Only came across the site recently as started at looking on travelling to Tokyo next April with my wife before we start to settle a bit more.
We’re planning on staying for 10/11 days in early April.
I was thinking of spending a few days around Osaka/ Nara for the Universal Studios and Deer Temple in the middle of the trip.
Looking at using AirBnB for accommodation.
To travel between Tokyo and Osaka/Nara is it worth getting a JR pass, and if so which one?
I’ve read some of the articles about which pass would like to hear from others who are more astute to see if I’m thinking along the right lines.
I was in Japan at Easter this year for 9 days and had used a 7 day JR National Pass to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, then Kyoto to Hiroshima and then back to Tokyo.
I purchased the standard pass rather than the Green Car pass. The Green Card pass is only really worth it if you are travelling in peak holiday seasons as the normal class cars will fill up quickly. The cost of a return ticket between Tokyo and Kyoto is roughly around the same price as standard JR pass so offers excellent value for money plus you can use it on any of the JR rail lines and also the Miyajima ferry. You cannot use the JR Pass on the NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO" Shinkansen. The difference between these two and the other Shinkansen is that they stop at fewer stations. For example I think the time difference on them between Tokyo and Kyoto was about 15 mins.
Depending on when you actually plan to use your JR pass will determine when you need to activate it. When you activate the JR pass they will ask you what date you want it to start. The time period will then start from that date. So if you know you’re going to be visiting Osaka/Nara towards the end of your stay, activate so it the final day expires at the end of your holiday. This way you won’t be having to fork out for tickets because it has expired because the start date was the date you arrived in Japan.
I am planning to go back to Japan in September next year for about 11/12 days and will only be buying a 7 day pass because I am planning to do my travelling around the end of my trip.
Hope this has helped and any other questions please let me know.
You probably won’t save much (or any) money if your only Shinkansen trip is Osaka to Tokyo and back.
The return journey normally costs JPY 27,240, and the 7 day JR pass is normally around JPY 29,110.
Transport between Osaka and Nara is pretty cheap (700yen or so each way).
The real savings with the JR pass are when you take multiple Shinkansen trips.
I’ve consistently scribed that you should not get a J.R. Pass because there are areas of Tokyo and Kanagawa you cannot get to on a J.R. Pass (e.g.: Shimokitazawa, Nakameguro, the Miura Peninsula).
Why submit yourself to J.R. Bondage, especially if it’s your first visit to #Japan?
The JR Pass is only for long distance travel. Of course you don’t use it for just going to Kanagawa or within Tokyo.
A Tokyo Wide Pass wouldn’t pay off for such short trips either.