Japanese Vacation #9

[westfalen]

I just got word that the tour to Argentina I was going on in November has been cancelled because of the Patagonian Express being blown off the track. Time to start planning 'plan B', three weeks or so in Japan.

At this stage I am thinking of spending time in Nagoya, western Honshu and Kyushu.

[bikkuri bahn]

November is a nice time to travel in Japan (peak of autumn) though the hours of available light are less than summer.

[CaptOblivious]

If yhou do go, I'll be in Kyoto or thereabouts during that time. Would love to meet up!

[westfalen]

For your perusal and comment this is a rough outline of what I've got planned so far.

DAY 1 (November 1st)
Arrive Kansai International Airport early evening, travel to Osaka.
Overnight Osaka
DAY 2
In morning travel to Nagoya via Kintetsu Ltd Exp. I’ve never travelled between the two cities by that route and never ridden a Kintetsu Ltd Exp so that will be two birds killed with one stone.

That afternoon and the next four days will be in Nagoya, plans are to visit the new railway museum and ride as much of the Meitetsu system as I can as well as the following.
JR Taketoyo line and Meitetsu lines south of Nagoya

JR Meisho Line and Kintestsu to Kashikojima.

Lines around Ōgaki.

Nagaragawa Railway
DAY 7
Travel to Miyazaki via Kagoshima, includes Sakura #549 the full length of the run from Osaka to Kagoshima. Arriving Miyazaki late afternoon.
DAY 8
JR Nichinan Line
DAY 9
Travel Miyazaki to Hakata via Oita arriving mid afternoon.
DAYS 10, 11, 12
In Hakata. Plans are to ride lines in northern  Kyushu I haven’t done, JR and Nishitetsu. One day will be tracking down the Mitsui Miike Railway freight operation in Omuta.
DAY 13
Travel to Hiroshima in morning via Shinkansen
Afternoon riding trams.
DAYS 14, 15, 16
In Hiroshima
One day will be riding JR Sanko Line, returning via Masuda and Shin-Yamaguchi.
The other two days I’m planning to travel west to Kushigahama and via the Gantoku Line and return via the Sanyo Main Line, then east to Mihara via the Kure Line and return via the Sanyo Main Line. Both days I’ll be looking out for good places to stop along the way for some lineside video of freight trains.
DAY 17
Travel to Takamatsu in morning, arrive mid morning.
Afternoon riding Kotoden
DAY 18
Ride JR and Asatetsu to Kannoura.
DAY 19
Travel to via ferry to Uno then JR 3’6” lines to Osaka, just for a change from the Grand Seto Bridge and Shinkansens.
DAYS 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
In Osaka, riding private railways in area, shopping and winding down for the trip home. Haven’t ruled out one day while my railpass is still valid taking a Shinkansen to Tokyo just for the fun of it to check out hobby shops and do a lap around the Yamanote Line.
Fly out of Kansai International on evening of day 25 arriving home next morning.

[bikkuri bahn]

Looks to be a very good plan, of areas not usually covered by visitors outside Japan.  Shortly I'll be doing a similar trip of sorts, (highly) compressed into eight days, of many of your locations, minus Shikoku and southern Nagoya.

Your visit to the Meitetsu Lines is admirable.  I've never really warmed to this railway- to me it feels the most "foreign" of all railways in Japan (except perhaps Nishitetsu), but every time I visit, it's "differentness" also intrigues me.  A photo location I've been wanting to get to for awhile now is the truss bridge over the Kiso River on the main line to Gifu.  It has a nice curving approach on the Gifu side of the river that would make a nice photo location:
http://blog-imgs-30.fc2.com/p/i/r/piro3/20100404_011.jpg

website for above:
http://piro3.blog5.fc2.com/category6-18.html

Bridge shot:
http://blogimg.goo.ne.jp/user_image/1b/1b/65808368d8af8ad387c713bbb20b3343.jpg

website:
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/tcc_kazu_029/e/c1a0f6859a2f01224e0746ef744c5018

Kintetsu has some impressive truss bridges also in the Nagoya area, on its
Nagoya Main Line south to Mie pref. Fun to ride a local at the front to see ahead when crossing these long bridges.

[westfalen]

"I've never really warmed to this railway- to me it feels the most "foreign" of all railways in Japan (except perhaps Nishitetsu)"

And I'm doing both.

