my trip to Japan

Wouter · Jun 10, 2004, 04:55

Hi all,

This summer I will go to Japan for about 6 weeks.
I started to plan this trip about two months ago, but I have a hard time planning it in detail. Could you people please help me with it? Since there are many people here who have been to Japan or live in Japan, I can really use your experience. I need to arrange all my accomodation yet and I want to make an approximaion of how much this trip will cost me.
I really hope you can help me out

My flight is on august 9 and I arrive in Tokyo Narita on august 10 or 11.
I will take a train from Narita airport to tokyo and I would like to stay in Tokyo for about 3 or 4 days. I would like to have the cheapest accomodation possible. Can you help me finding it?
Do you have any idea how much money I will need for a daily visit to Tokyo?
I want to see many places in different areas and I want to visit temples shrines and museums. How much money should I need for meals? (breakfast, lunch and dinner) I do not intend to go to fancy restaurants, I only want good and affordable food and drinks.
What options are there available for transprtation? What is the best option and how much does it costs? For example: are there subway daypasses? how much do they cost? and can I go everywhere with them?

After my visit to tokyo I want to validate my first Japan rail pass for 7 days.
I want to use it immediately. From Tokyo I want to go to kyoto by shinkansen. I have currently found the following two accomodation possibilities in Kyoto:
http://homepage1.nifty.com/kyotosanpo/tourinin.html
http://www.gojo-guest-house.com/gojo...se/gojo-e.html
I would like to stay in kyoto for about 4 days. Do you think this is long enough? or maybe too long? I really want to see all the famous temples, shrines and gardens.
What are the best transportation options in Kyoto and how much does it cost? Are the prices for meals comparable to those in Tokyo?

After my visit to Kyoto I want to go to Osaka by shinkansen.
In Osaka I have at the moment absolutely no idea where I will stay.
Can you recommend me good and affordable accomodation?
I have the same question here: How much would an avarage day in Osaka cost me? I do not intend to go to all kinds of fancy or expensive places, I just want to see a lot of the city and of course I want to visit Osaka-Jo.

When my visit to Osaka is over, I want to go by shinkansen to Fukuoka.
I want to stay in Fukuoka for about 3 days. Also here I haven't found any accomodation. Can you recommend me a decent place?

After my stay in Fukuoka I will go by bus to Aso in kumamoto-ken.
There is my work. I will work there as a wwoof-Japan volunteer in a private school for about three weeks. Do you have any idea how much this bus trip costs me? or where I can find it?
The idea of wwoof-Japan is that you work at a host for about 6 hours a day and in return they give you accomodation and meals. You also become part of the family for some time

So in these three weeks there will almost be no costs for me.

After these three weeks of work I will go back to Tokyo via a few points of interest. This will also take a full week. But I will post about this tomorrow because my fingers are getting tired

Anyway I know these are a lot of questions for you, but I will be happy if some people can answer a few for me

nekosasori · Jun 10, 2004, 21:51

Wouter have you tried buying a Lonely Planet guide or other travel book (that's current)? That would be your best outside perspective on finding cheap accommodation and also for estimating costs.

I'd want to help except I haven't the knowledge, never having lived there myself (was visiting for 2 weeks for business back in 2001).

Have fun!

budd · Jun 10, 2004, 23:17

i agree, he should buy a book, in this case
ttp://www.letsgo.com/JPN/01-teaser-01
this book has maps in romaji and Japanese
website addresses when possible
just released in 2004
both native Japanese and Foreign born authors

Wouter · Jun 10, 2004, 23:50

I already have a few books including the newest edition of lonely planet's Japan.
There is really a lot of handy information in it, but I can't find good accomodation.
Nor can I find good prices for my meals.

well sorry, there really are some good things in this book, but I wanted to hear some suggestions from you

noodle · Jun 11, 2004, 02:23

first off, your rail pass will work on any jr (japan railways) train. however, jr doesn't have lines in every city. but you will be able to use it to get around tokyo, it's a lot easier than constantly digging for change. ;;^^ though if you only have the one-week pass, then you probably don't want to use it for that. i do believe some places had day passes for bus/train, but i don't remember any details.

hostels are probably the cheapest accomodation possible, and they're clean and safe. i stayed in tokyo international and yoyogi while in tokyo last year, both were very nice and affordable. something like 3000 yen/night. you should make reservations as soon as you can, it doesn't cost anything and you can do it online for some places. also, you'll need to purchase hostel membership if you choose to take that route (which you can do before you leave, or at most hostels when you get there), but the price is pretty nominal considering how much a hotel would cost.

