Sapporo Japan

[jhm]

Do you really want to visit Sapporo as well ? All of your other places are in Honshu and the best way to visit them would be to get a JR rail pass. You could save Sapporo and the rest of Hokkaido for another time.

Thanks guys. Reason being I won't be back to japan for a long time, at least 7 years I would say due to family commitments, that is why I am trying to have sapporo in the itenary as well.............

That decides it for you doesn't it ? 2 nights in Sapporo or nothing for at least 7 years.

However, if you do think that you will have another chance to visit Japan (where there's a will, there's a way!), I would save Sapporo/Hokkaido for a proper length trip in its own right rather than a rushed 2 nights in Sapporo only. You could spend months travelling around Honshu so there's no worry about running out of places in your 17 days. You save the expense of internal flights to/from Sapporo. The seafood in Honshu isn't to be sneezed at either.

[k3nnis]

Thanks for the info. I have worked out the airfare and the jr rail pass and its the same. As if I didn't go to sapporo I would need to have a 14 day rail pass instead of 7.

Can we do any beginner skiing at sapporo(near)? Or are they all for experts...Like flat ground hahah

That decides it for you doesn't it ? 2 nights in Sapporo or nothing for at least 7 years.

However, if you do think that you will have another chance to visit Japan (where there's a will, there's a way!), I would save Sapporo/Hokkaido for a proper length trip in its own right rather than a rushed 2 nights in Sapporo only. You could spend months travelling around Honshu so there's no worry about running out of places in your 17 days. You save the expense of internal flights to/from Sapporo. The seafood in Honshu isn't to be sneezed at either.

[Kyo]

k3nnis: Which airline for the domestic flights? Which airline are you using to fly into Japan?

[jhm]

Which airline are you using to fly into Japan?

CX as above

[Kyo]

Is he eligible for that OneWorld domestic Japan pass then?

[jhm]

Is he eligible for that OneWorld domestic Japan pass then?

He'll have to read the T&C's here:

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/air-trave...es/visit-japan

e.g.

"Only available to residents of the country of sale outside Japan, when booked prior to departure at country of origin. This fare must be booked in conjunction with return travel to Japan on oneworld member airlines."

JPY 20,000 for a 2-sector pass it seems plus "we are pleased to offer a 10% discount for 10 weeks, on all oneworld fares, beginning 26 August 2009".

[k3nnis]

Hi Guys,

I assume I am eligible. I hope so anyway.

Basically I am from Sydney. I have a redemption ticket with my wife for SYD-HKG-SYD on VS.

I will purchase the CX ticket on the CX website for HKG-NRT-HKG or any other route to go back to HKG to catch my flight back home to SYD.

So I think to qualify for the airpass I will need to fly JAL for domestic japan.

I can purchase the airpass from any travel agent in sydney?

Am I correct to assume the above?

Cheers,
K.

He'll have to read the T&C's here:

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/air-trave...es/visit-japan

e.g.

"Only available to residents of the country of sale outside Japan, when booked prior to departure at country of origin. This fare must be booked in conjunction with return travel to Japan on oneworld member airlines."

JPY 20,000 for a 2-sector pass it seems plus "we are pleased to offer a 10% discount for 10 weeks, on all oneworld fares, beginning 26 August 2009".

[jhm]

I have no experience of the OW Visit Japan fare so YMMV...

So I think to qualify for the airpass I will need to fly JAL for domestic japan.

Plus JAL Express and Japan Transocean Air as per the T&C in the link above.

I can purchase the airpass from any travel agent in sydney?

I think so.

The T&C say "This fare must be booked in conjunction with return travel to Japan on oneworld member airlines." - you may want to check with your TA what "in conjunction" means. Does it really mean at the same time as booking your flights to/from HKG (unlikely but best to be sure!) ?

[k3nnis]

Thanks. I will check with the TA.

[k3nnis]

I just found out from a specialised Japan travel agent that I can purchase my CX tickets online for HKG-NRT-HKG and still can purchase the japan air pass from them without any issue.

They are convincing me to go to sapporo instead of the japan alps, nagano due to the transportation!!! Hope they are right! They are saying the seafood in other parts of japan is not bad at all but in sapporo/hokkaido is much better??? They recommend 3 nights in sapporo area.. Hope this is not too rushed..

[Kyo]

Sounds about right... 2 nights was too rushed for me too...

[k3nnis]

Thanks

Can I ask a slightly off topic question, is Kansai or Itami airport more convinient to access for domestic flights in Osaka? How far is it to travel from city centre from each of these airports?

Also how about tokyo, haneda or narita? How far is it to travel from city centre from each of these airports?

Thanks.

[Kyo]

Both are equally convenient to access - exact timing I can't remember, 30 mins?

Tokyo - NRT = 1 hr thereabouts, depending on traffic... haven't landed in Haneda, can't say, should be a bit nearer... I'm sure someone here can confirm. Everything is so efficient over there, and all the airports have people who speak English.

[jhm]

Both are equally convenient to access - exact timing I can't remember, 30 mins?

Huh ?

Itami is about 30 minutes by train or bus from the centre of Osaka.

Kansai is on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. I don't know about the train but it takes about 1 hour by limousine bus to Osaka.

Tokyo - NRT = 1 hr thereabouts, depending on traffic... haven't landed in Haneda, can't say, should be a bit nearer...

Tokyo to Narita depends on the traffic and where you start from. It can take much more than 1 hour - I'd allow 2 hours to be safe. The airport is about 35 miles from Tokyo station (in adjacent Chiba prefecture).

Haneda is a lot nearer. It's about 9 miles from Tokyo station. It's only about 20 mins by train to (e.g.) Shinagawa.

k3nnis, for domestic flights, definitely go for HND or ITM. JL run a very nice domestic F service between HND and ITM which I've raved about before. (I haven't tried the NH equivalent.) Given the location of the airports and the ability to turn up around 15 minutes before departure for check-in, it's a viable alternative to the Shinkansen.

[Kyo]

Huh ?

Itami is about 30 minutes by train or bus from the centre of Osaka.

Kansai is on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. I don't know about the train but it takes about 1 hour by limousine bus to Osaka.

Let me try to make it clearer - both are equally as accessible if you take a limousine/shuttle bus to the airport. Different platform, same procedures should apply.