That Meitetsu bridge looks like a good spot, I might see if I can get there.

I took a Kintetsu local back to Nagoya after riding the Sangi Railway in 1996 and the bridges you speak of are impressive.

[bikkuri bahn]

If you want to get to the bridge, it will involve a 500m or so walk from Kasamatsu Station:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=nagoya+japan&hl=en&ll=35.371362,136.762426&spn=0.011495,0.024698&sll=37.996163,-95.712891&sspn=43.319537,67.851563&z=16

Kasamatsu Station itself has some interest as the terminal of the Takehana Branch Line.

[stevenh]

Westfalen,

If you're using Hyperdia to plan routes, then try this:
http://modelrail.otenko.com/japantimetable/test.html

(Japan is default, just click "Add Route" to get started... the dep/arr boxes will auto-complete.)

I wrote a site (and never finished it, but it's 99% usable) for allowing a much easier method of splitting routes for stopovers, etc...

Steven.

[bikkuri bahn]

Kiso River Bridge, Meitetsu:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/nWPa9U5TSO0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/nWPa9U5TSO0</a>

Here is the Kintetsu crossing of the Kiso River, between Yatomi and Nagashima:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/reYxkE_10fk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/reYxkE_10fk</a>

*the best scene is the last starting at 2:14, with a 2600 series climbing the grade up to the bridge and a nice blast of the horn- classic Kintetsu!

[westfalen]

If you want to get to the bridge, it will involve a 500m or so walk from Kasamatsu Station:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=nagoya+japan&hl=en&ll=35.371362,136.762426&spn=0.011495,0.024698&sll=37.996163,-95.712891&sspn=43.319537,67.851563&z=16

Kasamatsu Station itself has some interest as the terminal of the Takehana Branch Line.

I've walked further than that to get to good photo locations and my doctor says I need the exercise.

[westfalen]

Westfalen,

If you're using Hyperdia to plan routes, then try this:
http://modelrail.otenko.com/japantimetable/test.html

(Japan is default, just click "Add Route" to get started... the dep/arr boxes will auto-complete.)

I wrote a site (and never finished it, but it's 99% usable) for allowing a much easier method of splitting routes for stopovers, etc...

Steven.

Thanks, I'll give it a try but I'm a bit old fashioned, I like browsing through a timetable though I do use Hyperdia to check if times are still current and for new services that have started since my timetable was printed.

[Bernard]

I hope you are going to take lots of photos like you did on your last trip, it was fun viewing your last vacation.

[bikkuri bahn]

then east to Mihara via the Kure Line and return via the Sanyo Main Line.

Today I took a trip on the (single track) Kure Line.  Beware, there are few trains on the stretch of line between Hiro and Mihara.  However, this is the more scenic portion of the line, with a section skirting the coast, where you can see the clear waters just out and below the window on one notable stretch.  You are also reminded of the shipbuilding industry, with seemingly almost every town having a shipyard, some with massive container or tanker ships being built.  There are also many slow orders on this line, with limits of 20/25km/h, not sure of the reason.  Rolling stock is 113/115 series as far as Hiro, or if you're lucky, a 103 series.  From Hiro it's 105 series.  Track is jointed, with mainly wooden sleepers.  The jointed track makes for a lively and fun galloping ride.  Many of the stations have long platforms, perhaps a legacy of the era when this line hosted overnight sleeper trains, or just when people rode trains more.

[bikkuri bahn]

Both days I’ll be looking out for good places to stop along the way for some lineside video of freight trains.

Advice about the Sanyo Line between Mihara and Kaitaichi- perhaps it was the time (midafternoon~early evening), but there were few freight trains, maybe one an hour.  I only saw one train with a pusher on the Senohachi portion.  Likely early morning or evening(?) would be better times.  Consulting a JRF timetable would be beneficial. All freights were pulled by EF210.

[westfalen]

then east to Mihara via the Kure Line and return via the Sanyo Main Line.

Today I took a trip on the (single track) Kure Line.  Beware, there are few trains on the stretch of line between Hiro and Mihara.  However, this is the more scenic portion of the line, with a section skirting the coast, where you can see the clear waters just out and below the window on one notable stretch.  You are also reminded of the shipbuilding industry, with seemingly almost every town having a shipyard, some with massive container or tanker ships being built.  There are also many slow orders on this line, with limits of 20/25km/h, not sure of the reason.  Rolling stock is 113/115 series as far as Hiro, or if you're lucky, a 103 series.  From Hiro it's 105 series.  Track is jointed, with mainly wooden sleepers.  The jointed track makes for a lively and fun galloping ride.  Many of the stations have long platforms, perhaps a legacy of the era when this line hosted overnight sleeper trains, or just when people rode trains more.

