Ainokura & Shirakawago Village + Kamikochi

This Japan trip, we headed to Shirakawago and Kamikochi from Tokyo... which you can take a bus from Shinjuku Express Bus Terminal to Takayama City and then continue to both destinations... However, since there are few buses and they tend to be full quickly, we need to reserve seats 1 month in advance. To take the bus, we chose a hotel near Shinjuku, which we booked through trip.com so that we could check out and walk to the bus station in time for the 7am bus (there are not many trips each day, but it shouldn't be more than 4 trips). Shinjuku Express Bus Station is opposite JR Shinjuku and on the main road. It's not hard to find. Go up to the 4th floor. There are convenient seats, bathrooms, and 1 shop. Prepare breakfast and a little drinking water to eat on the bus. Check the sign that shows which platform the reserved bus is at. Before the scheduled time, go and wait for the bus because the bus leaves on time. There are 2 stops along the way to use the bathroom or buy something to eat. The driver will write a note telling you what time you should get on the bus. (Not long) The first bus station is Hirayu Station and the last station is Takayama city, which is connected to JR Takayama Station and is also a bus station where you can buy bus schedules/tickets to other destinations. We stayed in Takayama for 3 days and 2 nights, also booked through Trip.com. The first day focused on walking around Takayama city, especially the old town area. The second day, we bought a tour to Shirakawago, which included Ainokura Village. The guide provided great information, this tour was worth it. The third day, we went to Kamikochi... The trip ended happily. It was also the first trip to travel in Japan across regions without using JR Pass... In conclusion, the bus is not difficult to travel and is more economical. #trip #japantrip #japan #takayama #shirakawa-go #ainokura #kamikochi #traveler's journal #travel in Japan