Help Needed: Trip To Japan

[Jamess1988]

Hi,
I'm new to the board, though I've been reading posts on here for months. I've always wanted to go to Japan for years, and I'll finally have the chance to next summer. I'm going on my own with one friend. We're trying to get there and stay spending the least cash possible (allowing us to buy more random items while there!).

We're planning on going for a few weeks (2-4 weeks) - hopefully long enough to see everything. Maybe at the end of the article you could suggest how long I'll need based on what I want to see/you suggest doing. We plan to take trains around Japan perhaps every half week or so to stay in and experience the different cities, and perhaps some rural areas too.

I have very limited knowledge of Japan and it's various cities or islands. The only two places I know are the obvious Tokyo and Kyoto, where I intend to go. Could you suggest some other cities to visit where there is plenty of things to see and do?

The type of things we are interested in is: The food,The culture,Anime/Manga,Asian Film,Life in Japan,Shopping,Landmarks etc. I'm sure I've missed stuff off.

Could you also perhaps suggest some places to visit, and where to find them. The places I know I want to visit are:

- Banpaku Memorial Park and see the Kyoto Tower. Is it worth visiting to see this? The tower looks very interesting at least. Does anyone know which day of the year it is when you can actually go inside? Also, when is the festival/fair type thing there?

- Kyoto Station. We will most likely be taking the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto so this is an obvious place to visit and have a good look around.

- The Studio Ghibli Museum. I gather this is in Tokyo?

Places I have heard are good, but don't know too much about:

- Akihabara - the apparent "Home of Anime"

- Golden Pavalion, Kiyomizu dera Temple, and Fushimi Inari Shrine in Tokyo.

Are these any good, and worth visiting? Bare in mind, while in Japan we'd like to see a few temples etc. but not too many. It'd be nice to see the main ones that are quite different, but similar ones are of no interest really due to time constraints.

Could you suggest some other places to visit in Tokyo, Kyoto and any other cities you think are worth a visit. It'd be useful if the various places were either along route when travelling from one city to another or not too far away from a city. For example, I wouldn't be interested in travelling on a train for much more than 2 hours to see a temple.

Some places we'd like to visit: Some sushi bars,Some traditional Japanese restaurants,Bath House,Local Shops etc. We'd like to sort of immerse ourselves in the local culture for a few days.

At night time we'd like to go to some nightclubs or the like. Is this the best/most popular nightlife in Japan? If it is could you please suggest some decent ones in the various cities, and if not suggest some of the alternatives.

Finally, it would of course be very nice to have some female company either just over night .... or for a few days while on the trip. I have read on here that it's pretty difficult to "hook up" if you don't speak the language. Is this actually the case? If so how much Japanese do you really need to know to get by chatting with the ladies?

I know I've asked a lot of questions, but I really hope someone or a few people can give me some advice, tips and suggestions. I'm sure it'd not only help me, but a lot of other people also planning a trip to Japan.

Also, sorry if this sort of thing has been posted before, I did do a search before I posted, but I'm new to this particular forum.

Thanks in advance, and hi to you all.

[bolt_krank]

I don't know what your budget is like but the JR rail pass is always recommended. Problem is - it's for a certain stretch of time, so if you plan on moving around every few days ... it might need to planning don with it.

But Kyoto, Osaka (Banpaku), Kobe, Nara (temples), etc. are all close enough - so you wouldn't need the pass then. But moving on from there to Tokyo, you might wanna stop at Nagoya and Shizuoka (Fuji) along the way.

As for picking up chicks - Japanese will help. But go to Roppongi, or one of the many Hub bars scattered around - and you might have a chance.

From what you're writing about Akihabara seems right up your alley. It's in the middle of Tokyo - so you don't have to travel far to get there.

Do you have any mates living in Japan at the moment ?

If you're real keen on meeting chicks - I'd maybe look for some online dating site and start chatting with a few different sorts before you go - who knows, you might get free accomodation out of it...
(That must make me sound poor)

[Greji]

If you're real keen on meeting chicks - I'd maybe look for some online dating site and start chatting with a few different sorts before you go - who knows, you might get free accomodation out of it...

I saw that Ad on line. Wasn't that the one for "Noriko's Storm door Company and Escort Service"?

[ketchupkatsu]

- Golden Pavalion, Kiyomizu dera Temple, and Fushimi Inari Shrine in Tokyo.

Those are in or near Kyoto.

And a hint, if you have seen Memoirs of a Geisha and think that if you walk through all those Torii at Inari Shrine will lead you to a Pagoda at the end, don't try it.

All those Torii just line a long hike up and around a mountain and you end up in the same place you started.

One more thing the water at Kiyomizu is terrible, don't know if it worth drinking to live an extra long life.

[bolt_krank]

Greji:

I heard Noriko's always waiting with open arms...

was it arms... I can't remember it was open something...

