Visiting Japan

[arias]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

US$300-500 should be enough for a budget meant for 4-5 days - provided that you don't go overboard with your spending. Meals can be pretty cheap but filling - even in Tokyo - with ramen shops, Soupstock, Ootoya and etc. around various neighborhoods. If you go to Roppongi, though, watch out that you don't get too far behind on your bar tab, buy something for which you don't know the price, or something similar.

Like martino said, Shibuya isn't really meant for guys. Unless you're out to hunt for girls, but depending on different things, you might find yourself getting shot down fast. Aside from the various places already mentioned, you might also try Asakusa (where the Kaminarimon is) for the general "Old Japan" feel. If you're going with girls, they might like Aoyama or Harajuku.

If you got the cash and time, a day trip out to Nikko or Atami (for the beaches or onsen) could be fun also.

I spent a week in Tokyo with my girlfriend and the total cost for us including our plane ticket from Beijing to Tokyo was a little less than US$1,000 per person for 7 days. The plane ticket itself was about $400 per ticket of that budget.

Basically, you can get by with about US$100 a day in Tokyo and that includes lodging, travel and food. It's an awesome experience and you should try it if your budget allows.

[oompa loompa]

Thanks a lot you guys! It's been a great help, I'll be meeting up with one of my friends there (hes studying abroad there for a semester), neither of us have ever been there before - now I have some direction

[Sa-sei]

Wow, I really envy you guys who got to go there. I would go right this moment if the plane tickets were not this damn expensive and maybe if I had company. My friends can't understand my reasons for wanting to go to Japan. You know everyone says "you should go to spain" or something

[martino]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

Aside from the various places already mentioned, you might also try Asakusa (where the Kaminarimon is) for the general "Old Japan" feel.

Ah, that's a good suggestion, but when I went there in July, Sensō-ji (the temple to which the gate leads) was under re-construction, so you couldn't see the main building well, but access into it was allowed. But man, that place sure has lots of great stalls...

[MegamiMiko]

My brother, his girlfriend and I managed to get a pretty cheap week long tour of Japan through Narita, Tokyo, Nara, Osaka and Kyoto, the only catch was that it was a Chinese language tour we got in NYC's Chinatown. It worked out okay though since my brother's girlfriend is Chinese and could translate some for us, and our guide spoke to us in English for basic things outside the tour. The place I was looking forward to most was Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, and even though it rained that day it still lived up to my expectations.

Funny thing was it seemed like they wouldn't let us in the country unless we could tell them specifically where we would be staying, we had to dig out the tour's forms to get the information.

[Alchemist007]

found this humorous, of course it doesn't compare to the obvious.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

found this humorous, of course it doesn't compare to the obvious.

Spoiler:

You know, Kenji Kondo is a name of a character in that little-known anime, Fafner of the Azure and there is really a Tokyo University - officially University of Tokyo (aka Todai). Just saying...

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

found this humorous, of course it doesn't compare to the obvious.

...so that's why some anime fans want to go to japan.. but I still don't really understand their enthusiasm. I like to travel but Japan is not really one of my touring highlights---I mean how many times have I experienced japanese culture by overly watching it?

[martino]

Originally Posted by MegamiMiko

Funny thing was it seemed like they wouldn't let us in the country unless we could tell them specifically where we would be staying, we had to dig out the tour's forms to get the information.

Yes... I felt like a criminal when I was going through the fingerprinting and picture-taking, customs, filling out all the countless forms and having to give them a plethora of information. >_<

[Rakukojin]

I started working on a video blog to document my year abroad in Japan as a college student. Hopefully it can give people who haven't visited Japan or those planning to study abroad an idea of what to expect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jXONjvESDo - Episode 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WmrXrld1Tk - Episode 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG9v5JoYc1M - Episode 3

I actually listen to the comments on the video, so if there's a suggestion you would like make then feel free to do so

[Alchemist007]

Really cool.

[nashi]

Me and my brother were planning to go to japan in february. Problem is i don't know where to start! What should we look up first? Any pointers?

Is going on a tour group useful? or is it better to just go exploring ourselves? My brother wants to do all the classic tourist things in Tokyo and explore other areas if possible as well as going to look at anime things.

Also how well can we get by just knowing english?

thanks guys!

[Ricksterlau]

Originally Posted by nashi

Me and my brother were planning to go to japan in february. Problem is i don't know where to start! What should we look up first? Any pointers?

