Budget Guide
All numbers are quoted in Japanese Yen
6030 - Transportation
500 - 1 day pass Meguru Bus
2660 - Train to Nakatsugawa from Nagoya round trip
560 - Bus to Magome from Nakatsugawa
600 - Bus to Tsumago from Magome
300 - Bus to Nagiso Station from Tsumago
7000 - 3 nights Guest House Wasabi
5700 - 2 nights J-Hoppers Takayama
6136 - 2 nights Matsumoto Backpackers
500 - Toyota Museum
500 - Nagoya Castle
700 - Nagoya Skytower ticket
16031 - Food & drinks
700 - 3 Museums ticket in Tsumago
5510 - Express train to Takayama
3900 - Shirakawagou tour
3190 - Bus to Matsumoto
300 - Entrance fee for Kanda house in Shirakawago
300 - Doburoku museum ticket in Shirakawago
430 - Takayama Jinya
610 - Matsumoto Castle fee
1400 - Round trip tickets from Matsumoto to Shinshimashima
3400 - Bus to Kamikochi round trip
100 - Map
300 - Myoujin Pond fee
300 - Narai locker rental
67657 - Total expenses for eight full days excluding flights and extras such as shopping and souvenirs. This is approximately P30000 total if converted; my biggest expense is transportation. Moving around the region is expensive, even if you take the buses. The express trains are almost double the price of taking the bus.
Itinerary
Day 1
We arrived early in the morning so we got to spend a whole day in Nagoya.
The places we visited were:
*Toyota Museum
*Nagoya Castle
*Nagoya Skytower for night city scape view
Day 2
I separated from my friends as we had different itineraries. I went to Magome and Tsumago, small and traditional villages along the Kiso Valley.
Day 3
Traveled to Takayama via express train, which provided beautiful views of the mountains and countryside. Explored the old town and tried the famous Hida beef.
Day 4
Booked a tour to Shirakawago through J-Hoppers. One of the most beautiful countrysides I've seen in Asia thus far.
Day 5
Headed to Matsumoto from Takayama via bus. Explored the city and visited the castle in the day and night.
Day 6
Took advantage of the beautiful weather to explore Kamikochi and get a view of the Japanese Alps.
Day 7
Headed back to Nagoya from Matsumoto with a stop in Narai, another old village on the old Kiso Valley.
Day 8
Last full day in Nagoya, went around the city and stopped by Osu Kannon Temple and the nearby shopping street.
There were a lot of other places I wanted to visit, but I either didn't have time or I wanted to reduce my expenses. The places I went to aren't on the usual itinerary when visiting Japan, making it all the more worth it for me. I got to see the Japanese alps and the countryside, which gave me a different perspective of this developed country. I didn't get a JR Pass because I figured I'd still spend less if I didn't get one based on the route I was taking.
There are still places I'd like to visit in the region because there are just so many things to do and see. I'll probably return in the future.