Finally in Japan!

[OLLITROP]

We finally made it to Japan! Got here on November 15 and I have loved every second. The first few days I could barely leave my room as everything was TOO EXPENSIVE!! $8 for a small plate of Filipino Noodles (Pancit), $1.10 for a soda?? Anyway I'm over that now, got a house out in the sticks (Kamoi) a nice 2 story 3 bedroom place with NO TATAMI, all hardwood floors for 181,000 a month. We also discovered the beauty of Recycle Shops recently and have been able to pick up some furniture for less than $50.

I'm hoping I can venture out to Tokyo one of these days to see what its all about, being in the Military and having a family doesn't really allow for much time to just go and party. We got a nice car for cheap and I'm thinking of making the trek via car to Tokyo first week in Jan. any reccomendations? Where should I start? And yes I know the traffic, I dont care if it takes 4 hours I'm driving to Tokyo!

Thanks

[GomiGirl]

Hey welcome to you and your family.

It is possible to do things on the cheap - especially if you cook at home etc.

Driving to Tokyo... that is all fine but parking the car will cost more than the GDP of a small African country... 100 yen for 10 minutes if you are lucky. Plus the tolls on the freeway.

Do yourself a favour and take the train.. then you can get daily train passes for JR and subways if you are moving about a heap and saves you a fortune in train fares.

[Andocrates]

By all means, use the trains. You will enjoy your time much more. I never drive in a city with a good train system (including San Francisco, Baltimore, New York and Tokyo) It's nerve wracking trying to drive in a new huge city (triple that when you can't read the roadsigns)