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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once

L

LonelyGreyWolf

Banned
The Enoden, a picturesque tram that skirts the coastline between Fujisawa and Kamakura, was said to be so mobbed with tourists — who had learned of it through manga
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Hahaha what, what manga is that? That's funny, I picture a plethora of weebs all crowded up in a tram.

The tram is the overall number 6 on things to do in Kamakura at Tripadvisor at the moment, so I'm sure a lot of people learned about it the old fashioned way. Regardless, yeah, it's a shame what too much tourism does. In small towns in Italy they've set a limit on the number of annual tourists now. I'd be okay with letting locals skip queues for their commutes for sure.
 
W

Won

Member
I guess it really is time to plan another trip before Japan sinks into the ocean because of all the extra people on it.
 
D

Deleted member 12837

Unconfirmed Member
kubus said:
If you're in Tokyo: come to Shimbashi on Monday evening and watch it with a bunch of other people in a bar called Brew La La :). They show the episode every Monday at 7 PM and there's another showing at 9 PM and it's always a lot of fun!

The owners of the bar are fans of the show too and every Monday evening they have the special Game of Thrones party menu:



I love this detail: on the inside of the bathroom door they have this framed :p



They have a pretty big projector and two other smaller HDTVs on the wall so plenty of viewing angles. Always better to come a little early to get seats. This year is the first time I'm watching GoT with large groups in public and every time it has been a blast!

If you can't or don't want to do that, your best bet is to use a VPN with HBO GO, yeah.
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Thanks for the tip! We'll try to swing by if we don't have anything planned that evening (I can't remember our itinerary off the top of my head)
 
A

ATXAlchemy

Member
effingvic said:
Ah interesting. A friend who recently visited suggested Ubers were pretty convenient and cheap but she's balling so I guess her judgment is a little skewed lol. I guess if it's comparable to NYC rates then I don't mind but I also want to experience taking the trains as well.

I'll also be in Kyoto for a few days as well.
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This is two years ago, but...

According to google maps, going from Oomori Station (nearest station from apartment; approx 10~15 min walk) to Shinagawa Station would cost 160 Yen. Price I paid for taxi from apartment to Shinagawa Station was about 2200 yen.

Not sure if there were any additional charges since I forgot to take the receipt but I doubt it since there wasn't any traffic at all.
 
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Zyzyxxz

Member
effingvic said:
Ah interesting. A friend who recently visited suggested Ubers were pretty convenient and cheap but she's balling so I guess her judgment is a little skewed lol. I guess if it's comparable to NYC rates then I don't mind but I also want to experience taking the trains as well.

I'll also be in Kyoto for a few days as well.
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Hmm taxi rates in Tokyo felt alot higher to me than in NYC. For me taxis in Tokyo were a splurge when I was too tired to walk back to my accommodations from a busy day walking all over the city and thats how I view them.

Honestly train is the way to go, once you take a couple and figure it out the NYC subway system will feel third world quality to you.
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
Well, earlier this year we took a taxi from Roppongi to Tsukiji (which is about 3 miles) since it was after the last train, and it cost 2890 JPY. Taking the subway would have cost 170 JPY.
 
F

Fritz

Member
I once took a cap from Shinjuku to Kuramae. I can't recall the exact price but I felt it was just marginally more expensive than in Berlin. Nothing extraordinary.
 
D

Dingens

Member
MikeHattsu said:
Since we were talking about the downsides of increased tourism a while back:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/08/19/national/media-national/japan-grapples-new-arrivals/
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this seems so strange... there's clearly enough demand to warrant some sort of complementary bus-route at least during rush hour.
It's also kinda hard to understand why they are surprised by this... I mean, the Enoden is THE most convenient way to get to the Daibutsu and Hase-dera. (unless you like "hiking", which I can recommend too)


edit: only took a cab once... from Kawasaki Station to Hakkeijima (where I used to live). Cost me around 12000 yen... but at least I got to spend the night in my cosy bed and not being stuck in Kawasaki :/
 
M

midramble

Pizza, Bourbon, and Thanos
MikeHattsu said:
Sounds mighty expensive
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It was. Good life lesson. Roughly a $300 life lesson.

Another time my wife and I missed the train into tokyo because of a late flight from beppu on jetstar we just slept in the airport.

On another note shes on her way back there today for vacation/concert. She's kinda depressed about it because she's become quite attached to life in the US now.

Anyone happen to know any good American style smoke BBQ in the Tokyo area that might put her in a better mood? Or is that a question for the "I live here" side?
 
R

Repgnar

Member
Getting close to a month away from heading over to celebrate our late(super late) honeymoon. Only have a few things left to figure out/decide on but it's mostly small things. Any recommendations on SIM card/Mobile WiFi router? Leaning more towards the wifi so we can both use internet throughout the day but it will be mostly used for maps/things to do/random questions or pricing questions. Plan on reading through some resources today but open to any specific suggestions. We'll be landing at Haneda.

