I've just been planning my own trip to Japan and thought I'd put together a similar deal. I've chosen some good rated hotels that are near stations and also included a 7 day rail pass for Japan so the majority of the train travel outside of Tokyo (for which you can use the metro) is included. This is just an example, for a longer itinerary you can include the alps, Mt Koyasan and longer in Kyoto.
This is for March 2017 and based on 2 people.
20th March
You'll leave London and fly with the Italian airline Altalia arrive in Rome later that evening. You don't leave Rome until the following afternoon so you can have an evening and morning exploring Rome. I've included the Aurelis Art Gallery Hotel as this is centrally located for metro lines and also for a quick morning of sightseeing.
21st March
Leaving Rome you'll fly to Tokyo arriving on 22nd March.
22nd-24th March
Once in Tokyo you will stay at the Shinjunku New City. It's near the JR station and the hotel also offers a free shuttle. I've picked this hotel for my October holiday as it had good reviews and is also a good price. You can easily access many places from the station but you will also return to this hotel at the end of your stay so whether it's shopping, food, or Tokyo Disneyland you'll have plenty to keep you occupied.
24th-26th March
Activating your railpass today you can head to Takayama where you will stay at the Country Hotel. Takayama is more rural and scenic and a good place to base yourself for visiting the alps, onsens, views of Fuji and getting out to the countryside.
26th-27th March
You'll head by train to Hiroshima today. With plenty of history you can visit the peace memorial and also take the ferry over to Miyajima (included with your railcard). You will stay at the highly rated Parkside Hotel which is ideal for public transport access.
27th-30th March
You'll take the short train journey to Kyoto today. This is one place I'm really excited to visit. Kyoto, with its old town, temples, geishas and if you have time a visit to the castle enroute from Hiroshima to Kyoto but you could easily spend a week in Kyoto. I've picked the Urban Hotel Kyoto as it is again centrally located and near public transport access.
30th March to 1st April
You'll return back to Tokyo for a final 2 nights at the Shinjunku New City again. You can easily move around the city or if you didn't want to stay in the same place you could choose another hotel.
You fly back to London with a short stop in Rome on 1st April.
Breakdown
Long haul flights book at Omega Flight Store £797.26 for 2
1 night in Rome Aurelis Art Gallery £58 @ hotels.com
2 nights in Shinjunku New City £173 @ hotels.com
2 nights Takayama Country Hotel £95 @ booking.com
1 night at Parkside Hotel Hiroshima £45 book via TripAdvisor/Raukuten
3 nights Urban Hotel Kyoto £211.79 book via TripAdvisor/hoteltravel.com
2 nights back in Tokyo £173 @ hotels.com
Book 2 x 7 day Japan Railpasses £434 @ jrpass.com
Total £1987.05/£993.52pp
Top comments
K0YS
22 Aug 1625#2
Tokyo is amazing. The most helpful people ever without even knowing any English.
If you're the type to complain nobody speaks English or are one to speak English loud and slowly to locals, stay at home and go to margate.
chickentikkaman
22 Aug 164#20
Rachelandgromit! very well put together! heat for effort!
archer1204
22 Aug 164#10
Personally there are so many different districts to experience but you do have to leave your hotel
bigworlds
23 Aug 163#30
Went for 12 days last september, did all the bits i wanted to see, whole vacation except tokyo was brilliant, loved Kyoto and Narita. Stayed in a airbnb in Kyoto right out by the big temple, being a private villa living among the local people was really good, way better than hotel, the houses inside are quite different from ours, i wasnt expecting it to be so basic in some respects , but very comfortable. We travelled on buses fine, a lot of instructions were in english. Saw geishas in the d
Tokyo is amazing. The most helpful people ever without even knowing any English.
If you're the type to complain nobody speaks English or are one to speak English loud and slowly to locals, stay at home and go to margate.
Website is in English and they do a similar pass to JR. Everything can be booked online too. Coaches are comparable to national express standard..
rachelandgromit
22 Aug 161#6
I am using them for part of my trip when I go to Mt Koyasan as the journey seems far simpler and cheaper than using the train.
