Since Jetstar are running such an insane deal https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/206349 I'm interested to see what everyone else is planning to do. Personally I have no idea but I'm going to be over there for 3 weeks for my wedding anniversary so I'm looking forward to having a look around and sorting out where we will be going and when.
How long have you set to have over there and what do you plan on doing?
[Insert obligatory "Godzilla Theme Park With Actual Real Living Godzilla" comment here]
Isn't it Godzirra?
Gojiira*
Gah! you just reminded me - you can get glasses for about $30-40 in under an hour. There are lots of cool styles to choose from so will bring prescription.
Play nintendo and eat sushi
Maybe you can find some antiwanker potion too.
If you get enough radiation
you should be able to do this..
You get what you pay for, I'm ok with a lower level of service for a ridiculously cheap airfare. I'm not expecting to be treated like a VIP when I'm travelling 14,300km return for under $400.
My flights are just after midnight to about 9am local time. Hope to be sleeping most of the flight. Hoping.
When I flew to Japan on Jetstar in early 2013, we got it on 2 for 1 deal, however I guess no one got the memo because the flight was mostly empty, got to lie down in the middle block of seats and have a nap, was the best flight ever haha.
The way back, though, was a full flight, overnight with babies crying left and right. Oh well, it was about $700 return with emergency exit row seats so no complaints here.
But the questuon remoans will the plane fly or get cancelled or u put on another flight and that flight gets cancelled and then u are put are another flight and that gets cancelled and u are put on another flight with a 16 dollar voucher to eat in the airport. This happened.
Would love a premium service? Go with Qantas for a double price.
I don't find Qantas service premium compare to Singapore Airlines, Emirates et al.
Typical idiot consumer. "I want everything. But I don't want to pay for it. And if I go for the bargain option, I'm going to complain that is isn't the same standard as the premium option."
i am going to visit the kyoto protocol
Can't you just 'visit' it with the The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) via the TCP/IP protocol?
This will be my fourth time there. Going for a week. Mainly just to eat and shop, but mostly eat.
Food is so amazing in Japan. So much cheap deliciousness.
I know! People always say it's so expensive but even those not very flashy looking stores with like 8 seats and cheap meals tastes amazing!!
australian fish is somehow much cheaper in japan
Even with the cheap flights isn't Japan one of the most expensive asian countries
is it a question without a question mark
Yep
Common perception, but I've found it's alright as a traveler. Accomodation $100/night, food $5 or cheaper can be obtained. Depends on your budget/what you're used to, and actual cities you go to, though, of course.
I guess it depends, for example accomodation in vietnam, bali, thailand you can get for $30 a night for a decent room, taxis are a few dollars, food $5 etc
@strikerzebra: Food $5 in Bali vs food $5 in Japan, is that really a comparison? :P I guess if you don't like Japanese food, haha.
Like I said, it depends on the city/what you pick. I had a trip to Nagoya this year and the hotel was something like $40 a night.
@jennkei: I just got back from Tokyo and Osaka…. what sort of dodgy places are you staying in for $40 a night? I thought Japan was much like Perth prices to be honest.
Taxi's are ridiculously expensive though in Japan, they cost more than anywhere else I have seen in the world. Also English isn't spoken anywhere near as much as you'd think. We went from Singas to Thailand to Japan, it certainly hurts your wallet a lot more in Japan.
@OneMoreTune: Notice I said $100 a night as an average? :P
Anyway, cheap doesn't necessarily mean dodgy. The place at Nagoya I stayed at was Hotel Wing International. https://www.agoda.com/en-au/hotel-wing-international-nagoya/… Was a promo price and had some 20% discount applied to it. I did remember the amount wrong, though, it was more like $50 a night.
In Tokyo (2011) we stayed at Horidome Villa for $50 a night.
In Osaka (2013) we stayed at Hotel Brighton for $75 a night.
I consider all of them decent stays.
I don't take taxis while overseas and public transport in Tokyo is about average-priced for me. (Mainly end up doing a lot of walking instead anyway.) Average-priced = cheaper than Aus but more expensive than some other places also with good systems.
Don't expect English to be spoken, but there is generally sufficient English on signs to get around. I understand a bit of Japanese and travel with someone who can read the kana for me (I'm lazy) so that really does help for everything else.
