Japan has been my favorite travel destination for its diversity of culture, food, activities, and creativity. You can always find something surprises you on the street. My main purpose of this trip is to conquer the 10 ski resort in Hakuba, the venue of 1998 winter Olympic. The best ski resort in Japan. The best thing is only 2.5 hours away from Tokyo by train.Japan Airlines direct flight from Vancouver to Narita airport. JL has very good reputation for its Boeing 787 dreamliner, services, and artistic onboard cuisine. Such big plane only equips with 144 economy class seat and 42 business class seat. It feels much more like a proper transportation than other airline’s 300 more + people sardine can.Upon arrival, three things need to be done before head to Tokyo.First, proceed to Green Agency counter (1F arrival level) to ship the ski equipment to hotel. The company is called Yamato Transport Co. Price is reasonable compare to carries your skies to the city center. It is approximately JPY 4000.00 to ship to hotel in Hakuba.Second, rent a wifi mobile router, for 14 days, it is approximately 65 USD, less than 5 dollars per day, unlimited data usage, up to 10 connection, 75Mbps speed, extra battery, and simple easy return in any postbox.Third, Money exchange, do not go the any exchange counter on arrival hall level, the rate is much better 20% higher at B1F train station level. Just take the escalator one level down, right across from 7-11. Every 100 dollars your exchange will save you a nice meal.I decided to stay in Tokyo to adjust the jetlag with some great meals and sightseeing.There way to get to city center.Narita Expresss NEX- 43 USD each way, less than 1 hour, get off at Shinjuku Station.Airport Limousine bus - 33 USD, stop at Shinjuku Keio Plaza Hotel, 1 hours 20 minutes.Skyliner local train- 17 USD, Stop at Nippori Station, change to Yamanote line, to Shinjuku Station, 1 Hours 35 minutes.Since I purchased the 14 days Japan Rail Pass, the Narita Express is covered. I took the faster train to Shinjuku with comfort.Why Shinjuku?Hundreds of restaurantsHundreds of shopsHundreds of bars and night clubsGodzilla is on the roofKabukicho – biggest tourism red light districtJL017 arrives Narita Airport at 4:30 in the afternoon. By the time, you arrived hotel and checked in will be around 7:00pm. Shinjuku will not disappoint you in the evening. Two most popular restaurants in Kabukicho to choose.Oiran Izakaya restaurant, all the waitress are dressed in traditional Kimono. Food is good. Beer glasses is cold. waitress are cute. Price is little bit higher than regular Izakaya Restaurant. Service? google yourself.Robot restaurant is more expensive and need reservation in advance. It costs approximately 70 dollars per person. The food is ok. Actress are cute. The show is fantastic. According to the restaurant, each robot cost 1 million USDSingle or group of dude go to Oian Izakaya restaurant. With girlfriend or family, Robot restaurant is much better choice.In Tokyo, I wouldn’t book hotel including breakfast. Even a 3 star rating hotel will charge your 10-15 USD per person per breakfast. I always go to convenient store. No matter which hotel you stay, there must be one near you. All the 7-11 or Lawson have cold and hot food counter with sandwich, Oden, buns, bento box, fried chicken, rich bowl, and hundreds of different kind of drink to choose from. They are delicious and cheap. It only costs few dollars per person.After breakfast, Odaiba is a nice photo shooting place for your social network. Take the Odeo line back to Shidome station, change to Yurikamome line, get off at Daiba station. Nearby attraction, rainbow bridge, statue of liberal, Gandam, Toyota museum, and Fuji TV tower.Other attraction. Asakusa Temple, Tokyo Skytree, Meiji Shrine, Chibuya Shopping district, imperial palace and Tsukiji fish market.Hokkaido crab restaurantKing crab + Snow crab + hairy crab all you can eat USD 50 dollarsSake + Japanese beer all you can drink USD 15.00limit to 2 hours.Next Morning, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train from Shinjuku station to Nagano station. It takes about 1.5 hours. Change local express train to Yudanaka Station takes about 45 minutes. Local bus connect Yudanaka Station to the Kanbayashi trailhead in a quick 7 minutes. After quick bus ride is 30 minutes hike to get to the Monkey park.In the afternoon, go back to Nagano Station, to catch the bus to Hakuba. East exit to the left is the bus terminal, take No 6 bus to Hakuba station, 1000 Yen 10 USD. It takes 1 hour. Most Hotels offer free transfer from Hakuba Station to Hotel.If you are not interested in Monkey Park, there is a Shuttle bus from Shinjuku Station direct to Kakuba bus terminal 5500 Yen. It takes approximately 3.5 hours.I stayed in Hakuba Yamano Hotel. It is a 3 star hotel. It has both Japanese style room and western style room, indoor hot spring on send and sauna, free indoor wifi, complimentary pick up/drop off from Hakuba train station or bus terminal, and 5 minutes walk to Happo one ski lift.The package is approximately 500 USD per person, includes· 