neeeeeeeeeek Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Thinking of going to Japan in November for a couple of weeks. Anyone been? any tips? Last thread is over years old so please don't merge them, things change! Taa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happ Hazzard Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 I'd love to go, expensive though! Both the flights and everything once you are there. Plus I'd worry about getting lost and not being able to read signs etc, not like Europe where even if you don't know the language, you can still at least recognise words etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeeeeeeeeek Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Rail pass gives you unlimited train bus and ferry access so that covers transport. Signs on stations have an English translation so that should be OK. AirBnB for cheap accommodation so that's covered... It's just a case of knowing what is best to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Orange Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I went to Tokyo a couple of years ago and loved it. Bizarre place, but equally interesting and there is lots to see and do. Japan is not as expensive as you may think. Yes, it can be as expensive as any other place, but it caters for almost most budgets. I mean, I had a meal for under a tenner. Not at all expensive. As for the signs, as well as Japanese signs, there is the English Translation also (mostly). My Japanese is non existant, but I managed to navigate Tokyo on their metro system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Thinking of going to Japan in November for a couple of weeks. Anyone been? any tips? Last thread is over years old so please don't merge them, things change! Taa I went 2 years ago in Sept. What do you want to know? I can definitely recommend the company we used, very helpful, instructions were very clear, everything went smoothly. The weather is a lot like here, so Nov will be a bit blustery and cold/showery I'd expect (in Tokyo at least, if you go to Okinawa it will be warmer). The food can actually be great value. We stopped in a random Sushi cafe the day we arrived for some indeterminate meal (jetlag makes it confusing), it cost about £12 for the two of us, an equivalent in Sheffield would be about £40. Just "getting a snack" can be a bit harder to achieve, they don't have the same pre-packaged food as we do, but you can manage it. Starbucks cost about the same as in the UK if I remember correctly. https://www.insidejapantours.com/ This is the company we used, they design a bespoke tour for you, book hotels, guides, travel, flights and transfers and create an itinerary to suit you. Edited September 7, 2015 by Cyclone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Orange Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Rail pass gives you unlimited train bus and ferry access so that covers transport. Signs on stations have an English translation so that should be OK. AirBnB for cheap accommodation so that's covered... It's just a case of knowing what is best to see! What kind of things would you like to see and do? Here are a few things in Tokyo I would recommend: - Odaiba Island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaiba Lots to see and do there. Go in the evening, the place comes alive. - Akihabara (Electric city) http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html Lots of shops and arcades to keep you busy. This place is pretty surreal. - Sensoji Temple http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html Worth a butchers at this lovely temple. Lots of market stalls there also, selling local crafted items. - Tokyo Tower http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/eng/ Although, there is now the Tokyo Sky Tree. Much higher than the Tokyo Tower so better views of the city. - Shibuya (especially the crossing) http://janchipchase.com/2010/03/to-miss-you-is-to-love-you/20060128-tokyo-0144/ Probably the busiest and craziest crossing of a road you will ever see. Sit in the nearby Starbucks, relax with a coffee, and observe the chaos. Or go out and try it for yourself A few bars and other things to do in the area. - Nonbei Yokocho (Drunkards Alley) Great to marvel at the suited gents getting merry after a hard day at the office. Join them for a drink. Mostly friendly, apart from the occasional odd look - Buy a beer or something from a vending machine. You can buy almost anything from vending machines dotted around the city. I made it my task to try and find the weirdest thing I could purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJC1 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Japan sounds interesting. Was in seoul south korea a few years ago. That was a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neeeeeeeeeek Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Recommended placed to visit, hidden gems, useful tips, that sort of thing. I'm not using a tour company, going to get a flight and a rail pass and take it from there! ---------- Post added 07-09-2015 at 12:29 ---------- What kind of things would you like to see and do? Here are a few things in Tokyo I would recommend: - Odaiba Island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaiba Lots to see and do there. Go in the evening, the place comes alive. - Akihabara (Electric city) http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html Lots of shops and arcades to keep you busy. This place is pretty surreal. - Sensoji Temple http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html Worth a butchers at this lovely temple. Lots of market stalls there also, selling local crafted items. - Tokyo Tower http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/eng/ Although, there is now the Tokyo Sky Tree. Much higher than the Tokyo Tower so better views of the city. - Shibuya (especially the crossing) http://janchipchase.com/2010/03/to-miss-you-is-to-love-you/20060128-tokyo-0144/ Probably the busiest and craziest crossing of a road you will ever see. Sit in the nearby Starbucks, relax with a coffee, and observe the chaos. Or go out and try it for yourself A few bars and other things to do in the area. - Nonbei Yokocho (Drunkards Alley) Great to marvel at the suited gents getting merry after a hard day at the office. Join them for a drink. Mostly friendly, apart from the occasional odd look - Buy a beer or something from a vending machine. You can buy almost anything from vending machines dotted around the city. I made it my task to try and find the weirdest thing I could purchase. Brillliant stuff, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyM Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 My brother has been and said it was 'clean, modern and well run' and that he 'liked it' so it can't be that bad. He also said that there weren't people trying to 'rip me off' like in China and Thailand. My brother isn't easy to please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 We travelled around, using the luggage forwarding service so that our bags arrived separately to us, we saw the coast at Kamakura (although there was no beach and that was a bit disappointing), the mountains and the active volcanic area (sulfur plumes and the like) at Hakone. We stayed here, it was a really nice little hotel. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g298171-d1165494-Reviews-Gora_Tensui-Hakone_machi_Ashigarashimo_gun_Kanagawa_Prefecture_Kanto.html Tokyo was a lot like other big cities IMO, although the scale was immense. Akihabar was interesting, lots of weird shops. We went in a comic/model shop that had 9 floors, 1 floor was dedicated to male porn and another to female porn! We didn't climb Fuji, you'll be well outside season and also won't be able to climb it unless you get cold weather gear. The Katsura Imperial Villa gardens were interesting, you need to apply for a special visa (that might be in Kyoto, it's all blended into one in my head). The thousand red gates in Kyoto, free to walk around and just off a tube stop. The golden pavilion (apparently one of the top 50 things to see in the world), it IS quite impressive. There are many many temples and shrines, a lot are free or only a small charge to go in and look around. Studio Ghibli museum if you like SG. I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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