The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Going to Japan for Honeymoon
Spherick
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my fiancee and I are planning on going to Japan for our honeymoon. We live in FL and figured we have done the relaxing beach vacation enough and want to get out of our comfort zones a bit and go on an adventure! I know there is a ALOT of stuff to really assimilate to ensure we have a good trip, but thankfully we aren't going until early December - so got about 9 months or so of prep time.
We are flying into Narita via American Airlines and therein lies my 1st major problem. Looking at the itinerary online, it says that we leave LAX 11am on Saturday, but arrive in NAR at 5pm on Saturday. That can't be right - can it? All of my research looks like we LOSE a day going from the US to Asia and it would be Sunday that we are landing. Want to make sure we start on the right date or else I will be booking all of our hotels and restaurants and everything else one day off, which seems like a huge problem. Any one have any idea? I would assume a major airline wouldn't screw something like this up, but who knows?
Other than that conundrum, we plan on staying in the country for 2 weeks (4 days in Tokyo, 3 days in Central Honshu region and 3 days in Kyoto/Osaka with the remainder being travel days). Does anyone have any hints on places to stay/eat/go see?
Cheers,
We are flying into Narita via American Airlines and therein lies my 1st major problem. Looking at the itinerary online, it says that we leave LAX 11am on Saturday, but arrive in NAR at 5pm on Saturday. That can't be right - can it? All of my research looks like we LOSE a day going from the US to Asia and it would be Sunday that we are landing. Want to make sure we start on the right date or else I will be booking all of our hotels and restaurants and everything else one day off, which seems like a huge problem. Any one have any idea? I would assume a major airline wouldn't screw something like this up, but who knows?
Other than that conundrum, we plan on staying in the country for 2 weeks (4 days in Tokyo, 3 days in Central Honshu region and 3 days in Kyoto/Osaka with the remainder being travel days). Does anyone have any hints on places to stay/eat/go see?
Cheers,
0
Posts
It may not be helpful advice, but it sounds like you need to make sure you both pack very lightly. As in, a duffel bag each and maybe one checked bag. This will also let you pack some stuff in a bag you can buy when you get there and use it for stuff you buy while wandering around. The more you move around on vacation, the less you want to carry. Packing and unpacking bags for a couple hours every time you move lodging blows.
What kind of budget are you setting for accommodations? I know there are people on the forums that have done the backpacking and staying in hostels thing and really enjoyed it, but I don't know how well you could be marital in a shared space.
If you're a fan of the Ghibli movies (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, etc.) then the Ghibli museum is definitely worth going to see. It's easier if you get tickets while you're in the US because if you buy them in Japan, they generally give you a time to show up. If you order in the US, it's just a date so you can show up whenever.
If you're able to swing a trip to Kanazawa, the Ninja Temple is a lot of fun. The park is also really nice, especially if it's snowing.
It's also out of the way, but if you're looking for a really amazing traditional-type Japanese experience, try staying at the Hoshi Ryokan. It's the oldest hotel in the world and what you'll get is a room with traditional tatamis/futons/furniture, Japanese style dinner and breakfast, traditional baths (they have both indoor and outdoor ones and it is really cool to be soaking while it's snowing), plus a bunch of other little extras such as being greeted with tea and pastry when you arrive, yukatas to wear while you're there, etc.
There are a lot of other things in Japan that are generally pretty publicized in guidebooks and that depend on your tastes (e.g., Tsukiji fish market, Tokyo tower, Akihabara, Harujuku, Mt. Fuji, and a million shrines and temples), but those were the offbeat ones that might not come up that I thought were really worthwhile.
Another thing that I always thought was kind of worthwhile was going to the basement areas of some of the department stores to see all of the interesting foods that are for sale and to try some. Tokyo Station is particularly good for this.
Some tips that you might not know:
- Pack a small handkerchief or washcloth for each of you and carry them with you while you're in Japan. Most bathrooms/temples/shrines have no way to dry your hands because they assume you're carrying one.
- If it says "traditional Japanese" on the toilet, you will need to squat to use it, "Western" means a sit down toilet. They've replaced the traditional ones in a lot of bathrooms, but some temples and shrines may still have squatting ones. Older ones may also not have toilet paper so carrying a pack of tissues with you is advised. If they don't provide toilet paper, they will usually provide a small wastebasket in the stall for you to throw your used paper into. This may or may not be out of date and may or may not only apply in less populated areas, the tourist type areas I think have been updated.
- You can buy a JR ticket before you go to cut down on transportation costs, there's lots of info on this online. Some transportation options, however, are not covered by this ticket. Just be aware that there are more rail lines than just JR ones.
- There are luggage storage lockers in most of the train stations. They are often tucked away in weird places so you may have to hunt around to find some that aren't full, but they're a convenient way to ditch your luggage if you've checked out but are planning on leaving later in the day. They tend to only take 100 yen coins and cost around 400-600 yen, depending on the size.
