Nov 2 - Osaka (evening)
Nov 3 - 4 - Hakone (*giggles* it reminds me of the Hakone brand of sardines we have here)
Nov 5, 6, 7 - Tokyo (2 sites to stay at) with some side trips to -
Mt. Takao - eyeball w/ Ted and his wife while trying to hike
Kamakura (ancient capital)
* Nikko (shogun country!)
* Asakusa Area - well, because am already booked hereabouts
Tsukiji Market (?)
Ueno Park
DisneySea (probably after Nikko or after 6 pm, but its not priority)
Nov 8 - Kanazawa (a little more of old Japan)
Nov 9 - Takayama (Little Kyoto of the Mountains) /
? Shirakawago (rural area) or move this to next day and adjust schedule forwards
Nov 10 - Nagoya (I made up my mind..I can't stand another 4 hours of train transfers..so am going to take a break here and see something..uhm...let's see what is here..maybe the Noritake museum....)
Nov 11 - Okayama (Gateway to Shikoku) then to * Kurashiki (Market Town)
Nov 12 - Matsue
Nov 13, 14, 15 - make Osaka as base and travel onwards -
Kobe,
Hiroshima,
Himeji,
Takamatsu
or maybe revisit Kyoto and Nara if there is still energy left in my fingertip...and just relax...
Nov 16 - Osaka then to Philippines
so much for the high-level planning
so far, those in bold font have reservations for lodgings ＼(>o<)／
* - imperative
? - thinking it over...
Will keep on updating until I finally (knock on wood) go to the airport... \(^_^)/
and I have work to do....zzz..today...zzzz...
ok, I know one or two of the trips take 4 hours on train (really unhappy to find out the sleeper trains were discontinued otherwise I'd have saved some travelling time)...but at least I can rest on the trip if I lack sleep :-)
ReplyDeletealso, after Kanazawa above, am still rearranging things in my mind for the trip to be flexible as Takayama to Okayama is really far....
argh..so many train schedules!
So far so good Cat, keep at it.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
thanks for the support John..am really almost at panic mode...since Nov 2 is looming up....but am panicky-sleepy...hehehe...
ReplyDelete［(－－)］ZZzzz
am still debating w/ myself...should I stay longer in Kanazawa or in Takayama....hmm....I've thrown Matsumoto off the list too...
ReplyDeleteAs I've not been to either of them I can't really advise.
ReplyDeleteQ. Finger tip energy for Nara? Personally I found leg energy far more important there.
Hugs.
hahaha...my legs and aching feet by then would be so tired, I'd probably be doing handstands and walking on my fingertips....
ReplyDelete*exagg...yeah..yeah* maybe I will skip Nara this time...since I won't be able to fit into the column in that temple (which would have helped me find my way to heaven)
Kanazawa - 2 goals:
ReplyDeleteKenrokuen Garden - largest of the three best landscape gardens in Japan...
Chaya District - district of teahouses where geishas are performing .. Ted shared an album w/ me of when he and his wife visited this place...looks interesting...
(tossing this and Ninja-dera into the air, I think I will skip the Ninja-dera temple because I might get lost in the temple *grin*..its said to have a lot of trick doors etc.)
It looks very pretty there.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
for Takayama -
ReplyDeletethe goals I have are: Hida no Sato (village) ..its supposed to be quite picturesque...30 old thatched and shingled farmhouses, buildings etc...and some of the houses have gassho-zukuri-style roofs...(tops of the roofs are said to resemble hands joined in prayer)...
merchants houses -
but then I'd have to get on a bus to Shirakawago.....it has been declared a Unesco World Heritage site I think...
aah...so many sights to see...so little time in a day ....
Both look very tempting. Yes, I agree that there are always too many "Wish to see" places during a visit to Japan that's why I still need to go back again and again......
ReplyDeletelol
It sounds like a nice, but very intense trip you have planned. Looking forward to meeting you on the 5th. I hope the weather cooperates.
ReplyDeletehehe...I can relax after I get back to Osaka...
ReplyDeletehow is the weather there? heard there was a storm coming the weekend...I hope and pray it blows over out into the sea...
