Japan January 2019 Itinerary

[Guest]

Hi all, booked flights and all hotels (with free cancellation) so far, with JPR, park tickets and studio Ghibli tickets still to get. Any advice welcome! The trip is for me and my friend.


Day 1 - Arrive Kansai airport, travel to Kyoto (Daiwa Royal Hotel Grand)
Day 2 - Explore Kyoto
Day 3 - day trip to Hiroshima/mayajima
Day 4 - Explore Kyoto
Day 5 - travel to Nagano (Nagano Tokyo REI Hotel)
Day 6 - get up early for Jigokudani Monkey Park, travel on to Tokyo (Tokyo KNOT Shinjuku)
Day 7 - Tokyo
Day 8 - day trip Mt Fugi/lake Kawaguchi
Day 9 - Tokyo
Day 10 - Tokyo and move hotel to the bay (Okura)
Day 11 - Disney
Day 12 - Disney
Day 13 - Disney
Day 14 - Disney and move to Narita Airport (Narita View)
Day 15 - Return home!

After lots of tweaking I'm happy with this plan but still a lot of details to go! I know the monkey park is very much out of the way but we are desperate to go! We would've preferred to stay at the Sheraton Club level instead of Okura but we couldn't argue with the price (and size!) of the room.

[dipsydoodle]

Your itinerary looks great - i love to see what differant people are planning we are planning for November to catch Christmas stuff at disney and the autumn colours so haven't got our flights yet. We are lucky to b able to go for 3 weeks and our itenery looks like this so far

Arrive Haneda airport (hopefully have used virgin air miles on ANA)
4 nights in Tokyo (hopefully staying in Shinjuku)
Bullet train to Kyoto (using the 14 day JR pass)
3 nights in Kyoto visiting Arishiyama, fushimi inari shrine & Kyoto castle.
Then onto Kinosaki Onsen staying overnight at a ryokan
2 nights at Hiroshima to see the peace park
1 night at Miyajima
Onto Osaka for 2 nights
Temple lodgings for a night at Koyasan
5 nights at Hilton Tokyo bay to do the disney parks

I know it looks a bit hectic but we are looking at it more as a backpacking holiday - travelling light and doing as much as we can in case we don't get to go back.

[AntonyJ]

Ohhh I got my ANA flights with Virgin air miles !

[dipsydoodle]

Originally Posted by AntonyJ

Ohhh I got my ANA flights with Virgin air miles !

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Ha ha - I know I remember ure post when u got them - hoping I'm as lucky . Never flown with them before interested to know what u think of them - we didn't have enough miles for first so it would b nice to hear what we missed - we are looking at business which sounds good tho

[AntonyJ]

Well my partner is in First both ways and I am in Business out / economy home _ but advice is more reward seats should come out before we go, but nothing is certain.

Am quite chuffed with what we have so if I get no further upgrades, will not be gutted

[AntonyJ]

Just seen your day 6, we have picked that hotel for the non-Disney part of our stay too!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by dipsydoodle

Your itinerary looks great - i love to see what differant people are planning we are planning for November to catch Christmas stuff at disney and the autumn colours so haven't got our flights yet. We are lucky to b able to go for 3 weeks and our itenery looks like this so far

Arrive Haneda airport (hopefully have used virgin air miles on ANA)
4 nights in Tokyo (hopefully staying in Shinjuku)
Bullet train to Kyoto (using the 14 day JR pass)
3 nights in Kyoto visiting Arishiyama, fushimi inari shrine & Kyoto castle.
Then onto Kinosaki Onsen staying overnight at a ryokan
2 nights at Hiroshima to see the peace park
1 night at Miyajima
Onto Osaka for 2 nights
Temple lodgings for a night at Koyasan
5 nights at Hilton Tokyo bay to do the disney parks

I know it looks a bit hectic but we are looking at it more as a backpacking holiday - travelling light and doing as much as we can in case we don't get to go back.

See more...

I don't think that sounds too hectic! You're going to a lot of places but at least you're getting at least a couple of days in each one. I wondered if we should stay one night in Hiroshima/Miyajima but I just don't think we have the time. Rather it just be one really long day.

We booked our flights at the end of August with FinnAir, flying to Kansai via Helsinki, then direct to Heathrow from Tokyo with BA on the return. It was £590 each which I was happy with.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by AntonyJ

Just seen your day 6, we have picked that hotel for the non-Disney part of our stay too!

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Yeah I think it looked really good online! I've already had a little communication with them and they seem very helpful. I think as it's a newer hotel the price is great, the hotel we are staying in Kyoto is also brand new this summer so the price is a little lower than other similar hotels in the area.

[dipsydoodle]

Originally Posted by Itsabipal

Yeah I think it looked really good online! I've already had a little communication with them and they seem very helpful. I think as it's a newer hotel the price is great, the hotel we are staying in Kyoto is also brand new this summer so the price is a little lower than other similar hotels in the area.

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This is also one of the hotels that we am looking at would be interested in what you think of it before we book. The reviews all look really good and they seem really good with the customer service side and its a good location.

[dipsydoodle]

[QUOTE=AntonyJ;13513730]Well my partner is in First both ways and I am in Business out / economy home _ but advice is more reward seats should come out before we go, but nothing is certain.

That's interesting - so maybe we could book the business class if available and then continue to save the miles for a potential upgrade nearer the time (we both have the virgin CCs and I am due a new AA card next year so possible)