[Travel] First Time in Japan. Tips?

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North of Robertsbridge

North of Robertsbridge

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2023
272
East Sussex
Robinjakarta said:
Another vote for Nara and easy to get to from Kyoto
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Yep, on the Kinki train (love the name). It’s a bit of a basic train but all the seats face forwards and the conductor swings them all round for the return journey. I’ve done the journey as a tourist and visiting a major printer manufacturer for work. Really recommend visiting the shrines
 




Lyndhurst 14

Lyndhurst 14

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2008
5,243
I really liked Japan. I went for a skiing trip in Niseko and also visited Kyoto and Sapporo for the Winter Festival. Kyoto was amazing as was the bullet train trip there, could easily have spent more time there. I was living in the States at the time and really liked the fact you weren't expected to tip the taxi driver, bar staff etc every time you went out because they got paid a proper living wage. As other posters have said the courtesy and politeness of the Japanese is another reason the holiday was so good. Food was excellent and my favourite was the shabu shabu
 




brighton_tom

brighton_tom

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2008
5,525
Can anyone offer any advice for the most cost effective way of travelling around Japan in terms of the trains? Every time i google about what tickets or passes to buy I just seems to end up with more questions than I started with. Soon i've got 4 days in Tokyo, then train down to Kyoto and Osaka for 3 days in each, possibly a day trip to Hiroshima, and then back up to Tokyo for a couple more days.
 


shingle

shingle

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2004
3,224
Lewes
You used to be able to buy a 7 day Shinkansen Bullet Train (Unlimited travel for 7 days) pass from here in the UK, You couldnt buy it in Japan, only the UK, before leaving. Great value if I remember.
 






C

Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
23,884
Bit random, but anyone Osaka-based have any knowledge of this guy? His trail went cold about 5 years ago. Used to be part of a local biker gang, also taught English as well as being a journalist, loved The Smiths and mod fashion. I suspect he's no longer with us. Nice guy.

Tim Maughan - BCCJ Acumen

» Read more about: Tim Maughan »
bccjacumen.com bccjacumen.com
 






Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,529
tokyo
brighton_tom said:
Can anyone offer any advice for the most cost effective way of travelling around Japan in terms of the trains? Every time i google about what tickets or passes to buy I just seems to end up with more questions than I started with. Soon i've got 4 days in Tokyo, then train down to Kyoto and Osaka for 3 days in each, possibly a day trip to Hiroshima, and then back up to Tokyo for a couple more days.
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JAPAN RAIL PASS

JAPAN RAIL PASS, which is essential for sightseeing in Japan, is a pass offered jointly by the six JR Group companies.
japanrailpass.net japanrailpass.net

This should be what you're after. Allows you on all/most trains nationwide. Or at least it used to, I haven't checked recently.

Edit: Also, definitely go to Hiroshima. If you're spending 6 days in Osaka and Kyoto you've got the time to take a day out to Hiroshima. It's a must visit.
 
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deletebeepbeepbeep

deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,806
brighton_tom said:
Can anyone offer any advice for the most cost effective way of travelling around Japan in terms of the trains? Every time i google about what tickets or passes to buy I just seems to end up with more questions than I started with. Soon i've got 4 days in Tokyo, then train down to Kyoto and Osaka for 3 days in each, possibly a day trip to Hiroshima, and then back up to Tokyo for a couple more days.
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You can get the JR pass but it is debatable whether it would save you money for that amount of trips because I think you would need a pass for longer than 7 days in those timeframes. It might be cheaper to book each trip individually.
 


B

BattFink

Active member
Jan 31, 2012
399
Buggers Hole
If you're in Kyoto & like looking at castles.. Himej castle is worth stopping at on the way to/from Hiroshima (on the same Shinkansen line)
 




deletebeepbeepbeep

deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,806
brighton_tom said:
Can anyone offer any advice for the most cost effective way of travelling around Japan in terms of the trains? Every time i google about what tickets or passes to buy I just seems to end up with more questions than I started with. Soon i've got 4 days in Tokyo, then train down to Kyoto and Osaka for 3 days in each, possibly a day trip to Hiroshima, and then back up to Tokyo for a couple more days.
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To add to this we just did a similar trip and it was marginal across 7 days as to whether we saved but we got a 7 day pass in case we wanted to make other journeys and convenience.

If you do get one think about booking some seats online a few weeks before you leave as the tokyo-osaka train can get filled up and you need a specific seats for oversized luggage etc. The other trains that are difficult to get bookings on are Osaka Hiroshima. Other trains it seems like you can just turn up.
 


The Clamp

The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 11, 2016
26,207
West is BEST
Be careful of the Japs when they’re drunk. They get very, very weird.

And don’t mention the war.
 


The Maharajah of Sydney

The Maharajah of Sydney

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
1,417
Sydney .
deletebeepbeepbeep said:
If you do get one think about booking some seats online a few weeks before you leave as the tokyo-osaka train can get filled up and you need a specific seats for oversized luggage etc. The other trains that are difficult to get bookings on are Osaka Hiroshima. Other trains it seems like you can just turn up.
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Noted, thanks for the tip.
Visiting in April and will be doing both those train journeys.
 






deletebeepbeepbeep

deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,806
brighton_tom said:
Can anyone offer any advice for the most cost effective way of travelling around Japan in terms of the trains? Every time i google about what tickets or passes to buy I just seems to end up with more questions than I started with. Soon i've got 4 days in Tokyo, then train down to Kyoto and Osaka for 3 days in each, possibly a day trip to Hiroshima, and then back up to Tokyo for a couple more days.
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Apologies for the unrequited advise but I would say that 3 days would be too long to spend in Osaka, unless you have something specific planned there. It's an interesting place with lots of quirky shops and drinking areas etc but unless you intend to bring a suitcase and fill it with tax free trainers or clothes you are likely to run out of things to do. Osaka is more focused on shopping and bars.

A day trip to Hiroshima to break it up would work or an extra day in Tokyo, or a trip and night in Koyasan (pilgrimage town to the south) which is what we did.
 




Fignon's Ponytail

Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
One of my friends is on day 24 of her trip to Japan. They've had the most stunning weather while there, and seen some amazingly beautiful places....except when on the train going past Mount Fuji earlier....when it was thick fog 🤦‍♂️
 




deletebeepbeepbeep

deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,806
Fignon's Ponytail said:
One of my friends is on day 24 of her trip to Japan. They've had the most stunning weather while there, and seen some amazingly beautiful places....except when on the train going past Mount Fuji earlier....when it was thick fog 🤦‍♂️
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We went to see Mt Fuji (from Hakone) on the only day it rained during our 3 week trip. Couldn't see shit. We did see it briefly from a bullet train window for about 30 seconds though.
 


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