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 perfect to go to whatever the season however after over 4 journeys to Japan, winter is maybe 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 find out how to profit from Japan throughout winter with the 7-day JR Cross!
Travelling on a price range with the 7D Entire Japan JR Cross
Travelling with the JR Cross is one in all 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 move 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 value lots however for the sights we needed to cowl, the Entire Japan JR move 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 will not be the most affordable strategy to spending 8 days in Japan however for the experiences we needed to depart with, I believe we labored out a fairly honest price range. Hope you discover our Japan winter itinerary helpful!
Funds Breakdown:
Lodging: ¥23,100
Transport: ¥49,580 (Incld. 7D Entire Japan JR Cross)
Actions: ¥11,50
Meals: ¥15,500
Misc: ¥3000 (For SIM Card and Lockers)
TOTAL FOR 7D: ¥102,730 ($1231.77)
Examine Flights to Tokyo
We didn’t embody flight costs within the price range as a result of they fluctuate relying in your date of journey. To get a greater estimate of your whole price range, verify flights right here first:
Examine flight costs from Singapore to Tokyo right here in the event you 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 amassing your JR Cross on the JR East workplace in Narita. Ideally, you need to start once you’re able to take the move 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).
Try 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 move in your first day like us, make seat reservations for the subsequent N’EX to get to Tokyo station. This practice is roofed by the JR Cross.
Staying related: 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 moveable WiFi is likely to be extra handy.
Day 1: Tokyo Day Journey to Zao Fox Village
Lodging in Tokyo: Sensible Owl Hostel Tokyo (just one station away from Tokyo Primary 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 blended emotions concerning 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 may hug, pet and carry one in all 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 lots higher though it’s nonetheless a fenced up space. Foxes right here have extra space 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 loads of area right here however foxes aren’t meant to reside collectively by nature so that you’ll see loads of them with accidents on their head or tail from fights.
There’s a feeding platform the place you may convey your ¥100 pack of feed (from the doorway) and also you’ll see hoards of foxes crowding beneath trying up eagerly. It’s an cute 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 get pleasure from strolling by the areas removed from the feeding platform the place foxes would playfully take a jab at one another or strategy you to chew in your shoe lace (don’t allow them to! Until you’re alright strolling away with half your shoe lace gnawed off).
Entrance payment: ¥1000
How one can 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 way in which again, ask the opposite visitors 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: Sensible Owl Hostel Tokyo
One other key winter expertise is catching sight of Mount Fuji from one in all 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 would possibly 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 probably the greatest dishes to have in winter. Essentially the most well-known store is Hoto Fodo positioned simply throughout the street 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 lots 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) positioned close to the Kawaguchi Music forest which has Hoto with a beneficiant serving of seafood together with crab and lobster legs (¥1380 – 1980).
How one can 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 find out how to get pleasure from life. It is likely to be laborious to consider at first however the onsen swimming pools listed below are the truth is reserved for the monkeys solely.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
From Tokyo, pack your baggage and set out early for Nagano. You possibly can go away your baggage within the many lockers out there on the practice station. The JR move covers your experience from Tokyo to Nagano station through the Hokuriki shinkansen (90 minutes). Then jump over to the Nagano Dentsu station the place you should buy the 1 day Snow Monkey Cross (¥3,200).
This covers the categorical bus that can transport you each methods between Nagano station and the Snow Monkey Park in 45 minutes. The move additionally consists of 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 foremost onsen pool and also you’ll see a number of monkeys in addition to folks crowded round.
The Monkeys listed below are wild however are completely chilled and don’t actually thoughts in the event you’re taking pictures of them. Nevertheless, 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 notice that that is just for the monkeys!
For the people, you may take a dip in close by Kaede no Yu, Shibu Oyu, or Wakuwaku no Yu onsens for ¥300 – 500.
How one can get there: Take Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano (90mins). Buy a 1 day snow monkey move for ¥3200 from the Nagano Dentsu station and hop on the Specific bus that goes direct to the Snow Monkey Park (45 minutes).
You possibly can 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 practice experience).
*Different Path to from Nagano: Take Shinkansen to Kanazawa (60mins), spend the night time and take a 1.5hour bus to Shirakawago the subsequent morning. From Shirakawago, it’s a 50 minute bus experience to Takayama. In case you’re taking this route, you may 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 finest 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 virtually no snow in sight, I nonetheless discovered the place moderately enchanting and the right 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 low in a cookie cup, right here’s an excellent place to choose up a present or two. There’s additionally seasonal greens, wood crafts and a girl folding actually complicated origami.
