Japan
- Thread starter manic111
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Thoroughly enjoyed it although I am shattered and full on sick today 
Cold, sore throat, streaming nose and headache but when you attend a game show with 260k+ attendees it’s hardly unexpected.
Glad to be back though after a few delays through the day.
Cold, sore throat, streaming nose and headache but when you attend a game show with 260k+ attendees it’s hardly unexpected.
Glad to be back though after a few delays through the day.
Soldato
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I am looking at staying in Shinjuku, Seen some very reasonable 2 bed apartments to rent for a couple of weeks with parking space. Reasonably central without costing a bomb in central Tokyo. Nice array of nightlife, places to eat (I will definately try Rokkasen Otakibashiidori, Nabezo Shinjuku-Sanchome and Shogun Burger) and easy access to public transport on the days we cant be bothered to drive. Oh and walking distance from the maid cafes is a bonus as well 
Golden Gai looks like a decent place to go for a few drinks.
Golden Gai looks like a decent place to go for a few drinks.
Caporegime
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I am looking at staying in Shinjuku, Seen some very reasonable 2 bed apartments to rent for a couple of weeks with parking space. Reasonably central without costing a bomb in central Tokyo. Nice array of nightlife, places to eat (I will definately try Rokkasen Otakibashiidori, Nabezo Shinjuku-Sanchome and Shogun Burger) and easy access to public transport on the days we cant be bothered to drive. Oh and walking distance from the maid cafes is a bonus as well
Unless you are planning to do lots of trips outside Tokyo, don't need a parking spaceor renting a car at all, (mobility issues aside).
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Soldato
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yeah we will be looking to go out to Hakone, Ebisu, Mount Fuji, Nikko and Kyoto (If they dont crack down on tourists) as well as visiting a couple of the other areas outside of Tokyo. We might splurge for a GTR but seen some other Japanese cars like S15, Lexus RC-F etc for more reasonable price.
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Caporegime
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Just got back from Japan, and I drove this time, even in in Tokyo.
Outside Tokyo - a breeze.
Inside Tokyo - a little bit more complicated
1 - Watch out for Toll - ETC card if you rent a car, makes it much easier. There are a lot of toll roads in Tokyo that "skips" the traffic, some are overpass, some are tunnels.
2 - Watch out for left turn on Red Light, not the fact that you can, but people crossing the street and they have priority.
3 - Same as above, always slow right down coming up to any junction, pedestrians AND cyclists will cycle on the pavement and just bomb across and they don't look. They ride both on the road and on pavements.
4 - On any roads and I mean ANY roads, even those 3 lanes massive ones in Tokyo, the left lane.....don't go down it. Cars will just stop and put on the hazards. Taxi, lorries, cars etc. Taxi will even stop at near a junction and put on hazards just to pick up passenger rather than go down further. Many times on the first day in Tokyo I was coming up to a left turn as shown in Google maps and I prepared myself by going to the lane, only for a car just stop and I end up basically stopping behind it and waiting for the middle lane to be clear so I can pull out to get past this car.
I just hog the middle lane now until the very last second to go to the left lane unless it is completely clear on the left.
5 - Parking - Can be quite expensive, the most I was paying 400 yen for 12 mins, that's £2 right now for 12 mins, so £12 an hour. Some machines takes cash and card, some don't take VISA (but local variants like PayPay) so good to have some cash. Some parking garage have a size limit. We had a Honda Freed and that didn't fit some of the mechanical garages. My hotels had parking at a rate of 2000 yen (£10) per day. A lot of car parks (even 1 bay one) have cameras with a bay number. There is a ground lock as you drive over it to trigger it activating after 3 mins. Hope you are good at reversing because that's the way people park or it will be tricky getting out. Although when we stop at convenience stores outside Tokyo or outskirts we didn't do this as there was lots of spaces and even the locals would drive into them rather than reverse in.
6 - Fueling - some have people who fill it for you, some don't. The payment system was interesting....It has English...but NOT if you want to pay by Cash. If you want to pay by cash, at least at the machine i used, it was Japanese only. The screen goes like..Page 1 - How do you want to pay.....cash, card, fuel card (some other option), then like if you want to fill to full or partial, then if you select the type of fuel and something else. No joke, it was about 5 pages of options before I could start refueling.
Oh, you had to put in the cash already before fueling starts. It doesn't give you change but a bar code receipt...you take that receipt to the machine next to it and scan that and that machine gives you the change from the money you put in.......
The good thing is that the exchange rate at the moment makes it like 70p per litre!
Outside Tokyo - a breeze.