@OneMoreTune: I've stayed in ryokans and business hotels for 40 a night before. The latter always includes free internet as well. If you shop around and wait for when they run campaigns, you can find very cheap accomodation.
A lot of foreigners go to Japan with insufficient research and then claim that it's expensive. I have taken many a cab ride there and compared to here in Melbourne the prices weren't expensive at all.
@wasabinator: Budget business style hotels are common for about AUD$50-60. I often stay here http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/. It's fine.
This is so not true… Maybe in the 80s' and 90's… Japan has been in steady deflation for 20 years…
My last trip we took the family and were able to find hotels for bellow $100 a night for the 4 of us in Kyoto and Osaka.. You just have ot avoid the big multinational like places..
Food is cheap! and so are the subways!
Sure its no Bali but its cheaper than here and most of Western Europe…
Hmm… I dont know, I use to live and work in Japan and I do find it expensive because what you get for what you pay for is less. If you are happy to eat from convenience stores or fast food joints that is fine. But even then the portions are on the smaller side. For $100 in Tokyo your hotel will be quite small and dingy. It depends on our dollar as well but in comparison to AU I would say Japan was on par spending wise. If you go to 100-300 yen sushi ok fine but you can get AUD$500+ sushi as well. Buying a beer from the vending machine is less than $2 but in a bar it's about $6 for a tiny glass. It's very extreme. I'm happy to pay for transport there no matter what the price- it's the best.
But even then the portions are on the smaller side.
The world could do with less fat people to be honest.
Or less people for that matter but that's another story
It certainly is…
This tired old misconception needs to die already. I've lived in Japan and the U.K. before (grew up here in Aus) and, hey, the jokes on any Aussie who asks that question, because it's ridiculously expensive HERE!
When you average out accommodation, yes, Japan is slightly expensive than other asian countries. But food & drink is very reasonable ($8-10 AU per meal)
Also, Japan is not your typical asian country. Sure, you can sometimes get the waft of that sewage smell in Tokyo - but the country is very clean. No beggars, no theft or visible crime. That's gotta be worth something?
If you always choose your travel destinations based on price, you miss out on an awful lot.
Used underwear vending machine.
Not sure whether to be amused or concerned that this has the most + votes.
I couldn't find one of these last time I went.
**For sheer curiosities sake only. You sick people thinking I like that sort of thing! Shame, rings bell, shame…..
I have seen one before in Ueno. This was early 2000s though, unsure if it is still there, if its a money maker than probably. Someone I knew sold her blonde hair in small baggies for $100 a pop saying it was pubic hair for extra $$ when living there. There's a market for everything…
Can confirm this is complete awesomesauce! It is a little expensive but well worth the money.
visit a JAV star ;) shhhh…
Any recommendations?
here is my top 100:
1.
2.
…
100
:D
There're brothels in Japan where you can pay for actual JAV stars…google it my friend ;)
Haven't been to myself, but my mate have been (expensive but worth according to him). I probably not gonna have a chance with potential family trip … life of marriage >.<
I'd be very surprised that your friend went to a brothel like that if they aren't Japanese. From what I hear cough most of those sorts of places have a strict no foreigners policy.
Been there loved it got a train pass
stayed at a chain of Hostels called Kay's
Harijuka is great there is an Avenue on the other side of the station where couples dress up traditionally and so do their 6 year old boys and 3 year old girls amazing
My husband played pachinko and won
It was very different so noisy
Fish Markets
Edno? Museum
Nagasaki
Mount Fuji
Hiroshima
KoyoSan
Kyoto
Gibley Museum
Best country to travel in
Enjoy
I am seriously thinking of going again
Harajuku not what you wrote
Edo Museum - not what you wrote
Ghibli Museum- not what you wrote
Posts are only helpful if you provide the correct information.
Shinkansen (aka Bullet Train) - get a Japan Rail Pass and go to Hiroshima. The pass also works on the ferry across to Miyajima - great day trip. The "shink" also goes via the undersea tunnel to Fukuoka/Hakata on the island of Kyuushu.
You'll need at least two weeks.
I'm a stickler for spelling too, even in Romanji.
