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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once

M

Marion Cobretti

Member
MikeHattsu said:
Edit: Or are you talking about taking trains? There are no overnight trains running* and the trip one way is about 8.5 hours to Sapporo from Tokyo.

*With one exception that's only running infrequently, it's not covered by the JR Pass, takes 16.5 hours and good luck getting tickets, cause it's usually full.
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It doesn't say anything about over night trains, but this claims that you can use the JR Pass to get out to Hokkaido.

http://www.sapporostation.com/hokkaido-shinkansen-traveling-from-tokyo-to-sapporo/

I'm contemplating whether I should just go for it and leave super early so that I can make it to the game, or if I should just use that time doing other stuff. Really wanted to go to a game at a Dome, but it doesn't seem like an option at this point.

I still have about 5-6 days where I don't have anything planned. I'm thinking instead of Hokkaido, maybe I should just use that time going to Hiroshima, Koyasan, and Osaka.
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
Marion Cobretti said:
It doesn't say anything about over night trains, but this claims that you can use the JR Pass to get out to Hokkaido.
Click to expand...

Yes It's only the overnight train that's not covered. The normal Shinkansen and limited express trains you need to take to Sapporo are.

The earliest you're gonna be in Sapporo is around 14:45, not counting the subway ride from Sapporo to the dome itself (which is not covered by the JR Pass)
 
R

Raw64life

Member
For whatever reason my Suica card is not working in Osaka. Just bit the bullet and bought tickets individually. Only cost me about $15 to get where I needed to go so no biggie.

Having a problem with http://wifi.tocoo.jp/en/ though. I assumed it was unlimited data since, well, it says "fixed rate with unlimited data" right on the front page. But after 2 days it began to get slow as fuck and I'm clearly being throttled. Maybe someone can help me decipher these messages I get on the router? Certainly seems to point to the data not being unlimited at all.

qWvTY9I.jpg

a6acVQM.jpg

DtcFHFl.jpg
Click to expand...

Also, I guess I need to figure out how to say "I don't have any coins on me" in Japanese. I went to a place last night where the bill was 4080. I gave them 10000. They asked if I had any coins on me since I guess they didn't have that many. I said "no change" and the woman gave me a weird look. Then a guy came over and starting explaining to me in broken English about how they don't tip here (which I already know). They thought I was trying to tip them 6000 yen XD
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
Raw64life said:
For whatever reason my Suica card is not working in Osaka. Just bit the bullet and bought tickets individually. Only cost me about $15 to get where I needed to go so no biggie.

Having a problem with http://wifi.tocoo.jp/en/ though. I assumed it was unlimited data since, well, it says "fixed rate with unlimited data" right on the front page. But after 2 days it began to get slow as fuck and I'm clearly being throttled.
Click to expand...

Hmm... It should work, unless you travelled outside of Osaka or they had problems with the card network. Where were you going from and to?

The throttling is described here on their website:
http://wifi.tocoo.jp/en/product.php
 
R

Raw64life

Member
MikeHattsu said:
Hmm... It should work, unless you travelled outside of Osaka or they had problems with the card network. Where were you going from and to?

The throttling is described here on their website:
http://wifi.tocoo.jp/en/product.php
Click to expand...

Went from Osaka to Nara and then from Nara to Kyoto. Suica did not work at any point.

I read that product page earlier and was confused. Does 1G/3 day mean 1GB every 3 days? And the thing under it 7GB for a whole month?
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
Raw64life said:
Went from Osaka to Nara and then from Nara to Kyoto. Suica did not work at any point.

I read that product page earlier and was confused. Does 1G/3 day mean 1GB every 3 days? And the thing under it 7GB for a whole month?
Click to expand...

That's weird. Did yoy ask why? It should work as long as there's no network problems.

It's 1GB for every 3 days before it goes down to 128kbps, resetting at midnight each day if you go over. Not 100% sure about the second thing since they didn't have that last time I used them, but I think you're correct about that.
 
J

JulianImp

Member
MikeHattsu said:
That's weird. Did yoy ask why? It should work as long as there's no network problems.

It's 1GB for every 3 days before it goes down to 128kbps, resetting at midnight each day if you go over. Not 100% sure about the second thing since they didn't have that last time I used them, but I think you're correct about that.
Click to expand...

