MikeHattsu
Member
A lot of places got SUICA/PASMO payment you mean. Apple just added a chip for SUICA/PASMO compatibility to the Japanese versions of their products
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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
- Start date
A lot of places got SUICA/PASMO payment you mean. Apple just added a chip for SUICA/PASMO compatibility to the Japanese versions of their products
family_guy
Member
Is a chip card fine or does it need to be chip+pin?
PdotMichael
Banned
I made the experience that I could pay everything with my credit cards but ATMs didn't accept any of the two cards, luckily, my debit card worked flawless.
That's pretty sweet.
That's pretty sweet.
Laevateinn
Member
My cards are just chip cards not chip+pin.
Nah, I've flown plenty. Just haven't had such a massive shift in my sleep schedule like this in over ten years. I live in Oregon, and the time shift literally is at a place that when I wake up in the morning, I would be going to bed in Japan. That 8 hour shift may be a problem.First time flying? :b
Idk, I never sleep on planes simply because I have troubling falling asleep in such seats, but when I arrive I always have plenty of energy anyway because traveling is exciting. Then again I'm only 22 years old so I can imagine for older people the same doesn't apply. Buy an energy drink or tea
Yeah, I don't know if I can do that honestly. I think I'm going to take that napping advice on the plane, and go to bed as late as possible leading up to the trip.
ThreePiMatt
Member
The one perk about flying from the US is that if you land in the afternoon, but the time you get into Tokyo proper it'll be like 7pm or something. You'll be so exhausted by everything that you'll probably end up going to sleep at a fairly normal time.
Doing some more very late planning for October. So far I have:
Tuesday 3rd October (2 nights) - Arrive in Osaka, stay in hotel (paid for in reward points)
Thursday 5th October (4 nights) - Travel to Nagoya, back and forth to Suzuka for the F1 all weekend.
Monday 9th October (3 nights) - Travel to Kyoto.
Thursday 12th October - Travel to Tokyo...
Thursday 19th October - Flight from Osaka
Does anyone have any hostel recommendations for Tokyo? Looking for something a bit social, but obviously the cities so big not sure what areas I should be looking at. Would be worth staying a few nights in one place then moving to another?
I've planned to visit Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo as well as the F1, is there anywhere else besides those I should look to base myself for a few nights in the last week?
Also looking for any food recommendations, specifically either on the 4th in Osaka or 5th in Nagoya for somewhere I can have a really nice meal for my birthday.
Tuesday 3rd October (2 nights) - Arrive in Osaka, stay in hotel (paid for in reward points)
Thursday 5th October (4 nights) - Travel to Nagoya, back and forth to Suzuka for the F1 all weekend.
Monday 9th October (3 nights) - Travel to Kyoto.
Thursday 12th October - Travel to Tokyo...
Thursday 19th October - Flight from Osaka
Does anyone have any hostel recommendations for Tokyo? Looking for something a bit social, but obviously the cities so big not sure what areas I should be looking at. Would be worth staying a few nights in one place then moving to another?
I've planned to visit Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo as well as the F1, is there anywhere else besides those I should look to base myself for a few nights in the last week?
Also looking for any food recommendations, specifically either on the 4th in Osaka or 5th in Nagoya for somewhere I can have a really nice meal for my birthday.
Worthintendo
Member
Out of interest where are you guys staying in Ikebukerro? I'm going there in October and booked in at the Hotel Sakura again.
Also trip only a month away now
assuming North Korea doesn't do anything super stupid in the next few weeks that is :/This happened to me. I live in NY and did the 13 hour non-stop flight to Tokyo. Woke up at about 9 AM that day. Flight left at 1 PM EST and got in at about 3 PM Tokyo time. By the time I got to the hotel it was close to 6. Got something to eat and passed the fuck out at about 8 PM.
The downside to this is I basically got to see zero nightlife in Japan. I was waking at 7-8 AM everyday and was usually out the door no later than 9 AM. I was walking close to 10 miles everyday and by 7 PM or so I was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep.
PdotMichael
Banned
Out of interest where are you guys staying in Ikebukerro? I'm going there in October and booked in at the Hotel Sakura again.
Also trip only a month away now
Hotel Star Plaza. Typical 3 stars hotel I guess in the middle of the interesting part of Ikebukuro.
No nightlife for the weaks!
Worthintendo
Member
Ahh I was looking at that one for a while before I just decided to go back to the Sakura
dustytruly
Member
Ok so someone posted about the VR zone in Shinjuku and I tried it today. Just did a walk-in, was basically no lines for many of the experiences and so far loved every one. Did skiing, Mario kart, dragon ball z, evangelion, hospital escape terror, and argyle shift and finally felt too sick to do anymore but highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys VR.
