a JR station). i have never been to Kanazawa and walked the way to the castle and the market before going back to the station. i had planned to take a train and shocked to find out that train required a reservation. luckily, i had a few extra minutes to book my ticket. ( i then looked up the information, and apparently many trains require a reservation). Back to Tokyo station and washed up a bit, get organized, brush my teeth etc). Went to the plaform at 9:20 for my train at 9:50pm. I was number 3 for car 4 and then realized i should have waiting in line for car 10. walked to car 10 and the line was dozen deep. so decided to go back to car 4 and i was number 4 in line. (i found out that car 4 and car 10 are the closest entrance to shower card machine). the train came and took a shower immediately after getting the card. i was done shower before the train has left for Tokyo! it was a good night sleep
​
Dec 6 arrived Izumoshi, and thinking where to go. The shrine required another local train, i thought that since i have a JR pass, i wasnt going to pay for a train! so i went to Yonago instead, and walked to the ruins. got supply at Aeon store (food and drink), went back to Izumoshi and walked around to temple nearby. line up for the train back to Tokyo. I was number 2 in the shower line. taking shower was not a problem.
Dec 7 back to Tokyo, took a shinkansen to stop in Fukushima (new prefecture for me), and then to Akita on mini-shinkansen. Then took Rapid Shirakami from Akita to Shin-Aomori. I had done this before on seishun 18 as well. The train was cancelled on the northern coast segment and was bussed between 2 stations, but I arrived Shin Aomori on schedule to catch my next train to Shin-Hakodate. I was deciding to either spending a night in Shin-Hakodate or Shin Aomori. the price is not cheap comparing to Aomori (but i didnt want to hop an extra train to Aomori or Hakodate). I decided to stay in Shin-Hakodate because I cant find my Toyoko Inn membership card so i didnt want to pay more to stay in Toyoko Inn.
Dec 8. Got up early to board a shinkansen to Morioka. I really enjoy the ride on the Seikan tunnel. Unfortunately, it isnt free to do it anymore on Seishun 18 after the opening of shinkansen to Hakodate. I last cross on 2014 when it was free to take the limited express across the tunnel. Now there is a surcharge of over 2000 yen. Walked around in Morioka and then took another shinkansen to Ichinoseki to check out the Pokemon station (there is a Pokemon with you train running on weekend but Dec 8 is Friday and it is booked full for next few weekends). Then took shinkansen to Furukawa and connect to a local train Rikuu East line to Shinjo. I must have forgotten that the author of Hunter x hunter is from Shinjo, there are posters right at the station to remind the train station users! Then took the mini-shinkansen from Shinjo to Tokyo. Due the the schedule, I had a 2 free hours in Tokyo, I decided to get off at Ueno to have a dinner and got some groceries in a cheap place that I am familiar with before heading to Akiharaba (on foot). Was planning to go up to AKB48 theater but turns out it is closed for the night because Dec 8 is the 18th anniversary theater concert and it is closed off from non-ticket holders due to crowding. took a train back to Tokyo station, and then go to the platform at 9pm for the 9:50pm. I was number 11 for car 4 on the line at 9pm! I guess Friday is a busy day. No problem with shower card as they sold 20 per night. Took a shower immediately and then set up myself to sleep.
Dec 9
Got up at 4am and wonder why the map is showing me at Kyoto. there were announcement (in Japanese) but it was clear that there was a delay, and i would miss my connecting train in Okayama. So I got off at Himeiji instead and went to the counter, was given a piece of paper to take the next Shinkansen (Mizuoho train which is not allowed on JR pass) to Okayama. Got there and walked around outside the station a bit before taking a train to Hakata. I then connected to JR Kyushu D&S train
Yufuin no mori from Hakata to Tosu, walked around Tosu station, and then to Takeo-Onsen (walked around the station and nearby area) and then west Kyushu shinkansen to Isahaya
got the the 2nd D&S Two stars 4047 from Isahaya to Nagasaki. walked around for half and hours, then took a train to Takeo-Onsen connected immediately to Shin-Tosu and then Kumamoto and have 45 minutes to spare before next local train to Higo-ozu. The train to Higo-Ozu, and I thought i was going to miss my next train. It turns out the next train is right at the opposite platform when i arrived and I jumped on that train immediately — that is my 3rd D&S train for the day, it was Kawasemi Yamasemi from Higo-Ozu toward Kumamoto. Then I had another 30 minutes to spare before Kyushu shinkansen to Nagasaki and then took my last train for the day to Ibusuki and arrived Ibusuki at 7:49pm. I contacted the guest house in Ibusuki before I arrived that I just wanted to drop off my luggage upon arrival as I wanted to do a sand onsen immediately and the onsen place has last arrival at 8:30pm. The owner is nice and let me use their bike. I got to the onsen place at 8:05 and able to do onsen at 8:20 after all formality. It was a nice onsen using sand, a different experience. rode the bike back to the guesthouse and that was it for the day.
Dec 10. Got up early for the trains (2 trains) to Nishi Oyama — the southern most JR station in Japan, stayed there for an hour for the next train back to Ibusuki. Borrowed the bike and rode around the beach area before heading back to JR station for the 4th D&S train
Ibusuki tamatebako from Ibusuki to Kagoshima, and only had 10 minutes to spare before taking next train to Kumamoto (i wish to spend more time in Kagoshima instead of Kumamoto but there are a mixed of Sakura and Mizuho train so the schedule is harder to control as there are more D&S trains that I plan to take on that day).
Took the A-train (5th D&S) to Uto and then back to Kumamoto, hang around there a bit before taking a local train to Tamana and took the SL Hitoyoshi train (6th D&S) back to Kumanmoto, and with 20 minutes to spare for next local train to Shin-Suizenji and board the (7th D&S) train Asoboy back to Kumamoto, then took Shinkansen back to Hakata, walked around Hakata station for 30 minutes and took Shinkansen to Okayama. The car number is not clearly marked at Okayama and wasnt able to get shower ticket as I saw a guy getting the last shower card. So I didnt have shower on my last day. Slept my way to Tokyo, and then I was debating if should go to Yokohama to check in for my hotel or go to Atami (as I have never been there and the local train should be free on Dec 11). I decided to go to hotel as I didnt take a shower the night before.
​
It was more fun than I had expected, it seems that I will have to tackle the longest one way train ticket next time. I was able to do a sand onsen at Ibusuki, go to the southern most JR station. (did Wakkanki in 2014 and higishi nemuro in Sept this year). I am still missing the western most JR station which was only 2 stops away on a limited express but I didnt have time as I had planned to take multiple D&S train — which are classified as limited express (off limit on seishun 18). Picked up 9 new prefectures so I think I am still missing 3 of them, I had transited in two of them (yamaguchi \[on the way from hakata to hiroshima on bus) and Mie (on train from Osaka to Nagoya) and Fukui.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​