Japan: Yamanashi, Kawagoe, Tokyo - 8 days Itinerary and Expenses

 

Japan: Yamanashi, Kawagoe, Tokyo - 8 days Itinerary and Expenses

Thank you Cebu Pacific for another piso base fare for this flight.  Bought last 06-September-2024 12:18am for May-2025 travel date. 

Arrival

Multiple options are available when arriving at Narita Airport to Tokyo.  There's the Skyliner (~2750y) heading to Nippori or Ueno stations, Narita Express Limousine Bus (~3100y) or Narita Express (~3070y). 

As we want to avoid the crowded train stations, we decided to take the low cost bus to Tokyo station, serviced by AIRPORT BUS TYO-NRT.  It's a 65-minute trip that costs 1500y to Tokyo station.  Know more about this option from https://tyo-nrt.com/. 

In Narita T2, just buy a ticket from the counter and go to Bus Stop #6.  There were handlers who added bag tags and helped us place them in the luggage trunk.

Ensure to keep your luggage stub, as they will check it when you claim your luggage upon arrival at the bus stop.

What's planned for this trip?

Always thankful and blessed, this trip is my 16th to Japan and 3rd time to the Tokyo area. For my sister, it's her first visit to Tokyo, of course we need to see Mt. Fuji.  Some say it's more visible in autumn, but visiting during the Fuji Shibazakura Festival (mid-April to mid-May) is also sweet. We're lucky enough to have good visibility for almost a full day during our visit.  

We skipped the most famous and crowded areas in Kawaguchiko, instead including Fuji Motosuko Resort, Herb Garden Tabinikki Fuji-Kawaguchiko Garden, Oshino Hakkai, Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine. 

Spent 2 nights in Kawagoe and roamed around local stores and shops in Kanetsuki-dori Street. 

I was initially aiming to travel the week after golden week, but due to local and national elections on 12-May, I have to delay it.  So the wisteria in Ashikaga Flower Park also withered and faded as there were heavy rains during our visit on 17-May.  Don't fret, we've already seen wisteria in Kyushu last 2017 and 2023.

Day 5, headed to Ikebukuro as a base in Tokyo for the last 3 nights.  Visiting book stores in Jinbocho, overlooking scenery in Tokyo station and With Harajuku mall.  Skipping the Hachiko statue in Shibuya station, instead went to Agricultural Museum, Tokyo University. (On March 9, 2015, the 80th death anniversary of Hachiko, a second bronze statue was erected. The beloved Akita Inu is happily reunited with his master, Professor Ueno. - Reference).  Ended one of the nights watching the Tokyo night and light projection mapping with music in Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.  The Guinness World Record holder of the Largest architectural projection-mapped display (permanent).  

Could also be considered a Starbucks trip, as we have visited 3: Fujiyoshida, Kawagoe Kanetsuki-dori Street and Reserve Roastery Tokyo.

As for the weather, it's still cold early morning and late evening in Kawaguchiko and Kawagoe.  Carrying a light jacket for the day is enough.  Until a sudden spike of almost 9 degrees Celsius increased compared to the previous day, so brave yourselves as the start of hot humid summer is about to begin.  On the news, "Tokyo experienced its first day of the year with temperatures rising above 30 C on Tuesday. - News" 

Overall, even if I tried to divert our route away from Shibuya and Shinjuku; and use local buses apart from trains and the Yamanote Line.  We cannot deny the overcrowding and over tourism in the Tokyo area.  Undeniably, it was difficult to get a seat during lunch hours in Ikebukuro where we had to transfer to 3 restaurants (from Sushiro, Pepper Lunch to Komeda) due to long queueing.  Thank you Komeda Coffee, will revisit you in Nagoya for a more decent and peaceful morning set then.  Will still use Narita for entry or exit in the future trips, passby Tokyo for a short term, but definitely skip staying here for long.  Go beyond the golden triangle of Japan, and visit the other prefectures.    

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do?

Travel Date: 14-21 May 2025

Day	Places to see	Food and Restaurants	Accommodation
1	Narita Terminal 2	The Premium Malt's	Hotel Monte Hermana Tokyo
2	Fuji Shibazakura Festival Herb Garden Tabinikki Fuji-Kawaguchiko Garden	Herb Garden Café	Plaza Inn Kawaguchiko
3	Oshino Hakkai Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine	Starbucks Fujiyoshida Mo's Burger Hidakaya	Kawagoe Tobu Hotel
4	Kawagoe station Kawagoe Kanetsuki-dori Street	Beck's Coffee Starbucks	same
5	Jinbocho Tokyo station Marunouchi Square Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building	Kurashiki Coffee Lumine Komeda Coffee Tully's coffee	DEL style Ikebukuro Higashiguchi
6	Gotokuji Temple Himonya Catholic Church With Harajuku	Reserve Roastery Tokyo Mr. Farmer Yoshinoya	same
7	Hachiko - Agricultural Museum, Tokyo University Nezu Shrine Azalea Garden Waseda International House of Literature	Pronto Musashino Abura Gakkai Waseda Head Shop Orange cat café Chibo Seibu Ikebukuro	same
8	Narita Terminal 2		n/a

Reviews and Random Thoughts

• It's my first time staying in Ikebukuro as a base. I feel safe staying here since we were two.  Might have doubts if a solo traveller.  Multiple lines for trains, direct buses are available to the airport.   
• Ordering from amazon.jp and delivering it to the hotel is possible.  Just check with the hotel first on their rules.  My package is well kept by the hotel until our arrival.

• My sister said, we have been to universities, but we have not seen kid's schools yet. While walking from Gotokuji Temple, we heard a loud song, until we saw kids playing stop-dance.  We as well were dancing while crossing the streets and walking the green pathway while heading to the next bus stop. -On taking buses, push yourself to the end of the bus, or give your seats to the needy.
• Even though we failed to enter Ashikaga Flower park, we have still spotted some wisteria trellis along the way back to Fuji Station. 

 

• If you want to stay near the bus terminal, it may be more expensive, but accessibility is good.
• Always check train vs bus.
• Getting a haul from konbini can be an option apart from restaurants
• Check libraries, bookshops, gardens, parks.
• Get postcards, write travel notes, buy stamps, send back to yourself or friends.  Below we used the limited spring stamps I got from Otaru, I hand painted the wisteria flowers in Manila, and sent the postcards from Kawaguchiko and Kawagoe stations.  

• Collect eki stamps, or known as station stamps.

Airport Departure

We took the 7:15a bus from Ikebukuro to Narita.  For Cebu Pacific, counter AG already allowed queueing for the passengers. Read the note that passengers have to print their boarding pass and bag tags from kiosks found in Counter K. 

Expense Report: Budget Travel Guide