I wanted to visit another area of Japan during my return trip, so I decided to book tickets to Nagoya, the gateway to Central Japan. I had no clear and definite itinerary in mind because I wanted to be flexible and just add or remove destinations while I'm there. I ended up traveling to Takayama, Shirakawago, Tsumago, Magome and Matsumoto, and exploring Nagoya.
Budget Guide
All numbers are quoted in Japanese Yen
6030 - Transportation
500 - 1 day pass Meguru Bus
2660 - Train to Nakatsugawa from Nagoya round trip
560 - Bus to Magome from Nakatsugawa
600 - Bus to Tsumago from Magome
300 - Bus to Nagiso Station from Tsumago
7000 - 3 nights Guest House Wasabi
5700 - 2 nights J-Hoppers Takayama
6136 - 2 nights Matsumoto Backpackers
500 - Toyota Museum
500 - Nagoya Castle
700 - Nagoya Skytower ticket
16031 - Food & drinks
700 - 3 Museums ticket in Tsumago
5510 - Express train to Takayama
3900 - Shirakawagou tour
3190 - Bus to Matsumoto
300 - Entrance fee for Kanda house in Shirakawago
300 - Doburoku museum ticket in Shirakawago
430 - Takayama Jinya
610 - Matsumoto Castle fee
1400 - Round trip tickets from Matsumoto to Shinshimashima
3400 - Bus to Kamikochi round trip
100 - Map
300 - Myoujin Pond fee
300 - Narai locker rental
67657 - Total expenses for eight full days excluding flights and extras such as shopping and souvenirs. This is approximately P30000 total if converted; my biggest expense is transportation. Moving around the region is expensive, even if you take the buses. The express trains are almost double the price of taking the bus.
Getting a Visa
Filipinos need a visa to enter Japan, I wrote about my experience here: Japan visa guide.
Where to Stay
There are all kinds of accommodations in Central Japan, find one that fits perfectly with your budget.
Itinerary
Day 1
We arrived early in the morning so we got to spend a whole day in Nagoya.
The places we visited were:
*Toyota Museum
*Nagoya Castle
*Nagoya Skytower for night city scape view
Day 2
I separated from my friends as we had different itineraries. I went to Magome and Tsumago, small and traditional villages along the Kiso Valley.
Read my post: Kiso Valley
Day 3
Traveled to Takayama via express train, which provided beautiful views of the mountains and countryside. Explored the old town and tried the famous Hida beef.
Read my post: Takayama
Day 4
Booked a tour to Shirakawago through J-Hoppers. One of the most beautiful countrysides I've seen in Asia thus far.
Read my post: Shirakawago
Day 5
Headed to Matsumoto from Takayama via bus. Explored the city and visited the castle in the day and night.
Read my post: Matsumoto
Day 6
Took advantage of the beautiful weather to explore Kamikochi and get a view of the Japanese Alps.
Read my post: Kamikochi
Day 7
Headed back to Nagoya from Matsumoto with a stop in Narai, another old village on the old Kiso Valley.
Read my post: Narai
Day 8
Last full day in Nagoya, went around the city and stopped by Osu Kannon Temple and the nearby shopping street.
There were a lot of other places I wanted to visit, but I either didn't have time or I wanted to reduce my expenses. The places I went to aren't on the usual itinerary when visiting Japan, making it all the more worth it for me. I got to see the Japanese alps and the countryside, which gave me a different perspective of this developed country. I didn't get a JR Pass because I figured I'd still spend less if I didn't get one based on the route I was taking.
There are still places I'd like to visit in the region because there are just so many things to do and see. I'll probably return in the future.