Just saw some videos of the VR Zone in Shinjuku by Bandai Namco that opened last month. Anyone try it out yet?
 
T

ThreePiMatt

Member
Has anyone tried the SIM card vending machines at Narita? When I go with my friend I'll have my pocket WiFi, but I figured he could pick up a SIM as a backup in case we're separated.
 
L

LonelyGreyWolf

Banned
Repgnar said:
Just saw some videos of the VR Zone in Shinjuku by Bandai Namco that opened last month. Anyone try it out yet?
Click to expand...

Whoa, that looks awesome. Haven't tried it but it's definitely going to the top of my list when I get back to Tokyo. Can't believe I missed it after all the research I've done.
 
D

Dingens

Member
ThreePiMatt said:
Has anyone tried the SIM card vending machines at Narita? When I go with my friend I'll have my pocket WiFi, but I figured he could pick up a SIM as a backup in case we're separated.
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there are sim card vending machines? woah... never saw them.
What cards are inside? those "OCN Mobile One" cards maybe? in that case, remember you have to activate them by calling some phone number!
 
V

victreeb3l

Member
Trying to book accommodations and I'm so lost on which neighborhoods I should book. Are the prices in Shinjuku and Shibuya worth it? I dont mind splurging a little extra if I'm in a convenient location near a hub and so on.

Any recommendations for neighborhoods in Kyoto would be great as well! I'm thinking of booking in Central Kyoto, around 4-5 mins train ride from Kyoto Station.

Also, since I only plan on visiting Kyoto and Tokyo during this trip, is it worth getting a JR Pass?

ATXAlchemy said:
This is two years ago, but...

According to google maps, going from Oomori Station (nearest station from apartment; approx 10~15 min walk) to Shinagawa Station would cost 160 Yen. Price I paid for taxi from apartment to Shinagawa Station was about 2200 yen.

Not sure if there were any additional charges since I forgot to take the receipt but I doubt it since there wasn't any traffic at all.
Click to expand...

Yikes, that does seem really pricey.

Zyzyxxz said:
Hmm taxi rates in Tokyo felt alot higher to me than in NYC. For me taxis in Tokyo were a splurge when I was too tired to walk back to my accommodations from a busy day walking all over the city and thats how I view them.

Honestly train is the way to go, once you take a couple and figure it out the NYC subway system will feel third world quality to you.
Click to expand...

Usually I find Uber rates to be cheaper than the typical yellow cabs in the city. But looks like trains are the way to go! I'll just do my homework ahead of time so I know where I'm going.
 
L

LonelyGreyWolf

Banned
effingvic said:
Trying to book accommodations and I'm so lost on which neighborhoods I should book. Are the prices in Shinjuku and Shibuya worth it? I dont mind splurging a little extra if I'm in a convenient location near a hub and so on.
Click to expand...

Imo it doesn't really matter as long as you live near the Yamanote line. Depends on how much you value convenience and where you anticipate you'll want to spend more time, I guess.
 
D

Dingens

Member
LonelyGreyWolf said:
Imo it doesn't really matter as long as you live near the Yamanote line. Depends on how much you value convenience and where you anticipate you'll want to spend more time, I guess.
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this

don't waste your money in order to live in some famous neighbourhood.
If you plan to get the JR rail pass you may as well live in Tachikawa or Saitama or Shinagawa/Kawasaki/Yokohama, or somewhere else on the periphery. Same goes for Kyoto. If you want to save money, you could also just stay in Nara or somewhere in the vicinity.

The rail pass is usually worth it from the 2nd or 3rd Shinkansen ride onwards, depending how far you go. The Kodama is like what? 8 or 9k yen for one direction (tokyo -kyoto)? so you'd be at 16-18k for the trip. In that case the rail pass (29k) wouldn't be worth it. If you'd plan some day trip to Hiroshima or Himeiji however, you'd probably get your money's worth
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
effingvic said:
Trying to book accommodations and I'm so lost on which neighborhoods I should book. Are the prices in Shinjuku and Shibuya worth it? I dont mind splurging a little extra if I'm in a convenient location near a hub and so on.

Any recommendations for neighborhoods in Kyoto would be great as well! I'm thinking of booking in Central Kyoto, around 4-5 mins train ride from Kyoto Station.

Also, since I only plan on visiting Kyoto and Tokyo during this trip, is it worth getting a JR Pass?
Click to expand...

If you're into nightlife, then staying near Shibuya might be worth it. If not, then nah, just anywhere on the Yamanote line or in Asakusa will do.

You don't take trains in Kyoto, you take buses :p

Either try get something near Kyoto Station or somewhere near the cross between Kawaramachi and Shijō (where Kawaramachi Station is). Then you got great access to buses (and trains if you're going outside of Kyoto).