Opening Hours: 8AM – 11AM
Hida Kotte Aburi Sushi
Some of the 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 model on a chunk of crispy rice cracker. Choose from 3 choices: ginger soy sauce, salt or gunkan (warship) model with a uncooked egg on high. 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
Tackle: Kamiyano City Takayama Metropolis Gifu Prefecture 34
Free Sake Brewery Excursions
At 3000m above sea degree, Takayama’s perpetual chilly local weather makes it good 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 have been there within the first week and did our tour at Harada Sake Brewery. The tour truthfully isn’t a lot nevertheless it was fairly cool to seek 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 completely different sakes and you may strive all of them simply by buy a sake cup for ¥200 (sure you get to convey this house). We beloved it a lot we ended up shopping for a bottle house too.
Tour timings: 10AM – 12PM, 1PM – 4PM
Tackle: 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) presents 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 possibly can take the freeway bus from the Nohi bus terminal proper subsequent to Takayama station (¥4420 spherical journey). Examine the timings for the Nohi Freeway bus right here.
DAY 5: Shirakawa-go
Lodging in Shirakawa-go: Shimizu Inn — ¥9,500 – ¥13,000/pax consists of dinner and breakfast
A UNESCO World Heritage Website, Shirakawago (白川郷) receives fairly a little bit of snowfall each winter. So as to keep away from snow buildup on the roofs, the gasshō-zukuri model properties you discover right here will be noticed with excessive straw roofs with steep slopes on either side giving the whole 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 all these conventional gasshō-zukuri guesthouses. They’re tremendous widespread through the Dec – Feb interval so ebook early in the event you’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 beloved how homely the meals have been with little servings of many sorts. Watch out although, the servings could look small nevertheless it provides up and also you’d be stuffed earlier than you realize it.
Within the day, you may take a shuttle bus (¥200) to the observatory for a unobstructed view of the village.
Leaving Shirakawago: From the bus terminal you may take the bus to three close by cities: Takayama (50 minutes), Kanazawa (75 minutes) or Toyama (80 minutes).
The practice 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 (positioned quarter-hour from Kinkakuji temple)
Kyoto hardly ever snows, nevertheless it did this 12 months (2018 Jan)! And naturally, our poor luck continued and it solely snowed once we left.
If it’s your first time in Kyoto, you actually ought to spend not less than 2 nights right here. Try our Kyoto price range information for all of the quintessential Kyoto experiences. Under are our all-time high 5:
1) Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Entrance Payment: None
Opening hours: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Saga Arashiyama Station, JR Sagano line
2) Fushimi Inari
Entrance Payment: 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 Payment: ¥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 fluctuate 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 finest recognized for two issues, Common Studios Japan and FOOD. And that’s precisely what have been in Osaka for this journey.
Don’t get me flawed, Osaka too, has many beautiful monuments and fascinating actions. If it’s your first time to Osaka, try our very first Osaka Funds Information for all one of the best 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 Remaining Fantasy themed VR curler coaster or stretch your mind on the 4 storey Detective Conan Actual Escape Room. These 2 have 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 move — 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 widespread 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 procuring district, Namba is maybe probably the most thrilling space in Osaka. Listed here 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 dimension beef cutlet rice bowl. For simply ¥940, it comes with a miso soup and topped with a superbly poached egg.
Every cutlet is evenly breaded on the perimeters and virtually fully uncooked within the center. In entrance of you in a mini grill the place you may prepare 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 individual and don’t wish to waste meals, you may 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 suggests it’s essential to queue round half-hour earlier than the store opens to get your fingers on one in all 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 various kinds 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!
Tackle: 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 properly be a brand new favorite.
It’s a bit of pricier than the remaining (starting from ¥690 – ¥790) however serves a very beneficiant portion of meat and you may select from 12 completely 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!
Tackle: 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 would seem to be a plain dish however mild and lightweight broth in some way manages to be simply tasteful sufficient for you retain needed one other spoon of it.
Tackle: 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 relating to journey planning. From WiFi, to move, to experiences, they’ve virtually all the things we want and at very aggressive costs. Right here’s what we booked from Klook for this journey:
1) 7 Day Entire 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 — Obtainable 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 cellphone.
5) Nankai Airport Specific — Since we returned on day 8, we may now not use our JR move to get to Kansai Airport so this was our subsequent best choice! The restricted categorical trains will get you to the airport underneath 45 minutes however leaves solely 2 instances each hour so be sure you verify the timetable from Kansai airport and to Kansai airport.
Examine Flights to Tokyo
All set to your winter journey? Begin securing your flights now:
Can’t see the widget above? Examine flight costs from Singapore to Tokyo right here as an alternative!
This submit was dropped at you by Klook.