[joshuaism]

At night time we'd like to go to some nightclubs or the like. Is this the best/most popular nightlife in Japan? If it is could you please suggest some decent ones in the various cities, and if not suggest some of the alternatives.

Finally, it would of course be very nice to have some female company either just over night .... or for a few days while on the trip. I have read on here that it's pretty difficult to "hook up" if you don't speak the language. Is this actually the case? If so how much Japanese do you really need to know to get by chatting with the ladies?

Well I think you came to the right place seeking advice on stuff such as this. There was a [thread=18186]thread[/thread] addressing this exact issue last year. A dude, just like yourself, with vacation plans nearly exactly like yours got tons of useful advice on Tokyo nightlife and picking up chicks. You ought to read it over yourself as its full of pertinent advice. Personally, I recommend hitting up Roppongi, though I read things there are going downhill [thread=14316]here[/thread] and [thread=17512]here[/thread]. Of course, there's also Kabukicho, though I read that area is also going through some [thread=8384]tough times[/thread] and might not be as much fun anymore. But I'm sure there is still plenty of fun to be had, I read that Don Quijote is trying to become a big [thread=20996]tourist destination[/thread] and If you are looking to do some drinking I hear there's a great bar somewhere in Tokyo. Or was that just someone [post=173838]spamming[/post] me?

[Jamess1988]

First of all thankyou for all your kind and helpful advice. It's greatly appreciated. I have no real preconceptions of any aspect of japanese culture - I realize the difference between the film/anime/manga worlds and reality. This shouldn't be a problem.

Also, meeting the women is not a priority of the trip. It would obviously make the trip more enjoyable, if only to actually really get to know a local person. I started trying to learn japanese last night for a few hours, and DAMN it's tough!! I guess it'll get much easier when you've learnt the basics. If not i'm in for a tough time.

As for my budget, I guess it's pretty endless within reason. I'm going to work for a year so should have plenty of money to spend there. Having looked at flights I'm guessing I should be able to book cheap flights well in advance for roughly £400 return each. I'm yet to look into cheap accommodation but if worst comes to worst I could stay in one of those capsule hotels - though that would limit me somewhat with bringing a girl back with me, lol!

I'll definately have a few thousand pounds to take with me. I'm guessing accommodation will probably cost around £600 for 3 weeks, perhaps slightly more, but to make it easy I'll say £1,000 for flights and accommodation. I'll then take a few thousand for travel,buying random nick-nacks,food,paying to get into places,random extras etc. If anyone could suggest roughly how much I might need that would be helpful.

Thankyou again SO much for all the advice people have given me. I'll certainly look into those places and visit them. As always, any extra advice is always appreciated. I'll take all the advice I can get. You guys are the experts.

[Greji]

meeting the women is not a priority

In that case, I would recommend Shinjuku 2-chome.....

[ketchupkatsu]

I've had some friends stay here and haven't heard anything really bad about it.

Its about 2500 yen per night per person, or 4800 for a double room.

Staff does speak English.

http://www.newkoyo.com/index.html

[Jamess1988]

I've had some friends stay here and haven't heard anything really bad about it.

Its about 2500 yen per night per person, or 4800 for a double room.

Staff does speak English.

http://www.newkoyo.com/index.html

Thanks for the suggestion, it's good to know. That's dirt cheap for a hotel! Even cheaper than the capsules! I'll need to find a good balance between comfort and value. At least that's a good option if we do end up needing to stay as cheaply as possible. If we're staying for 3 or 4 weeks the ammount spent on accommodation is going to be very high as it is.

[Charles]

I have no real preconceptions of any aspect of japanese culture - I realize the difference between the film/anime/manga worlds and reality. This shouldn't be a problem.

Let me fix that for you.

I have no awareness of my real preconceptions of any aspect of japanese culture - I realize the difference between the film/anime/manga worlds and reality. This shouldn't be a problem.

Let me give you a piece of advice. If you like anime and manga, just stay at home and buy it mail order. There's nothing so special about buying that crap in Japan.

[bolt_krank]

These two sites have some good cheap places:

http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/
http://www.asiarooms.com/

Depending on the place - they may or not be cheapest, so I suggest looking around other sites also. But in general - I find some good spots on either of those two.

[Kuang_Grade]

I'd suggest that you set out some time to go to a book store spend and go through a few guides both for Japan in general and Tokyo in specific and see if you find one that fits 'your style'...Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses as well a specific type of traveler they are targeting...some focus on more high style travelers while others have a more backpacker focus. I'm partial to the Rough Guide for Japan and the Time Out guide for Tokyo myself but your wants and needs may be different than mine.

