I’m heading to Japan for the second time with my 20-year-old son. During our first trip, we spent two weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto (plus the surrounding areas).
This time, we’re planning to stay in Tokyo for at least 4-5 days and then head to the island of Naoshima.
I’m looking for suggestions and advice:
Is getting to Naoshima from Tokyo complicated? If so, do you have any recommendations for a stopover somewhere? Given that we’d prefer not to move every day, we’d rather settle in one place and then explore on day trips...
Do you think it’s possible to do something like this:
5 nights in Tokyo (Shinjuku)
3 nights in Kyoto
2 nights in Naoshima (or is one night enough??) and if one night is enough, where could I spend a second night on the way back to Tokyo?
2 nights in Tokyo (I’d love your advice on staying in a different neighborhood—last time we stayed near Ueno Park)—keeping in mind we’re flying out of Narita.
I’m considering maybe skipping Kyoto, which I love but has apparently become *very* touristy...
Not really keen on Osaka... since we’ll already have done Tokyo as our "big city." I’d prefer towns where nature is present... (a bit like Kyoto, which offers all that...)
For info, we’ll be traveling by train.
Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!
I have one last little question:
Is cash still widely used in Japan, or not at all anymore?
For your first question, I don’t know, but you’re right about Kyoto—it’s become a nightmare. Some streets are now off-limits to tourists, and there’s talk of a nightly hotel surtax that could go up to 60 € per person per night, depending on the hotel category. Personally, I love Osaka, but I’d also recommend Okayama. It’s a mid-sized city with Japan’s third-most beautiful garden, and the castle is worth seeing, along with the surrounding park. From there, you can easily visit Kurashiki (the "Venice of Japan")—just a 20-minute local train ride—and stay overnight in Okayama.
You can pay by card or cash almost everywhere, including supermarkets. The exchange rate is great right now. I personally withdraw from FamilyMart or post offices (220 yen in fees, 1.30 €), no matter the amount. Avoid 7-Eleven, as they charge a percentage-based fee.
Hello.
To get to Naoshima, stop in Okayama and take a JR train to Uno Port. From there, you can take a ferry. If you've got the budget, the Benesse House hotel awaits...
Plan for a full day to visit all the island's spots and museums.
If you'd rather not deal with Kyoto's crowds—and I totally get it—try Kanazawa, a really nice city on the Sea of Japan coast. It's accessible by shinkansen from Tokyo and by Express train from Kyoto.
It's a shame to skip Osaka—this city is really different from Tokyo, especially for a 20-year-old... maybe next time!
It's always good to have some cash on hand, though credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in Japan.
Have a great trip!
Mes 25 ans de séjours au japon! http://www.soleilrouge.org/
Okinawa et Miyakojima: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6477376;idl3=9084144203&idl=3731943&idl2=8709057
Sakura: Balade de printemps: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6988760;idl3=9084144203&idl=3731943&idl2=8709057
If you skip Kyoto or cut a few days in Tokyo, and since you want to visit Naoshima, here’s another suggestion: spend a few days in Shikoku. For example, you could base yourself in Takamatsu for a while. It’s a human-scale city by the Seto Inland Sea. From there, you can take a ferry to Naoshima—the crossing takes about 30 minutes from the city.
In Takamatsu, you can visit one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, Ritsurin Koen, and try udon, one of the local culinary specialties. For day trips, you could head to Kashima (Shikoku Mura), or Kotohira to climb the many steps with pilgrims to the shrine, where you’ll get a clear view of the valley. Nearby, there’s also the bonsai town if that interests you.
This isn’t an exhaustive list—there are plenty of other things to explore depending on your tastes.
Takamatsu is easily reachable by domestic flight from Tokyo. It’s also possible by train, but check the price and duration.
About cash: even though cards are increasingly accepted, I agree with fuchan69 that having cash on hand is still useful. However, I’ve noticed that in high-end, high-rise locations, cash isn’t accepted anymore—you can only pay by card. I experienced this at Kabukicho Tower, for example.
Dear Patrick,
Thank you so much for your feedback.
I see that several of you are recommending Osaka, so I’ll think about it!
