The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[randombs]

exchange rate was about 220-221 yen to the pound for me (hsbc current account) compared with the actual rate of about 226-227, which is better than the exchange bureaus (about 215)

[IanE]

They're Gaijin houses, so don't need a guarantor like Sakura, so £210 would be ace. I need to hassle Nationwide about that account then, I have the most basic of basic! And I need someone to take my current room..

[IanE]

http://www.sakura-house.com/english/premise/machiya.php

If you click the link below 'Location', it seems quite out of the way.. is it? Will it take me ages to get to Akihabara and the centre of Tokyo?

[kryss]

On the Chiyoda line (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Chikatetsu) Machiya is about 20 minutes from Akihabara.
You can either:
1) Take the Chiyoda line directly to Shinochanomizu and walk from there (exit B5, go down the hill).
2) Take the Chiyoda line to Nishinippori and change to the Yamanote line directly to JR Akihabara station.
3) Go back on yourself slightly by taking the Chiyoda line to Kintasenju and then take the Hibiya line to Akihabara Metro station.
When looking at that map remember that it takes 20 minutes to walk from Ueno to Akihabara.

Just so you know where I'm getting my info from, I live in Shinmatsudo on the Chiyoda/Jouban local line about 20 minutes from Machiya. My journey to Shinochanomizu takes about 37 minutes. The plus side of going to Shinochanomizu is that you walk past Soto-Kanda Post Office where you can get some cash out if necessary.

http://www.hyperdia.com/

For your train timetabling needs. Though they don't have the best routes all the time.

[IanE]

There's really too much choice. Well, that's a good thing but finding an available gaijin house at a decent price in a central location, well, it's hard! Do you know of any places, like the ones I'm looking for?

[kryss]

Decent price = outside Central Tokyo

Though Machiya IS Tokyo, just the outskirts. If you want to be nearer Shinjuku etc. try somewhere like Sengawa.

[IanE]

Had a quick check for there, can only find one female location..

http://www.bauhousetokyo.com/index.htm

They have a place in Roppongi, worth a go? I'll pop them an e-mail and see what they say..

[IanE]

Y63,000 for a month in a 2 mat room, is that really small? Sounds it.. Got plenty of time to decide, it's in Roppongi, good location?

Going to Thailand first anyways. Month or so!

[kryss]

2 mat = 1.5 square metres.

I thought the smallest room was 6 mat. Roppongi is about as good as locations get in Tokyo. Hate the place myself though.

[IanE]

1.5m! Oh dear, I would only be able to lay flat diagonally!

[womblingfree]

2 mats is about the same size as a capsule in a capsule hotel. Sounds like they're trying to stick you in a cupboard.

[Junko]

Can someone do the honors and re post a link to the sakura hotel gaff a load of you seem to have stayed at . Thanks

[kryss]

http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/

could it be that one?

[ezee ryder]

Planning to go Tokyo with a few guys from work in May, never been before and don't speak Japanese. Anyway alot of you guys seems to have been, so any advice? Money? Travel? Places to go? Lanaguage? We are gonna go for a week if that helps.

[IanE]

Money? Yes? You get Yen at a Post Office (or Co-op Travel Agency, great rates).

Go to Mount Fiji, wander round Tokyo, go to Akihabara..

Language? Get a phrase book.