Visiting Japan

[Azuma Denton]

@fsior
receive ur message and done some googling...
you can find more information here...
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1148.html

hope this help, and hope you can visit Japan soon...
it is worthy to visit Japan...

[word sux]

I am thinking about going back to school for TESL (teach english as a second language) so I can travel around asia and africa. Seems like there are jobs for those with this sort of degree in japan.

[andyjay729]

I'm finally gonna make that trip with a guided tour. Unfortunately my previous choices had indefinitely postponed their Japan tours, so I searched around and found these British-based guys.

I'll be going in the last week of October and first week of November, since that's supposed to be the nicest time to visit climate-wise.

[KyriaL]

Traveling in Japan without following a tour or knowing much of the language can be very tricky, but it is possible. I have known of people who have done it and enjoyed it immensely, mostly through a little bit of luck, and passion on their side.

[Autumn Demon]

I will be in Sapporo for 2 months starting next week, but before that I have a 20 hour layover in Osaka. Anyone know any cheap net cafes I could spend the night at, or capsule hotels in Osaka?

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by andyjay729

I'm finally gonna make that trip with a guided tour. Unfortunately my previous choices had indefinitely postponed their Japan tours, so I searched around and found these British-based guys.

I'll be going in the last week of October and first week of November, since that's supposed to be the nicest time to visit climate-wise.

Depending on where you are, that period is a great time for koyo viewing. See my pictures from my holidays a few years back.

I find Japan an incredibly easy place to travel solo, though that may be because I understand many of the kanji signs. Safety is rarely an issue, though there are, of course, places that you should avoid. That said, guided tours may help you learn much more about places of interest. Enjoy yourself.

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

I will be in Sapporo for 2 months starting next week, but before that I have a 20 hour layover in Osaka. Anyone know any cheap net cafes I could spend the night at, or capsule hotels in Osaka?

Gahh I'm really jealous. I've been told great things about Hokkaido in general.

Just stay in the airport, it'll be a hardcore experience.

[Dhomochevsky]

For the guided tours, I can't help but picture a bunch of very old people who would do that. Being the only one below 60 in a group for a week or so...

Is it really like that?

[andyjay729]

Originally Posted by Dhomochevsky

For the guided tours, I can't help but picture a bunch of very old people who would do that. Being the only one below 60 in a group for a week or so...

Is it really like that?

Well, just because it is a very different culture and I don't know much of the language, I thought I'd get more out of a guided tour. And there are certainly tours aimed more at younger people, like Con-Tiki.

[Heibi]

Originally Posted by fsior

Was wondering if anyone could tell me how difficult it is to get a visa to visit Japan? I've always wanted to goto Japan ever since I was a little boy. I fell in love with the culture from my 4th grade teacher's assistant who was a foriegn exchange student from Japan. Anyways off point, I have to say I've had a bumpy past, made mistakes, but have changed my life around. I don't want to give up on this dream that I have held in my heart since I was a child. Would a record shatter that?

If you're an American all you need is your passport to enter Japan. They'll have you fill out 2 small forms on the plane ride over or you can fill them out in the terminal upon arrival. Visited Japan around 16 times or more and it hasn't really changed. The forms have the basic questions about how long you're staying, where, and how much money you're carrying. And the usual questions on "Are you a criminal", "Any drugs", "Ever been denied entry to Japan".

I just came back from a visit 2 months ago. Had a great time.

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Dhomochevsky

For the guided tours, I can't help but picture a bunch of very old people who would do that. Being the only one below 60 in a group for a week or so...

Is it really like that?

When I traveled to Russia, it was with a tour group and yes, nearly everyone there was old. I was the youngest. But it wasn't a bad experience.

[Azuma Denton]

Originally Posted by andyjay729

Well, just because it is a very different culture and I don't know much of the language, I thought I'd get more out of a guided tour. And there are certainly tours aimed more at younger people, like Con-Tiki.

Just make sure you pick the right tour...
Some tour just cramp all the location into one single tour so basically you wont enjoy it because you may only spend about half and hour to one hour in one place...

But if you are unfamiliar to Japan's culture or language, the best bet is to get a tour on your first time, and for the second visit, well, you can explore Japan yourself...

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Azuma Denton

But if you are unfamiliar to Japan's culture or language, the best bet is to get a tour on your first time, and for the second visit, well, you can explore Japan yourself...

