Japan

inkie

We are planning a trip to Japan next year - and looking at booking independantly to keep the costs down. Has anyone done this? Any words of wisdom to share. How easy would it be to get from Narita airport to Tokyo. Advice welcome please - there will be 4 our us (me DH, DD15 and DD12.)
Thanks in advance:)

Adaline

I booked and travelled independently in Japan with no problem. I reserved rooms in ryokans in Tokyo and Kyoto over the web. You can book direct, or go through booking sites: I booked direct. There are several ways to get from Narita to Tokyo by train, check out:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2027.html
It may depend on which bit of Tokyo you're staying in. I took the Keisei Skyliner because I was staying near Ueno so it was close, and also cheaper than the Narita Express (though this is quicker).
If you're planning on travelling around Japan by train, do get a Japan Rail Pass which can make it much cheaper. You have to buy these in advance before you travel:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html
Have a wonderful time: I love Japan!

tarkytarks

I'm really interested to find out how easy it is to get along in Japan if you do not speak any of the language. Going to Japan has been my dream for a long time and we are in the process of saving up for a holiday there, hopefully next Easter time. I had been looking into joining some form of small group tour but maybe it's worth considering going independently. I've found a few companies but I think it was Inside Japan that caught my eye.
I'll watch this thread with interest

pinkkaz

I've just booked flights to Japan for 2 weeks at Easter! I used skyscanner and we are going via Rome which is a lot cheaper than going direct.

Also, we are definitely planning to get a Japan Rail Pass although they seem very expensive (still cheaper than getting individual tickets once there though by all accounts). Just not sure yet whether to go for the 14 day one or the 7 day one, but verging on the former.

Luckily we are going to be able to stay with my brother who is in Shizuoka, but we are planning on spending a few days in Tokyo, so if anyone has any (cheap) hotel tips that would be very useful (presumably to the OP too!) Thanks!

carbbit

pinkkaz wrote: »

I've just booked flights to Japan for 2 weeks at Easter! I used skyscanner and we are going via Rome which is a lot cheaper than going direct.

Also, we are definitely planning to get a Japan Rail Pass although they seem very expensive (still cheaper than getting individual tickets once there though by all accounts). Just not sure yet whether to go for the 14 day one or the 7 day one, but verging on the former.

Luckily we are going to be able to stay with my brother who is in Shizuoka, but we are planning on spending a few days in Tokyo, so if anyone has any (cheap) hotel tips that would be very useful (presumably to the OP too!) Thanks!

I went to Japan last year and would definitely recommend getting the rail pass. If you are planning on flying into Tokyo and going to Osaka or Kyoto, the pass pays for itself in one Shinkansen trip. I paid £222 for a one week pass. This site is really good for checking train times etc: http://www.hyperdia.com/

I stayed for a few days at the Best Western hotel in Shinjuku. It has decent sized rooms by Japan standards and is about a 6-8 minute walk from Shinjuku station. It's right on the edge of the "red light district" but you don't have to walk "through" it to get there and I certainly didn't encounter any problems travelling as a single female.

Mat_Lock

I had no problems getting around Tokyo. The tube map is an amazing sight but everything is laid out perfectly with numbers as well as station names and you just work out where to go from that. I only ventured to Tokyo and Yokohama so can't really say much else.

agrinnall

I travelled independently to Japan 5 years ago, it was all pretty straightforward. I booked my flights through Opodo with Lufthansa (change of plane in Frankfurt) and all but one of my hotels online using the hotel's own websites. I flew into Narita and caught a bus to the area of Tokyo where my hotel was. Getting around Tokyo was easy.

After a week in Tokyo I got a bullet train to Hiroshima - I didn't organise this before I left but did it at Ueno station in Tokyo a few days beforehand. I then caught a ferry to Matsuyama on Shikoku, caught a train to Takamatsu (the only place where I hadn't booked a room, the tourist office found me one when I arrived) and a bus to Kyoto, which is where I flew back from.

I don't speak Japanese but I did do one term of a beginner's Japanese evening class which was useful to get an idea of how the three different character sets are used, particularly how words are written in Hiragana, for instance on menus. In Tokyo you can usually find someone who speaks some English and Latin script is pretty common so if you know a few Japanes words phonetically it's easier to read them. Outside of Tokyo both are less common but I never had any great problem.

A few recommendations: visit gardens, go up tall buildings, go to a bath house, take a tea ceremony, shop in department stores (the food section, normally in the basement, is amazing), visit temples.

Chrissy1981

I went to Tokyo about 4 years ago and had an amazing time. Was a complete culture shock but a welcome one!

We booked through Expedia and flew BA and stayed at the Shinjuku Washington which was perfect for what we wanted - clean, near a station and had an amazing view!

We went for 10 days so planned the first few days to just use the tube system then got a 7-day rail pass which was really worth it. I believe we paid for it at a Japanese tourist office in central London then found the tourist office in Shinjuku to get it changed into the rail pass. Used it on the Shinkansen (sp?) to Kyoto. Dont worry about getting around as you soon get used to the language everywhere. The tubes have digital displays in English as well as Japanese and I got the hang of the train maps quite quickly, which is saying something!

We got the Narita Express which is a coach from the airport and stops off at lots of the main hotels. Wasn't too expensive and you get an idea of the city (if you're not sleeping from jet-lag, that is!)

Would also like to agree with Carbbit and say that I felt completely safe when I was walking around on my own.

Have an amazing time!

AHAR

Here are a couple of useful Japanese sites for hotels:
http://www.japanican.com/index.aspx
http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/

Note that many hotels only offer bookings within 3 months of the date of the stay.

I've always arranged things independently and gone in March/April or October/Novemeber to avoid the hot, humid and rainy summer. Golden Week is best avoided.
There are now a number of international flights operating from Haneda airport which is closer to the centre of Tokyo but the inconvenient arrival and departure times outweigh the advantage of the location IMO.
Definitely get a Suica card to make train and subway travel as simple as can be. There's a deal which combines discounted Narita Express train tickets with a Suica card but I always take the cheapo Keisei limited express train to/from Narita.

http://www.japan-guide.com/ is a good site for general research.

sams247

My DS went to Japan a couple of years ago and stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto. He does speak japanese but said it was almost frustrating as he got to use so little as everyone he met wanted to try and use their English! Not sure where he stayed in Tokyo, but in Kyoto he stayed here https://www.kyoto-shimizu.net/ Highly recommneded and very good prices apparently.

choc_mouse

The cheapest way to get from Narita airport to Tokyo (Station) is JR Rapid train. This comes to about 1280 Yen each and takes a good part of 1.5 hours. I think anyone can manage this route though may be tricky as may involve changes. http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

The easiest way (for me) is to take the Limousine bus into Tokyo. (not actually a limousine - just a coach) You'll see the bright yellow counter as soon as you exit arrivals and the bus stops are just outside. 3000/1500 Yen per adult/child for a oneway ticket. http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

I'd consider getting a limousine + metro pass if you plan to spend 1 or 2 days in Tokyo. This will get you a return ticket to the airport (2 x singles) + you can use the metro (but not JR lines) so this will get you almost everywhere in Tokyo. http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/discount_ticket/en/index.html

Travelling further a field, I definitely recommend the JR pass which you must buy before you go. Long distance trains are expensive.

If you really don't want to pay for tours you can enjoy most tourist sights in Tokyo and Kyoto by picking up a good guide book and going there yourselves by public transport! Then just pay for anything you do want to see or eat.

The language thing - it will be an experience just remember to smile. You'll be able to survive just knowing "arigato" - thanks.

I'll write more advice if I have time later...