Very fun with friends, many of the experiences are up to three players. As I was leaving around noon the lines did begin to add up and a few of the experiences were around 30 mins.
At 4400¥ for four experiences plus admission I think it was worth it!
Very fun with friends, many of the experiences are up to three players. As I was leaving around noon the lines did begin to add up and a few of the experiences were around 30 mins.
At 4400¥ for four experiences plus admission I think it was worth it!
Well, I fly out to Japan on Thursday! Will be there for three weeks.
Itinerary is roughly:
Tokyo - 7 days
Kyoto - 5 days
Ryokan close to Kyoto - 1 day
Kobe - 1 day
Osaka - 3 days
Hiroshima - 2 days
Fukuoka - 1 day
Nara - 2 days
Then fly out of Osaka.
We don't spend a lot of time in the cities in the latter part of the trip, but we had originally planned to go back to Tokyo for 3 days to fly out of there, but instead we're flying out of Osaka to go to Seoul so we added fukuoka and nara as quick destinations.
Wish me luck!
Itinerary is roughly:
Tokyo - 7 days
Kyoto - 5 days
Ryokan close to Kyoto - 1 day
Kobe - 1 day
Osaka - 3 days
Hiroshima - 2 days
Fukuoka - 1 day
Nara - 2 days
Then fly out of Osaka.
We don't spend a lot of time in the cities in the latter part of the trip, but we had originally planned to go back to Tokyo for 3 days to fly out of there, but instead we're flying out of Osaka to go to Seoul so we added fukuoka and nara as quick destinations.
Wish me luck!
Ha... tried to do that the first time I went to Japan.
My flight started around 1pm with an approximate arrival time between 7 and 8 am (which would be midnight at my point of origin). The week before the flight I completely revamped my sleep schedule so I'd fall asleep at 1 pm. And then when I finally sat in the plane I was dead tired... but couldn't sleep for even a minute. Arrived in Narita at 7 am, hadn't slept in over 24h by that time, had to go to Shinjuku to pick up my keys for my Sharehouse room (which was quite a long train ride from Shinjuku). Additionally it was end of June and the first "real" day of summer with temperatures up to 33 degrees... couldn't eat anything because I felt like I was dying and then I had to stay awake for the whole day still since I had to get back into a normal rhythm for work 2 days later.
It was literally the worst day of my life.
The next time I flew to Tokyo I made sure to book a flight that would arrive around midnight so I could just go from the airport to my bed. It was a WAAAAY more pleasant experience. So that's what I did from there on out. I'd even pay extra for a flight that arrives slightly later.
tl:dr arriving in the morning is beyond miserable.
Flying to Japan from the US is a waaaaaaaaaaaay more enjoyable experience than going from europe since you're moving with the earth rotation. To your inner clock it feels like you lost a couple of hours, but is nowhere near as straining as loosing half a day.
you got a rail-pass I assume?
some parts of your schedule feel like slight overkill imho. Like you could only spend only 1 day in Nara (which is enough to see everything at a legerly pace. You could use that day to go to Himeiji instead. Also 4 days for Osaka and Kobe feels much. If you're already going down to Fukuoka, why not just go further and go to Nagasaki? I thought it was well worth the extra time (also their atomic bomb museum is vastly superior). Kyoto has a lot to see, but I'm not sure if there's enough to fill 5 days. (I've seen pretty much all the key attractions + a visit to the dentist in 3 days). Another idea would be to go to Beppu while you're in Kyushu to get in some Onsen time. There are quite a few nice ones. Do the 7 days in Tokyo include a trip to Nikko and Kamakura?
having a rough schedule is good for orientation, but don't force yourself to follow it through. If you get the feeling that you've seen everything, don't feel bad for just moving on to the next destination/area! On the other hand, also don't rush yourself to see as much as possible. A good balance is key!
Laevateinn
Member
Out of interest where are you guys staying in Ikebukerro? I'm going there in October and booked in at the Hotel Sakura again.
Also trip only a month away now
I'm a big fan of Kimi Ryokan. We stayed there on our first trip and I've found no reason to look elsewhere.
Also hoping for no nukes.
Worthintendo
Member
Oh that places looks lovely, might have to keep that one in mind for next time, that said I do love the Sakura <3
If you like shrines and temples, you can easily fill 5 days in Kyoto. There's a lot of less well known temples/shrines that I thought were really cool - some of them I even enjoyed more then the main attractions. That said, there's not a lot else apart from temples and shrines, and a lot of people complain about getting tired that pretty soon.
