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Trip to Hokkaido + Tokyo very soon! (few days)


Jensen

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Hi guys!

 

Sorry I haven't been on for sometime. Finally confirmed (2 weeks ago) a long trip to Japan especially for the Sapporo Snow Festival. Haven't been to Japan for some time and my first time using JR Pass, in the past I have only used regional passes.

 

about 12 days in Hokkaido (Planned Ryuhyo Monogatari + SL Fuyu no Shitsugen)

Chitose-Sapporo-Asahikawa-Abashiri-Kushio-Chitose-Hakodate

about 10 days in Tokyo  

Hakodate-?-Tokyo

 

Things is, I haven't plan much for the latter half of the trip, would love some idea and input (even for Hokkaido part)! 

Love anything with Trains! also like the winter scenery and food!

Haven't finish booking all my hotels despite leaving in a few day time 😓.

So everything pretty last minute! At least I got my JR pass today! 

 

 

 

 

 

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Did some research last night:

How is Akita Nairiku Line from Kakuodate station for winter scenery?

Does anyone has recommendation fro winter scenery routes?

Is the E4 shinkansen still running? if so which route and how to look for it?

Want to take the foot bath shinkansen, but unable to find it on either hyperdia or JR east site, any idea?

Disappointed many joyful steam trains are out of service. 

 

I assume most of you who have been have used JR Pass, 

Can I get the pass and booked tickets in advance but start at a later date?

I know I can't take Nozomi? Can I take the Hayabusa and Mizuho? 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Cheers

Jensen 

 

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3 hours ago, Jensen said:

Is the E4 shinkansen still running? if so which route and how to look for it?

 

Yes, on the shinkansen services to Niigata. Consider taking the GENBI also.

 

3 hours ago, Jensen said:

Want to take the foot bath shinkansen, but unable to find it on either hyperdia or JR east site, any idea?

 

See the timetable here

 

3 hours ago, Jensen said:

I know I can't take Nozomi? Can I take the Hayabusa and Mizuho? 

 

NO!zomi. And Mizuho you can't take. JR pass is valid on all shinkansens going towards the north from Tokyo.

 

3 hours ago, Jensen said:

Can I get the pass and booked tickets in advance but start at a later date?

 

What do you mean?

Edited by Yavianice
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15 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

What do you mean?

 

i think he means, that when you turn your voucher in and get the actual pass, they ask you when you want to have it start (does not need to be the day you pick it up at the counter).  Once you have it, can you start booking reservations for dates in the future after the pass is active, even if the pass active date has not started yet.  Is this correct @Jensen

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You can make train reservations even before you picked up your JR pass nowadays. But don't forget about them, there is a penalty if you let them go to waste.

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10 hours ago, Yavianice said:

 

Yes, on the shinkansen services to Niigata. Consider taking the GENBI also.

 

 

See the timetable here

Thank you for your information. Thanks for reminding me about the art gallery shinkansen, I will fit both E4 n Genbi in one trip. 

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10 hours ago, chadbag said:

 

i think he means, that when you turn your voucher in and get the actual pass, they ask you when you want to have it start (does not need to be the day you pick it up at the counter).  Once you have it, can you start booking reservations for dates in the future after the pass is active, even if the pass active date has not started yet.  Is this correct @Jensen

Yes you are entirely correct, thanks chadbag. I might do the whole thing at Sapporo then. As I wanted to reserve the drift ice and steam train asap. They are the critical part of the journey. 

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7 hours ago, Yavianice said:

You can make train reservations even before you picked up your JR pass nowadays. But don't forget about them, there is a penalty if you let them go to waste.

Thanks Yavianice, thats nice you can reserve tickets before getting the pass. Penalty? How does that work? How would they charged if I forget?

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7 hours ago, Yavianice said:

You can make train reservations even before you picked up your JR pass nowadays. But don't forget about them, there is a penalty if you let them go to waste.

 

How do you do that?  

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8 hours ago, Jensen said:

Thanks Yavianice, thats nice you can reserve tickets before getting the pass. Penalty? How does that work? How would they charged if I forget?

 

8 hours ago, chadbag said:

How do you do that?  

 

2 hours ago, katoftw said:

You cannot for all passes except JR Kyushu passes. JR Kyushu allow you to book using either you pass or exchange voucher.

 

See this page for more information regarding seat reservations for JR East with Japan Rail Pass

 

(P.S.: I have not used this service yet so I can't tell you my experiences)

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Thanks.  So maybe JR East and JR Kyushu.    Last I had looked (a little over a year ago) the JR East did not allow the JR Pass users to book online so that is new.

 

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Hi guys

 

Thanks for the info, got my pass today at Sapporo station. It was a long long queue! I was lucky to booked the steam loco with 2 seats left. 

 

There was a large snow sculpture made by JR Freight, I have cropped so it fit the 2mb limit which I have attached. I have also recorded a video of night version light show but unable to upload due to size over 1gb. 

 

I will try and update the post of I see any  special trains! 

 

Best regards

Jensen

1612219625.png

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