A week in Tokyo for under $1000

[ichigo partygirl]

Seems that this guy would have been just as happy going to a pottery shop and a pub as they were the only good things about the place. Im pretty sure JAL seats are not much different than any other airline - this guy must have been seriously fat.

[Charles]

First off when did it start to take 18 hours to fly from Chicago to Narita. Did they go via Europe or something.

He's only exaggerating slightly, it's a 17 hour flight, I used the AA.com website to check. It took 17 hours last time I flew ORD-NRT via AA, and that's not including the 2 hour flight from ORD to my local airport.

[eighty5er]

I'm going to Tokyo for 10 days with a budget of 65000 Yen, maybe more. I hope I don't die!

[Jack]

He's only exaggerating slightly, it's a 17 hour flight, I used the AA.com website to check. It took 17 hours last time I flew ORD-NRT via AA, and that's not including the 2 hour flight from ORD to my local airport.

No way, nonstop ORD-NRT is 13 hours. You must have flown through (via) DFW (Dallas).

[Jack]

Flight Airports/times Stops Duration/equipment More information
United
881
QPXJP4M Depart: ORD
Jun 19 12:06 PM
Arrive: NRT
Jun 20 03:05 PM
Next day
Non-stop
12h 59m
Boeing 777

This is from UAL.com. Nonstop flying time is 12 hours 59 minutes.

[canman]

Charles I'm flying to Detroit in August and the flight is scheduled for 12 hours. Now I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I figure that Detroit and Chicago are almost the same distance from Narita. So unless you go via Timbucktoo, I can't see it taking 17 hours.

[Tsuru]

Charles I'm flying to Detroit in August and the flight is scheduled for 12 hours. Now I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I figure that Detroit and Chicago are almost the same distance from Narita. So unless you go via Timbucktoo, I can't see it taking 17 hours.

I think Jack means through DFW. Which would make sense since DFW is AA city.

[Charles]

No way, nonstop ORD-NRT is 13 hours. You must have flown through (via) DFW (Dallas).

Ah, you're right. Many AA flights make a stopover at DFW, it's their main hub. Jeez, no wonder I can never get a booking on the nonstop ORD-NRT, but the ORD-DFW-NRT is (almost) always open.

[maraboutslim]

They told us that since we made our connection earlier than scheduled, it was only fitting for us to stand, so that regular commuters for the time could sit down. This was so typical of the Japanese spirit.

Ha! I've never heard/seen such a thing in my life.

BTW, the last couple times I've been back to Japan, I've spent very little money. I wasn't purposefully trying to be frugal or anything, it's just that there was nothing that really required much funds. A few drinks here and there, a few train rides, and so on. I bet I spent less than $500 a week. At this point when I go back to Japan I'm basically just happy to walk around with my old friends, meet a few new ones, and assess what has changed and what has remained the same in my old spots. (or course it helps the wallet when one has a house to stay at and meals cooked for him...but any gaijin can set that up, right?)

signed,

a guy who is kind of embarassed to admit he's been to mcdonalds in at least seven countries. (sometimes you just need to step back from the local cuisine for a meal...)

[prolly]

Charles has it right. I wouldn't go as far as eating cereal every day for bkfast but seriously, i never understood people who either spent their entire time "out" getting drunk or with other tourists being in places specifically <i>designed</i> to suck money out of one's wallet.

[eighty5er]

From my short experience, it's dead easy to do Tokyo on the cheap. Like the breakfast Charles posted about is dead on. I just made cheese sandwiches for myself every day + a bottle of tapwater, packed my bag and skateboarded around the city! So cheap yet so much fun.

I think Charles also had a good point on the nightlife. Make friends with barmen or regulars, usually they'll try to get you drunk . At music genre specific club nights, get to know the DJs / in-crowd as they will often get you into similar club nights for free or at a reduced rate.

Making friends with Japanese people helps the most, I think the worst thing you can do is go to Japan and isolate yourself from the locals (for instance: going to Roppongi / gaijin-"friendly" places).

[Jack]

I think if you try to visit Tokyo on the cheap you miss a lot of the interesting stuff that make Japan unique. If you have a place to stay it helps cut the budget but let's face it, enjoying a nice ryokan is not cheap (could be $250 per person per night) and is part of the Japanese experience. I find the Japanese restaurant scene much more interesting than anywhere I have travelled. I have travelled almost everywhere except for Australia and only in Japan are restaurants' atmosphere wherever you go is fun and friendly. A dinner at a casual izakaya including some drinks will set you back at least $100 per person. I could go on and on. I am into Japanese sweets big time so whenever I'm in the basement of a department store I always walk out with bags of sweets that I bring as gifts to family and friends. Those are not cheap either but it is part of the Japanese experience.

You can do Tokyo on the cheap if you go through all the hassels of finding the cheap tricks to get in clubs and having others buy you a drink and so on, but why do it? If you don't have the money stay home until you have saved enough to travel.

I personally think that $1,000 for one week including lodging is not enough to see Tokyo. However, it is enough if housing is taken care of.

[eighty5er]

I've found most things in Japan are unique to Japan, be it sleeping in a nice ryokan for 250USD after spending 100USD at a casual izayaka or sleeping at a manga kissa for 2000 Yen after spending 5000 Yen at a J-music gig in a tiny venue. Both are unique and very Japanese experiences guaranteed. I've done both on the same trip (be it a far less expensive ryokan ) and would prefer the latter any day.

But I think it also depends on your age and interests.