Trip to Japan
Thanks to a friend who is an Avios nut I now have about 200,000 points and hope to Japan sometime spring 2016.Now I am told I have to book flights before end April and wondering when a good time to go.Any ideas ?
funnily enough I am looking into going to Japan this year - had a conversation with a friend today whose wife is from Japan. October is apparently the best time to go! Summer flights are a lot more expensive and it's incredibly hot. There are 2x airports in Tokyo (if that's where you're going) - you want to go to Haneda, not Narita as it's 90m away on the train. Those are the main points from the conversation! And the fact it's HUGE http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/defau...kyo%20Area.jpg
Thanks,any other thoughts ?
Get a rail pass.
One trip on the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto is the same price as a weeks pass. So use it once and it has already paid for itself.
Go to a traditional onsen
If you are in Tokyo for any time then get a passmo. On the underground you need to know the cost of the journey you want to take then buy the right ticket. With a passmo you just put money on it and beep in and out. So saves time and worry.
Most Japanese don't want to help you out even if they speak English. Unless they feel completely confident speaking English they won't use it. People in the big shops that expect tourists tend to be very helpful.
Cash is king and lots of places won't take cards, so take lots with you. 7-11's are all over the place and have ATM's inside in case you need more cash.
Akihabara is worth a visit especially Yodabashi and Bic Camera. Amazing amounts of technology and great prices.
Food wise be adventurous. I have been to Japan lots and have still never had a bad meal, they have high standards. One of my favourite cheap meals is Ichibanya. A Japanese curry house that is lovely, you get one type of curry, pick how hot you want it and what meat. Then the add one like egg, pickles etc all for £5.
In restaurants you always get a free drink (water, or wheat tea) and a cloth to clean your hands before starting.
Some bars and restaurants have table charges. So you pay for the table (a 1000 yen is standardish) and sometimes they give you a free side dish so you feel better about the charge! Sometimes though its a nice place and you pay for the chance to drink or eat their so get nothing for the table charge.
Airbnb is great for finding places to stay in Japan as lots of people use it.
Mobile data charges are insane. Most Tokyo metro stations have free WiFi so use this. If you buy something from Yodabashi early on they give a free WiFi pass for WiFi that is all over Tokyo. Or you can rent a portable 4G WiFi hotspot. Well worth having as it saves you when you get lost or are trying to find a museum or park.
Hope that gives you a start
Most definitely a country I would love to visit. Is it really as expensive as most people make out? £5 for a curry seems excellent value!
Tokyo is amazing anytime!
Going this year. Are Seikos cheaper there?
...and the rest of that thread.Originally Posted by chester
With the current exchange rate it can be reasonable. But like all big cities, you can easily blow a load of cash if you aren't careful.
Hotels can be expensive hence the air bnb recommendation.
Last edited by dom_; 13th March 2015 at 16:03.
Agree on the rail pass - we got a 7 day pass and it was brilliant. We spent 9 nights in Tokyo, 3 in Shizuoka, 2 in Osaka and 3 in Kyoto. We needed more time in Kyoto and went back 2 years later. The JapanRail staff are beyond helpful and will speak English and sort out seats, which train etc. And the shinkansen are amazing way to travel, particularly on a clear day if you travel towards Kyoto and past Mount Fuji.
Not all ATMs accept western debit or credit cards. Cash is best for eating out/restaurants.
Depending on where you go I'd suggest:
Osaka - boat tour, the aquarium (largest indoor tank in the world with a whale shark in it)
Kyoto - so much to see but the Fushimi Inari Taisha is a must: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi_Inari-taisha
As for time of year, I've been in May and September and both were beautiful.
I've been to Tokyo three times in the last 14 months and it is great. The subway is very easy to navagate, but a map is essential.
I second the recommendation to take cash. Western cards are not readily accepted. On my last trip, i found that neither my credit cards nor my bank card worked into the ATMs despite working on previous trips (no, they hadn't been blocked, it was something relating to Visa). The cards worked in restaurants and shops, just not ATms.
As someone else said, summer is very hot and there is little AC.
As for things to buy, whiskey/whisky is very cheap and Seikos can be very well priced. Yodobashi is amazing and has a huge selection of watches. Other things worth buying are Japanese knives and spices.
Meals are surprisingly reasonable and the food is great.
Have a great trip.
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