I agree with cutting down Nara to 1 day and adding a day in Himeji instead. For Osaka, you can look at adding a day trip to Mount Koya.
Tips will depend on when you leave, and when you arrive.
PdotMichael
Banned
Talking about Japan.
Was planning to get a Railpass for the week in Osaka. And was planning a trip to Kyoto while doing an all nighter, a trip to Hiroshima and Kure. Any other ideas? Was also thinking about Kobe.
Don't want to do too many trips because I think Osaka has many own interesting places to visit.
Was planning to get a Railpass for the week in Osaka. And was planning a trip to Kyoto while doing an all nighter, a trip to Hiroshima and Kure. Any other ideas? Was also thinking about Kobe.
Don't want to do too many trips because I think Osaka has many own interesting places to visit.
MikeHattsu
Member
Go to Uji because of reasons ;P
PdotMichael
Banned
Uji sure looks interesting but sometimes I think the idea that I was at more shrines in Japan than I was ever in churches in Europe kind of disturbing.
ecosse_011172
Junior Member
I'm going to spend 4 weeks in Japan from mid October till mid November.
2 years ago I spent a week split between Osaka and Kyoto and loved it, I haven't seen anywhere else in Japan.
I'm flying in to Naha and out from Tokyo, rough idea is to spend 1 week in Tokyo and 1 week in the okinawa Islands.
We were thinking of going from Okinawa to Hokkaido, spending 4-7 days there then flying down to somewhere like Hiroshima or Osaka and working our way towards Tokyo, visiting places like Nara and Kobe that we missed last time.
Any advice would be great, there are so many places that look great , e.g. Kanazawa, Hakone, Takayama,
Were not the rush around and tick the sights off type of travellers, wed rather spend a bit more time, enjoy the atmosphere, meeting people and were hugely into good food, fun in cities and beautiful nature.
2 years ago I spent a week split between Osaka and Kyoto and loved it, I haven't seen anywhere else in Japan.
I'm flying in to Naha and out from Tokyo, rough idea is to spend 1 week in Tokyo and 1 week in the okinawa Islands.
We were thinking of going from Okinawa to Hokkaido, spending 4-7 days there then flying down to somewhere like Hiroshima or Osaka and working our way towards Tokyo, visiting places like Nara and Kobe that we missed last time.
Any advice would be great, there are so many places that look great , e.g. Kanazawa, Hakone, Takayama,
Were not the rush around and tick the sights off type of travellers, wed rather spend a bit more time, enjoy the atmosphere, meeting people and were hugely into good food, fun in cities and beautiful nature.
Khrysler Jerikho
Member
So turns out I'll be joining my friend when we venture out to TGS in late September. I'll pretty much be following the schedule he set up barring one or two free days before we leave Tokyo.
Is there like a list of stores that are quite notorious for breaking street release dates? I'm thinking of using one of the two free days I have to look for the Cold Steel 3 release since we'll be leaving before it officially releases lol
Is there like a list of stores that are quite notorious for breaking street release dates? I'm thinking of using one of the two free days I have to look for the Cold Steel 3 release since we'll be leaving before it officially releases lol
Yeah got the JR Pass. We're planning to go to Himeji, it'll either be a day out of Kyoto, or from Kobe (we're really only going to kobe for the beef to say we ate it there and whatever else we can find that's interesting). The 7 days in Tokyo right now are for Tokyo, plus a day to go out to Mt Fuji.
Again this is a rough itinerary and if we end up with nothing to do we can do day trips out of the city we're in to other places. What's in Nikko and Kamakura?
well as always, temples and shrines.
Kamakura has the "Enoden" (a nice little railway), the Daibutsu (the big Buddha statue), Hase-dera (another quite nice-looking temple with some famous Kannon), a pleathora of lesser know temples, a nice beach and an overall layed-back atmosphere. There's also Enoshima a little further down the coast with the Enoden. It's an island, or rather a rock off the coast of Fujisawa. there's also plenty of stuff there to see. But I'd say it would be more of a stress-relief than a pure sightseeing trip.
Nikko is a small mountain village ~2 hours north of Tokyo. Just like Kamakura there's a temple and a really famous shrine (and a few other shrines as well). Just to quote from Japan Guide:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.htmlNikko (日光, Nikkō
the wood carvings there are insane
(the area surrounding Nikko and the lake up the mountain is also quite beautiful, and great for light hiking.)
