1

You are. This is a fast pace in general and even though you may enjoy it, she may not. Have you shown it to her? Does she like it?

From Oct 24 you spend 9 nights in a row in a different hotel in a different city!


Why only a 3 day pass? When are you dropping the car off? Won't it be cheaper to get a 5 day pass so that your transport from Kumamoto back to Hakata is covered?

How much are your internal domestic flights costing?
When you fly into Osaka are you arriving at Kansai Airport or Itami?
Have you booked all your accommodation yet?

2

She's not much of a traveler so relying on me wholly to book the trip.
9 straight nights in diff hotels does seem hectic.

In terms of kyushu rail pass, not sure what the best option is: either 5 days, 3 days plus bus back to hakata, or 5 days full car hire?

Nealy all hotels booked, except takachiho and osaka.

I would consider two nights in Nagasaki although this would make a long trip the next day to do Aso and arrive at Kurokawa with sufficient time to enjoy the onsens. Main reasons for going to Kyushu

Also with Osaka, could go straight to Kyoto but would like to go to Nara the next morning so staying in Osaka makes sense.

Flights were dirt cheap compared to rail costs. Narita to Fukuoaka @ 4000Y, Fukuoaka to Osaka @ 3,700 each

I also have option to cancel hotel bookings without cost as there is still 2 weeks to go. Any suggestions welcomed

3

Osaka to Nara in the morning. 3-4 hrs Nara, then to Kyoto for the night
Not sure of your definitions of "morning" and "night" here. That would only be a 5-6 hour day...

In my opinion Nara easily deserves a full day and I would not have a problem of filling two days either. If you are planning to do something in the afternoon in Kyoto, take into account that with your plan you will lose some 2 hours or so on transport and that temples in Kyoto close early around 5pm.

4

Good luck!


Yes, it would be fine for me, but possibly not for her.


Why would you bus it back? The bus is 2000 yen and the difference between the 3day pass and 5 day pass is 2000 yen and you can use the Shinkansen from Kumamoto to Hakata which takes 33 mins instead of 2 hours on the bus.


That sounds expensive.


Agreed. I would not do two nights there.


I'd just base myself the whole time in Kyoto. Easy enough to go from Kyoto to Nara, saves storing luggage in Nara too. Plus you can consider seeing Fushimi Inari on the way there early in the morning.


Jetstar Japan?
KIX? (You didn't answer before)

If so, I'd probably get the new ICOCA + Haruka return package
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_icoca_haruka.html

Use the Haruka to get to Osaka (or my suggestion of Kyoto) and then use the ICOCA to get around. Then use the Haruka ticket to get from Kyoto back to Kansai Airport at the end.


Seems fine given the pace.

5

A few thoughts:

It would be dreadful if you passed on Kamakura, which is a gem of a place in Japan. Worth at least half a day to a full day.
Secondly, why go all the way back to Narita to go to Fukuoka? You can get a better connection and schedule from Haneda. In fact, if you are not interested in seeing Fukuoka, why not just fly straight from Haneda to Nagasaki? And if you only use the pass to go from Nagasaki to Kumamoto, I tend to doubt that it'd be worth it.
At any rate, for more info on Kamakura, see
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2166.html

and for Fukuoka, see
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html

and for Nagasaki, see
http://www.ngs-kenkanren.com/eng/
http://www.at-nagasaki.jp/foreign/english/

6

Thanks for the input guys.

Bamse - you're right,Nara probably does deserve the full day. Having not been there prior, best to sacrifice the afternoon in Kyoto for a full day in Nara

Acc - If we factor in 2x railpasses plus 1 day car hire then price is equivalent if not more than 5 days car hire alone. I suppose one needs to factor in tolls and petrol (which I have not done).
Flights are indeed with jetstar and flying into Kansai airport

Thanks for the Haruka tip. As we are also travelling Kyoto - Koyosan - Kansai airport, would anyone have suggestions on whether its best to get the world heritage ticket and then just make our own way to Namba from Kyoto, and Kansai Airport from Koyosan, or is there a ticket that would cover all for 2 days (kyoto to Osaka, Osaka to Koyosan, Koyosan to Kansai Airport)?

Thanks

7

And time driving. I'd be surprised if the car was cheaper.


Thought so.


Yes. (Unless you use the pass below)


Kansai Thru Pass (Surutto Kansai)
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357_005.html

Depends what you do on Koyasan as to which is best.

8

Oct 21 Arrive Tokyo 8pm
Oct 22 Tokyo
Oct 23 Tokyo
Oct 24 Tokyo to Nikko, night in Nikko (All nikko pass)
Oct 25 Tokyo
Oct 26 Tokyo to Hakone, night in Hakone (hakone free pass)
Oct 27 Hakone to Tokyo, Flight from Narita to Fukuoaka arrive 8pm. Night in Fukuoaka
Oct 28 Fukuoaka to Nagasaki in morning, Night in Nagasaki (purchase Northern Kyushu 3 day JR Pass)
Oct 29 Nagasaki to Kumomoto, see castle, hire car drive to Takachiho gorge, spend night in Takachiho,
Oct 30 Takachiho to Aso, 2-3 hrs in Aso then to Kurokawa Onsen, Night in Kurokawa
Oct 31 Kurokawa back to Kumamoto, Shinkasen to Hakata for 4pm flight to Osaka. Night in Osaka
Nov 1 Osaka to Nara in the morning. 3-4 hrs Nara, then to Kyoto for the night
Nov 2 Kyoto
Nov 3 Kyoto
Nov 4 Kyoto to Koyosan. Night in temple (Koyasan World Heritage Ticket)
Nov 5 Koyosan to Osaka – fly out of Japan

I would personally chop this down a bit and maybe do this, also noticed your trip is heavy on cities

OCT 21 arrive Tokyo
Oct 22 Tokyo
OCT 23 Tokyo
OCT 24 Tokyo to Nikko
OCT 25 Nikko (Nikko is nice, I'd spend 2 nights here, the leaves should be changing in Oku Nikko and areas around this time)
OCT 26 Nikko to Tokyo
OCT 27 Tokyo to Hakone (day trip)
Oct 28 Tokyo to Fukuoka
Oct 29 Fukuoka to Nagasaki
Oct 30 Nagasaki to Takachiho
Oct 31 Takachiho to Mt Aso to Kurokawa Onsen
Nov 1 Kurokawa to (surprised, no Beppu? famous for onsens) Kyoto
Nov 2 Kyoto
Nov 3 Kyoto (any day day trip to Nara)
Nov 4 Kyoto to Osaka (later in day)
Nov 5 Osaka ,leave Japan

Note Skips Kumamoto. I find your pace a little too relentless, so I would need a vacation from this vacation afterwards.