We just returned from a long trip through mainland Japan! I'm excited to start the recaps, but I've already had people ask me for quick details. So, I'm going to start with a map and some information regarding travel from one spot to another. Let me tell ya, there's a lot of transportation involved in this itinerary!
- December 21st
- Fly into Narita Aiport via Jetstar
- Bus from Narita to Shinjuku Station (you can take a train, too, but we were pressed for time)
- Willer Express Bus from Shinjuku Station to Hakuba Goryu bus stop
- Booked in advance
- Get a ride from (random) lady to Lodge Tabi-Tabi at 12:30 in the morning
- December 22nd-25th
- Stay in Hakuba and ski (or lounge in PJs all day long)
- December 25th
- Alpico Highland Express bus from Hakuba bus stop to Nagano Station
- The website was confusing, but our lodge helped to clarify everything
- NagaDen Bus Express to bus stop close to Snow Monkey Park
- Walk 1.8 km+ to see snow monkeys
- Giggle with excitement as monkeys lounge in an onsen like it ain't no thang
- NagaDen Bus back to Nagano Station
- Willer Express Bus from (near) Nagano Station to Tokyo
- December 26th
- Spend the day in Tokyo at Oak Hostel
- Sleep poorly because the walls are paper thin and you can here everyone breathing... okay, maybe not breathing, but still!
- December 27th
- Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Nagoya
- Local trains from Nagoya to Seki City
- This took forever.... but it was worth it. We found out later that there was a bus that we could have taken and it would have picked us up and dropped us off in the same places and we wouldn't have had to transfer. Hm, how nice that would have been...
- December 28th
- Take delightful bus from Seki City to Nagoya
- Meitetsu bus from Nagoya to Kyoto
- Panic because there's no where to stay in Kyoto because everyone and their brother is in town to celebrate the New Year
- Text friend that I met in Osaka almost 2 years ago (and haven't seen since) and ask for her help
- Celebrate when she books us an affordable room, at Nihonkan, right around the corner from Kyoto Station -- Thanks Rene!
- December 29th - January 1st
- Move to Jam Hostel (and Sake Bar) in Gion
- Great location!!! I booked this over the phone.
- Make reservations with The Good Samaritan's Club so that you don't have to think about transportation (best idea... ever!)
- Get lucky enough that GSC guide will help you buy train ticket from Kyoto to KIX Airport
- January 1st
- Train to airport
- Fly to Okinawa via Jetstar
I'll be reviewing all of the places where we stayed and I'll go into much more detail regarding our daily fun throughout my recaps. If you have questions about anything, please feel free to leave a comment!
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