Key highlights embody winter must-sees like Zao Fox Village, Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and the charming snow piled Gassho-styled roofs in Shirakawa-go. Learn how to maximise your JR Cross on a visit to Japan in winter!
Japan is a kind of locations that’s excellent to go to whatever the season however after over 4 journeys to Japan, winter is probably our favorite — visiting onsens with Snow Monkeys bathing in them, a village the place foxes tumble in snow or curl up for a day nap and experiencing the nice and cozy hospitality in a conventional gassho home.
Planning to expertise winter in Japan? Right here’s methods to take advantage of Japan throughout winter with the 7-day JR Cross!
Travelling on a price range with the 7D Complete Japan JR Cross
Travelling with the JR Cross is one in every of our favorite methods of travelling in Japan. Whereas a spherical journey from Tokyo to Osaka already exceeds the worth of 1, we’ve taken the problem upon ourselves to stretch the worth of the JR go and use it to assist us uncover past Tokyo and Osaka; and all with out stretching the price range an excessive amount of 😛
JR Passes can price quite a bit however for the sights we wished to cowl, the Complete Japan JR go saved us a complete of S$330 (Click on right here for the breakdown)!
Ranging from Tokyo, we did day journeys to the Zao fox village, tried to catch sight of Mount Fuji at Kawaguchigo, chilled out with the snow monkeys in Nagano and even stayed an evening within the conventional Gassho homes of Shirakawa-go earlier than heading to Kansai the place we took our flight out for underneath S$1.2k! (Incld. lodging, exclud. flights)
This is probably not the most cost effective method to spending 8 days in Japan however for the experiences we wished to depart with, I feel we labored out a reasonably truthful price range. Hope you discover our Japan winter itinerary helpful!
Funds Breakdown:
Lodging: ¥23,100
Transport: ¥49,580 (Incld. 7D Complete Japan JR Cross)
Actions: ¥11,50
Meals: ¥15,500
Misc: ¥3000 (For SIM Card and Lockers)
TOTAL FOR 7D: ¥102,730 ($1231.77)
Verify Flights to Tokyo
We didn’t embody flight costs within the price range as a result of they range relying in your date of journey. To get a greater estimate of your whole price range, verify flights right here first:
Verify flight costs from Singapore to Tokyo right here for those who can’t see the widget above.
First Time to Tokyo?
Tokyo has a plethora of actions starting from quirky to hipster. In case you’re planning to spend a few days in Tokyo, ask to activate your JR Cross on a later date when gathering your JR Cross on the JR East workplace in Narita. Ideally, it’s best to start while you’re able to take the go on consecutive day journeys out from Tokyo. To get from Narita Airport to Central Tokyo, buy the Keisei Airport Skyliner because it’s cheaper than the Narita Specific (N’EX).
Take a look at 24 hours in Tokyo for the quintessential Tokyo expertise or our Quirky Tokyo Information for the enjoyable and weird stuff!
In case you’re activating your JR go in your first day like us, make seat reservations for the following N’EX to get to Tokyo station. This prepare is roofed by the JR Cross.
Staying linked: Don’t neglect to prebook your 4G SIM Card. Is available in 1GB (for six days), 3GB and limitless (each for 8 days). In case you’re staying longer than 8 days, maybe a transportable WiFi is likely to be extra handy.
Day 1: Tokyo Day Journey to Zao Fox Village
Lodging in Tokyo: Clever Owl Hostel Tokyo (only one station away from Tokyo Most important station which is ideal for making day journeys out of Tokyo) — ¥2,300 for a dorm mattress
2 hours north-east of Tokyo within the Miyagi prefecture is a village the place foxes roam. I do know that sounds fairly dreamy however after visiting for ourselves, I’ve combined emotions in regards to the place.
There are 2 elements to the “village”. Proper after you buy your entrance ticket (¥1000), the very first thing you see is foxes both tied on a leash or stored in cages of varied sizes. Some are stored in as a result of they’re sick however one part of foxes are stored as designated huggers. For ¥400, you’ll be able to hug, pet and carry one in every of these foxes; which I personally discovered fairly unhappy as a result of more often than not they might be tied up or stored in a tiny confined area.
