Comments by "GregZ" (@gregz85) on "Japan with Nao" channel.

I just bought the 7 day again, and it went from 240usd to 325usd in only a year. Now I'm landing in Osaka and leaving from Tokyo so the one way trip is 170usd. However we plan to use it to go to Kobe, Kyoto, maybe Hiroshima again and for the standard JR lines as well. We have Icoca from the last trip so that will cover non JR lines. Will we get the full value of my JR pass? Probably not but we will have assurance that we can get anywhere for that 7 days and as many times as we got lost last year, the convenience of not having to keep buying new tickets. I remember my first trip in 2010 where we had to buy the children tickets to get back to the hotel as we ran out of cash and back then IC wasn't something i knew about, or if it even was a thing. If you need a Shinkansen for a long trip ie Osaka>Tokyo the value in assurance might be worth it. And the 15 min Kyoto train is better then the 45 min train if your in Osaka.
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I just got back from a 15 day stay. I really like the Osaka area and suggest that to anyone. Mnt Fuji was epic last year when I was there but not an easy hike. Many changes to Mnt Fuji climbing this year so I didn't climb this year but went to Mnt Takao instead! (3776m vs 599m lol) Still a spectacular place an hour outside the Tokyo area. The heat is something but the humidity is what gets you. I find them both very agreeable but not all will. Hydration is key! What I want to know is where to get breakfast?! Nothing seems to open till 9 or 10 am!!! Love Japan will be back for a 4th trip soon.
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Just saw this and I must say, I friggin love the humidity!!! Just ran (not the whole way) up trail 6 of Mnt Takao today and was it hot and humid. not a dry spot on me! Loved the whole thing. If you cant do humidity, then yes, it will ruin a lot of opportunities, as my cohort is unable to take the humidity.
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@mx2000 There is so much I wish I could see in the time I get. A lot of things are going on in the Osaka area at the time I'll be there, but I'll look into Kumamoto as a down day as 6 hours on a train sounds like a good nap and not wasting a day for recovery at the apartment!
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@geekyprojects1353 I am. But I still need to spend 170usd to get from Osaka to Tokyo. The Kansai pass is 7000yen or 45usd for 3 days, and not usable on JR, or buses as of April, the value isn't there. Now I have 7 days of JR and Shinkansen to go anywhere for an additional 155usd. Three Kansai passes to cover 9 days would be 135usd and I'm stuck to local. I got Icoca for that. Gotta look at the whole picture. It just opens so many more options and peace of mind.
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@geekyprojects1353 The Kansai pass is only good for local non-JR trains, is 45usd (7000yen) for three days and I would still need to spend 170usd and the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo. I'll be in Osaka for 11 days so 7 of those days I will have unlimited JR, Shinkansen trips to wherever. If all I needed was the one trip and had no plans to visit anywhere else outside of Osaka the Kansai would be fine, however that's not the case. Kobe, Arima, Nara, Kyoto, Himeji and Hiroshima are one the list for where to go in the time there. will we get to it all, probably not, but if we get 1 additional trip to anywhere outside Osaka, say Hiroshima, then that's a 122usd round trip value. and then the time saving you get for the closer places like Himeji. turn a 1.5 hour trip on a train to 30min via Shinkansen. lots of value if you can use it right. If it was a single city trip only then the Icoca/Suica would more then suffice for any trip as its pay as you go and goes on most all trains/buses.
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@someInternetPerson1 I try to use the pass to go to as many places via the Shinkansen in my time frame, all round trips except the Osaka to Tokyo part. I know when I bought tickets at the station the first time, the round trip was about 300usd, in 2010, and on my current trip (right now) the one way was 170usd when i looked before getting here., pass was 325. Now if you are going to try and go out and see things then return same day that cost could add up. I'm gonna go to a couple places via the Shinkansen and the total for the round trips will exceed the Pass cost for me. I never thought to look at domestic flights and will have to keep that in mind for my next trip. Its not perfect, but its there for its duration and can be used to make it worth it if you itinerary allows for it.
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@CyRoGeniCz831 Now the real question is, is this gonna happen in a weeks time? over 2 weeks? If its in rapid succession in 7 days then I'd say yeah, but if its drawn out over longer then that, maybe. Like tinobalint suggested above, domestic flights are cheap in comparison to the Shinkansen and may be what you need to look into. It gonna come down to duration in each location, duration of trip, and the cost compared to domestic flights. The Shinjuku<Kanazawa<Kyoto<Hakone are the only really long distances. not sure on Hakone<Tokyo but the bullet might be cheap as a singular purchase. Get the Welcome Suica IC card to save time fiddling with ticket machines for local rail.
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