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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
- Start date
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
I've been to Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka. Is there anything else I should see in Japan? I don't have to see more of Japan. There's still tons of the world to see. I'm just curious whether there's something else I should see for sure.
MikeHattsu
Member
Bring USD and exchange at the airport in Japan. How much is the card fees for using the ATM abroad?
Well I enjoyed going to Hokkaido at least.
cj_iwakura
Member
Made it, layover and all. At Shinagawa now, probably gonna chill tonight.
Zoe
Member
Traveler's checks will get you better rates than cash, but apparently they're getting harder to find.
Patrick Bateman
Member
Yep, it was one week ago.
I was actually really surprised how good the exchange rate was at the bank at NRT. I think it was within 2 JPY or so of the "advertised" exchange rate.
For me, I think the 7-11 ATMs didn't have an international fee separate, but Wells Fargo's $5 transaction fee blooooooooooooooooows. Toward the end of my 2nd trip my CapitalOne360 card started working, and I think I didn't get hit with (visible) fees on either side somehow...
Cripplegate
Member
Yeah, bring cash and exchange at the airport. Worked great for me, and you definitely want cash on hand.
The ATMs at 7-11 do not have fees, which is awesome, but of course your bank will. How bad is it? Mine is $5 which seems standard and that honestly doesn't bother me. It was a small price to pay when I needed some extra cash in a fix. (You wouldn't want to keep doing that, obviously, but as a one time thing it doesn't hurt. Just try to get what you think you'll need at the airport and don't go blow it all straight away in shot bars like I did.)
MikeHattsu
Member
For USD at least. Some of the other rates sucks.
Okinawa and Hokkaido.
killertofu
Member
Yay. Scored Sumo tickets for May 9th.
SiegfriedFM
Member
Get tons of cash and store some in the hotel if you aren't comfortable carrying it around (although it's REALLY unlikely you'll get mugged). Many places take cards, but it's more convenient with cash in most cases. Also, for all that's holy, get a Suica card if you're staying in Tokyo. I can't begin to describe how useful it is.
It was $5 AND 3%. Pretty gross, and only something I'd want to use in an emergency.
cj_iwakura
Member
Pleasantly surprised by the inn, suits me just fine. Shinagawa is nice, lots of stuff around here. My sleeping schedule is so shot, heh.
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
Hokkaido seems cool but otherwise, guess I'm off to visit other countries.
cj_iwakura
Member
Any recommendations for breakfast or what people usually eat? Every place in shinagawa seems to be closed. Its 7AM here.
Maybe Anna Miller's at the station?
Maybe Anna Miller's at the station?
SiegfriedFM
Member
We go to a Café Veloce around here. I think it's a chain. Otherwise, just grab a can of (hot) latte from a machine and a sandwich from a Lawson or something and snack away.
Planning a trip to Japan later this year.
Probably a stupid question, but I see lots of people in this thread planning trips involving multiple cities, some lasting only 1 day. How are y'all handling accommodations? Change hotels every time or most tourist-centric cities are close enough that allow you to just hop on a train at the end of the day and stay in the same hotel during the whole trip?
Probably a stupid question, but I see lots of people in this thread planning trips involving multiple cities, some lasting only 1 day. How are y'all handling accommodations? Change hotels every time or most tourist-centric cities are close enough that allow you to just hop on a train at the end of the day and stay in the same hotel during the whole trip?
MikeHattsu
Member
Yeah, Nara/Hiroshima/Himeji/Kobe is close enough to Kyoto/Osaka and Hakone/Nikko is close enough to Tokyo to do day trips.
Oh, great. Staying in two cities doesn't sound as bad, I was a little worried. Thanks!
nabe_shogun
Member
I'm also planning a trip and I've been thinking about getting a hotel in the middle of the places I'd like to go. The bullet train is pretty quick, so you can just spend a day in one place and get back later in the day.
Last time I was in Japan, I was in Hiroshima for a study abroad program. Me and a few others took a day trip to Himeji, and it took like no time at all. We could have easily gone farther and still had a lot of time to do things.
Zoe
Member
Pick up onigiri at a convenience store.