If you're just spending time in Tokyo and Kyoto, then a JR Pass is not worth it. Get these discount Shinkansen tickets:
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/FPK1J01031MKC/
 
Z

Zyzyxxz

Member
MikeHattsu said:
If you're into nightlife, then staying near Shibuya might be worth it. If not, then nah, just anywhere on the Yamanote line or in Asakusa will do.

You don't take trains in Kyoto, you take buses :p

Either try get something near Kyoto Station or somewhere near the cross between Kawaramachi and Shijō (where Kawaramachi Station is). Then you got great access to buses (and trains if you're going outside of Kyoto).

If you're just spending time in Tokyo and Kyoto, then a JR Pass is not worth it. Get these discount Shinkansen tickets:
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/FPK1J01031MKC/
Click to expand...

Are there any discounts for one way tickets from Tokyo to Kyoto? I plan to fly back from Osaka to Tokyo.
 
F

family_guy

Member
Would anyone take a possibly worse flight experience for better convenience into Tokyo after landing? I always thought I would take LAX to NRT via Singapore Airlines, but Delta has LAX to HND.
 
T

ThreePiMatt

Member
family_guy said:
Would anyone take a possibly worse flight experience for better convenience into Tokyo after landing? I always thought I would take LAX to NRT via Singapore Airlines, but Delta has LAX to HND.
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I would fly into Haneda 100 out of 100 times regardless of the carrier.

Also, its kind of weird that Delta would fly into HND as NRT is their Asian hub.
 
M

midramble

Pizza, Bourbon, and Thanos
That's actually the flight I'm taking next week. Ended up being a lot cheaper to book a commuter flight to LAX from SFO and then do the straight through from LAX to HND.
 
Z

Zatoth

Member
I spent NYE in Asakusa at Sensoji 2015/16. Number of people standing in line was incredible. They had some food stands nearby, but became quiet pretty fast. So if you are more into partying Shibuya is probably more interesting.
 
P

PdotMichael

Banned
Talking about New Year, we went to the Meiji Shrine and somehow joined a group Japanese college students and we later went to Shibuya together last year. It was a nice combo of culture and getting wasted.

Also I'm over NYE in Tokyo again, so if people need a drinking buddy. I'm here for you.
 
F

family_guy

Member
Just read that credit card acceptance isn't really a thing in Japan except for stuff like hotels. That's disappointing since I won't get the extra points for meals on my travel card. That kind of changes how I was going to handle my daily expenses. Doing a cash advance on my CC would be crazy.
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
family_guy said:
Just read that credit card acceptance isn't really a thing in Japan except for stuff like hotels. That's disappointing since I won't get the extra points for meals on my travel card. That kind of changes how I was going to handle my daily expenses. Doing a cash advance on my CC would be crazy.
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It's not that bad. Probably a lot of places that say that are using outdated information. In the cities, it's just like it is in America. Small places aren't likely to accept card but larger places should. That said, there might be an issue with acceptance but that is likely due to the bank or the network used to make the transaction not the stores themselves. My US Bank card was accepted at only a couple places but my Capital One card was accepted everywhere I tried. Definitely try to have enough balance in your bank account to handle expenses but don't panic because your card might not work. You'll likely be fine.

PdotMichael said:
Ikebukuro again?
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Right now, I'm planning half of the trip based in Ikebukuro and the other half based in Namba, Osaka. I might think about a day or two somewhere else but I haven't planned anything like that yet.
 
P

PdotMichael

Banned
Laevateinn said:
Right now, I'm planning half of the trip based in Ikebukuro and the other half based in Namba, Osaka. I might think about a day or two somewhere else but I haven't planned anything like that yet.
Click to expand...

Looks like we have the same line of thinking.

I'm the last December week in Tokyo (Ikebukuro) and the first week in January in Osaka (Namba).
 
C

catpurrcat

Member
I have a bunch of Japanese cartridge games I would love to trade in to Super Potato or Book Off, but of course I don't speak Japanese being a tourist from Canada. Does anyone have any advice on how I would go about doing that, any concerns, like am I even allowed to do that as a foreigner? To be clear, I wouldn't be asking for yen, I would be asking for store credit.
 
Z

Zyzyxxz

Member
family_guy said:
Would anyone take a possibly worse flight experience for better convenience into Tokyo after landing? I always thought I would take LAX to NRT via Singapore Airlines, but Delta has LAX to HND.
Click to expand...

I've taken Delta into HND and I would almost always take that route over landing at Narita ever again.

Unless you are taking nonstop into Narita on the A380 and get a 2nd level row seat with more comfort space thats the only consideration I would take.

