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[Priz]

Hm... You could still watch the live though, since it's on the first floor?

Correct. You can do first floor stuff just not the bar/food places on 2nd or 3rd. Maybe you can do the shop on the 2nd? but not sure... First time I checked it out Nemu and Eitaso were on the 3rd... last time I was up there Mirin was working there. I haven't been since and heard since my last visit it's hard to get up there, now it's near impossible.

Rather spend my time at MOGRA/Star Kebab/other places anyway... ^_^

 

[ThreePiMatt]

That secretflying link is a bummer since it's Japan to US and back and not the other way around. Not sure how to take advantage of that.

 

[danowat]

my flight was nearly 20x that price!!!

 

[Zoe]

That secretflying link is a bummer since it's Japan to US and back and not the other way around. Not sure how to take advantage of that.

Get a one-way to Japan and don't take the return flight for the Japanese ticket.

The risk is too high for me though.

 

[ThreePiMatt]

Get a one-way to Japan and don't take the return flight for the Japanese ticket.

The risk is too high for me though.

One-way tickets are a scam most of the time. They never cost just half of a round trip ticket.

It'd be cheaper to buy two round trip tickets at the error price, but they'll probably cancel the first ticket since you wouldn't be on the Japan to US leg.

 

[MikeHattsu]

but they'll probably cancel the first ticket since you wouldn't be on the Japan to US leg.

There's like a 99.99% chance of that happening

 

[KillGore]

So what's the general opinion regarding the best ward to stay in Tokyo? Shinjuku? Shibuya? Chiyoda? Minato?

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

Heading to Japan for two weeks in March. Spending a week in Tokyo (with day trips around the city), 2 days in Kyoto, 1 in Hiroshima, and 2 in Fukuoka. Do these days make sense? Trying to see historical stuff but also party and try new/weird things.

 

[Laevateinn]

So what's the general opinion regarding the best ward to stay in Tokyo? Shinjuku? Shibuya? Chiyoda? Minato?

Ikebukuro

 

[Fireblend]

So what's the general opinion regarding the best ward to stay in Tokyo? Shinjuku? Shibuya? Chiyoda? Minato?

My gf and I stayed at Shibuya and Minato and honestly the transportation infrastructure is so good there's not much of a difference. Plus you'll have a 7-11 or some other convenience store less than 50 meters away from you and a shitton of great restaurants and metro stations nearby regardless of where you're standing in that city

That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but having been there, I found my fears regarding where we would stay to be pretty much pointless.

 

[Laevateinn]

If it has access to yamamote you will be fine. Just try to pick one that isn't too far from the stops you think you'll spend the most time.

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

Anywhere is in the city is fine in my experience. Try to be closer to a station if you hate walking after taking the last train I guess.

 

[KillGore]

ok thanks guys!

 

[MikeHattsu]

So what's the general opinion regarding the best ward to stay in Tokyo? Shinjuku? Shibuya? Chiyoda? Minato?

If you want to party all night then Shibuya I guess. Otherwise, just somewhere near the Yamanote or the section of the Chuo Line that crosses the Yamanote. One of the places I liked that I stayed in was a hotel near Ochanomizu since it had easy access to the Chuo Line and it was a 5 min walk to Akihabara

Heading to Japan for two weeks in March. Spending a week in Tokyo (with day trips around the city), 2 days in Kyoto, 1 in Hiroshima, and 2 in Fukuoka. Do these days make sense? Trying to see historical stuff but also party and try new/weird things.

Hm... Any particular reason you're going to Fukuoka?

 

[Laevateinn]

If you want to party all night then Shibuya I guess. Otherwise, just somewhere near the Yamanote or the section of the Chuo Line that crosses the Yamanote. One of the places I liked that I stayed in was a hotel near Ochanomizu since it had easy access to the Chuo Line and it was a 5 min walk to Akihabara




Hm... Any particular reason you're going to Fukuoka?

Ochanomizu is also nice because it's a hip area. There are several guitar and book shops and a few universities there.

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

If you want to party all night then Shibuya I guess. Otherwise, just somewhere near the Yamanote or the section of the Chuo Line that crosses the Yamanote. One of the places I liked that I stayed in was a hotel near Ochanomizu since it had easy access to the Chuo Line and it was a 5 min walk to Akihabara




Hm... Any particular reason you're going to Fukuoka?

Seemed like a cool town on the ocean?

 

[PdotMichael]

Oh my.

Even the Japanese in Tokio say that Osaka is a way cooler place than Tokio. So many arguments for coming back again soon. And there are still places like Hokkaido and Okinawa to visit.

 

[MikeHattsu]

Seemed like a cool town on the ocean?

