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[Robot Carnival]

this will be a work in progress and I will keep editing stuff for a while, so please bear with me.

so, I was looking into the Japan Travel thread from before and found that it's been pretty much abandoned. last time anyone posted in there was 2019, which kinda make sense with the pandemic and all. I figured I would make a new one and hopefully keep it bumped up from time to time to help the life of those who are planning on traveling there a little easier. myself, I've been to Japan 5 times in the last 15 years and had been to more or less all the major/popular locations from Hokkaido to Kyushu. mostly solo but I've had experience going with family and friends too. I've always love the overall culture and atmosphere of Japan. while I don't want to move there for my own reasons, traveling and planning to go had become a small hobby of mine.

I'm going to try to split this into a few different parts to make things a little easier to read. feel free to suggest any changes or corrections, since I know there must be folks out there more knowledgeable on the subject than me. with that being said, let's get started.

planning and booking

Spoiler

first thing first. planning. personally, I'm the kind who likes to plan a trip out as much as possible, as early as possible. I understand that everyone goes about this step differently but with the ¥ at it's currently state, traveling to Japan had become extremely popular. because of this, I would highly advise making your planning and booking as early as possible to avoid the high prices. how early would be enough? I'll make an example from my personal recent experience. my latest trip was in October and I made the hotel bookings of the first half of the trip back in late March. at the time I was still able to find a few hotel selections in the reasonable price range for me around Tokyo Station. I made the hotel reservations for the second half of my trip in mid July due to some personal factors, and by then I was not able to find any hotel in my desired locations even at a higher price range. of course if money is not an issue, there will always be some wonderful hotels available for $300 to $500+ USD a night. though I imagine that's not the most of us out here so if you're planning to go, get your bookings done as early as possible. hostels and AirBnBs are also good to considerbof course. they're usually very good options too depending on the nature of your trip and how you like to go about things. but always keep in mind what is and isn't available in these options. as for hostels and AirBnBs, I've also had some good experience with them too. but since I've only used them a few times, I'll leave that for someone else who's more experienced with them to add on that part.

as for packing, go light. coin laundries places are abundant and most hotels, hostels and AirBnB have laundry options, so you really shouldn't pack too much clothes unless there are specific needs. and try to wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on. there are many place, mostly like historical castles, temples and shrines (occasionally even some restaurants) that require you to take off your shoes before you can enter some of their areas. so something easy to slip off and on would be ideal. and I would also recommend maybe something that's water proof or at least water resistant. depending on the season, you can often run into sudden drizzle or even downpour. nothing ruins your day faster than a pair of wet shoes, so I highly recommend investing in a pair of good water proof shoes.

flight

Spoiler

personally, after the many times I've flown to Japan, I prefer ANA the most since their service and overall cabin condition is the best for the price, in my opinion. they might be a little more pricier when compared to others but I honestly believe it's worth it. of course there are plenty of more affordable selections from LCC (Low Cost Carrier) flights to picking flights with stop/lay over in them. these would often depend on factors such as how much time you have and how much do you want to save. also keep in mind that LCC flights might not cover any luggage. meaning if you have luggage you want to check or maybe even carry-on luggage, they'll charge you for it. not to mention maybe less leg room or reclining options, or less drinks and no in-flight meals. so make sure to look into these details when you book your flight.

currency

Spoiler

now, I tend to exchange my cash before going on the trip, but from what I've heard, bringing your home currency to do the exchange in Japan is not that bad either, so you can decide for yourself on that. I do find that, at least for the US, the exchange rate from the big banks seems to be not the most favorable and I actually find currency exchange shops give me a little better value. of course, as most things, some shopping around and comparing in your area would be the best option. also, I would recommend you to get a coin purse or something to store the change you'll get along your trip, which you will almost for sure get a bunch of them no matter what. make sure it's one that's easy to take out and open since you will likely be using it pretty often. of course you can also use a SUICA Card but that's for a later section.

data

Spoiler

I know now a days some mobile plans would include international coverage. I'm on T-MOBILE and my plan does cover data and text while in Japan but charge for voice calls. however, the data coverage they provide could often be a lower tier speed, so I would suggest getting a local SIM card with unlimited data or a pocket wireless hotspot device. personally I prefer the hotspot device but SIM cards are good for some uses too, so you can take your pick on that.

communication

Spoiler

for actual day to day trying to get around different places, Japan has, for the most part, a lot of English (amount other languages depending on the location) in their public transit system to help travelers from other countries. the names might not be as easy to remember but as long as you plan ahead and write down the names of the places you plan to go, it's not that hard to get around by simply following the signs and messages. talking to folks with English would be a different matter thou. often times Japanese folks you run into might only understand some very basic English or even none at all. I feel this situation had been improving over the years and now-a-days, especially in tourist heavy areas, you can at least get some basic ideas across using only English. of course, if you can understand the language or at least some of it, it would be ideal. otherwise, Google Translate is a great tool to help you with it. you can use it to input and translate your language to Japanese or use the photo mode to translate signs and menus. of course sometimes it might not be all that accurate, but it's still a great tool to help you with. I'm sure there are some other translation tools out there too so feel free to suggest them.

traveling in Japan

Spoiler

now, this part really depends on your travel plan. Japan has a VERY comprehensive and well developed public transit system and you can more or less reach anywhere you like via trains, subways or buses. Uber is also available in big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, but you'll most likely find no Uber coverage outside of those cities. there are of course taxi too but they're rather expensive and I would recommend only consider them as your last option. trains and subways usually has their last run of the day a little after 12am and will resume service in the morning after 5am. buses might be ending service a little earlier than that depending on the location and route, so make sure you look into it when you plan your schedule. I find that for the most part, Google Map is actually rather useful for this. you can check the public transit option to plan how to get from point A to point B. you can set a "arrive by" or "leave by" time, and it'll able to get you some rather good options. do keep in mind that for the most part, the trains and subways are VERY punctual and you do not want to be even a minute late getting to the platform. Tokyo's subway system can be a down right maze if you're not used to it, so if you're visiting there make sure to try to study up the subway map.

there is of course always the option of renting a car and drive around. I've driven myself around parts of Japan on two trips. once around pretty much the whole of Hokkaido. the other one around the Northeast regions. all in all combined I had drove for over 4100km in Japan now and I had really enjoy it for the most part. I even drove into Tokyo during the rain once, and while it's definitely a pain to do so, it's still not as bad as I imagine. of course the driver seat on the right side of the car and the opposite driving lanes from the US does take some getting used to, but if you have a few more people, let's say 3 or 4 people all together, this would actually be cheaper than getting JR Passes for everyone. for those who's in the US, all you need to do before your trip is go to the AAA and paid a small fee ($30 I think, when you have them take your picture) for an international driving permit. with that, you will be able to rent a car and drive without much trouble. those would be effective for 1 year starting from the day you start using it, so it's rather useful. for other countries, I imagine it would be something similar, but please do look into the guidelines and confirm for yourself.

I would also like to note that there are long distance buses, sometimes overnight ones, that you can take to get around too. if you're the type of people who's able to sleep on a moving bus at night, you might even want to consider one of those. it would save you some time and money if you plan it right.

