I wonder if you knowledgable people would critique this itinerary.
Tokyo 2 nts
Shinkansen to Nagoya , pick up hire car to Kiso Valley (probably Tsumago or Magome) 2 nights
To Takayama or somewhere near 3 nights
Kyoto, drop off hire car 3 nts
Shinkansen to Hiroshima, Miyajima 2 nts
High speed ferry to Matsuyama,Shikoku pick up hire car and to Mihara mura (none of you will have heard of it- it is small village approx 1900 pop. about 30 minutes drive from Nakamura- my son has a job teaching english in the school there) 3nts
Iya Valley and Oboke gorge 3 nts
Drive straight to Kansai airport and home (evening flight at 2150)
I can add and subtract nights here and there and could probably add an extra night to the itinerary.
I am expecting navigating to be difficult in some parts. From Australia so driving on left is fine.
Couple of questions
Kiso Valley- Where is best to stay Tsumago Magome or Narai-
If we wanted to stay near Takayama but not necessarily in Tak. is there a nice spot close by?
Are my driving distances do able.
Is there snow on the Alps all year (is that a silly question?) We are planning end March into April
Many thanks.
My question- why are you driving? Road tolls, parking fees and gas prices are horrendous, not to mention the driving manners in this country. Public transportation will be MUCH faster, and you won't have to deal with traffic jams. Incidentally, I drove to Kansai airport (from Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture) in March to pick up my mom and the road tolls were close to $100!
The end of March/beginning of April will be cherry blossom season so traffic WILL be congested. Also make hotel reservations way in advance for this timeframe. Yes, there should still be snow in the alps, unless "la nina" has something uncalled for in store for us all...
Oh, your itinerary looks fine- looks like you enjoy the outdoors. :-)
The best place to stay in the Kiso Valley depends on whether you're going to do the walk between Magome and Tsumago (highly recommended), and where and what time you will start/finish. The walk is easier starting out from Magome, but either place is fine to spend the night. Narai makes a good day trip, but I don't know if it would be interesting enough to spend the night there.
I don't know why you wouldn't want to stay in Takayama, unless you wish to sleep in a gassho-zukuri house in the Ogimachi/Shirakawa-go area. Furukawa is also an option, as it's just a short distance from Takayama.
Thank you both for your feedback. I guess the driving bits are twofold, one = I was told by someone living there that public transport on shikoku was nowhere near as good as on the other islands and car is preferable. I guess I could have another look at trains to the alps and kiso regions = have just always found with a car you have complete flexibility, but possibly am underestimating trains in Japan.
I suppose the next question given what you have said is do we delay travel till May, will it be significantly quieter then? I am guessing its a toss up between crowds or no cherry blossom.
(I wish La Nina would hit here= we are in terrible drought)
The "Golden Week" holiday lasts until May 5, and after that, kids will be back in school and people will be back on the job. Airfares & hotel rates will go down, fewer crowds, GREAT weather. I highly recommend cherry blossom season, however- it is just amazing. The choices are yours! :-)
That La Nina thing is wreaking havoc all over the world- we've had a drought in the Shikoku area, and the dam is so low that they are going to begin water rationing. Rainy season has started a week later than usual, (and it really hasn't been raining this week either!), and the meteorologists predict a scorching summer in Japan. It's gotta be good for beer sales...
If you are travelling with someone then it makes sense to hire a car. It will work out similar in cost to train transport and you can get around more easily in the mountain areas. Thats especially true if you want to stay in a nice onsen ryokan outside of town and if you want to take scenic country roads and avoid the expressways.
If you are alone then the cost will be high and its probably better to take public transport. even though you could end up waiting a long time in the rural areas
In the Kiso valley/Takayama the cherry blossoms wont come out until mid-end of April. In the end of March there may still be quite a bit of snow on the roads espcially if you go between Matsumoto to Takayama and on to�@Shirakawago. Its still ski season up in the mountains
Wha‚”s your price range for accomodation? Theres are loads of really great onsen villages in the mountains but most of them are a little pricy. Magome and Tsumago are a little cheaper because theres no onsen and the mountain food is simpler, but as a tourist you will just love the old atmosphere and the food is plentiful and filling
Thanks KLB, yes my husband and I and maybe another couple and now my adult daughter(24 yo) is talking of joining us. so the car may prove the best option for the alps- we have travelled a fair bit and do like getting off the main roads and car rental and expenses will be at least halved.
Haven't worked out accom budget as I am getting the idea that everywhere is reasonably expensive. I was thinking of staying in "cheaper" places in some parts and putting more money towards anywhere a bit special like the onsen villages in the mountains- do you have any special recommendations?
From what you and Cocodrilo am thinking of going end April early May.
All this input is greatly appreciated.
There are heaps of cheapie inns ("minshuku" in Japanese) all around Nagano, etc where you get breakfast & dinner, too for as little as 5000 yen per person. When you arrive in the town, go to the counter at the train station or tourist counter and they should have a list provided by the local tourist board with minshuku, ryokans, etc.
For Narai, I highly recommend Echigoya 0264-34-3011. From 13,000 per person includes a fantastic dinner and breakfast in a 300 year old inn. No onsen though there is a communal bath. No English spoken so get one of the tourist offices to call for you.
For Tsumago, try Matsushiro-ya, 0264-57-3022, some English spoken, around 10,000 with meals, lovely grilled fish in season, also soba noodles. Its the oldest minshuku around here
Tsumago and Magome are both very popular with Japanese tourists so avoid weekends.
For onsen towns,Shinhodaka and Fukuchi are amazing. They are on a side road between Matsumoto and Takayama. Will you be going this way?
One last word, AVOID end apr-early may at all costs, this is Golden week and the traffic is horrific and all hotels are full. Either go early-mid Apr or mid-late May.
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