Holiday to Tokyo - Solo

[Matutu]

Hey Guys,

I am currently investigating a trip to Tokyo for 10-14days in November this year and will be traveling Solo.

I have always had an interest in the country and the culture and see no reason why not to go this year.

Has anyone any advice or thoughts on traveling Solo to this country? and also any general advice there?

Thanks a lot

Matthew

 

[Stumble Bum]

I suggest you spend a week in Tokyo, and a week heading west on the bullet train. You can get a 7 day rail pass for the bullet train that is only for tourists, it's a pretty good deal.

Then you can spend a couple of days at Kyoto + Osaka/Nara + Hiroshima and that way you'll also see some fantastic bits of culture. I.e The A-dome building in Hiroshima where the A-bomb was dropped.

You need to plan Japan in advance if you're going, it's well worth working out exactly where you want to go and do.

I can also recommend staying at K's House hostels in Japan if you want nice hostels.

What is your budget???

 

[Seft]

I suggest you spend a week in Tokyo, and a week heading west on the bullet train. You can get a 7 day rail pass for the bullet train that is only for tourists, it's a pretty good deal.

N.B. You have to get this before you arrive in Japan.


I'd also recommend taking a couple days in rural Japan if you can - imagine the skewed impression you'd get of England if you never visited the countryside.

 

[Matutu]

Well budget is around 2-2.5k for flights and hotels, and then about 2k for food etc love food so want to try a few Michelin star places so that has a high budget.

I was looking at staying in the Shinjuku for 5 days for Disney etc, then take the bullet and stay at Kyoto for 2 days, and Hiroshima for 1 or 2 days, but planning is a nightmare.

 

[Seft]

love food so want to try a few Michelin star places so that has a high budget.

When I was out there, I found that Frommer's (the website is free) was a great supplement to Michelin/Zagat guides for coverage of excellent low-end restaurants. I was particularly pleased to find this place, which the other guides missed.

Also, if you're into beef, I recommend making the journey up to the Hida region. My opinion was that it bested anything I could find in Kobe.

 

[Philz0r]

word of warning. everyone will try and rip you off!. keep on your toes haha ^_^

 

[robgmun]

word of warning. everyone will try and rip you off!. keep on your toes haha ^_^

complete BS by the way, best country ever TBH and i did 5 days solo as well, just Tokyo but it was wonderful. I even ended up hooking up with a nice bird i picked up from a video games store!

 

[GAC]

word of warning. everyone will try and rip you off!. keep on your toes haha ^_^

not everyone, just the nigerians. tell em to sod off and carry on walking.

if your on your own and dont have a local to show you about id stay out of roppongi at night.

sunday down akihibara is a good day as is harajuku just dont forget your camera.

as for food, most places you will come across are good compared with your run of the mill places here in the uk, no need to spend extra just because they have a few reviews by critics.

but for a good feed go to a shakeys they do pizza and pasta, weekdays from 1100-1600 they have a buffet style, you pay about 1100 yen for a plate and a large softdrink and just keep going back getting more pizza compared with the evening prices you could eat £40 worth if you go all out. good for a cheap days eating though

 

[Matutu]

Thanks for the advice guys, I am just trying to sort out what hotels to stay in as I need a hotel with at least a 25m pool, as im a avid swimmer so need to get in my 2 hour swim a day...

Found the "Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo" which has a very good pool, now just need to look into my Kyoto Stay. Any recommendations?

 

[memyselfandi]

Thanks for the advice guys, I am just trying to sort out what hotels to stay in as I need a hotel with at least a 25m pool, as im a avid swimmer so need to get in my 2 hour swim a day...

Found the "Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo" which has a very good pool, now just need to look into my Kyoto Stay. Any recommendations?

I haven't stayed in the Tokyo Rihga Royal but I have stayed at the Rihga Royal in Kyoto ... it's ok, fairly standard hotel of it's class and very close to the Kyoto station complex. I'd note that the pool there, and I expect in their other locations, is a chargeable extra and isn't cheap (see their website for details). Actually thinking about it I stayed in one of that chain in Hiroshima too. Tokyo, we stayed in the Keio Plaza in Shinjuku which again was a reasonable hotel of it's class and was (a) on the Narita airport orange limo-bus Shinjuku drop off route and (b) very convenient for getting round Tokyo as it was only couple of minutes walk from the Shinjuku station complex.

I'd agree with what others have said about not being to fussy about any "stars" when looking for good food. I wouldn't necessarily drop as far as pizza buffets but we did have really nice meals in little local restaurants which were not expensive, (along the lines of <£20 for two including a large beer each). Insisting on eating in upmarket restaurants means you miss out on the fun of eating things like really good Okonomyaki in Hiroshima at a tiny place run by a bloke and his (insane) wife ... good food and fun too ... or the delights of Roast Pork Curried Udon in a little place off a market in Kyoto. Yes you get the odd bad meal but the unexpected is half the fun!
I think that the most expensive meal we had was ~3600Yen/head at an Argentinian barbecue place in Osaka.

You can spend a lot if you want to on food ... I think most of the restaurants in the hotels had prices starting at £70/head but where's the fun of eating in the hotel all the time ...

I would note that I have yet to find a 4*/5* hotel in Japan which can do a decent breakfast ...