Our travel to Japan for free in 18 days He took us to know Kyoto, Inari, Nara, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Osaka, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura and Yokohama. The best time to travel to Japan is in spring and autumn, but we, on this occasion, having more than two weeks in Christmas and this being a destination that we had pending for many years, we decided that this could also be a season Perfect to get to know the Japanese country and at the same time enjoy the celebrations that take place at this time of year.
We took advantage of an offer to fly with Turkish, from Barcelona to Osaka and return from Tokyo to Barcelona, to make a “circular” route that would allow us to make all the visits we wanted without having to return to the destination of the trip. After several laps of the itinerary, in the end we opted to take out the 14-day JRP, which allowed us to make all the visits and excursions in Japan in a more relaxed way and not concentrate them all in the middle of the trip, something that we intuited could be more tired. One of the things we have brought from this great trip to Japan for free has been the certainty that we will return one day.
Free travel guide to Japan in 18 days
Dates: From December 20, 2013 to January 6, 2014
PREPARATIONS
Day 1: BARCELONA - ISTANBUL
Day 2: ISTANBUL - KANSAI AIRPORT (OSAKA) - KYOTO
Day 3: KYOTO: Kiyomizudera, Sanjusangen-do, Higashi Hongashi Temple, Nishi Hongan-ji, Kiyomizudera, Gion, Pontocho
Day 4: KYOTO - Shimogamo-Jinja, Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji, Ninnaji, Arashiyama
Day 5: KIOTO - Heian Gunju, Kamigamo Jinga- KOBE
Day 6: KYOTO - Way of Philosophy: Ginkakuji, Nanzen Ji, Chio In - Gion
Day 7: INARI (Fushimi Inari-Taisha) - NARA: Kofukuji, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha - KYOTO
Day 8: KYOTO - OKAYAMA - HIROSHIMA - MIYAJIMA
Day 9: MIYAJIMA - OSAKA
Day 10: OSAKA - TAKAYAMA - SHIRAKAWAGO - TAKAYAMA
Day 11: TAKAYAMA - TOKYO
Day 12: TOKYO: Ueno Park, Toshogu Shrine Temple, Yushima Temple, Ameyoko, Akihabara, Asakusa, Shibuya, Omotesando, Meiji Jingu, Takeshita Dori
Day 13: TOKYO - NIKKO: Rinno-ji, Toshogu, Futarasan - TOKYO: Akihabara, Shibuya
Day 14: TOKYO: Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Tokyo International Forum, Ginza, Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo Tower, Zozogi Temple, Shinjuku, Korean Quarter
Day 15: TOKYO - KAMAKURA: Engaku-ji, Tokeiji, Jochi-ji, Kencho-ji, Tsurugaoka, Desidera ... - YOKOHAMA: Minato Minari 21
Day 16: TOKYO - ASAKUSA: Sensoji Temple, Nakamise, Denbouin, Kappabashi, SUMIDA, ODAIBA: walk along the Sumida River to Odaiba, Aqua City Shopping Center, Fuji TV
Day 17: TOKYO: Tsukiji - Takeshita - Omotesando - Shibuya - Shibuya 109 - Dogenzaka
Day 18: TOKYO - ISTANBUL - BARCELONA
OUR HOTELS IN JAPAN
TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRAVEL TO JAPAN FOR FREE
LOOK FOR THE BEST HOTEL OFFERS
Do you want to organize this trip to Japan for free?
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The best offers of Flights to Japan here
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Book here your JRP of 7.14 or 21 days with shipping included
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Book your Airport⇆Tokio transfer here
10 essential places to visit in Kyoto
Rent your car in Japan at the best price here
The best guides in Japan:
Japan 6 (Lonely Planet Country Guides)
Japan Visual Guide (VISUAL GUIDES)
Japanese for traveler 2 (Lonely Planet conversation guides)
Traveling literature on Japan:
Japan: an attempt at interpretation (Philosophy and Religion)
Memoirs of a Geisha (Pocket) (BIG FORMAT)
Tales and legends of Japan
The best offers of Flights to Japan here
The best hotels at the best prices in Japan here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book here your JRP of 7.14 or 21 days with shipping included
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
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10 essential places to visit in Kyoto
Rent your car in Japan at the best price here
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Comments
travel to Vietnam saysFebruary 23, 2020 at 02:47
I have only been to Japan once and it was when I was a child, I have always wanted to return to that magical place these vacations I will go, thanks for the post I really wanted to do all those things that say, I hope to see more post like this, Cheers
Reply- Vane and Roger says
February 23, 2020 at 08:53
Hi,
Thank you so much for reading! The truth is that Japan is a fascinating country and always worth a second visit. regardsReply
- Uxu says
January 23, 2020 at 12:24
Hello guys!! I love your blog! I use it for planning all my trips.
We want to make a trip to Japan that coincides with the flowering of the cherry tree (end of March beginning of April). Is it worth going on these dates or is it too overwhelming?Thank you very much in advance!!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 24, 2020 at 09:47
Hi Uxu,
We did it the second time we did it at that time and it seemed one of the most incredible times to travel to Japan. In some places there are more people, but nothing overwhelming was done to us. regardsReply
- M del Mar says
November 9, 2019 at 9:22 pm
Hello guys!,
We are a family of 5 (father, mother, two children of 16 and an 11-year-old girl) from Mallorca.
We leave on December 28 and return on January 8, so we have 10 full days there.
We have been reading all your recommendations and we are clear that we have to discard sites for lack of days. We arrived and left by Tokyo. We have thought the first day to go to Kyoto and start our adventure there and finish in Tokyo the last days without the JRP. What do you think?
We are also not sure whether to go to sleep one day in Osaka or just 1 day excursion.
We would like to visit Miyajina, but we may waste too much time, right?
If you can guide us on what you would do, you would help us a lot.
Thank you very much in advance.
To continue with your blog that is so helpful to us.
Greetings from MallorcaReply- Vane and Roger says
10 November, 2019 at 08:32
Hi,
We started in Kyoto and ended up in Tokyo and the truth is that we think it is a very good option. Regarding Osaka and having the days you have, we would go only one day and return to Kyoto, since it is a few minutes by train, so you can live the night of Osaka without problems.
Regarding Miyajima, it is beautiful to spend a night there, but with these days we believe it is very fair. Anyway, being there, if you see that you have time, you can make a day out 😉
regardsReply
- Isa says
July 26, 2019 at 12:59
I love your blog. You are my reference always to organize my trips and a great help. Thank you very much for sharing all the details with us. Priceless!
Seeing your stories on Instagram when you were in Japan gave me a lot of envy (of the good, you know). So I set out to return this year. I was already 10 years ago, but it was on a cruise (where I only have time to see four things) with my ex and now I want to go free with my boy to create new memories with a trip designed for us 🙂
We will go 2 weeks, from September 14 to 29 but we have many doubts about whether, with the itinerary we have in mind, it will give time to everything, if we are missing something, if we should remove some place and enjoy more from others, if it is better overnight somewhere or go and come back in the day ... Anyway, I don't roll up anymore. This is the initial itinerary (you can alternate the days with excursions from Kyoto or Tokyo with the days we will be there). I would be grateful if you could give me your opinion, advice and recommendations.
Day 1 - Flights Madrid - Osaka.
Day 2 - Arrival in Osaka in the morning. Osaka
Day 3 - Osaka - Kyoto.
Day 4 - Kyoto.
Day 5 - Kyoto.
Day 6 - Kyoto.
Day 7 - Kyoto - Fushimi Inari - Nara - Kyoto.
Day 8 - Kyoto - Hiroshima - Miyajima - Kyoto.
Day 9 - Kyoto - Himeji - Kobe - Kyoto.
Day 10 - Kyoto - Tokyo.
Day 11 - Tokyo.
Day 12 - Tokyo.
Day 13 - Tokyo.
Day 14 - Tokyo - Kamakura - Yokohama - Tokyo.
Day 15 - Tokyo - Nikko - Tokyo.
Day 16 - Flights Tokyo - Madrid.Millions of thanks!!
Isa
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 27, 2019 at 08:11
Hi Isa,
First of all, thank you very much for reading!
On the planning, the truth is that we see it perfect since it includes the most tourist places and it is also perfectly adapted. The only thing to tell you that Miyajima's tori will be restored at that time. Although for us this place is much more than the tori, if you only go for that "image", it may be better to ignore it.
Anyway, with the days you have, we would go and more if you have not considered spending the night there and it is an excursion from Kyoto.
regardsReply- Isa says
July 27, 2019 at 2:29 PM
Thank you very much for the answer 🙂 I thought about staying overnight in Miyajima but it seemed like a nuisance for my bags. I hope it is not too beating to do Hiroshima and Miyajima on a day trip.
I will continue researching and planning considering this itinerary then. Congratulations on the work you do. I will continue to use your blog for all my trips as usual, so I hope you continue traveling and telling us for a long time 😉Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 27, 2019 at 6:43 p.m.
Hi Isa!
Although it will be a long day, we are sure it will be very worthwhile. They are two incredible and completely different places at the same time as essential on a first trip to Japan.
regardsReply- Isa says
1 August, 2019 at 17:23
So do not talk anymore; day reserved for Hiroshima and Miyajima 🙂
I have already booked the flights, the insurance and the JRP. I have a question about cash. Would you recommend changing currency from here or better to get money at the ATMs there? In case of changing currency from here, how much money would you change for 15 days? I'm reread everything related to Japan in your blog and, as you recommend both the N26 and the change in Ria, I don't know which one to decide on.Thank you very much as always for everything 🙂
- Vane and Roger says
August 2, 2019 at 06:54
Hi Isa,
For Japan, we currently recommend carrying a card and paying as much as possible with it and withdrawing money at the ATM. This way you will have the best change. BNEXT is perfect for withdrawing money, since they return the commission and N26 to pay, since being associated with an account never fails.
In the post The best cards to travel without commissions you can see all the details.
regards
- Melodie says
July 17, 2019 at 13:08
Regards,
First of all thank all the information that you send to all travelers through the blog, you do a great job!
I am organizing the trip to Japan and I have doubts, since I can not be more than 12 nights and I do not know whether to base in Tokyo and Kyoto and make excursions or hire a guide
Day 1 Madrid / Tokyo
Day 2 Tokyo
Day 3 Tokyo
Day 4 Tokyo
Day 5 Tokyo / Kanazawa
Day 6 Kanazawa
Day 7 Kanazawa / Kyoto
Day 8 Kyoto
Day 9 Kyoto / Hiroshima
Day 10 Hiroshima
Day 11 Hiroshima / Osaka
Day 12 Osaka
Day 13 Osaka / Tokyo
Day 14 Tokyo back to SpainWhat is your opinion ? would you change anything?
Regards!!!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 18, 2019 at 09:58
Hi Melodie,
Although this depends entirely on your tastes, we taking those days would remove Kanazawa and give those days to Kyoto, as it is one of the most impressive cities in the world and being only one day seems very little.
In addition, spending a day (and the day of transfer) in Hiroshima would not do it either and we would make a morning-afternoon getaway on the way to Osaka.
regardsReply
- Araceli says
June 1, 2019 at 12:06
Hi everyone!
First of all, thank you very much for your blog, you don't know how it is helping me to plan my trip to Japan. I go to Japan in September for 15 days, and I have a provisional itinerary made, let's see what you think and if you can give me some advice ...15sept- exit madrid-tokyo
16-arrival Tokyo 9.25 am (night in Tokyo)
17- tokyo (night in Tokyo)
18- Tokyo (night in Tokyo)
19-Tokyo (night in Tokyo)
20- Nikko (1/2 day) -Tokio (night in Tokyo)
21- Kamakura (and Yokohama ???) (Tokyo night)
22- Fuji (night in Tokyo)
23- Hakone ?? (night in Tokyo)
24- Kyoto (night in Kyoto)
25- Kyoto (night in Kyoto)
26-Kyoto (night in Kyoto)
27- Osaka (night in Kyoto)
28- Hiroshima and Miyayima (night in Kyoto)
29- Himeji and Kobe (night in Kyoto)
30- Inari and Nara (night in Tokyo)
1 Oct- Tokyo-Madrid (flight departure 11.05)What do you think? The days do not necessarily have to be in that order, but if the approximate distribution (they do not have to be the 4 days in a row in Tokyo and the excursions followed, we can intersperse ...)
I have doubts about whether it is worth going to Hakone, if the distribution of days is fine, if you would modify something ...I would greatly appreciate your opinion, to be able to book hotels and others.
Thank you!
Reply- Araceli says
1 June, 2019 at 18:50
First of all, I apologize because my comment has been published twice ... in the end I have modified my itinerary somewhat, and I would like to spend the last two nights of the trip in Tokyo.
Can you recommend any riokan with private onsen in Tokyo?Thank you very much
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 2, 2019 at 08:34
Hi Araceli,
Sorry we can't help you since we don't know any. In Booking, using the filters of type of accommodation and areas, you can surely see the most recommended. regardsReply
- Vane and Roger says
June 2, 2019 at 08:27
Hi Araceli,
First of all, thank you very much for reading!
Taking into account the days you have, we would leave the itinerary except for a couple of details.
The day you have to go to Hakone, we would "eliminate it." We have not been, but with a day in Fuji, to make the Chureito Pagoda and Kawaguchi Lake, we believe it is perfect. Keep in mind that it is essential to look at the weather in Tokyo to take advantage of the day that is clear and thus be able to change the plans 😉
Taking this into account, we would give that day to Tokyo or Kyoto, preferably to the latter, although this we understand is a matter of taste.
About Miyajima, right now the torii is under restoration, we don't know if you're interested in going there even if you can't see it. In our case, we would go what we would not do is night.
regardsReply- Araceli says
June 3, 2019 at 6:39 PM
Thank you very much for your response!
All the end of Hakone's day I deleted it and redid the itinerary a bit, but essentially maintaining those sites.
In Miyayima I know that the torii will be in restoration, but still we will continue the visit, because I have seen that the island has more to do !!!, what if we will return to Kyoto to sleep.Greetings!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 3, 2019 at 7:13 p.m.
Hi Araceli,
Enjoy it very much! We are sure that it will be a trip in capital letters. regardsReply
- Rachel says
March 28, 2019 at 3:17 p.m.
Hello guys!
I follow you a long time ago. Every time I make a trip I read your blog.
I have just been 15 days in Japan and I have returned delighted! I thought it was a wonderful country!
Thank you very much for your recommendations, for this fantastic guide and for making organizing this piece of travel much easier.Congratulations on the blog!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 29, 2019 at 04:15
Hello Rachel,
First of all, thank you very much for reading us and for your words! You can not imagine what these messages encourage us to continue sitting each day to write the guides of the destinations to which we travel. We are very happy that this has helped you to organize the trip to Japan. regardsReply- Rachel says
April 1, 2019 at 12:33
Thank you! You do a great job!
Courage and keep inspiring us !!
Regards!!Reply
- Turning the Compass says
January 29, 2019 at 7:20 p.m.
We loved Japan. And it helped us a lot to visit this guide to plan the trip. Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 30, 2019 at 05:42
Hi,
Thank you so much for reading! regardsReply
- Marcela Patricia Osses Garay says
10 November, 2018 at 19:44
Hi. Thank you for sharing your experiences about the trip to Japan. Do you have any post about souvenirs to buy in Kyoto and Tokyo? Thank you
Reply- Vane and Roger says
November 11, 2018 at 06:24
Hello Marcela,
We are sorry we cannot help you since we have not published any specific post on that subject. The only references we have are those we make in the different posts we have written about Japan and which are gathered in this practical guide //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/guia-viajar-japon/
regardsReply
- javier says
September 7, 2018 at 18:08
Hello everyone, I am reading all your comments to get an idea of my next trip to Japan next October and the truth is that I am quite lost. I arrive on the 15th at 09:30 to Tokyo until the 18th and arrive in Kyoto on the 19th until the 23rd. On the 23rd I return to Tokyo to leave on the 24th in the morning to Spain. I would have liked to extend the days a little more but it has been impossible. I would like if you can help me plan a little bit every day at each site, with the data I have provided. Many thanks in advance to see if you can help me as it is my first trip to Japan.
regardsReply- Vane and Roger says
September 7, 2018 at 21:33
Hi Javier,
Right in this same post that you are writing, you have the detailed route that we did for 18 days. Although they are not the same days, you can take the part of Kyoto and Tokyo, which more or less coincide in days, to see what we did and thus assess whether it fits with the places you want to see.
In addition, we leave you the complete guide that we publish about Japan, in which there is a post about the best places to see in each city, recommendations, tips, use of the JRP ... etc //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/guia-viajar-japon/
regardsReply
- Ana Valencia Aura says
September 2, 2018 at 12:23
Hello, I have been reading and I see that there are several places to see Mount Fuji. I will be in mid-October and if there is a clear day I would like to see it up close. Where could I see it from Tokyo from up close? Where can you see better and how could you get straight from Tokyo? Thank you very much greetings
Reply- Vane and Roger says
September 2, 2018 at 12:41
Hello Ana,
Right in this guide, in the Hyperdia post, at the end, you can find the recommendations for this topic //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/como-utilizar-hyperdia/
regardsReply
- Sheyla says
August 21, 2018 at 18:11
Hello! My boy and I are going to Japan this November, we already have the hotels booked through booking, but as November gets closer and closer, I have many doubts about our travel itinerary, which for the moment is as follows:
Day 14/11: Arrival in TOKYO at 9.45 am.
Day 15/11: TOKYO
Day 16/11 TOKYO
Day 17/11: TOKYO
Day 18/11: TOKYO
Day 19/11; TOKYO
Day 20/11: TOKYO - KYOTO (First train in the morning)
Day 21/11: KYOTO
Day 22/11: KYOTO - INARI (Fushimi Inari-Taisha) - NARA - KYOTO
Day 23/11: KYOTO
Day 24/11: KYOTO - OSAKA
Day 25/11: OSAKA
Day 11/26: OSAKA - Himeji?