Would love to consider using airb&b for accommodation since there are some very nice and cozy apartments available. However, we really need a king bed (queen at a pinch), it's already hard enough to find hotels with it, it's nearly impossible to locate a private property with anything bigger than a double.
Thank you for the tip!
Mostly the route from Odawara station or Gora station (the latter if we decide to use the train first) to Daigatake/Senkyoro-mae stop.
Thank you for the tip!
Mostly the route from Odawara station or Gora station (the latter if we decide to use the train first) to Daigatake/Senkyoro-mae stop.
PdotMichael
Banned
Oh boy, just got an email that my hotel booking for Ikebukuro got canceled because planned renovation and it shouldn't have been avaiable for that timeframe on booking.com.
Well, now I stay in Shinjiku just a handful min away from Kabukicho - so it isn't too bad.
Well, now I stay in Shinjiku just a handful min away from Kabukicho - so it isn't too bad.
MikeHattsu
Member
Yeah, that's fully covered.
victreeb3l
Member
If you're into nightlife, then staying near Shibuya might be worth it. If not, then nah, just anywhere on the Yamanote line or in Asakusa will do.
You don't take trains in Kyoto, you take buses
Either try get something near Kyoto Station or somewhere near the cross between Kawaramachi and Shijō (where Kawaramachi Station is). Then you got great access to buses (and trains if you're going outside of Kyoto).
If you're just spending time in Tokyo and Kyoto, then a JR Pass is not worth it. Get these discount Shinkansen tickets:
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/FPK1J01031MKC/
Thanks! For those discount tickets, can I pick up both tickets on the same day or do I have to pick up the Kyoto > Tokyo later on? Also, do busses have any kind of english signs or announcements?
Also what's the etiquette regarding food and drink in public transportation? Is it really looked down upon or is it fine if I take a sip of water here and there?
Ah gotcha. I plan on walking around a lot but when it's time to head back, I'd like to be as close to the station as possible.
MikeHattsu
Member
You'll have to pick up Kyoto->Tokyo ones later. Most buses in Kyoto city got English announcements.
If you got a seat on trains or buses, then a sip of water should be ok, maybe even if you're standing on a not so crowded train. Better not eat, unless it's on the Shinkansen or a train with tray tables. Well... Maybe if it's an energy bar or something.
Generally, if the chair has a tray table, fill ya boots, if not, don't, that said, I saw loads of Japanese nationals chowing down in crowded local trains.
Zoe
Member
They've only made a poster about eating once (mind the smell and sounds), so you're probably in the clear.
http://gakuran.com/36-iconic-tokyo-metro-subway-manner-posters-2008-2010/
http://www.metrocf.or.jp/manners/poster.html
The food etiquette I've heard before is you shouldn't walk and eat/drink.
RoaringMdog
Member
So i've been planning my trip, and now i'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to get from Narita Terminal 1 to Nippori Station. Google maps is telling me that i should take the Narita Sky Access line and then transfer at Aoto Station. Can i use a suica card on those lines, or do i need to buy a separate ticket? I just saw that i can also take the Keisei-Main line(Limited Express) which seems a better since i dont have to transfer, what's the best option here?
MikeHattsu
Member
Both take Suica. Which one you should take depends on the time you arrive at Narita. There's Sky Access trains that do go directly to Nippori between 16:44 and 22:49 (17:54 and 22:49 on weekends). And there's also Main-line trains that do not go to Nippori (change at Aoto). You should check the info boards and take a train that's headed for (Keisei-)Ueno. Or just ask staff at the counter which one is the next to Nippori without a train change at Aoto. The main-line trains are 210 JPY cheaper though, but also about 10-15 minutes slower.
LonelyGreyWolf
Banned
Hey, I lived in Nippori for about a month last year. There's a cool restaurant next to Nippori Station that serves this burger
#themoreyouknow
#themoreyouknow
RoaringMdog
Member
Great, i'll keep that in mind! I dont mind traveling longer, since i'll have 2/3 hours before i can check into my airbnb anyway. Thanks for the help
Also that burger...i know what i'll be eating the night i get there.
Been trying to look up how to get tickets for the Ghibli museum, but i'm pretty sure i'm out of luck on that one at this point :/
MikeHattsu
Member
For November? Tickets go up on October 10th at 10:00 Japan time.
RoaringMdog
Member
Just saw that, i totally misunderstood it the first time read it. I put a reminder in my phone, hopefully i can get a ticket. Again, thanks for being so helpful!
