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.
Japan trip- the definitive thread
mooshoepork
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi!
With school finishing, and a fair amount of money saved up, me and my girlfriend want to travel, so where else better to go than Japan? I have been before, back in 2005, with my school. I speak a fair amount of Japanese, and having done it for six years I feel confident in getting around for the most part.
I have read through the entirety of the other related threads and found some really good information, but I am looking for some more. Any general tips are greatly appreciated. When I went to Japan, I went to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima. I was also lucky enough to do home stay.
When we go, I would love to go to the same places again, and maybe some others. I have seen a lot of temples and such, and been to Mount Fuji. Little gems and smaller unknown places would be great. For the most part, when I went, I stayed in hostels. Both a Tokyo hostel (can’t remember the name, but it was a huge sky-scraper with about 80 floors), and a smaller Kyoto hostel. I don’t mind the curfew, but being an adult now I would like to go out and such. I’ll just shoot off a few generic questions.
For reference I live in Australia, so airfare tips and other Australian related advice is much appreciated. My girlfriend and I are both eighteen, so maybe bars and such aren’t optional due to the drinking age being 20. In Australia it is 18.
1. Air fares. What is the best option to take? I was thinking Jet star. We want to go for about two weeks I would say.
2. When is the best time of year to go? I would like to see the cherry blossoms if I could. So the end of March and early May? Last time I went in September.
3. How much are hotels and such? I am looking for a nice Hotel, hostel, or maybe even a ryoukan. I want it to be affordable but nice. Any suggestions for those who have been? Websites are good!
4. Are their English versions of the crazy train system that I could study? Is it best to buy a JR rail pass so I can go on both normal trains and take a Shinkansen to Kyoto?
If I think of any more questions I’ll post them up. Cheers for the help.
With school finishing, and a fair amount of money saved up, me and my girlfriend want to travel, so where else better to go than Japan? I have been before, back in 2005, with my school. I speak a fair amount of Japanese, and having done it for six years I feel confident in getting around for the most part.
I have read through the entirety of the other related threads and found some really good information, but I am looking for some more. Any general tips are greatly appreciated. When I went to Japan, I went to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima. I was also lucky enough to do home stay.
When we go, I would love to go to the same places again, and maybe some others. I have seen a lot of temples and such, and been to Mount Fuji. Little gems and smaller unknown places would be great. For the most part, when I went, I stayed in hostels. Both a Tokyo hostel (can’t remember the name, but it was a huge sky-scraper with about 80 floors), and a smaller Kyoto hostel. I don’t mind the curfew, but being an adult now I would like to go out and such. I’ll just shoot off a few generic questions.
For reference I live in Australia, so airfare tips and other Australian related advice is much appreciated. My girlfriend and I are both eighteen, so maybe bars and such aren’t optional due to the drinking age being 20. In Australia it is 18.
1. Air fares. What is the best option to take? I was thinking Jet star. We want to go for about two weeks I would say.
2. When is the best time of year to go? I would like to see the cherry blossoms if I could. So the end of March and early May? Last time I went in September.
3. How much are hotels and such? I am looking for a nice Hotel, hostel, or maybe even a ryoukan. I want it to be affordable but nice. Any suggestions for those who have been? Websites are good!
4. Are their English versions of the crazy train system that I could study? Is it best to buy a JR rail pass so I can go on both normal trains and take a Shinkansen to Kyoto?
If I think of any more questions I’ll post them up. Cheers for the help.
mooshoepork on
0
Posts
The Japan trip from my old high school in Adelaide flew with Japan Airlines and some of my best mates who were on it still talk about how good the flight was and how well they were treated by the airline in general.
Im only speaking from domestic experience with jetstar - i have no idea what their international flights are like.
http://www.japantravelinfo.com/top/index.php
The JR Pass is definitely worth it if you're traveling outside Tokyo. Just remember that you can't take the fastest bullet trains with it.
Cherry blossoms are always a crap shoot. Late March is probably your best bet. If you're going from Tokyo to Hiroshima, you're almost bound to find them blooming somewhere along that route.
I have flown jetstar before...screaming babies, cramped flight... However, as long as I get there in one piece I don't really mind. I want to spend money IN Japan, stay at a nice place with the money saved from the airline. It won't be THAT unbearable I hope!
Try and stay in ri yu kan, they are traditional japanese hotels. theyre kind of pricey, and some are asian only, but worth it if you can.
dont worry about drinking age
i went when i was 17 and 18, and never got carded or anything, dont think anyone cares
people generally thought i was a few years older though...
even if you find the one bar that wont serve you, you can always get drinks from basically any convenience store which would be a lot cheaper anyway, and if you hang around at your hostel in the evening youll usually find a bunch of people drinking together
or if times are tough, find a vending machine
But white people usually look old to Japanese eyes so you're very unlikely to be IDed.
