Tips (will add more in time):
- Certain places are very crowded on weekends, see if you can re-arrange your itinerary to visit it on a weekday instead (like Disneyland/Disneysea, Universal Studios)
- Most hotels & ryokans charges a higher rate for weekend stays (Fri/Sat/Sun) so see if you can re-arrange your itinerary to fit that stay on a weekday on a cheaper rate (esp ryokans in popular places like Hakone, Miyajima, Noboribetsu, Nikko...etc). You would be surprised how much you can save on the difference.
- Many themeparks (except major ones like Disneyland/Disneysea/Universal Studios) & special trains (eg. Arashiyama Scenic Train, Asahiyama Zoo train...etc) do not operate every day, so it's best that you check their operation schedule on their respective websites before you go to ensure that it is available on the day of your visit.
- You can only purchase the nationwide JR Pass outside of Japan so remember to purchase it before you head for Japan.
- When using Hyperdia.com, there are some station with names that you might have problems searching for. Here's some examples: "SAGAARASHIYAMA" (JR Arashiyama station), "HAKATA" (Fukuoka's main station), "TOYA(JR-MURORAN)" (Lake Toya's station), "NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT" (Shin-Chitose Airport station), "KOBE(HYOGO)" (Kobe station).
Eg. In Osaka, Shinkansen only stops at Shin-Osaka station and not at Osaka station. In Yokohama, Shinkansen only stops at Shin-Yokohama station and not at Yokohama station. Therefore don't assume that Shin-Osaka and Osaka station is the same station because they are not.
(More info on how to use the Hyperdia website: here)
Sample Itineraries:
Places listed with " * " doesn't operate every day so check the operation schedule before you go
Nationwide JR Pass for 7 / 14 / 21 days: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html
Various other JR Passes: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html
Express Bus: http://willerexpress.com/bus/pc/3/top/
Train schedules: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Hokkaido:
(5 days)
Day 1: Singapore to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo
Day 2: Sapporo (Shiroi Koibito Park/Odori Park/Susukino)
Day 3: Day trip to Otaru
Day 4: Sapporo to Lake Toya or Noboribetsu onsen town, stay for the night
Day 5: Head for Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Singapore
(7 days Winter) With 3 days JR Hokkaido Pass for Day 5 to Day 7
Day 1: Singapore to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo
Day 2: Sapporo (Shiroi Koibito Park/Odori Park/Susukino)
Day 3: Day trip to Otaru
Day 4: Day trip to Sapporo Teine for skiing
Day 5: Sapporo to Asahikawa (Penguin march* in Zoo and take the Asahiyama Zoo train* from Sapporo to Asahikawa)
Day 6: Asahikawa to Lake Toya or Noboribetsu onsen town
Day 7: Lake Toya or Noboribetsu to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Singapore
(7 days Summer) With 5 days JR Hokkaido Pass for Day 3 to Day 7
Day 1: Singapore to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo
Day 2: Sapporo (Shiroi Koibito Park/Odori Park/Susukino)
Day 3: Day trip to Otaru
Day 4: Sapporo to Asahikawa
Day 5: Day trip to Furano/Biei (Lavender fields)
Day 6: Asahikawa to Lake Toya or Noboribetsu onsen town
Day 7: Lake Toya or Noboribetsu to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Singapore
(9 days Winter) With 5 days JR Hokkaido Pass for Day 4 to Day 8, Fly in Shin-Chitose, Fly out Shin-Chitose
Day 1: Singapore to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo
Day 2: Sapporo (Shiroi Koibito Park/Odori Park/Susukino)
Day 3: Day trip to Otaru
Day 4: Sapporo to Abashiri (Ice breaker cruise) Take Asahiyama Zoo train from Sapporo to Asahikawa, then transfer to another train to Abashira. If the Zoo train's tickets are sold out, then just take a direct train from Sapporo to Abashiri
Day 5: Abashiri to Asahikawa (Asahiyama Zoo)
Day 6: Asahikawa to Lake Toya or Noboribetsu