I’m noting Okayama!
And thanks for answering my questions :-)
Best regards,
Karine
Hi Fuchan,
Thanks for your reply. Yet another person recommending Osaka—I’ll think about it. Actually, I was a bit hesitant because of the World Expo, worried about even more tourists than usual...
I’m noting Kanazawa—it was already on my list, and I even saw there’s a contemporary art museum ;-)
I messed up with the Benesse House booking—you have to reserve exactly 6 months before your stay... bummer...
Thanks again for your tips!
Best regards,
Karine
Hi Nathalie,
Thanks for your reply as well.
I’ll look into your suggestion. Why not indeed base ourselves in Takamatsu and explore the area from there.
And thanks for the info about cash—it really does seem to be disappearing little by little everywhere...
Thanks to everyone!
Looking forward to chatting more.
Hi Karine,
If you have time and you're looking for sightseeing ideas, check out my little website dedicated entirely to Japan. You'll find trip reports on Osaka, Kanazawa... and all over Japan.
www.soleil-rouge.org
Happy planning!
Mes 25 ans de séjours au japon! http://www.soleilrouge.org/
Okinawa et Miyakojima: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6477376;idl3=9084144203&idl=3731943&idl2=8709057
Sakura: Balade de printemps: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=6988760;idl3=9084144203&idl=3731943&idl2=8709057
Thanks Fuchan,
I’d already started and will go back to it as soon as I have time.
Thanks again!
I might come back to you if I have any questions.
Have a great day,
Karine
I’m sharing a draft itinerary (not yet finalized). It involves a lot of moving around, which I wasn’t initially keen on, but it also lets me visit the different places recommended by others in the discussion. Just wanted to check if this seems doable or if it feels "too much":
After 5 nights in Tokyo, which we could potentially shorten by one night
Day 6: Tokyo > Osaka
Day 7: Osaka
Day 8: Osaka > Okayama
Day 9: Okayama (possible day trip to Kurashiki)
Day 10: Okayama > Naoshima
Day 11: Naoshima > Takamatsu
Day 12: Takamatsu > Tokyo – by plane if it’s not too expensive (?)
Day 13: Return flight to France from Narita
The thing is, I’m a bit constrained by a night I’ve already booked on Naoshima Island (hotels are fully booked now) and also the fact that museums on the island are closed on Mondays...
Hi there,
Cool! Just need to book now. 😉
For the Takamatsu/Tokyo flight, budget around 60 € with checked luggage on JAL, depending on the dates—but book early.
I think I understand that the tickets to Japan are already booked. That’s too bad—returning via Osaka would’ve been better.
Regarding the itinerary:
You can spend a week in Okayama with all there is to see in the surrounding area (much less in the city itself). So one night is enough to soak up Okayama and Kurashiki.
However, two nights total for Naoshima and Takamatsu is tight. Leaving Okayama in the morning for Naoshima and heading to Takamatsu the next afternoon works, but you’ll need to stay two nights in Takamatsu (using the night saved in Okayama). That way, you can enjoy the incredible Ritsurin Garden and visit Kotohira to see Konpira-san, not to mention the Busshozan onsen.
For Naoshima, the must-see is obviously Benesse (especially the Oval section), but since it’s too late for that, check out the yurts at Tsutsujiso—they’re right next to the pumpkin sculpture.
So you’ve decided to skip Kyoto and go to Osaka, which doesn’t really appeal to you.
I don’t know Osaka well, but even though I’ve often read in traveler itineraries or trip reports that people only spend one or two nights there, it seems a bit short to really explore the city—especially since it’s great for day trips, which is what you wanted. Here are a few ideas for cities that seem nice for a day trip from Osaka:
- Kyoto
- Uji
- Okayama
- Sakai (https://zoomjapan.info/2025/01/voyage/sakai-fascinante-ville-art-histoire-osaka/)
- Kobe
- Awaji Island
- Otsu (https://ichiban-japan.com/otsu/)
I agree with Masterpo—two days for Naoshima and Takamatsu is a little tight.
