MikeHattsu
Member
Since you're only going one way from Osaka to Tokyo and not back again that means that if you're going to Hiroshima or Nagano then get a JR Pass, if not don't.
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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
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Since you're only going one way from Osaka to Tokyo and not back again that means that if you're going to Hiroshima or Nagano then get a JR Pass, if not don't.
Hey, just curious. Anyone here visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building?
Interested in checking it out just because of seeing it in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth.
If anyone here has visited it, what did you think of it?
Interested in checking it out just because of seeing it in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth.
If anyone here has visited it, what did you think of it?
Theres a really affordable cafeteria in there open to everyone and also there's agreat view of the city from the 46th floor which is free compared to going to the top of Tokyo SKytree.
I visited that building on my first morning in Tokyo. I recommend it, it's free and gives you a great view of the city. There's a little gift store at the observation deck level where I picked up a really cool little umbrella that had a nice sword-like handle. (Came in handy as it rained the next few days.)
Hello Japan GAF, its nearly time for my yearly trip to Tokyo, and i haven't been as well organised as i usually am, and i'm really struggling to find a flight for a decent price need to get from london-Tokyo on the 26th March and get back on the 9th/10th April - skyscanner isnt offering me anything too decent neither are airlines direct such as KLM, finair, BA etc..
Is there any other resource i can use to find flights?
Is there any other resource i can use to find flights?
EuricaeriS
Member
Worth it, not just because it's free
If you're staying nearby, check it out at night.MikeHattsu
Member
http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/japan/tokyo?month=3&year=2016
Check the sites in the OP. You're late and booking for easter though...
That one will throttle if you go over 1.5GB per 3 day period. And when it throttles it is really slow. We rented two shared between four people and the last few days of our trip it was almost unusable.
Tbh though most do throttle if you use too much (eg streaming video). So make sure your phone is set up to not massacre data (iOS is a pain because it can't tell the difference between wifi and mobile wifi so it can use lots of data)
If you don't need your phone number you could grab a prepaid data sim?
Dabookerman
Member
So a friend and I will be hanging around the Kyushu area for around a week.
I'm really interested in using a private bath/onsen/spring, however many of them seem to be only available with a room.
Is it possible to use a private bath without the need to rent a room/ryokan?
I'm really interested in using a private bath/onsen/spring, however many of them seem to be only available with a room.
Is it possible to use a private bath without the need to rent a room/ryokan?
I have never used a private bath in Kyushu, so I want to preface that I can't help you with that specifically, but you might check into a number of places in Beppu, Oita, if you aren't limited to Fukuoka/Nagasaki or wherever you are going in Kyushu. They have a lot of places with private onsens and it's just an amazing onsen town in general, and if you give a couple places a call you might find one that doesn't require a plan. I imagine it would still be somewhat expensive. However, my image of a "private" onsen is as part of a room in typical onsen resort fashion.
MikeHattsu
Member
Thanks a lot Mike, Hakone it is! I don't know what your day job is but you should seriously consider being a travel advisor, your tips are super useful!
Here's my Hakone recommendation Washintei Hougetsu http://hakone-hougetu.com/sp/
ATXAlchemy
Member
Any advice what kind of jacket I should buy if I am going to Japan/Tokyo? Plan is to go there the end of January/beginner of Feb. I live in a tropical country if that helps.
First time I'll be going to winter-laden place so I have no winter clothes. I'm also not a jacket guy. Never wore one unless I was forced to (events, raining and I have no umbrella, etc). I was there last August/Sept, and I thought ~18C combined with low humidity was pretty cold, but I don't really want to buy jackets too thick that I won't be ever wearing here home. :|
Also what about shoes/gloves/others? Does it rain much around these time?
Oh, going there for work for 2 months, and I probably won't go much outside of Tokyo area. Won't ski either, since I'll won't have my buddy/co-worker with me.
P.S. I did look on some websites, and they all just basically told me to bring winter clothes. And there's no winter in this country, so LOL.
First time I'll be going to winter-laden place so I have no winter clothes. I'm also not a jacket guy. Never wore one unless I was forced to (events, raining and I have no umbrella, etc). I was there last August/Sept, and I thought ~18C combined with low humidity was pretty cold, but I don't really want to buy jackets too thick that I won't be ever wearing here home. :|
Also what about shoes/gloves/others? Does it rain much around these time?
Oh, going there for work for 2 months, and I probably won't go much outside of Tokyo area. Won't ski either, since I'll won't have my buddy/co-worker with me.