Day 27/11: OSAKA
Day 28/11: Tour of ValenciaIs it worth going to see Himeji Castle? My partner does not want to make many trips, since he prefers to stay in an area and get to know it thoroughly. But we do not know if we are going to stay a long time in Osaka, subtracting time from Kyoto or Tokyo, Another question that arises is whether to make an exit to Arashiyama from Kyoto to see the bamboo forest, because with the days we are going to be in Kyoto may then have little time left to get to know the city.
For all these doubts we do not know if to take a day to Osaka, since although we have hotels booked we have free cancellation until the beginning of November to modify any date.
Another of the doubts is whether to take the 7-day JR PASS and activate it on the 20th so that the two large displacements will enter, or the 14-day one and activate it on the same day 14 when we arrive, since being our first time in Japan, We know if we are going to amortize the price difference ...
Another question we have is about accommodation in Kyoto, since it has taken us so much to find a hotel that seems adequate in terms of quality price and ... that was available!, And if in doubt and difficulty we decided to book two hotels (blessed Free cancellation of booking!), one near the station the Green Rich Hotel Kyoto Station South. and another one near Gion, the Ponto Hotel, which location do you think is better to stay in Kyoto?
I know there are many questions, but we have so many doubts!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 22, 2018 at 08:29
Hi Sheyla,
- Regarding the itinerary, we believe that you spend very little time in Kyoto, one of the most incredible cities not only in Japan, but in the world. But this is something very personal 😉
- We would take Osaka one day and one to Tokyo and give it to Kyoto.
- About Himeji, we find that it is a must, but it depends a lot on the type of trip or your preferences.
- In Arashiyama, in addition to the bamboo forest, there are several temples that are wonderful. Being in Kyoto and well connected by public transport, you can go one morning.
- The JRP, if you concentrate the departures on the intermediate days, with the 7-day one, you would have enough.
- The Kyoto hotel, we always advise Gion, since in addition to being very well connected, you have a lot of catering, for when you arrive at night.
regardsReply
- DIEGO says
July 16, 2018 at 11:54 p.m.
Hi.
I love your blog, you are the best.
In October I will visit Japan for 15 days, and the itinerary that I have practically closed is:DAY 1 ARRIVAL TO TOKYO AND TRANSFER TO OSAKA
DAY 2 OSAKA
DAY 3 KYOTO
DAY 4 KYOTO
DAY 5 NARA
DAY 6 HIROSHIMA - MIYAJIMA
DAY 7 HIROSHIMA- TRANSFER TO KANAZAWA
DAY 8 SHIRAKAWAGO
DAY 9 TOKYO
DAY 10 TOKYO
DAY 11 TOKYO
DAY 12 TOKYO
DAY 13 EXCURSION FROM TOKYO
DAY 14 TOKYO AND RETURN TO SPAINAs you see? What day trip from Tokyo would you recommend?
Many thanks.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 17, 2018 at 07:11
Hi Diego,
The distribution of days is fine, understanding that you do not want to go to Takayama, since doing this more Shirakawa-go in one day is very fair.
Another thing is that you dedicate only 2 days to Kyoto, we would give it another day, since it is an incredible city. That day we would remove it from Tokyo or Osaka and go to Osaka one day from Kyoto in the afternoon.
From Tokyo we would go to Nikko one day, without a doubt, although another option would be to look at the weather and if it is clear, make a trip to Fuji.
regardsReply
- Albert says
July 5, 2018 at 4:26 p.m.
I love your blog, you are the most!
This summer I will go to Japan and I am thinking of asking my girlfriend to marry, would you have any recommendations for romantic sites and more remote from the tourist? Do you think the area of the Alps can be a good place?
Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
5 July, 2018 at 19:13
Hi Albert,
First of all, thank you very much for reading and congratulations on that proposal!
Regarding places where you can do it, perhaps the Japanese Alps can be a good place or in Miyajima, in some cool ryokan.
regardsReply
- Laura says
June 5, 2018 at 12:49
Hello! I have encouraged to write to you since I see that you usually answer, thank you very much in advance! The truth is that I follow all your trips and look at your website whenever I travel.
I travel to Japan in June three weeks and I am changing the itinerary every two times by three. I have many doubts.
Let's see what you think and that you recommend me:Day 1. Arrival in Tokyo in the afternoon
Day 2. Tokyo
Day 3. Tokyo
Day 4. Excursion from Tokyo to Kamakura and Yokohama with night in Tokyo
Day 5. Excursion to Nikko. Tokyo night.
Day 6. Hakone (night in Hakone)
Day 7. Mount Fuji (night in some town there)
Day 8. Osaka
Day 9. Osaka - Nara
Day 10. Osaka - Kobe
Day 11. Kyoto
Day 12. Kyoto
Day 13. Kyoto - Himeji - Inari
Day 14. Kyoto - Koya-san (it would be night here)
Day 15. Hiroshima - Miyajima (night Miyajima)
Day 16. Kanazawa - Japanese Alps
Day 17. Japanese Alps - Kamikochi - Matsumoto
Day 18. Japanese Alps - Shirakawago and Takayama
Day 19. Tokyo
Day 20. Tokyo (return)What do you think? I don't really know if we should spend more days in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto.
In Fuji one day will be enough to see it well?
Hakone one or two days?
We want to dedicate a couple or 3 days to the Japanese alps that are supposed to be less touristy ... but we don't know if it's much.I hope you can help me.
Greetings and thank you
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 5, 2018 at 4:46 p.m.
Hello Laura,
According to our experience and perception, you will spend very little time in Kyoto, one of the most incredible cities not only in Japan, but in the world.
With this in mind, we would remove some of the areas, such as Koyasan or a couple of days to the Japanese Alps and give them to Kyoto, to have about 4 full days there.
Regarding Fuji, taking into account the changing weather, we would choose to go from Tokyo a single day, it can be done perfectly through the Chureito Pagoda and Kawaguchiko Lake. Although it is a spectacular area, counting on those days, we believe that it is best to make a day and being in Tokyo go looking at the weather forecast and go the day that is clear.
We leave you the guide we have published on the second trip //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/guia-viajar-japon/ in case you want to check it out.
regardsReply- Laura says
June 11, 2018 at 10:27
Thank you very much for your advice!
We have a couple of final questions before closing the route, which in principle looks like this:Day 1. Arrival in Tokyo in the afternoon
Day 2. Tokyo
Day 3. Tokyo
Day 4. Tokyo / Kamakura-Yokohama
Day 5. Tokyo / Nikko
Day 6. Tokyo / Fuji
Day 7. Hakone
Day 8. Kyoto
Day 9. Kyoto / Kobe one morning
Day 10. Kyoto / Nara
Day 11. Kyoto / Inari -Himeji
Day 12. Kyoto
Day 13. Kyoto
Day 14. Koyasan (night)
Day 15. Osaka (night)
Day 16. Hiroshima in the morning - Miyajima (night here)
Day 17. Kanazawa (night)
Day 18. Takayama (night)
Day 19. Tokyo
Day 20. Tokyo
Day 21. Return to MadridWe have listened to you with Mount Fuji and we will be in Tokyo one more day and we will see the time to see if we can do that getaway or not 🙂 And we have also joined Kyoto one day.
Our doubt is ... Is it worth it Hakone? We, the Japanese Alps, are very excited to go because we believe it is an area that we are going to like. And the theme of Koyasan and stay in a temple too. My partner says to remove Hakone and dedicate one more day to the Japanese Alps (Kamikochi) because we arrived on the 17th to Kanawaza in the afternoon after almost 6 hours by train from Miyajima, how do you see it?
Thank you very much once again!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 11, 2018 at 10:22 p.m.
Hi,
Now we see it tighter 😉
On the subject of Hakone, we have not been, so we could not say first hand, although we believe that since you go to Takayama, perhaps it would be good to spend another day to go to Shirakawa-go or another place in the area for the one that you have interest.
regardsReply
- Trinitario Mateos Romero says
May 7, 2018 at 18:10
Hi Vane and Rogers
- In principle, thanks for your contributions that are extraordinary, since with so many details it is impossible to get lost during the visits.
- As we love to travel, we are (my wife, my daughter and I) organizing the trip to Japan (16 days) since last December, leaving from Madrid on August 21. We have already solved the i / v flights. We also have hired by booking the hotels. I have the City Maps2 Go on my mobile. We will also buy the JRPass.
As I observed in your blog, that you have not known Canada (we went this past summer), we recommend it, because there is a lot of open countryside where you can entertain and enjoy nature (as it seems you like), and the cities are not very large and with less stress than in Japan.
Questions:
1) On the exchange of money, is it preferable to take something from Spain or is it better to exchange it there, for the issue of commissions?
2) On the issue of prepaid cards: is it convenient to use it, since using our mobile phone with a Japanese operator would be very expensive? The one that you have used (B-mobile), we can not order now, because it would start counting from the moment you receive it at your home, as you comment in the tips. Do you know if Movistar, Appel or another company dispense them? It is not necessary to buy a mobile just to have data: internet, maps, etc. With those cards is enough.
3) Did you travel all 4 km of Fushimi Inari, since you were between 1:30 and 2 h? Since the weather in Japan for the variety of visits is very important. Is it worth going through everything?
4) We are at Osaka Station: The idea is to take the JR Loop Line, but after 30 minutes circling up and down among hundreds of people, we decided to go on the normal subway that we have located, with ours being the line 1 and pay 230 yen per person. And now it comes when we don't know what ticket to take in the vending machine! Luck that there is a man giving information, he sees us more than lost and helps us get them out. Is it difficult to operate vending machines?
5) Are the photos in which you are both, with a tripod or a third person? They leave you space and time to take photos of this type.
6) Are there problems to take a trolley on trains? And can the trolleys be left at the ticket offices of the stations? I say it because I don't know the capacity of the lockers.
7) About HYPERDIA app. The fact that you do not see the price of the ticket in your screenshot is because the app recognizes that you have already activated the JRP or it has nothing to do with it. Well, I experimented with the Hyperdia website and if the price appears.
8) You indicate that the bus that leads to the Kiyomizu-dera temple is No. 28, and on the Kyoto bus map, it does not reach there. On several websites everyone says that they are buses nº 206, 202, etc.
9) How long does it take to visit the Kiyomizudera temple?
10) On the trains, when doing a simulation with Hiperdya, from Tokyo to Kamakura he tells you that there are only trains from 17 hours. I guess, that is because the information is only updated until April-2018 as it says when the drill is done.
11) I imagine that, to move in Kamakura to see the different temples / shrines there are bus lines.
12) Regarding the JRPass: for 16 days it is convenient to take the 2-week one and have it be Green.
13) Is the APP for Tokyo subway helpful: Tokyo Subway navigation for tourists?
Sorry for so many questions ... regards.Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 8, 2018 at 08:07
Good morning Trinitarian,
We answer the questions with the number you have commented:
1. We always recommend paying as much as possible with a card, since the change of the moment will apply to you. In tourist sites you can practically pay in 80% of the places and for those who do not, such as transport or tickets, we advise you to get directly from the ATM, for example in 7Eleven, that you have very little commission or none depending on the bank of your card . Of course, before investigating with your bank the commission for operation, so as not to take any surprise.
2. For the mobile it is best to buy a free SIM card, which starts counting from the day you dial them, so there is no problem in that regard. If you are going to need several for several devices, it is better to rent a router, with which you will have unlimited internet and that will be sent directly to your accommodation or to the airport.
3. The first time we were in Japan we did not do the entire Inari tour, only half. On this second occasion we have made it complete and worth it. Although if you combine this visit with Nara, we recommend you arrive in Inari about 6 in the morning (taking the first train of Kyoto about 5:30), make the complete journey of about 3 hours with stops and then go to Nara.
4. They are very intuitive, and now most of them are also in English, so it is much easier. In the practical guide that we are publishing now from Japan //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/guia-viajar-japon/ we will soon publish an article about transport in Japan.
5. We take some photos with a tripod and others leaving the camera on the ground.The issue of leaving you space is very relative, there are places where there are fewer people and others less. We always recommend getting up early if you want to take "good" photos 😉
6. There are ticket offices in all stations, so you will have no problem in that aspect and in the trains, in most, there are spaces for it.
7. Using Hyperdia we have a specific post about it that we will publish shortly in the guide that we have told you before, but it has nothing to do with what you see in that application with your JRP management. They are not linked.
8. At the moment the buses that arrive there are the ones you comment on. Also in the Japan guide, we will attach transport plans.
9. The view of the temple depends on how fast you go, but about 2 hours. If you add the neighborhood in which it is, which is one of the most beautiful, at least one morning.
10. There are trains to Kamakura every so often, we imagine that it is a mistake.
11. In Kamakura everything can be done on foot, no problem, since it is quite close. Anyway there is public transport.
12. The JRP depends on the places you want to visit and how you distribute them. We will also publish a post dedicated to this point shortly. We advise you to use Hyperdia and see the prices of all the routes to compare it with the prices of the JRP and see which one is more profitable.
13. We have used Google Maps, Maps.me and CityMaps2Go both times for transportation and great.
regardsReply- Trinitario Mateos Romero says
May 9, 2018 at 17:26
Thank you very much for your speed. Everything has been very clear. We will continue analyzing your trips because they are very helpful. regards
Reply
- VERONICA saez Cuervas says
April 13, 2018 at 13:07
Thank you for your great work on the blog, we are going to Japan in August 19 days and I am thinking of copying your itinerary, would you change anything? would you use the japan of 14 or is it enough with that of 7?
Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 14, 2018 at 00:56
Hello Veronica,
First of all, thank you very much for reading!
Having those days, we would not change anything of the itinerary that we did, since we believe that with a route like this you will be able to see the most touristic and "important" places of Japan, for a first trip.
The only thing, if you feel like it, take one day to Tokyo to get close to Fuji 😉
Regarding the JRP it depends on how you organize the departures, but in principle, if it is as we did, the 14-day JRP is more adjusted in price.
regardsReply
- Mario says
March 10, 2018 at 11:54
Hello travelers, I really like your blog, it helps me a lot to prepare our trips. The next one is Japan in a week, I have seen that you will return there soon. I would like to ask you what you think of Koya san and if it is in your plans for this next trip.
Thank you.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 11, 2018 at 08:04
Hello Mario,
Yes, we return to Japan in a couple of weeks but we will be between Kyoto, Tokyo and surroundings.
Koyasan we had in mind, but for now we believe that we will not include it in this trip, although the truth is that it looks great and what we have read is a must.
Sorry we can't help you anymore 😉
regardsReply- Mario says
March 11, 2018 at 11:24
OK thank you very much. We are undecided with Koya, especially since it seems that the road to arrive is long.
That goes very well there and we will tell how Koyasan if in the end we decided.
Greetings.Reply
- Lidia says
1 February, 2018 at 09:51
Hi couple,
It is the first time I write to you, but I feed on your experiences on every trip we make, because I love them.
Now my situation has changed a bit and I wanted to ask you some questions ...
We want to go to Japan with our little one, and my question is about the accessibility to temples and places of maximum interest with a stroller? In general I see many stairs, and I would like to know if they can be easily accessed or if they leave the strollers?
See if you can help!Thank you,
Reply- Vane and Roger says
1 February, 2018 at 10:37
Hi Lidia,
The truth is that we could not assure it, but we would swear that there are places where to leave the strollers, besides being Japan, you can leave them with total tranquility.
We remember to see many families with children, so we understand that there should be no problems 😉
regardsReply
- Nacho says
January 18, 2018 at 1:23 p.m.
Good! I love your guide, I'm leaving at the beginning of May with my honeymoon girl. The bad thing is that we do not have so many days, 12 integers to be exact. I've been looking at other guides, less complete than yours and this is our idea in principle, to see what you think:
1. Arrive in Tokyo. Transfer to Kyoto.
2.Kioto.
3.Nara.
4. Kyoto and afternoon transfer to Kanazawa.
5.Kanazawa.
6.Shirakawo and transfer to Hiroshima.
7.Hiroshima (Miyajami Island).
8.Hakone.
9.Hakone and transfer to Tokyo. Some visit in Tokyo.
10.Tokio. Main neighborhoods and parks.
11.Tokio. Kamakura Optional: yokohama.
12.Tokio. Optional: visit Nikko.
13.Tokio. Back to Spain.I await your comments. Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 18, 2018 at 7:29 p.m.
Hello Nacho,
As an itinerary, it is entirely feasible in a matter of time. The visits depend a lot on the tastes of the travelers. In this case, for example, we would eliminate Hakone and make more days in Kyoto, since it is an incredible city and we believe that with only a day and a half, you will practically not be able to see anything.
The same will happen to you in Tokyo, if you want to make trips to the surroundings. But as we commented, this is only a personal appreciation.
If we had to do it, we would leave Hakone, Kanazawa and Yokohama 😉
regardsReply- Nacho says
January 19, 2018 at 2:11 p.m.
Hello, thanks for your comment, the truth is that Hakone is what generates more doubts, but not for being more days in Kyoto, but for missing some other destination like a day in Osaka. My idea of Kyoto is really to take advantage of two days because, on day 2 it is complete, on the 3 in the morning I go to Nara and in the afternoon of that day to Fushimi Inari (Kyoto), the 4 be until 5 or so in Kyoto watching what I have left and get to Kanazawa for dinner, so I think that in Kyoto I would have time to see almost everything important, in any case I will check the times just in case, but whenever they tell me that a city is go in 3 days and I usually see it in 2 jje, making a quick lunch at noon and a quiet dinner at night. As for Tokyo, many guides like yours suggest spending 2-3 days seeing only the city, to me this in principle seems too much to me because the gigantic buildings and the giant parks that they have interest me little, if perhaps see the imperial palace area And some viewpoint. Some friend has already gone and told me that in the end so much scratching bores that the interesting thing is in the surroundings and you always have the nights to go around the center. But come on, I take note and try to estimate the times just in case. Thank you!
Reply
- Emma says
January 14, 2018 at 09:56
Good morning Vane and Roger !!!
In October we go on a honeymoon to Japan and your route, as always, is a great help!