JR Pass

Spoiler

the biggest thing everybody looks into would be the JR Pass, or Japan Rail Pass. this is a pass that allows you to ride on any transportation that's under the Japan Rail service, from trains to subways. it comes in one, two or three weeks coverages and are currently priced at ¥50000, ¥80000 and ¥100000, respectively (children pass those those between ages 6 to 11 is at half the price). there is also a Green Pass which is kinda like the VIP pass. these are priced at ¥70000, ¥110000 and ¥140000 respectively (the same children pass half price applies here). these would allow you to ride in the Green Cars, which are sections of the Shinkansen bullet train that's more spacious and comfortable. however I believe the extra comfort is not really worth the additional cost since the regular cars are already pretty comfortable. of course, if you're a big/tall person, this might be worth looking into. you can purchase these passes directly through their website and redeem them when you arrive.

now keep in mind that while you will be able to ride the Shinkansen with the JR Pass, there are still a few things to keep in mind. you would still want to make a reservation for each of the specific rides that you want. as in, if you're going from Tokyo to Kyoto tomorrow, and Kyoto to Hiroshima 5 days later, you would want to reserve your seats for each of those trips before hand. if you show up without reservation, you can still get on, but it would be at the unreserved cars and you might not actually have a seat to sit down if that's the case. and with the JR Pass you are also only allow access to 3 of the 5 Shinkansen lines. the 2 lines that operate more frequently and runs faster, NOZOMI and MIZUHO, will not be available to you. however, you will be able purchase tickets for those lines at a much discounted price with your JR Pass.

right now, with the increased price, you might want to consider a few different factors first before purchasing it. first of all, do you plan on going around a lot? at roughly ¥10000 to ¥15000 a single trip, if you want to get your money's worth, you'll want to consider how many trips of Shinkansen would you take during your travel to Japan. of course, if you are only planning on staying in Tokyo or Kyoto/Osaka, then a JR Pass probably is not needed. you should be able to get some day pass or multi-days pass for the public transit in those cities. but if you plan on traveling around, hopping from Tokyo to Kyoto to Hiroshima etc, maybe even using Shinkansen every other day, then JR Pass would definitely be of great value for you. keep in mind also that while there are JR subways in these big cities, sometimes their routes might not be the most ideal, and it's the private railway lines that's the best way to get to where you want, so take that into consideration during your planning too.

I've also learned that starting in 2025, they're going to reduce the number of non-reserve sections on the Shinkansen trains from 3 to 2 and increase an additional reserved seat section. that means a cut of 80+ non-reserve seats and adding the same amount of reserve seats on each departing trains. so advance reservation is even more important now.

SUICA card

Spoiler

a SUICA card is like a all purpose pass for use with transit and purchase. you get one of these and you put some cash into it and you can use it for taking trains and subways or buses. and you can also use them to buy stuff like in any of the convenience stores and vending machines. it's main advantage is convenience and you don't need to worry about getting coins back and what not. you can apply for one of these at the major train stations like Tokyo Station and you can go for either the physical card version or the app version on Apple phones (no Android version for now I think). the app version has no charge but they do charge a one time ¥500 fee for the physical card version. so when you apply for it and put, let's say ¥5000 into the card at the counter when you apply, there'll only be ¥4500 in it. of course that's just a one time thing and you can refill it in any of the refill kiosk in train station or convenient store in the future without any additional fees. do keep in mind that they were running low on the chips for these cards for a while during the pandemic, so they were not issuing them for foreign travelers until recently. they also have a tourist version of the SUICA card that's kinda temporary, so you can get those for your trip and "cash out" the balance in the card when you leave. there is no cashing out the balance in the regular version of the SUICA card thou, so keep that in mind when you refill it.

now, I will say that you'll be able to get around without one of these perfectly fine. I've done so in most of my trips. this year, I got one when I was in Tokyo and I can tell you it's definitely very convenient. going through the turnstiles with just a swipe instead of going to the ticket machines everytime do
es save you some time and trouble.

food

Spoiler

when it comes to food, Japan has plenty of delicious choices. sushi, ramen, soba, udon, tempura, curry, beef bowl, rice ball, hamburger steak and many more. the overall quality is fantastic and most of the time the worst you can get would be maybe mediocre, rarely outright bad. thou you might often find long lines for restaurants with good reviews or fame and sometimes the lines could be over an hour long. so make sure to plan accordingly if you want to go to one of those places. these days a lot of the restaurants, at least in popular destinations, would also have English on their menu so ordering would be a little easier. smaller restaurants like some ramen places would often use an ordering machine. you go to the machine when first walk in the store. put money in and press buttons to order the food you like. the machine will give you a ticket for each of the items you order. then just bring the tickets to the counter and they will make your order after you give them the tickets. do keep in mind that you might want to make reservations for some of the restaurants that are maybe more on the formal/traditional or pricey side. if you're staying in a hotel, you can maybe ask the front desk to help you with calling for reservations. another thing to know is that lot of the restaurants would close in the afternoon, usually from 2 or 3pm until 4 or 5pm. if they don't close for the afternoon, then they might only open until 7 or 8pm or only opens at night time. so check for their hours before going.

you can find some good eats in convenient stores too. outside of the usual icy treats, pastries, snacks and drinks, there are also stuff like sandwiches, bentos and riceballs, even fresh hot oden and fried chicken (thou those kinda depends on the store and might not be in all of them). and of course, vending machines are all over most populated areas. mostly selling drinks both hot and cold, but sometimes you can also find some that sells anything from ice cream to even hot ramen and what not. and if there's some holidays or festivities, chances are you'll also find street vendors selling all sorts of food in some places like parks or temples/shrines. anything from takoyaki to cotton candy could be available, so definitely go take a look if you see those.

 

[Robot Carnival]

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[Robot Carnival]

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[Robot Carnival]

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[Robot Carnival]

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[Robot Carnival]

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[killatopak]

Defnitely need this soon as we're going there on a holiday around Christmas.

The problem is I don't know where to go. I only know one place I'll visit and we'll be there for a week. I'll personally visit Odaiba and get some pictures of the Unicorn Gundam and that's about it.

I don't enough money to splurge so visiting is all I'll be doing. They just sprung up on me and said by the way we're going to Japan so pack your things.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Defnitely need this soon as we're going there on a holiday around Christmas.

The problem is I don't know where to go. I only know one place I'll visit and we'll be there for a week. I'll personally visit Odaiba and get some pictures of the Unicorn Gundam and that's about it.

I don't enough money to splurge so visiting is all I'll be doing. They just sprung up on me and said by the way we're going to Japan so pack your things.

how long are you visiting? and I assume just staying in Tokyo? I can probably give a few suggestions. I'm still working on specific locations to go in different region and Tokyo is definitely going to be a long list.

 

[killatopak]

how long are you visiting? and I assume just staying in Tokyo? I can probably give a few suggestions. I'm still working on specific locations to go in different region and Tokyo is definitely going to be a long list.

I'm still not sure exactly how long but I've been told it's between 4 days to a week.

I think it's gonna be around Christmas to New Year.

 

[Robot Carnival]

I'm still not sure exactly how long but I've been told it's between 4 days to a week.

I think it's gonna be around Christmas to New Year.

you traveling with family and friends then? or mostly solo? what's your interest? just keep in mind that from December 30th or so until January 3rd or even 8th, a lot of eateries would be close, so be ware of that.

 

[killatopak]

you traveling with family and friends then? or mostly solo? what's your interest? just keep in mind that from December 30th or so until January 3rd or even 8th, a lot of eateries would be close, so be ware of that.

Family.

Obviously Gundam as my interest in my initial post. I'd also like to visit shrines or anything scenic as I don't have much spending money to speak of. I think I would spend money on a food tour though.

I didn't know they close like that. I guess it's fine for me. I've been watching this guy on Youtube trying out all sorts of convenience store food. I'll likely try them as well.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Family.

Obviously Gundam as my interest in my initial post. I'd also like to visit shrines or anything scenic as I don't have much spending money to speak of. I think I would spend money on a food tour though.

I didn't know they close like that. I guess it's fine for me. I've been watching this guy on Youtube trying out all sorts of convenience store food. I'll likely try them as well.

yeah, the Yokohama Gundam Base closed last year, so currently your best option would be the Unicorn Gundam at Odaiba. it does the transformation at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. and a different night show every 30 minutes from 7pm to 9:30pm. and there's also the Gundam Base shop inside the shopping center next to the Unicorn Gundam if you do want to spend some money. other than that, I would suggest Akihabara. even with the inflated prices due to the influx of tourist, Akihabara is still a great place to go just to geek out and window shop. Mandarake, Animate and even the BicCamera should have plenty of things that would interest you. the HEY Taito arcade is also great. plenty of arcade cabinets old and new to grind away your time and coins. there's even an Owl Cafe about 5 minutes walk northeast of the main Akihabara area where you can sit and chill with real owls. reservation require thou.

as for shrines/temples, I personally think Meiji Jingu would be great for you if you're into those. the peace and quiet inside makes it feels like a complete separated world from the Tokyo outside. the adjacent Yoyogi Park is also great for a relaxing stroll. then you can walk east to Takeshita Street for some food and check out the shops. the Asakusa Senso-Ji is also great to visit, but usually way too crowded during the day. I would suggest going there at night maybe after 6 or 7pm. you'll actually be able to walk around at your own pace and enjoy the place without all the loud chatter. and you can walk on over west afterwards and grab a bite at one of many restaurants there. there's also the Shinobazunoike Benten-do right in the west side of Ueno Park. it's a temple right in the middle of this small pon and it's surrounded by lotus leaves. pretty interesting place if you're going to Ueno anyway.