Sounds like the type of line I enjoy riding.

[westfalen]

Both days I’ll be looking out for good places to stop along the way for some lineside video of freight trains.

Advice about the Sanyo Line between Mihara and Kaitaichi- perhaps it was the time (midafternoon~early evening), but there were few freight trains, maybe one an hour.  I only saw one train with a pusher on the Senohachi portion.  Likely early morning or evening(?) would be better times.  Consulting a JRF timetable would be beneficial. All freights were pulled by EF210.

I'm flexible with my times. I guess it would depend on where the majority of trains originate and what time they would make it to that location.

[westfalen]

Booked my accommodation with Toyoko Inns and ordered my Japan Railpass yesterday. The internet certainly makes arranging a trip to Japan easier than it used to be.

[westfalen]

This is what I've worked out so far if. I haven't got anything specific planned for Osaka yet but as there's so much there and I've never spent much time in that city my to-do list would be a several megabyte download.

DAY 1 – Tuesday 1st November
Booval                              0442  QR Ipswich Line (1105)
Roma Street              0533  0537  QR Gold Coast Line (TG06)
Varsity Lakes             0702
Taxi to Coolangatta Airport
Coolangatta Airport             1005  Jetstar JQ19
Kansai Kūkō               1820  2036  Nankai Kūkō Line/Nankai Main Line (Ltd Exp Rapit #74)
Namba                      2113
Overnight Ōsaka
Toyoko Inn Ōsaka Nanba
DAY 2 – Wednesday 2nd November
Ōsaka-Namba                      0900 Kintetsu Namba/Ōsaka/Nagoya Lines (Urban Liner #9)
Kintetsu-Nagoya         1107
Afternoon in Nagoya
Visit SCMaglev and Railway Park
Overnight Nagoya
Toyoko Inn  Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan
DAY 3 – Thursday 3rd November
Taketoyo
Nagoya                              0747 JR Tokaido Main Line
Obu                          0803  0807 JR Taketoyo Line
Higashiura             0819
Film any Kinūra Rinkai Railway freight, then
Higashinarawa                     1246
Taketoyo                   1254
Walk to Meitetsu Chitataketoyo station
Chitataketoyo                     1317  Meitetsu Kowa Line
Kowa                        1327  1417
Fuki                          1424  1427  Meitetsu Chita line
Utsumi                      1445  1515  Meitetsu Chita/Kowa Lines (Ltd Exp)
Otagawa                   1556  1607  Meitetsu Tokoname/Airport Line (Semi Exp)
Central Jpn Int Airport 1633  1647  (Ltd Exp)
Meitetsu Nagoya         1724
Overnight Nagoya
Toyoko Inn  Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan
DAY 4 – Friday 4th November   
Nagaragawa Railway
Meitetsu Nagoya                  0740  Meitetsu Inuyama Line (Mu-Sky Ltd Exp)
Shinunuma                  0809
Walk to JR Unuma
Unuma                                0831  JR Takayama Line
Mino-Ōta                    0836  0950  Nagaragawa Railway
Hakunō                      1145  1220
Gujohachiman             1300  1453
Mino-Ōta                   1610  1638  JR Taita Line
Kani                          1646
Walk to Meitetsu Shin-Kani station
Shin-Kani                            1714  Meitetsu Hiromi Line
Mitake                       1725  1729
Shin-Kani                   1740  1744
Inuyama                    1804  1809  Meitetsu inuyama Line
Meitetsu Nagoya         1844
Overnight Nagoya
Toyoko Inn  Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan
DAY 5 – Saturday 5th November
Meitetsu North/Tarumi Railway
Meitetsu Nagoya                   0739  Meitetsu Nagoya Line
Kasamatsu                  0806
Film trains on Kisagawa bridge
Kasamatsu                           0940  Meitetsu Takehana/Shin Hashima line
Shinhasima                  1002  1006
Kasamatsu                  1029  1032  Meitetsu Nagoya Line
Meitetsu Gifu               1037  1045  Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line
Shinnaka                     1058  1058
Inuyamayuen               1112
Film around Inuyama
Unuma                                 1237  JR Takayama Line
Gifu                            1302  1319  JR Tokaido Main Line
Ogaki                          1331  1337  Tarumi Railway
Tarumi                        1442  1458
Ogaki                          1602  1622  Yoro Railway
Ibi                              1646  1712
Ogaki                          1739  1741
Kuwana                       1857  1904  JR Kansai line
Nagoya                       1935      
Overnight Nagoya
Toyoko Inn  Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan
