The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[DeathAdder]

In August days when you can see Fuji from Hakone, let alone Tokyo, will be the exception, not the rule.

Hakone is a hot spring resort, although the hot springs are infinitely more pleasant in the autumn or winter than in sweltering August. I hope you get a day when Fuji is visible, otherwise the place loses much of its charm. The open air art museum is also quite good.

[Mr Ono]

Thanks guys.

I did ponder why the Missus chose "Hot" springs at the height of Summer.

It'll be for the experience I suppose.

[Richard.John]

Hot springs are nice at anytime of the year. You don't stop showering or bathing just because it's hot outside. Go for it as you will enjoy the experience.

[DeathAdder]

Thanks guys.

I did ponder why the Missus chose "Hot" springs at the height of Summer.

It'll be for the experience I suppose.

It's still worth doing, but needless-to-say, climbing into a piping hot pool is much nicer on a cold winter's day, especially if it's snowing, than on a hot muggy summer's day.

[asnozz]

and I believe you have to be naked in Japanese hot springs right? (thats what my j-girl says)

[Richard.John]

Yes!! Birthday suits only in a hot spring.

[Mr Ono]

Erm, then I'm guessing it's not mixed then?

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Erm, then I'm guessing it's not mixed then?

It was when i went

Dont worry, most Japanese guys have small dicks, you will be fine...

[Mr Ono]

More concerned about having the Missus in the nude for other blokes.

[DCharlie]

In August days when you can see Fuji from Hakone, let alone Tokyo, will be the exception, not the rule.

i can`t remember when my friend came in 2005, but this is the view we had from the cable car at Hakone...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/71166820_5c7520296b.jpg

lol...

[Supergoal]

i can`t remember when my friend came in 2005, but this is the view we had from the cable car at Hakone...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/34/71166820_5c7520296b.jpg

lol...

Beautiful

[Mr Ono]

Ffs

[JU!]

More concerned about having the Missus in the nude for other blokes.

Get a private one there much better.

[Scoey]

So, I'll be going over to Japan at the end of September to study in Kobe University for a year. I don't really know much about Kobe, apart from the fact that it's in a fairly decent location for travelling to different parts of Japan. Has anyone here been there? Is it any good? Anything interesting to do there? Will I regret choosing Kansai over Tokyo?

Secondly, has anyone here flown to Kansai International Airport? Is it more expensive to fly there than to Narita? Any reasons why I should avoid going there? Any suggestions of where I could find some cheap enough(decent airline) tickets to there?

Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto are fairly close, yeah? Does anybody know exactly how long the trips between Kobe and each of those places take and also roughly how much the train ticket costs?

Is Kobe actually an interesting city, or will I find myself having to travel to Osaka if I want to do something interesting?

Has anyone here ever travelled to Okinawa(from inside of Japan)?? Is it expensive. Worth visiting, etc.

I'll be making a good few trips to Tokyo. Has anyone here got experience with night buses? They're the cheapest method of travelling between Kobe/Osaka and Tokyo, yeah? What kind of price would a return trip Kobe-Tokyo be?

Approximately how much will a mobile phone in Japan set me back?

Any help appreciated.Thanks.

[saif]

Kobe's a nice place actually, it is maybe thought of, sometimes, as a suburb of osaka - in many ways it may be better to think of the three main cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe as a megaopolis as it is very easy to move along them and there is little/no break up in urbanisation between them.
When I did it, last year, night buses at the budget end for tokyo were about 4500 yen each way, shink is about 20k.
Kobe to osaka and Kyoto can be done on local trains and, iirc, is about 400-800 yen - not much at all. There are a lot of private lines so there is price competiton along that corridor. You can also use the ferry to get to a few places - I went to Takamatsu on one.