Planning a trip to Japan. Need Advice?

Question

I'm planning a trip to Japan next year (Late Winter - Early Spring) for about 2 weeks.

I will probably have about 3 other friends going with me and our plan is to 'backpack' pretty much the whole trip (ex. only bring 3 days worth of clothes to change, use a laundry mat to wash them, and most likely throw out half of the clothes we bring and buy new clothes as souvenirs). We will probably stay in Tokyo for the first few days and then head south to Kyoto and Osaka, and then back up to Tokyo for the remainder of the trip. We plan on hopping around and staying an hostels or capsule hotels (maybe a few tourist hotels near the end or beginning of the trip).

How much money should each of us bring (not counting souvenir purchase or plan ticket purchase)?

We have also been considering cellphones as well. What is the best way to go? Rent? Prepaid? Or upgrade current cellphone for International travel? (we would probably text more than call)

Is the Visitor Rail Pass worth it? Which one should we get?

Are there places in Tokyo where we could rent out a locker of some sort to store extra luggage?

Recommendations on attractions? Places to stay?

Things that were helpful on your trip? Things you wish you brought? (calculator, sunscreen, guide, map, ect..)

I'm really looking for advice from recent vacationers that have gone within the last few years.

Advice to other Japan travel topics that I have not mentioned is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

A lot depends on what you plan to do, where you will go, and how much you will buy. For cheaper places to stay, try looking at



http://www.wix.com/astroflight/accommodations

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

http://www.superhoteljapan.com/en/

http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/en/original/



It looks like if you are going from Tokyo down to Kansai and back a 7 day JR Rail Pass is worth it. You are too vague with your schedule though. You can look at http://www.japanrailpass.net and look at the regional companies and then view their regional passes. You might find something better depending on your itinerary.

You can also fly around the country very cheaply on an airpass, especially if you are taking a One World or Star Alliance carrier. Look at the carrier links below for their domestic pass info.

Unless you are coming from a place where there are a lot of Japanese tourists dumping their yen and the banks want to get rid of it, in nearly all circumstances you will get a better exchange rate in Japan. Japan deals a lot more in dollars than America does in yen. And the more trouble the bank has to go to get that yen to you (such as a small town, etc) the more it is going to cost you.

You will also get a far better exchange rate by using your ATM card in Japan compared to exchanging cash. There will be a certain fee for using it (check with your bank first - some are nominal, others may be high) as well as a foreign exchange fee, but often is only a few dollars unless you are doing business with a ripoff bank. Having your money in a credit union will often be a lot kinder to your wallet in many ways.

If you do plan to use your ATM in Japan, make sure the bank knows about it first so they don't freeze your account and suspect fraudulent usage.

But if you want to compare, this is the age of the internet and you can easily see the rates online. Look at

http://www.narita-airport.or.jp/exchange_e/index.html

and then compare that with the latest rates of your own bank.

If you are taking a lot with you, then traveller cheques are a safer way to go, but you can only exchange them in larger branches of banks and major Japanese post offices. It also kills about 20-30 minutes, but safer than carrying cash.

And yes, you can rent a locker, but not for large suitcases. For phones, you can rent a phone or rent a sim chip.

For what to see, look at www.jnto.go.jp or travel books like Lonely Planet. And bring any OTC meds and sunscreen with you. But don't take any psuedoephedrine.

Answer 2

Crime in Japan is some of the lowest in the world. Just use good common sense and you will be fine. A city that I highly recommend visiting is Kyoto. It is close to Osaka and easily accessible by train. Kyoto is an amazing city filled with the most beautiful temples and landscape. There is also a fun nightlife there and plenty to do. I wouldn't advise getting a rail pass. It will probably make more sense to pay for individual tickets, assuming you will really take a few trips by train. I have never in my life taken a tour and I have visiting every continent (except Antarctica) you will be fine! Take a map from the hotel and a hotel business card so that if you get lost you can simply show the card to a taxi driver to be brought back and not have to worry about the language barrier. Summer is a good time to go, but it will be hot! Spring or fall will be more pleasant weather wise. Also in spring, generally late March - May, the cherry blossoms bloom and it really is beautiful to see. Another thing I might consider is not going for three weeks. That really is a lot of time and while Osaka and Kyoto are very cool places, I really doubt you will be entertained for three weeks. I would consider going for two weeks maximum, which will also save you considerable money on hotel costs. Are you planning on going to Tokyo as well? I would carve out a couple of days to see Tokyo if I were you. It is a unique and very interesting city. Have an awesome trip! Japan is a great country!

Answer 3

There are several types of accommodation you can look at including:



Western Style Hotels - Rates vary from 8,000 yen to 30,000 yen. These hotels also provide direct bus connections to International hotels.



Budget Style Business Hotels - a great compromise with prices around 7,400 yen single - 9000 yen double in Tokyo. I recommend the Toyoko Inn hotel chain located all over Japan as they include free breakfast, TV, and internet connection in your room.



