Tokyo onsen or Hokkaido from Narita?

Hi everyone, I’m often in transit in Tokyo and I stay at the hotel because Japanese people speak little English and the signs are almost always in Japanese! Any ideas for getting from Narita to a nice park or an onsen? I wanted to try Hokkaido, but apart from renting a car, it’s all trains! Any suggestions for a car with a driver? Or is it too expensive? Small group tours in Hokkaido? I read about the Explorator group’s offer—way too expensive!!! I’ve got a maximum of 8 days. I’d just like a nice Japanese break. Thanks for any tips you can share!

Hi there,

For Hokkaido, you can take a flight to Sapporo—there’s one every half hour—or to Wakkanai or other cities. After that, nothing bad can happen to you—what are you worried about?

Michel

Hi there,

You can experience an Onsen in Gifu Prefecture, for example. I really recommend taking the train—it’s practical, comfortable, and you might even get to see Mount Fuji during the journey if you choose that option. I had a great experience in Takayama.

Happy travels!

Hi there,

If you really want to leave from Narita without going to Haneda for a domestic flight, you’ve got options like Jetstar, which offers lots of destinations at really tight prices—around 50 € round trip with a 7 kg carry-on bag for the promo fare, definitely cheaper than the train. Peach might also be an option. Both have plenty of interesting flights, not just to Hokkaido but also to cities like Kagoshima, way down south.

Michel

PS: I’m attaching a screenshot of Jetstar and Peach’s destinations from their website. No ads intended, of course!

Thanks for the info, Michel. I’ll make a note of it. I’m worried I won’t be able to read the station signs or info elsewhere... Well, I should be able to find someone who speaks English... I still haven’t found a translator that works offline... Anyway, thanks for the tip!

Hi Teha, I’m actually a bit nervous about taking the train... I’ll need to figure out how to do it... it seems complicated! Thanks for the suggestion...

Hi again Michel, Thanks for the extra info and the maps... I’ll make a note of it...

Hi there,

It’s not really that hard to take the train, but if you’re at Narita, it does add a bit of extra cost—let’s say 40 € round trip. Flight tickets are cheaper in advance, typically with time-based deadlines: 55 days out, 45 days out, 28 days out. Last-minute flights are usually pretty expensive, but trains can be pricey too.

Michel

I don’t speak Japanese, I’m not great at English, and I loved taking the train in Japan. Just take your time and don’t rush.

Hi there Yep, I still always fly through Narita...!!!! Flight tickets and hotels often work the same way—I had to change some dates in Kerala and the price doubled.... Prices are high in Japan, so you really need good planning..... Thanks

Yeah, it's just about... taking your time to learn.... I'm patient—I'll get there.... Thanks