Hyperdia is a good website for planning journeys although I sometimes found it allowed only a few minutes for changing trains when it may be a bit ambitious.
bigworlds
22 Aug 161#7
I thought tokyo overated and boring , i spent most of my time in hotel waiting for time to hurry up so i could go home!
rachelandgromit to bigworlds
22 Aug 162#8
Really? Why not head out of Tokyo then rather than waste time in your hotel? Until I've been I can't say whether it is boring or not but I'd rather have explored than spent time in a hotel wishing my holiday away!
SPRR0W to bigworlds
22 Aug 162#16
"Spent most of my time in hotel"
What did you expect then? Should've stayed home if you planned sitting around on your ass.
K0YS to bigworlds
22 Aug 163#19
you should have your passport revoked.
raeble to bigworlds
23 Aug 161#25
Wasn't a fan of Tokyo myself, it seemed to be a place you exist rather than live. Loved Kyoto on the other hand, wish that we had spent more time there than being based in Tokyo. The rail pass is valid on the Narita express, so folks should consider if they want to activate it from there and spend more time outside Tokyo at the beginning of their ten day break.
Abhugobaun
22 Aug 16#9
Be careful with omega flight store previously omega travel....i have heard lots of horror stories about last minute cancellation of flight tickets.
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Opening post
This is for March 2017 and based on 2 people.
20th March
You'll leave London and fly with the Italian airline Altalia arrive in Rome later that evening. You don't leave Rome until the following afternoon so you can have an evening and morning exploring Rome. I've included the Aurelis Art Gallery Hotel as this is centrally located for metro lines and also for a quick morning of sightseeing.
21st March
Leaving Rome you'll fly to Tokyo arriving on 22nd March.
22nd-24th March
Once in Tokyo you will stay at the Shinjunku New City. It's near the JR station and the hotel also offers a free shuttle. I've picked this hotel for my October holiday as it had good reviews and is also a good price. You can easily access many places from the station but you will also return to this hotel at the end of your stay so whether it's shopping, food, or Tokyo Disneyland you'll have plenty to keep you occupied.
24th-26th March
Activating your railpass today you can head to Takayama where you will stay at the Country Hotel. Takayama is more rural and scenic and a good place to base yourself for visiting the alps, onsens, views of Fuji and getting out to the countryside.
26th-27th March
You'll head by train to Hiroshima today. With plenty of history you can visit the peace memorial and also take the ferry over to Miyajima (included with your railcard). You will stay at the highly rated Parkside Hotel which is ideal for public transport access.
27th-30th March
You'll take the short train journey to Kyoto today. This is one place I'm really excited to visit. Kyoto, with its old town, temples, geishas and if you have time a visit to the castle enroute from Hiroshima to Kyoto but you could easily spend a week in Kyoto. I've picked the Urban Hotel Kyoto as it is again centrally located and near public transport access.
30th March to 1st April
You'll return back to Tokyo for a final 2 nights at the Shinjunku New City again. You can easily move around the city or if you didn't want to stay in the same place you could choose another hotel.
You fly back to London with a short stop in Rome on 1st April.
Breakdown
Long haul flights book at Omega Flight Store £797.26 for 2
1 night in Rome Aurelis Art Gallery £58 @ hotels.com
2 nights in Shinjunku New City £173 @ hotels.com
2 nights Takayama Country Hotel £95 @ booking.com
1 night at Parkside Hotel Hiroshima £45 book via TripAdvisor/Raukuten
3 nights Urban Hotel Kyoto £211.79 book via TripAdvisor/hoteltravel.com
2 nights back in Tokyo £173 @ hotels.com
Book 2 x 7 day Japan Railpasses £434 @ jrpass.com
Total £1987.05/£993.52pp
Top comments
If you're the type to complain nobody speaks English or are one to speak English loud and slowly to locals, stay at home and go to margate.
All comments (92)
If you're the type to complain nobody speaks English or are one to speak English loud and slowly to locals, stay at home and go to margate.
http://willerexpress.com/st/3/en/mb/bus/
Website is in English and they do a similar pass to JR. Everything can be booked online too. Coaches are comparable to national express standard..
Hyperdia is a good website for planning journeys although I sometimes found it allowed only a few minutes for changing trains when it may be a bit ambitious.
What did you expect then? Should've stayed home if you planned sitting around on your ass.