Other places you might want to visit while in Japan:
Budget Guide
All numbers are quoted in Japanese Yen
6030 - Transportation
500 - 1 day pass Meguru Bus
2660 - Train to Nakatsugawa from Nagoya round trip
560 - Bus to Magome from Nakatsugawa
600 - Bus to Tsumago from Magome
300 - Bus to Nagiso Station from Tsumago
7000 - 3 nights Guest House Wasabi
5700 - 2 nights J-Hoppers Takayama
6136 - 2 nights Matsumoto Backpackers
500 - Toyota Museum
500 - Nagoya Castle
700 - Nagoya Skytower ticket
16031 - Food & drinks
700 - 3 Museums ticket in Tsumago
5510 - Express train to Takayama
3900 - Shirakawagou tour
3190 - Bus to Matsumoto
300 - Entrance fee for Kanda house in Shirakawago
300 - Doburoku museum ticket in Shirakawago
430 - Takayama Jinya
610 - Matsumoto Castle fee
1400 - Round trip tickets from Matsumoto to Shinshimashima
3400 - Bus to Kamikochi round trip
100 - Map
300 - Myoujin Pond fee
300 - Narai locker rental
67657 - Total expenses for eight full days excluding flights and extras such as shopping and souvenirs. This is approximately P30000 total if converted; my biggest expense is transportation. Moving around the region is expensive, even if you take the buses. The express trains are almost double the price of taking the bus.
Getting a Visa
Filipinos need a visa to enter Japan, I wrote about my experience here: Japan visa guide.
Where to Stay
There are all kinds of accommodations in Central Japan, find one that fits perfectly with your budget.
Itinerary
Day 1
We arrived early in the morning so we got to spend a whole day in Nagoya.
The places we visited were:
*Toyota Museum
*Nagoya Castle
*Nagoya Skytower for night city scape view
Day 2
I separated from my friends as we had different itineraries. I went to Magome and Tsumago, small and traditional villages along the Kiso Valley.
Read my post: Kiso Valley
Day 3
Traveled to Takayama via express train, which provided beautiful views of the mountains and countryside. Explored the old town and tried the famous Hida beef.
Read my post: Takayama
Day 4
Booked a tour to Shirakawago through J-Hoppers. One of the most beautiful countrysides I've seen in Asia thus far.
Read my post: Shirakawago
Day 5
Headed to Matsumoto from Takayama via bus. Explored the city and visited the castle in the day and night.
Read my post: Matsumoto
Day 6
Took advantage of the beautiful weather to explore Kamikochi and get a view of the Japanese Alps.
Read my post: Kamikochi
Day 7
Headed back to Nagoya from Matsumoto with a stop in Narai, another old village on the old Kiso Valley.
Read my post: Narai
Day 8
Last full day in Nagoya, went around the city and stopped by Osu Kannon Temple and the nearby shopping street.
There were a lot of other places I wanted to visit, but I either didn't have time or I wanted to reduce my expenses. The places I went to aren't on the usual itinerary when visiting Japan, making it all the more worth it for me. I got to see the Japanese alps and the countryside, which gave me a different perspective of this developed country. I didn't get a JR Pass because I figured I'd still spend less if I didn't get one based on the route I was taking.
There are still places I'd like to visit in the region because there are just so many things to do and see. I'll probably return in the future.
Other places you might want to visit while in Japan:
- Budget and Itinerary for Kyoto
- Budget and Itinerary for Osaka
- Budget and Itinerary for Nara
- Budget and Itinerary for Tokyo
- Budget and Itinerary for Fukuoka
- Budget and Itinerary for Nagasaki
Posts
Hi, im going to Nagoya and would like to visit Takayama. Did you take the cheapest transpo to takyama? how long did it take you from Nagoya? i only have a day to do this. thanks.
ReplyDeletehi, I didn't take the cheapest, I took the express train, which took I think 4 hours, its difficult to do in one day because of the travel time to get there, but I think it's doable, but you have to start really early in the day, Takayama is a small town so it's easy to explore. I'm not sure how long the bus will take or the regular trains, but you have to think about the time it takes to get there and back, these two options may be cheaper but may take longer
DeleteHi sir have you been to Laguna Ten Bosch? Thanks for this itinerary. We'll be heading to Nagoya by August 2018!
ReplyDeleteI havent been to Laguna Ten Bosch :D
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