I also would like to recommend the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. it's around 15 minutes walk from the Shinjuku JR station and the observation deck on it provides a great view of the whole Tokyo City free of charge. it's especially beautiful at night time with the city lights but it's perfectly fine if you visit during the day also.

in fact, it's civil worker cafeteria had finally reopened to the public again (it was open to the workers in the building but close to outside visitors during the pandemic). you can go check out the view from the observation deck up on the 40 something floor and then go back down to the lobby and take another elevator to the cafeteria for a bite during lunch (11am to 2pm). they actually have some great choices for some very reasonable prices. and they're all pretty nutritious and great tasting too. at night time the building is also doing a light show every 30 minutes where they project directly onto the exterior of the building. you can view it at the Civic Plaza right in front of the building with the audio playing there. currently on weekends they even have a special Godzilla show 3 times a night at 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm. it's a very exciting and fun watch and if you're going there on the weekend, definitely check it out.

as far as restaurant closures during New Year, there are still plenty of stuff open. and worst comes to worst you can always go for some convenient store food like you said, which would still remain open during New Year's.

let me know if any of the suggestions interests you and you need more detail.

 

[Robot Carnival]

a few pictures from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

 

[p_xavier]

If you have tattoos make sure to hide them. I had various interrogations by cops on my trips to Japan, especially in Tokyo. Osaka is more relaxed.

 

[Robot Carnival]

If you have tattoos make sure to hide them. I had various interrogations by cops on my trips to Japan, especially in Tokyo. Osaka is more relaxed.

hmmm, I knew about the whole tattoo = taboo and trouble thing, but I don't have one so no idea how it actually is for those with one. but I'm pretty sure I've seen a few very western looking tourist with tattoos that go around without much issues. might be a stereotype kinda thing thou? like if you have that tourist look with a backpack, camera or selfiestick, and looks at everything like it's your first time seeing everything, maybe they don't bother you? hell, I know I've been to sento (bath houses) where I've seen Japanese guys with full body or sleeves on their body sharing the place with me without any issues from the business. there're probably a lot of other factors in there that us visitors won't know for sure, like if it's one of those crime fighting promotion periods, or if that neighborhood is more tough on that sorta things and what not.

speaking of which, I REALLY need to finish the rest of the OP. been slacking and feeling lazy. but I'm kinda planning on another trip later this year also, so I'll try my best and update whatever I can.

 

[NahaNago]

I had just overcome my desire recently to travel to Japan and seeing this thread has me thinking how much I need to save and how quickly I can take a vacation.

 

[hardik]

you traveling with family and friends then? or mostly solo? what's your interest? just keep in mind that from December 30th or so until January 3rd or even 8th, a lot of eateries would be close, so be ware of that.

Thanks for the heads-up! I usually travel solo, but I might have a couple of friends join this time. I'm mostly into cultural spots, scenic views, and trying local food—so that closure period is really good to know. I'll definitely plan meals around that or stock up if needed.

 

[Robot Carnival]

I had just overcome my desire recently to travel to Japan and seeing this thread has me thinking how much I need to save and how quickly I can take a vacation.

in all honesty, a Japan trip can be done relatively cheap if you really plan it out. there are plenty of good hostels and B&B type places. and if you book far enough ahead, you can get some reasonable price for even good hotels. along with regional JR passes, you would be able to cut your the majority of you expenses down a lot.

Thanks for the heads-up! I usually travel solo, but I might have a couple of friends join this time. I'm mostly into cultural spots, scenic views, and trying local food—so that closure period is really good to know. I'll definitely plan meals around that or stock up if needed.

I'm sure there are still plenty of places open during those periods, especially franchise restaurants. it's mostly the smaller places, the mom and pop eateries that's going to be close. worst comes to worst, there are plenty of convenience stores open still

 

[NahaNago]

in all honesty, a Japan trip can be done relatively cheap if you really plan it out. there are plenty of good hostels and B&B type places. and if you book far enough ahead, you can get some reasonable price for even good hotels. along with regional JR passes, you would be able to cut your the majority of you expenses down a lot.

Hostels would be cheap but they just aren't for me. Maybe some day I'll take the dive into trying them out. I usually just stay at the APA hotels but I'd like to try the Smile hotel. I probably will go later this year though. I'll probably go in late October and catch Halloween.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Hostels would be cheap but they just aren't for me. Maybe some day I'll take the dive into trying them out. I usually just stay at the APA hotels but I'd like to try the Smile hotel. I probably will go later this year though. I'll probably go in late October and catch Halloween.

I happened to be in Tokyo last Halloween and it honestly isn't that much to do unless you're into the bar/club scene and have some friends to have fun with. because of the strict protocol and police presence in Shibuya, it's honestly just more of a crowded gathering of people in costumes walking around. it's still an interesting sight to experience, but outside of that there really isn't much in other places. well, maybe if you go to Tokyo Disney or USJ there might be some activities or Halloween events there.


edit: some of the pictures I took from Shibuya last Halloween.

 

[Baemono]

I kinda envy you for going there, the only time I was serious about going to Japan was late 2019 for a summer 2020 visit. We know how it ended up.

I'll try to go once my kids are old enough to appreciate the travel, and by then I'll be fluent enough I believe

 

[NahaNago]

I happened to be in Tokyo last Halloween and it honestly isn't that much to do unless you're into the bar/club scene and have some friends to have fun with. because of the strict protocol and police presence in Shibuya, it's honestly just more of a crowded gathering of people in costumes walking around. it's still an interesting sight to experience, but outside of that there really isn't much in other places. well, maybe if you go to Tokyo Disney or USJ there might be some activities or Halloween events there.


edit: some of the pictures I took from Shibuya last Halloween.

That's fine. I just wanted to walk in the crowds and see the costumes and enjoy the atmosphere.

 

[Robot Carnival]

That's fine. I just wanted to walk in the crowds and see the costumes and enjoy the atmosphere.

if that's all you want, then I'm pretty sure it's completely fine. there will be A LOT of cops at every corner thou and they have very strict control over the major traffic intersections and when you can cross and what not. also, go a little early if you want the fully packed crowd. I went there around 9:30pm last year and the crowd had already starting to thin out by then.

 

[jshackles]

My wife and I went to Okinawa last year for two weeks in May, and had an absolute blast. I started learning Japanese during the COVID lockdowns, so I had been studying it for about four years at that point, and got along just fine. Still a lot of vocabulary I didn't understand, but everyone I interacted with was surprised by my Japanese since I'm a six-foot two white guy.

I'm headed back in September. I'm mostly headed back to Okinawa again, but I'm going to be spending a few days in Tokyo on the way there, and a few days in Osaka on the way back. Okinawa in particular speaks to me as the ideal "vacation spot" because of the beaches and weather. I talked to a lot of locals there who complained that everything was so expensive there (compared with the mainland) but thanks to the weak yen (and me living in a high cost of living area in the US) everything seemed extremely inexpensive to me.

Speaking of inexpensive, my entire itinerary for September (round trip international flights, domestic flights between cities, and hotel rooms in pretty decent places for a total of 15 nights) was $1,350 as a solo traveler. Since Japanese hotels charge based on the number of people staying (and not per room like they do here in the US), and airline tickets are obviously per person, that number scales based on the number of people you have going with you - but there are still some decent deals to be found if you keep your eyes open for them.

 

[Power Pro]

So I looked to see if we had a Japan travel thread, and I guess we do...but doesn't look very active here. I was gonna post in a reddit group to ask for travel advice, but...reddit fucking sucks. Automod just deletes post, and I'm so tired of that shit. I hate the design of reddit, and I hate the just walled gardens it's full of with moderation like that. I can't even make a legitimate post for a community without it being auto deleted, what a crock of shit.

But I digress.

I'm hoping to take another trip to Japan after a long time away. I last went almost 10 years ago now, and since then I've been dying to go back ever since. That was my first time visiting, and I hadn't really ever taken a trip like that on my own before, so it was all a new experience, and it was also probably not planned out as well as I could have. I was still impressed I made it there at all though, because I was such a noob at traveling on my own.