We already have the plane tickets and now we are looking for hotels !! The problem we have is that we would love to spend a night in Miyajima but by Booking we only found two hostels on the island. Could you recommend another page to find hotels, especially a ryokan ???
Many thanks for your work!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 14, 2018 at 3:52 p.m.
Hi Emma,
We always look at it through Booking and understand that by October there should be availability in more places than not just two hostels.
Did you look on the map that comes out to check that you put the location right?
regardsReply
- Bilbao says
December 22, 2017 at 18:10
Hello! I really liked your blog
And as much as I read I don't understand JPR very well. I hope you can help me.We already have the flights, we go the last week of August until the first week of September, we will spend 14 days in Japan without counting the flight days.
We enter through Osaka and leave through Tokyo.
more or less our itinerary would be like this:
3 night Osaka: one day we will go to Nara, another day we will go to Himeji
1 night miyajima
4 or 5 nights Kyoto
4 or 5 nights Tokyo
1 night hakoneSo once we arrive in Tokyo, JPR is not used. This JPR is for long trips, isn't it? But still we will have to take the one of 14 true since Kyoto catches us in the middle and to go to Tokyo if we have to use the JPR.
I hope you clarify me
Greetings from Bilbao
Reply- Vane and Roger says
December 27, 2017 at 05:08
Hi,
The JRP, so to speak quickly, is for long journeys, as you comment. But compensate only if you are going to make so many that the price is profitable.
For that, we advise you to use the Hyperdia application, with which you can put origin and destination and see exactly the price, in addition to many more data, of the route in question.
With this in mind and that the JRP should be used on consecutive days, you can see if it compensates you or not.
With the routes you want to do, it may be more profitable to pay them directly and not make use of the JRP.
regardsReply
- Just travel says
October 25, 2017 at 22:24
Hello!
We love your blog! We have already followed your advice in New York and Thailand.
We are thinking about our next trip and we are very undecided. Japan or China? Please help us decide. Which one do you recommend?
Thank youReply- Vane and Roger says
October 26, 2017 at 01:13
Hello guys!! The truth is that it is difficult to choose between one or the other, since they also have nothing to do as destinations in absolutely nothing 😉
We would decide based on the time and the time you have, since perhaps that can better determine one or the other.
In general, Japan is a country that is "easier" to travel and China a little more difficult, both for culture and its people, although it is equally spectacular. regardsReply- Just travel says
October 28, 2017 at 1:50 p.m.
Thank you!
Well we are considering it for January or February, about 10 ten days. Little time?Reply- Vane and Roger says
October 28, 2017 at 13:53
The truth is that 10 days is quite fair and more if we count the transfers, both for China and Japan, but if you do not have more time, at least in Japan, you can focus on Kyoto and Tokyo and do the most important thing.
In China, with the distances, we believe it would be much fairer. regardsReply
- Antonio says
3 October, 2017 at 20:21
HI!!
Two years ago I copied exactly your trip to Peru and what a experience!
This year I will "copy" the one from Japan !! I have 4 days more than you, what do you recommend me to do in those days? greetings and thank you very much for counting your trips !!!Reply- Vane and Roger says
October 4, 2017 at 07:20
Hello Antonio,
First of all, thank you very much for reading and "copying" us. You can not imagine the smiles that these comments take from us, when we see that our experiences help you organize your trips.
We love that Japan and we are sure that you will love it too 😉
With 4 more days we would add 1 or 2 more days to the area of the Japanese Alps, to know some of the villages near Shirakawa-go and what we have read are spectacular.
And of course, 1-2 days to go to Fuji.
In case you do not want more displacements, another option would be to stay in Kyoto, both to visit the city and its surroundings, although we also have to say that this is something very personal and that we are in love with the city (we will return next year to be there for more than a month 😀)
We keep in touch for anything we can help you with.
regardsReply
- David says
August 25, 2017 at 02:36
Your blog is interesting as long as you share experiences, information, route, etc. All in all, I am sorry to say that I find it unreliable (I mean the trip to Japan, which is what I read).
It can't be that everything is phenomenal, and how much you like everything you eat! Everything is a success! What happens? Are you the only ones who travel through a country for free and don't have a setback? Or do you not see something that is not worth it? Or do you eat something you don't like?
I can only conclude that there is a lack of objectivity in the narrative, and that is a problem, since it is impossible for me to trust what is worthwhile and what is not.
Another thing that would be appreciated is that you do not repeat things in consecutive sentences. A somewhat more concise wording and to the point would be more practical clearly. The latter would be a matter of taste, I admit, but repeating things without more is superfluous and redundant. With a little attention it can be corrected. Consider the amount of people who read you.
Thank you.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 25, 2017 at 05:29
Good morning David,
We imagine that as the writing you do not find it to your liking, you have not finished reading the whole newspaper or have read it above.
There are few times that things happen to us that we do not have planned. As an example we will leave you the one that on the first day, led us to err on the train and have to pay an extra: "... Pass the reviewer and he tells us that we have to pay 940 yen extra because this train is express. The truth is that no the explanation he has given us is very clear, but we see that he charges the same to almost the entire car, so we have to pay 1880 yen more. "
That said, about what you say about the "little credibility we give you," we can only tell you, notice if we liked Japan and especially its gastronomy, that next year we will return to be there a couple of months and also write everything What we can about the country.
That someone does not happen "bad" things traveling or want to take the lace to everything, does not mean that you lose credibility.
Regards!
By the way consider using your own photo as an avatar, so you will not lose that objectivity that you demand from us by hiding behind a person you are not 😉Reply
- Marta Martínez says
August 12, 2017 at 04:19
Hi everyone:
We are now in Japan.
Information of interest:
Take out the Rail pass reservations as soon as possible, on vacations the offices are quite saturated and part of the morning is lost, we process it in Sibuya, which in August is overcrowded. Most trains no longer have free reservations. You can travel without reservation on the train, for this, they usually enable the first three cars and it is important that you take it at the departure station because they are filled practically there, the journeys are long and traveling with children without a seat is quite uncomfortable.
Today, to go to Kyoto, we have not been able to book, yesterday the same thing happened to us to go to Nikko and it became eternal, long foot journeys and even the stops of travelers, so today, we have decided to go to Tokyo station directly to go to Kyoto without reservation and there have been no problems to sit down because the first three cars are exclusively for it, at the next station, there was no place.Summarizing: First day of stay, take out the rail pass, activate the start day and book all the necessary trains (one way, especially, the return is more dispersed).
Regards, from Tokyo-Kyoto bullet train 😉
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 12, 2017 at 06:55
Hi, Martha!!
Thank you very much for all these recommendations. We are sure that many travelers who have in mind to travel to Japan and also to us will come to mind, that we will return to the Japanese country next year in the time of cherry blossoms and imagine that we will meet many people !!
Thank you very much again! regardsReply
- Maria says
July 27, 2017 at 16:09
Hi everyone. I have a thousand doubts about whether or not my travel option for October is correct. After many laps, I leave my proposal to see what you think. I would appreciate any kind of opinion, since it is my first time in the country.
There it goes:
Day 13 Oct: Arrival in Tokyo (at 11 in the morning).
14: Tokyo
15: Tokyo
16: Tokyo
17: Tokyo - Visit Nikko (round trip). I have read that this day in Nikko is the autumn party.
18: Go to Takayama and spend the night.
19: go to Shicakawa-go and go back to sleep in Takayama.
20: go to Hiroshima and sleep there
21: Go to Miyajima and make your way to Kyoto to sleep there.
22: Kyoto. (I read that in Kyoto this day is the parade of costumes)
23: Kyoto - Nara
24: Kyoto
25: Kyoto
26: Kyoto
27: ?
28: Osaka
29: Osaka and departure at 10pm.I think that I still leave something important.I also get the impression that I am too many days in Kyoto. I don't know whether to give it to Kyoto, Osaka or anywhere else on 27.
Thank you!Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 27, 2017 at 23:14
Hello Maria,
As for times, the itinerary is completely feasible. We would change to sleep in Hiroshima to do it in Miyajima, since we believe it is a perfect area to spend the night, which is when the place is quieter and can be enjoyed in a quieter way.
About the days in Kyoto, we are in love with the city, so we would not take away any day. We are also sure that every day you will have new things to see 😉
The day you have "extra" if you like cities, maybe you could add it to Tokyo, which is also a city with many things to see.
regardsReply
- Sara says
July 18, 2017 at 20:02
Hello guys!
The truth is that it is amazing how you help us to plan a trip so far. I think that without people like you we would not have dared to go out for free as you make our life easier. I am going to Japan in September and I would like to consult you about the JRP. We are going to be 14 nights, 16 days counting the flights but I am not sure what JRP to take, if the 7, or the 14. The itinerary is very similar to yours because we got an offer with Osaka KLM returning from Tokyo quite good (650 e) and I read that you took the 14-day one, hence my doubt. Which would you advise us? Is JRP quite used in Tokyo?
I thank you very much for what you do. I always look at your Blog when we are presented with a trip.
Thank you!!!Greetings
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 20, 2017 at 09:16
Good morning Sara,
First of all, thank you very much for reading and for your words.
On what you tell us about the JRP, it depends a lot on how you make the arrangement of visits. If you travel 14 days and concentrate the visits in the intervening period (between Tokyo and Kyoto to take advantage of that journey that is usually one of the most expensive), depending on the places you want to visit, it could be useful for 7 days.
In Tokyo the truth is that we use it for the subway on some occasions, although it is not worth paying the difference from 7 to 14 days only if it is for subway.
regardsReply
- Jose says
July 7, 2017 at 4:56 p.m.
Hi guys, first of all thank you for the work you have pasted to document your trip, it is helping me a lot. Like you I go 18 days with what your route is perfect for me. Only one doubt has arisen since I have seen that many people recommend Koyasan as an essential visit and I had considered fitting it. To do this, he would have to take Kyoto or Tokyo one day, which of the two would you quitaris? Or on the contrary, all may be necessary and not worth Koyasan. What do you think? Greetings.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 8, 2017 at 12:25
Hello Jose,
First of all, thank you very much for reading us and for your words.
About Koyasan the truth is that we would not know what to advise you, since we did not visit it. If it is a question of "eliminating" one day, we would do it from Tokyo, although this is a very personal opinion since we liked Kyoto much more.
That said, according to our experience in the 18 days we were, and of course without knowing Koyasan, we believe that it is best not to add any more visits, since both Tokyo and Kyoto need those days to be able to see them calmly 😉
Regards!!Reply
- Melisa says
June 25, 2017 at 12:21
Hi couple!!!!
Next May we will go to Japan on a wedding trip. Thanks to your blog we have been able to discover many things about how to organize, so thank you very much!
We are not yet sure how the trip will be, nor how many nights, we had thought about going 16/17 nights, that we think is pretty good, we want to make the most of it because we do not know if we will have the opportunity to return so if we have We will try more nights!
I tell you what I have in mind at the moment to see what you think:
- Entrance to Japan through Osaka, 2 nights.
- Hiroshima, Miyajima, night in Miyajima.
- Kyoto, 6 nights, to know both the city and the surroundings.
- Tayama, Shirakawago, 2 nights in Takayama, here we do not know if it will be worth going to Kanazawa and if we do 2 nights it would give us time or we would have to do one more night.
- Tokyo, 6 nights. Departure from the country from Tokyo.Would you add anything else? We would also like to see the himeji castle if it is possible on our route, the JRP will take it for 14 days.
Regards!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 25, 2017 at 1:49 PM
Hello Melisa,
As a distribution of days and nights, for a first trip to Japan, we believe it is very good. About the JRP depending on how you distribute the days, if you put the days of transfers and excursions in the middle part, maybe you could even take the 7-day one, but it depends on the distribution of days.
About Kanazawa we can not tell you anything since we were not there and now that we will return in April-May, we are still assessing whether to go or not.
Himeji Castle would include it yes or yes 😉
We keep in touch for any thing we can help you with. regardsReply- Melisa says
2 October, 2017 at 17:59
Hello again! One question, do the trains to go from one city to another reserve them there the day before departure? The issue of money, I have read that in Japan there are few places where they let you pay by card, but we also don't want to have to carry a lot of cash on top, how did you do it? We are a bit lost on this issue! I have been told that there is a card called "revolut" that does not charge you commission to take abroad, in addition to the route that I put you, we have added Bali at the end 6 days.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
2 October, 2017 at 19:35
Hello Melisa,
We booked train journeys while in Kyoto, to make sure we have seats on all the trips we wanted to do, both for days and for schedules.
On the card, currently, in most tourist places you can pay by card, so in principle, you should not travel with a lot of cash on top.
On the other hand, the commission of your bank to take out in cashier, should not be very high and in many occasions it is better to pay it a couple of times to not travel either with all the cash, although this is best confirmed with the bank.
About the card you tell us, we are sorry we cannot help you since we do not know it. We have recently used N26, which does not charge for operations abroad, although it has several varieties of cards ...
That Bali sounds great !! We go there in a week 😉
regardsReply
- Elena says
June 21, 2017 at 10:27
Hello guys,
First of all congratulate you on your blog. I am planning my trip to Japan for November and it is really helping me to read you, what a pleasure to have people like you 🙂
I've been trying to plan a reasonable route for a few days (I don't have the flights yet since I prefer to have the route tied first) and I would like you to give me your opinion. I can modify anything if you think it can be done better. My idea is to arrive in Tokyo and leave through Osaka. Here goes my proposal:
Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo (Narita) in the morning (but after the trip I almost missed the day)
Day 2: Tokyo
Day 3: Tokyo
Day 4: Tokyo
Day 5: Tokyo - Kamakura
Day 6: Tokyo - Nikko
Day 7: Arrival in Takayama - round trip excursion to Shicakawa_ night in Takayama
Day 8: Kanazawa
Day 9: One way to Hiroshima and Mijayima with night in Mijayima
Day 10: Kyoto - Nara
Day 11: Kyoto - Arashiyama
Day 12: Kyoto
Day 13: Kyoto
Day 14: Kyoto
Day 15: Osaka
Day 16: Osaka
Day 17: Departure from Osaka (Kansai)
It is my first time in Japan and I am really a bit lost. Whatever you think is improvable (or even crazy), I accept it very gratefully.
I also have doubts about the JR Pass. I know that in Kyoto it is not necessary and I just fall in the middle, I don't know how to do it better. Do you think the 14-day one is necessary? I see it very expensive, but the same without the pass I get even more expensive ... Maybe I could do without a destination to take the 7-day bonus? Or maybe I should also narrow the trip to 14 exact days?
Thank you very much in advance!Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 21, 2017 at 1:10 p.m.
Good morning Elena,
As you have prepared the itinerary it is perfectly feasible in time, although we would take Osaka one day to give it to Kyoto, since day 8 and 9 are too fair, so on the 9th we would only make the transfer to Kyoto, leaving All morning to visit Miyajima and on day 10 do Nara.
In this way, you would have in the middle of the itinerary 7 days that are just the ones that you are going to move, so you can buy the JRP of 7 days and it fits you perfectly in the longer transfers.
Regards!Reply- Elena says
June 22, 2017 at 01:08
Great. Only if I add a day in between, from Kamakura day to Arashiyama day, I get 8 days. Is it better to do without something?
They have also told me about Himeji Castle and at the same time they told me that Kanazawa is quite far away and that it is not worth it. What do you think?Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 22, 2017 at 01:48
Hello Elena,
Arashiyama is in Kyoto, so the JRP doesn't need you to use it, since you can go by bus perfectly.
About Himeji Castle, we did not get there since they were restoring it, but now that we return in April next year, we will be safe.
About Kanazawa, from what we have been told, it is very good, but we, too, get something far away, we do not value it.
Regards!Reply
- Patricia says
May 23, 2017 at 23:03
Hi Vane and Roger!
I am planning a trip to Japan in October and your blog is helping me a lot. Thank you!I'm going to do a tour very similar to yours, but 20/21 days. I also want to go to the alps area. The usual route that I like the most is the following: leaving from Kyoto or Osaka to arrive in the morning to Kanazawa to sleep there, the next morning to make the excursion to Shirikawago and in the afternoon to go to Takayama. Spend the night and the next day, in the afternoon leave for Tokyo. That is to say:
1. Kyoto - Kanazawa
2. kanazawa - shirikawago - takayama
3. takayama - tokyoMy question is: Is this tour too much for three days? I am doubting why you did not go to Kanazawa and I do not know if it is because it is too much for such a short time or because Kanazawa is not worth it.
And the other question is: is it enough 4 full days to get to know Kyoto and do these three excursions: nara, inari and kobe?
Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 24, 2017 at 20:19
Hi Patricia,
We were the same time that you will be in Shirakawa-go and Takayama, the only thing we did not do was go to Kanazawa, where you will spend a day, so in a matter of time you will have no problem and it is more than feasible to do it and " enjoy "with tranquility of all places, yes, leaving on day 3 to Tokyo in the afternoon.
About the 4 days in Kyoto, always under our experience, we believe that only for the city, those 4 full days would be necessary, so dedicate only one to the city and the remaining three to the departures to Nara, Inari and Kobe, we believe that you will miss many places in one of the most incredible cities in the world.
regardsReply
- Ana says
May 20, 2017 at 11:22
What a complete blog! It is helping us a lot in the planning of the trip although we have some doubts about the itinerary:
X 07/26 - Arrival in Tokyo 9:35 am
J 27/07 - Tokyo
V 28/07 - Tokyo
S 29/07 - Activate JRPass - Nikko - Tokyo - Kyoto
D 30/07 - Kyoto
L 31/07 - Kyoto - Inari - Nara - Kyoto
M 01/08 - Kyoto - Kobe (afternoon) - Kyoto
X 02/08 - Hiroshima - Mijayima
J 03/08 - Himeji - Kyoto
V 04/08 - Kyoto - Osaka (afternoon) - Kyoto
S 05/08 - Kyoto
D 06/08 - Kyoto - Magome
L 07/08 - Nakasendo Route - Takayama
M 08/08 - Shirakawago - Kanazawa
X 09/08 -?
J 10/08 -?
V 11/08 - Last day JRPass -?
S 12/08 -?