I'd rather recommend checking out some of the other cities near Kyoto like Osaka and Nara instead of travelling all the way to Fukuoka, but that's just me though.

 

[Hyrule Warrior]

My trip has gone south today I got food poisoning or something along those lines, and I'm feeling terrible. When my stomach isn't really bad, I feel weak, and in pain. My time in Kyoto is being ruined.

 

[MikeHattsu]

My trip has gone south today I got food poisoning or something along those lines, and I'm feeling terrible. When my stomach isn't really bad, I feel weak, and in pain. My time in Kyoto is being ruined.

Dang. What did you eat?

 

[PdotMichael]

My trip has gone south today I got food poisoning or something along those lines, and I'm feeling terrible. When my stomach isn't really bad, I feel weak, and in pain. My time in Kyoto is being ruined.

I feel a little sick as well. I hope it''s a result of too much drinking and not that I got the dangerous Japanese cold.

 

[Hyrule Warrior]

Dang. What did you eat?

Tonkatsu with some shrimp and rice... I don't know for sure if it's food poisoning; but it seemed like it. Haven't been able to keep food or water down all day. Even the medicine I got at the pharmacy.... I tried going to a hospital, but the English speaking doctor was done for the day and no one else would see me.

 

[danowat]

I tried going to a hospital, but the English speaking doctor was done for the day and no one else would see me.

Blimey, that sounds helpful, good job it's nothing serious!!!

 

[Hyrule Warrior]

Blimey, that sounds helpful, good job it's nothing serious!!!

I know, I was so desperate for help because I've been getting dehydrated

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

I'd rather recommend checking out some of the other cities near Kyoto like Osaka and Nara instead of travelling all the way to Fukuoka, but that's just me though.

Any reason besides distance? Is it not an interesting town?

 

[Laevateinn]

My trip has gone south today I got food poisoning or something along those lines, and I'm feeling terrible. When my stomach isn't really bad, I feel weak, and in pain. My time in Kyoto is being ruined.

My wife got pretty sick on our first trip and I got something nasty on our second. I'm hoping our next one is illness free. Unfortunately, it was mostly allergy related so I doubt it.

I hope you feel better quickly. Are you able to navigate the kusuri on your own?

 

[danowat]

Another train question, can't remember if I've asked this, but I need to know again if so!!!

Take for example my trip from Shinjuku to Kyoto, I take the N'ex from Shinjuku to Shingawa, then the Shinkansen Hikari to Kyoto.

Both these journeys are free with the JR Pass, so that's not an issue, but both are limited express services, so the seats need to be "reserved", so can I book and reserve the seats for complete journey at Shinjuku?, or just the first leg and I have to book and reserve the second leg at Shingawa (which would be a bit of a ballache if so........)

 

[MikeHattsu]

Another train question, can't remember if I've asked this, but I need to know again if so!!!

Take for example my trip from Shinjuku to Kyoto, I take the N'ex from Shinjuku to Shingawa, then the Shinkansen Hikari to Kyoto.

Both these journeys are free with the JR Pass, so that's not an issue, but both are limited express services, so the seats need to be "reserved", so can I book and reserve the seats for complete journey at Shinjuku?, or just the first leg and I have to book and reserve the second leg at Shingawa (which would be a bit of a ballache if so........)

You can reserve at Shinjuku. But are you sure you're actually able to do Shinjuku->Shinagawa though? It only goes between those 2 4 times a day....

 

[danowat]

You can reserve at Shinjuku. But are you sure you're actually able to do Shinjuku->Shinagawa though? It only goes between those 2 4 times a day....

according to Hyperdia, yes............

 

[MikeHattsu]

according to Hyperdia, yes............

Well, as long as you don't have a waiting time of more than 40 minutes between the trains I guess it's worth doing.

 

[danowat]

Well, as long as you don't have a waiting time of more than 40 minutes between the trains I guess it's worth doing.

12mins between arriving at Shingawa and departing for Kyoto, I just hope I can find the correct platform in 12mins!

 

[MikeHattsu]

12mins between arriving at Shingawa and departing for Kyoto, I just hope I can find the correct platform in 12mins!

Yeah, should be fine. Just use the transfer gates, since the tracks are close to eachother:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e788.html

 

[danowat]

Yeah, should be fine. Just use the transfer gates, since the tracks are close to eachother:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e788.html

The Japanese train stations blow my mind, I've already been warned about getting lost at Shinjuku........

 

[OniBarubary]

Week until my trip! Wewt wewt!

 

[Fireblend]

The Japanese train stations blow my mind, I've already been warned about getting lost at Shinjuku........

We went to watch Rogue One at TOHO Cinemas in Shinjuku, and decided it'd be a good idea to just use a coin locker at the station to keep all our stuff (we'd been in Akihabara for a good portion of the day).