Minshoku (Japanese Guest Houses) - These are usually small, family run bed and breakfast lodgings without the frills such as yukata gowns and toiletries. A stay at a minshoku will give you a more intimate experience of Japanese home life. Rates are usually from 5,000 yen and up.



Ryokan (Japanese Style Inns) - A rewarding experience for a taste of traditional Japan. They charge on average a rate of around 9,000 yen per person, but can rapidly rise for the more elegant ryokan.



If you plan to do a lot of travelling in Japan then it is worth getting the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on almost all JR trains, including the shinkansen (excluding the Nozomi superexpress). This pass can only be purchased outside of Japan and will save you travel money in Japan. In Tokyo, most of the main sights and hot spots can be visited via the JR Train Line (Yamanote loop line) with a one-day JR train pass for 730 yen.



Many attractions in Japan are free including temples, shrines and gardens. The more famous attractions will charge an entrance fee but this is usually as little as 500 yen.



Here are some tips for travelling in Japan



1. The must see places are Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Takayama, Hiroshima and Miyajima.



2. Pick up a good travel guide like Lonely Planet Japan before you visit.

http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Japan-Travel-Guide/dp/1741798051/ref=as_li_tf_mfw?&linkCode=wey&tag=japanaustr-20



3. Learn some basic Japanese as this will make your experience more enjoyable. Try and learn around 10-15 phrases which will have an amazing effect in communicating and building rapport.



4. If you’ve never learned how to use chopsticks, figure it out before you go.



5. Accept the inevitability of culture shock and relish doing things the way they are done in Japan.

Answer 4

>Is the Visitor Rail Pass worth it? Which one should we get?



I think Japan Rail Pass is worth for you.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html



The best option is to buy and use a 7-day pass when you go from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka and back. And while you stay in Tokyo, it's better to buy a ticket every time you take a train.



>Are there places in Tokyo where we could rent out a locker of some sort to store extra luggage?



It depends on how large it is and how long you want to store it. Large train stations like Shinjuku station has coin lockers.



>How much money should each of us bring (not counting souvenir purchase or plan ticket purchase)?



Air fare: You need $1000-1500 if you are departing from US



Hotel: Usually, you need $120 per night if you want to stay at a hotel.

If you want to save money, you need to stay at a hostel which will cost $40-60 per night.

If you want to stay at a luxury hotel, you need $250-300 or more.



Food, transportation and others: You need $60-120 or so per day. If you want to enjoy shopping, you need more.



So you need $120 for hotel and $90 for others per day. If you want to stay in Japan for 2 weeks, the total cost will be $2940.

Answer 5

I would have set aside at least $600 worth of yen scattered throughout your person (so if you lose some you don't lose all) with some traveler's cheques for more in case you need it.



Japan doesn't offer prepaid cellphones like you can get in the States. You can rent a phone. For two weeks it will cost about 6000 yen just to have the phone with Rentafone, then 35 yen/min for a call. Texting in Japan is free because everyone uses the email system that comes with your phone. It would probably be cheaper for you to rent a phone in Japan, there are many companies for you to choose from. After all, your current phones may not work in Japan.



The JR pass is worth if it you are going to be riding long distance on trains a lot. You can only use them consequetively, so if you were to get the 7 day pass you would have to use it within the 7 days from the first day you use it. If you get the cheap 14 day rail pass it's 45,100yen (28,300 for 7 days).

So, for example, if you were to normally pay to go via shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto to Osaka to back to Tokyo it would cost you about 29,820yen. As you can see, it is only a tiny bit more than what it costs for the 7-day JR pass, but because you will be in Japan for 2 weeks your pass will only get you to Osaka and would not cover you back to Tokyo. Regular train fees are not much in Japan. Most of the time you will only pay about 150-250yen one-way to a place, so I do not think the JR Pass is that good for you.

If it were me I would travel via night bus. It's not as comfortable or fast, but it costs you less money and you sleep on the bus to wherever you're going so it cuts down on boarding costs. If you were to take Willer Bus to all your routes and didn't get a pass or anything it would cost (depending on the bus you use, they have many options including now one with an entertainment theater for each seat) about 10,000yen to go from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka to Tokyo (Kyoto and Osaka are so close there is no night bus for them. You could easily take a regular train from Kyoto to Osaka for 540 yen and it would only take 45 mins to get there). So then your total is just 10,540yen/person. I don't think a lot of foreigners know about the night buses, but they are a really cheap way to travel and good for students. Since there are 4 of you you can get a bus that seats 2-by-2 so you'd have a whole row just to you and your friends.



In all train stations there are lockers to store luggage. Just not really big suitcases, there is no room for that, but since you plan on "backpacking" it then I can't imagine you will carry too big of bags with you.



Tokyo: Sensouji is great for souvenirs

Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Taisha is a really cool place to visit, good for if you want to get some exercise

Osaka: Osaka Castle

It's easy to find hostels/capsule hotels in all of these places, but I never used any so I have no recommendations.