The opposite half is quite a bit higher though it’s nonetheless a fenced up space. Foxes right here have more room to roam and also you’ll see many of the foxes rolled up into balls of fluff, taking a nap within the wood crates by the staircase. There’s a whole lot of area right here however foxes aren’t meant to dwell collectively by nature so that you’ll see a whole lot of them with accidents on their head or tail from fights.
There’s a feeding platform the place you’ll be able to deliver your ¥100 pack of feed (from the doorway) and also you’ll see hoards of foxes crowding beneath wanting up eagerly. It’s an lovely sight, till you throw the meals over the ledge and watch the foxes growl and wrestle aggressively over the few morsels you’ve simply launched.
It makes you marvel if their accidents are a results of such proximity or if they might be the identical in nature. We did take pleasure in strolling via the areas removed from the feeding platform the place foxes would playfully take a jab at one another or method you to chew in your shoe lace (don’t allow them to! Except you’re alright strolling away with half your shoe lace gnawed off).
Entrance payment: ¥1000
Tips on how to get there: From Tokyo station, take the Yamabiko Shinkansen to Shiroishizao station and take a 20min taxi to the fox village (¥4200).
Opening hours: 9AM – 5PM (final entry at 4:30PM)
*Professional-tip: On the best way again, ask the opposite company in the event that they want to share a cab again to Shiroishi-zao station to separate the cab fare.
DAY 2: Tokyo Day Journey to Kawaguchi
Lodging in Tokyo: Clever Owl Hostel Tokyo
One other key winter expertise is catching sight of Mount Fuji from one in every of 5 Fuji Lakes. We picked Kawaguchi, a quiet city 2 hours from Tokyo. You need to use your JR Cross to get to Otsuki station earlier than transferring to the Fujikyu line to get to Kawaguchi-ko station.
Earlier than you arrive at Kawaguchi-ko station, you may wish to make a cease at Shimoyoshida. From the station, there’s a well-liked lookout level of mount Fuji from the again of Chureito Pagoda which takes 397 steps to get to.
Sadly our luck with the climate was fairly unhealthy on the journey and the elusive Mount Fuji was no the place to be seen. Do a fast verify on the climate earlier than deciding on this present day journey or else a visit right here is fairly unhappy if the climate is unhealthy.
Our solely saving grace was most likely this hearty bowl of Hoto noodles — a Kawaguchi specialty of springy handmade noodles and doubtless among the finest dishes to have in winter. Essentially the most well-known store is Hoto Fodo situated simply throughout the highway from Kawaguchiko station.
Set in a comfortable restaurant, the noodles listed below are stated to be probably the most conventional model of all and solely served in a single variation; a miso vegetable soup (¥1080). A standard ingredient in all Hoto noodles is a slice of pumpkin which doesn’t stand out quite a bit however provides a pleasant contact to the entire dish.
In case you like extra selection, there’s one other restaurant: Hōtō kenkyūjo (ほうとう研究所) situated close to the Kawaguchi Music forest which has Hoto with a beneficiant serving of seafood together with crab and lobster legs (¥1380 – 1980).
Tips on how to get there: Take the shinkansen to Otsuki, from Otsuki, swap to the Fujikyu line and get off at Shimoyoshida, then Kawaguchiko station. The JR Cross covers the experience from Tokyo to Otsuki station.
DAY 3: Nagano
Host of the 1988 Winter Olympic Video games, Nagano is a mountainous area most well-known for the snow monkeys who undoubtedly know methods to take pleasure in life. It is likely to be exhausting to consider at first however the onsen swimming pools listed below are actually reserved for the monkeys solely.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
From Tokyo, pack your baggage and set out early for Nagano. You’ll be able to go away your baggage within the many lockers out there on the prepare station. The JR go covers your experience from Tokyo to Nagano station by way of the Hokuriki shinkansen (90 minutes). Then jump over to the Nagano Dentsu station the place you should purchase the 1 day Snow Monkey Cross (¥3,200).
This covers the specific bus that can transport you each methods between Nagano station and the Snow Monkey Park in 45 minutes. The go additionally contains the doorway payment (¥1000) to the Snow Monkey Park.
From the drop off level, there’s a 20-minute stroll to the doorway of the park.
