The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Darwock]

June/July aren't really recommended, I'm not sure how the heat compares to Italy but trust me it's hellish.. the humidity is a real killer - plus it is the rainy season so you would have very unpredictable weather.

The end of April is most popular because of the chance of catching the cherry blossoms. If you were going to Kyoto this would be the ideal time. I have to echo what neoboy said though, it's not really day-trippable.. you could do it but you'd be pretty much getting off the train, going to the nintendo building and then getting ready to go back to Tokyo. Kyoto deserves a bit more attention than that.

[briareos_kerensky]

Schedule hasn't fixed yet, I am fully open to suggestions. Two/three days in Kyoto would be better then?

[neoboy259]

Schedule hasn't fixed yet, I am fully open to suggestions. Two/three days in Kyoto would be better then?

Hell yeah! Did you say you were only going for a week? TBH I didnt find Kyoto that fascinating........a lot of it felt very "forced" touristy if you get my drift. Wonderful temples there though, but to be frank, how many temples can one person look at in a short space of time?

When we did Kyoto, we stayed in Osaka and got a train (20 mins tops) into Kyoto.

[briareos_kerensky]

Hell yeah! Did you say you were only going for a week?

A week or so. Looking for 10 days, but in April or September I'm bound by work.
I dislike going to a city and see any possible tourist spot available, that's why I thought a single day for Kyoto...as you said, too many temples/museums/whatever will drive me crazy, I want to absolutely avoid the "school trip" feeling of being forced by a schedule to see everything thinking that it would be the only chance to see something.
I want to think that not having seen something will make me return

[teddymeow]

It's weird you say that Briareros because normally I can't stand really touristy stuff but things like the Meiji Shrine and connected gardens (which admittedly weren't designed to be touristy) are so breathtakingly amazing that I didn't mind walking around them for hours snapping away with my camera!

Same with a lot of the gardens: Hamarikyu, Rakugi-en, Shinjuku Gyoen, Hibiya Kyoen. There all fantastic to walk around for a while! Especially Rakugi-en, possibly my favourite! Been to Tokyo 3 times now and have visited it every time. Stunning!

[briareos_kerensky]

It's weird <snip>Stunning!

I haven't said that I don't want to visit anything and just going around seeing otaku-related things, it's just that doing a tour-de-force of each at every tourist spot is something I dislike...of course there are cultural landmarks I want to visit but visit them all is totally out question.

Been to Tokyo 3 times now

BTw, which airline do you reccomend? Emirates? They also seem to have the best prices...or JAL's site is completely broken as it's showing the same price (7.500 euros!) for both economy and bussiness classes.

[neoboy259]

I've been with ANA and Virgin, dunno if you can fly Virgin from where you're from, thought ANA was awful and Virgin is always top notch. I hear JAL and Emirates are the tits though!

[teddymeow]

I thought all I was going to do was go game shopping too

The best thing is going to Shinjuku Gyoen and the further in you get the quieter the traffic and city noises get. It's magic!

Airline wise I have flown British Airways (lousy), Virgin (amazing) and JAL (free upgrade + smokin' flight attendant + Grant from Feeder = super amazing! Although I think the upgrade was due to my wife having a massive panic attack at check-in)

We're looking at ANA for next year if JAL don't have a special offer.

Go JAL.

[teddymeow]

I've been with ANA and Virgin, dunno if you can fly Virgin from where you're from, thought ANA was awful and Virgin is always top notch. I hear JAL and Emirates are the tits though!

Were ANA that bad? Why was that?

[neoboy259]

Were ANA that bad? Why was that?

Seats (in economy) were uncomfortable, IFE didnt have the variety nor choice of say Virgin, and service was a little cold. I know plenty of bods who have had good experiences with them though so maybe its just me! I'd probably use them again if they were cheap tho! I reckon if you like Virgin you'll be a little disappointed with ANA.

edit: noticed that you flew with BA before, I'd say ANA were comparable to them!

[saif]

Have a look on www.kayak.com

[Anpanman]

I've been with ANA and Virgin, dunno if you can fly Virgin from where you're from, thought ANA was awful and Virgin is always top notch. I hear JAL and Emirates are the tits though!

We did Emirates a couple of years back & didn't like them, in fact I'd go so far to say that we probably won't use them again.

[briareos_kerensky]

Back with airlines question...checked a few European airlines, including British Airways...they are offering flights at 400 euros in economic and 1000 euros in business (April 2010, trip is Milan-London-Narita). Anyone flown with them to Japan before? It just sounds too cheap when 2000-2500 euros seem normal in business class...

[DCharlie]

September's a nice time to go!

I've just had my family here for 2 weeks, they leave in a day or two, and i wish to god i'd delayed them until September.

August weather was nearly the undoing of them - took them a week to get used to the weather.

[Richard.John]

I think they were lucky to some degree as this summer hasn't seen the usual ferocious heat of the past. Sept is best though along with the first two weeks of Oct.