Oh, that quota... I remember watching one or two eps of stuff on Crunchyroll at night before going to sleep, but one day I couldn't go out and ended up watching more, so the next two days were hell with the pocket wi-fi barely even loading Google Maps due to the throttling.
 
T

T-Rex.

Banned
This thread is perfect. I'm actually looking to visit next year so all this info is really helpful.

I will time my trip so I can catch the first Heaven's Feel movie in the cinema. Pls don't judge me :p
 
J

JulianImp

Member
Since the topic of watching movies in theatres has been brought up, does anyone know how long anime movies tend to be showcased there? I'd really like to go watch Kizumonogatari part 2 when I go there this September, but am wondering if I'll actually get the chance to do so.
 
T

T-Rex.

Banned
Should be a few weeks I'd imagine. There's also the question of subtitles. I know the big western releases have English subtitles in some places, but no idea if that's the case for anime movies. It's most likely not but ya never know.
 
K

Ken

Member
MikeHattsu said:
If you're there for the nightlife/clubbing then Shinjuku would probably be better (but not as good as Shibuya). If not, then just go for the place you can get the best deal or where you're going to spend the most time.
Click to expand...

KrisB said:
Shinjuku. Loved that area, we stayed for a few days and it's a great spot.
Click to expand...

Laevateinn said:
The train system is so great in Tokyo, unless you're planning on staying out later than they run, I would go for whatever looks best and cheapest as long as it is on the Yamanote.
Click to expand...

Ended up booking in Remm Akihabara since it was connected to the JR station + next to Akihabara.

Maybe I'll stay in Shinjuku next time.
 
M

Marion Cobretti

Member
Just worked out my itinerary for the last 9 days of my month in Japan. It's totally flexible if you guys wanna recommend anything that's near by or better than any of these spots.

July 12 - Miyajima Night
July 13 - Miyajima/Hiroshima Day, Osaka night
July 14 - Osaka Day, Kanazawa Night
July 15 - Kanazawa Day/Night
July 16 - Hakone
July 17 - Kamakura
July 18/21 - Tokyo

Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated.
 
Z

Zatoth

Member
On Miyajima I'd recommend to use the ropeway to see the mountain. Really enjoyed it up there. Just make sure not to miss the last ride down. Doubt it is fun to go down the mountain in the dark. (friend of mine almost tricked us in doing that. crazy bastard)
 
J

JulianImp

Member
I'm probably going to be somewhere around the Yamanote Sugamo station, so that I can at least move around using that plus subways to get just about anywhere rather quickly. Last time around I was close to the Mita line's Motohasunuma station, which was even farther away from most interesting places, but I managed to get around just fine anyway. There also was a nice botanical garden with aquarium around Takashimadaira, and I even found a decent bakery while on my way back where I finally tried some melon-flavored bread (so good!).

I've really ought to try out a lot more variety in foods this time around since my short stay will keep my budget in check for the most part. Off the top of my mind I remember having tried tempura, autumn festival takoyaki, udon, soba, tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, natto, a revolving sushi place and some sweets, but I'd definitely like to try out some more stuff this year if I can.
 
S

SiegfriedFM

Member
Ken said:
Ended up booking in Remm Akihabara since it was connected to the JR station + next to Akihabara.

Maybe I'll stay in Shinjuku next time.
Click to expand...

Even if you don't visit Akihabara that much, I found that it was the perfect crossing. From there you can go west to Shinjuku/Shibuya/Harajuku/Ikebukuro/Nakano, or south to Tokyo/Ginza/Odaiba/Haneda(/Yokohama/Kamakura). Me and my friends (staying at different places) ended up meeting there almost every day.

I might do Shinjuku next time, I'm a bit intrigued (and a bit intimidated) by the nightlife there, but in that case I won't stay in the same place for two weeks, it will probably wear you out :D
 
E

elhaym

Member
MikeHattsu said:
Staying near Osaki Station myself next time, cause I found a cheap place.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I'm just gonna spring for cost next trip. Stayed in Shibuya and Ikebukuro for the experience these past trips, and they were great... but now I just want money for other things... As long as something is near the Yamanote (heck, now that I know the system even a few stops out another line), I'm good. I'm not a person who's gonna be out clubbing anyway.
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
Marion Cobretti said:
Guys, I have brown skin and a beard. I'm getting looks, not dirty looks, but looks none the less. Should I shave? Or am I just over thinking things?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Japan has tons of Muslims from places like Indonesia, Pakistan and Iran. If you think they're looking at you, it might be because they don't see people who look like you often and not because they think you're a Muslim and that scares them. I imagine that even if you shaved, you might have people looking at you.
 