Didn't check this yesterday, so glad you made it! We were in Shinjuku close to the station and made an expensive, but incredibly delicious, habit of hitting Gontran Cherrier in the morning...
Waiting for the Shinkansen from Atami to Kyoto now. Last night we stayed at Seizan Yamato, a ryokan in Ito, and it was incredible. We went overboard and even got a private bath on the balcony. I had tried to prepare myself for the food experience but I mean nothing can really prepare you for a baby squid, lol. It was all delicious though and that was probably the best nigt's sleep I've had since getting here. As we were leaving this morning they even apologized for not realizing my wife's birthday is later this week (the 15th!) I was floored. Anyway, up next is an airbnb for a few days and so as long as we find it okay, we should be good
we have great directions though so I'm confident.
//ARCANUM
Member
Hey! My wife and I are in Tokyo right now. We live in America but are considering buying an iPad Pro from the Apple Store here in Tokyo as opposed to waiting until back in the US. because we're impatient. Lol. Is this a bad idea? I assume it's the same iPad? You can just select English. Any problem with customs in the US?
Cospa in akihabara should have something.
http://www.cospa.com/staticdoc/p/company_indexe
http://www.cospa.com/itemlist/id/00020/mode/series
edit:
Kotobukiya
http://en.kotobukiya.co.jp/
I didn't even -know- about the Eva store until I randomly walked into the PARCO building looking for the Tower Records, lol. Ended up buying one of the EVA TYPE 500 Skinkansen phone charms, a Sushio art... thing? and a set of branded fork/spoon hahaha. I'm a sucker, what can I say. The Shinkansen thing was important to me though, because there was no way I was actually riding the real train. =(
Oof, yeah, didn't realize that. =(
Anywhere in Akiba? Like, I found Evangelion razors there. If they got Evengelion razors then they'll probably have what you're looking for...I mean...RAZORS! who needs Evengelion razors?!?! haha
Laevateinn
Member
Why not just wait a bit or order one and have it waiting for you at the post office when you get home? A 128 GB 9.7 inch iPad Pro at Yodobashi camera is approx $850. The same one sold directly by Apple to the US is only $750. You're throwing money away.
As for customs, they have no idea of knowing what you brought with you or got while there, unless of course it's obviously from Japan. I wouldn't worry about that.
SiegfriedFM
Member
Today was Shinjuku. What a crazy place! We did the park first and it was amazing - well worth the effort but probably one of the last days it will be really pretty. We then went and found the Capcom Bar. It's pretty cozy and they have all themed food and stuff. I had a Rashid drink (lemonjuice and yoghurt) and a Miles Edgeworth cake tray. My friends got a Dante pizza and some onion rings for whoever, and a Jill Valentine drink. They also had some games set up, so I was inspired to go and buy Sengoku Basara 4 after that.
I had tracked down a band that was playing nearby, so we went looking. It took forever to find the place, as it turned out to be two floors down. Then we went inside and had to pay a 4100 yen fee. Well, okay then. And then we realized that we were in the wrong place. It was some visual kei group performing for a horde of screaming schoolgirls, which was kind of fun to watch until our ears fell off. Then I went looking and realized that we were supposed to go across the hall to another place.
This was a very small stage, like a tiny cinema theater, and it was only 1500 yen. The band was a small j-pop girl band called Electric Ribbon, and they were pretty good. It was hilarious how the audience (of mostly men aged 20-40) were as crazy as the schoolgirs, but the band had a great show. Then there was a meet-and-greet and they ushered us up on stage, so we got to talk to them a bit. I asked to buy their cd and got it signed.
We ended up not going to Robot Restaurant - as we went by the entrance and the thousands of "offices", it looked more and more like a tourist trap. I think we had more fun at this concert, even if we paid extra for a gig we didn't even stay for.
I had tracked down a band that was playing nearby, so we went looking. It took forever to find the place, as it turned out to be two floors down. Then we went inside and had to pay a 4100 yen fee. Well, okay then. And then we realized that we were in the wrong place. It was some visual kei group performing for a horde of screaming schoolgirls, which was kind of fun to watch until our ears fell off. Then I went looking and realized that we were supposed to go across the hall to another place.