Is going on a tour group useful? or is it better to just go exploring ourselves? My brother wants to do all the classic tourist things in Tokyo and explore other areas if possible as well as going to look at anime things.

Also how well can we get by just knowing english?

thanks guys!

Good place to start, I guess, is in Tokyo! But firstly where do you plan to stay? In a hotel or an inn? Thing is, one would consider hotels to be on the expensive side when compared to others in the rest of the world. I stayed at the Sunroute Hotel in Shinjuku this summer as it was slightly cheaper than other hotels. It was pretty good, though take note, hotels in Tokyo are relatively small!

In regards to whether you should join a tour or not, really depends on your personal tastes. I prefer the exploration side of things however there are always 1 day tours available for booking at hotels, including anime/manga or Mt. Fuji trips. And again, they aren't exactly cheap. Nothing is, in Tokyo.

I doubt you'll have any problems exploring the city of Tokyo as most streets and signs have their english translations. I did all my long distance travelling via the Subway (ie. underground metro.) Don't be daunted by the large scale maps or stations, it's really not that difficult if you take your time to read signs.

Tokyo is a funny place, there's no such thing as the heart of the city. Rather there are many busy and concentrated areas scattered across the capital. You'll definitely want to visit Shinkuju, Shibuya, Akihabara and Asakusa. Those are the real highlights. And all can be reached via the Subway. But there are many more places to visit depending on your personal preference. Like I said before, travelling is pretty simple. You do your homework, look at the signs, pay your fares and boom, you're there.

However I personally found eating at restuarants somewhat difficult. Obviously we're talking about the language barrier here. I can't speak Japanese, apart from a few phrases. And nor can the people of Tokyo speak fluent English either. Their level of English is one of the poorest in the world considering the country as being very developed. I found ordering from McDonalds a real challenge, there's no English on the menus whatsoever. Some japanese resturarants do have picture menus though and they can be really helpful. And other restuarants display model dishes at the front of the shop behind a glass window, and you would order from a ticket dispenser inside and take it to the counter where you would collect your dish. Be warned though, don't eat on the streets as it is not polite and you will be stared at. Even if you plan on buying drinks at dispensing machines on the streets, finish your drink there.

Tokyo is one of the best, if not, the best holiday of my life up to now. The city is extraodinarily clean, people are very polite (even though they cant speak a word of english) and the city lights are just, beautiful. You'll never find a place quite like it. Prepare for it, you'll enjoy it!

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Ricksterlau

However I personally found eating at restuarants somewhat difficult. Obviously we're talking about the language barrier here. I can't speak Japanese, apart from a few phrases. And nor can the people of Tokyo speak fluent English either. Their level of English is one of the poorest in the world considering the country as being very developed. I found ordering from McDonalds a real challenge, there's no English on the menus whatsoever. Some japanese resturarants do have picture menus though and they can be really helpful. And other restuarants display model dishes at the front of the shop behind a glass window, and you would order from a ticket dispenser inside and take it to the counter where you would collect your dish. Be warned though, don't eat on the streets as it is not polite and you will be stared at. Even if you plan on buying drinks at dispensing machines on the streets, finish your drink there.

First question, are you Asian?
Secondly, that Maccy D fails, cause even 5 years ago before I even blink when I go to the counter there, they flip the menu on the counter on the English side so I can point xD
- I can imagine the complaints some gaijin would give if there was 'no' english support at Maccy Ds of all places.
And we all know that 'okyaku-sama wa kami desu'
(The customer is god)
- But yes, not just for Japan, but its always good practice to learn basic phrases for any country you visit to help you get on. Locals appreciate it and tend to help out just that little bit more, Japan is no different. It relaxes them as well as impress them if they see struggling gaijin trying to speak but they sincerely appreciate it, so do go get some basics down before you leave in Feb.

Tokyo is one of the best, if not, the best holiday of my life up to now. The city is extraodinarily clean, people are very polite (even though they cant speak a word of english) and the city lights are just, beautiful. You'll never find a place quite like it. Prepare for it, you'll enjoy it!

Nice to see someone sing praises about Tokyo for once instead of Kyoto, hee hee <3
Most cities have something amazing, naturally it depends on what you want from a holiday and the research you do to make the most of it

Edited:
Nah, you called it Yu, good going
If I'm writing in Japanese, naturally my keyboard placement is 'ha' but in romaji, i do use 'wa' as you mentioned.
Magic of the edit button

[Yu Ominae]

I thought it's "okyaku-sama wa kami desu"?

