Visiting Japan (12/21-12/31 or 1/1)

[uvahoo06]

Originally Posted by samurai007

The great thing about Koyasan is actually staying overnight at a temple, eating the food the priests eat, etc. Here is the list of temples that provide lodging (there are over 100 temples at Koyasan!)

Shukub ,

Temple Stays - Koya-San - Lonely Planet Hotels & Hostels

Now, it's possible all of these are booked as well, in which case, you can stay somewhere off the mountain. Hashimoto (the city I used to live in) is a decent-sized city at the foot of the mountain, and you may be able to find some lodging there. Or you could go all the way back to Osaka, or to Wakayama City. If you do that, you'll effectively turn Koyasan into a day trip, and not be there for the ringing of the bells and celebrations at midnight, though. There might be buses or taxis still running after midnight because of all the people there celebrating, though I don't know for sure...

I don't know of a separate bus pass, but all JR buses are included in the rail pass. You probably shouldn't need to travel by bus very much with the itinerary I laid out... only between Matsumoto and Takayama because there's no train through the alps, and any city buses you may need to get to wherever you're staying or sights you are seeing.

Bad News: All the accommodations are booked in Koyasan. There are two options as it stands right now:

1) I can go up but basically stay up the entire night and catch the EARLIEST train back to Osaka in the morning. That means no sleeping for me--unless I can sleep in the forest

2) Koyasan becomes just a day trip. I wonder whether there are other temples around Osaka that have a celebration comparable to this one in Koyasan. Does anyone know any info that might be of help?


Ughh...I'm pretty disappointed...

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by uvahoo06

Bad News: All the accommodations are booked in Koyasan. There are two options as it stands right now:

1) I can go up but basically stay up the entire night and catch the EARLIEST train back to Osaka in the morning. That means no sleeping for me--unless I can sleep in the forest

2) Koyasan becomes just a day trip. I wonder whether there are other temples around Osaka that have a celebration comparable to this one in Koyasan. Does anyone know any info that might be of help?


Ughh...I'm pretty disappointed...

Well, you could do the all-night thing, though it might get pretty cold at night in the height of winter. It has been known to snow on the mountain. You could appeal to the temples for a place to stay, especially if you're willing to just curl up on a tatami mat somewhere.

Every temple will be having some kind of celebration, some large, some small. 1 year I just watched it all on TV, and the other year I was there I went with some friends to a small temple in Nara prefecture.

If you do have to stay somewhere else, you might still be able to get back up to Koyasan on new years morning before you have to leave, though you could just visit whatever local temple is close for a taste of it as well.

Here are the train schedules to and from Koyasan, if this helps:

Nankai Koya Hot Net [Access to Koyasan] Nankai Electric Railway

Nankai Koya Hot Net [Access to Koyasan] Nankai Electric Railway

And here are the buses: Nankai Koya Hot Net [Access to Koyasan] Nankai Electric Railway

And times to the airport and Osaka: Nankai Koya Hot Net [Access to Koyasan] Nankai Electric Railway

[uvahoo06]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'm looking online to see where I can find a authorized seller for JR passes, and I've found two offices. Before I go in, I sort of want to have an idea of which rail pass best fits this itinerary that you all have graciously helped me with. Should I go with a 4-day or 7-day pass? Is there a student discount since I am a student (at least a graduate student under 25 yrs old)?

Thanks once again. You all don't know how grateful I am to have connected with everyone on here!

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by uvahoo06

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'm looking online to see where I can find a authorized seller for JR passes, and I've found two offices. Before I go in, I sort of want to have an idea of which rail pass best fits this itinerary that you all have graciously helped me with. Should I go with a 4-day or 7-day pass? Is there a student discount since I am a student (at least a graduate student under 25 yrs old)?

Thanks once again. You all don't know how grateful I am to have connected with everyone on here!

Well, I think you could get away with a 4 day pass if they have one (I thought 7 days was the shortest time they offered?), beginning 12/24 (when you head from Tokyo to Mastumoto) and ending on the 28th (when you arrive in Kyoto). That would cover the long distance part of your trip, the rest is shorter distances or non-JR trains (Osaka to Koyasan isn't a JR train, for instance).

However, I think there's a better and cheaper option: The Juhachi kippu. It is a ticket with 5 all day passes, which you buy at any JR station in Japan (no need of advanced purchase) and each ticket can be stamped individually (not necessarily consecutive days). It only works on local trains and a few of the slower express trains, not the bullet train, but since the itinerary calls for the slower scenic route through the mountains, not a bullet train to get to Kansai as fast as possible, there's no problem there. The juhachi kippu is only 11,500 yen, much cheaper than the rail pass. It's only sold during the vacation times in Japan, and you'll luckily be there during the winter vacation. Here's all the info on it:

Seishun Juhachi Kippu (Seishun 18 Kippu)

Seishun 18 Ticket - Wikitravel