The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Darwock]

I like the idea of the freedom, but as I'm going to struggle with the language the hassle of trying to find hotels when I arrive is not something I fancy.
I might leave a couple of days open to see whats around, as we fancy going trying those capsule hotels. Anyone tried them?

Yeah, did it once instead of grabbing a taxi back home (they both cost the same).

They're great if you like the idea of listening to snoring, coughing and hacking from all the salarymen who will be your bunk buddies. Free porn piped into the one I stayed in too, which might make you a little paranoid about some of those noises you hear from the neighbouring capsules.

Not booking hotels has just been a kind of point of mine ever since one holiday to Belgium where we booked a week staying in Brussels, but after a day trip to Brugges we really wished we were staying there instead. Too late in that case. When coming to Japan, knowing I had a free rail pass for the whole country I didn't want to be tied into the locations I had decided before ever setting foot in the country.

The only hard part was finding a hotel near Suzuka for the grand prix weekend.. started to panic a little when everywhere was booked solid (we were even close to buying a tent) but the first Super Hotel we went into solved the problem.

[Kungfu]

They're great if you like the idea of listening to snoring, coughing and hacking from all the salarymen who will be your bunk buddies. Free porn piped into the one I stayed in too, which might make you a little paranoid about some of those noises you hear from the neighbouring capsules.

That brings back memories, not good by the way.

Like many others reading this thread, I remember all the great times I had there and would love to return BUT ?129 to the ?

Anyway to anyone heading out, I would recommend a visit to a small samurai sword museum in Shibuya - awesome place.

[doodledude]

OK an update, me and my mate have booked a couple of hotels for Tokyo. It seems quite hard to get twin rooms but we managed to find a couple.
4 days at Hotel Monterey Akasaka through hotels.com for £82 a room a night. Seems to be a good location and good reviews.
3 days at the b ochanomizu for £105 per room per night. Good specs, decent position, should be decent for the price I hope.
Now need to find a place in kyoto for 6 nights in the middle of the tokyo trips.

[teddymeow]

Random question to all you guys living in Tokyo:

What is the name of the woman who does the English announcements on the Tokyo Metro? I know she does some anime work too and I heard her name the other day but for the life of me I cannot remember it.

Cheers.

[kryss]

http://oshiete1.goo.ne.jp/kotaeru.php3?q=896540

According to that, Tokyo Metro have said it was a female student but didn't give her name.

[teddymeow]

She's been on the NHK show Tokyo Eye but can't for the life of me
remember her bloody name.

She's also done some anime work.

She's not Japanese and her name defo begins with a C. As if that helps.

[kryss]

After an epic trawl through Wikipedia:
Christelle Ciari

The other two listed as voicing announcements on Tokyo Metro are Nishimura Fumie and Moritani Mayumi.

[teddymeow]

^Thats the one!!!!

You Sir, are made of epic win!

[DCharlie]

Urawa also have a home cup game on 26th but it is at their old/2nd string stadium also (my friend's dad actually claims the atmosphere there is better than at Saitama Stadium but it's hard to believe!).

yeah, it all depends really.

Whilst Komaba has an athletics track around the outer perimiter, the seats bank up quickly so it feels like a Championship english ground.

Whilst there's no athletic track around Saitama Stadium, it's shallow seating means in a lot of seats you end up a long way back anyways.

Komaba would be amazing if it had no running track, fans seemed to be more vocal there and it was a lot of fun.

[Brian Topp]

Has anyone used the ATM's out there? This time I'm going for 2 weeks, and travelling the country, so I'd rather not carry too much money around. Plus, I hope the terrible exchange rate might pick up a bit between now and then. I wisely changed some up in January when the rate was 144, now its touching 130

I just need to make absolutely sure that my card will work. Its just a standard Halifax Visa Debit Card. I read that the cash machines in 7/11's take foreign cards?

[JU!]

Has anyone used the ATM's out there? This time I'm going for 2 weeks, and travelling the country, so I'd rather not carry too much money around. Plus, I hope the terrible exchange rate might pick up a bit between now and then. I wisely changed some up in January when the rate was 144, now its touching 130

I just need to make absolutely sure that my card will work. Its just a standard Halifax Visa Debit Card. I read that the cash machines in 7/11's take foreign cards?

Not sure if it will work should work in the post office I think. Maybe at the convenience store. Best advice bring all yr cash for yr trip (money belt best idea). Get a credit card as they 100% work in the post office.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Tim Rogers, who does the column from Japan in GamesTM has written on Kotaku a massive article why he's fallen out of love with living in Japan.

He seemed fine when I met him a few years back, if a little hard up.

It makes interesting reading, even if it seems like an extended irk post!

Really enjoyed that article

They hit eighty, join my gym, and start screaming.

he he!

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

JAL are a good airline, their problems stem from the Japanese obsession of doing what everyone else does. I lived in Japan when the first bits of bad news for JAL came through and everyone I knew said they would not fly them. They did not actually know why they wouldn't, they just wouldn't. .

About 2 years ago i was sat in Narita waiting to fly back to Bangkok, i was chatting to a Japanese lady in the lounge and mentioned i was flying with JAL. Her face changed and she looked worried

"I wouldnt fly with them, they have had bad management issues and are losing money, maybe you could fly with All Nippon?"


She then went on about the JAL Management structure not being "correct" for ages (as i got more and more drunk on the free booze) I asked her what this had to do with my flight and she had no idea at all, but i should NOT fly with them again.


Personally, i think all the MSG they eat has left most of them them with serious mental problems...

[Darwock]

I just need to make absolutely sure that my card will work. Its just a standard Halifax Visa Debit Card. I read that the cash machines in 7/11's take foreign cards?

I go to 7/11 when I want to withdraw cash on my UK MBNA card. Also, when my family visited at christmas they were able to use a Nationwide card in 7/11. They're pretty reliable but I don't know for certain about other bank cards.

[teddymeow]

I had no issue using a Lloyds TSB Visa Debit card in the Post Office the last couple of years. Luckily the place we were staying (Asakusa) had the ATMs in a seperate area from the main post office so even when they were closed there was still access to the ATMs.