I loved Japan from my time there, but I also regret just feeling like I didn't take in as much as I could have. I wouldn't mind some more advice on setting up an itinerary for my next trip, which I'm aiming to do in late October/early November. My job has a stupid way of handling paid time off…you can only carry over about 30 hours into the new year, so I can never really make plans for early parts of the year because I always end up losing a majority of the PTO if I don't use it, so I had to aim for something later in the year. Not the holidays though, because they tell you to find your own coverage on the holidays. So yeah, that's why I landed on the time frame I have. Maybe Halloween will be fun in Japan? Lol

Anyway, my first and last trip in Japan was planned out, but it could have been better. I was staying there for around 10 days. I flew into Tokyo, stayed overnight and took the shinkansen to Kyoto. My plan was to stay in Kyoto for 4 days, and go back to Tokyo for another 5 days. Sadly my first night in Kyoto, I got food poisoning, so I was sick for 24 hours throwing up. Not a fun day, but it is what it is. After that I was a little too afraid to try local cuisine for fear that my stomach would act up again, so I ate a lot of fast food, and the occasional sandwich or pizza. Things I knew my stomach could handle. This didn't detract from my love of the experience though, I still found Kyoto to be beautiful, and wish I had learned of more locations to visit. I took a tour of Nijō Castle, went to the Aquarium, and took a train ride to Nara to visit the park there. I was on a tight budget so I couldn't do a ton of stuff, just wanted to take in the scenery more than anything.

I took the shinkansen back to Tokyo, and I really felt I didn't use my time wisely there. I think before traveling there, I didn't realize how long it would take to get to certain locations, so I didn't always get to go to locations I wanted. I spent a lot of time in Akihabara. The shops there were made for a person like me lol, sadly I didn't have as much money to spend as I would have liked, but I still came home with a few figurines. I had fun at a maid cafe, but wish I had gone to one that was a little bigger then the one I stopped at. My hotel just happened to be across the street from Square-enix, so I loved visiting their cafe out front called Artnia. I did some sightseeing in Shibuya, but I also just didn't know where to go.

When I was there, I found myself lost on what to do sometimes. I mainly went to shops to look for cool stuff to get, but I just didn't know what sights to see sometimes. I should've gone to the Sky tree, but I didn't get around to it for some reason. I'm not much of a drinker, so I didn't really think about going to bars or anything. I'm also on the spectrum, so socializing has never been easy for me, so things of that nature were just stuff I can't do easily. My love of Japan comes from just an intense appreciation for the culture. I don't like thinking of myself as a weeb, because I don't love all things anime, but I do prefer japanese video games and anime like stuff, so I guess it still applies to me.

My time off is set to be between October 25th through November 14 this year. I haven't picked exact dates on when I'll leave and come back yet. I know no one can tell me exactly what I should do, but I really just need help on how to structure my vacation this time. I wanna see more of Japan in general, and see beautiful sights, and also if I can, maybe even just spend a day or two somewhere I can just relax. I haven't been on a vacation since I last went to Japan, and it's been a stressful number of years. I couldn't plan a vacation for so long because I was taking care of my sick dad, but he passed away last year. I am so sad that he's gone, but I am also finally free to live for myself a little again.

Anyway, if you read all this, thanks for reading.

 

[Baemono]

Power Pro looks like 10 days aren't enough

 

[Robot Carnival]

So I looked to see if we had a Japan travel thread, and I guess we do...but doesn't look very active here. I was gonna post in a reddit group to ask for travel advice, but...reddit fucking sucks. Automod just deletes post, and I'm so tired of that shit. I hate the design of reddit, and I hate the just walled gardens it's full of with moderation like that. I can't even make a legitimate post for a community without it being auto deleted, what a crock of shit.

But I digress.

I'm hoping to take another trip to Japan after a long time away. I last went almost 10 years ago now, and since then I've been dying to go back ever since. That was my first time visiting, and I hadn't really ever taken a trip like that on my own before, so it was all a new experience, and it was also probably not planned out as well as I could have. I was still impressed I made it there at all though, because I was such a noob at traveling on my own.

I loved Japan from my time there, but I also regret just feeling like I didn't take in as much as I could have. I wouldn't mind some more advice on setting up an itinerary for my next trip, which I'm aiming to do in late October/early November. My job has a stupid way of handling paid time off…you can only carry over about 30 hours into the new year, so I can never really make plans for early parts of the year because I always end up losing a majority of the PTO if I don't use it, so I had to aim for something later in the year. Not the holidays though, because they tell you to find your own coverage on the holidays. So yeah, that's why I landed on the time frame I have. Maybe Halloween will be fun in Japan? Lol

Anyway, my first and last trip in Japan was planned out, but it could have been better. I was staying there for around 10 days. I flew into Tokyo, stayed overnight and took the shinkansen to Kyoto. My plan was to stay in Kyoto for 4 days, and go back to Tokyo for another 5 days. Sadly my first night in Kyoto, I got food poisoning, so I was sick for 24 hours throwing up. Not a fun day, but it is what it is. After that I was a little too afraid to try local cuisine for fear that my stomach would act up again, so I ate a lot of fast food, and the occasional sandwich or pizza. Things I knew my stomach could handle. This didn't detract from my love of the experience though, I still found Kyoto to be beautiful, and wish I had learned of more locations to visit. I took a tour of Nijō Castle, went to the Aquarium, and took a train ride to Nara to visit the park there. I was on a tight budget so I couldn't do a ton of stuff, just wanted to take in the scenery more than anything.

I took the shinkansen back to Tokyo, and I really felt I didn't use my time wisely there. I think before traveling there, I didn't realize how long it would take to get to certain locations, so I didn't always get to go to locations I wanted. I spent a lot of time in Akihabara. The shops there were made for a person like me lol, sadly I didn't have as much money to spend as I would have liked, but I still came home with a few figurines. I had fun at a maid cafe, but wish I had gone to one that was a little bigger then the one I stopped at. My hotel just happened to be across the street from Square-enix, so I loved visiting their cafe out front called Artnia. I did some sightseeing in Shibuya, but I also just didn't know where to go.

When I was there, I found myself lost on what to do sometimes. I mainly went to shops to look for cool stuff to get, but I just didn't know what sights to see sometimes. I should've gone to the Sky tree, but I didn't get around to it for some reason. I'm not much of a drinker, so I didn't really think about going to bars or anything. I'm also on the spectrum, so socializing has never been easy for me, so things of that nature were just stuff I can't do easily. My love of Japan comes from just an intense appreciation for the culture. I don't like thinking of myself as a weeb, because I don't love all things anime, but I do prefer japanese video games and anime like stuff, so I guess it still applies to me.

My time off is set to be between October 25th through November 14 this year. I haven't picked exact dates on when I'll leave and come back yet. I know no one can tell me exactly what I should do, but I really just need help on how to structure my vacation this time. I wanna see more of Japan in general, and see beautiful sights, and also if I can, maybe even just spend a day or two somewhere I can just relax. I haven't been on a vacation since I last went to Japan, and it's been a stressful number of years. I couldn't plan a vacation for so long because I was taking care of my sick dad, but he passed away last year. I am so sad that he's gone, but I am also finally free to live for myself a little again.

Anyway, if you read all this, thanks for reading.

thanks for dropping by while I've been slacking on updating the thread. I'm actually balancing work and another upcoming trip in a week or so myself also. but I'll post on that later.

in regards to your trip later this year, do you plan on going for 3 weeks? what's your budget and do you still want to go to the bigger cities like Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo? or do you want to "branch out" a little? late October and early November should be a great time for the red maple leaves viewing and there are a lot of different locations throughout the country for that. hit me up with some details and I'll do my best to provide some suggestions.

 

[Power Pro]

thanks for dropping by while I've been slacking on updating the thread. I'm actually balancing work and another upcoming trip in a week or so myself also. but I'll post on that later.

in regards to your trip later this year, do you plan on going for 3 weeks? what's your budget and do you still want to go to the bigger cities like Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo? or do you want to "branch out" a little? late October and early November should be a great time for the red maple leaves viewing and there are a lot of different locations throughout the country for that. hit me up with some details and I'll do my best to provide some suggestions.

Hey, sorry I didn't see your reply in my notifications before.