P.S. I did look on some websites, and they all just basically told me to bring winter clothes. And there's no winter in this country, so LOL.
I used to crank the AC down to 16C/lowest until I decided 20~25 is good enough so I won't be awoken early in the morning due to it being too cold, then rushing to the bathroom to pee LOL.
18C is shorts and a polo where I come from. With that said you may need something hefty.
This may help http://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Warm-and-Stylish-During-Winter
If you dont want to invest in a jacket, just wear layers and top if off with a hat or scarf. Or just go to Uniqlo and grab something cheap there.
Does anyone remember if vending machines or subway ticket machines take all sorts of change? Im heading over in a couple weeks and realized I have a shitload of change. Whats the best way to get rid of them?
MikeHattsu
Member
Smallest they take is usually 10 yen coins. Best way to get rid of change is to buy something to drink or a snack at a convenience store or something
I have decided to go to Himeji on my first day, which would probably fill up whatever's left of the afternoon until it closes at 5pm. Then I will check in at Airbnb in Shin-osaka. After check-in and dinner it would probably be around 7pm.
I will probably have free time from 7-9 or 10, but I set bedtime to be 9:30 or 10 to adjust from jetlag and to rest up for the miyajima trip first thing in the morning. Where should I go for around 2 hours?
All I can think of is either Umeda sky building, Fushimi Inari (at night --I don't know if this is a good idea), or Kobe (pretty far away). I am not planning on using the subway unless I go to Higashiyama, but it's farther than Fushimi Inari.
I will probably have free time from 7-9 or 10, but I set bedtime to be 9:30 or 10 to adjust from jetlag and to rest up for the miyajima trip first thing in the morning. Where should I go for around 2 hours?
All I can think of is either Umeda sky building, Fushimi Inari (at night --I don't know if this is a good idea), or Kobe (pretty far away). I am not planning on using the subway unless I go to Higashiyama, but it's farther than Fushimi Inari.
MikeHattsu
Member
Why not just check out Dotonbori?
Subway is $2 each, so with 4 people that would be $16 round trip. Is it worth the commute? What's the best food there other than okonomiyaki? I'm going to Hiroshima the next day and will eat okonomiyaki there haha.
It should take me around the same time to go to kyoto and dotonbori from my airbnb according to gmaps.
Supermanisdead
Member
see the gilco man. thats what im doing in osaka.
by the way, do you guys think 1 day is enough to see: osaka castle, gilco man and floating garden. i dont want to spend multiple days in 1 city.
by the way, do you guys think 1 day is enough to see: osaka castle, gilco man and floating garden. i dont want to spend multiple days in 1 city.
RapidCancel
Member
Try out some Izakaya and Takoyaki.
That'll be enough time depending how long you mosey around.
MikeHattsu
Member
Yeah, I've done that + much more in 1 day myself. Save the Glico man for after sundown though.
Zoe
Member
Laevateinn
Member
That makes so much sense. I couldn't figure out why Ted stuff was all over the UFO games.
Visited the Spa World in Osaka and decided to walk around a little afterwards. Somehow I ended up in a red light district and a bunch of old ladies tried to invite me in. (I assume for the younger girl sitting next her).
Spa World was awesome again btw.. Can't recommend it enough. Crazy what they offer for such a low entrance fee.
Spa World was awesome again btw.. Can't recommend it enough. Crazy what they offer for such a low entrance fee.
EuricaeriS
Member
Finally have all the details for my apartment in Ikebukuro, so now all I need to sort is spending money Managed to find a Tiger & Bunny cafe by scooting around in street view, don't suppose anyone knows if this place rotates theme?
Will be good to properly explore this place. Spent most of my time in Shinjuku so it's good to dig in somewhere different.
Managed to find a Tiger & Bunny cafe by scooting around in street view, don't suppose anyone knows if this place rotates theme? Will be good to properly explore this place. Spent most of my time in Shinjuku so it's good to dig in somewhere different.
MikeHattsu
Member
Finally have all the details for my apartment in Ikebukuro, so now all I need to sort is spending money
Will be good to properly explore this place. Spent most of my time in Shinjuku so it's good to dig in somewhere different.
Not sure which cafe you mean, but a lot of those anime ones usually rotate themes.