Google Kamakura & Himeji-jo. They're nice.
ive always enjoyed flying with them, and if you can get on their new A380 the flight would be even better
you would have to make a stopover in singapore for a couple hours but its a real nice airport, with enough to keep you occupied
of course jetstar is gonna have the cheapest prices, but you get what you pay for and all that
plus check this out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Airlines_awards_and_accolades
I traveled with Qantas, a direct flight return ran at $2200 including GST. You'll at least get enough room to be able to stretch a bit (not sure how tall you are) and they have the movie channels which make it so much easier to kill time.
The very first thing I suggest you do once you get clear customs and come through to the gates is to go to the information desk on the right of you and get a information pamphlet called the Tokyo Metro Guide. It was my bible to the world of the Japanese subway system while I was there. I can't stress enough how helpful it is.
On the right of the information counter is the ticket counter for the Narita Express train that goes from the airport to Tokyo and Shinjuku stations, you'll be looking at roughly 3500 yen from memory one way. Also, if you're going to take the Shinkansen, get the rail pass before you go over, one Shinkansen trip pays for itself.
At least you read/speak Japanese, that should smooth everything out for you though I found it relatively easy to get by with the basics you pick up while you're there. Almost everyone you'll run into will go out of their way to help you out. (I had one elderly couple get on a train with me and take me to the train station I needed to go to my first night there.)
I wouldn't worry about getting carded at clubs too much, it wasn't something that I ever had an issue with while I was over there and never had any issues with it. Alcohol is readily available at almost any store you go to (and cheap too. A 750ml bottle of Smirnoff will run you about $6.)
Regarding hotels, I booked my accomodation through http://www.asiarooms.com/ and had no issues. On the confirmation sheet you get to take with you it even gives the hotel's address in Japanese so you can hand it to a taxi driver for him to read when you're unsure on directions.
If you're looking for somewhere great to stay while you're over there, I can't recommend the Ace Inn Shinjuku enough. I stayed there for a week and its an outstanding hostel to stay at. The lobby is open 24 hours a day, so you have no curfew as you normally would at a hostel, its in Akebonobashi, which is only two stops from Shinjuku station so you can get there within about 5 minutes of entering Shinjuku station.
The line the Akebonobashi station travels to Ueno as well, making it easy to get on the Hibiya line if you want to go to Roppongi or Akihabara and will be less crammed than taking the JR train to those stations.
There's always people up stairs in the common room who'll be up for a night on the town as well and able to point you in the right direction for clubs and restaurants worth checking out. There's a guy there, Dale, who's working in Japan at the moment who's up there when he's not at work who'll be happy to point towards somewhere.
Its dormitory based though, so if you're travelling with your girlfriend you'll have to hire two beds, even if you're only using the one. Free net access downstairs as well. Very cheap and totally worth it. Some great family run local restaurants nearby too, ramen, sushi and takiyaki in particular.
The Kent Hotel in Kabukicho; Nice hotel, dead square in Kabukicho, which has a lot of night life. 5 minute walk from Shinjuku station, so its easy to get back to after a night out or if you're just sightseeing its still very central. Kabukicho is partly a red light district, but thats more towards the other end than where the hotel is situated. You won't run into anything near the hotel than bowling alleys, movie theaters, arcades, some really good restaurants and the most hilarious case of engrish I've ever seen, the Sexy Attraction Bar. Relatively cheap too.
The Universe Nihonbashi is in Kayabacho, about 10 meters down the street from the train station, which is part of the Hibiya line. Again, very central part of Tokyo, so you can get to Shibuya, Ueno, Asakusa, Tokyo, Roppongi, Akihabara very easily. Again, neat, very clean and fairly cheap.
I stayed at the Kent hotel last time I was in the area. It is very true that Kabukicho is a red light district but from what I saw it's never dangerous to walk around there at night. I did however get approached by some gents dressed in suits who asked me if I wanted "sexy girls". It was pretty weird considering I was traveling with my dad at the time. O_o The hotel itself is not luxurious (prefab bathrooms, some rooms with no windows to the outside) but the staff was polite and helpful. And to be honest you can't really ask for more considering how cheap it was.
yea qantas can be expensive
im looking at flying around the start of january for a while, and seeing return trips priced at around $1400 with singapore and a few others
but check this website for special deals
www.zuji.com
depending on when you fly, you could be getting tickets for about $1000 on a good (or at least better than jetstar) airline
Air New Zealand- Utter shit
Qantas - fine, felt no different to Jetstar, I got a muffin, that was probably the only difference.
Jetstar, fine, a little cramped I guess, but it was alright.
I thought it would be better to save money on the airline, and spend it IN Japan, on a nicer hotel or something similar. I'll have a look into zuji though