Japan: West Tokyo, Shizuoka, Nagano - 7 days Itinerary and Expenses

Japan: West Tokyo, Shizuoka, Nagano - 7 days Itinerary and Expenses

What's planned for this trip

To experience spring and winter on the same trip. 

Touch down in Narita airport, took the low cost bus heading to Tokyo station. Transferred to local train heading to Kawasaki station, where we will be spending first 3 nights.  Immediately headed to Enoshima island.  

Following day, spend time with a friend touring around West Tokyo and Mt. Okutama.

I just want to break the notion that sakura only blooms by late March to mid-April.  Although, its true if you monitor the forecast (March 2026).  

However, if we want to avoid the crowd, sky-rocketing hotels, congested trains and areas during the main sakura season, why not opt for other options.  So for my third day, headed to Kawazu, Shizuoka to see the Kawazu sakura, these trees are the earliest to bloom in eastern Japan.

For my fourth day, I jumped on a train heading to Matsumoto, where I spent two nights.  

With day trip to Narai-juku.  Another post town to add in my Tokaido and Nakasendo adventure.      

On my sixth day, I headed early to Nagoya due to available train schedule.  To my surprise area between Matsumoto to Kiso, it was all covered with snow. 

I just wanted to rest and do basic shopping and did not plan anything for the day.  Before I head to Chubu airport the following day. 

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

Travel Date: 27 February - 05 March, 2026

Day	Places to see	Food and Restaurants	Accommodation
1	Narita Terminal 2 Enoshima	tenzan lab	Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kawasaki
2	West Tokyo	Earth Garden Gyu-Kaku	Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kawasaki
3	Kawazu Atami		Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kawasaki
4	Matsumoto Jujo Nakamachi Street	Sioribi Matsumoto Brewery Oboshi Matsumoto	Toyoko Inn Matsumoto
5	Narai-juku	Matsuya Sabo Satsukian Takoyaki Sakura Highball	Toyoko Inn Matsumoto
6	Nagoya Alpen Mikokoro Catholic Center	Yoshinoya Starbucks	Meitetsu Grand Hotel
7	Chubu Airport

Expense Report: Budget

Random Thoughts

• It's my second time to take low-cost bus transfer from Narita to Tokyo station, and actually they are not bad.  I can sleep more on the way and the luggage is safe in the bus storage area.  They will actually help you store your luggage.  It's a cheaper option heading to the city. 

• If you want to avoid the expensive and crowded Tokyo, study if you could opt to stay in Kawasaki or Yokohama area instead.  It will actually depend on your target areas  to visit.  But if you plan well, you may see staying in west Tokyo could also be strategic. 

• Gear-up for the weather and temperature of the place you are going to. 

• Balance your food expenses.  If you are into visiting cafes and restaurants which may be out of budget if you keep in doing for most of the meals, try to balance it in trying konbini food.  They are good and tasty and try to go for healthier version from Natural Lawson.  In some days, I prefer getting strawberry or in-season fruit and any karaage on the way home. 

• Apart from konbini, another affordable food option is going to top chains like Sukiya (gyudon), Matsuya (beef bowls), Coco Ichibanya (curry), Marugame Seimen (udon), Tenya (tempura), Sushiro (sushi), Saizeriya (piiza, pasta), etc. Here's cheese beef bowl (less rice) from Yoshinoya for only 627 yen (236 php, 2026)

• Starbucks: I have not prepared a picturesque architecture of Starbucks for this trip.  But I cannot miss their the cherry blossom limited line-up for my seasonal sip. 

I have tried this 3 times this trip, Sakura Saku Yo Latte. (The name literally means something along the lines of “The Cherry Blossoms Will Bloom! Latte”) This drink is no coffee concoction, instead combining steamed milk with sakura syrup for a light, sweet sip, and finishing the whole thing with decorative latte art. Each Sakura Saku Yo Latte will feature a cute cherry blossom tree made with chocolate sauce and little pastel pink shavings! [Reference]

It's totally tasty and sweet smelling. Making it a perfect combination with the bacon and spinach quiche. For some it may give a flashback, like it tastes some kinda-sweet medicine we had when we were kids.  For overall, I like the fragrance and the light taste.

• One of the photographs I've been doing while on the road are the manholes.

• I've also been chasing stamps across stations, tourist center, etc.

• In two weeks time, the postcards I sent from Japan were well received in Manila.

• What did i buy on this trip? Aside from clothing, I got coffee grounds (from Morihico, which I visited in Sapporo), coffee drip, tea, chocolates, biscuits, nuts, dried dates, snacks, board (for my watercolor), stamps, postcards, book and self-care. 

• How's my last night for this trip?  I decided to change my hotel in Nagoya and ended with Meitetsu Grand Hotel. Location wise, it is on the same building as Meitesu Bus Terminal and nearby train station, so you'll have quick and easy transfer. Room has wider area compared to other solo rooms. You can easily open your luggage.  Got a very good over looking view from the window in my room at 13F.  There are only 2 coin laundry machines available in 14F.

Cons: There is late announcement that Meitetsu mall will be closed for renovation, and elevator or passage are also closed.  They emailed the sole elevator servicing the hotel, but the direction/map is in Japanese.  It's one of the old hotel feel, where the lobby is on old dark red carpet.

Sleep: My laundry ends at 2am.  So I decided to sleep early and wake-up at 2am.  I had a nightmare (ended seeing sadako) and luckily wake-up from sleep.  Got my laundry and did not able to sleep until 4:30am.

Recommendation: Its not the type for basic travelers, but for business type.  Next trip, I'll look for another hotel as this gave me a creepy vibe.

Other hotels to try in Nagoya. 

• Apart from the previous two restaurants offering food upon departure in Chubu Airport Terminal 2, there is now Standard Coffee by ROYAL.  Here's fish and chips for my lunch prior to the flight. 

• Another solo adventure for my birthday trip. Thanks to Cebu Pacific for making another trip happen. CEB is 30, while I'm 42. Cheers to more safe travels.