4 night accommodations· 3 days hakuba valley sky pass (use for all 10 resorts, up 2 resorts per day)· Daily breakfast and one free dinner.10 ski resorts unite together by linking a shuttel bus service and a Hakuba Valley Ticket. From one end of the valley to the other and with 10 resorts accessing over 200 runs, twices more than the biggest ski resort in North America, from beginning to professional level to back country helicapter ski, Hakuba is the skiing mecca of Japan. The average snow depth for the hakuba area is over 2.5 meters. the average snowfall for the season is over 14 meter.Ski season from Nov to May.If you don't want to carry your gear all the way to Japan, Spicy rentals offer good quality equipment. the price around 30-40 USD per day.Back to hotel, nothing is better than soak in a hot spring onsen pool after full day skiing.Night life is slightly different than Western Ski Resort. I enjoy staying in a small cozy Japanese restaurant with warm sake. Sushi bar is for single or people who likes to meet new friends. You can treat the sushi chef or the person next to you a drink without asking “Can I buy you a drink?” Simply pull the sake into their cup, rise yours, and say “Kanpai”.Kakuba not just limited to Japanese cuisine. There are many restaurants offer different type of food, Italian Pizza, American Steak and burger, Chinese fried rice, Korean Kimchi BBQ, Australian Lobster and Raw oyster, Russian Caviar, and French red wine. a bowl of Ramen 5-7 dollars, average meal 10-15 dollars.There are few outdoor public onsens in the area. If you come across a big snow day, go there, above your neck is -10 C and below the neck is 43C, they even let you drink in the pool. Use the hot spring water to heat up the sake and bury beers in the snow. Watch snow fall in an outdoor onsen pool with cold beer/hot sake is unique experience Kakuba offers you.Last day in Hakuba, we packed all the ski equipments and ship it back to Narita airport. After breakfast, we separated in two groups and head to different directions.First group took the Highland Express bus back to Shinjuku Station and stayed 2 more nights in Shinjuku Washington Hotel for the 2 days shopping experience in Tokyo. The bus travel from Hakuba bus terminal to Shinjuku station around 3.5 hours. 55 USD per personSecond group was heading to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. It was little complicated and we only had 10 minutes to change train in each station. It is all covered in Japan Rail Pass.Kakuba Station – Matsumoto Station via JR Oito LineMatsumoto Station – Nagoya Station via Shinano Limited ExpressNagoya Station – Kyoto station via Tokaido ShinkansenIt was very smooth connection. It took us little more than 4 hours to get to Kyoto.The old town in Kyoto, called Gion District, you will see a lot women wearing traditional Kimono, Helmet big hair style, and step on pairs of geta (flip flop made by wood) roaming on the street. there are some costume shops which you can get tridtional Japanese wedding dress to take photos or rent the Kimono for a day to go sightseeing.We took the full day Kyoto temple and shirne tour. It covers Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kitano tenmangu Shrine, Heian Jingu shrine, Sanjusangen-do Temple, Kiyomizu-dera temple, and Japanese lunch is included. it is around 130.00 USD per persone.The second third day in Kyoto. we took JR rail from Kyoto to Nara with Japan rail pass. the Nara park is about 1000 meters from the station. there are so many deers to be fed. not many places you can find hundres of deers trace you for the food in your hand.Afternoon, take the same JR Train back to Kyoto to pick up baggage at hotel and catch Shinkansen back to Tokyo Shinjuku Washington hotel, aprroximately 2.5 hours.The Shopping district is from Harajuku to Chibuya connecting by Omote Sandou. All the brands from local designer to international. the 109 build is the biggest department store in Tokyo.Ameyokok shotengai local market is lcoated near Yamnote line Uedo station. It established during the WWII about 70+ years old. You can find a lot of souvenirs in the 200 meters long market, clothes, bags, cosmetics, fresh fish, dried food, and spices. open around 10:00 and close around 20:00, most stores remain closed on selected Wednesdays.The 2 packages we booked. price is subject to change.Package 1 by express bus includes.round trip airfare with JAL from Vancouver taxes included.round trip airport hotel limousine bus.4 nights accommodation in Shinjuku Washington Hotel.round trip express bus fare from Shinjuku station to Hakuba ski resort.4 nights accommodation in Yamano Hotel Hakuba.3 days Hakuba valley ski pass.daily breakfast and one dinner in Yamano hotelCAD 2399.00 per personal based on doublePackage 2 JR train includes.round trip airfare with JAL from Vancouver taxes included.4 nights accommodation in Shinjuku Washington Hotel.4 nights accommodation in Yamano Hotel Hakuba.3 days Hakuba valley ski pass.daily breakfast and one dinner in Yamano hotel.2 nights accommodation in Kyoto tower hotel.14 days Japan Rail passCAD 2799.00