This is what I did/am doing. Did my tour in 2008, didn't enjoy it that much because the tour guide was an idiot and the tour leader kept harping on us to give like 20% tips to the tour guide and bus driver, but didn't start asking us until 4 days into the tour as opposed to any of the 6 meetings we had about the tour in the year leading up to it...

Anyway, doing it myself this time. It's also going to be about 25% cheaper than my friends who are doing another guided tour (the same tour... I don't really see the point to doing the same tour two or three times).

[Heibi]

Originally Posted by GDB

This is what I did/am doing. Did my tour in 2008, didn't enjoy it that much because the tour guide was an idiot and the tour leader kept harping on us to give like 20% tips to the tour guide and bus driver, but didn't start asking us until 4 days into the tour as opposed to any of the 6 meetings we had about the tour in the year leading up to it...

Anyway, doing it myself this time. It's also going to be about 25% cheaper than my friends who are doing another guided tour (the same tour... I don't really see the point to doing the same tour two or three times).

I do all my own sightseeing these days. I know how to get around and who to ask for directions. I even used Google Earth once to find the location via satellite. I memorized the building roofs and the crosswalk bridges and found what I was looking for. (The Japanese Sword Museum in Shinjuku). The original directions the hotel tried to give us were - take this train, then this one. I knew it was nearby and within walking distance(10-15 minutes), so I ignored the hotel advice and saved money in the process. The guy meant well though.

[Azuma Denton]

Originally Posted by Heibi

I do all my own sightseeing these days. I know how to get around and who to ask for directions. I even used Google Earth once to find the location via satellite. I memorized the building roofs and the crosswalk bridges and found what I was looking for. (The Japanese Sword Museum in Shinjuku). The original directions the hotel tried to give us were - take this train, then this one. I knew it was nearby and within walking distance(10-15 minutes), so I ignored the hotel advice and saved money in the process. The guy meant well though.

Getting lost is a part of adventure...
But i must say, the price of transportation in Japan is quite huge for Indonesian's standard...

There is Japanesse Sword Museum in Shinjuku?? Damn, i missed it. Near where??

@GDB
20% tips from what??
I thought that tips is supposed to be "willing" not a "mandatory"...

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Azuma Denton

@GDB
20% tips from what??
I thought that tips is supposed to be "willing" not a "mandatory"...

For "being our guide", which apparently is something to tip despite an extremely poor performance (part of the tour price was to see the fish market... which they only got 4 tickets to for about 36 people, and then gave priority to the senior citizen group they had stuck us with / she was supposedly a native of Osaka, yet when I asked her where the Osaka Tower was (I couldn't remember its name, but it's the Tsuutenkaku), she said no such thing existed / etc.) when she'd have already been paid for in the cost of the tour. And yes, a tip should be something you choose to do, not have to do. That's why I told him to forget about getting one from me.

[Heibi]

Originally Posted by Azuma Denton

Getting lost is a part of adventure...
But i must say, the price of transportation in Japan is quite huge for Indonesian's standard...

There is Japanesse Sword Museum in Shinjuku?? Damn, i missed it. Near where??

@GDB
20% tips from what??
I thought that tips is supposed to be "willing" not a "mandatory"...

I left from the Keio Plaza where I was staying. Here is a link with directions. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3011.html

The museum is hidden in a residential-like area. There are no good signs that lead you to it. A friend and I once took a wrong turn and spent 45 minutes searching for it. It is only 10-15 minutes walk from the Keio Plaza. I can guide people for free when I'm there if our travel dates coincide. I usually like to go in the March-April time frame.(Cherry Blossom time)

[Azuma Denton]

Ah i never went that far...
I only explore up Shinjuku Central Park and then head back to see Kabukicho...
Will write down that as future reference...
Thanks...


@GDB
Aw that sucks..
And how come you need a ticket to go into fish market??

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Azuma Denton

@GDB
Aw that sucks..
And how come you need a ticket to go into fish market??

I'm not sure if you need one for later in the day, but I guess they do special stuff from like 4am to 6am or something, and they have limited space? I dunno, something like that.

[RandomGuy]

Originally Posted by GDB

I'm not sure if you need one for later in the day, but I guess they do special stuff from like 4am to 6am or something, and they have limited space? I dunno, something like that.

It had to do with tourists behaving badly, with a select few idiots getting up close and personal with the fish, licking them and such. Apart from that, there was just the problem of there being way too many people, to the point that it was hard to do actual business at the morning fish auction.