Romaji? :P
To be honest, all of those three, except Edno Museum, Google autocorrected. Clever search engine.
With three weeks, you'll probably be traveling around. Have fun! I've gone to Japan on a few trips in the past, but too lazy to travel around. Means I miss a lot, like Kobe, I hear, as well as some of the more out-of-the-way-but-still-awesome places. But I figure I'll be able to go there in future, and/or they'll start flying there. :D
@jennkei: haha on my J text books it can have the 'n' it's like kanpai or kampai - seen it both ways
@piggyfund: Ugh, is it one of those things. (Nonstandard/slang that turns into actual words, lol.)
There should be a better example than kanpai, though, since it's not exactly Romamji vs Romanji. ^^" Hmmm. Can't think of one at the moment, though.
@jennkei: The last time I went back to Japan, primarily around Tokyo - 'tabereru' (which is incorrect) was being used a lot in contrast to the formally correct 'taberareru', both meaning "to be able to eat". Guess it's just the nature of languages changing with time.
I was actually thinking of not being a grammar/spelling nazi for once so I let him off when I read the post.
Just a comment on Nagasaki - I went there during a 7 week trip and it was pretty good, but it is considerably further out of the way than most of the other cities you listed. IMO Hiroshima gives you a great deal of insight into the horrors of nuclear warfare, and going to the main sights in Nagasaki (museum etc) feels kind of like a replay of Hiroshima.
It was an interesting city to walk around (even in the rain :)) but it was certainly a bit out of the way, especially if people are going to be going for only a couple of weeks. It's worth going, but only if you can spare the time!
I use to live there so just going back to visit some friends, shopping and eating. I'm actually thinking 12 days is not enough even though I use to live there so I don't need to do any touristy things. I'm keeping a note book on things I really want to do with my limited time and work out my days from there. For example I will avoid shopping on the weekends or going to popular restaurants (over an hour wait) on Sat night.
same, lived there for 4 years. booked for 2 week. that's no time. I'd like to do an Alan Booth-esque walk.
I don't know, I've flown many airlines both budget and premium and it's not really what you pay but if those attending to you are having a good or bad day.
Does it really matter if the staff smile at you? Unless you require constant or special attention you'll hardly need to see them anyway. If you do require special attention then paying more for a full service airline might be more suitable.
For that price, I don't need them to smile, be pleasant and give me any moral or physical support. As long as they do their job - I am happy.
Cairns to Japan with Dreamliner so your comment about passed the use by date planes is not correct.
Expect budget service so you will be content with it or you will be surprised if they actually provide a better service.
Thank kami-sama the service oriented Japanese will wipe away any bad memories created during the flight.
Good thread people. Please keep posting your Jp experience as it'll be useful for most of us who never been there before.
Would recommend Osaka. Such a beautiful city with great nightlife. Lots of "Gajin" bars which cater to foreigners. Everyone is super friendly. One of the best countries I have ever been too!
Anyone been to Fuji Q? I am looking forward to it and hoping someone could share their experience here.
Went in July, even though it was a weekday, the lines were huge and had to wait at least an hour for each ride..
Was it during Japan school holiday?
Not sure if it was, I think I went on the 22nd of July
If the flight was in July, I'd use it to springboard Tokyo -> London ret.
Anyone knows where to get the cheapest JR rail pass?
Thanks :D
Takayama and Shirakawa-go - highlight of my Japan trip
On the same vein as above, tsumago & magome in kiso valley are highly recommended for an overnight stay if you're interested in the traditional Japanese towns.
Personally hated the Mt Fuji climb. Crowded during peak climbing season, and just generally unpleasant due the barren surface and volcanic ash. The vending machines and food stalls at the top are a pretty big anti climax too.
good for day trips??
It would be doable for a day trip but I advise staying overnight
Flying in and out of Tokyo and planning on getting a 7 day JR pass (14 day trip). Any ideas about how to make the most of the 7 day pass? Itinerary? :)
As long as you activate it, leave tokyo (on the long journey), do everything outside of tokyo in those 7 days, and get back to tokyo before the pass expires, you'll be fine. It just means half of your trip will be in 1 city - not that there's any shortage of things to do in and around tokyo!