Looks like I've got a lot to learn.

[nashi]

Originally Posted by Ricksterlau

Good place to start, I guess, is in Tokyo! But firstly where do you plan to stay? In a hotel or an inn? Thing is, one would consider hotels to be on the expensive side when compared to others in the rest of the world. I stayed at the Sunroute Hotel in Shinjuku this summer as it was slightly cheaper than other hotels. It was pretty good, though take note, hotels in Tokyo are relatively small!

In regards to whether you should join a tour or not, really depends on your personal tastes. I prefer the exploration side of things however there are always 1 day tours available for booking at hotels, including anime/manga or Mt. Fuji trips. And again, they aren't exactly cheap. Nothing is, in Tokyo.

I doubt you'll have any problems exploring the city of Tokyo as most streets and signs have their english translations. I did all my long distance travelling via the Subway (ie. underground metro.) Don't be daunted by the large scale maps or stations, it's really not that difficult if you take your time to read signs.

Tokyo is a funny place, there's no such thing as the heart of the city. Rather there are many busy and concentrated areas scattered across the capital. You'll definitely want to visit Shinkuju, Shibuya, Akihabara and Asakusa. Those are the real highlights. And all can be reached via the Subway. But there are many more places to visit depending on your personal preference. Like I said before, travelling is pretty simple. You do your homework, look at the signs, pay your fares and boom, you're there.

However I personally found eating at restuarants somewhat difficult. Obviously we're talking about the language barrier here. I can't speak Japanese, apart from a few phrases. And nor can the people of Tokyo speak fluent English either. Their level of English is one of the poorest in the world considering the country as being very developed. I found ordering from McDonalds a real challenge, there's no English on the menus whatsoever. Some japanese resturarants do have picture menus though and they can be really helpful. And other restuarants display model dishes at the front of the shop behind a glass window, and you would order from a ticket dispenser inside and take it to the counter where you would collect your dish. Be warned though, don't eat on the streets as it is not polite and you will be stared at. Even if you plan on buying drinks at dispensing machines on the streets, finish your drink there.

Tokyo is one of the best, if not, the best holiday of my life up to now. The city is extraodinarily clean, people are very polite (even though they cant speak a word of english) and the city lights are just, beautiful. You'll never find a place quite like it. Prepare for it, you'll enjoy it!

Thanks for the reply! My brother and me have so far decided on kyoto and Tokyo and we'll see how planning pans out.

In terms of accomadation. Is there anything specific i should look out for? I have a friend who recommended me a hostel and another firend who told me hotel. Big price difference, but i guess there's also the factor of personal washrooms etc. i'll have a look at this sunroute hotel though are there any others you might recommend?

[Ricksterlau]

Originally Posted by Mystique

First question, are you Asian?
Secondly, that Maccy D fails, cause even 5 years ago before I even blink when I go to the counter there, they flip the menu on the counter on the English side so I can point xD
- I can imagine the complaints some gaijin would give if there was 'no' english support at Maccy Ds of all places.
And we all know that 'okyaku-sama wa kami desu'
(The customer is god)
- But yes, not just for Japan, but its always good practice to learn basic phrases for any country you visit to help you get on. Locals appreciate it and tend to help out just that little bit more, Japan is no different. It relaxes them as well as impress them if they see struggling gaijin trying to speak but they sincerely appreciate it, so do go get some basics down before you leave in Feb.

1). Yes I am. British-Born Chinese to be precise. Does it make a difference?
2). Unfortunately not all McDonalds have English menus as I have encountered in different parts of Tokyo. But for your information we went there just to take a rest and maybe have a lick at an ice-cream cone, not for a meal.

Could you define, in your terms, what basic phrases are? Because basic phrases to me are no way adequate enough to order dishes which are specific to individual restuarants in Tokyo. However, in the end, it's not a big deal. We hand-gestured, they laughed, we pointed, they understood and we got the dishes we ordered. But they do deserve all the credit as I've never seen a community so polite.

Originally Posted by nashi

In terms of accomadation. Is there anything specific i should look out for? I have a friend who recommended me a hostel and another firend who told me hotel. Big price difference, but i guess there's also the factor of personal washrooms etc. i'll have a look at this sunroute hotel though are there any others you might recommend?

