Ongoing discussions · Northeast Asia

Hi there,

We’re arriving as a group of three in Tokyo on Saturday, October 17th, then heading straight to Kyoto by direct train. On Sunday and Monday, we’ll explore Kyoto, and in the evening, we’ll take a train to Osaka to spend the night. On Tuesday, we’ll pick up a rental car at Itami Airport for a 6-day/5-night road trip around Shikoku: - 2 nights in the Iya Valley - Thursday morning, we’ll head to Matsuyama for 2 nights. - Saturday, we’ll visit Mima (town, a few temples + overnight stay) and return on Sunday to drop off the car in Osaka. We’ll leave very early on Monday the 26th by plane for Aomori in northern Honshu, where we’ll pick up another rental car at the airport for a 5-day/4-night trip: - Day 1: Tsugaru Peninsula (Takayam Inari, Cape Tappi, Kanita); overnight in Kanita - Day 2: Ferry transfer to the Mutsu Peninsula (cliffs, Lake Usori); overnight in Shimofuro - Day 3: Head to the Hakkoda Mountains and onsens galore; overnight TBD - Day 4: Return the car in Aomori by noon and explore the city before taking the train to Tokyo in the evening We’ll spend Friday night in Tokyo, wander around on Saturday, and head home on Sunday.

Thoughts on the road feasibility of this trip? We’ll be there right in the middle of Koyo season, so it’ll be busy... I know it’s a lot of driving, but there are two of us who can take turns. We’re not afraid of driving, even in the mountains and on the left side! Just wondering, are we going to be rushing, or is this manageable? AI says it’s all good, but it’s not the one driving... Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Not many places have email addresses or websites (I know Booking.com exists, but not all listings are on there... and given the season, I think it’s better to book ahead!). Same question applies for northern Honshu. For the rental car, I’m thinking of going with Alamo since at least it’s in French and straightforward, but are there any direct rental companies with user-friendly websites (Toyota Rentacar, ugh... 🏴‍☠️)? Another question: With so many trains, is it even necessary to book them in advance? Can we just go to the ticket counter and grab seats on the spot? For paying for the rental car, do we need a credit or debit card?

Thanks for your help!

Hi there,

I’m staying in Atami for 2 nights in October. I was thinking of exploring the area and trying to see Mount Fuji.

I was planning to go to Shizuoka. And also enjoy the onsen (hot springs).

Don’t hesitate to share any tips or recommendations—I’d love to hear them!

Thanks in advance.

Hi there, Can anyone recommend a way to transfer from Narita Airport to Haneda Airport? Is the bus the simplest option? Thanks!

Bonjour,

Mon copain et moi partons dans quelques mois (la 2e partie du séjour est pendant la semaine d'or) au Japon. Les billets Paris/Tokyo A/R sont pris. Nous avons essayé de faire une répartition des jours en fonction de ce qui semble nous intéresser, sans pour autant avoir établi le détail du programme (quelles visites précises quel jour dans les grandes villes). Pouvez-vous nous donner votre avis ? Est-ce qu'il vous semble manquer un jour à Kyoto ? quitte à ne pas aller à Nikko par exemple...

Merci beaucoup !!

Jour 1 Départ

Jour 2 Lundi arrivée Tokyo (Narita) : 18h00 + Train vers Tokyo, env 1h (en fonction hôtel)

Jour 3 Mardi Tokyo

Jour 4 Mercredi Tokyo

Jour 5 Jeudi Tokyo vers Kyoto/ Matin : Tokyo / Après-midi (fin) : Trajet vers Kyoto / Soirée : Kyoto 520km 2h40++

Jour 6 Vendredi Kyoto

Jour 7 Samedi Kyoto

Jour 8 Dimanche Kyoto vers Mont Koya /Matin : Kyoto / Après-midi : Trajet vers Mont Koya / Soirée : Mont Koya110Km 2h20 +télé(5mn) +bus(10mn)

Jour 9 Lundi Mt Koya vers Osaka / Matin : Mont Koya / Après-midi (fin) : Trajet vers Osaka / Soirée : Osaka70Km 1h30 +télé(5mn) +bus(10mn)

Jour 10 Mardi Miyajima (ou Itsukushima) depuisOsakaMatin : Trajet vers Miyajima (7h18/9h42) Miyajima (appelée également Itsukushima) / Soirée : Trajet vers Osaka (20h03/22h38) / Soir : Osaka362Km x 2 2h24++ x2 +marche(5) +ferry(10)

Jour 11 Mercredi Osaka vers Tokyo/ Matin : Chateau Osaka + ville / Soirée : Trajet vers Tokyo (15h26/18h40)556Km 3h14

Jour 12 Jeudi Tokyo/ Matin : trajet vers Nikko (8h08/9h54) / Journée : Nikko / Soir : trajet vers Tokyo (19h03/20h56)150Kmx2 / 1h46+1h13 +bus(20mn)

Jour 13 Vendredi TokyoBallade et shopping jour Férié

Jour 14 Samedi jour férié vol retour le matin

Merci beaucoup par avance !

Bonne soirée :-)