Day 7: Lake Toya or Noboribetsu to Hakodate (Goryokaku/Old Bricks Warehouse/Mt Hakodate)
Day 8: Hakodate to Sapporo
Day 9: Sapporo to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Singapore
Hokkaido + Tokyo:
(8 days)
Day 1: Singapore to Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Sapporo
Day 2: Sapporo (Shiroi Koibito Park/Odori Park/Susukino)
Day 3: Day trip to Otaru
Day 4: Sapporo to Lake Toya or Noboribetsu onsen town, stay for the night
Day 5: Head for Shin-Chitose Airport, Shin-Chitose Airport to Tokyo
Day 6: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 7: Tokyo (Asakusa/Ueno/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 8: Tokyo to Singapore
Tokyo:
(5 days)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 3: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 4: Tokyo (Asakusa/Ueno/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 5: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukiji market* in the morning if you have time)
(7 days)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya)
Day 3: Tokyo (Asakusa/Ueno/Akihabara)
Day 4: Tokyo (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 5: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 6: Tokyo (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 7: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukiji market* in the morning if you have time)
Tokyo + Hakone:
(5 days. Get Hakone Free Pass for Day 2 and Day 3)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo to Hakone, stay at Hakone
Day 3: Hakone to Tokyo (Asakusa/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 4: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 5: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukiji market* in the morning if you have time)
(7 days. Get Hakone Free Pass for Day 2 and Day 3)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo to Hakone, stay at Hakone
Day 3: Hakone to Tokyo (Asakusa/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 4: Tokyo (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 5: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 6: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 5: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukiji market* in the morning if you have time)
Tokyo + Karuizawa + Kawaguchi-ko
(9 days with 3 days JR Kanto Area Pass for Day 2 to Day 4)
*The JR Kanto Area pass will be changed to JR Tokyo Wide pass from 19 Dec 2015 onwards.
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo
Day 2: Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. Stay at Kawaguchiko
Day 3: Kawaguchiko to Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo.
Day 4: Day trip to Karuizawa. Stay at Tokyo
Day 5: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*). Stay at Tokyo
Day 6: Tokyo. Stay at Tokyo.
Day 7: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower). Stay at Tokyo.
Day 8: Daytrip to Kamakura + Yokohama. (Kamakura + Cup Noodle museum + Chinatown). Stay at Tokyo
Day 9: Tokyo to Singapore.
Tokyo + Hakone + Kamakura + Yokohama
(7 days. Get N'EX + SUICA package for day 1 and day 7 if you are using Narita Airport )
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo to Hakone, stay at Hakone
Day 3: Hakone to Tokyo (Asakusa/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 4: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 5: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 6: Day trip to Kamakura + Yokohama
Day 7: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukiji market* in the morning if you have time)
Tokyo + Osaka + Kyoto
(7 days with 7 days JR Pass, Fly in Tokyo, Fly out Tokyo)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo to Osaka (Aquarium or Instant Ramen museum/Dotonbori in Namba)
Day 3: Day trip to Kyoto (Arashiyama scenic train*/Kiyomizudera/Gion)