Inside Tokyo - a little bit more complicated
1 - Watch out for Toll - ETC card if you rent a car, makes it much easier. There are a lot of toll roads in Tokyo that "skips" the traffic, some are overpass, some are tunnels.
2 - Watch out for left turn on Red Light, not the fact that you can, but people crossing the street and they have priority.
3 - Same as above, always slow right down coming up to any junction, pedestrians AND cyclists will cycle on the pavement and just bomb across and they don't look. They ride both on the road and on pavements.
4 - On any roads and I mean ANY roads, even those 3 lanes massive ones in Tokyo, the left lane.....don't go down it. Cars will just stop and put on the hazards. Taxi, lorries, cars etc. Taxi will even stop at near a junction and put on hazards just to pick up passenger rather than go down further. Many times on the first day in Tokyo I was coming up to a left turn as shown in Google maps and I prepared myself by going to the lane, only for a car just stop and I end up basically stopping behind it and waiting for the middle lane to be clear so I can pull out to get past this car.
I just hog the middle lane now until the very last second to go to the left lane unless it is completely clear on the left.
5 - Parking - Can be quite expensive, the most I was paying 400 yen for 12 mins, that's £2 right now for 12 mins, so £12 an hour. Some machines takes cash and card, some don't take VISA (but local variants like PayPay) so good to have some cash. Some parking garage have a size limit. We had a Honda Freed and that didn't fit some of the mechanical garages. My hotels had parking at a rate of 2000 yen (£10) per day. A lot of car parks (even 1 bay one) have cameras with a bay number. There is a ground lock as you drive over it to trigger it activating after 3 mins. Hope you are good at reversing because that's the way people park or it will be tricky getting out. Although when we stop at convenience stores outside Tokyo or outskirts we didn't do this as there was lots of spaces and even the locals would drive into them rather than reverse in.
6 - Fueling - some have people who fill it for you, some don't. The payment system was interesting....It has English...but NOT if you want to pay by Cash. If you want to pay by cash, at least at the machine i used, it was Japanese only. The screen goes like..Page 1 - How do you want to pay.....cash, card, fuel card (some other option), then like if you want to fill to full or partial, then if you select the type of fuel and something else. No joke, it was about 5 pages of options before I could start refueling.
Oh, you had to put in the cash already before fueling starts. It doesn't give you change but a bar code receipt...you take that receipt to the machine next to it and scan that and that machine gives you the change from the money you put in.......
The good thing is that the exchange rate at the moment makes it like 70p per litre!
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Hi All. Looking to head to Japan for the first time in 2026, probably going mid to end of Match. Flying from Australia (Melbourne).
Plan is to spend time in the 3 main locations; Osaka (fly into here from Melbourne), Kyoto, Tokyo, then fly home from there. Osaka is fine, but what do people recommend for Kyoto? how would you get there from Osaka? Drive/Train? how long is a grid time to stay? Also any recommendations for hotels in each location?
We're probably getting the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo, then jiu public transport there, no need for a car.
Thanks for any help.
Plan is to spend time in the 3 main locations; Osaka (fly into here from Melbourne), Kyoto, Tokyo, then fly home from there. Osaka is fine, but what do people recommend for Kyoto? how would you get there from Osaka? Drive/Train? how long is a grid time to stay? Also any recommendations for hotels in each location?
We're probably getting the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo, then jiu public transport there, no need for a car.
Thanks for any help.
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Soldato
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I'd stay in Osaka use it as base camp, it's cheaper and you'll not have to pay the Kyoto tax. Unless you want to stay in a traditional house.
I'd just do day trips to there. Do a couple of days there, try get there early as possible. You've got the bamboo forest, temples, castles, kinkaku, monkey tours etc I would just chill and do it over a couple of days rather than rush through everything.
You can get the bullet train between to the two in less than half an hour or just jump on a normal train and be there within an hour.
Then I'd do day trips to Nara and Kobe. Rather than staying there. A few days in Osaka to do everything there as well.
I'd get the bullet train from Osaka but I wouldn't go directly to Tokyo I'd spend a day/night in Hamamatsu and Hakone en route to Tokyo.
Hotels it depends on budget, last time we just stayed at Apa Hotels. It's a chain over there, it's cheaper than most places and nice. We only use them for storing our stuff and sleeping so we didn't require anything fancy.
--
Post from earlier in the thread:-
I’m still in Japan at the moment. I discussed loads of the trip with @Raymond Lin and it’s been perfect. It’s my second time to Japan.
Anyway here’s a few things I’d say get one of these bad boys (see pic, can’t move it to the bottom!) it’s honestly a life saver and once you’ve got to much change just throw the entire amount into the little coin thing in 7/11 and you’ll get notes back. Perfect.