DAY 5 – Sunday 6th November
Meitetsu South/Akechi Railway
Meitetsu Nagoya                   0803  Meitetsu Nagoya Line
Chiryu                         0823  0832  Meitetsu Mikawa line
Hekinan                       0907  0912
Chiryu                         0944  0947  Meitetsu Nagoya Line
Shinanjo                      0952  0952  Meitetsu Nishio Line
Kirayoshida                  1025  1031  Meitetsu Gamagori Line
Gamagori                     1101  1111  JR Tokaido Main Line
Toyohashi                   1122  1132  Meitetsu Nagoya Line
Meitetsu Nagoya          1221
Nagoya                                1332 JR Chuo Line
Ena                            1434  1454  Akechi Railway
Akechi                        1543  1606
Ena                            1654  1716  JR Chuo Line
Nagoya                       1818
Overnight Nagoya
Toyoko Inn  Nagoya-eki Sakuradori-guchi Shinkan
DAY 6 – Monday 7th November
Nagoya to Miyazaki
Nagoya                               0756  Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama #695)
Shin-Ōsaka                 0903  0959  Sanyo/Kyushu Shinkansen (Sakura #549)
Kagoshima-Chuo          1409  1428  JR Nippō Main Line (Ltd Exp Kirishima #12)
Miyazaki                     1627
Overnight Miyazaki
Toyoko Inn Miyazaki Ekimae
DAY 7 – Tuesday 8th November
Miyazaki Airport/Nichinan Line
Miyazaki                               0833  JR Miyazaki Kūkō Line (Ltd Exp Hyuga #7)
Miyazaki-Kūkō               0841  0925
Miyazaki                      0940  1030  JR Nichinan Line
Shibushi                      1309  1344
Aburatsu                     1454  1457
Minamimiyazaki             1616  1636
Miyazaki                      1639
Overnight Miyazaki
Overnight Miyazaki
Toyoko Inn Miyazaki Ekimae
DAY 8 – Wednesday 9th November
Miyazaki to Hakata
Miyazaki                               0807  JR Nippō Main Line (Ltd Exp Nichirin #6)
Oita                            1106  1245  JR Kagoshima Main Line (Ltd Exp Sonic #32)
Hakata                        1446
Afternoon free in Hakata/Fukuoka
Overnight Hakata
Toyoko Inn
Hakata-guchi Ekimae
DAY 9 – Thursday 10th November
Nishitetsu/Mitsui Miike Railway
Hakata                                  0607  Fukuoka City Subway Kuko Line
Tenjin                           0612
Nishitetsufukuoka                    0624  Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line (Ltd Exp)
Shinsakaemachi              0724
Film operations on Mitsui Miike Railway
Shinsakaemachi                       1324  Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line (Ltd Exp)
Nishitetsukarume             1352  1356  (Local)
Miyanojin                       1358  1415  Nishitetsu Amagi Line
Amagi (Nishitetsu)           1448
Amagi (Amatetsu)                       1524  Amagi Railway
Kiyama                          1550  1558
Ogori                            1604
Nishitetsuogori                        1614  Nishitestsu Tenjin Omuta Line (Ltd Exp)
Nisitestsufutsukaichi        1626  1629  Nishitestsu Dazaifu Line
Dazaifu                         1635  1716
Nisitestsufutsukaichi        1723  1727  Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line (Ltd Exp)
Nishtetsufukuoka            1746
Tenjin                                    1748  Fukuoka City Subway Kuko Line
Hakata                          1757
Overnight Hakata
Toyoko Inn
Hakata-guchi Ekimae
DAY 10 – Friday 11th November
Nōgata/Tagawa
Hakata                                   0819  JR Kagoshima Line
Haruda                          0853  0903  JR Haruda Line
Keisen                           0931  0959  JR Fukuhoku Yutaka line Rapid
Nogata                          1024
Chikuhonogata                         1110  Chikuho Electric Railroad
Kurosakiekimae               1143
Kurosaki                                 1150  JR Kagoshima Line
Kokura                           1213  1321  JR Hitahikosan Line
Tagawagotoji                  1416  1419  JR Gotoji Line
Shin-Īzuka                      1439  1456  JR Fukuhoku Yutaka line Rapid
Hakata                           1548
Overnight Hakata
Toyoko Inn
Hakata-guchi Ekimae
DAY 11 – Saturday 12th November
Karatsu/Shimabara
Hakata                                    0700  Fukuoka City Subway Kuko Line
Meinohama                      0719  0720  JR Chikuhi Line (through train)
Nishikaratsu                     0830  0847  JR Karatsu Line
Yamamoto                       0911  0942  JR Chikuhi Line
Imari                              1021  1102
Yamamoto                       1143  1250  JR Karatsu Line
Saga                              1350  1433  JR Nagasaki Line (Ltd Exp Kamome #25)
