I am hoping to have enough for 10k yen per day, thanks for the advice tho.
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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
- Start date
I am hoping to have enough for 10k yen per day, thanks for the advice tho.
When are you staying in Osaka?. I'm staying there between Sept 13th to 25th.
ThreePiMatt
Member
I'll be in Osaka after the week in Tokyo with MikeHattsu and LollipopDave. So like from Oct. 15 to the 21st.
Worthintendo
Member
The more I think about it, the more I feel I have to go to the Fukui Dinosaur Museum ._.
Looking at leaving the hotel in Ikebukero at 5:30 in the morning, travel 5 hours via Trains to the Museum, check it out, have an awesome time and see whatever else there is to see out that way once I've finished with Dinosaurs. Then leave Fukui at just after 6pm to get back to the hotel before midnight.
That's going to be a long arse day ._.
Looking at leaving the hotel in Ikebukero at 5:30 in the morning, travel 5 hours via Trains to the Museum, check it out, have an awesome time and see whatever else there is to see out that way once I've finished with Dinosaurs. Then leave Fukui at just after 6pm to get back to the hotel before midnight.
That's going to be a long arse day ._.
Don't know when or how long you're staying but don't forget there's also this Mega Dinosaur exhibition being held from July 18 to August 30.
Official site: http://mega2015.jp
It may not be as impressive as the Dinosaur Museum but it does save you 10 hours of travel time and you can still see lots of awesome dinosaurs
.Worthintendo
Member
Don't know when or how long you're staying but don't forget there's also this Mega Dinosaur exhibition being held from July 18 to August 30.
Official site: http://mega2015.jp
It may not be as impressive as the Dinosaur Museum but it does save you 10 hours of travel time and you can still see lots of awesome dinosaurs
Alas miss that about just over a month.
I think I'm going to play it by ear, I'll know after my first day or 2 if I can do it and then go from there.
Worthintendo
Member
JUST ARRIVED IN THE MAIL
I'M GETTING VERY VERY EXCITED ^_^
I'M GETTING VERY VERY EXCITED ^_^
MikeHattsu
Member
Hehe. Soon time for me to order my JR Pass as well.
EuricaeriS
Member
Ooh, I wonder if the rail pass designs have changed again, or if it depends what country you're from. I've got two different designs, though they were from 2011 and 2014 :3
The 2011 one looks nicer.
MikeHattsu
Member
The last one I got had a sakura tree branch in front of Fuji picture. Before that it was the Red Fuji print.
MikeHattsu
Member
If he's going from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto and back to Tokyo again within a 7 day period, then yeah, it's most likely worth it.
He needs to get it from either http://www.jrpass.com, https://www.japan-rail-pass.com (or a local JTB or similar place) ASAP, since you need to buy it before going to Japan.
Yep. He needs to buy today.
Ah, thank you for the info, I'll let him know today!
Never had to get a pass myself so I wasn't sure how it worked, and have been a bit too busy to look into it, you guys are lifesavers.
Well, not my life, but I do care for friends and all!
MikeHattsu
Member
Depending on how much time of those 7 days your friend is gonna spend in Tokyo, Kyoto (mostly non-JR bus transport) and Osaka (JR trains + non-JR subways) this might be cheaper btw: http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/VJOPENTK1/
He can take the fastest Nozomi trains with that e-voucher, which you can't with the JR Pass, but he can only use non-reserved seats.
But if he's also going to check out Himeji Castle, Hiroshima or anything like that, then the JR Pass is definitively cheaper.
Of course, if he's staying for longer than 7 days in only Osaka/Kyoto, then the JR Pass is not worth it at all (and then he can't use that e-voucher either).
Worthintendo
Member
OK so kinda rethinking plans at the moment, do really want to go see the Dino museum and may have just found a way to make everything work.
Instead of traveling from Osaka to Kyoto I instead travel on the 7th from Tokyo to Kyoto, see all I want to in Kyoto and get that out of the way. Will activate the Rail Pass that day. If I leave the hotel at 6, I can get there by 9 and just need to make sure I leave Kyoto by 9pm and I'll make it back to the hotel before midnight.