D 13/08 - Kamakura - Yokohama - Tokyo
L 14/08 - Tokyo
M 08/15 - Departure from Tokyo 11:25 am
As you see? In the days that we are not clear we would like to climb Mount Fuji so we had planned to spend the night in Kawaguchiko to get up early. What we don't know is whether to go from Kanzawa to Tokyo and the next day to Kaguawuchiko or directly from Kanzawa to Kawaguchiko or how to do it. Nor do we know if we have time to go on an excursion through the 5 lakes and see Hakone or the fact of doing so leaves us a few days in Tokyo. Regarding Koyasan, would it be good to go?
Thank you!Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 21, 2017 at 08:15
Good morning Ana,
We are sorry we cannot help you but the doubts you have are all of places we do not know, as you can see in this article, where is the itinerary we did.
Regards!!Reply
- Cris says
April 9, 2017 at 01:51
Congratulations on the blog and the information you give. We have some doubts about the trip of Japan that we are preparing for the month of August. It is the first time we visited Japan. Our idea is to do about 12 nights and visit Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Inari, Nara, Nikko, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kobe, Takayama, Kanazawa, Shirakawago. And stay 5 days in Tokyo, 4 in Kyoto, 2 in Takayama and 1 in Hakone. Some of the doubts would be:
1) Some essential place to visit would be missing
2) would you remove any?
3) Would you take the Japan Rail Pass for 7 or 14 days? The standard or the green class? Since we have read that in some trains you have to pay supplement if you carry the standard
4) Do the sites / days of accommodation seem good to you? Would you make changes?
5) Is the flight essential to enter one city and return for another? The best flight offer we have found is entering Tokyo Haneda and leaving Tokyo Tokyo Narita
6) Is it worth hiring excursions for a guide to explain and convey the idiosyncrasy of the country?
7) What cost can daily maintenance have in Japan? Do you have to pay many tickets to access the places of visit?
Thank you!Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 9, 2017 at 9:22 pm
Hello Cris,
Seeing that itinerary, the truth is that we believe it is very complete, counting the days you have, so we would not add anything. It also includes the most "tourist" and essential for a first trip to Japan.
With those days, we would remove the area of Takayama and Shirakawago, which although they are incredible, we believe they are the ones that will take you the most time, that you will have to subtract from cities like Tokyo or Kyoto.
While it is true that we do not know if you are counting in those days the transfers and the days of arrival and departure from the country. In case you have already counted them and they are effective days, then you can do it without problems.
On the JRP, it all depends on how you have distributed the days of journeys, since if you place them all in the central days, you could go through the 7 days.
Regarding accommodation, we always recommend more Kyoto than Tokyo, but we believe that this is a very personal matter, so if you like cities, it is well posed.
The theme of the flight, it would be best to enter through one city and exit through the other, to take advantage of more time and not pay for that train journey, in case you no longer have the JRP. But you have to keep in mind that if you compensate or not according to the offer you have found on the flight.
We do not hire any guide, so we could not comment on this topic from experience.
On the subject of prices, in the travel diary, on each day, you can see the prices of tickets, meals ... etc with which you can have an average.
We keep in touch for anything we can help you with. Regards!Reply - Xavier says
April 28, 2017 at 20:15
It is a good price for a flight with Finnair in November, entry through Osaka, departure through Tokyo (flight duration 16 hours) for € 550, or you can find better prices waiting for something else….
Congratulations on your work (in the end we don't go to Chile for being very, very expensive)
Xavier (Figueres)
Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 29, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Hi Xavier,
We pay 650 for the same itinerary, so 550 euros, we believe that it is a price more than adjusted and according to our experience, flights as the date approaches, do nothing more than climb.
Some offer may come out, the bad thing is that it matches the dates you need and that you are right in front of the computer the day you leave. So we, we wouldn't think about it for a second!
Regards!!Reply
- Laura says
March 19, 2017 at 4:54 p.m.
Your comment is waiting to be reviewed.
Hi couple ! How are you? First of all, it was funny to know that you are from Lloret, I am from Lloret's whole life although I currently live in Malgrat.I am writing to you because in November I am going to Japan, and I am in full organization, and we are a bit quite lost O_o
We only have 12 full days in Japan because we don't have any more vacation days.
We have done a planning that consists of:Day 1- Arrival in Tokyo at 8:55 and go to Osaka and try to see some neighborhood or Osaka Castle
Day 2- See Osaka
Day 3- From Osaka go to see Himeji Castle and in the afternoon take a train to Kyoto
Day 4- Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu-dera
Day 5- Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari
Day 6- Nara
Day 7- Bamboo forest and Iwatayama Monkey Park and exit towards Miyajima and if there is time to stop in Hiroshima
Day 8- Miyajima and return to Tokyo
Day 9- Tokyo excursion to Nikko and Pagoda Chureito (would it take time ??)
Day 10- Tokyo
Day 11- Tokyo
Day 12- Tokyo
Day 13- Tokyo, possible visit to Disneyland Tokyo
Day 14- ReturnHow do you see this route? Could I add something in one day? Or should I remove something for lack of time?
I have doubts with Miyajima if I do well to go from Kyoto and then return to Tokyo ...?
Do you recommend something worthwhile?
Does the JRR pay us the 15-day or the 7-day account?Thank you very much and greetings !!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 20, 2017 at 09:04
Hello Laura,
The truth is that seeing these things, how true is the saying that the "world is a handkerchief" 😉
About the itinerary that you tell us, we believe it is very complete, although we see that you do not leave any full day to visit Kyoto.
Although this is very personal, we believe it is an incredible city and that it deserves one full day 😉
On day 9, we were not in the pagoda, so we could not tell you whether or not it gives time to do it on the same day, although it is true that Nikko takes you practically all day.
Regarding going to Miyajima from Kyoto, it is the "natural" order, so from there you will have to go back to Kyoto again, then go to Tokyo.
The JRP could take it for 7 days as long as you concentrate the transfers on the intermediate days of the trip 😉
We keep in touch for any thing we can help you with.
Regards!Reply- Laura says
March 26, 2017 at 23:17
Many thanks !! Yes, in the end we have changed the Osaka thing to see a little more Kyoto, to Osaka we will go one day from Kyoto to see it a little.
Thank you very much for your response! The truth is that your blog is great for organizing trips.
Greetings !!
Reply
- Elena says
March 16, 2017 at 11:51 p.m.
Hi Vane and Roger,
First of all I wanted to be happy for your blog, it's a pass! Super useful and complete!
I am planning my trip to Japan and the truth is that I am a bit of a mess regarding how to organize the itinerary to optimize time, rail pass and see everything I have in mind.
We travel from May 25 In the afternoon until June 5 in the morning (arrival and departure from Tokyo). I know it's not much time, but I would like to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Miyajima, Kanazawa, Shirakawago and Takayama. Nikko don't know if it's worth it with such a short time.
How could I do the itinerary to visit all that and not waste much time in transportation and maximize the rail pass? Do you think it's too much work? Any suggestions or would you change something?Thank you! You don't know how you help people with a blog like this, explaining everything and with lots of tips and ideas! Much encouragement with the blog and to follow the ante
Regards!
Elena
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 17, 2017 at 9:40 p.m.
Hello Elena,
In principle having 10 full days, we would opt for Kyoto and Tokyo, adding the closest locations such as Nikko, Miyajima and Nara.
We would forget about Takayama and Shirakawa-go, which although they are impressive, with that time we believe that you will stop seeing places in other cities and it will take you longer to arrive.
We keep in touch for anything you need. Regards!Reply
- Many says
March 5, 2017 at 7:49 PM
Hello! First of all, congratulations on the blog, we discovered it recently and it is wonderful. It is serving us so much for a getaway to Naples that we make in June as a trip that we are planning to Japan in October.
Precisely, regarding Japan, we wanted to ask you a question. We travel 10 days (from October 6 to 16, we can not go more days, a shame) and we are seeing how to distribute.
We arrived on 7 direct to Tokyo and the idea is to activate the JPR and go directly to Kyoto and use it as a base camp to enjoy the surrounding surroundings (Nara, etc.).
The point is that we caught, on the recommendation of a friend, a Ryokan in Takayama, and we planned to use them as a stop back to Tokyo (that is, from 7 to 12 in Kyoto, from 12 to 13 in Takayama and from 13 to 16 in Tokyo), but looking at Hyperdia we have seen that from Kyoto to Takayama it is three hours by train and from Takayama to Tokyo it is 5 !! Do you think you waste a lot of time going to Takayama?
Thank you!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 6, 2017 at 10:16
Good morning Many,
The truth is that going to Takayama only one day, we would not do it, although it is wonderful, but we believe that it would be ideal to do two days, to be able to make a trip from there to Shirakawa-go, which is a typical Japanese village, which is wonderful //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/autobus-de-takayama-a-shirakawago/
If you can hurry some day from Kyoto or Tokyo and add it to Takayama, to also do Shirakawa-go, we are sure you would love it.
We keep in touch for any thing we can help you with. Regards!Reply- Many says
May 11, 2017 at 4:57 p.m.
It had happened to me to answer you. Thank you very much for the advice!!
Reply
- Lucas says
12 February, 2017 at 21:18
Hello, thank you very much for the blog, it's good, we will take several of your routes. We are going to go in August 15 days and we wanted to know what you think of our plan;
TOKYO - 3 nights (on the third day we activate JRP and go to Nikko), in this part we sleep in Shibuya and see Shinjuku, Akibahara, Shibuya.
KYOTO - 3 nights (day one zone temples Kyoto, Kiyomizu, - and the streets to Gion, second Asashima and Golden Pavilion, third Inari and Nara, Gion at night)
MIYAJIMA - 1 night (Kyoto JRP and we sleep in Ryokan)
OSAKA - 1 night (Dotombori area)
KANAZAWA- 1 night (here we take a rental car that we leave in Yokohama) - Shirakawa Go - Takayama
TAKAYAMA - 1 night- journey by car through FHakone to Yokohama
YOKOHAMA - 1 night (watching Chinatown and Minari 21)
TOKYO - 3 nights - to see the Uneo area, Akabusa, the river,Greetings
Reply- Vane and Roger says
February 13, 2017 at 11:33
Hello Lucas,
It is a very complete itinerary, although we would spend a couple less days in Tokyo to add them to Kyoto, but we also understand that it is a matter of taste.
In our case we liked Kyoto much more and we believe that with 3 nights you may not see everything the city can offer.
Regards!Reply- Lucas says
February 13, 2017 at 18:47
Thanks to both, it is true, I think I will do to redistribute one more night in Kyoto trying to link it with the JRP of a week.
There is less to go !!!
Reply
- Miguel Sanz says
10 January, 2017 at 16:10
Good afternoon Vane and Roger. Thank you very much for all your blogs, they are super useful and we use them a lot, we have a baby and 2 months ago we made midi-pyrenees, excellent.
I tell you, this month of April-May, we will go 3 weeks to Japan 4 adults and our baby, who by that time will have 9-months. In principle we had thought of a tour equal or similar to your 18-day tour, but what sites or areas do you recommend to older people to complete the 3 weeks? Is there a place you think you can't go with the dwarf or chair or backpack?Thank you very much for your attention, you are great
Miguel
Reply- Vane and Roger says
10 January, 2017 at 19:09
Hello Miguel,
First of all, thank you very much for reading us and for these words that you dedicate to us !! About what you tell us, the itinerary that we did would say that it is totally feasible to do with the child, since most transfers are not too "long" and are very comfortable. In Shirakawa-go for example, going with a chair to the viewpoint is complicated, although with a backpack you will have no problem.
What we would not do is to extend the route with more places to be able to have that margin of 18 to 21 days to extend for example stay in Osaka, in Myajima or in some other place where you see that for the little one you should be some more hours and Don't make a quick visit. We keep in touch for any thing we can help you with. Regards!!Reply- Miguel Sanz says
12 January, 2017 at 15:35
Good again, I do not know if you prefer that I write to a more personal email instead of here, since the same collapse a bit this. I wanted to ask your opinion on where to go better, since it turns out that we agree on dates with the golden week, and I have already seen that it is a bit of a mess, so let's see how we organize it
Thanks a lotReply- Vane and Roger says
January 13, 2017 at 18:29
Hello Miguel,
Around here it is great, so a traveler who has the same doubt can have an answer 😉 The truth is that having not coincided with that holiday we do not know exactly how the country will be, although we did have the experience of traveling in Christmas, with holidays in between, and the truth is that we had no problem.
The only thing we would do is to check the opening times and dates, to verify that they open the days that you have planned the visit and in case of agreeing to make some change in the days. Regards!!Reply
- Patricia (from Argentina) says
November 25, 2016 at 11:12 PM
Hello wonderful couple, everything I have read about you is impressive and serves me a lot
We will travel to Japan for 15 days, on 11/25 doing night in Tokyo (for the long trip) then making Kyoto base 5 night going to Hiroshima Miyajima (we slept one night), OSAKA, NARA and 7 days in Tokyo
The question is whether I need the JRP for 14 days or for 7 since I read that Tokyo is not necessary
What do you recommend?and thank you very much for all the info
Reply- Vane and Roger says
November 27, 2016 at 6:50 p.m.
Hi Patricia,
First of all, thank you very much for reading us and for these words you dedicate to us. Having that itinerary we would focus the long (and more expensive) journeys in the middle of the trip to be able to take the 7-day JRP since in Tokyo you will not amortize it in the journeys through the city. Regards!Reply- Patricia (from Argentina) says
November 30, 2016 at 22:24
Thank you very much for the answer, I will take it into account
Book a hotel in Ginza, the Mercure Hotel Ginza, to pay at the hotel, I am in time to change it if you advise me that it is not a good location or is not comfortable to moveand again thank you very much for everything that is written. It has helped me a lot to organize my trip, moreover, I will do it almost, almost the same
Reply- Vane and Roger says
1 December, 2016 at 09:59
Hi Patricia,
The truth is that Tokyo, being so big, in the end you will always be near or far from any of the places you want to visit, so it is best to look for a hotel that has a good subway combination and is in an area with restaurants / shops, in case you want to have dinner near the accommodation one night. We stayed at the Horidome Villa and it was great //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/hoteles-en-japon/, although the one you put on is also good 😉 GreetingsReply
- Fine says
8 November, 2016 at 14:06
Hi couple
Congratulations on the blog and thank you very much for all the "hung" information.
We plan to travel three people to Japan. We take flight on December 30, we arrive at Kansai airport on 31 in the morning and return on January 14 through Narita.
Let's see if you can help us with the doubts we have.
1. We do not know whether to spend New Year's Eve in Osaka or Kyoto.
2. We will do "base" in Kyoto and Tokyo, we will not be changing accommodation. We have planned to book accommodation by airbnb.
Since the first days of the year are very marked parties to see if we find most things closed, that also worries us.
3. We also have doubts when taking the 7 or 14 day jr pass. If in Kyoto we will take the bus passes that you comment and if we take the 14-day one, we can move by transport that includes the jr pass through Tokyo.We pass the itinerary of days we want to do, to see what you think.
December 31 the day we arrived to go to Osaka or Kyoto
January 1, Kyoto
day 2 Nara
day 3 miyajima
day 4 osaka
days 5.6 and 7 kyoto
day 8 march to kamakura and make night
Day 9 go to Tokyo and be on 10.11, 12 and 13 (be reserved for the Ghibli Museum)
Day 14 flight to Barcelona.Ah, any suggestions to go to a tea ceremony?
thank you very much also for your attention
Fine
Reply- Vane and Roger says
November 8, 2016 at 3:25 p.m.
Hi Fina,
The itinerary seems tight for the days you have, what we do not see very "clear" is that on the dates we are not yet have accommodation. We do not know if this will always happen, but when it was us, who agreed more or less on dates, booking several months in advance we already found that there was little availability in some of the cities and about whether there are closed things, at the services level, there are restaurants and shops that close the first days of the year, something that must also be taken into account.
On the subject of New Year's Eve, we might stay in Kyoto, since it is a city that we liked very much and we imagine that at this time it has to be incredible.
Regarding the JRP, if you do the tours in the central days, with the 7-day one you will already have since the Tokyo subway is much cheaper to take bonds than the JRP of 7 days more just to move around the city. Regards!!Reply- fine says
November 16, 2016 at 17:48
Thank you. Yes, we already have accommodation, we have done it through airbnb, we tried it on another trip and it worked very well, and the response from both Kyoto and Tokyo by the owners very satisfactory.
I'll look at the JR pass
FineReply- Fine says
January 17, 2017 at 06:48
Hello again,
Tell you that on Saturday we returned from the trip to Japan. It has been wonderful, and once again thank you for your time in sharing your experiences, which have been very helpful.
A hugReply- Vane and Roger says
January 17, 2017 at 09:54
Hi Fina,
We are very happy that you enjoyed it and do not imagine how we thank you for having dedicated this time to write to tell us. It is these types of messages that make each day write with more courage 😉 A hug!
- Angelito says
November 8, 2016 at 10:28
Hello guys!!!
We have just arrived from Japan and your blog has helped us again, as it was in its day with Lisbon.
I simply wanted to thank you for the enormous work you do to facilitate the trips we follow.
A hug!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
November 8, 2016 at 10:47
Hi little angel,
You can not imagine the illusion that makes us receive these messages. We are very happy that the guide has helped you in this super trip, which we imagine you will have loved. A hug!! By the way, we hope to be able to "go back to you" on the next trip 😉Reply
- Isabel says
October 25, 2016 at 18:43
Hello!
I thought that I would never go to Japan and take it, from February 3 to 7 I am in Tokyo!
I re-elected for your time your itinerary, to see if I finish deciding on the sites ... As another girl has said in her comment, the distance I take very badly ... if I put a day to see things that are far away xk I do not Whole ... We are going badly ... you never know, being all day in the subway just has its one to meet people ... jjj.
