Travel Plans/Winter 2009-2010

From WikiDotMako

Tokyo (12/29-1/3)

We'll stay in Meguro-ku with Mika's family. Meguro is close to Shibuya, one of the largest transit centers in Tokyo.

Things to do in Tokyo:

  • Kabuki-za (get tickets?)
  • Jimbocho (book town)
  • Osechi
  • Roppongi Hills (view)
  • Shibuya (easy) + Harajuku
  • Meiji jingu or maybe a temple to ring the bell
  • Asakusa

Train trip

Summary:

Day 1: Travel to Hiroshima; spend day there; travel the rest of the way to Fukuoka at night
Day 2: Stay in Fukuoka for the day; travel to Beppu do onsen in the afternoon;
Day 3: See Beppu and its Hells; travel to and stay in Okayama;
Day 4: Take boat to Naoshima and see the art island; Take boat to Takamatsu; Have udon. Go to Kansai;
Day 5: Stay in Osaka; See Kyoto
Day 6: see more kansai. go to aomori at night
Day 7: see aomori. return at night to tokyo

Wikitravel pages to the city's we will be going through (in order):

The JR East bullet train stops.

Railpass Day 1 (1/4)

Tentative travel plans:

  • Train from Tokyo early on first train possible (6AM or 7AM?) to Hiroshima (~5-6h)
  • Train from Hiroshima' to Fukuoka on one of the later evening shinkansens (~2.5h)

Place to stay in Fukuoka:

Things to do in Hiroshima:

Things to do in Fukuoka:

  • Meet up with Takara (mail her!)
  • Figure out more options

Railpass Day 2 (1/5)

Travel plans:

  • Train from Fukuoka' to Beppu on a mid-day shinkansen (~2.5-3h)

Things to do:

  • See Fukuoka
  • Lunch in Fukuoka with Takara?
  • Onsen in Beppu

Place to stay:

  • Happy Neko (see WT) in Beppu

Railpass Day 3 (1/6)

Travel:

  • Train from Beppu to Okayama in the afternoon or evening (~4h)

Things to do:

  • Morning: See some Hells in Beppu which open at 8:00

Place to stay in Okayama:

  • ???

Railpass Day 4 (1/7)

Travel plans:

  • Train from Okayama' to Uno as early as possible.
  • Ferry from Uno to Naoshima (WT) for ¥600)
  • Ferry from Naoshima to Takamatsu for ¥300)
  • Train from Takamatsu to Osaka (WT) (Transit time: ~3-4 hours)

Things to do in Naoshima:

Things to do in Takamatsu:

  • Rent bikes at cycle rental station (¥100)
  • Visit Ritsurin Park (栗林公園 ritsurin kouen), 20-16 1-chome Ritsurin-cho, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa (about 3 minutes walk from JR Ritsurin Koen Kitaguchi Station, 5 from the Kotoden Ritsurin Koen station.
  • Eat Sanuki udon (as often and as much as possible)
    • WT recommends eating at the tsurumaru (鶴丸), it's not far from kawaramachi station. Since it's quite famous, you can ask around and people will guide you. (It's open after 8pm).

Things to do in Osaka:

  • Food (we'll get in late)
  • Meet up with Kizu-san?

Place to stay in Osaka:

  • ???

Railpass Day 5 (1/8)

Staying in Osaka and visting Kyoto.

  • Train from Osaka to Kyoto (~1h)
  • Train from Kyoto to Osaka (~1h)

Things to do in in Kyoto:

  • See Shrines and Temples!

Place to stay:

  • See above

Railpass Day 6 (1/9)

Explore Kansai for the day and leave Kyoto (as late as possible) and head to Aomori in the afternoon.

Travel plans:

  • Train from Kyoto to Hida in the evening

Place to stay:

  • ???

Railpass Day 7 (1/10)

  • Back in Tokyo from Aomori.

Links