The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[MoFo2]

Would love to go for the launch of a new console some day, but no one is mad enough to go with me haha. Seeing as the Wii U will be released in Japan after USA (according to rumors, and I guess it will be region-locked), maybe the next big release will be the PS4?

Checked travelling costs and it ends up around ?1,100 for flights and hotel, using Nov 22-28 as an example of departure/return.

[Papercut]

I did this for the Wii (New York) and the DS Lite (Tokyo). The second was more of a well timed holiday to be fair, though I may have picked the dates based on when the Navy version was released... I guess by association I was in the states when the PS3 was released too, but I left that alone.

It only seems worth doing for Nintendo and Sega launches, and too young/broke to have gone and queued for a Dreamcast in Japan.

These days though... Nintendo Europe seem to be doing a better job than US. Unless there is a huge gap after a first release in Japan, can't see me doing it again. Be nice if that happened though, was looking at Tokyo again for this autumn.

[Jay]

Well, our Japan trip plans are slowly coming together. We perhaps should have done a bit more planning before booking our flights as we're planning to spend 9 of our nights in Tokyo and the rest elsewhere, and we've booked return flights to Tokyo.

So we've decided to head for Kyoto as soon as we land, which will be around 8 AM on a Thursday morning. Straight on a shinkansen to Kyoto once we've exhanged our exchange orders for a JR rail pass. We've decided to go for a 7-day pass each, ensuring that we are back in Tokyo and have done a couple of day trips before it runs out.

So, Kyoto for 4 nights, then back to Tokyo, then day trips to Nikko and Kamakura. At that point our JR passes will have run out. I was thinking of getting a SUICA card for the rest of the stay which will be spent in and around Tokyo. Are these easy to purchase? Can they be topped up like an Oyster card? Am I going to be wildly baffled trying to buy and use one of these?

We've also booked tickets for the Ghibli museum. I think for this trip we'll just have to buy return tickets on the day.

We've booked our Tokyo hotel - the sunroute plaza in Shinjuku. We'll be looking at Kyoto hotels tonight.

I was looking at the electrical equipment we'll be taking - 2 cameras, 2 iPhones and 2 PSPs - to figure out how we're going to charge them there. I think I'm right in saying our cameras (both Lumix) will be fine with an adaptor (charger says 110v/220v) and the same applies to the PSPs (I think). What's the best way to go about charging an iPhone there? Would we be best just buying new chargers out there?

I was thinking of leaving a couple of days aside for exploring Akihabara. Is that going to give me enough time to get some decent game shopping in?

[briareos_kerensky]

I brought a notebook to which I connected all small devices I had (a PSP and a DSi XL) via USB cables; the notebok's and the camera power bricks are universal (110-240v, 50-60hz) so i just had an adapter for both; saved considerable clutter especially with the PSP's power brick. I think you can link the iPhone to the PSP via USB and the PSP to its charger to power the iPhone, but I would test beforehand

Anyway, if I recall correctly not all shinkansen trains are covered by the JR pass; the first time I went there I didn't book a JR pass because it didn't cover the shikansen I used and I wasn't planning to use it much anyway.

SUICA cards are easy to make, boots should be in double language and they are easy to understand either way...it should work exactly like an Oyster, but I used both cards only once so I wouldn't really know :P

Akihabara: you'll probably spend one day just browsing things at Super Potato. And an other browsing through resin kits at Mandarake. Or so I did.

[Jay]

Thanks. That's a great idea re: charging the iPhone via the PSP. Will test.

There's a 2.5 hour shinkansen to Kyoto and a 3 hour shinkansen. Apparently the 3 hour one is covered by the JR pass, so we'll just have to make sure we're on the right one

[Jay]

Apparently the Ghibli museum is reachable on a SUICA card, which is a result.

[k0pp0]

SUICA cards are really easy to use, and the staff in the booths are helpful as well. Never be afraid to ask for help from official looking people.

[DeathAdder]

Thanks. That's a great idea re: charging the iPhone via the PSP. Will test.

There's a 2.5 hour shinkansen to Kyoto and a 3 hour shinkansen. Apparently the 3 hour one is covered by the JR pass, so we'll just have to make sure we're on the right one

I THINK - not 100% sure - that the Nozomi Shinkansens, which are the fastest and most frequent - are not covered by the JR pass. Hikari and Kodama ones are. Kodamas stop at every station.

[Jay]

Yes I it's the Hikari shinkansen we need. Takes 160 mins compared to four hours on the Kodama.

re iPhone charging, it turns out the charging wall plug thing that comes with iPhones is 110/240v so I just need a basic plug adaptor

I need to compile a list of game shops to look in while there, whether in Akihabara or when we're just milling about in other parts. So far I only have Super Potato and Hard Off on my list. Any recommendations?

[kryss]

There's no HardOff in AKihabara is there? There is a BookOff though.
My favourites will always be MediaLand, Tokiwa Musen and Sofmap (nearest one to Club SEGA). If they are all still there of course...

Bare in main that you can't get your train pass at the airport, you can only get them from (basically) Tokyo and Shinjuku stations.

Edit:
Just found this and will be giving it a poke later to see what it's like.
Also there is a romaji train timetable tool available too. No idea about iStuffs though.

[Anpanman]

I THINK - not 100% sure - that the Nozomi Shinkansens, which are the fastest and most frequent - are not covered by the JR pass. Hikari and Kodama ones are. Kodamas stop at every station.

Yep, Nozomi's are excluded - or at least they used to be. Not sure if they are the most frequent though, they are the fastest as they don't stop as often.

Bare in main that you can't get your train pass at the airport, you can only get them from (basically) Tokyo and Shinjuku stations.

You can, I changed mine at NRT in 1994 - the only time I've done one and it still applies.

This is a great site for foreign train travel;

http://www.seat61.com/Japan.htm

[Jay]

There's no HardOff in AKihabara is there? There is a BookOff though.
My favourites will always be MediaLand, Tokiwa Musen and Sofmap (nearest one to Club SEGA). If they are all still there of course...

Bare in main that you can't get your train pass at the airport, you can only get them from (basically) Tokyo and Shinjuku stations.

Edit:
Just found this and will be giving it a poke later to see what it's like.
Also there is a romaji train timetable tool available too. No idea about iStuffs though.

Thanks for the shop tips.

There is a JR pass office at Narita airport. I looked at timetables earlier today and the Hikari Shinkansen to Kyoto run every 30 mins which is perfect. Will probably pick up JR passes from Narita airport, then go Narita->Shinigawa->Kyoto and avoid Tokyo station.

[DeathAdder]

Yep, Nozomi's are excluded - or at least they used to be. Not sure if they are the most frequent though, they are the fastest as they don't stop as often.

They are the most frequent. I commute by Shinkansen every day, but the Nozomi doesn't stop at my home station, so I have to take either of the two Kodamas leaving Tokyo every hour or the Hikari at three minutes past the hour - the one at thirty-three minutes past doesn't stop here either.

It is very frustrating to watch dozens of Nozomis zooming off. They are far more numerous, although I don't know about the sitution going TO Tokyo.

[DeathAdder]

Why avoid Tokyo? The waiting rooms there are much more comfortable than at Shinagawa, and depending on time of day, Hikari trains can be very crowded. Go from Tokyo and you are much more likely to get a seat.

[teddymeow]

So far I only have Super Potato and Hard Off on my list. Any recommendations?

When I was wandering around Akiba last October, Super Potato wasn't there. I know where it is from previous trips so unless it's moved it ain't there no more.