- If I remember right, the Kabuki theater in Ginza is currently being renovated so you may not be able to see it when you go.
Oh, and get a crepe while you're there, they make awesome crepes.
Spoke with a rep at AA and I was right - we are landing on Sunday, not Saturday like the e-mail said. Apparently they've been having some issues with that.
Will also ring a small washcloth and some packages of tissues - thanks for the tip!
Definitely need to look into a JR ticket before we leave. Although since we plan to go from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto we will be passing through a couple of the JR "segments" - and not sure if JR passes transfer. Anyone have any experience with this?
We plan on staying in Ryokans while we are there (actually we plan on avoiding anywhere really that has other westerners), but will look at the Hoshi Ryokan. Looking online - it looks like we should expect to pay $150-$200/night (for both) while in Tokyo. Hopefully prices at other, more rural locations are better.
Finally, we definitely want to hit a Depato (along with the basement for all sorts of crazy foods). Any idea on which ones are better in Tokyo?
Thanks!
This may help you be able to do some of the more "pricey" suggestions that were mentioned above without breaking the bank, and giving your guests/family/friends something awesome to get for you.
Coin laundries may or may not exist - I've never had occasion to find out - but Japanese dryers are terrible and I can't imagine that you'll want to be waiting 2+ hours in a vacation day for clothes to dry.
December in Japan can be brutally cold, but shops and businesses will be way overheated. Going from inside to outside to inside can be very rough.
Second the guy above who said handkerchief and pocket tissues. I've only been in one public restroom that didn't provide toilet paper, but I have never regretted being ready for another.
If you're eating on the cheap, you will often see a vending machine sort of thing in restaurants. You use this to order and pay and it spits out a ticket which you hand to the guy behind the counter.
Get a JR pass before you go as they are awesome, but be aware that many private railroads exist which do not take it. You can get around Tokyo just fine, but not Osaka.
If you get lost, find a map and stare at it. Someone will see you, realize that you are lost, and drop everything they are doing to help you. No, really.
Japan is a very credit-card-hostile place. Take cards, sure, and expect to be able to use them in a hotel or at a biggish restaurant, but don't use cards for anything cheaper than about Y3000. I'd say take about Y50000 in cash for each of you - yes, that means carrying around $600 USD. This is perfectly safe, because this is Japan. Whenever I come back to the US after time in Japan, it takes me a few days to remember that I need to be careful here.
As a side note, you can pay for a pack of gum with a Y10000 note and nobody will blink.
The Shiba Park Hotel in Tokyo is a good place to stay. It's close to some touristy stuff (Tokyo Tower, Zojoji Temple) and very close to Hamamatsucho station on the Yamanote line. Also it's very English-friendly. Downside is that it's Y9000-Y12000 a night if I remember right.
For bonus points, when you're taking the "limousine bus" from Narita into Tokyo, it's one of the stops. Normally I would not recommend taking the limousine bus into Tokyo because it's bloody slow, but it's the best option for a first timer. For your second trip, once you have the train system down, take the Narita express to Tokyo Station and transfer to wherever your hotel is.
I can't give you advice for Osaka or Kyoto because I stay in men's-only hotels whenever I go to either.
Public transport in Tokyo and Osaka makes sense for the most part. Stick to aboveground trains in Tokyo as the subway system tends to not have a lot of English signage. Kyoto's buses make no sense at all.
There's a day pass sort of thing you can buy in Kyoto that gives you access to a bunch of different temples. This may or may not be a good thing to buy - I've only done the touristy thing to Kyoto once, and it was during Gion Matsuri which is high time for tourists and all of the money temples (kinkakuji etc) had big signs up saying "we're not accepting passes, cash only"
uh
If you are travelling to Japan in December ANYWAY, I'd make it late December so you can do Hatsumode (New Year's Eve) at a buddhist temple so you can stuff yourself on festival food and drink until dawn on New Year's Day, after which you can safely collapse in your hotel room and sleep all day because nothing is bloody OPEN on the first except McDonalds.
Eat in McDonalds once so you can make fun of the wacky menu items.
You may want to buy cheap pre-paid disposable cell phones in Japan. You will not be able to. It took me the better part of a day to find somewhere that would sell a pre-paid cell phone at all, and it was Y9800 + Y3000 for the cheapest and a 30 minute calling card. You can rent cell phones at Narita if this is important.
Osaka Castle is super pretty from the outside and incredibly boring inside. It's a reconstruction concrete building with a traditional facade. Basically it's been burned down a lot of times and rebuilt a lot of times. Still, you can buy some great takoyaki from the stands out front, and duh if you're in Osaka you must eat takoyaki.
Or so I'm told. I don't pass up reasons to eat things when they sort of make sense.
Oh, one last thing on the topic of spending money: You are most likely going to be able to use ATMs in the post office, and quite probably no other ATMs. The post office ATMs are open when the post office is, so be sure to withdraw money before 5 PM.
