Naoshima, Takamatsu, Okayama, Kurashiki, Tottori, Kinosaki and Amanohashidate 5 days trip plan by Kansai WIDE Area Pass

Tottori Sand Dune4 to 6 days
2018.09.23
Pumpkin at Naoshima island

If you want something different on your trip to Kansai area, Kansai Wide Area Pass is highly recommended. I always recommend to use Kansai Thru Pass and Kansai Area Pass to travel within Kansai area, such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Osaka, Wakayama, Himeji. But Kansai Wide Area Pass covers outside these areas, such as Shingu, Okayama, Kinosaki Onsen, Takamatsu. And this pass is valid for 5 days. It makes your trip more interesting.

In this post, I would like to show you a sample itineraries which include Naoshima, Takamatsu, Okayama, Kurashiki, Tottori, Kinosaki and Amanohashidate in 5 days. You will find the way to maximize using this pass.

Day 1 Osaka to Takamatsu via Naoshima

Ride on Shinkansen at the beginning of this trip

Shin-Osaka to Uno

Shin-Osaka 8:59 (Mizuho 605) 09:45 Okayama 09:54 (Rapid Marine Liner) 10:09 Chayamachi 10:13 (Uno line local) 10:37 Uno

Take Shinkansen (bullet train) to Okayama and change to a ordinary train twice at Okayama and Chayamachi.
This portion is fully covered by Kansai Wide Area Pass.

Uno to Naoshima to Takamatsu

Small ferry trip to Naoshima

Uno 11:00 (Shikoku ferry) 11:20 Miyaura port 17:00 (Shikoku ferry) 18:00 Takamatsu

You take a ferry to Miyaura port from Uno port by Shikoku ferry. It takes 5 to 10 minutes from Uno station to Uno port. This ferry service is not covered by Kansai Wide Area Pass. The ferry fare is 290 yen. You can purchase a ticket at the port. No reservation is required.

You have half a day in Naoshima. You can take either a town bus or rental bike.

After sightseeing in Naoshima, you take a ferry again to Takamatsu. This ferry is the same company’s ferry as Uno to Miyaura route. Reservation is not required and you can purchase a ticket on the spot. The ferry fare is 520 yen which is not covered by Kansai Wide Area Pass.

After arrival at Takamatsu, enjoy a local cuisine, “Sanuki Udon’ for dinner.

Day 2 Takamatsu to Okayama via Kurashiki

Ritsurin Park is a few stations away from Takamatsu. ©JTA/ ©JNTO

Takamatsu 13:10 (Marine Liner) 14:02 Okayama 15:04 (Limited Express Yakumo 17) 15:15 Kurashiki

In the morning, enjoy sightseeing in Takamatsu. And take a train to Okayama. You have one hour stop at Okayama because you will stay overnight there. You can drop off your luggage before visiting Kurashiki. In this trip plan, you will take Limited Express Yakumo 17 for a short ride from Okayama to Kurashiki. But on this segment, a local train runs very frequently. You do not need to check the timetable. Just go to Okayama station and hop on the train to Kurashiki.

Kurashiki is a very charming small town. It is very accessible from Kurashiki station.

Kurashiki Bikan area is 15 minutes away from Kurashiki station.

Kurashiki 19:03 (Sanyo line local) 19:21 Okayama

As I mentioned, there are lots of trains running between Kurashiki and Okayama. You can take any train to Okayama.

Day 3 Okayama to Tottori

Korakuen garden in Okayama is one of three best gardens in Japan with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Kairakuen in Mito. ©JTA/ ©JNTO

Okayama 13:43 (Limited Express Super Inaba 7) 15:32 Tottori

In the morning, enjoy sightseeing in Okayama. After lunch time, you take an express train to Tottori.

Day 4 Tottori to Kinosaki Onsen

Tottori Sand Dune ©Tottori Prefecture/©JNTO

Tottori 13:19 (Marine Liner) 14:08 Hamasaka 14:21 (local train) 15:08 Kinosaki Onsen

Enjoy sightseeing in Tottori. Tottori Sand Dune is a very popular spot to visit.

On this day, you cannot take any express trains. Only local train is a choice and the train does not run very frequently. Please check the timetable before you go.

Kinosaki Onsen is a very famous hot spring resort in Japan.

Kinosaki Onsen is one of most popular hot springs in Japan. ©Toyooka City/©JNTO

In Kinosaki Onsen, most of hotel plans include dinner and breakfast. You should arrive at the hotel before 18:00.

