From Kagoshima to Tokyo in 8 days

[tspie]

Hello all -

I've spent the last month staying with a host family in Amami Oshima, and this homestay was to be followed by meeting up with a friend in Tokyo. Originally, the plan was for me to stay here in Amami until then and catch a flight into Tokyo (for which I already have a ticket) on the 8th. However, due to unforseen circumstances, I must now leave Amami this coming Saturday, June 30th. Literally just found out today. I spoke with JAL this morning and they will not allow me to change the date of my ticket for any sort of fee short of buying a brand new ticket at around 30,000 yen.

Luckily, I bought a JR pass before I left the US just in case, so I've got the 21-day exchange pass in my hand. I plan to take the overnight ferry from Amami to Kagoshima, arriving in Kagoshima at 8:30 Sunday morning. The exchange office opens at 10AM. I then have 8 days to get to Tokyo.
Any suggestions?? I will be heading to Kyoto /Nara/Osaka with my friend once he arrives in Tokyo.

I'm thinking a couple nights here and there - possibly including Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima...? yay/nay? Advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Well, just for the sake of starting out, I ran a search on how long it would take if you went to Tokyo Station from Kagoshima Station on the regular trains.

The answer: with a total of 19 transfers, it would take two full days.

I have never used a rail pass, so I don't know what trains you can use it with, but if it's only the local trains, here's a link to what I found. I wouldn't recommend this course, and it seems like you don't need to follow it, but at least it gives you an idea of just the raw amount of time you'll need to budget for train-time.

http://www.ekikara.jp/cgi-bin/route...max=1&sort=&half=on&cut=on&direct=on&x=23&y=8

 

[tspie]

Thank you for the link. I am hoping to use mostly shinkansens for the long distances though, so it should only be a >10 hr trip from Kagoshima to Tokyo, right? Am I way off?

How does this (very) rough itinerary sound?:

Day 1:
Ferry to Kagoshima
JR to Nagasaki with a possible stop in Kumamoto (my host-sister says no but I think it might be worth it to me)
1 night in Nagasaki

Days 2 & 3:
JR to Fukuoka
2 nights there

Days 4 & 5:
JR to Hiroshima
2 nights

Days 6 & 7:
JR to Nagoya
2 nights

Then finally Tokyo on the 8th day?

Too much? Not logical? :/ My brain is fried for the day.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

If you're using the shinkansen, then I would say that your plan seems alright to me. I don't recall offhand how long it takes from Hiroshima to Nagoya, but I do know that from Nagoya to Tokyo, it takes 2 hours by the Hikari or 1 hour 40 minutes by the Nozomi. Also, I have gone from Nagoya to Yamaguchi before by shinkansen, and I don't think it took more than 4 hours or so. Since you're breaking up your trip into so many pieces, I don't think it'll be much of an issue.

I don't know what kind of places you like to visit or what kind of things you like to do, but make sure you plan your travel times to coincide with whatever time you consider to be your "down-time" so that you can maximize the time that you do have at each of your stops. For example, in my case, I would want to travel in the evening or night so as to already be at the next city in the morning before all the historical sites/temples/etc. open.

www.ekikara.jp is my personal favorite for figuring out train times, although there are many more. I hope you find it useful, and I hope you enjoy your trip! Remember to check back in and give us an update from time to time!

 

[shiroma]

奄美大島→東京

JR Pass offers free rides on any train, local commuter ones to unreserved express/Shinkansen seat, except Nozomi (full fare) and sleeper trains (express fare and berth/room cost.)

↑ wrong, not just unreserved, not privately-owned rail company lines.


Although the "regular" A"Line (MaruEi Ferry) route to Kagoshima should operate on Jun. 30th, the other one via Kikai might not (the same goes to Maru-A ships to Osaka/Kobe, or to Tokyo too.) So check the schedule first.


There are two ways to get to Hakata (Fukuoka) from Kagoshima.

West coast: Tsubame (Shinkansen) from Kagoshima Chuo station to ShinYatsushiro (ShinYatsushiro-Hakata expected to open in 2011) then transfer to Relay-Tsubame express to Hakata. It takes about 2.5hours, trains leave about every half hour.
Kumamoto is one of Relay-Tsubame stops, Tosu is the station to transfer to the Nagasaki branch. Kamome express goes to Nagasaki (late night 3-digit ones, Kamome 105 for intance, terminate in the middle though.) Kamome ride is around 1.5hours, runs every hour or so. Eastbound Kamome is for Hakata (except late night ones,) no transfer at Tosu necessary.

East coast: Kirishima express From Kagoshima to Miyazaki (takes 2hours, leaving every 2 hours or so) then transfer to Nichirin express that terminates at Kokura. 4.5hours, every hour or so.
Kokura is the first stop of Shinkansen between Hakata and Osaka/Tokyo, so an extra westbownd ride is necessary in Hikari/Kodama to get back to Hakata. Or, getting off Nichirin at Oita to transfer to Sonic express (for Hakata) is an option maybe.
Cities for sightseeing in the East coast might be Miyazaki and Oita.


Once getting to Fukuoka after spending a couple of days or so in Kumamoto/Nagasaki, other cities worth visiting would be, Kobe (Sannomiya,) Nagoya, Yokohama and perhaps Himeji.
Note that some Shinkansen stations (Kobe and Yokohama for instance) are not very close to downtown areas.


Tips:
Since it is necessary to transfer from Hikari Rail Star to Hikari at ShinOsaka station, it is a nice idea to think about Hikari Rail Star departure time so that Hikari arrives at Nagoya/Yokohama/so at the best hours for sightseeing. Visiting Osaka city is done later anyway.

If the address (homestay, hotel, so on) in Tokyo is fixed, it is wise to use courier to send laggage ahead (except items for surviving for a week.) Amami souvenir could be sent to the US at a post office to reduce laggage further.


Sightseeing guide links:
Kumamoto
Nagasaki
Fukuoka
Hiroshima
Kobe
Nagoya
Yokohama

 

[Nall-ohki]

There have been countless threads on JR Pass, which JR does not sell inside Japan.
JR Pass offers free rides on any train, local commuter ones to unreserved express/Shinkansen seat, except Nozomi (full fare) and sleeper trains (express fare and berth/room cost.)
The ticket for local trains are called Seishun Juhachi Kippu.
This post will be updated soon.

Correction: You can get reserved express/shinkansen seats provided they are not in the green car (unless you pay extra for a a JR pass that lets you on the green car). I did it constantly while I was there.

 

[shiroma]

Correction: You can get reserved express/shinkansen seats provided they are not in the green car (unless you pay extra for a a JR pass that lets you on the green car).

Thanks for correction, apologies for providing incorrect information.

Another clarification below ↓

Not all lines are part of JR. If riding on a JR pass, make sure to keep that important little detail in mind when planning your itinerary.

 

[Mike Cash]

JR Pass offers free rides on any train <clip>

I don't say this to nitpick your post, but just to add clarity:

Not all lines are part of JR. If riding on a JR pass, make sure to keep that important little detail in mind when planning your itinerary.

 

[tspie]

Just wanted to thank you all for your help once again - I am now in Tokyo safe and sound (but exhausted! ). I ended up going with 2 nights in Nagasaki, 2 in Fukuoka, 2 in Hiroshima (incl. a day trip to Miyajima), and 1 in Nagoya. Seemed to break up my trip pretty well. Will be heading down to visit the sights I missed along the way once my friend from the States flies in to NRT.