Advice? Short Trip to Japan

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Ah, I was getting jealous.

We want to go back too. I'd like to see northern areas, fishing villages, rural Japan.

My wife was from Japan and keeps telling me how its her favorite part of Japan. Since she has citizenship, its apparently easy for me to get residency so I will move there one day. (I would rather live in Colorado or Germany though.)

BTW its very common for regular people to carry hundreds to thousands of dollars in cash around (and not use CC). Or at least from when she lived there.

I wouldn't say its my favorite place in the world though... (OT?) my 2 favorite places are El Charlten in Patagonia, Kalymnos in Greece and Sevilla in Spain. Japan was nice though.

[Regular_John]

BUMP for $752 Round trip to Japan

Pretty smoking deal for travel in the fall up on YYCDeals.com right now.

I'm eying a 2-3 week trip myself, had I not just started a new job I'd be all over this.

[Mazrim]

Bumping this thread as it's been insanely useful for my initial planning for a trip to Japan next year. Lots of great advice and info on how to get around and where to buy things. Thanks everyone!

The only downside is now I feel like I need to expand my trip even more as I was only planning Tokyo and Fukuoka at first. Sounds like there's too many awesome places to visit!

One question - how much Japanese do I need to learn before going there? I would learn some basics regardless but if there's a case to made for some real learning to be done in the next year or so, then I will!

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Bumping this thread as it's been insanely useful for my initial planning for a trip to Japan next year. Lots of great advice and info on how to get around and where to buy things. Thanks everyone!

The only downside is now I feel like I need to expand my trip even more as I was only planning Tokyo and Fukuoka at first. Sounds like there's too many awesome places to visit!

One question - how much Japanese do I need to learn before going there? I would learn some basics regardless but if there's a case to made for some real learning to be done in the next year or so, then I will!

I got by with no more than arigato.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

One question - how much Japanese do I need to learn before going there?

I got by on none between Tokyo and Hokkaido. I took along a phrase book and got a Japanese SIM card. Having google maps was invaluable for navigating the train system there.

[lucky1]

bumping an old thread - headed to Japan for the first time -will have a full 10 days on the ground in the land of the Rising Sun. This thread made me wanna have a look, so off I will go. Some questions for the people who have been before - 10 days should be enough to stay in 2 or 3 cities - Tokyo being one, the others I was thinking about were Kyoto and maybe Hiroshoma? all seem easy via the Rail Pass (which I still need to buy) - is this too aggressive for 10 full days?
Also, for accommodation - I was just planning on using airbnb - seems to be lots of availability, pricing seems ok -
Would it be wiser just to hook up with a 10 day tour group, or easy enough to traverse around by myself? (single dude).
I'm on the plane Sept 23rd, starting to get excited!

any more thoughts that haven't been voiced in this thread already - let me have 'em please!!

[CaptainYooh]

Plan 2 days in Kamakura, you wouldn't regret it.

3 days in Kyoto was enough for us, but 5 days in Tokyo barely scratched the surface of it, it's so huge and full of interesting stuff to see. Here's your 10 days and you'd wanna go back.

Traveling on your own is fine, get a 14-day JR Pass online now, asap, you can't buy it in Japan. Train system there is the best in the world. When you exchange your pass voucher at Narita airport, buy a Suica electronic wallet card and put some cash on it, like $500, it's a must, you'll need to use it at subway turnstiles and 7-elevens. Plan what you wanna see ahead in each city. Don't worry too much about studying train schedules, just go to the nearest station, wherever you are whenever ready and see a guy at the turnstile or ticket office, there is always a suitable train connection available within minutes. Have a great trip.

[GirlySports]

Japan is super efficient but I agree with some here that it's a bit too efficient bordering on inconvenience sometimes. You really have to research in advance.

[Muta]

Get the 14-day JR Pass. It is the best purchase you'll make when heading to Japan. You have to do it here though... Nippon Travel can arrange that for you.

For subways, the Suica card, as mentioned, is great... but I've stuffed coins in ticket machines many times and it works just fine as well. Suica cards are more convenient, however.

When I was there, I biked the Shinimani Kaido, an amazing 70 km biking trail in southern Japan. Unlike any other biking trail in the world... it's over 7 islands, too many bridges (one of the longest in the world too) and many, many cities and towns. Such an awesome experience.

http://touzainanboku.com/?p=640

I hope you like sushi too, it's available everywhere and definitely cheaper in Japan in most places than it is here in Calgary.