Ritsurin-koen garden is a gem, maybe one of the most beautiful in the country.
To add to Masterpo’s trip report, here’s a link to mine where I talk about it: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=9999591;a=9999591;
If you’re not keen on visiting two big cities—since you’ve already been to Tokyo (even though there’s still so much to see and do there)—and you’d rather discover less touristy places with a smaller-town vibe, you could consider cutting Tokyo entirely except for your return night, or reducing your time there to just 2, 3, or 4 nights.
For example, by shortening Tokyo:
Day 1 & 2: Tokyo (with nights in Tokyo—note: there are overnight buses from Tokyo)
Day 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: Osaka and surrounding areas (Okayama, etc.), with the 7th night possibly taking an overnight ferry from Osaka/Kobe to Takamatsu
Day 8 & 9: Takamatsu and Kotohira (nights in Takamatsu)
Day 10: Takamatsu > Naoshima (leave early in the morning)
Day 11: Naoshima > Okayama, then train back to Tokyo
Day 12: Tokyo
Day 13: Flight back to France from Narita
This is just an example to illustrate my point—it’s your trip, so build it based on your tastes, wishes, and priorities.
I’m planning a trip around Italy using only trains or public transport in October (hoping the weather stays nice!).
I’d obviously like to see some tourist destinations, but I also want to get off the beaten path a bit, and I’m hoping to find some help here? I don’t plan to linger too long in the cities.
Starting in the north, I’d like to visit Lake Como or Lake Orta, pass through the Cinque Terre for some hiking, spend a few days in Naples and Rome, then head down to Sicily.
Hi there,
I’ll be traveling to Japan this coming August. We’ve finalized our itinerary and booked our flight tickets. Now I’m at the stage of buying train tickets for the few segments we’ll need to cover:
Tokyo - Hakone
Hakone - Kyoto
Kyoto - Osaka
Osaka - Tokyo
Here are my questions:
a) Is it possible to buy train tickets for these segments from Canada?
b) If so, which website should I use to do this?
c) And if it is possible, will we be able to print our tickets from Canada?
d) If it’s not possible, where in Tokyo should I go to buy these tickets when I arrive?
Hi everyone, I wanted to take the Paris-Berlin overnight train with a sleeper berth, the new service operated by European Sleepers.
24/05/2026 17:45 Paris-Nord (actually 16:00 from Paris Bercy Seine) -> 25/05/2026 9:59 (actually 7:30 in Berlin)
05/06/2026 18:31 Berlin (actually 20:00) -> 06/06/2026 10:00 Paris Nord (actually 12:30)
Part of the journey was operated by bus instead of the promised overnight train.
For 2 people: 340 € round trip
A total disaster. Never again. I was really looking forward to taking the overnight train, but we faced last-minute changes and truly unpleasant travel conditions. Here are the details:
1) 2 days before departure: email announcing a change of departure station for the outbound trip—Bercy Seine bus station instead of Gare du Nord.
2) Change of schedule: 4:00 PM from Bercy instead of 5:45 PM from Gare du Nord.
3) Change of transport mode!! A bus from Paris to Brussels, then an overnight train from Brussels to Berlin. No functional toilets on the bus. No children under 4 allowed on the bus.
4) On the sleeper train at 9:30 PM: no functional toilets in our carriage, so we had to go to other carriages, even in the middle of the night, to find working ones.
5) The onboard staff, though very friendly, were as lost as we were. In particular, they didn’t know how to handle the lower berths, so people using them had less space (armrests and backrests). Berth numbers weren’t respected, so some passengers had to move. The staff also didn’t know who was supposed to join the compartment during the journey.
6) Arrival at 7:30 AM in Berlin instead of 10:00 AM. No arrival announcement. Passengers had to search for staff to get breakfast and ended up with just a coffee (breakfast = 15 €, not bad for just a coffee).
7) Return trip: drastic schedule change announced by email on 26/05/2026—departure at 7:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM, with arrival between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM in Paris instead of 10:00 AM. No change in transport mode announced.