Day 4: Osaka to Tokyo (Asakusa/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 5: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 6: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 7: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukuji market* in the morning if you have time)
Tokyo + Osaka + Kyoto + Nara + Hakone
(10 days: with 7 days JR Pass for Day 1 to 7, Fly in Tokyo, Fly out Tokyo)
Day 1: Singapore to Tokyo (Shinjuku if you have time)
Day 2: Tokyo to Hakone
Day 3: Hakone to Kyoto (Kiyomizudera/Gion)
Day 4: Kyoto (Arashiyama Scenic train*/Fushimi Inari shrine/Kinkakuji)
Day 5: Kyoto to Osaka, day trip to Nara + Evening at Osaka's Dotonbori, stay at Osaka
Day 6: Osaka (Universal Studios)
Day 7: Osaka to Tokyo (Asakusa/Akihabara) or (Imperial Palace/Ginza)
Day 8: Tokyo (Disneyland or Disneysea or Sanrio Puroland*)
Day 9: Tokyo (Harajuku/Shibuya) or (Odaiba/Tokyo Tower)
Day 10: Tokyo to Singapore (Tsukuji market* in the morning if you have time)
Kyoto + Osaka + Nara
(6 days. With Haruka + ICOCA package for Day 1 and Day 6)
Day 1: Singapore to Kansai Airport, Kansai to Osaka
Day 2: Osaka (Universal Studios)
Day 3: Day trip to Nara + Osaka (Dotonbori in the evening)
Day 4: Osaka to Kyoto (Kiyomizudera/Gion)
Day 5: Kyoto (Arashiyama Scenic train* and bamboo groves/Kinkakuji)
Day 6: Kyoto to Kansai Airport, Kansai Airport to Singapore (Nishiki market or Fushimi Inari if you have time)
(9 days: With Haruka + ICOCA package for Day 1 and Day 9)
Day 1: Singapore to Kansai Airport, Kansai to Osaka
Day 2: Osaka (Universal Studios)
Day 3: Osaka (Aquarium/Instant Ramen Museum/Umeda)
Day 4: Day trip to Nara + Osaka (Dotonbori in the evening)
Day 5: Osaka to Kyoto (Fushimi Inari/Kiyomizudera/Higashiyama street)
Day 6: Kyoto (Arashiyama Scenic train* and bamboo groves/Kinkakuji)
Day 7: Kyoto (Philosopher's Walk/Ginkakuji)
Day 8: Kyoto (Nijo Castle/Nishiki market/Gion)
Day 9: Kyoto to Kansai Airport, Kansai to Singapore (Fushimi Inari if you have time)
Kyoto + Osaka + Nara + Okayama + Hiroshima + Miyajima + Kyushu
(13 days: with 7 days JR Pass for Day 4 to Day 10, and Haruka + ICOCA package for Day 1 and Day 13)
Day 1: Singapore to Kansai Airport, Kansai to Osaka
Day 2: Osaka (Universal Studios)
Day 3: Day trip to Nara + Osaka (Dotonbori in the evening)
Day 4: Osaka to Okayama (Kurashiki)
Day 5: Okayama to Hiroshima (A-bomb/Peace Memorial Museum/Hondori Street)
Day 6: Hiroshima to Miyajima (stay at ryokan)
Day 7: Miyajima to Fukuoka (Canal City Hakata/Foodstalls)
Day 8: Day trip to Nagasaki or Huis Ten Bosch
Day 9: Day trip to Kagoshima
Day 10: Day trip to Yufuin, then Fukuoka to Kyoto. Take evening Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Day 11: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera/Higashiyama street/Gion)
Day 12: Kyoto (Arashiyama Scenic train* and bamboo groves/Kinkakuji)
Day 13: Kyoto to Kansai Airport, Kansai to Singapore (Nishiki market or Fushimi Inari if you have time)
Kyoto + Osaka + Nara + Okayama + Himeji + Kobe + Kinosaki onsen
(10 days: with 4 days JR Kansai Area Wide Pass for Day 4 to Day 7, and Haruka + ICOCA package for Day 1 and Day 10)
Day 1: Singapore to Kansai Airport. Kansai to Osaka. Stay at Osaka.
Day 2: Osaka. Stay at Osaka.
Day 3: Daytrip to Nara. Stay at Osaka.
Day 4: Daytrip to Kurashiki and Okayama. Stay at Osaka.
Day 5: Daytrip to either Himeji + Kobe. Stay at Osaka.
Day 6: Osaka to Kinosaki onsen. Stay at Kinosaki onsen.
Day 7: Kinosaki onsen to Kyoto. Stay at Kyoto.
Day 8: Kyoto (Kiyomizudera/Higashiyama street/Gion). Stay at Kyoto.
Day 9: Kyoto (Arashiyama Scenic train* and bamboo groves/Kinkakuji). Stay at Kyoto.
Day 10: Kyoto to Kansai Airport. Kansai Airport to Singapore.
Kyushu
(7 days: with 5 days JR Northern Kyushu Rail Pass for Day 2 to Day 6)
Day 1: Singapore to Fukuoka
Day 2: Fukuoka to Huis Ten Bosch, Huis Ten Bosch to Nagasaki (take evening train to Nagasaki)
Day 3: Nagasaki to Fukuoka (spend the day at Nagasaki, then take evening train to Fukuoka)
Day 4: Fukuoka to Yufuin
Day 5: Yufuin to Beppu
Day 6: Beppu to Fukuoka
Day 7: Fukuoka to Singapore