I only hope my ambitious list is ok...some of the transfers are a bit...well, I don't know if I should trust my train station instinct that much..LOL
hope to see you and Kyoko-san without any rain gear on on the 5th...
touche! my mom and some friends were saying why am I even returning when I've been to Japan before...advising me to try for other countries, but I said I need to see it in the fall (there goes my obsession with autumn leaves)
ReplyDeleteOCD traveller,haha=) cant wait to see your adventures cat=)
ReplyDeleteHave a safe trip and enjoy every minute of it, Cat!!!
ReplyDeleteThey never understand me either even though I've been there 19 times.
ReplyDeleteHere's how my 2008 plan was. -
I will be here.
Oct 1 Hotel Akasaka Yoko
6-14-12 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 japan.
Plans for local stuff, Ueno Park,Nagano and Matsumoto.
Oct 6 Hotel Tsurumi Pearl
1-21-13 Tsurumi-chuo, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama.
Oct 7th Visit Kamakure with Hiro.
Oct 9 Hotel Sincerif Sapporo
Nishi 3 Cho-me, Minami 9-jo, -Chuo-ku, Sapporo.
Oct. 10 Visit Volcanoe park with Kumiko.
Oct 12 Hotel Com S Nagoya
2-23-22 Higashi-sakura Naka-ku Nagoya-shi, Japan.
Make arrangements with Iye.
Oct 15 Naha Hyper Hotel Okinawa.
Naha Okinawa Japan.
Make daily arrangements with Kumi.
Oct 19 Hotel Washington Plaza, Himeji Japan.
98 Higashi Ekimas, Himeji, Hyogo, 670-0926 Japan.
During these 11 days I’ll use Shinkansen etc, to visit;
Kobe,
Kyoto,
Akashi City,
Osaka,
Nara,
Okayama,
Hiroshima,
Dates to be arranged.
Oct 30 Hotel Tsurumi Pearl
1-21-13 Tsurumi-chuo, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama.
Oct 31 Return to Denmark via Narita.
Relatively full.
Hugs.
Preparing for your trip - knowing/reading more about the place you're going to visit makes for a more rewarding experience. You're doing a good job Cat.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a good idea to have a plan. But always remember, be ready for any eventuality, e.g. cancelled flights/trips, etc. Make sure your plastic money is okay. Remember Murphy's Law.
ReplyDeleteI think kapag trips like these, am a bit OCD :-) I admit...
ReplyDeleteon the other hand, if dito sa Pilipinas na walang sure...wala ring masyadong preparation..hahaha...but in Japan, unless may weather disturbance yata, you can set your clock by their service, so naka-timing lahat...*wink*
I'm madly downloading and converting to pdf na mga info..but I do hope I get internet access....i.e. train schedules and the transferring are my concern..I may huff and puff up 2 flights just to transfer to another line..I even downloaded train station maps, but I'm running behind schedule...so bahala na!
I just hope and pray my laptop will be ok as its been doing hard work the last 24 hours..hehe...
thanks Chelo!
(^_^)V
ReplyDeletebelated congrats on that John....
wow..19 times...I think I usually go for twice for any country I've visited w/c I enjoyed..but hmmm..your number above makes me hope for more *wink*
certainly I like your plan better...you have good intervals in between....VirtualTed is right actually, the schedule is very intense and tight...esp after Tokyo leg ..hehe..but at least I hope once I have reached Nikko I will be more at ease in my mind...
ha! I can imagine what my itinerary would look like if I include in the summary, the checklist of what I want to see
hay naku Mar, na memorize ko na yata ang Hakone and Kamakura....thats all..hahaha..the rest are just passing by in a blur...will just bring 2 of my guidebooks...and my downloaded pdf files (in case walang internet)
ReplyDeletethanks for the support :-)
ReplyDeleteCat, maganda talaga me plano, marami kang magagawa at mararating!
Have fun, sarap naman 2 weeks :)
btw, sino nga palang kasama mo?
yes, the biggest problem is the cancelled flight..e di ba dinig ko may bagyo daw sa Tokyo or papunta ba...argh!
ReplyDeleteImy 2 best friends - Ms. Visa and Ms. MC are with me...plus Mr. JPY and Mr. USD....ehehehe....ah..dapat pala yata dagdagan ko...sa hirap ko yatang dinanas to plan this trip I must taste at least some specialties even if nakakalula ang presyo...maski isa lang...
hi Ozz...
