The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[r3z]

(they don't text over there, and even if they did, I think texting only works if you're on the same network)

This is one of the problems with the payg phones there.. they don't offer i-mode or email services, and you can only use the networks sms-equivalent service (at least the one guy I knew with a payg phone couldn't). Even if you were happy with that for just the short term, as a foreigner/non-resident you still couldn't get a payg phone anyway as they need to be properly registered.

Like you I have a K800i, but it's payg and I wouldn't want to use roaming at those kinds of rates.

[randombs]

i think virgin lets you use the internet, but the way they do it is you either need to have been on their payg for at least 6 months prior to roaming, or if not you top up £150 then they'll let you. i didn't want to have to do that and then use up £150 on a payg phone while i still had my contract

[Taka]

After weeks of checking Expedia, the trip I've been eyeing up has finally hit sub-?900 at ?896.16 so I've decided to book!

Will be in Tokyo for 7 nights, flying with Virgin and staying at the Tokyo Green Ochanomizu hotel. Absolutely cannot wait!

[randombs]

TOKYO GREEN HOTEL OCHANOMIZU!?!?

yeah man!

i thought i'd stumbled upon a corker with that one, being so close to akihabara (and right next door to a really nice post office with EMS courier for sending goodies back home!).

one thing though, the rooms are pretty small for tall people (i'm 6ft) and i almost hit my head on the arches in the corridors

[Taka]

I'm a short-arse so shouldn't see any problems hehe. How did you find the rooms in general besides being small? Also, I've read some reviews where they've mentioned that not every room has broadband net access - were you one of the lucky ones to have it available?

[randombs]

I probably asked for it in advance (that's usually the advice, anyway), I can't remember how I booked the room - I stayed in around 4 hotels on last 3-week trip and I used hotelclub.com for a few of them, and they'd have a little box for requests.

The internet connection was in the pay-TV box on the wall, and they gave me a little bag with the necessary wiring.

As for the room, it was fine for me, but I'm not fussy. It was £30 a night, and I'd be out most of the day and would just come back in the evenings to sleep. The room was tiny, though, so if you've got a big suitcase you might be shuffling that around now and then. The bathroom was fine, though, and had a little washing line.

I had to buy an iron, though, as they couldn't provide one. They have a trouser press in each room but it's pretty useless for tops (I tried!) although you could probably manage a little t-shirt.

I'd definitely stay there again, as it's close enough to Akihabara without being in Akihabara, and hence cheaper.

[Bort]

Planning a trip to Japan that it roughly based around the Japanese GP.

What's the weather usually like in Japan in Sept/Oct?

I've had a look at the National Holidays and apart from the Equinox there doesn't seem to be anything the would make that period any different from the rest of the year. I've had a quick check but couldn't see when the schools were normally closed. Are they closed during Sept/Oct?

[neoboy259]

First time I went to Tokyo was September 2005, and feck me it hot and humid, peaked around 34 degrees for middle of September. October is a lot cooler, still plenty of sunshine.

Also pretty sure I saw schoolkids on the streets during September/October- though think there was a national holiday at some point in late September.

[QualityChimp]

Ninja Festival!

The Japanese city of Iga Ueno has held its annual Ninja Festival recently. People dressed like Ninjas got to travel on trains for free. Just like in the 15th century Feudal Japan...

I've been to the town to visit the ninja museum and it was super sweet! There was loads of weapons and videos to watch and a live guide around the ninja hideout. I also got to throw some shurikens and behead somebody.

OK I made up the bit about beheading.

[Anpanman]

I've been too, Iga Ueno also has a half decent castle just a short walk from the museum.

Really interesting place and well worth the visit.

[Bort]

Cheers neoboy, Hopefully they'll still be in school. Gotta perv them all!

That Ninja Festival looks fantastic.

[Escobar]

Wow, this thread'll be handy. I just decided I'm going for 2 - 3 weeks, docking into Osaka or Kobe on the boat (ferry from Shanghai, about a hundred quid) and intend to make my way to Tokyo.

Now, are there any dorm rooms around, or dirt-cheap places? This is going to absolutely rape my wallet if I'm not careful, I'm too used to staying in places for three quid a night, up to around eight at the most.. so this'll be a large departure.

[randombs]

In Tokyo:

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

£15-odd a night. Dorm's aren't really my thing, so I didn't enjoy it, but it was just for one emergency night when I was stuck in Tokyo at 12am after Daft Punk (I'd bullet trained it down that morning) and they had a bed available so I nabbed it.

It's about £19 if you want them to make your bed every morning

when I went it was £12/£17

[r3z]

In my experience there aren't many places with dorms apart from a few youth hostels, and even then a bed is still usually around 2500-3000 yen if they are in a half-decent location (think I found one or two in rural areas at about 1500-2000 yen, but they were quite out of the way) you can tend to get a room at a basic ryokan or business hotel for about the same amount so that is probably the better option.

For Kobe I think I used a YHA affiliated place called Kobe Guesthouse which was 2500 yen/night in a 6-bed room - it's in an area called Tarumi about 10-15 minutes by train from Sannomiya Stn (main stn in Kobe) which wasn't too bad for me as I was going further West after my stay but you might be able to find somewhere more suitable near downtown.

In Osaka I've stayed in a capsule at a business hotel near Tennoji Stn a few times as it's useful if you are stopping over and don't have much luggage - price is usually around 3000 yen/night. Probably a better alternative if you're staying a few days is another business hotel called 'Business Hotel Chuo Shinkan' - not to be confused with 'Business Hotel Chuo' which is next door - with normal rooms at about 2700 yen.. it's in Shin-Imamiya which is a bit of a dodgy area (by Japanese standards!) but it's right next to Shin-Imamiya Stn which is only a couple of stops from Namba, so good to stay if you're going out at night in Dotonbori. Both those stations are on the loop line as well, so useful for getting around town if you're using a JR pass.

btw - if you've got any tips on cheap/reasonable accomodation for Shanghai (or Beijing/Xian) drop me a PM as I'm planning on heading over to China from Japan next month!

[Escobar]

Ah, I just got a tip for Beijing.. I'll dig the e-mail out..

Hej

Well the hostel in Beijing is called Wangfujing youth hostel, you can find it on hostelworld.com if you want to book or find the address. It is just behind the Taiwan Hotel, most taxi drivers know were that is. From the airport it is easiest to take a shuttle bus to the train station and then a taxi from there. It is cheaper anyway.

The hostel in Xian was Shuyuan Hostel it was also really nice, and you can walk to the city wall. And if you want you can bike around on it. You can find the address online as well, same page.

Hope that helps dude!

I think I'm going to ask around and see if any Japanese residents have a spare room for two weeks that I could rent for Y20,000 perhaps.