The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[huxley]

Lucky you!

sorry I`m chuffed about my day, after all I dont live here.

[JU!]

Do you think it's worth getting a ?300 rail pass for 3 weeks in Japan? I know this depends on where i'm going, places will def be going: Saitama, Yokohama, Narita-Tokyou and train lines around Tokyo.

[Richard.John]

sorry I`m chuffed about my day, after all I dont live here.

No, I wasn?ft being sarcastic. It must be a great feeling, going to Akihabara for the first time?i?H?H?j Enjoy it.

[huxley]

No, I wasn?ft being sarcastic. It must be a great feeling, going to Akihabara for the first time?i?H?H?j Enjoy it.

My Bad sorry peanuts.

Great feeling...... more of a rush, like a hungry child given a big bag of sweets

[tokyochojin]

Do you think it's worth getting a ?300 rail pass for 3 weeks in Japan? I know this depends on where i'm going, places will def be going: Saitama, Yokohama, Narita-Tokyou and train lines around Tokyo.

No it's not JU, if you are only travelling around there, you wont spend more than 60quid i imagine.

[Richard.John]

My Bad sorry peanuts.

Great feeling...... more of a rush, like a hungry child given a big bag of sweets

Glad to hear it. Akihabara makes the the typical branch of Dixons, look like a joke.

[dc-arena]

Generally no. Japan is still a cash based society. Personal cheques are rarely if ever used and CCs are not used for small purchases. As others have said, the banking system here is glacial in its rate of change. 24 hour ATMs are rare, you can't exchange money easily like you can in the EU,etc.

Pretty **** basically.The UK is years ahead in this regard.

I noticed this when I went to Osaka in January. We had a right mission trying to find an ATM that even took non-Japanese VISA cards! It was mad, and a bit scary as it was 2am in Namba and we needed money for a taxi.. LOL. We found a UK-accepting VISA ATM in the end, but it wasn't easy.

The adverts on TV in England say its usable in 19 million trillion destinations around the world, but clearly Japan isn't one of them!

[Richard.John]

Post Office ATMs accept them, oddly enough but they still close at about 5pm. (come on Japan, 24HR ATMs please, it's only 2005) Most bank ATMs don't, apart from Citibank. I recently checked my local bank, and they have a VISA sticker but written underneath is "Japan issued cards only" in English (very clever) My local Yokohama bank's ATM opens at 8:45 am. so if you are on the morning commute, and have no money, you are screwed. The begging bowl awaits. As others have suggested, it could also be a form of social control.


It probably due to the fact that Japan is quite insular, and doesn't share a common currency with the rest of E.Asia,and also people are far more likely to go to the US,Oz or Europe on hoilday so they don't have much exposure to regional currencies, thus the yen is good enough for them.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Spent the last 2 days dropping E`s in Yoyogi park with a bunch of "characters" i cant believe how messed up a lot of Japanese chicks really are when you spend time with them.
Went to Ueno, christ when a total dump, its worse that bloody Liverpool for gods sake.
Iv`e had a really strange trip, so different from my other visits to Japan, but i actually think ive learned a lot more about Japanese people and their culture this time around.

hmmmm old habits die hard though, made up with Tomo by telling her i want to marry her and will be coming back to live in Japan with her in 2 months, feel really bad about that 1 in the cold light of sobriety

Determined to learn Japanese when i get back


Funny trip all in all

[huxley]

Spent the last 2 days dropping E`s in Yoyogi park with a bunch of "characters" i cant believe how messed up a lot of Japanese chicks really are when you spend time with them.
Went to Ueno, christ when a total dump, its worse that bloody Liverpool for gods sake.
Iv`e had a really strange trip, so different from my other visits to Japan, but i actually think ive learned a lot more about Japanese people and their culture this time around.

hmmmm old habits die hard though, made up with Tomo by telling her i want to marry her and will be coming back to live in Japan with her in 2 months, feel really bad about that 1 in the cold light of sobriety

Determined to learn Japanese when i get back


Funny trip all in all

You sound a bit ****ed up to say the least, getting pilled up in public parks is the way to go for international relations.
Well done, no wonder the Japanesse dont trust us.

[huxley]

These are great places to eat very cheap on the whole Y300 - Y1500 a go just pop your coins into the machine give the ticket to the chef and you can start slurping in a few moments. Great fun.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

You sound a bit ****ed up to say the least, getting pilled up in public parks is the way to go for international relations.
Well done, no wonder the Japanesse dont trust us.

Yes, a couple of gaijin hanging around a park talking to 9 Japanese girls about politics, the Kyoto agreement, women's rights in Japanese society, individual goals versus collective achievements and other non-otaku "stuff" is the reason the "Japanese" don't trust the Gaijin.

300 years of isolationism, 2 nuclear bombs and feirce national pride from brutal millitary success are merely "afterthoughts"

[Jimmyboi]

huxley - What are you doing about the money situation mate? (IE not being able to draw it out at cash points or pay by CC). I haven't really found a practical answer as to the best way of handling money as of yet. It's like people say take cash but you can't just turn up with several weeks worth of notes in your pocket - A) I wouldn't have a clue how much to take and B) I'd be too busy crapping myself to enjoy the trip.

Hope you're having a great time mate.

[huxley]

Yes, a couple of gaijin hanging around a park talking to 9 Japanese girls about politics, the Kyoto agreement, women's rights in Japanese society, individual goals versus collective achievements and other non-otaku "stuff" is the reason the "Japanese" don't trust the Gaijin.

300 years of isolationism, 2 nuclear bombs and feirce national pride from brutal millitary success are merely "afterthoughts"

I was talking about hanging around parks and getting pilled up - dont change the subject to suit your self you silly twat!

this is what you said -
Spent the last 2 days dropping E`s in Yoyogi park with a bunch of "characters" i cant believe how messed up a lot of Japanese chicks really are when you spend time with them.
I see nothing in there to back up your above quote.
Game over. so share some travel info for others to ponder.

[huxley]

huxley - What are you doing about the money situation mate? (IE not being able to draw it out at cash points or pay by CC). I haven't really found a practical answer as to the best way of handling money as of yet. It's like people say take cash but you can't just turn up with several weeks worth of notes in your pocket - A) I wouldn't have a clue how much to take and B) I'd be too busy crapping myself to enjoy the trip.

Hope you're having a great time mate.

I brought about ?2000 in Yen as well as my CC and just keep the extra cash in our room safe. I would crap myself wandering about with that all day.

And thx I`m having a great time, met some really nice people, going out with them tonight.