It'll probably be closer to 2 weeks up, or 2 and a half if I'm lucky. I just happen to have 3 weeks off work, but I still need to consider some wind down time when I get home I think. As far as my budget....that's what I'm still trying to figure out. It depends on what I can manage to save up, but going over the numbers in my head constantly, I can tell it's gonna be hard. I actually just posted a listing in the marketplace section cuz I feel like maybe I should sell some stuff to make affording the trip easier.

It'll probably be barebones unless I manage to make a small fortune from selling my switch games. One of the things I loved about Japan last time I went is how affordable it was overall. The airfare was the most expensive thing. Off the top of my head, I remember spending about $350-400 for my 5 nights in Tokyo, and about for 4 nights $250 in Kyoto. The shinkansen round trip was about $300. I think I had put aside about $300 for food, and $1000 for spending money...which probably went faster then I wanted to because I had to buy a new suitcase when I was there lol. The one I came with broke, and was too small anyway for when I was leaving with goodies. I wasn't working at the time I went last time, and was only going to college. It'd be nice to double my spending money at least this time.

I do feel like it'd be nice to branch out, but I do need to see more of the big cities too. I also have this urge to go to Hiroshima. I feel like i wanna pay my respects, and to see where the lovely girls of Perfume were born, haha.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Hey, sorry I didn't see your reply in my notifications before.

It'll probably be closer to 2 weeks up, or 2 and a half if I'm lucky. I just happen to have 3 weeks off work, but I still need to consider some wind down time when I get home I think. As far as my budget....that's what I'm still trying to figure out. It depends on what I can manage to save up, but going over the numbers in my head constantly, I can tell it's gonna be hard. I actually just posted a listing in the marketplace section cuz I feel like maybe I should sell some stuff to make affording the trip easier.

It'll probably be barebones unless I manage to make a small fortune from selling my switch games. One of the things I loved about Japan last time I went is how affordable it was overall. The airfare was the most expensive thing. Off the top of my head, I remember spending about $350-400 for my 5 nights in Tokyo, and about for 4 nights $250 in Kyoto. The shinkansen round trip was about $300. I think I had put aside about $300 for food, and $1000 for spending money...which probably went faster then I wanted to because I had to buy a new suitcase when I was there lol. The one I came with broke, and was too small anyway for when I was leaving with goodies. I wasn't working at the time I went last time, and was only going to college. It'd be nice to double my spending money at least this time.

I do feel like it'd be nice to branch out, but I do need to see more of the big cities too. I also have this urge to go to Hiroshima. I feel like i wanna pay my respects, and to see where the lovely girls of Perfume were born, haha.

first of all, I'm going to assume you're in the US, so I'm going off of this in USD. budget wise, I can tell you from experience that as long as you're willing to make some compromises, you can make do with less than you think. for example, if you don't mind getting a little less on the flight, Zipair might be worth considering



I just did a search, and the roundtrip price of the same flight in the video, out of LAX to Narita and back, in late October is just south of $700 at the moment. of course, with the current "not a war" going on, how bad will the flight prices be impacted by October would be somewhat hard to tell. but booking early usually is still the best way to go.

how do you feel about capsule hotels? it's not for everyone since you have less room and privacy, but if you're fine with that and just want a place to leave your things at, shower and sleep, then you'll be able to get by for less than $30 a night. I've stayed in them before and and as long as you're not a super tall person or claustrophobic, they're pretty decent for the most part. there are also those hostels with bunk beds and get 4 to 8 people in a room. it's basically a capsule hotel in spirit and usually goes for around the same price. I'm not sure which website you usually use for booking, but I do recommend trying out Agoda. I had used them the last three times when I went to Japan and was able to find some pretty good deals in terms of hotels. use the slider to search within the price range you want can find you some pretty good options. just don't use the flight+hotel combo search since they usually push the most expensive hotels in those and it's a waste of time if you're trying to control your budget.

for the Shinkansen, if you're planning on going to Hiroshima, I would suggest just get the 2 weeks JR pass. right now it's 80000 yen for regular. you can start using it halfway through your Tokyo stay and time it to end on the day you leave Japan to get the most out of it. the biggest value would definitely be the round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto. and then going to Hiroshima and maybe other more outside the Kyoto areas like Himeji and Kobe etc. but again, you'll want to do your own math on if it's worth it for you or not.

as for your itinerary, just off the top of my head, I would say maybe 4 or 5 nights in Tokyo and then the rest stay in Kyoto. use the JR pass to take day trips to Hiroshima and other places you're interested in. then head back to Tokyo to take your flight home the last day of the JR pass. you can also bring your things and stay in Hiroshima for a couple nights and go to Miyajima too if you want (actually, if you don't want to drag your large luggage around, hotels would often allow you to leave it with them for a day or two after check out so you can come back to pick it up later. of course, check with the front desk on their policy). that's of course just a general outline and you might have different interest and plans so set it up however you like.

with the current exchange rate of USD to JPY (just below 1 to 160), you will be able to get more out of your budget. personally I don't think it'll go higher than USD1:JPY160 by too much if at all, so doing some exchange right now can be good if you can. but of course, how the rates would change by the time of your trip is hard to tell so don't worry about that too much. in any case, hope this helps. if you have more questions or need help with planning, let me know.

 

[Power Pro]

how do you feel about capsule hotels? it's not for everyone since you have less room and privacy, but if you're fine with that and just want a place to leave your things at, shower and sleep, then you'll be able to get by for less than $30 a night. I've stayed in them before and and as long as you're not a super tall person or claustrophobic, they're pretty decent for the most part. there are also those hostels with bunk beds and get 4 to 8 people in a room. it's basically a capsule hotel in spirit and usually goes for around the same price. I'm not sure which website you usually use for booking, but I do recommend trying out Agoda. I had used them the last three times when I went to Japan and was able to find some pretty good deals in terms of hotels. use the slider to search within the price range you want can find you some pretty good options. just don't use the flight+hotel combo search since they usually push the most expensive hotels in those and it's a waste of time if you're trying to control your budget.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to pass on those type of accommodations. When I went last time, I was taking the advice of someone I knew who traveled to Japan a lot, and stayed at a couple hostels. My trip was originally 1 night in Tokyo, then travel to Kyoto, and return to Tokyo for the remaining 5 days. My 1 night in Tokyo, and other nights in Kyoto were at hostel places, and...not ideal. Especially in Kyoto when I got sick, it was not great not having a bathroom attached to my room. Not only that, but I just didn't find it very relaxing. Part of why I need to get away is I need to be able to just unwind, and rest comfortably. I don't know about capsules, but while I was in Kyoto, I canceled my Tokyo reservation at the hostel, and booked a hotel, and it was the same price. This was a hotel right off of Shibuya, (and across the street from Square-enix's offices, lol) and I was super comfortable for the price I would've paid for an uncomfortable less private stay. So I don't think I wanna do that again.

for the Shinkansen, if you're planning on going to Hiroshima, I would suggest just get the 2 weeks JR pass. right now it's 80000 yen for regular. you can start using it halfway through your Tokyo stay and time it to end on the day you leave Japan to get the most out of it. the biggest value would definitely be the round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto. and then going to Hiroshima and maybe other more outside the Kyoto areas like Himeji and Kobe etc. but again, you'll want to do your own math on if it's worth it for you or not.

I guess this will depend on where I ultimately decide to go. The round trip Shinkansen ride I got last time was close to around 30000 yen, and I just used a suica card to pay as I took trains around Tokyo. Buses were the primary public transportation in Kyoto, so train passes weren't much use there.

as for your itinerary, just off the top of my head, I would say maybe 4 or 5 nights in Tokyo and then the rest stay in Kyoto. use the JR pass to take day trips to Hiroshima and other places you're interested in. then head back to Tokyo to take your flight home the last day of the JR pass. you can also bring your things and stay in Hiroshima for a couple nights and go to Miyajima too if you want (actually, if you don't want to drag your large luggage around, hotels would often allow you to leave it with them for a day or two after check out so you can come back to pick it up later. of course, check with the front desk on their policy). that's of course just a general outline and you might have different interest and plans so set it up however you like.

Like I did on my last trip, I planned it out so that Tokyo was my last hotel stay location just so I didn't have to worry about taking a long train ride, and then get on a 12 hour plane right after. Felt spreading that out would make the traveling part less exhausting.

