Random Japan Trip Notes

POB said:
I personally used http://japan-wireless.com/

Had it delivered to my Hotel, was waiting at checkin. They do have options to get it at a post office in the airport.

Worked perfectly. Service is reliable even in the subway!

I picked an LTE model. Y!mobile LTE 75Mbps *speed restriction after 10GB usage.

But from what I've read all the companies seem decent enough.

I nearly used http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/ but left it slightly too late to book it.
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Perfect thanks, they are quite cheap.

My hotel (like a lot of them I think) don't have free wifi. Will be handy with Google maps also/translations also
 
POB said:
I did get some AKB48 DVDs in Book Off (Love that store) There is such a learning curve with that group :)

Have you seen them live?
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I haven't, although I did apply for every show I could last time I was there ...

... I love Book Off .... spent way to much in there last time (and the time before). That and the other similar shops in Akiba ... massive saving to be made :)

You can get 500 Yen back if you return it but I kept it.
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Credit lasts for ~12 years if I remember correctly ... works nicely in other cities too ...
 
Toyko is the best holiday i ever had, Akihabara was amazing and spent two whole days there and even picked up a lady there while she shopped for Playstation games :D
 
Right, when I went I made some notes, this is what I got.

If flying into Narita, do not get a taxi, the airport limousine service is far better and cheaper. I stayed in Shinjuku and it was 3,100 yen for the trip, compared to over 18,000 for a taxi. The buses don't go to every hotel, but they go to a lot of the main stations which are easily navigate-able.

Get a Passmo/Suica card as soon as you can. This is the Oyster card equivalent. There are machines to purchase them from in nearly every subway station. Depending on how much you plan on doing in Japan, I'd put a minimum of 5,000 yen on it to start. On my first day I used about 1,000. 500 JPY deposit is reserved from your first charge. By returning the card to the teller at the station, you will get your deposit and remaining balance back.

Get used to carrying your rubbish. If you don't know, Japan isn't big on having bins everywhere, and neither is it keen on rubbish. I've walked for about 5 hours on some days and barely seen a single bin, even in the subway stations.

You will be walking a lot. Pack some comfy shoes and bring lightweight clothing with you.

Download the Japan WiFi app. Link below. Chances are you're going to spend time on a train this trip, but fortunately, most stations have wi-fi (that I've experienced) and many other places have wifi access through this app, helps relieve some boredom.

http://www.ntt-bp.net/jcfw/en.html

Take a lot of water with you. You'll be spending some time on the subway systems and the air gets quite dry. Keep yourself topped up to avoid headaches. It's only 130yen for a 555ml bottle of water.

Shops aren't open as much as you'd expect. The opening hours of most shops is between 10am and 5pm, but for some it's 11am. This is a little restricting if you want a whole day shopping including lunch, but fortunately food is quite quick to arrive so it's only about 30 mins max out of the day.

Learn the customs part 1: Restaurants. You're going to be given chopsticks. They won't automatically assume you can't use them so if you can't you'll have to ask for a knife and fork. As for using the chopsticks, when finished with them, lay them at the edge of the table closest to you, likely how you got them. Do not cross them or stick them upright in food as these are more associated with funeral customs. Do not tip, even if you think "Wow, this was amazing and the service was great" you still don't tip, it's almost seen as offensive to do so.

Learn the customs part 2: Manners. You'll go far if you remember to say "Arigatou Gozaimasu" when you finish buying something or leaving a restaurant, or asking for information. With regards to the bowing culture, if unsure how much, just go with a gentle head nod. If they reciprocate with a full bow, then copy that. On the flip side, there seems to be no issue with personal space and I've had a few people walk into me without so much of a "Sorry" so be aware of that. When in public, sneezing, coughing, sniffing are all fine, even without covering your mouth, but blowing your nose is not the done thing (from what I've heard anyway). If you're a smoker, 99% of the time there's no smoking anywhere, even on the streets. There are designated smoking areas everywhere (even inside train stations) so keep your eye out for them.

Roads. Chances are, where you live, when you cross the road, the traffic coming your way stops. This doesn't happen in Japan. The signal to cross will be green, however, cars can still turn left into the road you're crossing, but you still have the right of way. The Japanese also drive on the left hand side of the road.

Language. You're going to understand basically nothing they say to you, but there are a few phrases that will prove helpful.

Ohaiyou Gozaimasu - Good Morning

Konichiwa - Hello

Sayounara - Goodbye

Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu - Nice to meet you

Arigatou Gozaimasu - Thank you

Sumimasen - Excuse me (very useful in shops)

Hai - Yes

Iie (pronounced e-yea) - No

Eigo - English (when asking about menus in a restaurant this is very helpful)

Nihongo - Japanese (I've been asked once or twice when it comes to explaining things)

NB: If a word ends with an 'su' (Gozaimasu) you don't pronounce the 'u'

Money. All coins have their value displayed on them, except for one. The goldish coin with a hole in the middle is a 5, the only other coin with a hole is the 50 so they'll be easy to differentiate.