Day 5 Kinosaki Onsen to Shin-Osaka via Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is one of Three Views of Japan. ©Kyoto Prefecture/© JNTO
Amanohashidate is one of Three Views of Japan. ©Kyoto Prefecture/© JNTO

Kinosaki Onsen 09:33 (Limited Express Konotori 12) 09:42 Toyooka 09:51 (Kyoto Tango Railway local train) 11:03 Amanohashidate

Take two trains to Amanohashidate. Again, on these segments, a train does not run very frequently. Please check the timetable before you go.

Enjoy sightseeing in Amanohashidate.

Amanohashidate 16:58 (Kyoto Tango Railway Limited Express Tango Relay 6) 17:43 Fukuchiyama 17:59 (Limited Express Konotori 24) 19:44 Shin-Osaka

There is no direct trains to Osaka from Amanohashidate. You have to change trains at Fukuchiyama. 16 minutes are enough to change trains at Fukuchiyama.

Cost

All train trips are covered by Kansai Wide Area Pass. As I mentioned in the trip plan, two ferry fares are not covered by this pass.

And also Kansai Wide Area Pass does not cover any local transports, such as city bus, tram. You will pay for the following transportation.

  • Local bus or rental bike in Naoshima
  • Local bus or streetcar in Okayama
  • Local bus to Tottori Sand Dune
  • Ropeway, cruise boat and/or rental bike in Amanohashidate

Roughly speaking, you will pay about 1,000 yen at each above spots.

I hope this sample itinerary gives you some thoughts to build your trip plan!

Comments

  1. Jennifer says:
    June 5, 2019 at 5:07 am

    Hi Takeshi-san,
    I have a draft itinerary below for my trip in early Nov. Appreciate your advice which JR pass is suitable. Thank you!

    Day 1: Kansai Airport to Okayama. Visit Kurashiki (stay Okayama 3 nights)
    Day 2: Okayama -> Bicchu Matsuyama Castle
    Day 3: Okayama -> Okutsukei Valley and/or Soja City
    Day 4: Okayama -> Takamatsu (stay Takamatsu 3 nights)
    Day 5: Takamatsu -> Naoshima
    Day 6: Takamatsu -> Teshima and/or Inujima
    Day 7: Takamatsu -> Hiroshima + Miyajima (stay Hiroshima 1 night)
    Day 8: Hiroshima -> Osaka/Kobe (stay Kobe 1 night)
    Day 9: Kobe -> Kansai Airport

  2. MuiSiew says:
    November 4, 2018 at 11:32 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    This is a great sample itinerary for me as I’m planning to explore more out of the usual Kansai area 🙂 Can I just check with you the accommodation for each night as per your sample itinerary as above?

    1st night: Takamatsu
    2nd night: Okayama
    3rd night: Kinosaki Onsen
    4th night: Back to Osaka

    Thanks a lots!

  3. SK says:
    October 15, 2018 at 8:03 pm

    Hi, I had purchase the 7 Days Whole Japan Rail Pass. I would like to know does this pass cover Hasidated Limited Express from Kyoto Station to Amanohasidate Station? If not how to travel to Amanohasidate from Kyoto via this pass. Thank you.

  4. Fabrizio Montoleone says:
    October 14, 2018 at 4:28 am

    I want to buy kansai wide area pass. I need to arrive to Imabari on Shikoku. I see that there is a direct train between Okayama and Imabari, but the pass cover only the ride to Utazu. I can remain to train e pay the difference on Imabari station or I must change train on Utazu station?

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      October 14, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Hi Fabrizio,

      You can purchase a ticket for Utazu to Imabari at Okayama or other major JR stations before reaching in Okayama. This extra ticket can be purchased on day travel or one day before travel. You don’t need to buy at Utazu and no need to get off the train at Utazu.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. Len says:
    October 8, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    Can you advise me on passes that do not require a tourist 90 stamp or visa. Meaning Japanese resident and foreigner living in Japan can use.
    Do you have a list of the major passes?
    I know so far there is Peach/Vanilla hokkaido pass and Tokyo wide pass.

    Thanks

  6. MH Tew says:
    October 7, 2018 at 2:57 am

    I will be stay in Apa Hotel in Shinjuku, I wanted to go to Bentenjima ( lake hamanako). I intend to purchase Tokyo wide pass, can I use Tokyo wide pass from Shinjuku by Shinkansen to Hamamatsu then Bentenjima.

    Thank you

    MH Tew

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