Doing this will help you immensely NOW since it will help you frame your plans a bit and let you know of the various options you may not even be aware of (such as gaijin houses) or places you might love but don't even know that exist (such as some factory tours or festivals). Once you have a bit more info about what you would like to do, you can ask more specific questions that folks around here might have some really handy input, such as..Should I stay in Kyoto or should I stay in Osaka and just take the train in to visit Kyoto (I found Kyoto to be pretty boring at night, but after some time in Tokyo might be a good thing to have some down time to relax) or has anyone climbed Mt Fuji before and what was it like/is it worth doing? (I'm too lazy to dig up your link on this matter Taro)

[Mulboyne]

Forbes has just carried this feature:

Japan's 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions

[Iraira]

Forbes has just carried this feature:

Japan's 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions

Dammit! I was #11, again!

[Charles]

Forbes has just carried this feature:

Japan's 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions

Let me save everyone the trouble of clicking through the notorious Forbes presentations with one item per page.

Shinjuku
Osaka
Kyoto
Ginza
Shibuya
Asakusa
"The Rest of Tokyo"
Harajuku
Yokohama
Ueno

[Jamess1988]

Let me give you a piece of advice. If you like anime and manga, just stay at home and buy it mail order. There's nothing so special about buying that crap in Japan.

I'm not going to Japan just to get anime and manga. I just happen to like it and it's an ideal opportunity to pick some up while I'm there. I'm guessing it's cheaper to buy them there than get the imports so why not?

I'm hardly going to be paying to go for 3 weeks just to buy some manga and anime. I'm going because I want to see all that Japan has to offer. The food, the architecture, the history.. a bit of everything.

Thanks again everyone for the advice. I'll try to find a good guide to Japan and Tokyo. Is the best place to buy them places such as W H Smiths or Waterstones? What sort of guides are the "Rough Guide for Japan and the Time Out guide for Tokyo"? If it's the same as i'm going for them I may as well get those. You seem to know far more than I do.

Again, any more suggestions of places to visit are welcomed and appreciated.

[ketchupkatsu]

Here is a link for train schedules in Japan.

Just input from, to, and date and it will give the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get there.

http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/index.html

[TennoChinko]

Thanks for the suggestion, it's good to know. That's dirt cheap for a hotel! Even cheaper than the capsules! I'll need to find a good balance between comfort and value. At least that's a good option if we do end up needing to stay as cheaply as possible. If we're staying for 3 or 4 weeks the ammount spent on accommodation is going to be very high as it is.

Here are a few other options for budget accomodation in Tokyo:

KIMI RYOKAN Y4,500/night
http://www.kimi-ryokan.jp/

TAMA RYOKAN Y4,500/night
http://www.tamaryokan.com/

TOKYO HOSTEL Y3,500/night
http://www.tokyohostels.com/index.php

HOTEL NEW AZUMA Y3,000/night
http://www.myfavorite.bz/azuma/pc/index.html

TAITO RYOKAN Y3,000/night
http://www.libertyhouse.gr.jp/

TOKYO BACKPACKERS Y2,100/night (dormitory-style)
http://www.tokyo-backpackers.jp/index.html


For other parts of Japan, as someone has already indicated, you might want to look at minshuku:

http://www.minshuku.jp/english/etop.html

or

try "bum camping":

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21037

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bumcamping/

[Jamess1988]

Thanks for the suggestions yet again. I read about the "bum camping" a few weeks ago lol. I'll give it a miss. I'm not on a terribly tight budget, I just want to keep accommodation costs as low as possible.

Any suggestions of good places to eat, or some good dishes to try while there? Please no sarcastic comments - I've read about all the horrible food you can buy in Japan. It makes my stomach turn just at the thought. lol.

[bolt_krank]

Everytime I go there - things I always love to eat are:

1. Kyushuu ramen - most places tend to be good. Usually if there's a decent line, then it should be good.

2. Gyudon - Yoshinoya or Sukiya - always good.

3. Yakiniku (with nomihoudai) - starts of a treat, and ends in over-eating pain. But I'm always back for more...

4. Sushi's always good - and again, and long as there's a decent crowd there -it should be good.

5. Mos Burger - I think the best burger franchise in the country

6. Yamazaki apple pies. I think Family Mart and Coco stock them regularly.

The list can go on...

[TennoChinko]

Thanks for the suggestions yet again. I read about the "bum camping" a few weeks ago lol. I'll give it a miss. I'm not on a terribly tight budget, I just want to keep accommodation costs as low as possible.

Any suggestions of good places to eat, or some good dishes to try while there? Please no sarcastic comments - I've read about all the horrible food you can buy in Japan. It makes my stomach turn just at the thought. lol.

http://www.bento.com/tf-recp.html#explore

http://www.bento.com/tf-recp.html#jcuis

[Samurai_Jerk]

I'm a believer in less is more. If you only come for two weeks, I'd suggest a week in Tokyo and a week in Kyoto/Osaka. If you're going to be here 3 or 4 weeks you might want to head farther west to some place like Hiroshima or Fukuoka too. Also, you might want to see if you can fly into one city and out another. It sucks to have to go all the way to one side of Japan and then have to turn around and go back because your departure is from the place you arrived. It might cost you a few hundred dollars more (though not always) but the money you save on shinkansen tickets and extra day or two travel time make up for that.