Isahaya                          1531  1548  Shimabara Railway
Shimabaragaiko                1653  1730  Ferry
Kumamoto Port                 1800
Shuttle bus to Kumamoto station
Kumamoto                                1911  JR Kyushu Shinkansen (Sakura #580)
Hakata                            1951
Overnight Hakata
Toyoko Inn
Hakata-guchi Ekimae
DAY 12 – Sunday 13th November
Hakata to Hiroshima
Hakata                                     0934  JR Sanyo Shinkansen (Hikari Railstar #548)
Hiroshima                         1047
Afternoon free in Hiroshima
Overnight Hiroshima
Toyoko inn
Hiroshima-ekimae Ohashi-minami
DAY 13 – Monday 14th November
Hiroshima - west
Hiroshima                                 0739  JR Sanyo Main Line
Iwakuni                           0830  0833  Nishikigawa Railway
Nishikicho                        0941  0952
Kawanishi                        1046  1122  JR Gantoku Line
Tokuyama                       1228  1330  JR Sanyo Main Line
Hiroshima                        1531
Overnight Hiroshima
Toyoko inn
Hiroshima-ekimae Ohashi-minami
DAY 14 – Tuesday 15th November
Sankō Line
Hiroshima                                 0753  JR Geibi Line
Miyoshi                           0946  0957  JR Sanko Line
Iwamikawamoto                1208  1351
Gōtsu                             1457  1621  JR San-in/Yamaguchi Lines (Ltd Exp Super Oki #5)
Shin-Yamaguchi               1851  1916  JR Sanyo Shinkansen (Hikari Railstar #526)
Hiroshima                        1949
Overnight Hiroshima
Toyoko inn
Hiroshima-ekimae Ohashi-minami
DAY 15 – Wednesday 16th November
Hiroshima East
Hiroshima                                 0721  JR Kure Line
Hiro                                0817  0824
Mihara                            0943  0953  JR Sanyo Main Line
Return to Hiroshima via JR Sanyo Main Line with photo stops enroute.
Overnight Hiroshima
Toyoko inn
Hiroshima-ekimae Ohashi-minami
DAY 16 – Thursday 17th November
Hiroshima to Takamatsu
Hiroshima                                 0815  JR Sanyo Shinkansen (Sakura #544)
Okayama                         0857  0932  JR Seto-Ohashi, Yosan Lines (Marine Line #17)
Takamatsu                       1025
Leave bags at station or hotel
Takamatsu Chikko                      1208  Kotoden Nagao Line
Nagao                             1247  1328
Kawaramachi                    1400  1405  Kotoden Kotohira Line
Kotoden Kotohira              1506  1513
Takamatsu Chikko             1613            
Overnight Takamatsu
Toyoko Inn
Takamatsu Hyogomachi
DAY 17 – Friday 18th November
Asa Kaigan Railway
Takamatsu                                0822  JR Kōtoku Line (Ltd Exp Uzushio #3)
Tokushima                        0935  0951  JR Mugu Line (Ltd Exp Muroto #1)
Mugi                                1059  1105
Kaifu                               1119  1128  Asa Kaigan Railway
Kannora                           1139  1216
Kaifu                               1227  1233
Mugi                                1247  1356
Anan                               1454  1523
Tokushima                        1612  1649  JR Kōtoku Line (Ltd Exp Uzushio #22)
Takamatsu                       1744
Overnight Takamatsu
Takamatsu Hyogomachi
DAY 18 – Saturday 19th November
Takamatsu to Ōsaka
Takamatsu                                0845  Utaka-Kokudō Ferry
Uno                                 0950  1027  JR Uno Line
Chayamachi                      1054  1119  (Marine Liner #24)
Okayama                          1132  1155  JR Sanyo Main Line/Ako line
Banshuako                        1306  1336  JR Ako/Sanyo Main Line (Special Rapid Service)
Ōsaka                              1513  1515  JR Ōsaka loop line
Noda                               1521
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 19 – Sunday 20th November
Ōsaka Area
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 20 – Monday 21st November
Ōsaka Area
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 21 – Tuesday 22nd November
Ōsaka Area
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 22 – Wednesday 23rd November
Ōsaka Area
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 23 – Thursday 24th November
Ōsaka Area
Overnight Ōsaka
JR Noda Ekimae
DAY 24 – Friday 25th November
Ōsaka Area
Kansai Kūkō                        2050  Jetstar JQ20
Overnight on plane
Day 25 – Saturday 26th November
Coolangatta Airport      0655  0807  Surfside Buslines route 761
Varsity Lakes              0837  0848  QR Gold Coast Line (TP29)
Roma Street               1006  1030  QR Ipswich line (1524)
Booval                       1121