ReplyDeletewell honestly? this is more of getting out my money's worth from the JR pass (which is actually more expensive than the airfare..hehehe)...
but seriously...am looking w/ big eyes at my excel sheet na...haha! nakasulat na almost half of it....
oh yes, nag backout yata sina Sir B...di na daw naasikaso dahil busy din sila sa PICCA...w/c I sort of expected na rin :-)
e mukhang kapag Japan, its difficult for some of my friends to come w/ me..its like their reaction is - Japan? what? mahal don...ayon...when actually its also a bit like traveling in the US eh...there are some places you have to really research and plan for...*cross fingers*
Thanks, yes it pays to plan well and to leave a few holes to allow for a day off now and then. The 2006 plan was more simple, the 2009 one even more so when I restricted travel to Honshu only without visiting Tokyo.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
I was tempted to just really laze around and just choose either some of the places (A or B instead of A and B....and C! hehe!), but knowing my restless nature, I'd be bored also out of my skull just snoozing away at the ryokan so might as well loose some sleep and see what there is to see...
ReplyDeleteMommy Loy, daghang salamat...if maka-afford ko ug kobe beef or maski hida beef na lang..ikaon gyod tika ug apil :-)
ReplyDeleteI passed by one travel agency..saw it saying something like USD 2000 for a Kyoto/Nara package....and just 4d/3n?
ReplyDeletewaaah..what I could w/ that money!....it seems too big for just 3 days going around Kyoto and Nara...
oh ...let's be charitable..after all the agency has to make money ..
Looks like you have a full schedule ahead of you!! have fun and take care...am sure you will have plenty of pictures to post and I'm looking forward to seeing them...don't forget extra batteries for your camera...imagining you devouring kobe beef :))
ReplyDeleteVery expensive. 4,857.15 USD is what I paid for 31 days everything included last year.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Sorry late reply, naubos ang load. I'll be excitedly awaiting your blogs from Japan =)
ReplyDeleteargh..I think I better revamp..and stay overnight in Nagoya..that 5 hour trip between Takayama and Okayama seems a bit tiring..even on a train..
ReplyDeleteI don't have energy to blog na...hahaha...
ReplyDeletethanks Suzanne....imagine lang siguro...mahal yata ang beef na yon...
ReplyDeletewow...to the last cent..did you put it in Excel? thats what I am doing now, projecting costs ...
ReplyDeleteIn the end yes. I knew what the main things cost before leaving here but daily odds and ends plus eventual purchases as gifts were not known until dealt with.
ReplyDeleteHowever I saved every reciept including those from ATM's (in order to check the reciepts) where I drew cash at intervals as I never carry lots of cash as a force of habit in the same way that I never have cash in my house.
All were added to find the true cost of the holiday.
Strangely the 2006 holiday was the most expensive due to my buying a laptop PC in Tokyo during my first week.
As it happens 35 days in Thailand cost more per day on average even though I lived in my friend Nantiyas house for half of the time at no cost other than food and the share of the cost of hire car for 7 days, the rest of the time we drove in family cars. so Thailand is certainly not cheaper.
Hugs.
Have a safe and enjoyable journey, give me tips later as I am planning to do that in April of next year. I am also looking forward to my trip 2nd to 3rd week of this month hopefully it will push through this time.
ReplyDeletewell, shopping always puts a dent in my pocket..hehe...this is one reason am staying away for example from the Gotemba outlets..*shivers and makes sign of cross to ward off evil shopping ghost*
ReplyDeletenow that is funny...Thailand was really cheap when I went there ...but maybe because we also stayed for free at a hotel of our friends who were billeted (*grin* they got turned out of their beds by us girls)
just finished everything Netzkie...lodgings and reservations (just 2 more need to be confirmed if there is space) ..and its for every day...and all the train schedules I may need to run thru to do the town-hop
ReplyDelete*rubs eyes sleepily*
looking at all I accumulated and put together, I ought to charge for this itinerary..LOL
but then nobody is as crazy enough as I am to do a very tight sked like this...still though, the satisfaction afterward of knowing I was able to put it all together is enough to make me crow w/ joy (along with the roosters because I haven't had sleep yet).
my gosh...just because I clicked on something Disney related, it made me also want to try for Disney Sea :-)
ReplyDeletethey have starlight and after 6 pm tickets ....hmm.....or maybe I should just forego it and go to the fish market in the morning and eat the freshest sushi...yumm...
parang kakainggit, i want to take the same trip someday hehehe, ayoko mag plan di natutuloy. BTW, I have a close friend in Tokyo, I will introduce you to her, just in case you might need some assistance while you are there, you can also try to visit her bar and resto there.