First off the time and money it takes to get into the city from Narita is a real buzz killer, especially if you are landing late with lots of luggage.
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
I'm doing Air Canada into Haneda. Unfortunately there's a layover in YYZ but it's short and I'll be listening to Rush so it'll be okay I guess. I've had great experiences with Air Canada.

catpurrcat said:
I have a bunch of Japanese cartridge games I would love to trade in to Super Potato or Book Off, but of course I don't speak Japanese being a tourist from Canada. Does anyone have any advice on how I would go about doing that, any concerns, like am I even allowed to do that as a foreigner? To be clear, I wouldn't be asking for yen, I would be asking for store credit.
Click to expand...

You might want to ask the people who live in Japan.

Most shops have an area for trade-ins but I'm not sure how easy it would be to get credit vs yen or if they even offer better deals in that situation.
 
D

Dartastic

Member
Okay guys and gals. I'm leaving a week from today. Jet lag tips please. Traveling from Portland Oregon. Also, the day after I arrive, Japan Pro Wrestling is in Nagoya. I should go shouldn't I.

OH MY GOD IM GOING TO JAPAN IN A WEEK
 
C

Cairnsay

Banned
Dartastic said:
Okay guys and gals. I'm leaving a week from today. Jet lag tips please. Traveling from Portland Oregon. Also, the day after I arrive, Japan Pro Wrestling is in Nagoya. I should go shouldn't I.

OH MY GOD IM GOING TO JAPAN IN A WEEK
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I am also heading to Japan a week from today, though I am coming from Newcastle, England.

I try to deal with Jet lag by trying to limit my plane sleeping to small naps every now and then, as opposed to trying to sleep through the whole thing. Tend to find that when I land, whilst tired, I can make it through to an acceptable bed time. It does help that we land at Narita at around 4:30pm. By the time we get bags, and get to our accommodation we will probably only have to make it through 3 - 4 hours till bed time.
 
V

Valkerionseven

Member
catpurrcat said:
I have a bunch of Japanese cartridge games I would love to trade in to Super Potato or Book Off, but of course I don't speak Japanese being a tourist from Canada. Does anyone have any advice on how I would go about doing that, any concerns, like am I even allowed to do that as a foreigner? To be clear, I wouldn't be asking for yen, I would be asking for store credit.
Click to expand...

Not sure about Super Potato, but in Book Off its as simple as handing them the bag or w/e its in stack of items. Even with limited Japanese they should understand what you want to do. Just listen out for your number some odd number of minutes later and get your offer for the items.

Not sure about store credit but usually its in yen. might get a discount card tossed in as well for anything you buy that day. Thats how it worked last time I went with a friend but she got money not credit (not sure if its even offered, don't go often enough)

Laevateinn said:
It's not that bad. Probably a lot of places that say that are using outdated information. In the cities, it's just like it is in America. Small places aren't likely to accept card but larger places should. That said, there might be an issue with acceptance but that is likely due to the bank or the network used to make the transaction not the stores themselves. My US Bank card was accepted at only a couple places but my Capital One card was accepted everywhere I tried. Definitely try to have enough balance in your bank account to handle expenses but don't panic because your card might not work. You'll likely be fine.

.
Click to expand...

Ditto'ing this. Lots of places accept credit cards these days. A smaller, and I mean REAL small/simply not updated payment methods place might not. I would still obviously carry more cash. Like Laevateinn said, acceptance of the various foreign cards can also be an issue but a lot of shops have modernized using things like tablets for payments and what not, card services included.
 
L

LonelyGreyWolf

Banned
Dartastic said:
Okay guys and gals. I'm leaving a week from today. Jet lag tips please.
Click to expand...

First time flying? :b

Idk, I never sleep on planes simply because I have troubling falling asleep in such seats, but when I arrive I always have plenty of energy anyway because traveling is exciting. Then again I'm only 22 years old so I can imagine for older people the same doesn't apply. Buy an energy drink or tea ;) Whatever you do, go to sleep like you would at home, don't go to sleep on the middle of the day or whatever.
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
Dartastic said:
Jet lag tips please.
Click to expand...

The last time I went, I destroyed my sleep schedule a week out to get it as close to Japan time as possible. By the time I left, I was going to bed immediately after coming home from work. This probably isn't an option for sane people though. Also, stay hydrated. That should help regardless of how sane you are and try to get as much sunlight as possible when you arrive.

Valkerionseven said:
Ditto'ing this. Lots of places accept credit cards these days. A smaller, and I mean REAL small/simply not updated payment methods place might not. I would still obviously carry more cash. Like Laevateinn said, acceptance of the various foreign cards can also be an issue but a lot of shops have modernized using things like tablets for payments and what not, card services included.
Click to expand...

Japan moved to chip long before we did. It seems like their tech is beyond us in this regard. A lot of places have contactless payments now too? I know you can use your Apple products instead of a Suica.
 
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