M

Marion Cobretti

Member
I'm Latino on top of it. I'll try it out for a day. Hopefully it's not like Vienna where people were mean mugging me left and right cause they thought I was Muslim. Doesn't feel good to experience racism like that.
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
MikeHattsu said:
There's viking stuff around here if that's of interest.
Click to expand...

That and metal. My dad's family is originally from Sweden so I would probably spend more time there but I've been interested in going to Norway for a while as well. Most likely I would schedule my trip around Inferno Festival or some other concert.
 
E

exhume

Member
So I'm making my first trip to Japan later this year, from October 27 to November 9th!

My itinerary is pretty whirlwind, it's going to be:

Arrive in Tokyo, stay for 3 nights
2 nights in Takayama
2 nights in Kanazawa
3 nights in Kyoto
1 night on Koyasan
2 nights in Osaka and leave from KIX

Tokyo alone is going to be crammed, I land at about 7:00am and am hoping to not be too jetlagged to do a full day and night of sightseeing on arrival (the plan is to check out Shibuya, Harajuku, Ikebukuro [mostly for the Evangelion store] and Shinjuku where I'm staying). Then day 2 is going to be spent at Nikko. Day 3 I hope to check out Asakusa and Akihabara, and fit in some shopping at Ochanomizu for some guitar gear.
That night I'm torn between checking out Disneyland on one of their after 6pm passes, or alternatively trying to catch a local punk/metal/hardcore band. What would you guys recommend? Would Disneyland after 6pm be a waste of money? Is it really difficult finding and getting into a local band show? I'd actually love to see a visual kei band, but from what I gather, that scene is dead.

My last day in Tokyo I probably won't have time to do much, as it looks like the shinkansen to Takayama takes 5-6 hours (!!!), bummer.

Any other tips/advice/things I can't miss would be appreciated!
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
exhume said:
Tokyo alone is going to be crammed, I land at about 7:00am and am hoping to not be too jetlagged to do a full day and night of sightseeing on arrival (the plan is to check out Shibuya, Harajuku, Ikebukuro [mostly for the Evangelion store] and Shinjuku where I'm staying). Then day 2 is going to be spent at Nikko. Day 3 I hope to check out Asakusa and Akihabara, and fit in some shopping at Ochanomizu for some guitar gear.
That night I'm torn between checking out Disneyland on one of their after 6pm passes, or alternatively trying to catch a local punk/metal/hardcore band.
Click to expand...

Well, that's a really packed plan at least. Not sure you're gonna be able to do all that unless you only walk through some places without stopping and checking things out :p

Oh, and October 29th is a Starlight Passport night at Disneyland, not an After 6 Passport night. And since it's a Saturday in October it's going to be crowded as hell, so depending on what you're going to Disneyland for it might not be worth it. If you're planning to take any of the popular rides you'll probably only be able to do 1-2 of them if you go there after 6. It might be better to switch Day 1 and Day 3 if you really want to check out Disneyland.
 
M

Marion Cobretti

Member
Guys, I reeeally wanna get a Super Famicom while I'm here. I went to the Book Off in Shibuya today, and one in Setagaya. Neither had one, but I did manage to get some insane deals on a few games.

Just wanted to know if anyone could recommend some shops. I don't doubt I can find one in Akihabara, but everything I'm reading implies they're gonna be pretty expensive there.

Thoughts?
 
L

Laevateinn

Member
exhume said:
Is it really difficult finding and getting into a local band show? I'd actually love to see a visual kei band, but from what I gather, that scene is dead.
Click to expand...

I'm not interested in Disneyland so I can't help you on that front but I can help you here. I saw Sigh play a show at the Shibuya Duo Music Exchange the last time I was in Tokyo. I had a great time but it was a bit weird getting in. I think it helps if you speak a little J-go but it's not 100 % necessary.