http://www.hihostels.com/performLoca...sma?country=JP

i don't remember any significant difference in prices as far as meals and things in different major cities (i went to tokyo, hiroshima, nagasaki, fukuoka...). i spent around 700 to 1000 yen per meal, for noodles or okonomiyaki or kaiten sushi or things like that. i like the konbeni (convenience stores), we would usually get breakfast there, they have all kinds of yummy breakfast pastry things, around 150-200 yen. some hostels offer breakfast for reasonable prices, something like 400 yen.

hope that helps some.

chinablueyes18 · Jun 11, 2004, 03:58

I would reccomend purchasing or checking out from the library <i>Frommer's Japan</i> by Beth Reiber. Its stocked with useful information on hotel and dining prices including the least expensive. Its the must have book for someone who is going to Japan on a budget. I know you wanted my own personal reccomendations, but this book really is incredibly useful.

Wouter · Jun 15, 2004, 03:24

Can anyone of you advise me a good place to stay in Tokyo?
I want to stay in a Japanese room and because I'm on a tight budget I prefer a price below 5000 yen / night.
I have found a few places already, but I would like to hear your experiences.

Riven · Jun 15, 2004, 06:24

Wouter,
As I told you, I will also make my first trip to Japan this summer. I will leave France on 7th july and arrive Tokyo Narita on 8th. I will spend 5 days in Tokyo.
Like you, I had no idea of where to stay, and I didn't felt like staying in a place "where only guide books stayed before me". I have been recommended this "Ryokan" called Tama Ryokan. To tell the truth I can't recommend you it cause I haven't been there yet. Anyone here who went there will. For sure I will tell you about it when I am in Tokyo. I think price is interesting (regarding to how much money I have for my trip), and I like the rooms.

Question : Can anyone recommend Disco/night club in Tokyo ?

Jun 10, 2004, 04:55	#1
Wouter 台風 Join Date: May 3, 2004 Location: Belgium Age: 24 Posts: 65	my trip to Japan Hi all, This summer I will go to Japan for about 6 weeks. I started to plan this trip about two months ago, but I have a hard time planning it in detail. Could you people please help me with it? Since there are many people here who have been to Japan or live in Japan, I can really use your experience. I need to arrange all my accomodation yet and I want to make an approximaion of how much this trip will cost me. I really hope you can help me out My flight is on august 9 and I arrive in Tokyo Narita on august 10 or 11. I will take a train from Narita airport to tokyo and I would like to stay in Tokyo for about 3 or 4 days. I would like to have the cheapest accomodation possible. Can you help me finding it? Do you have any idea how much money I will need for a daily visit to Tokyo? I want to see many places in different areas and I want to visit temples shrines and museums. How much money should I need for meals? (breakfast, lunch and dinner) I do not intend to go to fancy restaurants, I only want good and affordable food and drinks. What options are there available for transprtation? What is the best option and how much does it costs? For example: are there subway daypasses? how much do they cost? and can I go everywhere with them? After my visit to tokyo I want to validate my first Japan rail pass for 7 days. I want to use it immediately. From Tokyo I want to go to kyoto by shinkansen. I have currently found the following two accomodation possibilities in Kyoto: http://homepage1.nifty.com/kyotosanpo/tourinin.html http://www.gojo-guest-house.com/gojo...se/gojo-e.html I would like to stay in kyoto for about 4 days. Do you think this is long enough? or maybe too long? I really want to see all the famous temples, shrines and gardens. What are the best transportation options in Kyoto and how much does it cost? Are the prices for meals comparable to those in Tokyo? After my visit to Kyoto I want to go to Osaka by shinkansen. In Osaka I have at the moment absolutely no idea where I will stay. Can you recommend me good and affordable accomodation? I have the same question here: How much would an avarage day in Osaka cost me? I do not intend to go to all kinds of fancy or expensive places, I just want to see a lot of the city and of course I want to visit Osaka-Jo. When my visit to Osaka is over, I want to go by shinkansen to Fukuoka. I want to stay in Fukuoka for about 3 days. Also here I haven't found any accomodation. Can you recommend me a decent place? After my stay in Fukuoka I will go by bus to Aso in kumamoto-ken. There is my work. I will work there as a wwoof-Japan volunteer in a private school for about three weeks. Do you have any idea how much this bus trip costs me? or where I can find it? The idea of wwoof-Japan is that you work at a host for about 6 hours a day and in return they give you accomodation and meals. You also become part of the family for some time So in these three weeks there will almost be no costs for me. After these three weeks of work I will go back to Tokyo via a few points of interest. This will also take a full week. But I will post about this tomorrow because my fingers are getting tired Anyway I know these are a lot of questions for you, but I will be happy if some people can answer a few for me

