Indeed it is… This little feller will let you ride any Japan Rail service from Trains to Buses to Ferries even. It’s usefulness surpasses anything I’ve ever bought (including the New York Metro Pass). How to use the pass is pretty easy, but mine doesn’t start until Saturday.

In the same breath that I say it’s useful, I’ll say it’s also expensive. At $488 USD it’s nothing to scoff at… However, the trip from Sapporo to Tokyo alone will undoubtably make this little piece of paper worth all the hastle (because prices for Japanese citizens are outragous!).

This pass is the last of the three, one can buy. The 21-day pass is good from the 16th of Dec-5th of Jan (i.e. my trip) and so this is really what really makes my trip somewhat doable.

Speaking of the trip… it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t let you on the bulk of my travel plans…

From Sapporo I make my way to Tokyo where i’ll meet Christina (my girlfriend). Two days later we’ll depart and make our way to Kyoto where we’ll see hundreds of temples (it seems) and castles including Himeji which is on our “side-trip” tour.

After Kyoto the plan is…

(from Kyoto) day trip to Nara
(from Kyoto) day trip to Himeji
Osaka
Nagoya (where I flew in 3 months ago) with a side trip to:
-Ise
and back to Tokyo with a side trip to:
-Kamakura
-Nikko

then fly home on the 4th of January. It sounds busy and expensive (I know). The hotels for the trip will roughly be about $1500 usd. However… I’m going places I’ve wanted to go my whole life so if it’s between money and an experence of a lifetime, then I’m choosing the later. Of course with the help and contribution made by my parents, this opportunity would never of been possiable… so A big thanks to them!! If for some reason I never get to comeback then I’ll never regret what i’m about to embark on in just 3 days.

stay tuned for my grand summery of everything post. I’m going to try to say everything I need to say then, but it won’t be the last post! I assure you that.

Thanks for reading!

~J out