ReplyDeleteI wish you well Cat. Loosen some of the days. Imbibe the places. Soak in the daily grind. Sayang hindi kami nakasama. But as it is, and dami pa naming terminal reports na gagawin.
ReplyDeleteI await your blogs and photos. Ingatz!
hi Sir B, the loosening and relaxing comes ironically in the Osaka leg (Nov 13 na...hahaha)..
ReplyDeletebaka nga I will just explore the artist's village I will be staying in by that time...since I've been in Kyoto and Nara before...but then again, baka nga I will check out at least one more place in Kyoto (the Kiyomizudera temple) to see how it looks in autumn instead of spring...hay....
tsk..tsk..naku, ano ba yan..terminal reports? one can write that while on this trip *wink*
I think you can ....but if you use my itinerary...you have to lose half of your packed luggage..hahaha!
ReplyDeleteI started w/ backpack..but after plannning things out, I realize I can't do it...esp as its fall ..I need some warmth and fashion scandalous attires (read: nothing can be seen except my coat hehe)..
cge, but pano kaya? I have no cellphone and I will be just checking Multiply sporadically during the times when I have internet connection...after soaking in an onsen, I'd probably be like a boiled egg, ready to roll....
anyway, if you do go to Japan, no problem, just ping..and if I've researched it, or have been to it, I can give you tips or help you sa itinerary mo...
Very true, but shopping is never my reason for travelling so I do very little or none at all. While in my friends house Thomas and I took turns in paying for our breakfast food. We were away for 3 days on Ko Semet, 4 days in Pattaya and 7 days travelling up to Myanma - Laos so had to use boarding houses, hostels or hotels. The three remaining weeks were spent in BKK for free.
ReplyDeleteEating in restaurants was not expensive generally but the sum total was the same as for 31 days in Japan.
ah..but you were also in Myanmar to Laso...so not really just Thailand...though they do say Japan is to be more expensive..hmm.....a mystery..
ReplyDeleteNot in, only to, we looked across the Meekon from the Golden Triangle, but we did think of driving over the boarder to Myanmar from Chiang Rai but dropped it.
ReplyDeleteYes, the cost difference dose actully amaze me because Thailand is one of Denmarks fav holiday resorts with many package tours that appear to be cheap, ha ha, then the shock hits you, all you get is a seat on a plane and a hotel for X days.
Almost no agents offer Japan because everyone believes it to be the most expensive place on earth. That is true only for Tokyo though. Another error the people make is in thinkingJapan is too far away, acually it is one hour nearer by air. Japan 11 hours, BKK 12 hours.
Tats na tats ako, Day! Kahilakon man sab ta ani! ha ha ha
ReplyDelete...sounds exciting...whatever you decide on, have fun, make the most of it and take care...
ReplyDeletehahaha!
ReplyDeletekahilakon pod ko...siguro ig-tan-aw nako sa presyo...magadangyongoy ko samtang gui-nguya nako ang beef....
(T _ T)
thanks po :-) I shall try my best...
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome and I,ll be waiting to hear how you adventure went...with pictures of course....
ReplyDeletewaaaaah! am too late! may papabili sana ako huhuhuhu
ReplyDeleteenjoy your trip cat! savor the view...take lots of pictures!
ReplyDeleteIngat sa pagsakay at pagbaba. Always have a check list of what you have. Mahirap nang may maiwan ka (lalo na kung camera).
ReplyDeleteYou're in my thoughts, Cat...hoping that you're having a grand vacation. Hugs.
ReplyDeletewaaahhh!gaganda ng pupuntahan mo!!!!!ingat and be safe always!
ReplyDeletehay...di pwede..mahal dito...and I have heavy luggage...hehehe..unless toothpick-size pabili mo...I even left a lot of stuff behind..pero phew! first time ko di backpack...leche...ang hirap...hehehe...