8) Change in transport mode announced by email on the same day (05/06/2026)!! Overnight train from Brussels to Berlin, then a bus from Paris to Brussels. No functional toilets on the bus. Children under 4 banned from the bus, and families in this situation were asked to find another way—after being notified the same day.
9) The overnight train arrived at Berlin station with a 30-minute delay on top of its initial delay (scheduled for 6:31 PM, then 7:30 PM, finally arriving at 8:00 PM). The heating was blasting in the compartment with no way to turn it off. No functional toilets in the carriage. From that point on, customer service stopped responding to my messages.
10) Woken up at 5:00 AM with an announcement in all carriages about arrival in Liège.
11) Woken up again at 6:00 AM to be told we’d arrive in Brussels at 7:00 AM.
12) Arrival in Brussels at 7:00 AM and a one-hour wait for the bus to Paris. No functional toilets on the bus.
13) Arrival at Paris Nord at 12:30 PM, so 2.5 hours late compared to the originally scheduled time.
14) The overnight trains used are very old—I recognized the carriages from 20 years ago!! No functional power outlets, no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning. Five people per compartment is a bit cramped, but I consider these conditions expected (especially the air conditioning), so I’m not complaining about that. There’s already plenty to gripe about with the travel conditions.
I have little hope of getting even a partial refund. Customer service emails acknowledge the discomfort but only offer to reimburse the cost of a coffee on board if we send them the receipt... a bit weak.
I’m sharing this experience in the hope it might help others.
Hi there,
I’d like to take the Train of the Clouds from Lima to Huancayo.
I’ve heard it only runs during certain periods.
Does anyone have info on this?
Thanks!
HuancayoHuancayo
As part of my professional thesis, I’m conducting a study on the evolution of long-distance rail transport in France, particularly since it opened up to competition.
I’ve put together a very quick (about 5-minute) and completely anonymous questionnaire. Your answers will help me better understand users' expectations regarding pricing, frequency, and environmental impact.
We’re planning a 15-day trip to Uzbekistan in March—classic independent itinerary: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. We’d like to take the train between each city, but I don’t want to lock down the whole trip before we leave.
So, my question is: is it absolutely necessary to book train tickets before departure, whether for the high-speed trains or the regional ones? Is booking really essential for the regional trains?
Hello,
We’re traveling as a family with two boys aged 10 and 12 to Cairo in February. During our trip, we’re planning to take an overnight train (with or without a sleeper) for the Cairo-Aswan route.
Do you know how I can book this remotely?
Also, I’m looking for:
- A local contact to sail the Nile by felucca for 3 days from Aswan
- A contact to guide us in Cairo
Looking forward to your tips, and thanks in advance!
Marie
Hi everyone,
I first traveled solo to Japan in 2019, exploring the Kyushu region (28 days), and I’m planning to return with my daughter (she’s an adult and it’ll be her first time in Asia) from April 25 to May 9.
I’m reaching out on this forum to ask for route ideas—this time north of Tokyo, but without heading to the Sapporo island (I’m saving that for a future trip).
I’d love to take advantage of the cherry blossom season and its festivities.
I’m looking to create a route that’s a little off the beaten path while staying within 5-6 hours by train from Tokyo to avoid spending too much time on transfers.
Thanks in advance for sharing your suggestions and experiences!
Michael
I'm heading to MEXICO IN NOVEMBER 2025. Since private guides and drivers are really expensive—over 300 € per day—I'm thinking of exploring the Yucatán by train. CAN YOU SHARE ANY INFO ON THIS? Thanks
Hi there!
We’re planning to visit Serbia (1 week) and then Montenegro (2nd week) with our kids from April 18 to May 4. We’d prefer to travel by train (overnight if possible), but we’re not sure which platform to book on or when to do it (is it too early?). If anyone has any tips, I’m all ears!!
I wanted to know if it’s possible to go from Tashkent to Almaty by train without passing through Kyrgyzstan. I’ve heard the border is often closed 😕 between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Thanks in advance!
Olivier
Hi there!
We’re planning to head back to Istanbul next year—obviously by plane—and then take the train from Istanbul to Antalya. Has anyone here already made this trip by train with TCDD?