The hardest thing, of course, is getting a ticket. I had to get it ahead of time at a Lawson and that's of course a notorious nightmare. Definitely look up instructions on how this works and this is where it will help to know a little Japanese. Once there, they had a system where you have to buy a drink ticket and select which group you would like to dedicate it to. It seemed natural to the locals so it's probably like that at other places as well. Otherwise, enjoy yourself.

Marion Cobretti said:
Guys, I reeeally wanna get a Super Famicom while I'm here. I went to the Book Off in Shibuya today, and one in Setagaya. Neither had one, but I did manage to get some insane deals on a few games.

Just wanted to know if anyone could recommend some shops. I don't doubt I can find one in Akihabara, but everything I'm reading implies they're gonna be pretty expensive there.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Outside of Book Off, I can't think of anywhere I saw used retro consoles that wasn't Akihabara. You might have luck but Akihabara isn't that expensive. Have you been to Friends yet? Just price around. A Super Famicom isn't going to be impossible to find so keep an eye out and grab one when you see the price you like.
 
E

exhume

Member
MikeHattsu said:
Well, that's a really packed plan at least. Not sure you're gonna be able to do all that unless you only walk through some places without stopping and checking things out :p

Oh, and October 29th is a Starlight Passport night at Disneyland, not an After 6 Passport night. And since it's a Saturday in October it's going to be crowded as hell, so depending on what you're going to Disneyland for it might not be worth it. If you're planning to take any of the popular rides you'll probably only be able to do 1-2 of them if you go there after 6. It might be better to switch Day 1 and Day 3 if you really want to check out Disneyland.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much! Swapping the days is a great idea - I guess I'll have a better chance of catching a good band on a Saturday night too. Might give Disneyland a miss if I've gotta go to Nikko early the next morning, looks like the tour departs at 7:30ish. If I change my mind though, is it easy enough to get tickets to Disneyland on the day, or is it really better to organise in advance?

It is pretty hectic haha, but I'm just hoping to soak up some atmosphere/take some crazy photos and maybe buy some anime/manga merch and a couple daruma dolls et cetera. Looks like most of the stuff to do in Tokyo involves shopping and eating/drinking, which doesn't interest me heaps (and there's no way in hell I could pull off any Japanese fashion, lol.) Correct me if I'm wrong though! Will I be missing anything awesome if I'm just kind of wandering through each area? Bear in mind I'm not heaps keen to check out any shrines/temples/parks, as I'll be seeing a zillion of those in Takayama/Kanazawa/Kyoto.

Also, sorry about all the questions :)

Edit: Oh yeah, if anyone has any recommendations, it might help if I mention stuff I'm interested in. Probably mostly the tacky tourist stuff, like visiting a Pokémon centre, Tower Records, Kiddyland, Animate store, the Square Enix cafe, taking purikura etc. Also, my boyfriend is a massive coffee nerd, so any café recommendations would be sweet!

Laevateinn said:
I'm not interested in Disneyland so I can't help you on that front but I can help you here. I saw Sigh play a show at the Shibuya Duo Music Exchange the last time I was in Tokyo. I had a great time but it was a bit weird getting in. I think it helps if you speak a little J-go but it's not 100 % necessary.

The hardest thing, of course, is getting a ticket. I had to get it ahead of time at a Lawson and that's of course a notorious nightmare. Definitely look up instructions on how this works and this is where it will help to know a little Japanese. Once there, they had a system where you have to buy a drink ticket and select which group you would like to dedicate it to. It seemed natural to the locals so it's probably like that at other places as well. Otherwise, enjoy yourself.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for the info! I guess I'll just keep my ear to the ground for events closer to the date. I have absolutely zero Japanese speaking/reading so wish me luck, haha.
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
exhume said:
Thanks so much! Swapping the days is a great idea - I guess I'll have a better chance of catching a good band on a Saturday night too. Might give Disneyland a miss if I've gotta go to Nikko early the next morning, looks like the tour departs at 7:30ish. If I change my mind though, is it easy enough to get tickets to Disneyland on the day, or is it really better to organise in advance?