ReplyDeletewaaah..I wish I had the LX-5...the views are superlative..the food *burp* is delicious..my pocket is ...never mind..let's get back to the views...
ReplyDeletecamera dehins..but funny you should say that..I was actually thinking since day 1 its like a *Leaving Trip*
ReplyDeletethanks Mommy Peachy..eto short msgs lang..after dinner ako na nag-sneak in sa PC nila dito..2 lang kc eh...walang internet sa room...
ReplyDeleteay sister..my happiness would be complete if sama kita...kc...may kukuha ng picture ko..mwahaha!
ReplyDeletejoke lang.it would be double the fun and adventure w/ you here..
More than double the fun yan sigurado kung kasamo mo si Che.
ReplyDeleteuuuhuhu next year sama ka sakin dyan.
ReplyDeleteSo...hope Amanto works out for you...enjoy Jun Nishi and his merry band of unconventional artist friends.
ReplyDeleteJim
shempre no...and bonus pa na marami akong pictures ma-grab..LOL
ReplyDeleteat may fashion consultant pa ako...hehehe
pwamis ha? hehehe...e baka next year, sabihin mo next year ulit..
ReplyDeleteyung Shanghai natin..toink...huhuhu
sarap ng cakes...grrr..dumaan ako Fujiya earlier...I was sorely tempted to get one whole strawberry cake...hay! it was by dint of human will made strong by adversity that I turned away from the tempting display..
hi Jim,
ReplyDeletethanks a million...I did meet Jun-san and Mitsu-san and Lisa-san and Rina-san...hehehe...
my first night I stayed with..Nori-san (hmm...I can't remember his full name because I always mix it up with the fine porcelain..noritake..hehe...so I just call him Nori-san for short..
definitely nice for an "immersion" style in a local artist's life here...hope to be back in Osaka coming Saturday to see Jun dance...mwaah to you and Shanti!
ok so far, this is what has come true -
ReplyDeleteOsaka - Nov 2
Hakone - Nov 3 - 4
Tokyo: Asakusa, Nikko, Ueno, Gotanda - Nov 5 -7
Kanazawa - Nov 8
Takayama - Nov 9
Nagoya - Nov 10
Enjoy and stay safe, Cat!
ReplyDeleteThanks Peachy Mommy...so far *knock on wood* ok naman...am now in Okayama after leaving Nagoya this morning...I arrived in Okayama, then hared off for a local train to go to Kurashiki, a very pretty market town ...di ko pa nga nakita sights dito sa Okayama...hehehe...hay...my feet are feeling sad...and abused..
ReplyDeletedone also -
ReplyDeleteNov 11 - Okayama, Kurashiki - though I only visited Kurashiki, did my laundry instead at night coz my toes were protesting in my boots so didn't visit garden
Nov 12 - Matsue - rural Japan scenery...and it was hazy due to that dusty thingie lingering over the area of Japan (wafting over from China)...but the Matsue castle was a treat
Nov 13 - Osaka - but before that, since I had a stopover in Okayama, paid for luggage storage and literally jogged to Okayama's garden and moved my trip back to Osaka a bit later
Nov 14 - Kyoto - met up with one of my previous programmers and his bunch of Pinoy friends - it was a treat to listen to Pinoy humor (ang gulo talaga ng Pinoy, hehehe..we were easily the most noisy and unrestrained of the visitors)...
Nov 15 - bunraku and a dash to Kobe at night
Nov 16 - had a ticket for Kyoto but settled instead fo exploring on food Tennoji in Osaka coz I was confident that with an evening flight, I could still have a few more adventures
Philippines - 11 pm - tired and surprised by the things happening in where I live in..however, parents are ok, friends are ok (made a few calls while in KIX)...
no Lx-5 camera, but am happy and healthy and have no more coat to burden me....so...verdict?
SUCCESS! I can't believe I did it all now with all the train transfers :-)
only casualty: not meeting Ted...oh well, for a trip that hectic and full of adventures, I suppose one thing to balance out all the good stuff was bound to happen....
people kept asking me if I was a dancer...
ReplyDeletehmm..I almost felt embarassed I couldn't claim to be an artist...hehehe..