[Jamess1988]

Thanks for all the replies as always. The foods suggested sound nice, and the websites seem very useful.

I'll probably be going for at least 3 weeks, possibly 4 - so should have plenty of time to see quite a bit.

[Jamess1988]

I'd suggest that you set out some time to go to a book store spend and go through a few guides both for Japan in general and Tokyo in specific and see if you find one that fits 'your style'...Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses as well a specific type of traveler they are targeting...some focus on more high style travelers while others have a more backpacker focus. I'm partial to the Rough Guide for Japan and the Time Out guide for Tokyo myself but your wants and needs may be different than mine.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6031871
Is that the right version of "Rough Guide to Japan" you mentioned

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/simpleSearch.do?simpleSearchString=Time+Out+Guide+for+Tokyo&searchType=0&Image1.x=0&Image1.y=0
Which of those 3 is the "Rough Guide to Tokyo" that you also suggested?

[Jamess1988]

I'd suggest that you set out some time to go to a book store spend and go through a few guides both for Japan in general and Tokyo in specific and see if you find one that fits 'your style'...Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses as well a specific type of traveler they are targeting...some focus on more high style travelers while others have a more backpacker focus. I'm partial to the Rough Guide for Japan and the Time Out guide for Tokyo myself but your wants and needs may be different than mine.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6031871
Is that the right version of "Rough Guide to Japan" you mentioned

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/simpleSearch.do?simpleSearchString=Time+Out+Guide+for+Tokyo&searchType=0&Image1.x=0&Image1.y=0
Which of those 3 is the "Rough Guide to Tokyo" that you also suggested?

[Kuang_Grade]

I would suggest that you go into a larger bookstore, pull off Japan and Tokyo guides from Frommers, Fodors, Loney Planet, Time Out, Rough Guide and spend a couple of minutes looking through each one to see if you like it...A guide that you hate using/is not going to be of use is more than useless, it is dead weight. If a given guide's accommodation write ups spend time talking about how kid friendly a place is or if it considers places that charge more than 5000 yen a night expensive maybe that's not the one for you....

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=6031871

I liked the rough guide (the one you link to is a newer version I haven't looked at, so things may have changed from the last edition) for Japan because it seemed to cover transportation issues fairly well and gave suggestions about places to go outside the main cities, and the maps were reasonably good. It was good for planning but I'd never left my hotel room because it was too heavy to carry around

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=5592397

I prefered the time out for Tokyo guide because it was small enough to carry around, the maps are very good, and it has a ton of listings...but that said, the listings are pretty light on details but they cover enough things that likely has something for everyone.

So, like I said, it is worth it to spend sometime flipping through various ones to see if it covers things you might be interested in and does it cover those things in way that you find useful.

But if you are going to spend a fair bit of time in Tokyo, you probably should spring for this as well.

tokyo city atlas

It is a bit long in the tooth now, but this is very handy if you start looking at accommodations a little off the beaten trail, since it includes train and subway line info with the street level view. J folks have their own rules for map making (such as making maps with south at the top) and biz owner created maps often omit/ignore standard measures of distance, so while a map on a hotel's website may only show 3 "blocks" between it and the train station because they choose to only show the 3 major streets between it and the train station...in reality, you may need to cross a dozen streets and walk kilometer in that 3 'block' distance. This book is helpful in parsing that out ahead of time. It is also incredibly handy when dealing with taxi drivers if you don't have J language skills, since it is both in J and English so if you know where you want to go, you can just point to it on a map and the driver will be able to figure it out in a few seconds...most of the maps go down to the chrome city block level, so it can get you really close to where ever you need to go for the most part...it skimps on some parts of city, but it hits most of the major parts fairly well.

[ketchupkatsu]

But if you are going to spend a fair bit of time in Tokyo, you probably should spring for this as well.

tokyo city atlas

I agree its probably the most useful book you need in Tokyo.

I would suggest looking for the earlier printing of that book. Its a lot smaller (can fit in a back pocket), and easier to carry.

Tokyo Atlas Amazon UK

[Jamess1988]

Kuang_Grade thanks for your fantastic help and advice in regards to the maps. I'm sure they'll be really helpful. I'll make sure to have a browse through various ones. Thanks ketchupkatsu for the advice on the smaller map. Very helpful advice.

Thanks bolt_krank for all your help on various things. All your help was very useful.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to message me back and helping me sort things out. Any additional advice would be appreciated. I'll get a guide or two, have a look and then ask any additional questions.

[bolt_krank]

oooh...
I feel special now

Thanks