There’s just one essential onsen pool and also you’ll see plenty of monkeys in addition to folks crowded round.
The Monkeys listed below are wild however are completely chilled and don’t actually thoughts for those who’re taking photographs of them. Nonetheless, do be a bit extra weary of these with infants hanging on them as they are typically a bit extra paranoid and protecting of their toddler.
Do observe that that is just for the monkeys!
For the people, you’ll be able to take a dip in close by Kaede no Yu, Shibu Oyu, or Wakuwaku no Yu onsens for ¥300 – 500.
Tips on how to get there: Take Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano (90mins). Buy a 1 day snow monkey go for ¥3200 from the Nagano Dentsu station and hop on the Specific bus that goes direct to the Snow Monkey Park (45 minutes).
You’ll be able to keep an evening in Nagano on the many onsen resorts however we took our baggage from the lockers and continued on to Takayama (2.5 hour prepare experience).
*Different Path to from Nagano: Take Shinkansen to Kanazawa (60mins), spend the night time and take a 1.5hour bus to Shirakawago the following morning. From Shirakawago, it’s a 50 minute bus experience to Takayama. In case you’re taking this route, you’ll be able to swap Day 4 for Day 5.
DAY 4: Takayama
Lodging in Takayama: J-Hoppers Hida Takayama — ¥2,700 for a spacious dorm mattress
Considered one of Japan’s greatest preserved cities, Takayama is a well-liked winter vacation spot for it’s charming Edo-style neighbourhood that’s much more charming when coated in snow.
However as our cursed luck with the climate continues, the snow had simply melted off about 2-3 days earlier than we arrived. Regardless of having nearly no snow in sight, I nonetheless discovered the place reasonably enchanting and the proper stopover earlier than we visited the last word winter wonderland — Shirakawa-go.
Morning Markets
Ranging from 8AM, head to both the Miyagawa or Jinya Mae morning market and also you’ll see locals organising stalls by the Miyagawa river.
From conventional snacks like rice crackers to quirkier finds like wasabi chocolate and occasional in a cookie cup, right here’s place to choose up a present or two. There’s additionally seasonal greens, wood crafts and a lady folding actually advanced origami.
Opening Hours: 8AM – 11AM
Hida Kotte Aburi Sushi
One of the crucial well-known delicacies in Takayama is Hida beef and you will discover varied beef eateries across the city. However an fascinating one is the Hida Kotte snack bar. Beef is partially cooked with a blow torch and served sushi type on a bit of crispy rice cracker. Choose from 3 choices: ginger soy sauce, salt or gunkan (warship) type with a uncooked egg on prime. A set of all 3 prices ¥900 however belief me, it’s value it!
Different really helpful beef locations to take a look at: Manpukutei ($), Suzuya ($$) and Ajikura ($$$).
Value: ¥600 – 900
Opening Hours: 10AM – 5PM
Handle: Kamiyano City Takayama Metropolis Gifu Prefecture 34
Free Sake Brewery Excursions
At 3000m above sea stage, Takayama’s perpetual chilly local weather makes it excellent for brewing sake. There are numerous native breweries across the previous metropolis and from nineteenth Jan – third March, they’re taking turns to run free excursions of their sake making facility.
We had been there within the first week and did our tour at Harada Sake Brewery. The tour truthfully isn’t a lot however it was fairly cool to search out out what they did with the left over fermented sake (Sake Lees).
However maybe our favorite a part of all was the sake tasting 😛
There’s a tasting fridge with round 15 totally different sakes and you may strive all of them simply by buy a sake cup for ¥200 (sure you get to deliver this residence). We liked it a lot we ended up shopping for a bottle residence too.
Tour timings: 10AM – 12PM, 1PM – 4PM
Handle: Numerous breweries across the previous metropolis
Go to Shirakawa-go
In case you aren’t planning to remain the night time in Shirakawa-go, J-Hoppers Hostel (the place we stayed) gives half day bus excursions there for ¥3900. It leaves as soon as within the morning and one other within the afternoon. For us, we determined to spend an evening in Shirakawago. You’ll be able to take the freeway bus from the Nohi bus terminal proper subsequent to Takayama station (¥4420 spherical journey). Verify the timings for the Nohi Freeway bus right here.