I'm not sure what every city has to offer, but I know Hiroshima is the furthest south. If I wanted to stay there a day or two, wouldn't it maybe make more sense to travel all the way down to Hiroshima first, stay there for a bit, then head back towards Kyoto and stay there for a bit? Kinda work my way back, maybe a few days in Osaka after Kyoto? Never spent any time there, and only passed through on the bullet train last time.

I also keep wondering if I should make an effort to see Mt Fuji this time. I am constantly kicking myself for somehow NEVER seeing it the last time I was there. Both shinkansen trips last time, I somehow missed Mt Fuji both times, even though I was looking out the window the whole way. Wrong side? I didn't think so... lol I don't know what happened, but I never saw it.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to pass on those type of accommodations. When I went last time, I was taking the advice of someone I knew who traveled to Japan a lot, and stayed at a couple hostels. My trip was originally 1 night in Tokyo, then travel to Kyoto, and return to Tokyo for the remaining 5 days. My 1 night in Tokyo, and other nights in Kyoto were at hostel places, and...not ideal. Especially in Kyoto when I got sick, it was not great not having a bathroom attached to my room. Not only that, but I just didn't find it very relaxing. Part of why I need to get away is I need to be able to just unwind, and rest comfortably. I don't know about capsules, but while I was in Kyoto, I canceled my Tokyo reservation at the hostel, and booked a hotel, and it was the same price. This was a hotel right off of Shibuya, (and across the street from Square-enix's offices, lol) and I was super comfortable for the price I would've paid for an uncomfortable less private stay. So I don't think I wanna do that again.


I guess this will depend on where I ultimately decide to go. The round trip Shinkansen ride I got last time was close to around 30000 yen, and I just used a suica card to pay as I took trains around Tokyo. Buses were the primary public transportation in Kyoto, so train passes weren't much use there.

Like I did on my last trip, I planned it out so that Tokyo was my last hotel stay location just so I didn't have to worry about taking a long train ride, and then get on a 12 hour plane right after. Felt spreading that out would make the traveling part less exhausting.

I'm not sure what every city has to offer, but I know Hiroshima is the furthest south. If I wanted to stay there a day or two, wouldn't it maybe make more sense to travel all the way down to Hiroshima first, stay there for a bit, then head back towards Kyoto and stay there for a bit? Kinda work my way back, maybe a few days in Osaka after Kyoto? Never spent any time there, and only passed through on the bullet train last time.

I also keep wondering if I should make an effort to see Mt Fuji this time. I am constantly kicking myself for somehow NEVER seeing it the last time I was there. Both shinkansen trips last time, I somehow missed Mt Fuji both times, even though I was looking out the window the whole way. Wrong side? I didn't think so... lol I don't know what happened, but I never saw it.

on the capsule hotels. yeah, it's understandable. I personally don't really like them that much unless I'm only staying at some place for a night or so and I want to save some money. but in that case, if you want to book regular hotels, definitely look and book as early as you can. and while it might not be a lot, depending on the price of your hotel stay, Kyoto had recently increased the hotel tax pre-night. so if you're staying there for many nights and the hotel you're staying at is a bit expensive, that could mean a quite a bit extra you'll need to pay. so put that into your consideration.

Kyoto to slap tourists with levy of up to 10,000 yen per night | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

as for staying in Hiroshima to start, that's definitely a good choice too. I personally don't really find Hiroshima all that interesting outside of the Atomic related places, since they don't have a lot of other historical sights due to the obvious. but if you're already there, you can take a day trip to Miyajima just south of Hiroshima and have a great time there. (JR pass would also give you free access to the ferry going to and back from the island, just another little thing to keep in mind when you want to consider if you're going to get the JR pass or not).

if you do plan on going to Hiroshima first and then working your way east, I would suggest maybe consider staying in Osaka or Shin Osaka for your next stop. use that as your hotel base and then go to the other locations you want since hotel prices would be more reasonable than Kyoto's. not sure where you would like to go but I'm guessing outside of Kyoto, you want to visit Nara? maybe check out Himeji and Kobe together on a day trip? and with Kyoto, is there anything particular you like to see? art? museums? temples and shrines? let me know if you want some suggestions.

for Mt. Fuji, you might want to keep this site bookmarked.

Mt Fuji Visibility & Weather Forecast | Is Fuji Visible?

See Mt Fuji visibility and weather forecasts for 8 days. Live cameras from Kawaguchiko, Hakone and more. Plan when to visit for the best views.

isfujivisible.com

the weather there can change very rapidly and it can be sunny and clear sky everywhere else but the top of Mt. Fuji would be hiding in the clouds. so best to keep that trip more fluid and only go when you have a higher chance of seeing it. there are shuttle buses that can take you directly from Tokyo to Fujikawaguchiko where there are plenty of spots to view the mountain. those would only cost you 2000~2200 yen for a round trip if I remember correctly.

as always, take your own circumstances and interest into consideration first before taking my suggestions on planning. and I'm always here to answer any questions I can.

 

[TwiztidElf]

I don't know how much the rest of you know about Japan (I'm an expert)...

Seriously though, in the last 7 years I've been 3 times for 3 weeks each, for 9 weeks in total. The last time in February 2026.
A lot of good info in this thread, I thought I'd chip in with my thoughts.

Planning is super important to make the most of your time, but it's also important not to be constantly rushing to the next thing. It's a fine balance.
High level planning, you really want to prioritse the things you want to see and do, and have an idea of how many days you want to be in certain locations. You also don't want to waste too much time travelling around.
Regarding length of time, I find 3 weeks to be the sweet spot.

Once you know the above you can book your flights and accomodation.
Once they're squared away the next most important items are Internet (Sim/e-sim), IC card, and JR Rail Pass options.

Internet - Earlier trips we used Ninja portable wifi which worked perfect, but on our last trip we got Sim cards from Mobal who use the Docomo network, and they worked great. https://www.mobal.com/japan-sim-card/
(I'm a bit of a tech security nutter, so I won't use e-sims).

IC Card - As soon as you get in, get a IC card from the machines at the stations. Just hit the English button and you can't go wrong. It'll make getting around major cities a breeze. Suica, Passmo, or ICOCA.

JR Rail Pass - You need to work out whether one of the options will work in your favour. Add up the cost of all your long distance travel and compare to the cost of the national or regional JR Rail Passes. I travel a lot, so it's always worked out for me to get the national pass.


Robot Carnival mentioned water proof shoes and I do completely agree. Wet shoes can (and have for me) spoiled holidays.
Having said that, two of my Japan trips were in December, and we saw no rain. The other trip (this year) was to Hokkaido, and water proof shoes were essential.

Cash/Money - Japan is becoming more friendly to card transactions, but you really do need to have cash on you at all times still. For me, the ATM's in 7-Eleven were golden for withdrawing local currency with my home country ATM card.

Travel/Google maps - Google maps is essential. One tip. When in major cities, I find I get a better result putting in the source as the nearest railway station, and the destination as the nearest railway station to where I'm going.

One question I've noticed people ask over the years is "How long should I spend in X (eg. Shibuya/Akihabara) neighborhood?"
It's such a hard question to answer.
For example, Shibuya, you could just go across the crossing, see Hachiko, and maybe go to Parco for the Nintendo/Pokemon/Capcom stores, and you'd use 2-3 hours, if that. But if you want to add on Miyashita park, Mega Don Quijote, Tower Records, One Piece Mugiwara store in Magnet, and Shibuya Sky, then all of a sudden, it's a full day in Shibuya.

Food is brilliant across the board.
People talk crap about Ichiran, but it is excellent and you should go there for a ramen.

Next post is all the places I've been. I'm happy to answer any questions.