Anyway, the first time I read the post I loved it, and now I take notes! xk there are things that are supposed to be seen but that tp call me a lot of attention ... the royal palace ... well I'm not very interested, but see Doraemon if ... (although my joy in a well that they take away after summer, with the illusion that made me take a photo giving a tuff to nobita to see if espabila ...) Harajuku of course I want to see, some temple that does not come out in the guide but that you have mentioned, tb I want to go to shimokitazawa that should be alternative ... I don't know ... I have to focus ... jjjjReply- Vane and Roger says
October 26, 2016 at 10:02
Hello isbael,
You can use an application, such as Google Maps, where you can put the points you want to see and the distance between them, in addition to being able to see how long it takes and the directions to go by subway or walk. On the things to see, the truth is that it is best to guide visits according to your tastes to fully enjoy the destination.
We keep in touch for anything we can help you with. Regards!Reply
- Juan fer and cris says
October 13, 2016 at 15:02
Hi guys first of all thanks for this blog because it is fantastic and people who are encouraged to do for free travel is fantastic. I wanted to tell you a question about the reservation of some trains through the Japan rail if it is mandatory or necessary I know that some are not and another one that only has a place and if you want to sit there you must do it.In short it is if it is mandatory to book any concrete according to your experience.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
October 13, 2016 at 4:38 p.m.
Hello guys! We would recommend that you do so, especially if you have the itinerary closed, in order to secure the seats on all the planned routes.
We booked them all directly in Kyoto and the truth is that it was great. regardsReply- juanfer says
October 13, 2016 at 20:47
Thank you very much Vane and Roger, we will do that to secure the place.
Greetingscristina and juanfer ... we'll tell you how it went.
Reply
- Arantxa says
October 3, 2016 at 3:25 p.m.
Hi !!
I continue to outline my 2-week itinerary through Japan. The truth is that I need your help because I think that instead of clarifying my route, I am filing it more and because of my ignorance of the country I do not know if I am doing well.
I want to base my itinerary on several factors. On the one hand I look for the best option to optimize my JR Pass for 1 week and on the other to not waste much time on unnecessary transfers thus wasting time visiting things.
As I do not know where the sites are or the distance between them and if there is a good combination of transport because I am more lost than an octopus in a garage.
I think it would be ideal to take the keisei + 3 days of the subway for my first stage of the trip and then see if I take another metro voucher or already active the JR PAss.
I write the itinerary and tell me what you think about it.
11/27… Arrive in Tokyo at Narita at 8:15. As it is Sunday we will go to the Karajuku area that I have read that it is necessary to see it that day of the week.
I don't know whether to do from 11/27 to 12/01 or 02/12 in Tokyo.
During those days I will visit the most important of Tokyo as I have recapitulated in forums: asakusa, Ueno, zozoji and tokyo tower, akihabara, odaiba and nikko. I can remove something if you recommend it to me. I don't know what day it is better to do Nikko. I thought I can do it without JR Pass if it doesn't add up. How is it better to visit these areas?
Could you tell me if I can join two zones in the same day and how is it better to do it?
I have a day copied from a forum to go to kamakura and Yokohama. Is it feasible with the days I have?
Well on 01/12 or 02/12 as you recommend I go to Kyoto to stay until 06. During those days I will divide the city into zones: central, northeast ...
I want to go to Nara one day, another hiroshima and miyajima doing night on the island on 06/12. And my idea was back to go to Himeji and Kobe. I have it scheduled for 07 and what I don't know is to spend the night in Kobe and from there go directly to Narita on the 8th to return to Spain on the 9th, or return from Kobe to Kyoto and from there to Tokyo and Narita.
And my big question is whether it would be better to measure these days in Kyoto or leave them as I have done for last.
Anyway, I'm a sea of doubts and I don't know how to organize the days.
Can you help me?Thank you
Reply- Vane and Roger says
3 October, 2016 at 18:03
Hi Arantxa,
Depending on the days you have, we would divide the days like this:
11/27 Arrival in Tokyo
Ueno Park, Toshogu Shrine Temple, Yushima Temple, Ameyoko, Akihabara, Asakusa, Shibuya, Omotesando, Meiji Jingu, Takeshita Dori11/28 Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Tokyo International Forum, Ginza, Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo Tower, Zozogi Temple, Shinjuku, Korean Quarter
11/29 ASAKUSA: Sensoji Temple, Nakamise, Denbouin, Kappabashi, SUMIDA, ODAIBA: walk along the Sumida River to Odaiba, Aqua City Shopping Center, Fuji TV
11/30 Tsukiji - Takeshita - Omotesando - Shibuya - Shibuya 109 - Dogenzaka
12/01 TOKYO - NIKKO: Rinno-ji, Toshogu, Futarasan - TOKYO: Akihabara, Shibuya
12/02 TOKYO - KAMAKURA: Engaku-ji, Tokeiji, Jochi-ji, Kencho-ji, Tsurugaoka, Desidera ... - YOKOHAMA: Minato Minari 21
03/12 TOKYO - KYOTO (first train) KYOTO: Kiyomizudera, Sanjusangen-do, Higashi Hongashi Temple, Nishi Hongan-ji, Kiyomizudera, Gion, Pontocho
04/12 KYOTO - HIROSHIMA - MIYAJIMA (NIGHT IN MIYAJIMA)
05/12 MIYAJIMA - KYOTO // Shimogamo-Jinja, Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion, Ryoanji, Ninnaj
06/12 KYOTO - INARI (Fushimi Inari-Taisha) - NARA: Kofukuji, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha - KYOTO
07/12 KYOTO - Heian Gunju, Kamigamo Jinga- KOBE
12/08 KYOTO - Way of Philosophy: Ginkakuji, Nanzen Ji, Chio In - Gion - Arashiyama (night train to Tokyo and sleep near the airport)
09/12 Return to Spain
If you activate the JRP on December 2 you can concentrate the long journeys until December 7 (which is how we have put it in the planning)
From this itinerary, the visits that we have indicated are the ones that we made day by day, but these can be adapted according to the day of visit you want, the weather ... etcRegards!!
Reply
- Ramon says
September 27, 2016 at 4:45 p.m.
Hello! We have returned from a 13-day trip and thank you for all the info that has helped us a lot! Just comment (I don't know where you could put it) that in March 2016 a bonus for the Tokyo subway of 24, 48 and 72h was released. It can be purchased at BIC Camera stores showing your passport or at airports. The 72h cost us 1500y and they are 72h real 😉 A lujazo! Regards!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
September 28, 2016 at 10:08
Hello Ramón,
Thank you very much for the bonus note for the Tokyo subway, I'm sure that more than one traveler is phenomenal (and for us when we return to Japan, we will surely do it). Regards!!Reply
- Gem says
September 11, 2016 at 9:24 pm
Hi !! I wanted to thank you for posting this blog. I have just returned from Japan and your blog has helped me a lot to organize the trip, I have followed many of your tips and met several places that I had missed following only one guide, thank you so much !!!!!
It is a luxury to have the sincere opinion and advice of other travelers! 🙂Reply- Vane and Roger says
September 12, 2016 at 11:52
Good morning Gema,
Thank you very much for writing to us and for leaving us these words. You can not imagine the illusion that makes us receive these messages! We hope you liked Japan. It is a country that fascinated us and the truth is that we do not see the time to return.
Regards! We look forward to helping you on the next trip 😉Reply
- Motxotegi says
August 31, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.
Hi;
We have just arrived from Japan after 21 days. Like last year with our trip to Sry Lanka and Maldives, I wanted to thank you for all the information you provide and that has helped us so much in some parts of the trip.
Eskerrik asko !!Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 31, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Good afternoon Motxotegi,
Thank you very much for reading and writing telling us about your experience. It is these types of messages that make us smile and make us continue explaining the trips with all the passion we can.
We hope to continue as "fellow travelers" in the next! Regards!!Reply
- Rappa says
May 23, 2016 at 4:05 p.m.
Hi guys, this March we were traveling through Japan for 12 days and I would like to thank you for this travel diary, it was very useful for us to organize.
In our case we saw Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kyoto, Nara, Odawara, Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.
Unforgettable!
Greetings.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 23, 2016 at 17:02
Hi Rappa,
Thank you very much for writing and explaining what the guide was useful for you to prepare your trip to Japan, which from what we see, was most complete.
Again, thank you very much for telling us. Regards!Reply
- RandomTopic_Geek says
April 19, 2016 at 3:35 p.m.
We came perfect at the time! With your advice and those of other websites that we were consulting, we were able to make our 23-day itinerary where we saw everything. Thank you!
I leave the video of the trip in case someone is curious about it 😀 //youtu.be/Y6u32N1X4NM
Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 19, 2016 at 20:32
Thank you very much for sharing with us!! What good memories you have made us remember! regards
Reply
- Dani says
April 8, 2016 at 08:34
Finally I finished the Blog !!!
//travelonmyown.wordpress.com/
I hope it serves you all as a guide and help !!!
Thank you for this super blog!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 8, 2016 at 09:19
Hello Dani!!
It has been great !! And the information you have collected is impressive. Thank you very much for sharing it with us, surely more than one traveler is fabulous to prepare your trip and of course, thank you very much for that mention 😉
A hug!Reply - javier says
April 24, 2016 at 19:33
I would like to advise me. I go to Japan in July from 3 to 21 of 2016, a total of 18 days and real would be 15.
You comment that Osaka is not worth it and in Tokyo fewer days.
What would be the best itinerary for a couple traveling for the first time to Japan and that your trip has seemed great to be able to make it in a free way and using the trains to travel.Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 25, 2016 at 10:31
Good morning Javier,
We did 15 real days and we would not change anything of the itinerary we did //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/viaje-japon-por-libre/. If you had fewer days, we would modify, but having 15, we would not hesitate to repeat what we did. At most, take a day to Tokyo to give it to Kyoto, especially if you go in a time when you can take advantage of being outdoors.
Regards!Reply
- Bea says
1 April, 2016 at 18:54
Good afternoon guys,
the first thousand thanks for spending so much time on your blog, it shows, with every detail, explanation, photo, link ... very very complete. For months we decided to visit Japan and your blog has been a perfect guide to organize our trip, knowing that you have to visit and more or less the necessary days. Well, such a guide has been that we make a very similar trip! hehe, only that we go less days and enter through osaka and leave through Tokyo.
Another of the ideas that we have appropriated is to make a night on the island of Miyajima. We think that it really has to be something magical to sleep in the ryokan and enjoy the island in "solitude". In order to spend the night there we had to change the route because there was almost no availability when we wanted, and here is my question! As to arrive you have to take trains, ferry and other transport, we have loved the option of shipping luggage! We would like to send our bags from Osaka to Kyoto while we are doing that night on the island. Couldn't you provide information about that service?Thank you very much in advance! ahh! If we haven't told you! We have nothing left! We left on April 23! What a win we have!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 2, 2016 at 03:10
Hi Bea,
First of all, thank you very much for telling us that the newspaper has helped you organize what is sure to be that trip to Japan! The issue of sending luggage, we did it directly from the hotel. Surely if you ask, at the hotel they give you the forms and even fill it in. We only told them the bags we wanted to send, we gave them our data and those of the hotel where they were to be sent and they took care of everything 🙂 Here we put prices and others //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/consejos-para-viajar-a- japan-for-free /
It is a super fast management and from the hotel you are sure to manage it. Regards!
Anything we can help you with the trip, you just have to write to us.Reply- Bea says
April 2, 2016 at 12:35
Perfect as we will, thank you very much.
We want to use this service twice. From Osaka to Kyoto, while visiting Miyajima. And from Kyoto to Tokyo as we will spend a night near Mount Fuji, where we will visit the area of the 5 lakes. We hope it is worth it.
These weeks that we have left until we will be preparing everything and if we have more doubts we will consult you. Precisely yesterday reviewing your blog and comments and questions from other travelers, we have seen that we do not need to take the JR Pass of 14 days since if we activate the second day of travel it fits perfectly the 7 day to reach Tokyo, we go , that yesterday afternoon you made us save 130 euros each! Hahaha. And you without knowing it !! heheheThank you very much again.
Greetings from PalenciaReply- Mayka says
April 15, 2017 at 19:32
Hi Bea,
I have seen that you planned to go on the 5 lakes excursion. I would like to know if you did it for free or went with a company. In any of the ways could you provide me with information?
Another issue, I see that JRP can be activated whenever you want. At what points could you activate them?
Thank you very much in advance, Mayka.
Reply
- Aly says
2 March, 2016 at 20:43
Good!
As on other occasions, your trip is the bible to organize ours, thank you!We are going to make a very similar route, the only thing that we include a city in between.
DAY 1
Madrid-OsakaDAY 2
Flight arrival Transfer to Kyoto.DAY 3-5
Kyoto
DAY 6
Inari-Nara (day trip) -KyotoDAY 7
Hiroshima and MiyajimaDAY 8
OsakaDAY 9
Takayama and Shirakawago (Takayama night)DAY 10
KanazawaDAY 11-14
TokyoDAY 15
Kamakura, Nikko or Hakone. (day trip) -TokioDAY 16
Tokyo-MadridWe have had doubts because there are people who have recommended us to go to Koyasan. If we go we would change it to kawanaza. What do you find most interesting?
The JRP we were going to buy in principle for 14 days, but we are thinking of taking the 7th one. The only thing that would not cover the transfer to the airport in Tokyo ... We have to calculate it.And one last thing: a hotel in Tokyo at Ikebukuro station (100 m), how do you see it?
Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 3, 2016 at 11:31
Good morning Aly,
First of all, thank you very much for the words you dedicate to us. With respect to Koyasan or Kanazawa, we cannot express too much objectivity, since we do not know them.
Regarding the JRP of 14 days, we believe that it is not worth it if it is only to add that transfer to the airport, since it is cheaper to pay it separately than not to pay the difference of JRP between 7 and 14 days.
About the hotel, telling that Tokyo is a huge city, choose the one you choose, in the end you will always be far from any of the important places to visit. If it fits you in price, do not hesitate 😉 Greetings!Reply
- Rosa Maria Borge Bars says
February 26, 2016 at 10:35 pm
Hello, I would like to know, how can I move from one place to another after having exhausted the 7 days of Jr.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
February 29, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.
Good afternoon Rosa María,
The way to get around once you have used up the JRP is to pay the tickets at the "normal" price. Regards!Reply
- Sun says
January 20, 2016 at 03:53
Hi!!! Vanesa and Roger, I am very grateful to you for your fantastic blog. I traveled to Japan for 14 days on dates very similar to yours but from 2015-2016. They helped me as they have no idea all their advice and publications. I admire them for being so early risers on all their trips. I enjoyed it with my children and my husband. Just like you were first in Kyoto and finally in Tokyo. We also went to Takayama and Shirakawago, an amazing place, well, because I can tell you. As we would have liked to be longer, but it will be for the next. We never imagined that we could go, but we set a goal and there we were. His anecdotes injected us with all the confidence in the world so they accompanied us throughout our trip. THANK YOU FOR ALL TRAVELERS CALLEJEROS.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 20, 2016 at 10:04
Good morning sunshine,
You can't imagine the illusion that makes us read you.It is these types of messages that make us continue to relate our travels with all the illusion of the world! Japan is an amazing country, to meet you at your own pace (and more if you go with children 😉) Surely we will return, right? Again, thank you very much for this message! If at any time we can help you with any trip, here we are! Regards!Reply- Sun says
January 24, 2016 at 22:01
Surely yes!! Thanks a thousand.
Reply
- Juan says
December 23, 2015 at 09:58
Hi, I just discovered your blog and I love it! I am going to ask you for advice, my wife and I have 15 days to travel in August and we are doubting between Japan or Iceland, which one do you recommend more? By the way, if you like nature two years ago we were in Costa Rica for 10 days and it's a pass! Today's flights are 400 Iceland and 650 Japan or so, I don't know how those prices will be, greetings and keep it up!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
December 23, 2015 at 14:04
Hello John! The truth is that they are two incredible and very different destinations between them, so we believe that the choice depends a lot on what you are looking for for those days. Although if we rely only on time and days available, without a doubt, we would opt for Iceland. While it is the most expensive time to travel, 15 days is the perfect time to go around the island and enjoy it. Regarding the price of the flight 400 euros is a little more expensive than usual for those dates, although it depends a lot on the city of origin, we would wait a month or so to see how prices continue and thus be able to make a decision. We leave you the diary of our trip to Iceland in case you want to keep an eye on it; (//www.viajeroscallejeros.com/viaje-islandia-en-14-dias/ Regards!
Reply
- Travel to Thailand says
6 November, 2015 at 20:11
Amazing! It seems incredible that they have come so far for free, you have to see how when you feel like traveling, you travel as you wish. A big greeting and that these adventures continue, thanks for sharing your experience for Japan, it's great, to see if more than one takes inspiration.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
8 November, 2015 at 10:27
Hello! Traveling to Japan for free is very simple, much more than it may seem at first glance. It is a country where it is very easy to move, as in Thailand or any other Asian country 😉 Greetings!
Reply- Sergio says
February 23, 2016 at 08:58
Good morning !!! It is the best blog and the best route I have read so far and I have read many
I wanted to ask you that my flight of 18 this coming April enters and leaves from osaka
I loved your trip and your itinerary, but I don't know how to attach it to mine
I don't know if you could help me
Greetings to all
And thanks in advanceReply- Vane and Roger says
February 23, 2016 at 10:05
Good morning Sergio,
We do not understand you exactly. Your trip is 18 days but you come and go through Osaka? If this is so, you could do the same itinerary as us, but on the last day, from Tokyo, take a train that will take you to Osaka to catch the flight there. Regards!Reply
- Gustavo says
August 27, 2015 at 08:22
Hi!!
With my girlfriend we traveled to Japan from Argentina 23 days in December and the newspaper will help us a lot, we hope to find snow !! In the beginning our idea was to travel to Sapporo for 2 days (against the distance of Tokyo's distance) but seeing photos of Shirakawa we may change our mind !!Thank you very much for sharing such valuable information.
Gustavo.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 27, 2015 at 10:33
Hello Gustavo,
We would almost bet that you will surely find snow if you go to Sapporo or Shirakawa-go gracias Thank you so much for writing to us and those words you dedicate to us. You are going to love Japan and on those dates it is amazing!
