The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Anpanman]

PO for getting your cash is a good one.

Plus, carry a credit card that has better rates than the PO for cash (maybe they all do?)

Our Sainsbury's card always has better rates wherever we go in the world. Last year when the rates were 235 at the PO (just about the best for cash), the wife was getting 241 on purchases in Japan.

[kryss]

But beware shopping in Japan is still very much cash-based, so don't be surprised if they won't take your card. But you can withdraw money from some cash points in Post Offices in Japan.

I can give you a map to the nearest one to Akihabara if needed.

[saif]

Foranyone travelling a lot, the post office credit card has NO comisiion on fore. Means you save about 2.5% on foreign transactions.

[IanE]

Nationwide charge no commission either on a VISA Debit card. Using a credit card to take out money is a bad idea, it means you get charged their rates to take out money.

[Anpanman]

But beware shopping in Japan is still very much cash-based, so don't be surprised if they won't take your card. But you can withdraw money from some cash points in Post Offices in Japan.

Indeed, should have mentioned that - but persevere.

When I was buying the PS3 the store at first wouldn't accept the card as it didn't have a magnetic strip (chip and pin is almost unheard of in Japan), but I kept on and in the end they processed it the old manual way.

Result = s/h 60gb PS3 and RR7 for a smidgeon under ?220.

[JU!]

But beware shopping in Japan is still very much cash-based, so don't be surprised if they won't take your card. But you can withdraw money from some cash points in Post Offices in Japan.

I can give you a map to the nearest one to Akihabara if needed.

Indeed, should have mentioned that - but persevere.

When I was buying the PS3 the store at first wouldn't accept the card as it didn't have a magnetic strip (chip and pin is almost unheard of in Japan), but I kept on and in the end they processed it the old manual way.

Result = s/h 60gb PS3 and RR7 for a smidgeon under £220.

This must have been my prob, I got out the cash see below. Got a PS3 White GT5: Pro n WE2008 for bout 200 pounds. Cheers for solving I was wondering why it did not go through. I recently had my English Master card rejected at Yodobashi camera be aware. I was able to draw out money from the post office the next day though on the same card. Bring cahs or use the Post office machines best I feel.

[Kieran76]

I bought a camera from someone somewhere in Akihabara (can't remember where, it wasn't Yodabashi though) and they rang up my credit card company to make sure everything was okay.

[teddymeow]

I bought a metallic blue PSP in Yamagiwa in Akihabara last year and had no problems using my card. Same when I bought a load of games in Yodobashi. Still tried to use cash for most things but a purchase of ovr ?100 pounds felt better on the card (insurance fro my bank in case it ws broken too).

Only 5 weeks until I'm back in Japan. Getting stupid-excited again! Wife and I are going with our best friends who have also been before so we're going to pool our knowledge and get more done this year than last which was pretty much:

"Oh God, we're in Japan, bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, it's so cool!!! "

So excited was I last year, coupled with the jetlag, that I was knackered at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Took me 3 days before I realised I hadn't been outside in the evening and seen any neon! That was very quickly rectified.

[kryss]

Akihabara is owned by the BIC Camera group, via Softmap. Or so it seems. It's not what it used to be sadly.

[Darwock]

So excited was I last year, coupled with the jetlag, that I was knackered at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Took me 3 days before I realised I hadn't been outside in the evening and seen any neon! That was very quickly rectified.

Dunno how you could have managed that, it's pretty much always dark here... evening starts at 5pm even in the summer

Good place for vampires. Especially if they get an office job in Japan... then they will NEVER see daylight.

[teddymeow]

Dunno how you could have managed that, it's pretty much always dark here... evening starts at 5pm even in the summer

Good place for vampires. Especially if they get an office job in Japan... then they will NEVER see daylight.

I don't remember it getting dark that early, then again I was really out of it

Looking forward to getting back in February. It's the next big thing on my calendar being counted down towards. It's like being a kid and waiting for Christmas

[IanE]

Same. Going in March/April time, and plenty of places before that!

[Anpanman]

It doesn't get dark at five but you can certainly tell then the day is ending so to speak as the sun is on its way down.

[IanE]

Thanks for the primary school lesson.

[Bleeders]

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.

Money - Take cash, as noted elsewhere, since Japan is very much a cash-based society. We kept our cash in the safe in the hotel we were staying and didn't resort to using the cards once.

Also, it's worth mentioning that you should take your passport EVERYWHERE with you in Tokyo, especially if you plan on making big-ish purchases. Because your not paying the tax I think, they log all your details down, well, they did in Yodobashi Shinjuku-ku when my missus' bought a new camera, and for the same when I picked up an 80Gb iPod from the Apple Store in Ginza.

Travel - The Tokyo subway is punctual, clean and cheap. Easy to find your way around as well. Buying a ticket is a piece of piss. The machines (and trains) are dual-language English/Japanese.

Places - Visit akiba-ch.net, there's a map there for some of the best haunts in Akihabara. Obviously, Club Sega, Taito and Hirose Entertainment Yard are must visits, as is Media Land I think it is, near Akiba Station.

Where else? Yodobashi Akiba (across the road from Akiba Station - you can't miss it!!), Nakano Broadway (located outside Nakano Station) and the Sony Building (Ginza) spring to mind, there's a lot more, but can't think right now.

Language - It does help to learn a few phrases to get around Japan, the people also appreciate that as well, goes a long way there IMO.