The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Darwock]

Make that a triple post, lol. I would take the lack of answers as meaning nobody knows... the folk who are over there are usually quick to post information when they can actually help.

[Escape-To-88]

Cheers 'Peanuts'.

Any ideas what the prices of foods/meals etc. would be in a smaller town such as Beppu???
I have accomodation but need to pay for own meals etc.

[Richard.John]

Depends what you are used to I suppose. Where are you from in UK? If you are a Londoner, Japan may see cheap at times but if you're from the country, it may seem expensive. I am near Tokyo so prices here are probably the same as London, of course some things are more, some less.

Beppu is in Kyushu, so I would assume that the cost of living would be lower down there, but I am not 100% on that. The fact that it's a tourist destination may mean high prices? Sorry I can't offer any more info, but I've never been down that way.

[Escape-To-88]

no worries thanks anyhow!

[Richard.John]

Also you should consider yourself lucky that it may be September as Jun. Jul. and Aug. are mind numbingly hot and sticky. At least in Sept. it will start to cool down a bit, but it will still be bloody warm though, 30C or more on some days.

[mementoman]

Also you should consider yourself lucky that it may be September as Jun. Jul. and Aug. are mind numbingly hot and sticky. At least in Sept. it will start to cool down a bit, but it will still be bloody warm though, 30C or more on some days.

Yes last year I was in Japan from the 18th of Sept for two weeks and the first week was rather unbearably hot and sticky at around 30 degrees. Things cooled down nicely by about 5 degrees for the second week tho and the sticky humidity had gone. The start of October would be my ideal suggested time to travel (as I did on my first trip) but I want to attend the TGS this year so will be braving the humidity again

[Richard.John]

The summer is indeed hellish. In 2004 the Tokyo region endured a record 100+ consecutive days where the day time temp hit at least 30C, and on most days it was higher,at least in Jul/Aug.

Fook knows what it's like in S.E Asia. I can't even begin to imagine.

[EJG1980]

I have a week of holiday time from work that I've yet to use up, and I'm thinking of heading off to Tokyo for a week to go to this years TGS. It's something I've always wanted to do but never get around to doing, so I've decided to pull my finger out and do it

Just a quick question though, is it worth paying the extra to stay at a hotel which is stopped at by the Airport Limo Bus service, or is it easy enough to get to the hotels by train?

I've found a nice looking cheap hotel which is two minutes walk from a train station, and I looked up the route and it seems easy enough to get to from the airport (only one change of train needed). I was just wondering what it'd be like on the train with luggage etc., if that'd make it a bit of a struggle? Cheers in advance for any info.

[Richard.John]

The rail network in Japan makes British Rail look third world, it's that good, so I don't think you'll have any trouble with luggage or connections. All major stations have lifts to street level, and if they don't, an escalator will do the trick.

[EJG1980]

Good stuff! Most of the hotels that are connected to the Limo Bus Service are the more expensive ones, which I could afford, but I'd rather pay less for the hotel and have more money to spend on other stuff I'll probably go for a cheapish hotel that's a minute or so from a train station. Thanks for the info!

[Richard.John]

Exactly. The limo bus is no doubt useful but you pay for it in higher prices at hotel checkout. Save the money for all those games and gadget shops you'll want to visit!

[EJG1980]

I'll only be there for... five and a half days, so it's not like I'm gonna have huge amounts of luggage to haul around on the train anyway!

Probably gonna go for the Tokyo Green Hotel Ochanomizu. 5 mins from a JR train station, 2 mins from a subway station, and best of all, five minutes walk from Akihabara Plus the hotel got four positive reviews on Expedia.co.uk, which is good to hear.

I checked out the main train journey's I'd want to make and they're all straight forward. Half an hour by train from the hotel to TGS, only one change of train. Airport to the hotel by train takes nearly two hours, but again, at leas there's only one transfer needed.

All I have to do now is make sure I can get the time off work!!

[Nobu]

Not a VERY good place to ask, but since it in fact is because I'm moving to Japan...

A bottle of shaving gel/foam. Where to pack it? Hand luggage or for the cargo room of the plane? I've got a feeling it'll explode mid-air and foam all over my clothes if I pack it for the cargo room, but I'm not sure if that's something I'm just imagining or not. Anyone know?

[EJG1980]

Pack it in your luggage in the cargo room, but put it inside a couple of sealed plastic bags. I had a bottle of shower gel leak all over my clothes on a trip to America once. Obviously, I thought of putting stuff in plastic bags after that

Or, of course, you could just buy some shaving gel when you get there

[Nobu]

Yeah, I just thought I'll do that instead. First of all I'm worried about having that thing explode (metallic bottle also probably causing the plastic around it to rip open), secondly it'll save me a bit of space. Seeing as I'm only allowed 20 kg (wtf) I guess I should focus on brining more deo instead. Can't imagine I'll have problem finding shaving gel/foam down there. I've yet to find a favourite here anyway.