Like I said before, hotels will always be the more expensive option. Inns on the other hand are slightly cheaper. Obviously hotels provide better facilities but they vary from one to another, so you'll have to do some research. My preference was always to stay in a hotel, the cheapest one, in one of the central areas. I couldn't find one cheaper than Sunroute in Shinjuku. Hope that helps

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Ricksterlau

1). Yes I am. British-Born Chinese to be precise. Does it make a difference?

Yes it does, that was my intuition telling me to ask you that.
By being Asian, you're already defaulted to have a certain 'adequate knowledge of the Japanese language', either by:
Being chinese, so can deal with kanji
Being Korean, so grammar patterns aren't too off the Japanese language.
- Also if you are with a white/hispanic/black friend, be prepared that Japanese will look at you first and auto think that you're the one with the linguistic literacy.

It's not even maccy d's tbh, a few other 'westernised' resturants see me walk in, and kinda mentally prepare to flipside the menu for english, or hand my friends a japanese one and me english xD
Depends on my mood as to whether I get irked with that, it's not a 100% case that I can step out of my own mind to appreciate it from their p.o.v that they're just trying to be as helpful as possible to make it easier for me
- Anyways, digressing, that was the reason I asked.

2). Unfortunately not all McDonalds have English menus as I have encountered in different parts of Tokyo. But for your information we went there just to take a rest and maybe have a lick at an ice-cream cone, not for a meal.

Yet to encounter that, short of beating them to it and ordering in Japanese, right off the bat, but fair enough

Could you define, in your terms, what basic phrases are? Because basic phrases to me are no way adequate enough to order dishes which are specific to individual restuarants in Tokyo. However, in the end, it's not a big deal. We hand-gestured, they laughed, we pointed, they understood and we got the dishes we ordered. But they do deserve all the credit as I've never seen a community so polite.

Basic, as in to express what you need to know as base sentences.
Not the names of every single item, just a stem phrase.

'How much is it'
I would like [1-10] of [item] please.
(when in doubt of japanese word, resort to slow katakana, you may get lucky)
Where is [place]
Which platform to get to [place]
Do you sell [item]

And then of course, basic greetings and self introduction.
If you have that sussed that should be enough to survive on as a tourist.
If you plan to go somewhere that may need a little more sentences, then research and learn them.
The more you get down, the easier you make it on yourself once you're there. ^^

PS: I see you're a fellow Londoner.
Be prepared that they will prob mention, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, David Beckham, the Beatles and possibly Big Ben to try to relate to you. xD

[TinyRedLeaf]

It wasn't planned, but I will be heading to Japan for the third time in seven years come this Saturday (Nov 28).

Basically, I had annual leave to burn and I wanted to fly somewhere rather than stay cooped up in crowded little Singapore. Unfortunately, November had been very hectic, because of the manic run-up to the re-launch of the publication I work for, so I didn't have much time to think of where to go. I had originally thought of going to Taiwan, but after comparing the air fares from here to Taipei (around S$1,000 to S$1,300) with those from here to Tokyo (from S$600 to S$900), it didn't take long to make up my mind (on the Tuesday just past, Nov 24).

After a day of research, I've sketched out a simple itinerary. I hope to catch some autumn colours — if they haven't already faded — around Tokyo and in Kamakura, and will probably spend a day hiking near Mt Takao. Will probably be visiting at least one museum (most probably either the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum to Photography, near Ebisu, or the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno), something I've always wanted to do in Japan but never had the time to do so previously. Will likely visit the Fuji TV Building as well. Most importantly, I'll definitely want to visit at least one onsen.

Essentially, I'll be taking it easy. I don't want to pack in too many things, as this is meant to be no more than a short break before the end of the year. From what I've read, it appears that Christmas light-ups have started throughout Tokyo so, hopefully, I'll be in a festive mood as well.

If you have recommendations for other worthwhile things to do, let me know. Thanks~

[Ansalem]

Since you mention you want to see some museums around Tokyo, there's one in particular that you didn't mention that I highly recommend. It's the Ota Memorial Museum of Art. It's a private collection of ukiyo-e. It's a pretty small museum, so they only show a small part of the collection at a time, but it's well worth seeing. It's near Harajuku (of all places) in Shibuya.