 

[TwiztidElf]

TOKYO
ESSENTIAL: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, and Akihabara (for anime/gaming types).
Shibuya (inc Shibuya Sky), Shinjuku (inc Gyoen National Garden), Akihabara, Asakusa (inc Senso-Ji Temple),Harajuku, Yoyogi Park, Ueno (inc Ueno Zoo, Nezu shrine), Okachimachi (inc Ameyoko markets), Ikebukuro (inc Sunshine City).
Ginza Yurakucho and Shimbashi, Roppongi, Odaiba (inc teamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum), Tokyo Imperial Palace, Ryogoku (inc Arashio-beya Sumo stable), Takadanobaba, Nakano, Hie Shrine (Tori Gates), Shinagawa (inc flea markets), Setagaya (inc cat temple), Shimo-Kitazawa, Gotanda, Koto City (Cherry Blossoms along Oyoko River)

KYOTO
ESSENTIAL: Fushimi Inari Taisha (Tori gate mountain), Kiyomizu-dera temple, Sannenzaka and Ninenzeka.
Arashiyama (inc Bamboo Forest), Sagano Scenic Railway, Philosophers Path, Gion, Kinkaku-Ji (Gold Palace), Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace

OSAKA
ESSENTIAL: Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Osaka Castle
Namba, DenDen Town, Umeda, Tower of the Sun, Shinsekai (inc Tsutenkaku tower)
Tenjunbashi shopping street, Amerikamura, Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine, Universal Studios

HOKKAIDO
SAPPORO, Sapporo Snow Festival, Odori Park and TV Tower, Susukino and Ramen Alley, Tsudome, Mt Moiwa, JR Tower, Bier Garten and Beer Museum, Sapporo Clock Tower
NOBORIBETSU. Hell Valley and Bear Park.
OTARU. Canal and Sakaimachi Shopping Street, Asari, Mt Tenguyama, Stained Glass Museum, Otaru Kourakuen.
ASAHIKAWA. Asahiyama Zoo
HAKODATE. Mt Hakodate, Goyokaku Star Fort, Tourist Areas (Slope, Public Hall, and Red Brick Warehouse).

MT FUJI AREA
KAWAGUCHIKO, Chureito Pagoda, Lake Kawaguchi, Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
HAKONE, Owakudani, Open air art museum, Lake Ashi, Old Tokaido Road (inc Checkpoint), Hakone shrine, Hakone Ginyu

NIKKO, Toshogu Shrine, Kanmangafuchi Abyss

HIROSHIMA, Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, Peace Memorial Museum, Miyajima, Okonomimura

NARA, Nara Park, Todai-ji temple

YOKOHAMA, Landmark Tower, Yamashita Park, Chinatown

SENDAI, Castle Ruins, Date Masamune tourist areas and 2011 Earthquake Ruins
MATSUSHIMA BAY. Boat tour, islands and temples.
YAMAGATA and ZAO ONSEN. Yamadera, Snow Monsters.

IZU PENINSULA, Mt Omuro, Izu Shaboten Zoo, Jogasaki Coast

NAGANO, Zenko-ji Temple, Yudanaka (Snow Monkeys)

MT TAKAO

KOYASAN, Okunoin

 

[p_xavier]

Are SIM cards really needed these days? My provider has for 160 countries a GB for a dollar. So I don't bother with that when travelling.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Are SIM cards really needed these days? My provider has for 160 countries a GB for a dollar. So I don't bother with that when travelling.

it really is a case by case situation. some folks would like it while others don't. do you need to look at maps or maybe look up some videos of some place while you're out and about? how good is the speed and connection of your service over there? if those are good, and you don't plan on making calls, then go ahead and skip the SIM cards.

 

[Tomorrow]

just discovered this thread. have been wanting to go to tokyo for a long time and it's where i want to go next. still trying to plan it out. not sure how long to visit for but probably can't afford more than a week.

i tend to stress over every single little detail when travelling (and i hate that i do) so it takes me a long time to finally go for it.

what is putting me off at the moment is the flights and finding somewhere to stay. until now when i travel i just booked an airbnb. i have absolutely no idea where to stay in tokyo. i want my own room. don't mind sharing a bathroom but definitely don't want to live in a hostel or capsule place. that gives me absolute nightmare with my anxiety.

time zones seem to be confusing me a lot too lol. when i put dates in it will usually change the amount of days i'm staying and then say i arrive the next date etc. it may be simple to a lot of people but i'm a bit stupid and again i need to plan everything out to perfection before i'm confident so yeah i keep getting put off

i'm the kind of person who is happy to just walk around and sight see. not really looking to do anything touristy. don't really know what there is to do. if i spend the day just walking around, sitting on public transport, or chilling in one spot for a couple hours then i'm happy. as long as i can find somewhere comfortable to sit and get food i'm good. that said, i guess i would like to visit anything to do with gaming/tech. want to see gaming stuff like pokemon/persona etc. probably would check out the pokemon centre shop thing. i'd like to see the places that Persona is set in (shibuya crossing etc ).

really i'm easy to please. so yeah i don't know how long to go. too short it feels like it's not worth it and too long i can't afford it. never really do spend longer than a week whenever i travel. 3-4 days maybe.

as for money, i always just pay with my card but do i need cash for tokyo?

 

[Robot Carnival]

just discovered this thread. have been wanting to go to tokyo for a long time and it's where i want to go next. still trying to plan it out. not sure how long to visit for but probably can't afford more than a week.

i tend to stress over every single little detail when travelling (and i hate that i do) so it takes me a long time to finally go for it.

what is putting me off at the moment is the flights and finding somewhere to stay. until now when i travel i just booked an airbnb. i have absolutely no idea where to stay in tokyo. i want my own room. don't mind sharing a bathroom but definitely don't want to live in a hostel or capsule place. that gives me absolute nightmare with my anxiety.

time zones seem to be confusing me a lot too lol. when i put dates in it will usually change the amount of days i'm staying and then say i arrive the next date etc. it may be simple to a lot of people but i'm a bit stupid and again i need to plan everything out to perfection before i'm confident so yeah i keep getting put off

i'm the kind of person who is happy to just walk around and sight see. not really looking to do anything touristy. don't really know what there is to do. if i spend the day just walking around, sitting on public transport, or chilling in one spot for a couple hours then i'm happy. as long as i can find somewhere comfortable to sit and get food i'm good. that said, i guess i would like to visit anything to do with gaming/tech. want to see gaming stuff like pokemon/persona etc. probably would check out the pokemon centre shop thing. i'd like to see the places that Persona is set in (shibuya crossing etc ).

really i'm easy to please. so yeah i don't know how long to go. too short it feels like it's not worth it and too long i can't afford it. never really do spend longer than a week whenever i travel. 3-4 days maybe.

as for money, i always just pay with my card but do i need cash for tokyo?

I'll try to put something down off the top of my head and fill in whatever I can remember later on since I'm out on the road right now. so please bear with me.

first of all, the time zone. if you're flying from the US, it's usually a 10 to 12 hours flight depending on the condition. that and the time zone difference means you'll usual lost a day going there. but you'll get it back on the flight home, as in if you fly out of Narita on at 9pm of the 9th, you'll land in LAX around the afternoon of the 9th. just focus on what time you land in Japan and plan from there.

for room accommodations, if capsule hotels and share room hostels are not your thing, the next best thing would be what I call semi-capsule hotels. here's a picture of one I had stayed in before in Kyoto.

these are usually still pretty reasonably priced while still providing the privacy and space you need. you have to use the public restroom and bathroom/shower, but if that's not an issue for you, then look for these kinda accommodations. and there are always BnB choices too of course.

you will definitely still need cash. while Japan had gone into the digital transitions in a lot of places, you'll still run into cash only situations pretty often especially when it comes to food. make sure to have some just in case.

I'll try to dig up some Tokyo spots for you later on when I'm free.

 

[Tomorrow]

I'll try to put something down off the top of my head and fill in whatever I can remember later on since I'm out on the road right now. so please bear with me.

first of all, the time zone. if you're flying from the US, it's usually a 10 to 12 hours flight depending on the condition. that and the time zone difference means you'll usual lost a day going there. but you'll get it back on the flight home, as in if you fly out of Narita on at 9pm of the 9th, you'll land in LAX around the afternoon of the 9th. just focus on what time you land in Japan and plan from there.

for room accommodations, if capsule hotels and share room hostels are not your thing, the next best thing would be what I call semi-capsule hotels. here's a picture of one I had stayed in before in Kyoto.



these are usually still pretty reasonably priced while still providing the privacy and space you need. you have to use the public restroom and bathroom/shower, but if that's not an issue for you, then look for these kinda accommodations. and there are always BnB choices too of course.

you will definitely still need cash. while Japan had gone into the digital transitions in a lot of places, you'll still run into cash only situations pretty often especially when it comes to food. make sure to have some just in case.