Then on the 13th, my last day for my rail pass, while I'm in Osaka travel from Osaka to Fukui Dinosaur Museum, it'll only take 3 and a half hours to travel from Osaka to it as opposed to 5 and half from Tokyo so its alot more doable and less time on trains.
I think I'll play things by ear and see how it all pans out once I get there. I've decided I'm definitely going to the museum, its just how I go about it.
Instead of traveling from Osaka to Kyoto I instead travel on the 7th from Tokyo to Kyoto, see all I want to in Kyoto and get that out of the way. Will activate the Rail Pass that day. If I leave the hotel at 6, I can get there by 9 and just need to make sure I leave Kyoto by 9pm and I'll make it back to the hotel before midnight.
Then on the 13th, my last day for my rail pass, while I'm in Osaka travel from Osaka to Fukui Dinosaur Museum, it'll only take 3 and a half hours to travel from Osaka to it as opposed to 5 and half from Tokyo so its alot more doable and less time on trains.
I think I'll play things by ear and see how it all pans out once I get there. I've decided I'm definitely going to the museum, its just how I go about it.
Ah, that's really detailed information, very much appreciated!
I've passed the info to him so he can see which fits his schedule better.
Depends on what you plan on doing and where you want to stay and see.
KirbyStamped
Member
Hi, I'm dani's friend! Thanks for the info, and I'm definitely eying that pass from japanican, as it seems a lot cheaper than just getting a JR Pass. I do have a few questions though. Is that just a ticket to and from Kyoto? Would I still want to get a JR Pass? Our itinerary is as follows:
July 31st - I land around 5 pm in Narita airport, and we take the Shinkansen to Osaka
August 1st - Osaka Castle
August 2nd - Den Den Town and Pokemon Center
August 3rd - Universal Studios Osaka for the One Piece event
August 4th - Go to Kyoto for general sightseeing
August 5th - Imperial Palace and maybe take in some nature
August 6th - Shinkansen back to Tokyo, and then we're in Tokyo until the 9th when I leave, though we're planning to go to Mt. Fuji on one of those days
Any help you could give would be much appreciated, as I really need to jump on getting a pass here soon since I've kind of dragged my feet on that/didn't realize I couldn't get a pass when I landed >_>.
MikeHattsu
Member
Where are you gonna stay while in Osaka/Kyoto? In Osaka for the whole time or are you gonna stay in Kyoto for the days you're there?
KirbyStamped
Member
I believe we're just going to stay in Kyoto while we're there.
Also, by sheer luck, I found the ticket plan my friend who's been planning the whole thing recommended about a month ago.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/seishun18.html#category03
Any thoughts on the Seishun 18?
Lol don't know yet. Just would like an estimate so I can use that as a template to build upon
It depends dramatically on how many places you're visiting (if you need a JR Pass), the kind of accommodations you prefer (hostels, hotels, ryokan), and the kind of food you expect to eat. There's no way to provide any kind of guidelines with just "7 days in Japan" unless you also explain what kind of expectations/preferences you have.
MikeHattsu
Member
Hm... With the e-voucher it would be 21600 JPY + 1000 JPY extra when taking the NEX from Narita to Tokyo + 1300-1800 each day you're spending in Osaka, so it'll be ~27500 or so in total vs the 29110 JPY for the JR Pass. With the JR Pass you'll have more flexibility if you're gonna check out more stuff or spend an additional day in Osaka.
Why are you going to Osaka on the first day? You're not gonna be able to do much. The trip from Narita to Kyoto will take a bit under 4 hours total + 1-3 hours to wait in line to get a JR Pass + 5-40 mins to get to your accommodation in Kyoto.
You should NOT get the Seishun 18. It's not valid for the shinkansen, so the trip between Tokyo and Kyoto would take 9 hours.
My estimate for a week with hostel/cheap hotel in Tokyo would be about $1200 + airfare.
KirbyStamped
Member
Well my friend is the one who has done all the arrangements =P. I'm generally just following her plan. However, I think the idea is that when we get to Osaka is that I'm probably going to just fall asleep since it'll probably be 8-9 pm by the time I get there and I'll be exhausted from the trip (flying out of Indianapolis around 5:20 am) =P. She had some other plans while we were in Osaka as well (probably take in some temples, since they're cheap), but those are the general areas we will be in on those dates. We mainly wanted to get there for Universal Studios which is on the 3rd, so it's just easier to get to Osaka first and then head to Kyoto rather than having to switch back and forth.