I'd recommend anyone travelling to Japan checks out the whirlpool thread for Japan travel, it's a great place to ask questions/read up on ideas etc. I'd suggest posting your itinerary there and people will tell you a better way of doing it to fit more in, even if you think it's already good, it can get better!
Otherwise, I went back in 2013 and the following were my highlights:
Otherwise, I can't say anything negative about any part of Japan, really. It's a superb country, and no matter where you go you'll find some great stuff to do. There's temples in every corner of every city/town.
My biggest regret was probably not getting adventurous enough with food. We kind of went a bit frugal. Of course we tried a lot of things, at meals at random places and just picked odd things off the menu, but convenience food from Lawson/7eleven is so cheap but also such high quality that you will perhaps end up OzBargaining some of the most delicious $2 sandwiches ever like we did.. oops.
Things done in Osaka:
1. Osaka castle
2. Dotonbori even just for Glico Man
3. USJ
4. Umeda Sky Building
5. Osaka Museum of Housing - wear a 👘 for half an hour and walk around a made-up Osaka city of yesteryear.
6. Shitennoji temple
7. Takoyaki, takoyaki, takoyaki
8. Plenty others
There's a tourist day-pass that give you transport and entry to attractions
If you're heading to Hiroshima, the better route is Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima.
Even did it with overnight buses. 10000 yen for 3-day pass - but in your case, trains are better.
I didn't think Osaka was that industrial. ^^" It felt like they were really trying hard with their tourism, with all the free stuff on the tourist pass.
Dotonbori is iconic, really nice at night. Pass gave the river ferry for free. Plus the okonomiyaki, yum. Also got to try cheesecake from two different shops. (One a cheese tart)
The Osaka Kaiyukan (aquarium) has a shop that has the cutest whale shark merchandise.
Tourist pass also had some free onsen on them. Not sure if that's still the case, but they were nice!
Definitely some good memories with Osaka. :)
P.S. I never bought sandwiches in Japan, but the $1.50 onigiri are still very affordable! (Sometimes they are discounted if you buy two, too, from certain places like Lawson.) Good for breakfast.
Don't forget the Saeco-Mart, pronounced "psycho-mart" in Hokkaido. That's another trip you can do on your Japan Rail Pass. Take the world's longest undersea tunnel (54 km) to this very interesting island. We call it Japan's Tasmania as it's similar north latitudes to Tassie's south latitudes, around 43 degrees, and it's only slightly larger than Tasmania.
EDIT: Don't know why this has landed here as I was replying to @brezzo's post above, re the $2 sandwiches. 350 yen bento boxes from the ubiquitous "konbinis" (convenience stores) are a lunchtime feast. They used to equate to $AU3.50 but now the AUD has gone third world (thanks Abbott, Hockey) it is probably closer to $5.
1 AUD = 85.97 JPY
350 JPY = 4.07 AUD :)
Osaka is awesome. Hire a bike for $10/day and look around.
Best night life is in Osaka.
Kawaguchiko at the base of Mount Fuji is quite a nice place to visit and walk around. Can go on the viewing platform and the Kimono museum is there if that's your thing too. My recommendation is to hire a bike and ride everywhere.
Photo I took from the other side of the lake looking over kawaguchiko to Fuji. http://worth1000.s3.amazonaws.com/submissions/570000/570413_…
lol
There's supposedly monks in there for if you get lost too.
I was going to visit my old apartment in Tokyo but looking at streetview last night and it's been knocked down :(
Places to go: Kyoto, Sado Island, Sendai, Nikko, Tokyo, Kamakura.
In Tokyo : take the kids to : Tokyo Disneyland, Shibuya, Imperial Palace, Hato bus. still got 9 months to think about it.
Anyone going to Sukiyabashi Jiro or Sushi Saito?
Tried to book a table at Sushi Saito in July only to be told they are booked out for the month.
That's a shame. Howabout sushi mizutani, foreign press says they're a bit racist but not overtly.
I haven't gone for it as I'm planning to go in June but will be flying to KL for a friend's wedding as well so was thinking of going via KL, probably AirAsia. Is June a good time to go as I hear that it's rainy season then?
Getting a bit of radiation and hope my vision improves. Maybe eat one of those mutant fish like from the Simpsons. Not sure what else yet.