[bikkuri bahn]

Looks like a fine itinerary.

I haven't got anything specific planned for Osaka yet but as there's so much there and I've never spent much time in that city my to-do list would be a several megabyte download.

Will be interesting to read your impressions of the railways there.  To me, the railways there come closest to maintaining the "feel" of JNR and private railways when I was younger (1980's)- with homogenization and interline running now the rule in Kanto, my interests focus on Kansai, and heck, even the Nagoya area with Meitetsu's quirkiness appeals, and Kintetsu is there too.

[westfalen]

One of my quests in Osaka is to see the last remaining EH10 which is held captive in a cage in a park at Awaji. http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/48049730.jpg

Seeing it's just down the road from the Akagawa Truss Bridge I might be able to kill two birds with one stone.

[bikkuri bahn]

One of my quests in Osaka is to see the last remaining EH10 which is held captive in a cage in a park at Awaji.

Yikes! That's akin to caging a bengal tiger in a small box.  Much better if they moved it to the planned joint JR West/Private Railways museum at Umekoji, Kyoto.  It deserves to be under better cover (inside) but allowing visitors closer to touch, as at the JR Tokai and JR East museums.  I wish museums would focus a little more on the freight side of railways, but anyway...

[westfalen]

I've downloaded an app for my Iphone called 'Gogo Japan', a GPS app that, apart from having an English menu, allows you to enter phone numbers for businesses which are then pinpointed on the map. Should be handy for tracking down hobby shops from magazine ads.

[cteno4]

westfallen,

hey thats a nifty app and perfect for finding hobby shops like that as many the only thing they list is a phone number that easy to pull!

jeff

[CaptOblivious]

I've downloaded an app for my Iphone called 'Gogo Japan', a GPS app that, apart from having an English menu, allows you to enter phone numbers for businesses which are then pinpointed on the map. Should be handy for tracking down hobby shops from magazine ads.

A real shame there's no Android version!

[The_Ghan]

Westfalen,

I love your itinerary ... however, Mrs_Ghan would shoot me half-way through day 3.  There appears to be no shopping stops or renown restaurants booked !!!

Cheers

The_Ghan

PS: don't suggest a bento box ... or you'll be wearing it ... you don't know Mrs_Ghan !!!

[westfalen]

Westfalen,

I love your itinerary ... however, Mrs_Ghan would shoot me half-way through day 3.  There appears to be no shopping stops or renown restaurants booked !!!

Cheers

The_Ghan

PS: don't suggest a bento box ... or you'll be wearing it ... you don't know Mrs_Ghan !!!

One advantage of travelling on your own.

Now that I'm here I'll start a new thread.

[bikkuri bahn]

Welcome (back) to Japan! I envy that you're taking the Urban Liner tomorrow...

[nightshade]

nice all train and pics
well can do myself but can follow ur tread and see
(i think i rather go around than take that nany trains,
got only 2 weeks this year to spend at my inlaws and
i think i stay around Funabashi and Tokyo area)
November is nice, (better than here in Az still in 85 /90 degrees)