Be sure to bring an umbrella because summertime is rain time in Japan. I never used sunscreen, but it can't hurt. You might want a small towel to help with sweat because Japan is very hot and humid, especially the areas you'll be visiting. Also, you should definitely bring or at least buy a map if you want to do a lot of walking as well as a compass. Japanese streets aren't set up like they are in the US. Most streets do not have names, so you can't rely on Google Maps to get you places. However, there are maps planted all over the city that will mark major tourist destinations so with just a compass you can easily find your way back if you stray off the path.

And, on that note, if you can't read Japanese then at least write down on a piece of paper the names of the places you do want to visit so you can read them on a map or point to them to get help from a passerby.



Edit: Maybe, please read what I actually wrote. I said the time starts from the first time you *use* the pass, not from the time of purchase.

Answer 6

i would say learn a little bit of the language. it can help in many ways. =)

Answer 7

1. Go to a travel agency to pick up some brochures about Japan.

2. Decide which cities you would like to travel to within your allotted time.

3. Make an itinerary of the attractions in those cities.

4. Decide which airline you would like to use and purchase a flight ticket from them.

5. Make reservations and pay for them BEFORE you depart for Japan(Do not wait until you arrive

in Japan to make reservations).

To get a feel for the real Japan, plan on staying at least one night in a Ryokan(Japanese Inn).



6. Purchase an exchange voucher for a 14-day Japan Railpass at an authorised travel agency near you. Then you take this voucher with you and exchange it for the real pass upon arrival at any Midori-No-Madoguchi ticket office or Tourist Centre at train stations and major airports.



NOTE: 'BELIE' is giving you INCORRECT information about the JR Railpass. It does NOT have to start from the day that you arrive, nor does it have to be a week. In fact, you can specify on which day you wish the pass to start, and on which day you want it to expire(You could start it mid-week if you wanted to).

Even the example she gives is INCORRECT. The JR Railpass is valid fo UNLIMITED rides on the NE'X from Narita to Tokyo(including return trip), all JR local trains and buses(except if they travel over a toll highway), all Shinkansen(bullet trains), except the NOZOMI, as well as the JR ferry to Miyajima. It is also free to make a seat reservation in advance(recommended).

The JR Railpass WILL cover you for your return trip to Tokyo(as many as you want in fact.)

It takes only about three hours from Tokyo to Kyoto, so in one day(12 hours) you could make 4 trips(incl. 2 returns).

Most sightseeing places in Tokyo can be reached via the Yamanote Line, for which your railpass is valid, and thus, do not require additional fees.

Night buses are much slower, thereby reducing your amount of sightseeing time, and their routes are also limited. I don't recommend using them.

In Kyoto it is worth it to buy a 1-day buspass for 500 yen.



7. Exchange enough money at a money kiosk so you will have about 20,000 yen upon arrival in

Japan(Do NOT wait until you are in Japan to exchange your money, and also do NOT get yen

from your bank otherwise you will get hit by severe exchange commisions).

8.Bring as little as possible, and do NOT bring a large suitcase. Although there are lockers at many train stations, they are far too small to accommodate a regular suitcase. My regular-size backpack on wheels does not fit in the smallest locker. Do bring a currency converter to instantly know how much you will be paying for items.



Renting a cellphone is expensive in Japan. An international phone will not work on Japanese phone systems. No need to rent a phone if you don't plan on calling your native Japanese friends. Better to purchase a prepaid phone card and use them in regular landline pay phones.

WHAT TO DO IN JAPAN:

As to what to see and do there, this depends entirely on how long you will be in Japan, where you will travel to and your interests.

Things to see and do in random order all across Japan:

Tokyo:

Tsukiji (famous fish market)

Meiji Jingu (old shrine)

Kaminarimon (old shrine)

Asakusa shopping arcade.

Tokyo Tower.

Ginza shopping district.

Sumo wrestling in Ryogukan.

Watch a Kabuki theatre play at Kabuki-za in Ginza.

Oedo Onsen on Odaiba(hotspring bath and sandbath on manmade island.

Take a tour of the Sumida River in an original Yakatabune.



Kyoto:

Gion district{chance to meet real Maiko-san(geisha)}

San-Juu-San-Gen-Do(huge collection of wooden painted buddhas)

Heian Jingu

Kyoto Tower

Ginkakuji(very old temple)

Kinkakuji



On Shikoku Island:

Shikoku museum of private houses

Dogo Onsen



Nikko:

Toshogu shrine



Nagoya:

Nagoya-jo(castle)

Nagoya television tower.



Nara:

Todaiji(huge buddha)



Ushiku, Ibaraki

Amida Daibutsu(largest buddha in the world, which is entered in the Guinness Book of World Records)



Osaka:

Osaka-jo(castle)



Himeji:

Himeiji-jo(castle)



Kumamoto:

Kumamoto-jo(castle)



Near Nagasaki:

Huis Ten Bos(huge theme park)



Okinawa island(gorgeous beaches and sea) and

Shuri-jo(castle)



Miyakojima



With exception of the Yakatabune cruise in Tokyo I don't recommend going on any tour since most of these do not pick up or drop off at your hotel, and many are 'self-guided', and do not have an English-speaking guide(JTB and HATA are two such companies.