I’d love any tips or info that could be useful for us!
I'd like to go to Montserrat on my own from Barcelona. Share your suggestions with me.
Which train should I take, where to get off, what to see once I arrive, etc.
I need to take a sleeper train from Bangkok to Vientiane in January.
I found some ticket options on 12Go Asia, but booking doesn’t seem possible at the moment. I’ve tried simulations for several dates, but no luck.
I’m wondering if it’s already fully booked, if they’ve stopped selling tickets… yet 12Go still features it every day 😕
Has anyone else run into this issue?
Can I find tickets on another site? (I tried Baolau, but no sleepers left for January 8th.)
Hi there,
I’m a bit late to be worrying about this, but hopefully someone can help me before I leave.
Tomorrow afternoon, I arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu on the TGV at 5:50 PM and take the TER to Mâcon at 6:16 PM. Is a 26-minute transfer doable? Are the TGV and TER on the same departure board? And are they on the same platforms too?
I’ve been to Lyon before but never had to make a connection after arriving.
Thanks
I can’t seem to complete the payment for my trip on the IRCTC (Indian Railways) site. No matter which payment method I choose, my Visa card isn’t accepted.
Has anyone here managed to do it, and if so, could you share the method you used?
Thanks in advance!
Charlie
Starting November 15th, I’ll be arriving in Thailand, and during my stay, I plan to visit the north, around the Chiang Mai area, then head south to the Krabi region.
After Krabi, I’m planning to take an overnight train to Bangkok. I was wondering if there’s a train that leaves from Krabi or Trang, or if I absolutely have to go to Surat Thani?
Also, which official website can I use to book my ticket?
Next, since I’ll be arriving at dawn in Bangkok, I’ve planned to spend 2 days in Kanchanaburi. What’s the most convenient way to get there—bus or train? And if you know any companies or websites, that’d be great.
Hi there,
Does anyone know if there’s a bus from Luang Namtha to Boten to catch the train coming from China to Vientiane? If so, what’s the name of the company? Also, how long does the bus take to cover that distance? What’s the condition of the road like?
Thanks for your help!
Tom
I just realized there’s only one payment method accepted for booking the Mombasa-Nairobi express train ticket online: M-Pesa, a mobile money transfer service used in Africa. Would it be impossible to book as a European?
I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient).
But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)
That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.
In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.
I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...
Could you give me a recent opinion on this?
We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?
Thanks so much for your help,
and have a great Sunday!
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book two first-class tickets? I’m only seeing second-class options.
Hi everyone,
For traveling in Rajasthan by train and bus, could you give me some info: where to buy tickets, cost, purchase locations, websites, etc.?
Any tips you have would be super helpful.
Thanks
We’re traveling to Java on October 23, just the two of us.
I’ve read that it’s best to book train tickets in advance on tiket.com.
Is that true, and how far ahead do you recommend?
Are the tickets changeable?
Hi everyone,
I’m planning to travel from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk by train this summer but I’m a bit worried about crossing the borders. How does it work? Could anyone share their experience? (I’ve found quite a few accounts of people going *from* Russia *to* Mongolia, but entering a country is never the same as leaving it—especially in this context!)
Can anyone tell me how to book train tickets online? We're planning to travel from HANOI to HO CHI MINH CITY by train, making several stops along the way. I'd also like to find the schedules and the stations where the trains stop.
There are four of us, and we've already planned stops in HANOI / DONG HOI / HUE.
We’re planning this *very* last-minute—I know! But we’d love to spend 4 days soon (within the next 10–12 days) on a city getaway with our young adult kids. Ideally by train, and for this short trip, we’d prefer not to spend more than 4–6 hours in transit, leaving from Lausanne (Switzerland). We’ve been considering Milan, Strasbourg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, but I’ll admit I’m feeling a bit lost...
Venice was our original plan, but the connection changes in Domodossola or Milan are making the travel time longer this year.
It’s peak summer, so there’ll be tourists and it’ll likely be hot, but oh well...
Any suggestions? We love wandering around, taking photos, exploring cities on foot, trying out restaurants, and keeping things low-key.