MikeHattsu
Member
Gotta be there the minute they go up cause they sell out fast!
victreeb3l
Member
It's almost time for my trip! I'm excited but also nervous. I think the last thing thats giving me a little anxiety is navigating restaurants. I'm assuming most places won't have any english menus. Can I expect photos in the menus?
I found a list of restaurants with English menus here: https://gurunavi.com/en/reg/pf_tokyo/am_shinjuku/op_kods00201/rs/srh/
Any of these look decent?
Also are there any designated areas for luggage in trains? I'll have a decent sized suitcase that I'll have to lug around between Tokyo / Kyoto / Airport. Is space something I should worry about? Do I need to look into having my stuff shipped?
Sounds good! Can I purchase food and drink in the Shinkansen? Or should I pack some snacks ahead of time?
The halloween one is amazing lol. I'll also make sure not to eat and drink while walking. I actually drink and walk all the time here so that's something I need to be conscious about.
I found a list of restaurants with English menus here: https://gurunavi.com/en/reg/pf_tokyo/am_shinjuku/op_kods00201/rs/srh/
Any of these look decent?
Also are there any designated areas for luggage in trains? I'll have a decent sized suitcase that I'll have to lug around between Tokyo / Kyoto / Airport. Is space something I should worry about? Do I need to look into having my stuff shipped?
Sounds good! Can I purchase food and drink in the Shinkansen? Or should I pack some snacks ahead of time?
The halloween one is amazing lol. I'll also make sure not to eat and drink while walking. I actually drink and walk all the time here so that's something I need to be conscious about.
Laevateinn
Member
If you're staying in the cities, you shouldn't have to worry about not knowing what you're eating unless you have allergies.
Zoe
Member
That was (is?) an actual thing: http://observers.france24.com/en/20...tupid-foreigners-yamanote-metro-party-protest
I'm not sure if you've seen this, but there are slight discounts on the Narita Sky Access trains (which are not listed on google). It may be cheaper (?) Just in case:
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/e-ticket/en/eticket/index.html
edit: you could also take the NEX.
Roundtrip ticket costs you 4000 yen, but you're allowed to go wherever you want within Tokyo.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/nex_round.html
Most restaurants in big cities have some sort of english menu. More "traditional" restaurants often got pvc replicas of their food in their window. If you're completely lost, you could also just go for a pizza or some indian food.
Are you arriving at Narita or Haneda? Narita got the NEX and the Narita Sky access (mentioned above), which are special trains with large luggage areas, you can't miss them. I don't know for sure about Haneda, since I never rode the monorail, but I know that you wouln't wanna ride the Keikyu line with a large case.
The Shinkansen and most non-commuter trains have some room above the seats for medium sized suitcases, but they usually got enough legroom so you could just put it in front of you. Although I would recommend the smallest possible suitcase you can manage with.
oh yeah I remember this... still don't understand why anyone thought this was a good idea.
I'm 99% sure you need a residence card to trade in. I've had to fill out forms and provide my residence card at both small mom and pop game stores, and chain electronics/games stores. Never sold/traded in to Book Off though.
MikeHattsu
Member
That's the Skyliner, not the Sky Access trains.
NEX doesn't stop at Nippori, is more expensive than taking Sky Access or main-line trains and takes just as much time since you have to go to Tokyo and back to Nippori
Depends on the train. Skyliner and NEX from Narita got designated space as said. Some Shinkansen trains got luggage areas in addition to the areas above the seats and you can put them behind the last row of seats in the train car you're in as well if it's something really big that doesn't fit overhead. The most troublesome is taking big luggage on buses in Kyoto though...
You can buy food and drink on the Shinkansen, but it's cheaper to buy at the train station before you leave. There's lots of ekiben meals for sale at the stations where the Shinkansen stops.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Would you say US$10,000 is enough to travel a month in Japan? Got that amount set aside currently to visit around the 2020 Olympics.
MikeHattsu
Member
More than enough, unless you splurge like crazy and stay at the fanciest hotels.
Also, Summer is among the worst times to visit Japan. Never again!
LonelyGreyWolf
Banned
Most restaurants in city centre have English menus, so that list is completely useless. Also, in Japan the menus are pretty much always right on the door, so you don't even have to go inside to see whether they do indeed have an English menu or not. And lastly, even if the menu isn't in English, it often has pictures, so unless you have allergies, just point and say "kore onegaishimasu".
I've never even had that much money in my possession, and I've traveled the world.
We only happened upon 2 that didn't have English,1 was in Kyoto and all I did was take a picture of the model in the window of what we wanted and showed it to the staff.
The other was in Shinjuku, a small sushi place, and it wasn't really necessary, just point at the pictures.