I'll try to dig up some Tokyo spots for you later on when I'm free.

appreciate it.

the room looks comfortable! found myself staying in tiny "cupboard" in London where it could hardly fit a single bed so that looks so spacious in comparison! looks ideal for me. location in tokyo doesn't bother me. i was looking at akhibara but i guess i'm fine anywhere as long as i can get around the main areas easily with public transport. i love going on trains/subway (a bit of a train nerd lol) so happy to just chill on them.

i'll definitely make sure to take cash then. honestly i hadn't traveled for a long time until just recently so when i exchanged into euros i ended up selling it back because i didn't need it. i just used my banking app to exchange what i had in my account.

i'm in the UK. so looks like i need to go through london/amsterdam or dubai (if possible). i'm just fucking dumb with time zones lol. Japan will be the furthest i've ever traveled so it's all new to me.

 

[Robot Carnival]

appreciate it.

the room looks comfortable! found myself staying in tiny "cupboard" in London where it could hardly fit a single bed so that looks so spacious in comparison! looks ideal for me. location in tokyo doesn't bother me. i was looking at akhibara but i guess i'm fine anywhere as long as i can get around the main areas easily with public transport. i love going on trains/subway (a bit of a train nerd lol) so happy to just chill on them.

i'll definitely make sure to take cash then. honestly i hadn't traveled for a long time until just recently so when i exchanged into euros i ended up selling it back because i didn't need it. i just used my banking app to exchange what i had in my account.

i'm in the UK. so looks like i need to go through london/amsterdam or dubai (if possible). i'm just fucking dumb with time zones lol. Japan will be the furthest i've ever traveled so it's all new to me.

on your free time, just go on any booking site your prefer and put in the date you would like to go and search for flights and hotels to see. think of it as test runs. and if you find a decent deal on the hotel, can always book it first without paying and then cancel it later.

UK going to Japan would mean you probably gain some time on landing but will lost it on your return flight. just look up a flight and see what time would you be landing to get a general idea.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Based off what you're saying Tomorrow, up to a week in Tokyo, and particularly the things you say about just wandering around and the trains, I think you will have an amazing time in Tokyo.
Once you knock over the big hitters, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa and Akihabara, just random wandering is amazing.
I'm an earlier riser, and my wife tends to sleep in, so I get morning opportunities to randomly wander neighbourhood back streets, and it's always amazing.
Some examples,
Wandering out of Shinjuku, north into Shin-Okubo (Korea town), west into Nishi-Shinjuku the government area and the parks, south into the Gyoen gardens, south into Yoyogi (the area, not the park), even east which is a bit more boring is still super interesting to me.
Ride the Yamanote line and just get off at some random place. Gotanda was a bit of a find for me this time. Really nice, quieter neighbourhood. There is a bakery in Gotanda station called ROD (with a strike through the O), that make some pretty awesome bakery treats.
Just be aware that outside of parks there aren't a lot of public seats or benches around Tokyo for just sitting.

All the train tones are amazing. Listening to them just makes me sad that I'm not there right now.
I don't know how many times I listen to these YouTube videos.




And the tone at 30s in this video....

 

[Robot Carnival]

Based off what you're saying Tomorrow, up to a week in Tokyo, and particularly the things you say about just wandering around and the trains, I think you will have an amazing time in Tokyo.
Once you knock over the big hitters, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa and Akihabara, just random wandering is amazing.
I'm an earlier riser, and my wife tends to sleep in, so I get morning opportunities to randomly wander neighbourhood back streets, and it's always amazing.
Some examples,
Wandering out of Shinjuku, north into Shin-Okubo (Korea town), west into Nishi-Shinjuku the government area and the parks, south into the Gyoen gardens, south into Yoyogi (the area, not the park), even east which is a bit more boring is still super interesting to me.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/nU225sQe847dapCa8]

Chris Abroad had done a Yamanote line day trip before, and it's honestly somewhat decent in giving you an idea on all the areas alone the line.



also, the retro arcade place at Takadanobaba is actually pretty legit.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Robot Carnival]

so, I'm currently in a hotel at Narita. will be going into Tokyo tomorrow. going to be staying in Tokyo until the 17th and then head on over to Osaka to pick up a rental. then I'll be on a road trip going to Amanohashidate, Tottori, Izumo, and the northern parts of Shikoku. this would be my third time doing a self driving trip in Japan and my first time going to the Shikoku region. it's a long overdue vacation that I really needed and I'll be posting stuff along the way. ask anything or give any suggestions if you like.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Yeah, I've been to Mikado arcade in Takadanobaba. Coincidentally went there on my very first full day in Tokyo ever.
I was little disappointed in Mikado as I'd been led to believe they had a fully functioning Space Harrier hydraulic machine. Same with a fully functioning OutRun hydraulic machine. But there were neither. Apparently they did have them at some point in the past - mid 2010's maybe? It was still really fucking awesome in there though.
As far as random wandering, Takadanobaba is a really nice neighbourhood for it.
Another cool thing about Takadanobaba is the Astroboy murals under the train bridge and the Astroboy theme jingle that plays in the station.

Beyond a day trip to Hiroshima, I haven't really been south west of Kyoto/Osaka. Definitely locked in for trip 4. Shikoku, Kyushu and hopefully Okinawa.

 

[Robot Carnival]

Yeah, I've been to Mikado arcade in Takadanobaba. Coincidentally went there on my very first full day in Tokyo ever.
I was little disappointed in Mikado as I'd been led to believe they had a fully functioning Space Harrier hydraulic machine. Same with a fully functioning OutRun hydraulic machine. But there were neither. Apparently they did have them at some point in the past - mid 2010's maybe? It was still really fucking awesome in there though.
As far as random wandering, Takadanobaba is a really nice neighbourhood for it.
Another cool thing about Takadanobaba is the Astroboy murals under the train bridge and the Astroboy theme jingle that plays in the station.

Beyond a day trip to Hiroshima, I haven't really been south west of Kyoto/Osaka. Definitely locked in for trip 4. Shikoku, Kyushu and hopefully Okinawa.

Shikoku is part of my trip this time. or at least the northern parts like Matsuyama, Kotohira, Tokushima and Okayama on the mainland. so I'll let you know whatever I can afterwards. as for Kyushu, it's definitely worth going coming from someone who had been there twice. especially Miyazaki. it's where a lot of Japanese mythology originated from and the natural scenery is just amazing. just the Oni's Washboard rock formations at Ahoshima and the Udo Shrine that's located inside a cliff side cave is already worth the trip.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Added to my Joplin notes for the future. Cheers.

 

[Robot Carnival]

funny little thing. so I'm staying in Tokyo for a few days and I realized something about the hotel I'm in.

it used to be a love hotel, and probably still doing that sorta business now.

I don't mind it at all thou. good price and a spacious room? I'm perfectly fine with it. interesting thing is, there doesn't seem to be any "spicy" business near by either so I have no idea how good is that side of their business.

 

[Robot Carnival]

went to Kawagoe, aka Little Edo, to walk around and sightsee a little. even on a Monday, when quite a few stores along the way seems closed, there are still quite a lot of people. be that as it may, even thou it feels a little touristy, I would recommend checking it out. just walking through all the authentic old buildings can be an interesting experience.

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

Ive been to Japan over 25 times. Ask if you have any questions. Been mostly to Osaka, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Shirakawa, Itsukushima.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Shikoku is part of my trip this time. or at least the northern parts like Matsuyama, Kotohira, Tokushima and Okayama on the mainland. so I'll let you know whatever I can afterwards. as for Kyushu, it's definitely worth going coming from someone who had been there twice. especially Miyazaki. it's where a lot of Japanese mythology originated from and the natural scenery is just amazing. just the Oni's Washboard rock formations at Ahoshima and the Udo Shrine that's located inside a cliff side cave is already worth the trip.

I'm going again for three weeks in November. Let me know how tourist friendly Shikoku is. I know some of the language and actively learning it but I'll be solo. I think looking at the size it's as big as Wales and can easily get from one side to another via train in a few hours. Will be there for like 5/6 days I think.

 

[Power Pro]

Really picked the wrong year to think about going back to Japan...been just trying to get airfare sorta out, and with this gas price BS, it keeps going up before i can plan to buy a ticket. Was around $1200 when I first looked earlier this year, now it's $1700-1800