Bank Card. If your bank card has Plus, Cirrus or Union Pay logo, it has good chance to be accepted by the ATM in the Post Office or 7-11. You receive Japanese Yen and equivalent balance is debited from your balance. I had a visa debit and credit card with me and this hasn't been accepted at some ATMs, but they all list what they accept on them so just double check first

Tall people. In Japan, if you're over 5'10" you're going to find youself ducking a fair bit. Train doors are a lot lower than you might be used to, and the showers in hotels are only about 6'6" high to the ceiling, which causes issues when washing your hair.
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Also, read these two reddit threads, amazingly helpful

http://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/280mb6/sticky_general_travel_advice_megathread/

http://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/280mqu/sticky_japan_travel_recommendations_megathread/
 
Another here that's heading back to Japan close to this time next year with my family, be interesting to see what has changed in 5 years or so :) As I was previously visiting friends and snowboarding, this will definitely be a big change.

Plan is to fly into Tokyo, visit friends in both Osaka and Sendai, maybe take my wife up to some more rural parts of Japan :

P.S. I have done some Onsen's in small ski villages etc, very very nice, especially after a long day and your legs ache. General rule is just don't be an idiot and respect the rules / culture.
 
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tlrBeta said:
P.S. I have done some Onsen's in small ski villages etc, very very nice, especially after a long day and your legs ache. General rule is just don't be an idiot and respect the rules / culture.
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Sounds amazing. Next time I want to try a more authentic Onsen, with a stay in a Ryokan.
 
Wow such photos very Doge.





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Don Quijote

Crazy Japanese department store. Don't ever step foot in there unless you want the jingle they play constantly etched into your brain. Store is open 24hours I think.

Decent for buying gifts for people.

 
I loved my time in Japan. Visited Fukuoka, Osaka, Kyoto & Tokyo. Next year I hope to walk the "88 Temples" Route.
 
Creature said:
It was. I intend on going back maybe next year. Went over NYE just gone and it's not the best time to go. You get the Emperors speech at the Tokyo Palace, but other than that there's not a lot to do as everywhere is either closed or limited hours. I did 10 days in Tokyo which is more than enough there, so next time I'll probably do Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka, and if the timing is right, actually climb Fuji.

I should start saving now...
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When's the best time to go?
 
shroomz said:
When's the best time to go?
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Depends on 2 factors

1 - Is there a particular festival or event you want to see
2 - How well do you handle hot temperatures and humid air

I went in July/August (2 weeks in each for a month total in 2011) and it was not pleasant for me, for the amount of moving around I did anyway. Next time I go (hopefully next year) it will be either April/May or September

- GP
 
GhostlyPea said:
Depends on 2 factors

1 - Is there a particular festival or event you want to see
2 - How well do you handle hot temperatures and humid air

I went in July/August (2 weeks in each for a month total in 2011) and it was not pleasant for me, for the amount of moving around I did anyway. Next time I go (hopefully next year) it will be either April/May or September

- GP
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1 - not yet, just doing my research now
2 - No problem, I've lived in the Middle East and backpacked round Thailand in June. Although I'd like to climb some hills while there so maybe cooler times are better
 
shroomz said:
When's the best time to go?
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Last week or so in March -> Beginning of May
or
October -> Beginning of November

If you like hot/humid weather then you can stretch it into later spring and earlier autumn.

Personally I don't handle it well at all so try and stick to the above. Time before last we went first week in October and it was horrendously hot and humid in Tokyo but after then it was fine, and last time going the second week it was fine the entire time. Next time I'm back to going in April again.

Of course it weather ... so ymmv ... it also depends on where you are, things will be a bit different in Hokkaido compared with Kyushu ...
 
The reason I say New Year isn't a good time to go is because everything basically shuts down for nearly a week. Whilst not a religious country, Japan is a spiritual and family one, so except for restaurants, big shops and tourist sites, everywhere is pretty much closed as people go see family in other cities/the countryside. New Year isn't a big party night like here either, I could see most of Tokyo from my hotel and there were very few fireworks.

However, I did get to see the Emperor give his New Year speech and take part in Hatsumode, so it wasn't all bad. If I went back I'd go in climbing season for Fuji.
 
I went in Mid-Dec and it was very mild for me (Around 15C and dry). I would recommend October -> Beginning of November for slightly warmer whether
 
Now was a pretty good time to go weather wise, apart from two very wet days it was sunny and pleasant.

You have to avoid Golden Week however, as it is the busiest time of the year. Golden week was end of April through around May 5th.

But I've no point of comparison, places did not seem crazy busy. Did not see anyone being shoved onto trains etc.
 
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I have seen it and been in many packed trains getting back into Shinjuku ... it can be a pig if you time it wrong ...

edit: actually there was a very good documentary in channel fives series of "worlds busiest" which covered Shinjuku station and all of it's multiple rush hours

Another reason to go later than September into early October is that it's the tail end of the typhoon season which can be a pain if you are traveling around (it almost caused us major issues last time getting from Shin-Chitose down to Kansai Airport and on, by train, into Osaka (if we'd been traveling an hour or so later then we would have likely been stuck up in Hokkaido). Not a problem in April though.
 
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