There's a Tiger & Bunny one in Akihabara though:
http://www.namco.co.jp/characro/tigerandbunny/
EuricaeriS
Member
Huh. Characro was the place I meant (and definitely has a branch in Ikebukuro) but perhaps I mixed up which one it was. I know they have an Idolmaster one and a Gintama one, so maybe it's one of those?
Either way, don't care much for T&B so I was only keeping an eye on whether it would change
Thanks!MikeHattsu
Member
Yea, the one in Ikebukuro is Gintama right now.
EuricaeriS
Member
Just curious, when do you guys buy your JRPass? Like how long before your trip?
I'm thinking of getting it in the middle of Feb (about a month and a half before going)just to have one more thing off my list of things to get.
Also speaking of things to get, I take it, I should order a wifi device days before going so it arrives at the airport for when we arrive in Japan?
I'm thinking of getting it in the middle of Feb (about a month and a half before going)just to have one more thing off my list of things to get.
Also speaking of things to get, I take it, I should order a wifi device days before going so it arrives at the airport for when we arrive in Japan?
MikeHattsu
Member
Just order both in the middle of Feb to be sure. They can run out of WiFi devices.
Oh. okay, good to know. Will do then. Ty
now just to decide where I want to get teh pocket wifi from, the JRPass website or tocoo one.
Next few months are going to be fun with planning this
Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll look into dotonbori.
By the way, would it be better to go to Miyajima in the morning or afternoon? Right now I have my plans at first thing in the morning before heading to Peace Park, but maybe it's better to save it for last? Peace Park opens at 8:30.
On Apr 05 high tide is at 8:25 and 20:40, low tide at around 14:00, and sunset around 18:30. If I do miyajima last maybe I can see it at low tide, sunset, and near high tide. I expect to leave around 7 to get back to shin-osaka at 10:20ish. I wouldn't be able to see high tide in daylight though.
Oh and Daisho-in sounds like a cool place to check out too, hopefully I can fit it in my itinerary at miyajima.
By the way, would it be better to go to Miyajima in the morning or afternoon? Right now I have my plans at first thing in the morning before heading to Peace Park, but maybe it's better to save it for last? Peace Park opens at 8:30.
On Apr 05 high tide is at 8:25 and 20:40, low tide at around 14:00, and sunset around 18:30. If I do miyajima last maybe I can see it at low tide, sunset, and near high tide. I expect to leave around 7 to get back to shin-osaka at 10:20ish. I wouldn't be able to see high tide in daylight though.
Oh and Daisho-in sounds like a cool place to check out too, hopefully I can fit it in my itinerary at miyajima.
Oh. okay, good to know. Will do then. Ty
now just to decide where I want to get teh pocket wifi from, the JRPass website or tocoo one.
Next few months are going to be fun with planning this
How long you staying for? Tocoo is flat rate after about 8-9 days so any longer than that and you don't pay any more. Also pretty cheap - we rented two so we could keep in touch if separated. They can also post to your hotel if you prefer
Do you want to see it at low or high tide? I think when we went it was low but I would have preferred high, or at least some water to get a reflection. We stayed long enough going up the mountain that the tide had come in a little so that was ok.
Personally I'd get there early as it'll be quieter. We stayed in a hotel at the harbour so got on one of the first ferries and the island was super peaceful except for the deer (shops weren't even open yet).
28th of March - 11th of April.
I compared both options and Tocoo without the support option you can select is cheaper than the JRPass wifi option. With support and it's about a pound cheaper roughly. (though that's just according to what google says the exchange rate is when I checked, could easily be the same price as the JRPass option when I order it)
We arrive in the morning (assuming no plane issues) so we'll be getting it posted to the airport. That way, we shouldn't have any issues finding the hotel or anything haha.
MikeHattsu
Member
The 'wide support' option is just an insurance if you damage the device.
If I go there first before Hiroshima I would get there at around 9-10, 1-1.5 hours past peak high tide. If I go there last I would probably get there at 2pm in time for low tide. I can then stay there for sunset and until 2 hours before peak high tide.
Is seeing high tide during the morning worth more than seeing low tide, sunset, and mid-high tide in the evening? I guess that's basically the main question.It would probably be more crowded in the afternoon, and temples close at 5pm I think.
Owlowiscious
Member
Sooooooooo how do I go about getting yen? I'm at the US airport right now so a little late to go to my bank or someplace locally outside of the airport.
I have a Visa credit card.
I have a Visa credit card.
MikeHattsu
Member
Use your Visa card and get yen at the 7-Eleven International ATM or bring cash and exchange at the airport in Japan.