Regards!Reply
- Jordi says
August 25, 2015 at 10:15
Hi Vane and Roger.
I arrived last week of my trip to Japan for 17 days and your newspaper helped us to plan the trip, we made a route similar to yours entering through Osaka, Miyajima, Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama, Shirakawago, Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura, etc ... A beautiful trip and thanks in part also to your newspaper that helped me a lot to plan everything. The transportation system of Japan is extensive and perfect, it is very easy to do everything for free. I loved Miyajima. What I liked least is the suffocating heat we had the first week of our trip, and a suggestion for the other readers is that it is well worth getting up early to visit temples and tourist attractions such as Fushimi Inari, The Great Buddha of Kamakura, etc. It allows you to be the first and be able to walk and take photos without any tourist.Anyway, thank you very much again for your blog that from now on I will continue with great attention to be able to choose my next destination.
Salut !!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 25, 2015 at 4:12 p.m.
Hi Jordi,
Thank you very much for writing and telling us about your experience in Japan, it sure serves future travelers, to get an idea of the time they can find at this time and the recommendations. We had read that summer is Japan can be quite suffocating and with you several travelers are already confirming it.
Again, thank you very much for following us, reading and writing to us 😉 Greetings!Reply
- Mari Carmen says
August 25, 2015 at 09:14
Dear Vanesa and Roger:
I am writing to you publicly (although I have already done it in private) to thank you so much for all that your words have earned me to make my great trip to Japan. I have no words !!!! Everything has been so useful that getting there was "easy" and thanks to your comments, I took the very made chip to a country so incredibly beautiful, developed and different from ours! It has been 26 days that I will take with me all my life because of the impact they have had on me: that education, concept of the repetition towards others, not bothering, thanking, helping you despite the language barriers (I learned useful phrases and they were very grateful); There has not been a day that he will not need help (sumimasen, tasukete kudasai) and that the person did not accompany me a stretch along with me. I love it, it has been my great adventure and I will always carry it in my heart: from the noisy but magical Tokyo to the Toro Nagashi Festival on the anniversary of the bbomba (it is agreed to be there), passing through Kyoto and my maiko experience, Osaka, the island of miyajima, kamakura, nikko, hakone and that fuzzy mount fuji that you hardly appreciated but you could feel it, kanazawa, takayama (beautiful and with its Museum of the float festival as our "Holy Week!", Its Museum of puppets that work wonders and the very neighborhood of lso samurai, the hirayu onsen village in the middle of the Japanese Alps, Nagoya, Himeji and my golden brooch on this trip, as you advised me to visit Koyasan and sleep in a temple !!! Impressive ceremony to receive Buddhist precepts, copy texts of the Sutra that bring peace to those who copy it (almost 40 min !!) haha, and of course, get up at 6 in the morning to pray with the monks of the temple, not forgetting mention dinner and Vegetarian breakfast that will prepare you with a delicacy and delicacy that I had never seen.
As you can see, there are so many things and this is only a slight summary.
Encourage everyone to live this Japanese experience because it is unique and to you to continue leading us because you do it wonderfully! Without you this trip would have been very different !!!! Dome arigató enjoy!Reply- Mari Carmen says
August 25, 2015 at 09:17
Oops! I forgot! Shirakawago and ainokura tb were on my itinerary! Precious to me !!!! You teleport to another era and it's magical to walk along the trails! 🙂
Reply - Vane and Roger says
August 25, 2015 at 4:21 p.m.
Hi Mari Carmen!
You can not imagine the illusion that makes us receive these messages, explaining the experiences you have on the trips. Although we can explain and write ours, in the end, the trip is different for everyone and we love reading the different feelings you have in the same destinations where we have already been.
Again, thank you very much for following and writing. Regards!Reply
- Dani says
August 20, 2015 at 1:57 PM
Good!!!
Yesterday I returned from the trip to Japan for 20 days. Good. I think there are no words to describe how INCREDIBLE the trip has been.
I will prepare the website and I will pass it on to you, but first I wanted to thank you for everything you told me because it was a great help, perhaps the most remarkable Kyoto pass of 500 yen!
My trip in the end passed through Tokyo, 5 days, which, like you, was what I liked least, by far. City full of chaos, noise, heat, much much very hot, and every thing we saw didn't impact much either. I think what I liked most was the Tsujiki fish market, and what disappointed the Sibuya crossing.
After Tokyo we went to the Nakasendo route, which congratulated us to see that not even the Japanese knew her! Pouf, which has passed, brutally rural, 10 km walking between two pubs through the Kiso Valley ... for me, it is something that every visitor to Japan should see, and more now that it is not so exploited.
From there we went to Takayama, Shirakawago and Kanazawa. Very pleasant Takayama, beautiful Shirakawago, very beautiful, but very artificial. It does not compensate, for me, the cost of transportation. Kanazawa I don't know why he goes out in so many places when he has nothing. Of course, we rested and ate shuhi directly at a bar counter!
We arrived in Kyoto, Kyoto was what we liked most by far. Small, nice, friendly city. comfortable, which you can do on foot or by bus. It has tradition and is modern, and a very lively nightlife in Ponchoto. Brutal, the best nights, in Kyoto.
From Kyoto we pass to Osaka. I would not say disappointment, but the truth is totally dispensable. Little Tokyo call him, with this we say it all.
From there, to Hiroshima. Hiroshoma has a great future. We were there one day, but I think it's worth it. Leaving aside the Dome bomvb and the museum, which puts the skin on end, the city is obviously new, and you can breathe friendship and good vibes everywhere. Around Hiroshima there are many onsen and places to see. Miyajima has next door, yes, we also went and it is beautiful, but if I return, I will stay more days in Hiroshima to investigate further. Worth.
As I said, from there to Miyajima that can not be missed. Startling. Beautiful. Pastry chef a thousand, but it does not matter, it is a place to enjoy, with friends, as a couple (the best) or alone.
Then we planned to go back to Tokyo, but we were very lazy to suffer from Tokiano, so we went back to Kyoto.
And what I take most from Japan, is THE PEOPLE. What brutality of education, respect, service, security, friendship ... a pass. I take a lot of people, I get contacts, and I take the wealth of a culture that is, in my view, in ways of development in many aspects (man-woman equality, work schedules ... and above all a serious sexual problem) but that in others, it gives us a thousand kicks, as in altruism, respect, helping others and serving others. Pure sympathy, constant smiles, and a people who are pure innocence. Incredible.
A brutal journey
I will be back.
Arigato enjoys-i-mas japan !!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 21, 2015 at 10:57
Hello Dani!
Japan hooks, right?
Thank you very much for writing to us and making such an exhaustive detail of your trip, surely more than one traveler thanks you very much for preparing yours.
We had read about the Nakasendo route and we discarded it for traveling in the middle of winter, but now with your words you have put the honey in our mouths, so it is more than aimed for the next time we go to Japan !!
Again, thank you very much for this summary and above all, do not forget to pass us the web to be able to follow you closely 😉 Greetings!Reply - paula says
January 25, 2016 at 7:15 p.m.
CAN YOU HELP ME DATA WITH THE Nakasendo route, we would like to go on April 4 where I look for info?
how many days, the idea is to change osaka or this route
Reply
- LAURA P says
August 19, 2015 at 11:24
Hi,
I would like to know if it is really advisable to travel to Japan in December, for 10 days.
It throws me back that it can be cold or it rains a lot.
Thank you very much in advance!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 19, 2015 at 11:43
Hello Laura,
We went in that month and although it is cold, it didn't rain any day, we think it is a very good time to travel to Japan. We really enjoyed it. Regards!Reply
- Mariana says
August 15, 2015 at 20:51
Hello! We just bought the JRPass and we are checking schedules in Hyperdia. We are having trouble identifying which trains / shinkanzen are the ones included in the pass. Could you please help us? Thank you!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 15, 2015 at 20:56
Hi Mariana,
When you enter the Hyperdia page, in the part where you have to put all the data, below, you will find an option that says “More Options” if you click on a dropdown where you can choose which train options you want. In the end you have "Japan Railway" and "Private Railway", the two options are selected by default. Leave only "Japan Railway JR" and you will get those who enter with the pass. Regards!Reply- Mariana says
August 17, 2015 at 18:04
THANKS! 🙂
Reply
- Rafa & Abraham says
August 9, 2015 at 12:54
Good morning from Barcelona! We flew to Japan (first time) on September 15; Your experience is very useful, many questions resolved by reading your blog. We arrived in Tokyo but we make the return from Osaka, with Qatar Airways, and it has greatly facilitated the planning of the trip, we take full advantage of each day, and I think they were 50eur more each, in our case more than amortized by winning a day . We leave our route to see what you think.
Days 1 to 6: Tokyo. The first day, arriving at 5.30pm, I hardly count it, but the night can still be used. We will leave Nikko for sure, maybe also one morning to Kamakura, we have ruled out Hakone-Mount Fuji.
Days 7 to 10: Kyoto. We wanted to spend our wedding anniversary here, and we have been able to square it; With an exit to Nara, the question we have is if there is time to see Nara in the morning and then Fushimi in the afternoon, because in September it is already dark before.
Day 11: Hiroshima and night in Miyajima, to enjoy the island when everyone leaves.
Day 12: Koyasan. We will sleep in a temple; As there is a long way that day we believe that in our case it is the best option, so the next day we see everything more calmly.
Day 13: Osaka, after visiting Kosayan until noon. We will see something of the city, we have the last day to finish it.
Day 14: Himeji and Kobe, with night in Osaka, depending on the weather see something else of Osaka.
Day 15: Osaka and flight to Barcelona, last purchases, the flight leaves late so we will just see what the city has not given us time.A huge greeting, if anyone has any suggestions, we are open to everything!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 10, 2015 at 1:21 PM
Hello guys!
We see the very successful itinerary, the days divided between Tokyo and Kyoto are great to see the most important.
About Fushimi Inari and Nara, as you go from Kyoto, why don't you do it the other way around as we did? So you make sure you see the first one almost without people (you have to get up early) and then go to Nara in the middle of the morning.
We were in December, with less daylight hours and it gave us time to see everything.
If we can help you with any other stuff, here we are.
Regards!Reply
- Jordi says
July 20, 2015 at 1:18 p.m.
Good, I have been following the Japan newspaper for months, in 2 weeks we will be there doing a 17-day tour. I have based the tour on your diary.
I have some doubts planning the route to Okayama, Hiroshima and Miyajima:
How long will it take me to visit Okayama Castle and the gardens?
How long will it take me to visit the Peace Park and the Hiroshima Memorial Museum?
Thank you.Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 20, 2015 at 7:53 PM
Hi Jordi,
In this article you have the tour we did that day and what it took in each of the places we visited //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/hiroshima-y-miyajima-en-un-dia/
In Okayama we only made the gardens (where we were 1 hour and a quarter or so), so to visit the castle, which is right next door, we think you should add 1 hour or an hour and a half.
In Hiroshima we were about two and a half hours to visit the most "tourist" places in the city. As we mentioned, you have this information in the link that we have attached. Regards!Reply
- Carmen says
July 6, 2015 at 12:56
Hello again everyone:
I am writing to you because in the end I am going to go to Japan for 26 days and the truth is that I am also somewhat lost and I would like you to help me. I leave my route to you, please, tell me what you think. The point is that I have made Hiroshima coincide on August 6 for the anniversary of the 2GM, that's why it's there in the middle. The other question that is "crazy" and "very nervous" is that of the happy JPR. It is so many days that it will cost me a lot. Could you tell me by looking at the planning how I could save days to miss it? Thank you very much and Excuse me, I don't clarify!DAY 1: FLIGHT SPAIN- OSAKA-
DAY 2: OSAKA- ALL DAY- NIGHT
DAY 3: OSAKA- KOYASAN MONTE (SOUTH OF OSAKA)
DAY 4: KIOTO
DAY 5: KIOTO
DAY 6: KIOTO- FUSHIMI INARI / NARA- KIOTO
DAY 7: KIOTO-KOBE
DAY 8: KIOTO
DAY 9: KIOTO-HIROSHIMA AND MIJAYIMA- NIGHT (2GM ANNIVERSARY)
DAY 10: MIYAJIMA- HIMEJI (NIGHT)
DAY 11: KIOTO
DAY 12: KIOTO
DAY 13: KIOTO- NAGOYA (NIGHT)
DAY 14: NAKASENDO- MAGOME-TSUMAGO ROUTE (MAGOME NIGHT)
DAY 15: MAGOME- TAKAYAMA (NIGHT)
DAY 16: (BUS) SHIRAKAWA-GO (NIGHT)
DAY 17: KANAZAWA (NIGHT)
DAY 18: TOKYO
DAY 19 TOKYO
DAY 20: TOKYO-NIKKO
DAY 21: TOKYO-KAMAKURA
DAY 22: TOKYO-ASAKUSA
DAY 23: TOKYO
DAY 24: TOKYO-HAKONE OR FIVE LAGOS FUJI
DAY 25: TOKYO -OSAKA
FLIGHT OSAKA-AMSTERDAM-MÁLAGAReply- Vane and Roger says
July 7, 2015 at 10:48
Hi carmen,
If what you want is to save with the JRP your thing is that you collect all the displacements from the 9th day and "upload" the 24th to the 18th or 19th to cover that transfer the 14-day JRP.
To compare prices we recommend that you use the Hyperdia website //www.hyperdia.com/en/ and so you can see the price of the routes that would be "loose" and compare it with the price of the JRP of 21 days in case you get it on account.
Think that in Tokyo you will almost not use it and in Kyoto you will almost always move by bus.
Regards!Reply- Carmen says
July 8, 2015 at 1:35 p.m.
Thank you so much for always answering! After much thinking and comparing with the page you told me, I just bought the 21-day jrp. So I can relax more and get rid of problems. Also, and following your advice, I will get the sim card to have internet throughout the trip; It will be very useful.
Thanks again!!!!Reply - K1k0 says
July 28, 2015 at 09:29
Hello guys,
I'm on the plane about to arrive in Japan !!! How exciting!!!
A dudilla In Tokyo, what would JRP need? I think I'm going to activate it now when I arrive in Osaka to go to Tokyo. Do you think Ok? I have the 14 day and I go 18, like you.
Regards!!!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 28, 2015 at 11:27
Hi!! What envy! And with that wifi on board the trip gets shorter, right? We activated it later, because the last 4 days we had transfers that were more expensive than the first 4 days. If you spend the last 4 in the same place, you can activate it today and save the ticket to Osaka. Regards!!
Reply- nico says
September 12, 2015 at 01:32
Isn't JRPASS so convenient in TOKYO? Thank you, they have been helpful in putting together the itinerary. But I have doubts about the JRPASS and what it includes, in some transfers they mentioned that they have been charged extra fees on the train ...
Greetings, gracais
- Vane and Roger says
September 13, 2015 at 08:12
Good morning nico!
Thank you very much for those words! The JRP is very convenient if you are moving around Japan, we were charged for the first train we took an extra, but why was it an express (we should have known, but we were not informed) and the Tokyo subway, only Enter a line, the rest are paid.
So if you have to expand from 7 to 14 only in Tokyo it is not worth expanding more days. Regards!
- Mariana says
June 27, 2015 at 16:03
Hi!!
The blog is very useful for those who enjoy traveling, thanks!
We plan to travel to Japan in October, we already have the plane tickets, we will be 21 days and for what we read here and in other places, we set up the following itinerary, we would appreciate any recommendations, if you take out or add a site, distribution of the days , etc. THANK YOU! Greetings.Day 1: 11/10: Tokyo -Kamakura - Yokoyama -Tokyo
Day 2: 12/10: Tokyo - Mount Fuji Tour - Tokyo
Day 3: 13/10: Tokyo - Imperial Palace, Meijijingu, Harajuku, ShiDia Buya
Day 4: 10/14: Tokyo - Asakusa, Odaiba, Tokyo Tower
Day 5: 10/15: Tokyo - Nikko - Tokyo
Day 6: 10/16: Tokyo - Tsukiji Market, Ginza - Kyoto
Day 7: 10/17: Kyoto - Nara - Fushimi Inari - Kyoto
Day 8: 18/10: Kyoto - Arashiyama - Gion
Day 9: 19/10: Kyoto East (Sajugasendo, Kiyumizudera, Silver Temple ...)
Day 10: 10/20: Kyoto - Osaka - Kyoto
Day 11: 21/10: Kyoto - Golden Pavilion - Market 21 of each month (near station)
Day 12: 10/22: Kyoto - Hiroshima - MIYAJIMA
Day 13: 23/10: Miyajima - HIMEJI
Day 14: 24/10: Himeji - NAGOYA
Day 15: 10/25: Nagoya - Nakasendo Route - TAKAYAMA
Day 16: 26/10: Takayama - Shirakawago - Takayama
Day 17: 27/10: Takyama - Nagoya - Tokyo
Day 18: 28/10: Tokyo
Day 19: 29/10: Tokyo
Day 20: 30/10: Tokyo
Day 21: 10/31: Return to Buenos Aires* We are thinking of visiting Osaka in the afternoon while we are in Kyoto, so on the 10th, we would be free.
* Regarding the visit in Mijayima we do not believe that we will spend the night there, but we still have to look for accommodation.
* recommend going through Himeji? And finally it seems feasible the journey from day 13 to 17, to do by train or bus?Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 29, 2015 at 11:30
Hi Mariana,
Visiting Osaka one afternoon from Kyoto is completely feasible and in a couple of afternoons you can get to know the most important city. Regarding Miyajima we would recommend that you spend a night there if you can. It is a beautiful place, which earns a lot in the late afternoon, when there are no tourists left and first thing in the morning when they have not yet arrived.
Himeji we did not visit because it was under construction, but we certainly believe it is an essential visit at this time that there are no works.
The routes that you tell us to do by bus we only made the one from Takayama - Shirakawago - Takayama which is the only way to do it, since it cannot be reached by train. The rest we can't help you since we didn't do them.
