The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Richard.John]

Also try and stay at an Onsen(hot spring hotel). I reckon that's one of the three things every visitor to the country should experience along with a ride on a bullet train and a trip to see Mt.Fuji.

[Bleeders]

Thanks for the advice all!

The missus wants to see Mt. Fuji as well as visit the Ghibli Museum too! I'm looking forward to going on the Bullet Train myself.

Basically, we're in Tokyo for 13 days, then travelling down south to Kyoto (and hopefully Osaka if we get time) for a few days, then travelling back up to Narita to fly home, we're away for about 16 days in all.

My only worry is the journey home; can you get hold of train passes that go from Tokyo down to Kyoto, then allows us to travel back to Narita? Like a week-long pass or something along those lines?

[Richard.John]

I'm sold, is it easy to get to from the station?

My only worry is the journey home; can you get hold of train passes that go from Tokyo down to Kyoto, then allows us to travel back to Narita? Like a week-long pass or something along those lines?

You want one of these. It's for tourists visa holders only and must be bought outside of Japan but other than that I reckon it's a super way to travel around on what is probably the world's best rail network.


http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html

[Bleeders]

Thanks Peanuts!

Is the JR pass purely for mainline stations and not the Tokyo subway?

[Richard.John]

Thanks Peanuts!

Is the JR pass purely for mainline stations and not the Tokyo subway?

It's issued by Japan Railways (JR) so I assume that the metro is not included, but I am not 100% on that.

And your ride to Kyoto on the bullet will pass by Mt. Fuji as well. If the weather is clear you will get to see arguably the world's most beautiful mountain.

[Bleeders]

Thanks mate!

[Richard.John]

Glad to be of assistance.

[figflair]

Hi. I'm planning atrip to Japan in April and have some general questions. Not sure if these have been answered elsewhere on this thread but I'm too lazy to check!

1) Is April a good time of year to go?

2) What's the weather like at that time of year?

3) I'm a vegetarian. Will I have difficulty being catered for?

4) If I stay in Tokyo and buy a rail pass, is there anywhere in Japan that I couldn't get there and back to in a day or is it better to book some hotels in other cities?

5) What is the cherry blossom festival and is it worth checking out?

6) Is there a particular store that's the best to go to for cheap retro gamimg stuff?

7) How much stuff can you bring back and do they tend to check?

8) What other places apart from Tokyo are a must visit?

9) What's the best way to learn some basic Japanese before I go and is English widely spoken?

10) Hom much money should I take for 2 weeks(not including buying stuff)?

Many thanks for any help.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Hi. I'm planning atrip to Japan in April and have some general questions. Not sure if these have been answered elsewhere on this thread but I'm too lazy to check!

1) Is April a good time of year to go?

2) What's the weather like at that time of year?

3) I'm a vegetarian. Will I have difficulty being catered for?

4) If I stay in Tokyo and buy a rail pass, is there anywhere in Japan that I couldn't get there and back to in a day or is it better to book some hotels in other cities?

5) What is the cherry blossom festival and is it worth checking out?

6) Is there a particular store that's the best to go to for cheap retro gamimg stuff?

7) How much stuff can you bring back and do they tend to check?

8) What other places apart from Tokyo are a must visit?

9) What's the best way to learn some basic Japanese before I go and is English widely spoken?

10) Hom much money should I take for 2 weeks(not including buying stuff)?

Many thanks for any help.

1) Yeah, why not its not a traditional holiday is it?

2) Rainy

3) Yup, everything has meat juice in it

4) Its possible to get back from anywhere in Honshu in a day, but you wont see much with all the travelling

5) Basically everyone gets pissed under the Sakura, it is definitley worth checking out.

6) Trader II's, just have a look when you get there

7) 120 odd quid or something, use your brains when bringing things back

8) Osaka, Kyoto, but for a 1st time Tokyo is plenty

9) Osmosis?

10) a grand should do it

[figflair]

Cheers Justin mate. As far as the language barrier goes, I'm specifically wondering if it's better to try and learn as many words and phrases as possible or should I have a crack at learning the alphabet so that I can decode street signs etc.?

[Richard.John]

Names of places are mostly in Kanji so it would be too much effort to learn that, but you can try and learn Hiragana and Katakana which are the phonetic alphabet.

And Jushin is right about the Veggie situation. Japan is not really freindly in that regard. Do you eat fish as most soups and stocks use it as a base?

[Jashin]

Lots of everyday signs are in both Japanese and English - eg) station names, building names.

[figflair]

Names of places are mostly in Kanji so it would be too much effort to learn that, but you can try and learn Hiragana and Katakana which are the phonetic alphabet.

And Jushin is right about the Veggie situation. Japan is not really freindly in that regard. Do you eat fish as most soups and stocks use it as a base?

No, I'm a strict veggie mate. Are there any kind of shops where I could just get veggie sandwiches or the like?

[Richard.John]

And the end of April, beginning of May is their so called 'Golden Week' holidays ( a bit like our Easter). Everything tourist related rises in price so try to go before the middle of the month.

[Richard.John]

No, I'm a strict veggie mate. Are there any kind of shops where I could just get veggie sandwiches or the like?

I really don't know to be honest. I have never met a Japanese vegetarian. The locals love their fish and meat. I am sure you can get meat free meals but it's the bases etc, you have to be careful with unless you stick to western food.