Don't ride the trains before 10 AM if you can help it, and your bags go on the floor in front of you or on the rack above you or you will get glared to death by small vicious Japanese grandmothers.
If you doubt the vicious part, try getting to the last open seat in a train car before one sometime.
Have fun
Okonomiyaki as well. I hear tell Osaka is pretty famous for that.
Also get some taiyaki so that I can be jealous of you forever.
In terms of laundry, it may be difficult depending on the place you stay. Many places do not have coin operated machines, and smaller inns may or may not offer this service.
If you're traveling in Dec, if you travel mid to late Dec, you'll be able to see more Christmas/New Year festivals in the cities, towns, and or shrines. There are many cute lover's myths at these places that you can do together. (I'm such a sap for it)
Take advantage of the food stalls/smaller restaurants, Takoyaki is amazing when eaten freshly off the grill/cook plate. Also, sushi, is quite expensive over there. While it may be the best in the world, it's not cheap. Try different things, like grilled eel, or yakitori chicken. Many smaller restaurants specialized in certain things. Have real ramen. It is amazing. You can even get the full experience from doing it with the punch card vending system. It's interesting and unique!
Most places do not accept tips and it is considered rude.
Even though, it appears you'll be traveling to the larger cities, learn some phrases to help yourself get around (hello, please thank you, where is blah blah). Finger pointing does help as well along with hand gestures.
Depending on your phone, you can actually just rent a simcard to put into your phone if you need it. Much cheaper than renting a whole phone. However, that may take more time to look and shop for one.
I'd actually try to look for an actual handkerchief, or packages of small tissues if possible. Washcloth take a little while to dry, and it's not very pleasant carrying a wet piece of cloth. Handkerchiefs (cotton ones) dry a little faster IMO, but to each their own.
Be prepared for smoke, like full on smoking indoors. I've heard it has gotten better, but not by much.
Be prepared for some of the weirdest vending machines. They're a riot.
Have fun!
Looking for Edith Finch Pin!
I'd recommend picking up a point-and-speak phrasebook. http://www.iheartjapan.ca/2010/10/point-and-speak-japanese-phrasebook/ is a good one and you can get it at most airports as well as online from amazon. There's some good cultural info at the back that is useful to know to avoid some pitfalls and help explain some of the seemingly inexplicable.
Regarding takoyaki. Get it, it's really good. I also like it's big cousin Bakudanyaki (which is basically a larger takoyaki ball with lots of other delicious stuff in it). Be aware that the Tokyo area is one of the more expensive areas for food and other things in Japan.
Also, try to go to an onsen (bathhoues) while you are there. Some onsen have a family onsen which you can rent and go into as a couple. Most of my experience is on Kyuushu, but I'm sure there's some good places on Honshu.
The basement type Food halls I've been to have all been inside the big department stores; Japan has the kind of fancy, traditional department stores that have mostly died out in America, and the food halls in their basement are a great place to see some crazy foods and grab a bite to eat. I like the one at the Mitsukoshi Dept store but I'm sure they all are good.
I've never encountered anywhere in Japan where you tip so don't worry about that.
Like other posters said I've had problems w/ some ATMs there but my fallback has always been 7 eleven convenience stores (they are everywhere in Tokyo), 7 eleven either runs a bank in Japan or has a 7 eleven branding on one, the 7 eleven ATMs have always worked fine.
I've unfortunately always had to stay in hotels in the central government/embassy neighborhoods for work reasons but if I could choose where to stay myself I'd go with somewhere you can walk into either Shibuya or Harajuku.
That being said a list of things I enjoyed the most are as follows.
In kyoto find a place to eat traditional Kaiseki cuisine. Make sure it has Fugu on the menu. You are going in december. It will be in season. Fugu is the poison puffer fish. It has no poison if farmed raised but still tastes amazing. 99% of places use farm raised fugu because they don't want to kill someone.
In osaka if you ever drink whiskey in your life visit the suntory yamazaki distillery. It is awesome, has english tours, and is only a 20 minute train ride outside of osaka. Free booze at the end as well. Eat at the famous crab restaurant. Its yummy. Lastly spend a night wandering around near the running man. So many cool bars and restaurants. I think I ended up in some surf bar with 3 friends till 6am having an amazing time. Osaka is really fun.
In tokyo take a day bus trip to Nikko. Nothing in Tokyo is as cool as nikko is and you can see all of nikko in one bus tour.
Most of my info is around tokyo but I loved seeing japanese castles so lots of them are in there.
Here is the map.
https://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?msid=206582513376613299493.0004c516c30f4040572db&msa=0
I hope that helps.
1. An offline gps mapping app.
2. An offline dictionary app.
Offline being the key. You *will* run into situations whilst traveling when you need that map/dictionary, and you are somehow in a cell tower free zone.
Note that you want it on your smartphone; even if you have a tablet, get the apps for your smartphone.