I’ve been using my Barclay card where I can, more and more places are accepting cards but you have to have the physical card it - Apple Pay only works in the bigger shops. This trip there has been a few places that are actually cashless!
Get a suica card on your phone it’s utter class and you don’t need to fumble about looking for the ticket/card. Don’t even need to unlock your phone. Absolute game changer! Can use it on vending machine, shops as well. Even the kids used it with no issues or problems.
Busses and trams - you’ll need cash, it’s just easier. Busses grab the ticket you enter in the middle. Pay as you leave. You just throw (or place) all the tickets in the slot - there’s a screen that tells you the cost based on how many stops. Just have it ready and throw the cash in as you leave. I’m not sure how the passes work on the buses but we only used the buses a couple of times to go to more remote places like mt Fuji and caves.
RL was right about mt Fuji too, I summited it in less than 3h, spent an hour and a bit at the top (walked around the and had something to eat and drink) then took 2h to get down.
We didn’t bother with the JR rail pass. Didn’t work out cheaper since the massive increase. The bullet train is a piece of cake as well, just use the machine. Select the station you’re going to select that day - green is 1st class. We are a big group and only once we couldn’t get reserved seats all together so just got on the next train which was like 7 minutes later.
A few things I’ll be considering for my next trip if I do, do the golden triangle if I’m with family that haven’t been before is. I’d stay in Osaka and just do the hour travel to Nara, kyoto etc
I’d spend an extra day in hakone, there was just something about that place.
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Caporegime
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You can but no point (unless you want to), it’s really close so local trains is fine and cheaper.
For Kyoto, snow monkeys at Arashiyama. All the tori gates at Senbon but then walk back through the Forrest from the outlook at the top past many waterfalls and a bamboo Forrest. Also the geisha district at night is really cool looking
Dine at one of the restaurant overlooking the river, we also walked the peace trail and it was very nice. There are loads of little side street full of food vendors too.
Dine at one of the restaurant overlooking the river, we also walked the peace trail and it was very nice. There are loads of little side street full of food vendors too.
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I'm looking at going now in late October early November. 14-21 days max
Starting in Tokyo or Osaka and day tripping out of both or using each as a base.
I know it's cliché but what are the absolute must do things....
I wanna go to Hiroshima
I wanna go to the yamato museum In Kure i think near by.
Tbh I wanna do everything.
Need to have a good think.
Is it insaine to go in November? I assume it'll be "ok"
Starting in Tokyo or Osaka and day tripping out of both or using each as a base.
I know it's cliché but what are the absolute must do things....
I wanna go to Hiroshima
I wanna go to the yamato museum In Kure i think near by.
Tbh I wanna do everything.
Need to have a good think.
Is it insaine to go in November? I assume it'll be "ok"
Caporegime
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November is great, I just got back. It rained 1 day out of 14. I was mostly in Fukoshima and Yamagata (bear country) and 2 days in Kawagoe and 3 days in Tokyo.
My advice is Don't try to do everything. Max 2 things to see per day. Take your time and take it in at each location.
The places you are going to will be packed, prepare mentally.
My advice is Don't try to do everything. Max 2 things to see per day. Take your time and take it in at each location.
The places you are going to will be packed, prepare mentally.
Soldato
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I’d go in November too. I also agree with the couple of days here and there.
Also you’ll go back, honestly as soon as you leave you’re itching to go back and looking at flights again. Go for as long as you can, I done a month last visit but i’m planning on doing a 6 week trip next time maybe even longer if I can wangle it.
Caporegime
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Anything you missed is a reason to revisit.
Remember that and you will want to take your time more.
Remember that and you will want to take your time more.
My flights are booked, so just looking for accomodation now. I've heard it's best to stay close to the Yamanote line in Tokyo (people seem to recommend Ueno), any recommendations for a nice hotel. Mid budget.
Also look gin for recommendations for a hotel in Kyoto.
Also look gin for recommendations for a hotel in Kyoto.
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Stayed at the Moxy Osaka Umeda. Close to Osaka station, so easy to get about. Kyoto is certainly more traditional with plenty of temples. Quiet, not so much with the tourism in the day. But at night it was more relaxed. I think if you can find a place in Kyoto which you are happy with price wise, then go for it. It just didn't work for me at the time of booking.
I quite liked the contrast of staying in Kyoto compared to Tokyo and Osaka, particularly at night. It was a very different experience which I would not want to miss out on. We stayed near Nijo Castle in a hotel called Kyoto Kamanza, which was far enough from the tourist traps but close enough to transport connections. It had more of a local neighbourhood feel which we appreciated. Osaka was okay for a few days but it's just another big city.