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Japan

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  • I've made it my project for the next few months to research stuff for when we do go to Japan (currently planning for Easter 2012!). I've been looking at airlines that fly direct from the UK to Japan and came across All Nippon Airways - has anyone flown with them before? What are they like? :)
  • I've always wanted to visit Japan but been prevented by tales of how expensive it is to holiday/visit there. Is it possible to 'do' Japan on a budget? I doubt it but....
  • Beenie
    Beenie Posts: 1,634 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    We went to Japan about 3/4 years ago. The £ was quite strong then so it was not the eye-wateringly expensive destination that I believe it to be now. However, it was worth every penny and I would love to go again, despite the high cost.

    The cheapest hotels (nice, clean and worth staying at) were then c. £100 a night so I expect it will be double that now. I don't recall breakfast being part of the deal, except at ryokans, but there are lots of inexpensive coffee shops selling delicious pastries and good fresh coffee, so no worries about breakfast. The cheapest places to eat were at railway stations - you could buy a bento box beautifully packed and presented to eat on the train. If you were really strapped for cash then you could eat there all the time (japanese stations are like shopping malls with loads of food places).

    As others have said, the big bargain is the Japaneses Rail Pass - we travelled from Narita airport to Tokyo, then Kyoto, Takayama (Japanese alps), Kanazawa, then down to Hiroshima and back to Tokyo. It would have been prohibitively expensive to pay at the station for each individual journey without such a pre-paid pass.

    The department stores are worth a look but don't plan on buying any clothes or shoes as they are all tiny sizes.

    You don't need to speak Japanese - all the stations and underground are marked in English, taxi drivers are scrupulously honest and do not accept tips (it's an insult to them apparently), menus are often in English too. When visiting shrines and temples, you should take a guide book (like Lonely Planet) so that you get the best from the visit as i can't remember there being any English translations at such places.
  • Molly41
    Molly41 Posts: 4,919 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 16 February 2011 at 6:48PM
    I dont speak a word of Japanese and visited whilst my Kids Dad was working over there. I took the bus from narita and travelled around Tokyo using the underground trains just fine on my own. I took an overland train once and sat in the wrong seat as you are designated a number but was politely and kindly asked to move by japanese folks with perfect english. I always felt very safe and really enjoyed the culture and attention to detail. I particularly enjoyed shopping in the supermarket as even the bananas are carefully wrapped. The book that most sums up japan is

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Japan-Kate-T-Williamson/dp/1568985401/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297871190&sr=1-1

    Oh and a visit to Nikko is really recommended. Can be done in a day from Tokyo.
    I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
    Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
    I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over and through me. When it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
    When the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
  • I'm interested in any advice that this thread brings.
    We've booked our flights out already (used airmiles so saved a packet there) though we are only staying 11 nights as the costs were too high for us to do much longer without compromising what we wanted to do once there.
    Many people have recommended the rail pass, just wondering if it's worth it if we're there for such a short time - we were thinking of a couple of days in Kyoto so that's only two train journeys and some packages to Kyoto I've been considering include these.
  • There is a japanese for beginners course starting in september at my local uni that I'm going to sign up - 14 weeks should be enough to give me at least a bit of an idea what's going on when we go :)

    But yes any more tips and advice from anyone would be great!
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Nadeshka wrote: »
    I'm interested in any advice that this thread brings.
    We've booked our flights out already (used airmiles so saved a packet there) though we are only staying 11 nights as the costs were too high for us to do much longer without compromising what we wanted to do once there.
    Many people have recommended the rail pass, just wondering if it's worth it if we're there for such a short time - we were thinking of a couple of days in Kyoto so that's only two train journeys and some packages to Kyoto I've been considering include these.

    I didn't use a rail pass myself as it was more cost effective to make the journey that I did with an ordinary ticket. My memory of it is a bit vague now but I'm pretty sure I was able to do some research on prices on the Japan Railways site before I went. I would suspect that a return to Kyoto will be cheaper than a rail pass (you may find that it's cheaper to change in Osaka rather than get a direct Tokyo - Kyoto service).
  • choc_mouse
    choc_mouse Posts: 487 Forumite
    edited 16 February 2011 at 7:57PM
    tarkytarks wrote: »
    I've been looking at airlines that fly direct from the UK to Japan and came across All Nippon Airways - has anyone flown with them before? What are they like? :)

    I've used ANA for domestic flights. They're very good. They often do code shares with Virgin so you might actually be boarding a Virgin flight. I've flown to Tokyo with Virgin, BA, JAL and Alitalia. Virgin was best but BA and JAL weren't far behind either. Alitalia was cheap, via Rome but not the most comfortable journey.
    Nadeshka wrote: »
    Many people have recommended the rail pass, just wondering if it's worth it if we're there for such a short time - we were thinking of a couple of days in Kyoto so that's only two train journeys and some packages to Kyoto I've been considering include these.

    The Tokyo-Kyoto return ticket on Shinkansen is about 27,000 JPY. This is about £200 already. So an airport journey and a couple more short journeys will probably take you up to the cost of the JR Pass which is about £226. Naha and nearby historic towns are within easy reach of Kyoto by train!

    For those on a real budget, consider the night bus! I did it from Tokyo to Kyoto. Arrived nice and early (about 5AM) and got to explore Kyoto without a soul in sight! I think a one way ticket was only about 5000 JPY.
  • On budgets, Japan is expensive but I think it's about the same as Switzerland and not much more than London if you think about it. In fact, better quality food is cheaper in Japan.

    Excluding accommodation, in my experience you can survive on 1500 JPY / £10 per day just by eating at cheap chain stores or obento (lunch boxes), walking to places and not buying much! Suggested for long stay English teachers on a poor salary. Fortunately, I did this by choice to save money.

    For those who can afford about 5000 JPY / £40 per day, you will have a decent trip with the odd meal at an izakaya (Japanese style pub).

    I find when I'm in full holiday mode, I'll spend at least 10,000 JPY / £80 per day. This includes travel, tickets for attractions and gift shopping!

    For those who need cash, most retailers accept credit cards these days and the majority of ATMs in tourist hot spots will accept foreign cards. If you're ever stuck, look for an ATM belonging to the Japan Post (JP). They will almost always accept foreign cards and have English menus.
  • AHAR
    AHAR Posts: 984 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    ATMs in Post Offices and Seven-Eleven convenience stores should work with all UK cards - I don't think many others will. Seven-Eleven machines only dispense 10,000 yen notes whereas Post Office machines offer 1000 yen increments. Spending 10,000 yen notes isn't a problem though. All ATMs seem to be indoors in Japan so you won't be able to get at the Post Office machines out-of-hours. You're never far from an open Seven-Eleven store though.
    The 7 day rail pass is slightly more expensive than the return Shinkansen fare from Tokyo to Kyoto but it should be easy to get your money's worth by making some other journeys with the pass. Having said that, I've noticed japanican.com is offering combined Shinkansen and hotel deals to Kyoto with good-looking savings.
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