When we returned from the movie it took us like 20 minutes to find the damn coin locker >_> so, uh, take good note of where your locker is if you use one there. I even suggested leaving and returning in the morning since it was pretty late but my gf had left the keys to our Airbnb in one of the bags lol

Also, it turns out there are lockers at the movie theater.

 

[danowat]

When we returned from the movie it took us like 20 minutes to find the damn coin locker >_> so, uh, take good note of where your locker is if you use one there. I even suggested leaving and returning in the morning since it was pretty late but my gf had left the keys to our Airbnb in one of the bags lol

Nightmare!, I'll bear that in mind, we are staying just outside Shinjuku station, so it will be our main point of departure for the first part of our trip.

Another quick question, both me and my wife are seasoned travelers, and always travel under our own steam, except when we visited places like Egypt where they wouldn't let you travel alone, considering the language barrier and the cultural differences between England and Japan, how much are we likely to miss out on if we just do it all under our own steam, rather than partaking in some organised, guided tours?

 

[GuessMyUserName]

We went to watch Rogue One at TOHO Cinemas in Shinjuku, and decided it'd be a good idea to just use a coin locker at the station to keep all our stuff (we'd been in Akihabara for a good portion of the day).

When we returned from the movie it took us like 20 minutes to find the damn coin locker >_> so, uh, take good note of where your locker is if you use one there. I even suggested leaving and returning in the morning since it was pretty late but my gf had left the keys to our Airbnb in one of the bags lol

Also, it turns out there are lockers at the movie theater.

Heh I watched Rogue One the same theater

... On the way there and back kept getting pulled in by people offering "massages" and such what with the surrounding area and all. Whoop.

 

[MikeHattsu]

Another quick question, both me and my wife are seasoned travelers, and always travel under our own steam, except when we visited places like Egypt where they wouldn't let you travel alone, considering the language barrier and the cultural differences between England and Japan, how much are we likely to miss out on if we just do it all under our own steam, rather than partaking in some organised, guided tours?

Depends on what you're gonna see and visit. You'll probably miss out on a lot of why stuff was build and by who, unless you read the leaflets and signs at tourist attractions least. You could probably wiki a bunch of stuff if you're that interested though.

 

[danowat]

Depends on what you're gonna see and visit. You'll probably miss out on a lot of why stuff was build and by who, unless you read the leaflets and signs at tourist attractions least. You could probably wiki a bunch of stuff if you're that interested though.

Tokyo, day in modern tokyo, day in kamakura,day in the east side (asakusa), day at Kawaguchiko, day in and around the imperial place, Uneo and Akhibara.

Kyoto, 2 days exploring

Hiroshima, 2 days exploring and a day on Miyajima.

 

[PdotMichael]

I really learned to love Google Maps in Japan. It's impressive how easy traveling became.

 

[OniBarubary]

We bought two of those little mobile hotspot thingies so we can travel in groups and have WiFi our whole time there. Seems to be a really good idea for keeping us aware of where we are as well as looking up info.

 

[MikeHattsu]

We bought two of those little mobile hotspot thingies so we can travel in groups and have WiFi our whole time there. Seems to be a really good idea for keeping us aware of where we are as well as looking up info.

Bought? Not rent?

I really learned to love Google Maps in Japan. It's impressive how easy traveling became.

Too bad Google don't have offline maps for Japan

 

[OniBarubary]

Bought? Not rent?

Errrrr, rented.

 

[Fireblend]

I really learned to love Google Maps in Japan. It's impressive how easy traveling became.

Yeah, Google Maps + Hyperdia pretty much made it impossible for us to get lost or not know where to go. Indispensable apps, both of them IMO.

 

[Won]

Yeah, Google Maps + Hyperdia pretty much made it impossible for us to get lost or not know where to go. Indispensable apps, both of them IMO.

As someone who is too lazy to plan things out and likes to go everywhere by foot those apps were indeed amazing to have. Don't think any other vacation will ever beat my stay in Tokyo.

 

[danowat]

As Google maps won't do offline, anyone got any suggestions for some app that will?

 

[Laevateinn]

As Google maps won't do offline, anyone got any suggestions for some app that will?

The first time I went, the only alternatives I could find cost money (a lot if I remember correctly). The second time, we had access to the internet.

 

[PdotMichael]

MapsWithMe costs like 4$.

 

[danowat]

Just tried maps.me, free and it seems to work OK.

I'll try that other one too.

edit, it appears maps.me and mapswithme is the same thing?

 

[Owlowiscious]

Using sprints $5 Japan unlimited add on is a nice backup plan but it's pretty terrible and shouldn't be relied on at all. SoftBank keeps locking me out.

Rent a wifi hotspot.