On this trip, I traveled from Nagoya through Ise, Matsusaka, and Tsu, then continued on to Osaka. I used the KINTETSU RAIL PASS 5day plus. After actually using it, I think that for this pass to really be worth it, it's best to plan at least two longer trips, such as Nagoya to Ise and then Ise to Osaka. If you only have one long-distance trip and the rest are short trips, the savings aren't as noticeable.
The most valuable part of PLUS is that you can take Mie Kotsu buses within designated areas in the Ise region. Places like Futamiura and Naiku aren't most conveniently reached by Kintetsu alone. Especially when going to Futamiura, the bus stop is closer to the main attractions, and you can also walk a lot less when going to Naiku. So if you're only taking Kintetsu, the regular 5-day pass may be enough, but if you want to explore Ise more thoroughly, I'd recommend PLUS.
At one point, I even got on the wrong bus and rode all the way to the area around Shima-Isobe Station, then took Kintetsu back to Ujiyamada. Although I accidentally made a huge detour, having the pass meant I didn't have to recalculate fares the whole way, and it instead became an amusing little incident during the trip.
What's a bit disappointing is that the KINTETSU RAIL PASS has now switched entirely to digital tickets, and the old paper version is no longer available. You now need to buy it in advance or online and display a QR Code on your phone to ride, so you have to keep an eye on your phone's battery and internet connection during the trip. For someone like me who likes to keep physical passes as travel souvenirs, it's still a little disappointing not to have a paper version.
KINTETSU RAIL PASS | Review by Holly
Other Reviews by Holly
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Skyliner
Skyliner is a limited express airport train offering the fastest service between downtown Tokyo and Narita Airport, with a total journey time of 36 minutes*. A fast train offering up to three services per hour, travelling between downtown Tokyo and Narita Airport with only four stops and no changes: Ueno Station, Nippori Station, Narita Airport Terminals 2 & 3, and Narita Airport Terminal 1.
Skyliner 對住在上野、日暮里一帶的人非常方便，如果住宿在淺草附近，再從上野轉乘過去也不算麻煩。
只是要注意的是，當時是在台灣先買好票，本來以為到現場兌換會比較省時間，結果大家顯然都這麼想，兌換櫃台反而排了很長，旁邊直接購票的人還比較少，最後等了快半小時才順利換到票上車。所以即使已經事先購票，抵達成田後還是建議多留一點時間，尤其熱門航班集中抵達時，兌換櫃台可能會塞車。
整體來說，Skyliner 本身快速又舒服，我很推薦給住宿上野、日暮里附近的旅客，只是先在台灣先買，不一定現場一定比較快，熱門時段還是要替換票排隊預留時間。 -
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TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN® Dream Christmas
At TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN®, a commercial complex composed of TOKYO SKYTREE® and TOKYO Solamachi®, special Christmas events are held annually from early November. The entire town is enveloped in a Christmas mood with illuminations, a Christmas market, and projection mapping.
I happened to be here during the event, so I made a special trip to soak up the Christmas atmosphere. In addition to the Christmas market, all of TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN is decorated with large-scale illuminations, Christmas trees, and limited-time light shows during the event. It really feels festive at night.
The Christmas market itself is mainly focused on food, with lots of options such as hot dishes, desserts, and drinks. There is also a seating area, but it gets quite crowded, so there don't seem to be enough seats. Prices are also typical for a tourist destination, so it's not cheap, but they really do create a festive atmosphere. With the lights, decorations, and TOKYO SKYTREE all together, I thought it was pretty nice, especially since I rarely get to experience a Christmas atmosphere like this.
If you're planning to visit, I'd recommend checking the schedule for TOKYO SKYTREE's special lighting or projection shows that day, then planning your visit to the market around them. That way, you can eat, see the Christmas decorations, and enjoy the limited-time light show all in one trip. Overall, it's more worthwhile than coming just for the market. -
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Narita International Airport
The international airport and gateway to Tokyo, visited by 44 million travelers each year (as of 2019). Opened in 1978, this world-famous airport (airport code NRT) has ferried over 6 million flights both in and out of Japan. The airport grounds include 3 different passenger terminals, a freight terminal and is currently planning to open a new runaway in addition to its two runways currently open.
This time I arrived at Narita Airport pretty early, so I actually had time to look around at the airport facilities. What really impressed me was that there were seats with power outlets and workspaces near the check-in counters. My first thought was, “This is way too corporate-slave-like,” but thinking about it, international airports do have many business travelers who need to handle last-minute work, so having a place to sit down and use a computer is actually very thoughtful.
The baggage services before departure are also comprehensive. Each terminal has a baggage repacking area and scales, so you can check the weight before the airline counters open. In my experience, the numbers were pretty close to those at the airline counter, so you can adjust your luggage ahead of time. Terminal 1 also has a luggage-wrapping service, so if you're worried about your suitcase getting scratched or damaged during handling, you can arrive early and take care of that.
After immigration, there are still duty-free shops, restaurants, and stores all the way to some of the boarding areas, so it's not like there's nothing once you pass through security. But compared with Kansai Airport, which has been renovated in recent years, I personally found Narita's shopping area a little more modest. Food prices weren't outrageously high, though. What really stood out to me instead was the price of bottled water.
I also really like the capsule toy machines at Narita Airport. You can see quite a few machines as soon as you arrive at the airport by train, with everything from popular characters to more obscure designs. If you still have some 100-yen coins left at the end of your trip, this is a great place to use up your change, and sometimes you can even find items you might not come across in the city. -