Anyway, seems like the e-pass would be more convenient and save me some money overall, but, as you say, limits where we could go and if we decided to go elsewhere might cost me extra over just getting a JR Pass. I do have a question about that though
I thought I could get the exchange order for the Pass mailed to me, but it seems like I would actually have to pick it up in the airport. However, it seems like I have to be a part of a certain group flight (JAL or ANA), and I'm not entirely sure how to do check that. I would be totally fine with just picking up a pass while in the airport (as it says I can do), but not sure if I would actually be able to do that since I don't know if I'm JAL or ANA. Would those flights have to have been tickets I bought from JR, or is there another way I can tell?
MikeHattsu
Member
It's more likely that'll you'll arrive at whatever place you're staying in Osaka at 10-12 if you land at 5. You should inform your accommodation that you might need to check in late. Some hotels/hostels closes their door/front office before midnight.
You get the exchange order mailed to you in whatever country you're in and then you exchange it for the actual JR Pass at Narita airport. Doesn't matter what airline you use. Check the instructions here:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/purchase.html
KirbyStamped
Member
Looked over my ticket again, and I forgot that I'm actually arriving at like 3:50 pm. You are probably correct in saying we should let our arrangements know that we may be in later, but I would hope that my friend would have the foresight for that since she's lived there for a while and knows how things are =P
Anyway, figured out where the confusion was. I had assumed that I could actually order the JR Pass from the site itself, but I actually had to find the websites for one of the agencies they listed, and then I can order it from one of them =P. Looking around, and it seems like shipping should only be 3 days as well, so not too worried about it now. Thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it!
EuricaeriS
Member
Looks like I got that red Fuji one, haven't seen the new one in that case
Here are the two I have:
It's hard to see it in that photo, but the 2011 rail pass is actually foiled. It's all reflective besides the creamy coloured background.
MikeHattsu
Member
Looks like I got that red Fuji one, haven't seen the new one in that case
It's hard to see it in that photo, but the 2011 rail pass is actually foiled. It's all reflective besides the creamy coloured background.
Ah, the 2011 one you got has The Great Wave off Kanagawa on it.
The one I got earlier this year looked like this (not my picture):
Well at least give us something's you're interested in? Are you a foodie? Into fashion? Do you plan on shopping and bringing things back? Do you want to stay in a hostel? Hotel? Airbnb? Couchsurfing?
Going on absolutely no information I'll say $1400
Hello everyone. I'm going to Japan in a couple of months, and one thing on my to do list is exchanging currency. The OP mentions that you don't need to get Yens before arriving in Japan, but I don't know if that statement is still relevant? I'm currently in the UK and I can probably get a better rate here than at Narita airport.
What's your experience with currency, is it better to buy before going or once you get there? Thanks.
What's your experience with currency, is it better to buy before going or once you get there? Thanks.
Hydrogen Bluebird
Member
With a JR pass, can you easily travel around Tokyo? Or do would you still need to purchase separate tickets for some trains?
Worthintendo
Member
From what others have said when I've asked, the general gist seems to be its not worth it for just Tokyo, but great everywhere else as the trains you'll use most in Tokyo aren't JR or something.
So Rail Pass and Ghibli tickets done, now time to organise my WiFi/Data Sim for Japan.
Thinking of just getting a Data Sim for my iPhone and then using that as a hot spot, whats the best value/easiest to get one, only looking for about 2 GB to last me the 2 weeks.
Also need to keep an eye on the NJPW site to see if there are any tickets for any events in Tokyo while I'm there.
EuricaeriS
Member
Most trains in Tokyo are JR, it's just that the JR pass isn't particularly cost effective if you're just using it on the JR lines around Tokyo. The big savings come when using the bullet trains out of Tokyo, because those are incredibly expensive otherwise. Honestly, if you plan to use bullet trains at least twice during a one week period, you should get the JR pass.