If we can help you with any other thing, here we are. Regards!Reply- Dani says
June 29, 2015 at 12:33
About Nakasendo, I will do it like this:
Day 05.- Tokyo> Nagoya> Magome> Tsumago> (bus) Magome
Day 06.- Magome> Takayama
Day 07.- Takayama (bus)> Shirakawago (bus)> KanazawaAt first, I wanted to sleep in Tsumago. But it has been IMPOSSIBLE to find accommodation. In addition, many places have no internet and you must book by fax / telephone.
In the end I saw that in magome there was more to see and more to sleep. And as the road can be done on foot, and return by bus, I have thought about arriving soon to magome, making the route from nakasendo to tsumago, and then returning in the afternoon / night to magome by bus, where I sleep with half board in A ryokan.
It has been the best option to combine it.
Regards!
Dani
Reply- MARIANA says
June 30, 2015 at 01:07
Dani, we will see this option, thank you very much!
Reply - Carmen says
1 July, 2015 at 15:40
Thank you very much Dani,
Well, nothing, I bought the flight right now!
I was going next year, but what to expect? Hahaha
ThanksReply
- MARIANA says
June 30, 2015 at 01:04
Thank you so much! We will see the night in Mijayima, only we understood that it was much more expensive, but if it is worth it, it is only once ... or at least the first!
We had considered going through Himeji to see the castle and we will do that, we appreciate your response. We will soon check again! Regards!Reply - Carmen says
1 July, 2015 at 15:21
Hi everyone!
The first thing to congratulate you because what you do is very useful!
I go to Japan on my own in August and I plan to leave 22 days. It is the first time that I go to Japan and I am very excited. I would like to know if you could adapt your itinerary from 18 days to 22, please. My problem is that I like everything! hahahaha And of course, so it is difficult to make a selection.
I would also like to buy a summer kimono, because I saw in Japan that there are affordable prices and that with it you can go to a festival held in summer. Do you have any idea of the price for which I could leave?
Oh yes, I also wanted to ask you how many days I would have to take out the transport. I see that there are people who go about 20 days but only take it out for 14. Hence my doubt.I look forward to your news, and thanks for your work!
Reply- Dani says
1 July, 2015 at 15:28
Good!
In case it helps you, I pass you my itinerary that I will do this August of 20 days. I think I cover everything, and I add Nakasendo Route (Magome - Tsumago) and everything.
Yes, if you go 20 days the ideal is the JRP of 14, since you must already dedicate a minimum of 5-6 days to Tokyo (or Kyoto) so you have the rest for the journeys and movements.
Regards!
Dani
Day 30.- Arrival in Tokyo
Day 31.- Tokyo
Day 01.- Tokyo
Day 02.- Tokyo
Day 03.- Tokyo> Kamakura> Tokyo
Day 04.- Tokyo
Day 05.- Tokyo> Nagoya> Magome> Tsumago
Day 06.- Tsumago> Takayama
Day 07.- Takayama (bus)> Shirakawago (bus)> Kanazawa
Day 08.- Kanazawa> Kyoto
Day 09.- Kyoto
Day 10.- Kyoto
Day 11.- Kyoto> Nara / Nari> Kyoto
Day 12.- Kyoto> Himeji> Kyoto
Day 13.- Kyoto
Day 14.- Kyoto> Kobe (eat)> Osaka (party)
Day 15.- Osaka> Hiroshima - Miyajima
Day 16.- Miyajima Hiroshima> Tokyo
Day 17.- Tokyo> Nikko> Tokyo
Day 18.- Tokyo> Hakone or Five Fuji Lakes> Tokyo (ACABA JR)
Day 19.- Departure from Tokyo.Reply - Vane and Roger says
July 2, 2015 at 12:32
Hi carmen,
Our itinerary is 18 days and the truth is that it was very complete for those days. Having 22 you can adapt it perfectly by adding 1 more day in Kyoto (at that time you can extend the visits for the good weather and it will come great), another to go to Fuji and another to Himeji.
Regarding the kimono we cannot help you since it is something that we do not contemplate on our trip and the truth is that we do not look at prices.
The JRP will depend on the type of itinerary you do, based on that you can decide if the 14 or 7 day is better.
Regards!Reply
- Dani says
June 29, 2015 at 12:30
Hello!
Himeji is worth it for the castle on the ground floor. You can see it in a few hours, you don't need to sleep. Have a look here: //blogdetermico.blogspot.com.es/2010/03/que-ver-en-himeji.html
Regards!
Dani
Reply
- Manuel Pons says
June 24, 2015 at 18:47
I've seen every day of the travel route through Japan, I liked it a lot. The explanations, visits, descriptions and expenses of everything (transportation, tickets, meals) seemed great to me,
Also the theme of the hyperdia website to know the subway or train routes,I understand that mobiles in Spain (Europe) do not work in Japan.
Which is the best option.
1) Rent a mobile at the arrival airport for 14 days of validity ... (you don't have whats up or your contacts numbers etc to send anything ...)
2) A SIM card upon arrival in Japan to remove the one from your mobile and put the rented one.Thanks for your help. and very grateful for your effort and dedication of the traveling street web.
Best regardsReply- Vane and Roger says
June 25, 2015 at 10:12
Good morning Manuel,
We had no problem with the mobile in Japan. They worked perfectly for us. What we did buy was a SIM card to be able to have an internet connection (but with our mobile). You can see all the data in this post //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/consejos-para-viajar-a-japon-por-libre/
If we can help you with anything else, here we are. Regards!Reply- Manuel Pons says
July 4, 2015 at 09:12
I understand that any phone - for calls or SMS messages - then works from Japan to Spain?
Internet access does not work (that is, whats app) or the hyperdia required of the internet. I have understood well. That's why you comment on the SIM card with internet access ...Thanks for your help.
regardsReply- Vane and Roger says
July 4, 2015 at 09:51
Good morning Manuel,
In principle any current phone should work in Japan. If you put a sim card of the country (provided the phone is free) you can have internet on your mobile.
In the event that you do not always need to have internet, you can connect to the Wi-Fi of hotels, restaurants ... etc and have connection at that time. Regards!Reply- Manel Pons says
July 5, 2015 at 11:29
It is understood.
I had a tremendous scare because I understood that mobile phones didn't work ...
Thank you both.
Best regards
Manel
- Adriana says
June 16, 2015 at 10:35
Hello guys,
First of all CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS for your page because it is fantastic and a great help for those who are passionate about traveling.
I will travel to Japan with my partner in September and you have "convinced us" to take a route similar to yours. We were going to start booking the hotels but we have a doubt. Our situation is that we arrived at Tokyo airport at about 6.30pm, and we don't know very well if it is convenient to spend the night in Tokyo and leave early for Kyoto, or go to Kyoto on the same day of arrival. What do you recommend?
Thanks again!!Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 16, 2015 at 5:27 p.m.
Hello Adriana,
Thank you so much for those words! You have encouraged us more if the afternoon fits 😉
We would go directly that day to Kyoto, even if you are tired, it will not come a few hours and so you can enjoy the next day of Kyoto without having to "lose" mid-morning on the transfer from Tokyo.
Regards!!
If we can help you with any other thing, here we are.Reply- Adriana says
June 16, 2015 at 20:19
Great!
Our question arose, not because of fatigue, but if it was too late between arriving at the Tokyo airport, getting used to the "first Japanese impact", traveling to Kyoto and getting to the hotel at a Japanesely prudent hour ...
Thank you, guys, for all your GREAT help!Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 16, 2015 at 20:40
Hello Adriana!
We believe that you can take the train around 8 in the afternoon or so and you would arrive in Kyoto at 22.30 or so. We arrived at that time and if you have a hotel with 24-hour reception, there is no problem. Regards!Reply
- vicente says
June 3, 2015 at 15:03
hello, greetings to all
In August I plan to go to Japan and I am missing something in the trip planning.
I am going for 13 nights in Japan, they have passed me an itinerary and I would like if it is ok or your opinion would change something.
Here I leave it and you already tell me, thanks and greetings.
Hearton Hotel Nishi-Umeda
3-355, UMEDA, KITA-KU, OSAKA - - OSAKA, JP
Entry: 08/11/2015 (Tuesday) - Departure: 08/14/2015 (Friday17, NISHIKUJO-INMACHI, MINAMI-KU - 601-8412 - KYOTO, JP
Entry: 08/14/2015 (Friday) - Departure: 08/15/2015 (Saturday)
New Nagasaki Hotel14-5 Daikoku-machi, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki - - NAGASAKI, JP
Entry: 08/15/2015 (Saturday) - Departure: 08/16/2015 (Sunday)New Otani Kumamoto
1-13-1 Kasuga, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto-shi - 8600047 - KUMAMOTO, JP
Entry: 08/16/2015 (Sunday) - Departure: 08/17/2015 (Monday)1-7-2-802 Achi, Kurashiki-shi, Okayama - - OKAYAMA, JP
Entry: 08/17/2015 (Monday) - Departure: 08/18/2015 (Tuesday)Castle Inn Kanazawa
10-17 Konohana-machi, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa - - ISHIKAWA, JP
Entry: 08/18/2015 (Tuesday) - Departure: 08/19/2015 (Wednesday)Takayama Kanko Hotel
280 Hachiman-machi, Takayama-shi, Gifu - - GIFU, JP
Entry: 08/19/2015 (Wednesday) - Departure: 08/20/2015 (Thursday)Nagoya Sakae Washington Hotel Plaza
3-1-32 SAKAE, NAKA-KU, NAGOYA - 4600008 - AICHI, JP
Entry: 08/21/2015 (Friday) - Departure: 08/22/2015 (SaturdayNagoya Sakae Washington Hotel Plaza
3-1-32 SAKAE, NAKA-KU, NAGOYA - 4600008 - AICHI, JP
Entry: 08/21/2015 (Friday) - Departure: 08/22/2015 (SaturdayReply- Vane and Roger says
June 3, 2015 at 18:02
Hi Vincent,
The truth is that we do not understand the itinerary very well since you spend it based on accommodation, right? How many days will you be in Kyoto? And in Tokyo? Regards!Reply- vicente says
June 3, 2015 at 10:20 p.m.
thanks for answering Vane and Roger,
In Kyoto it will be 1 day:
17, NISHIKUJO-INMACHI, MINAMI-KU - 601-8412 - KYOTO, JP
Entry: 08/14/2015 (Friday) - Departure: 08/15/2015 (Saturday)
New Nagasaki Hotel
and in Tokyo it will be 4 days that by the way I had not published it (excuse me)Higashi Shinjuku E-hotel
2-3-15 KABUKI-CHO, SHINJUKU-KU - 160-0021 - TOKYO, JP
Entry: 08/22/2015 (Saturday) - Departure: 08/26/2015 (Wednesday)My question is whether the cities I am going to visit are good or you would exchange one city for another and if the days of stay are adequate.
I have seen this page Tokyo Free Guide are local guides that offer the service in exchange for practicing Spanish, so there is only the itinerary of cities to visit.
Thanks and best regards
VicenteReply- Vane and Roger says
June 6, 2015 at 09:14
Hi Vincent,
The truth is that we dedicate a single day to Kyoto we believe it is a "mortal sin" on a first trip to Japan. Under our experience we would dedicate a minimum of 4-5 days.
In the itinerary that you put there are many places that we do not know, so it is difficult for us to review them accordingly. For those days we would make an itinerary similar to what we did that takes you to the most "tourist" and "important" places in Japan and are perfect for the first time you travel to the country.
Regards!Reply
- pacapas says
June 1, 2015 at 3:22 p.m.
Hi,
Congratulations first. I will go to Japan in a month, and I have a bit of a mess, so I would like to ask you for some recommendations. I had more or less thought of something like what I put down, but I'm not sure about it, besides something I doubt is the JR Pass, I don't know if it would be more advisable for the 7 or 14 days, since it would go up a bit price. Please ask for some help, because I see my time is on me. Thank you so much.3/7/2015 VI Arrival in Tokyo
4/7/2015 SA West Tokyo (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku)
5/7/2015 DO Tokyo East (Sky Tree, Asakusa)
7/7/2015 LU Cascades Kegon and Nikko
7/7/2015 MA Mount Fuji-Hakone
7/7/2015 MI Kamakura-yokohama
7/9/2015 JU
7/10/2015 VI Outbound to Kyoto / Osaka
7/11/2015 SA Kyoto East temples (Kiyomizu, Ginkakuji etc)
7/12/2015 DO Kyoto West Temples (Kinkakuji, Tenryuji)
7/13/2015 LU Hiroshima / Miyajima
7/14/2015 MA Fushimi Inari and Nara / Osaka
7/15/2015 MI
7/16/2015 JU Tour of Tokyo
7/17/2015 VI Ghibli Museum / totoros cream puffs / Odaiba
7/18/2015 SA Return from Japan to BcnReply- Vane and Roger says
1 June, 2015 at 19:23
Hi Pacapas,
The itinerary is fine, but you are missing a couple of days that we see that you have left without visitors. We would add one more day in Tokyo and another in Kyoto. If you take the 7-day JRP, you should concentrate the transfer days in the middle of the trip in order to include the most expensive trips in the JRP. Regards!Reply
- Sebastian says
May 24, 2015 at 7:07 PM
Hi Vane and Roger! Spectacular your Itinerary! It is very nice to read and very very useful for the trip! We are about to go from Argentina to Japan at the end of August this year! And we wanted to ask you for a recommendation, if possible of course. We will be 12 days and we wanted to be at least 7 in Tokyo and the other days we move somewhere. We are undecided whether to go to Kyoto or Takayama and Shirawago. We do not like the idea of moving too much and we wanted to go to one place more than Tokyo but we did not decide where! What do you recommend ??? Thank you!! and congratulations on the Blog!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 25, 2015 at 5:51 p.m.
Hi Sebastian!!
Thank you very much for writing to us and those words that you dedicate to us.
We would recommend without a doubt that you spend a few days in Kyoto, minimum 4-5 days. It is one of the most impressive cities in Japan, not to mention the most. We are sure you will not regret it !! 😉
Regards!Reply
- Vanessa says
May 20, 2015 at 17:32
Hi Vane and Roger!
So far I had not remembered to write to you, but we were in November in Japan and we made a guide based on yours and it was great! The only thing we changed was not visiting neither Shirakawago nor Nikko since we went 14 days, and two were from the trip !!
Thank you very much for the good work you do! The truth is that you help a lot to people who go / go as lost as we do !! A trip of 10 following your recommendations !!
regards
Vanessa 🙂Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 20, 2015 at 6:19 PM
Hello Vanessa!!
Thank you very much for writing and telling us, you can not imagine the illusion that makes us!
Regards!Reply
- Dani says
May 16, 2015 at 11:36 p.m.
Good,
I've been reading your entire trip all day. This summer I go with a friend to Japan for 20 days, and I think your itinerary is almost perfect.
The only place I see you didn't visit was Kanazawa, from Shirakawago. For some reason?
Very well explained everything, a great diary, and very useful.
Congratulations!!!!!!
Dani
Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 18, 2015 at 12:27
Hello Dani,
We greatly appreciate the option of reaching Kanazawa, but being the time it was, in the middle of winter, we prefer to devote more time to Takayama and Shirakawa-go.
Today, seeing some pictures of snow-covered Kenrokuen Garden ... it sure is worth going even if it's only a few hours 😉
Regards!Reply- Dani says
May 18, 2015 at 12:34
Thank you!! Then it is recommended.
On the Nakasedo Route - Kiso Valley, what can you say? Worth it?
Another small favor, so to boat soon, what do you think of this planning?
Day 30.- Arrival in Tokyo
Day 31.- Tokyo
Day 01.- Tokyo
Day 02.- Tokyo
Day 03.- Tokyo> Nikko> Tokyo (Activate JR)
Day 04.- Tokyo> Kamakura> Tokyo
Day 05.- Tokyo> Kyoto
Day 06.- Kyoto
Day 07.- Kyoto> Nara / Nari> Kyoto
Day 08.- Kyoto
Day 09 - Kyoto> Kobe> Osaka
Day 10.- Osaka> Hiroshima - Miyajima
Day 11.- Miyajima> Okayama> Kyoto
Day 12.- Kyoto> Takayama (bus)> Shirakawago (bus)> Kanazawa
Day 13.- Kanazawa> Kyoto
Day 14 - Kyoto
Day 15.- Kyoto> Tokyo evening
Day 16.- Tokyo> Hakone or Five Fuji Lakes> Tokyo (ACABA JR)
Day 17.- Tokyo
Day 18.- Tokyo
Day 19.- Departure from Tokyo.Thank you!!!! I hope you like my blog, for now only Iceland, but now it will grow with Japan!
Dani
Reply- Vane and Roger says
May 20, 2015 at 13:13
Hello Dani!!
The itinerary is very good, the only thing is that on the 12th it will not give you time to do everything you want. We would take a couple of days to Tokyo and give them to this area for a full day in Takayama and another to visit Shirakawa-go.
The Nakasedo Route - Kiso Valley we do not know, at the time we went we could not contemplate it, but we believe that if you have days to add it, it can be a very good option, although it is 19, we would already leave it as you have it 😉
Regards!Reply- Dani says
May 20, 2015 at 1:55 p.m.
Thank you!!!
Yes, on 12 I will restructure it to go more calmly.
I have another route where I do have the Nakasendo Valley established ... well, we will continue to see!
More than anything it was to know if what he said was feasible.
I will continue reading your blog 🙂
Thank you!
Dani
- Jordi says
April 24, 2015 at 14:05
Good Morning,
First of all, congratulations on this newspaper, it's exciting!
I have a doubt, in the newspaper you commented that you bought a sim card for your phone, only data. I understand, what did you do to use hyperdia for trains and maps to wander?
How is the wifi in japan? are there free?
I ask because every day you had hyperdia the itinerary with the trains a minute.
Thank youReply- Vane and Roger says
April 27, 2015 at 6:26 PM
Hi Jordi!
Sorry for the delay in the response, but only a few hours ago we have arrived on a trip and in China we have not had all the connection we would have wanted to keep the blog updated 🙂
The sim in Japan we use for social networks, consultations and hyperdia, although we have to say that the subject of the trains we had already printed (if you consult a few days before they do not usually change) and the GPS we use, the CityMaps2Go works offline.