This was a very small stage, like a tiny cinema theater, and it was only 1500 yen. The band was a small j-pop girl band called Electric Ribbon, and they were pretty good. It was hilarious how the audience (of mostly men aged 20-40) were as crazy as the schoolgirs, but the band had a great show. Then there was a meet-and-greet and they ushered us up on stage, so we got to talk to them a bit. I asked to buy their cd and got it signed.
We ended up not going to Robot Restaurant - as we went by the entrance and the thousands of "offices", it looked more and more like a tourist trap. I think we had more fun at this concert, even if we paid extra for a gig we didn't even stay for
.SiegfriedFM
Member
cj_iwakura
Member
I never thought too much anime could be a thing until I saw Akihabara. Good God. Got a copy of Tengai Makyou IV at Book Off for 500Y
Also Castle Shikigami 2 at Super Potato.
I feel like I got shafted when I bought the Narita express ticket. It was 3190y, and they said there was no Suica combo. Is there a way to get back to Narita using only the normal trains?
Pretty sure I'm going to need more yen, $200 isn't holding up well, heh.
Also Castle Shikigami 2 at Super Potato.
I feel like I got shafted when I bought the Narita express ticket. It was 3190y, and they said there was no Suica combo. Is there a way to get back to Narita using only the normal trains?
Pretty sure I'm going to need more yen, $200 isn't holding up well, heh.
Patrick Bateman
Member
I never thought too much anime could be a thing until I saw Akihabara. Good God. Got a copy of Tengai Makyou IV at Book Off for 500Y
Also Castle Shikigami 2 at Super Potato.
I feel like I got shafted when I bought the Narita express ticket. It was 3190y, and they said there was no Suica combo. Is there a way to get back to Narita using only the normal trains?
Try the Hyperdia-app.
This thing is pretty amazing and you can set it to different settings, whichever type of transportation you want to use.
cj_iwakura
Member
Do standard trains go to Narita though?
killertofu
Member
What time do trains stop?
I want to go to a club/show in Shinjuku on the 29th but our air bnb is in chou?
I want to go to a club/show in Shinjuku on the 29th but our air bnb is in chou?
MikeHattsu
Member
A bit after midnight.
Laevateinn
Member
You could always promise your firstborn to a taxi driver.
Patrick Bateman
Member
I found it quite surprising that cabs aren't thaaaat expensive.
We somehow only got the last train from Kyoto to Osaka and had to get from main station to Tennoji, which is about 5km. It was 1am and it cost us like 2500 yen.
MikeHattsu
Member
Some of them might not have started taking bookings yet. Check http://travel.rakuten.com/ and Japanican
cj_iwakura
Member
Shibuya today. Maybe Nakano as well and Ueno Park if that's doable.
SiegfriedFM
Member
I'll be doing Nakano Broadway today. If you see a tall bearded foreigner in glasses and a blue t-shirt, say hi!
nabe_shogun
Member
I agree with this. Even if you get a deal or its on sale, you'll still end up paying more than you would in the US.
I ran into this when I needed a new digital camera. Spend about a week looking around different places. Eventually found a store that was on clearance and selling everything super cheap. And I still payed about what the normal US price would have been.
Then again, this was in 2012 and the yen was worth more.
MikeHattsu
Member
Looks like there's a fire at the Golden Gai area in Shinjuku:
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2016/04/12/fire-breaks-out-in-shinjukus-golden-gai/
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2016/04/12/fire-breaks-out-in-shinjukus-golden-gai/
//ARCANUM
Member
We ended up getting one from the Ginza Apple Store. It was about $18 more than getting it in the US. And they did it as tax free. Now what I read online is that if you buy $800 of stuff, that's all non-taxed when going thru customs in the US. Everything over $800 is a flat 3% tax. Hopefully that's correct. Would mean the iPad was cheaper in the long run. And customs will know we bought it because they stapled the receipt into the passport and stamped it/the page it's on. And even if they charged us 3% tax on the whole thing, that's still cheaper than the sales tax in Texas where we live. We'll see what happens at customs I guess.