So yeah, the JR pass can get you around Tokyo easily (you just show it to the attendant by the ticket gates at each JR station) but it's not always the cheapest option.
MikeHattsu
Member
Same here. It gives the best exchange rate for me.
You can take any JR trains in Tokyo, of which the Yamanote and Chuo lines are the most useful. It covers about 90% of the normal tourist attractions in Tokyo. You should not get a JR Pass just for staying in Tokyo though, just get a Pasmo/Suica card and use that instead if that's the case.
You could get this one at the airport with the 2.2G plan:
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/prepaid/en/index.html
Or this one lost of places:
https://t.iijmio.jp/en/index.html
MikeHattsu
Member
There's ATMs in the airport.
UpperCaseN
Member
+1 to 7-Eleven ATM's for money, which was recommended to me here before my trip. I had some random cash in my wallet so I exchanged that at the airport. For the rest of our trip we took money out from the 7-Eleven ATM's which are international. Check with your bank to see what the fees are like, between mine and my wife's, her's was waaaaaaaaay better so we put our money in her account before the trip and ignored mine.
MikeHattsu
Member
The exchange rate at 7-11 is the one set by Visa, MasterCard or whoever else card you got. Your bank might also take a % and/or some other fee, you'll need to check with your bank how much. The maximum limit is the one decided by your bank or 100K JPY, whichever is lower.
Zoe
Member
It depends on what you've planned. For example, if you get a JR pass, you don't need money to get into the city.
I would bring some emergency cash, but there's no way I would plan to exchange the bulk of my money at the very beginning of the trip.
Thanks. Your encyclopedic knowledge of all things Japan Travel is sometimes terrifying, but always appreciated.
ThreePiMatt
Member
I'm not sure if this was just my bank or all foreign banks, but when using my debit card at 7-11 ATMs there was a minimum 10,000 yen withdrawal. This was a little awkward for me at first because I'd get a 10,000yen note and then go buy a drink and a bento or something. Being an American who uses a credit card for just about everything the idea of buying like $7 worth of food with a $100 bill is kind of weird (and some places will straight up not accept anything over $20s.) I've heard the post office ATMs might be different in that respect.
Also note that even for shinkansen to be cost effective, you must travel at least every 7 days on them. If you're gonna stay more than 1 week on a city it won't be convenient to buy the pass. (That was my case)
Yeah, I've faced that situation when I used my debit card on those ATM's. As a counter-measure, I used those 10,000 yen notes to recharge my suica on those recharging machines and get cash in return.
I got the same feeling while I got here, having more than 50 euros on me felt crazy, now a days I feel naked if I don't have at least 10K yen in my pockets.
This is really the best solution, though in general you don't have issues buying something cheap with a 10K bill.
Recently "newer" 7-Banks have started appearing at 7-11s in Tokyo, or better said it seems they were just given a firmware update or something
Since about one month ago I can now also choose 10 x 1000 yen notes instead of 1 x 10.000 yen when withdrawing money at the 7-11 here in Hino. You know you have a newer version of the ATM if the background has some traditional Japanese pattern in it (sakura tree maybe, can't remember... The background is different, that's all I can recall from memory). I've also seen the new ATMs in Ikebukuro, Shibuya and they're probably everywhere else by now in Tokyo at least. There might still be places left where this is not yet possible though. Seems like they're still rolling it out gradually.
Anyway I was pleasantly surprised by this because it was always a pain to pay with 10.000 bills like everyone also said here
Since about one month ago I can now also choose 10 x 1000 yen notes instead of 1 x 10.000 yen when withdrawing money at the 7-11 here in Hino. You know you have a newer version of the ATM if the background has some traditional Japanese pattern in it (sakura tree maybe, can't remember... The background is different, that's all I can recall from memory). I've also seen the new ATMs in Ikebukuro, Shibuya and they're probably everywhere else by now in Tokyo at least. There might still be places left where this is not yet possible though. Seems like they're still rolling it out gradually.
Anyway I was pleasantly surprised by this because it was always a pain to pay with 10.000 bills like everyone also said here
ThreePiMatt
Member
I wouldn't count on it. Best always have cash on you.