Regards!!Reply
- Paula says
April 15, 2015 at 20:29
Hello guys!
First of all, thank you very much for telling and describing all your trips and experiences so well, I have read it above because when I am going to leave I will read everything well, I have reached the part of "travel literature on Japan" and it has given me surprised to find there Memoirs of a Geisha, I have to confess that I fell in love with the film and I'm still very in love with it, the world of Geishas fascinates me and that is why I recommend "Life of a Geisha" autobiographical novel written by Mineko Iwasaki , the protagonist of Memoirs of a Geisha. It's the same story, but told as it was, I was impressed and made me fall in love more with all Japanese culture, I hope you like my suggestion 🙂
A big hug from Barcelona travelers!
Paula
Reply- Ivette M Echevarria says
April 16, 2015 at 04:03
Greetings.
I had the privilege of watching the movie. History of a Gesha, I loved it.Reply- Vane and Roger says
April 17, 2015 at 4:42 p.m.
Hi Ivette,
It is a movie. Regards!Reply
- Vane and Roger says
April 17, 2015 at 4:44 p.m.
Hello Paula!! Thank you very much for writing and making this recommendation. We had heard about the book, but the truth is that we have not read it and with your comment you have made us remember it again. So he has returned, from now on, to be among the first on the list that we have pending reading 🙂 Thank you very much!
One abracada!!Reply
- Ivette M Echevarria says
March 26, 2015 at 5:35 p.m.
Greetings.I'm informing myself, and I loved your page, I already plan to visit Japan and I am contemplating leaving on my own, there are no problems to take the train and buses.Which I recommend buying the ticket first and then booking the hotels in different cities.Thanks
Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 27, 2015 at 10:23
Hi Ivette,
In Japan you will not have any problem with trains or buses, the other way around. The transport network is very good. Without a doubt, it is best to buy air tickets first and then, based on that, start looking at the hotels. regardsReply
- K1k0 says
March 21, 2015 at 11:22
Hi couple,
First thank you for your blog, it is helping me a lot with the planning of the trip and I am recommending it to many friends and acquaintances who like to travel for free.
We are going to Japan on a wedding trip this summer and I am organizing it. I'm going a little crazy because I can't get much time for it ...: S I have the flights that is important. Now I am with the theme hotels and distributing the days. We go like you, 18 days and I was going to distribute it in 7 Kyoto, 2 Mijama, 2 Osaka and 7 Tokyo. As you see??? With this I have two doubts: 1 .- I am not putting Takayama as a place to sleep. Is it worth it to someday remove one of the cities ??? and 2.- For the JRP I would have to take out of 7 days or bag of 14 and cover everything ??? (I have seen that until day 5 you did not activate it)
Thank you very much phenomena !!! What envy of life traveling so much and for inspiring us and making us travel with the mind. 🙂Reply- Vane and Roger says
March 22, 2015 at 7:03 PM
Hi!! First of all, congratulations on that wedding and that Honeymoon and the trip you are going to do, Japan is a pass!
The distribution of the days is fine, but we would add Takayama and Shirakawa-go. With the days that we did, which are the same as those that you will do, we do not find any more or less days, so if you like the travel diary we wrote, the distribution of days we believe is the correct one 🙂
The JRP of 7 or 14 depends on the days you want to make the departures from Kyoto and Tokyo, since if you focus on the intermediate days, with the 7 you can have enough.
If the approach of taking the 14 is because it covers internal transport in Kyoto or Tokyo is not worth it, since in Kyoto the bus is used much more and in Tokyo taking metro tickets is much cheaper.
If we can help you with any other thing, here we are. Regards!!Reply
- spainryugaku.jp says
February 15, 2015 at 07:05
Fantastic travel plan. I see that there is no time for more, but I advise travelers to have one more day, go to see Mount Fuji. The best way is to rent a car and see how impressive it is when you go on the highway from Osaka to Tokyo.
A hug to all and thanks for the valuable information.Reply- Vane and Roger says
February 15, 2015 at 12:35
Hello!
The truth is that this was one of the thorns that stayed with us because we didn't have enough days to go a day or two to Mount Fuji. We have the perfect excuse to return to Japan 🙂Reply
- Ana B. says
12 February, 2015 at 22:06
Hi. We are going to make a trip to Japan in April and they offer us a night to choose between Takayama and Miyajima, (apart from the rest that are Kyoto and Tokyo), what place do you recommend us to choose?
Thank youReply- Vane and Roger says
February 13, 2015 at 12:45
Hello Ana,
We would opt for Miyajima and more at the time you are going. Miyajima is lovely, but much more at night and early in the day when there is practically no tourists left.
Regards!Reply- Ana B. says
February 13, 2015 at 22:03
Thank you. We have doubts about the issue of taking a trip to Shirakawago, and of course, we would have to choose Takayama.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
February 15, 2015 at 12:45
Hello Ana!
Shirakawago is impressive, but in our opinion in winter it is much more, so counting the time, we would opt for Miyajima. Regards!Reply- Ana B. says
May 2, 2015 at 7:14 PM
Hi. We are back from the fantastic trip. Thank you very much for the recommendation to go to Miyajima; it is a beautiful place. We ate and slept there in a Ryokan style hotel and the experience was fantastic. In the morning we went to the Daisho-in temple and we loved it; In addition to being a lovely place, the peace and tranquility that was breathed there was great.Miyajima was a stop on the road between Kyoto and Tokyo that came to us phenomenal. !Many thanks!
- Vane and Roger says
May 5, 2015 at 11:58
Hello Ana!!
First of all, sorry for the delay in the response, but just a few days ago we have returned from China and with the work we have not been able to catch up with the blog comments so far.
Thank you very much for writing and telling us that the recommendations have served you. You can not imagine what we like this kind of comments 🙂 By the way, Miyajima, as you say, a stop on the perfect path. Regards!
- dennise says
January 13, 2015 at 3:42 p.m.
Hi!!
I have a doubt, is a visa necessary to be Spanish to travel to Japan?
I have looked at several websites, and in some they say yes in others no ...
Thanks in advance 🙂Reply- Vane and Roger says
January 14, 2015 at 10:09
Hi Dennise!
For Spaniards, if they travel for tourism reasons less than 90 days, a visa is not necessary.
We leave you the page of the Embassy where they give all the explanations about the visa in Japan: //www.es.emb-japan.go.jp/consular/visitar_visa.html
Regards!!Reply
- rocio dieguez says
November 24, 2014 at 22:25
Hello! Very good !!
I get married this year in March and we want to go to Japan for 19 days.
We want to know beforehand if there is much difference between organizing the trip yourself and doing it for free. What we want is cionocer and experience we do not need typical luxuries of boyfriend trips.
- How much can such a trip cost us?
- There are countries in which they recommend you go to 5 star hotels. In Japan it is necessary or you can get off stars and therefore price.
- The bullet train serves to go from city to city or also to visit Tokyo. Because the best thing would be to take the 14-day one and the days we don't have it to visit Tokyo.
- Would it be better to take the trip to Tokyo and return it to another city so as not to have to waste time on the last day returning to Tokyo?
- We have been told that it is very expensive to eat. Is it so much?
For now these are our doubts, we would be very grateful if you could solve them !!
Thank you! Greetings,
Dew.Reply- Vane and Roger says
November 25, 2014 at 10:35
Hello Rocio!!
First of all, congratulations for that wedding and for that piece of travel you are going to make, Japan is amazing and you will love it.
- Making this trip free can mean, in a very general way, a minimum saving of 50% compared to an agency.
Japan is one of the most expensive countries for organized travel and yet one of the most economical (if you compare with most European countries) by doing it for free.
You can find offers of flights for about 500 euros or so (recently there were even 380), the accommodation has an average of 50 euros per day / room and you would have to add the JRP and the food and tickets.
You can calculate about 120 euros per person / day for this trip.
- The hotels, even the most economical is clean and with all the comforts. So do not worry, because the concept is very different from other countries, so with a hotel of 50 euros on the middle of the night you will be perfectly.
You can look where we were //www.viajeroscallejeros.com/hoteles-en-japon/ to get an idea.
- The JRP (which you comment as a bullet train) is used to travel around the country (it will include what you want to do) and a Tokyo subway line, even if you do not take the 14-day route to add Tokyo, as it is more profitable to take Normal subway tickets make the difference between the 7 and 14 day pass.
- We entered through Osaka and left through Tokyo and the truth is that it was great to save the trip back to Tokyo. If you find a good price for that "multi-destination", do not hesitate 😉
- The theme of food is much cheaper than you can imagine !! If you read our travel diary you will see what we spent on eating, in all we put the relationship of what we eat with what it cost us.
Apart from that you have hundreds of options to choose from: from the supermarket (it's not like here, they have prepared food of all kinds, very good and very economical), passing through specialized restaurants to more luxurious restaurants.
You can count an average of 20 euros per couple each meal, in an average restaurant.We keep in touch for anything we can help.
Regards!!Reply
- Christian says
October 27, 2014 at 04:06
Good. I am putting together a 9-day trip to Tokyo. I ask you some questions:
- I have dollars and credit card. It is convenient for me to change the dollars or get advances from the credit card. For small expenses and then use credit cards for larger expenses.
- Are there tax free places? Are taxes paid in Japan in any way (Tax Refund)?
- Is there a place of Japanese Tourism or Shopping coupons for tourists?
- I will be from November 24 to December 4, times of black friday; Any recommendations about it?
- Take note of another comment recommended as GPS the application CityMaps2Go, other applications that recommend?
- I like anime. Do you know any Dragon Ball or anime museum?
Sorry if there are several queries. It is that there are few days and I would like to diagram everything as you do and I am very excited about knowing a new culture. It is my first trip to Asia. Greetings. Thank you.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
October 27, 2014 at 10:52
Hi, christian,
We are answering the questions you have asked us.
-In Japan although the credit card is not a usual form of payment, in the most tourist sites you will have no problem paying with it.
We recommend that in the same airport, if you see that the change is good, change something to be able to pay the small things. Another option is to change directly at any exchange office or bank.
In the travel diary you can see where we did it in Kyoto and how.
-We do not value the tax free issue, so we cannot advise you on this, but surely you can do it. We advise you to look on the website of Tokyo or Osaka airport and surely you have information.
- In the hotels you have some brochures with information about the cities and there you will find several discount coupons. If you can not look at the Tourist Offices of each city.
- We weren't in the Black Friday era, so we don't know if it's celebrated or not…
- CityMaps2Go is the only application that we use in our travels and more in Japan than it was luxury.
- In any city in Japan you will find many things about anime.
We advise you that when you arrive, you go to a Tourist Office and so you will have the information first hand. (We do not focus on this issue and we will certainly not be able to give you first hand information.)Japan is spectacular!
Keep in touch. Regards!!Reply
- Carla says
1 October, 2014 at 20:23
Hi Vane and Roger!
A few days ago my boyfriend and I have returned from our wonderful trip to Japan. Tell you that your blog helped us a lot to prepare the trip! 🙂 You explain everything in great detail, with love and that makes it a pleasure to read what you are doing day by day.
Thank you so much for everything! I will continue reading the blog to prepare future trips!Reply- Vane and Roger says
October 2, 2014 at 08:39
Hi Carla!
You can't imagine the illusion that makes us read these words. We are very happy that the experience we had in this amazing country served you.
Many thanks!! Regards!!Reply
- Constantius says
September 17, 2014 at 3:43 PM
You have data of a trip through the Philippines thanks
Reply- Vane and Roger says
September 17, 2014 at 4:40 p.m.
Hi Constantius,
The Philippines is a destination we have not been to. Sorry we can't help you.Reply
- Ana Casáis Marcos says
August 24, 2014 at 20:30
Hi!!! I am preparing my trip to Japan by the end of September and your blog is being of great help, thank you very much for sharing your experiences. But I have a question. For what you say you have used a GPS to move and I intend to do the same, but I am looking at several applications and I am not sure which one is the most appropriate. In the tourist office they have recommended NAVITIME FOR JAPAN but I am also looking at Google Maps and MapsWithMe and they all seem very similar to me. Can you tell me which one did you use please? Thank you.
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 24, 2014 at 20:52
Hello Ana!
For us the best application we have found and that always travels with us on CityMaps2Go
It is free and you can download maps from all over the world, by cities, regions, countries ... etc and then consult them offline.
And best of all, it has 95% of the hotels, restaurants, gas stations ... etc that you are looking for.
Just putting the name, it already gives you the location and guides you ...
We in Japan even used it in the subway, on the bus, we were controlling the mark that indicated where we were going and we had marked the place we wanted to go and so we saw when we approached and had to get off 🙂Reply- Ana Casáis says
August 25, 2014 at 1:41 p.m.
Right now I download it, I'll tell you. Thank you very much for your help, you are lovely. Greetings.
Reply
- Ana says
August 12, 2014 at 21:14
Hello! I have a question, I stay at the same hotel as you in Tokyo (Hirodome Villa) and my return flight leaves at 10:25 in the morning from Narita. Do you think it will give me time to go on the narita express? If not, do you know of any other option to go earlier?
Thanks a lot!! CheersReply- Vane and Roger says
August 15, 2014 at 00:06
Hello Ana!!
You have to count a couple of hours before at the airport, so you should be in Narita at 8.25 in the morning. The Narita Express is 1 hour away, so you should take it around 7.30 in the morning.
We advise you to look at Hyperdia //www.hyperdia.com/in the combinations that you have from Tokyo station to be able to link from the Shin Nihombashi subway which is the one you have next to the hotel (if we are not mistaken it starts at 6 in the morning, so you won't have time problems)
Regards!!Reply
- PAULIS says
August 12, 2014 at 12:51
Hello!!
I hope you can help me ... I am between making my trip of the year to Japan and Bangkok and I don't decide. I'm going to do it in October, and I wanted if they could give me advice.
They both have an impressive culture, could you advise me which of the two would you choose for your vacation?
Thanks !!
Reply- Vane and Roger says
August 14, 2014 at 23:50
Hi Paulis,
The truth is that it is difficult to choose between these two destinations. Regardless of whether you have visited Asia on any occasion and without knowing the days you have for the trip, we would opt for Japan.
Although depending on the days, one destination or another may be better ...
Between 15-20 we would make Japan, more than 20 Thailand, including beaches.
Regards!!Reply
- The Nursery Workshop says
July 25, 2014 at 20:53
Hello! Many greetings I really like this page and that you are so adventurous. I am thinking of going to Japan. I have been reading a lot about the culture and I want to learn the language a bit. I hope to travel next year.
How did they treat them like tourists?Reply- Vane and Roger says
July 25, 2014 at 10:00 p.m.
Hello! In Japan you will be treated beautifully, whether you are a tourist or if you are going to study the language.
It is a country with an incredible culture and an exquisite education.
Regards!Reply
- Isabel says
July 19, 2014 at 19:56
I would appreciate it if you indicated that GPS without Wi-Fi you used on your trip, we are leaving in September and we don't know which one is the best. Thank you so much
Reply - ana says
June 23, 2014 at 17:14
Hello! I am preparing my trip to Japan that will be in October, your blog is helping me a lot but I am still a bit involved with the transport issue, I wanted to ask you, in the time you had the jrp, did you have to pay for any train that will not enter the jrp? Thanks a lot
Reply- Vane and Roger says
June 29, 2014 at 11:16
Hello Ana,
Thank you very much for writing to us!
You can have the JRP at home in a week or so if they send it to you, if you take it directly from an agency in your area, you will probably have it much sooner.
We paid for some train, such as the first day the transfer to Osaka because we activated the JRP later to cover us 14 days.
The bus to Shirakagawo is not included and Tokyo subway (all non-JRP lines) are also not included.
For any other thing here we are!
By the way, transportation is much easier than it seems, we tell you from experience 🙂Reply- ana says
July 2, 2014 at 4:23 p.m.
Thank you!!! I am there for 13 whole days, in principle I was going to take the 7-day one and center the exits there, but I arrive and leave Narita, and when making accounts I compensate for the 14-day one. I do more or less your route, something smaller, of course ... I have to tell you that I started following you when you were there, and there began my curiosity to discover Japan !!!!! Cheers
Reply
- Vane and Roger says
March 25, 2014 at 3:25 p.m.
Hi Titolin!
We ordered the brochures from the Tourist Office of Japan (//www.turismo-japon.es) in France, since they have no Spanish address and they sent us a lot of information.
Anyway, if you do not get there or do not want to write them, you can find them at the Tourist Offices of the different cities.
In 80% they have the brochures in Spanish.
Regards!!Reply - Titolin says
March 25, 2014 at 2:25 p.m.
Hello guys
Where did you get the tourist brochures with maps etc. that appear in your newspaper in Tokyo?
Did you request them from any office here in Spain?
Thanks and regards
Reply - Vane and Roger says
December 17, 2013 at 1:17 p.m.
Hi Eskola!
Everyone had advised us to spend the night in Miyajima and in the end we found a fairly inexpensive ryokan ... so we will try to see how 😉
And the issue of sleeping in the temple, we imagine that at some point we will find it tourist, but the truth is that we wanted to try it too.
The idea is to tighten the time as much as we can, in order to reach Shirakawago and hope to find snow, let's see if we are lucky!
Many thanks!!Reply - eskola says
December 17, 2013 at 12:17
The truth is that I get long teeth reading so many trips.
We were in Japan in the summer of 2009 and it was a place that marked and really liked us.
We did a similar itinerary and if we regret anything it was to spend the night in Miyajima.
The truth is that once night fell there there was not much to do except see the great tori in the moonlight. We also found it quite expensive.
Regarding sleeping in a temple, I think many of us do it, we in Kyoto and I thought it was something else; guiris (among which we include ourselves) porrilo and some plasma milk telescopes. Anyway…
Otherwise a great trip, I hope you have the opportunity to see Shirakawago: we liked it a lot.
And if you see that it snows or rains do not stop trying an onsen, we did it in Takayama and it was a pleasant surprise.
To enjoy and tell it like the others.Reply
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