DAY 5: Shirakawa-go
Lodging in Shirakawa-go: Shimizu Inn — ¥9,500 – ¥13,000/pax contains dinner and breakfast
A UNESCO World Heritage Website, Shirakawago (白川郷) receives fairly a little bit of snowfall each winter. With a view to keep away from snow buildup on the roofs, the gasshō-zukuri type houses you discover right here may be noticed with excessive straw roofs with steep slopes on both sides giving the complete city a dreamy winter wonderland look.
There actually isn’t a lot to do within the city however a key expertise is staying in one in every of these conventional gasshō-zukuri guesthouses. They’re tremendous well-liked in the course of the Dec – Feb interval so guide early for those who’re planning to remain.
There are not any eating places within the space so your lodging will often embody 2 meals for every night time you’re staying (dinner and breakfast).
I liked how homely the meals had been with little servings of many types. Watch out although, the servings could look small however it provides up and also you’d be stuffed earlier than you already know it.
Within the day, you’ll be able to take a shuttle bus (¥200) to the observatory for a unobstructed view of the village.
Leaving Shirakawago: From the bus terminal you’ll be able to take the bus to three close by cities: Takayama (50 minutes), Kanazawa (75 minutes) or Toyama (80 minutes).
The prepare experience to Kyoto is 135 minutes from Kanazawa, 163 minutes from Toyama and 182 minutes from Takayama.
DAY 6: Kyoto
Lodging in Kyoto: Wasabi Kyoto Soba Hostel — ¥1,700 for a dorm mattress (situated quarter-hour from Kinkakuji temple)
Kyoto not often snows, however it did this 12 months (2018 Jan)! And naturally, our poor luck continued and it solely snowed after we left.
If it’s your first time in Kyoto, you actually ought to spend no less than 2 nights right here. Take a look at our Kyoto price range information for all of the quintessential Kyoto experiences. Under are our all-time prime 5:
1) Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Entrance Price: None
Opening hours: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Saga Arashiyama Station, JR Sagano line
2) Fushimi Inari
Entrance Price: None
Opening Hours: Daybreak to nightfall
Nearest Station: 5min stroll from Inari Station (JR Nara line) OR 10min stroll from Fushimi Inari Station (Keihan line)
3) Kinkakuji Temple
Entrance Price: ¥400
Opening Hours: 9AM – 5PM
Nearest Station: From Kitaoji Station (Karasuma Line), take bus 204 or 205 to Kinkakujimichi bus cease and stroll 400m to Kinkakuji
4) Nishiki Market
Opening Hours: 9AM – 5PM
Nearest Station: Shijo Station (Karasuma line)
5) Kiyomizudera
Value: ¥400
Opening Hours: 6AM – 6PM (could range barely relying on season)
Nearest Station: Most accessible by bus or by biking. For bus, take bus 206 from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-michi and stroll for 10 minutes.
Learn extra about these in our Kyoto Funds Information.
DAY 7-8: Osaka
Lodging: J-Hoppers Common Osaka — ¥2,300 (quarter-hour from USJ)
Osaka Namba Hostel Miyabi — ¥2,300 (Close to Namba Station)
Osaka is greatest recognized for two issues, Common Studios Japan and FOOD. And that’s precisely what had been in Osaka for this journey.
Don’t get me improper, Osaka too, has many attractive monuments and fascinating actions. If it’s your first time to Osaka, try our very first Osaka Funds Information for all the most effective issues to do, see and eat for underneath S$70/day together with lodging!
Common Studios Japan
In case you’re visiting from nineteenth Jan – June twenty fourth 2018, undoubtedly try the newly refreshed Common Cool Japan part in USJ.
End up in an thrilling Last Fantasy themed VR curler coaster or stretch your mind on the 4 storey Detective Conan Actual Escape Room. These 2 had been my favorite experiences at USJ this spherical.
Learn additionally: Common Cool Japan 2018 for what to anticipate on this new part, or our Final USJ information for ideas and methods to beating the crowds and maximising your time within the park.
Helpful USJ Passes to get:
Common Studios Japan 1.5 day go — Enter the park after 3pm on the primary day and have the entire of day 2.
