Journey Into Japan - 2019
Behind the tourist façade


Itinerary: our travel plans

Below is a table with the broad picture of our itinerary. Below that is a more detailed day-by-day description of the plan as of the date at the bottom of the page.

An itinerary is a plan as of a particular point in time of where to go, when, and how. But plans change, sometimes even from moment to moment. So our plans may change based on weather, surprise opportunities, changing interests, and factors beyond our control.

Tokyo, Takayama, Kanazawa, Osaka, Mt. Koya

 

Days, Dates, Cities and Notes
Day Date Itinerary
Sat 5 October Leave Denver in afternoon direct to Narita airport, Tokyo (NRT)
Sun 6 October Arrive NRT 4:25 p.m., limousine bus to Keikyu EX Inn Shinagawa hotel
Mon 7 October Sight seeing in Tokyo
Tue 8 October Off to Takayama
Wed 9 October In Takayama Matsuri (festival) evening parade
Thu 10 October In Takayama Festival, daytime parade
Fri 11 October In Takayama Party!
Sat 12 October To Kanazawa
Sun 13 October In Kanazawa
Mon 14 October In Kanazawa day trip to Shirakawa-go for sake festival
Tue 15 October To Osaka staying at the robot hotel
Wed 16 October To Mt. Koya our stay in a temple
Thu 17 October Back to Osaka
Fri 18 October in Osaka last night in Japan
Sat 19 October train to Osaka Kansai International Airport (KIX)
Depart for Denver, arrive evening of same day(!)

 

Sat., October 5

Denver to Narita
* Official flight is: United Airlines #143, departing Denver at 1:25 p.m.
* (Have your flight info handy for the team)

 



Sun., October 6

Arrive in Tokyo, 4:25 p.m.:
* Immigration / passport control
* Claim checked luggage, if any
* Customs
* Currency exchange
* Limousine bus to Keikyu EX Inn hotel
   (3-13-3 Takanawa, Minato-ku
    tel: 03-6743-3910)
* Check in
* Explore area on foot, dinner, or just crash!



Mon., October 7

In Tokyo:
* Breakfast in hotel
* Sight seeing
* Dinner TBA



Tue., October 8

Off to Takayama:
* Breakfast in hotel
* Check out, walk to Shinagawa station
* Shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya
   - JR Hikari 517 to Nagoya
       depart 14:40
       arrive 16:17 on track 17
* Local train (Hida Express) to Takayama
   - JR Hida Express 15 to Takayama
       depart 16:48 from track 11
       arrive 19:23
* Walk to Washington Plaza Hotel and check in
   (5-20 Hanasato-cho
    tel: 0577-37-0410)
* Dinner in hotel



Wed., October 9

In Takayama:
* Breakfast in hotel
* Takayama Fall Festival
* Transfer to Open Heart Pension
   (1089 Arahara, Kamitakaramachi
    tel: 0578-86-2235)
* Dinner in Open Heart Cafe



Thu., October 10

In Takayama:
* Breakfast in pension
* Takayama Fall Festival
* Dinner with Takayama Culture Committee



Fri., October 11

In Takayama:
* Breakfast in pension
* Program by Takayama Denver Friendship Association



Sat., October 12

To Kanazawa:
* Breakfast in pension
* Morning free
* 11:01 a.m. Hida express 3 to Toyama, arrive 12:30 on track 2
* 12:46 Shinkansen Tsurugi 715 to Kanazawa, depart track 14
* 13:09 arrive in Kanazawa
* Walk to APA Hotel Kanazawa Ekimae
   (1-9-28, Hirooka
    tel: 076-231-8111)
* Dinner in hotel



Sun., October 13

In Kanazawa:
* Breakfast in hotel
* Dinner on own



Mon., October 14

In Kanazawa:
* Breakfast in hotel
* Day trip (bus) to Shirakawa-go Boburoku Festival
* Dinner on own



Tue., October 15

To Osaka:
* Breakfast in hotel, check out, go to train station
* Kanazawa to Osaka on JR Thunderbird 16 to Osaka
      - depart 9:54 a.m. from track 2
      - arrive at Osaka at 12:37 p.m. on track 3
       Osaka subway, Midosuji Line / Nakamozu Line
       from Umeda to Shinsai-bashi on Midousuji line
* Check in to HENN NA HOTEL NISHI SHINSAIBASHI (robot hotel)
   (2-10-16 Nishishinsaibashi
    tel: 050-5576-8355)
* Dinner in hotel



Wed., October 16

To Koyazan and Henjoson-in:
* Breakfast in hotel check out, keep one small carry on
* Ship bags to Hotel Granvia, Osaka
* Walk to Namba station
* Depart for Gokuraku Bashi, on Nankai Express Koya #9, at 1:00 p.m. on track 4
       arrive Gokuraki bashi at 2:19 p.m.
       transfer to cable car, five minute ride
       get off at Senju-in Bashi station
       ten minute walk to Koya-san around 2:45 p.m.
* Dinner in the temple



Thu., October 17

Back to Osaka:
* Breakfast in temple
* Return to Osaka
       walk to senju-in Bashi station
       cable car 4:29 p.m. - 4:34 p.m. to Gokuraki bashi
       Nankai Express Kouya No. 8
       depart 4:47, arrive shin-imamiya 6:07
       JR Osaka Loop line to Osaka station
       depart 6:22 from track 3/4, arrive 6:40 on track 2
* Check in to Hotel Granvia Osaka
   (3-1-1 Umeda, Kita-ku
    tel: 06-6344-1235)
* Dinner TBA



Fri., October 18

Last night in Japan:
* Breakfast on own
* Dinner TBA



Sat., October 19

Homeward bound (JR pass and airline ticket):
* Breakfast on own
* Check out, get to Osaka station
* Arrive KIX terminal
* Fly home
*   Official itinerary is United Airlines #34 departing Osaka at 4:50 p.m., arrive SFO 10:55 a.m.
*   then United 1135 departing SFO at 12:55 p.m., arriving DEN at 4:32 p.m.
Note: arrive on same day we depart due to crossing the International Date Line.