It is pretty hectic haha, but I'm just hoping to soak up some atmosphere/take some crazy photos and maybe buy some anime/manga merch and a couple daruma dolls et cetera. Looks like most of the stuff to do in Tokyo involves shopping and eating/drinking, which doesn't interest me heaps (and there's no way in hell I could pull off any Japanese fashion, lol.) Correct me if I'm wrong though! Will I be missing anything awesome if I'm just kind of wandering through each area? Bear in mind I'm not heaps keen to check out any shrines/temples/parks, as I'll be seeing a zillion of those in Takayama/Kanazawa/Kyoto.
Click to expand...

On that Thursday it should be ok to get tickets day-of. On Saturday there's a small possibility that they might sell out. It's better to buy them in advance though, then you don't have to both queue to get tickets and then queue to get in (although the queue at late night entrance is much shorter than when they open for the day) :p

Well, it depends on what you're interested in, but there's lots of stuff going on everywhere even if you just want to people watch or take pictures.

Even if you're checking out shrines/temples/parks in other places you should at least check out Yoyogi Park when you're in Harajuku if you're going on Saturday. Might catch some people playing music or other kinds of street performers. Saw a guy doing paper cutting and some people playing drums last time I were there.

And you could lose yourself for hours just browsing anime/manga goods in all the small shops (especially if you're looking for deals or something specific) or checking out an arcade in Akihabara.
 
M

Marion Cobretti

Member
So, I spent the last two days in Shibuya, Setagaya, Harajuku, ans Shinjuku. Walked over 30 miles. I'm so fuckim beat, but they've been two very awesome days. Today is day 3, and I spent it an on onsen relaxing my face off in Asakusa.

Gonna go grab dinner in Akihabara tonight. Any suggestions?
 
M

Marion Cobretti

Member
Ok, so far I got...

Super Mario Kart
F-Zero
Chronic Trigger
FF4
Mario Paint

All for $20

I found a Super Famicom today for $60 with no controllers or cables. I feel like I can find better deal so I will hold out a bit.
 
E

exhume

Member
MikeHattsu said:
On that Thursday it should be ok to get tickets day-of. On Saturday there's a small possibility that they might sell out. It's better to buy them in advance though, then you don't have to both queue to get tickets and then queue to get in (although the queue at late night entrance is much shorter than when they open for the day) :p

Well, it depends on what you're interested in, but there's lots of stuff going on everywhere even if you just want to people watch or take pictures.

Even if you're checking out shrines/temples/parks in other places you should at least check out Yoyogi Park when you're in Harajuku if you're going on Saturday. Might catch some people playing music or other kinds of street performers. Saw a guy doing paper cutting and some people playing drums last time I were there.

And you could lose yourself for hours just browsing anime/manga goods in all the small shops (especially if you're looking for deals or something specific) or checking out an arcade in Akihabara.
Click to expand...

Beaut! I appreciate all the tips. Can't wait for my trip, even though it's still 4 months off :D
 
F

Fritz

Member
exhume said:
So I'm making my first trip to Japan later this year, from October 27 to November 9th!

My itinerary is pretty whirlwind, it's going to be:

Arrive in Tokyo, stay for 3 nights
2 nights in Takayama
2 nights in Kanazawa
3 nights in Kyoto
1 night on Koyasan
2 nights in Osaka and leave from KIX

Tokyo alone is going to be crammed, I land at about 7:00am and am hoping to not be too jetlagged to do a full day and night of sightseeing on arrival (the plan is to check out Shibuya, Harajuku, Ikebukuro [mostly for the Evangelion store] and Shinjuku where I'm staying). Then day 2 is going to be spent at Nikko. Day 3 I hope to check out Asakusa and Akihabara, and fit in some shopping at Ochanomizu for some guitar gear.
That night I'm torn between checking out Disneyland on one of their after 6pm passes, or alternatively trying to catch a local punk/metal/hardcore band. What would you guys recommend? Would Disneyland after 6pm be a waste of money? Is it really difficult finding and getting into a local band show? I'd actually love to see a visual kei band, but from what I gather, that scene is dead.

My last day in Tokyo I probably won't have time to do much, as it looks like the shinkansen to Takayama takes 5-6 hours (!!!), bummer.

Any other tips/advice/things I can't miss would be appreciated!
Click to expand...


I had a very similar itinerary when I first visited. I loved the village of Shirakawa Go and the surrounding villages. Rent a car in Takayama to go there by yourself and in your own time.

I'd also recommend a fantastic onsen ryokan called Hirayu no Mori close to the Kamikochi National Park.
 
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