Common Cool Japan 3 Specific Cross — Specific entry to three well-liked attraction within the Common Cool Japan part. You’ll want this to enter the Detective Conan Actual Escape Room recreation.
Namba Meals Hunt
Generally known as THE leisure and purchasing district, Namba is probably probably the most thrilling space in Osaka. Listed below are simply a few of our favorite meals finds within the space; all underneath ¥1000!
1) Beef Cutlet Takeru
Essentially the most well-known menu merchandise at Beef Cutlet Takeru is that this 1kg tremendous massive measurement beef cutlet rice bowl. For simply ¥940, it comes with a miso soup and topped with a wonderfully poached egg.
Every cutlet is calmly breaded on the sides and nearly utterly uncooked within the center. In entrance of you in a mini grill the place you’ll be able to cook dinner every particular person piece to your liking.
Whereas this set doesn’t serve 1kg of beef, the serving is fairly beneficiant however principally comes with a mountain load of rice. In case you’re not a “rice bucket” sort of particular person and don’t wish to waste meals, you’ll be able to request for much less rice (though the value will keep the identical).
The catch is, every outlet solely serves 5 of those bowls a day — which implies you want to queue round half-hour earlier than the store opens to get your arms on one in every of these.
In case you occur to overlook out, the ¥1,200 set is equally value it and comes with a free circulate bowl of cabbage salad.
Don’t neglect to ask for sauces! There are as much as 15 several types of dips and sauces to go along with the cutlet together with Garlic Soy Sauce, Mustard, Ponzu Sauce, Garlic Salt and our favorite of all — freshly grated garlic!
Handle: 2 Chome-4-4 Nanbanaka, Naniwa-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 556-0011, Japan (Namba Outlet)
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11PM (On a regular basis)
*Professional-tip: There are 2 outlet in Namba alone so if the queue seems lengthy on one, strive the opposite simply 1 road away!
2) Niku Geikijou
A comparatively new model within the “quick meals” rice bowl world (together with Yoshinoya, Matsuya and Sukiya), Niku Geikijou could very effectively be a brand new favorite.
It’s a bit of pricier than the remainder (starting from ¥690 – ¥790) however serves a very beneficiant portion of meat and you may select from 12 totally different sauces to have the rice drenched in.
Sauces vary from candy to further spicy, with garlic, with ginger or with miso. We ordered the skirt steak bowl and requested for the garlic miso sauce which turned out tremendous addictive! Oiishi certainly!
Handle: 2 Chome-4-4 Nanbanaka, Naniwa-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 556-0011, Japan
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11PM (On a regular basis)
3) Imai Honten Udon
The specialty at Imai Honten is their Kitsune Udon which is fried bean curd cooked in a candy soup broth for hours till it absorbs all of the goodness. It’d seem to be a plain dish however gentle and lightweight broth someway manages to be simply tasteful sufficient for you retain wished one other spoon of it.
Handle: Osaka-shi Chuo-ku Dotonbori 1 – chome 7 No. 22
Opening Hours: 11AM – 10PM
Klook has change into one of many first websites we flip to with regards to journey planning. From WiFi, to move, to experiences, they’ve nearly the whole lot we want and at very aggressive costs. Right here’s what we booked from Klook for this journey:
1) 7 Day Complete Japan JR Cross — Saved us $300+ in worth. Click on right here for JR Cross breakdown
2) 8D 4G SIM Card — Fuss free choose up from Tokyo Airport (Is available in 3GB and Limitless)
3) ICOCA IC Card — Comes preloaded with ¥1,500 credit and can be utilized on all transports within the Kansai area together with Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe
4) Common Studio Ticket — Out there in 1, 1.5 and a couple of day passes. No printout wanted. You will get entry simply by scanning the QR code in your telephone.
5) Nankai Airport Specific — Since we returned on day 8, we might not use our JR go to get to Kansai Airport so this was our subsequent most suitable choice! The restricted specific trains will get you to the airport underneath 45 minutes however leaves solely 2 instances each hour so make sure you verify the timetable from Kansai airport and to Kansai airport.
Verify Flights to Tokyo
All set on your winter journey? Begin securing your flights now:
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This submit was dropped at you by Klook.