Jun 10, 2004, 23:17	#3
budd __________ Join Date: Jul 10, 2003 Posts: 1,972	i agree, he should buy a book, in this case ttp://www.letsgo.com/JPN/01-teaser-01 this book has maps in romaji and Japanese website addresses when possible just released in 2004 both native Japanese and Foreign born authors __________________ ttp://www.tcvb.or.jp/ Last edited by budd; Jun 11, 2004 at 03:15. Reason: what's the use of me hotlinking when people are being blockheaded?

Jun 15, 2004, 06:24	#8
Riven Oni me no Riven. Join Date: May 7, 2003 Location: Tokyo Age: 26 Posts: 152	Wouter, As I told you, I will also make my first trip to Japan this summer. I will leave France on 7th july and arrive Tokyo Narita on 8th. I will spend 5 days in Tokyo. Like you, I had no idea of where to stay, and I didn't felt like staying in a place "where only guide books stayed before me". I have been recommended this "Ryokan" called Tama Ryokan. To tell the truth I can't recommend you it cause I haven't been there yet. Anyone here who went there will. For sure I will tell you about it when I am in Tokyo. I think price is interesting (regarding to how much money I have for my trip), and I like the rooms. Question : Can anyone recommend Disco/night club in Tokyo ? __________________ Nec Spe Nec Metu

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Jun 10, 2004, 21:51	#2
nekosasori Occasional visitor Join Date: May 21, 2004 Posts: 118	Wouter have you tried buying a Lonely Planet guide or other travel book (that's current)? That would be your best outside perspective on finding cheap accommodation and also for estimating costs. I'd want to help except I haven't the knowledge, never having lived there myself (was visiting for 2 weeks for business back in 2001). Have fun!

Jun 10, 2004, 23:50	#4
Wouter 台風 Join Date: May 3, 2004 Location: Belgium Age: 24 Posts: 65	I already have a few books including the newest edition of lonely planet's Japan. There is really a lot of handy information in it, but I can't find good accomodation. Nor can I find good prices for my meals. well sorry, there really are some good things in this book, but I wanted to hear some suggestions from you

Jun 11, 2004, 02:23	#5
noodle bowl of soup Join Date: May 27, 2004 Location: in a bowl Posts: 32	first off, your rail pass will work on any jr (japan railways) train. however, jr doesn't have lines in every city. but you will be able to use it to get around tokyo, it's a lot easier than constantly digging for change. ;;^^ though if you only have the one-week pass, then you probably don't want to use it for that. i do believe some places had day passes for bus/train, but i don't remember any details. hostels are probably the cheapest accomodation possible, and they're clean and safe. i stayed in tokyo international and yoyogi while in tokyo last year, both were very nice and affordable. something like 3000 yen/night. you should make reservations as soon as you can, it doesn't cost anything and you can do it online for some places. also, you'll need to purchase hostel membership if you choose to take that route (which you can do before you leave, or at most hostels when you get there), but the price is pretty nominal considering how much a hotel would cost. http://www.hihostels.com/performLoca...sma?country=JP i don't remember any significant difference in prices as far as meals and things in different major cities (i went to tokyo, hiroshima, nagasaki, fukuoka...). i spent around 700 to 1000 yen per meal, for noodles or okonomiyaki or kaiten sushi or things like that. i like the konbeni (convenience stores), we would usually get breakfast there, they have all kinds of yummy breakfast pastry things, around 150-200 yen. some hostels offer breakfast for reasonable prices, something like 400 yen. hope that helps some.

Jun 11, 2004, 03:58	#6
chinablueyes18 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 10, 2004 Posts: 19	I would reccomend purchasing or checking out from the library <i>Frommer's Japan</i> by Beth Reiber. Its stocked with useful information on hotel and dining prices including the least expensive. Its the must have book for someone who is going to Japan on a budget. I know you wanted my own personal reccomendations, but this book really is incredibly useful.

Jun 15, 2004, 03:24	#7
Wouter 台風 Join Date: May 3, 2004 Location: Belgium Age: 24 Posts: 65	Can anyone of you advise me a good place to stay in Tokyo? I want to stay in a Japanese room and because I'm on a tight budget I prefer a price below 5000 yen / night. I have found a few places already, but I would like to hear your experiences.