First stop Tokyo

Kit1

Hi

A while ago l posted asking if anyone had been on a gap year and got lots of great advice. We took it all on board and have now booked our trip. :j

We are starting in Tokyo and wondered if anyone has been

What are the things not to miss?
Did you need any vaccinations (lots of different advice out there some saying yes and others saying no).
Best place to stay (moderate budget)
Best way to get around (we were thinking train)

Many thanks

Voyager2002

On vaccinations: take advice from your doctor, not from random strangers on the internet. (I think that MSE forbids us from offering advice on this, and for good reason.) If you want another source of good information, a reliable website is the Centers for Disease Control in the USA. There is also a Health branch of the Lonely Planet discussion forum 'Thorn Tree': a regular poster there with the handle Nutrax for Nerves gives very good advice and in fact is medically qualified.

sazaccount

Hi, are you staying in Toyko or are you traveling around Japan? When are you going to be there?

I spent around 2700 for 4 weeks in April including a 3 week JR pass, I left slightly earlier than planned as they were changing the King and golden week was the first week in May where everything was sold out!

What type of accommodation are you looking at I stayed in Hostels and with a friend, also what do you like to see I'm really "interested" in emergency planning and natural hazards so I really enjoyed going to Mount Aso in the south so see the active volcano, the really informative museums eg in Kobe and going up to Sendi where they were hit with the tsumani, seeing their response, recovery and planning for the future.

On the vaccinations front have a chat with the travel nurse/doctor at your GP or with a travel pharmacist they will be able to have a look at your records and see what to suggest.

Edit: Just to add in Japan cash is key and take a wallet/purse that the notes can be flat in/bent, you get some "looks" for folded or crumpled notes

mangog

My top tip is to hire a pocket WiFi router because weirdly not many places have public WiFi (or at least they didn't when I was there in 2016). Hiring a pocket router isn't expensive and the coverage was amazing. We found it essential for getting around because we pretty much relied on Google Maps! You can rent them in advance and pay online and have the device forwarded to your first hotel or stopping place in Japan so it's really convenient, and at the end of the trip you just pop it in the post in the envelope they give you. Just Google "pocket WiFi Japan" and you'll find lots of info.

There are also lots of useful apps that will help you get around, help you with currency exchange etc.

As mentioned by others, a JR pass is the best way to get around Japan and you can buy these in advance online too. Getting around the city is cheap and easy - buy a travel card (we used Manaca but there are a bunch of different types) and just top it up as needed.

There's loads of info here: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623b.html

Planning in advance is my best advice. Anything you can buy or book before you go, do it. Look up free stuff to do online - there are loads of amazing things to do for free in Tokyo, eg. See the city from the top of the Metropolitan Government building in Shinjuku for free, rather than paying to go up Tokyo Tower or the Skytree. Pinterest is your friend for ideas!

Have an amazing time!

Nick_C

How long are you going for? Are you flying back from Tokyo? Where do you plan on staying? What's your budget for accommodation?

I got a two week JR pass when I was there last year, and it was worth it because I was flying in and out of Tokyo. It meant my day trip from Osaka to Hiroshima was free. Without going to Hiroshima, the JR pass wouldn't have saved me any money, but it was convenient to have as it covers the Chuo line between Tokyo and Shinjuku so we didn't need to get Suica cards or use the Metro in Tokyo. And of course it covers many long distance main line trains trains and the Narita Express.

I'm going again in December, but flying into Tokyo and home from Osaka. We will be staying in Tokyo and Osaka, and taking day trips from Osaka to Nara, Kyoto, and Kobe. We will be flying from Tokyo to Osaka, it's cheaper than the train. But if we had been flying back from Tokyo, I would have got the rail pass again.

Strongly recommend hiring portable WiFi. You can collect it at the airport on arrival. Google does not make offline maps available for Japan.

And download the Navitime Japan app. Brilliant for planning journeys, telling you where to change and which platform your train will depart from. You can also filter out trains which don't accept the JR pass.

mgdavid

vaccinations - read this
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/114/japan


then book an appointment with the travel nurse at your GP. They will give best advice.

sazaccount

mangog wrote: »

My top tip is to hire a pocket WiFi router because weirdly not many places have public WiFi (or at least they didn't when I was there in 2016). !

Public Wifi is pretty widespread now, on the bullet trains and even at some bus stops have Wifi, as well as many areas around the cities have public wifi which is enough to maybe upload an insa photo and check out google maps

TheShape

I'm watching this thread with interest as I fly to Tokyo on Tuesday.

I'll be spending 7 nights in Tokyo with side trips to Nikko, Kamakura, Yokohama and Fuji Five Lakes. Then 4 nights in Kyoto with side trips to Nara and Himeji. Then travelling to Hiroshima for 2 nights. On on of our days in Hiroshima we will travel to Fukuoka to see the Grand Sumo Tournament which is on from Nov 10th to 24th. Then travel to Osaka for two nights, flying back to the UK from there.

Travel with Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong.

We've got a two week Japan Rail Pass and I ordered a Data Sim at the same time. Total cost approx £1300 staying in what should be equivalent to 3 star accommodation.

We've watched a number of shows on NHK World(Japanese Broadcaster) on Sky (maybe available on other platforms/online) which has been interesting.

I'll be back 22 Nov so might have some updates/be able to answer questions after that.

sazaccount

TheShape wrote: »

I'll be spending 7 nights in Tokyo with side trips to Nikko, Kamakura, Yokohama and Fuji Five Lakes. Then 4 nights in Kyoto with side trips to Nara and Himeji. Then travelling to Hiroshima for 2 nights. On on of our days in Hiroshima we will travel to Fukuoka to see the Grand Sumo Tournament which is on from Nov 10th to 24th. Then travel to Osaka for two nights, flying back to the UK from there.
.

I did a trip to Himeji on my way from Osaka (but kyoto isn't too far away) to Hiroshima, the castle is beautiful! it is a 1km walk straight down the road from the station, very impressive built onto of the hill! In Nara the deer bow when given food!

There are luggage lockers at the majority of train stations, I highly recommend taking a wheeled suitcase (if you can hand luggage size or sightly larger but not huge) unless it a smallish rucksack. have fun!

Nick_C

+1 for Himeji. One of the few original castles that is left. Most are modern reconstructions. Only about an hour from Osaka, which is a good base for visiting Kyoto and Nara, and much cheaper than Kyoto.

Kit1

Hi Everyone

Thank you for your replies. We will be in Tokyo for about 6 days and we do plan to visit Hiroshima whilst there. We will be there at the beginning of April as we really want to see the cherry blossom and as much as we can squeeze in. We will fly out of Tokyo onto Fiji (we have all accommodation sorted here), then onto New Zealand (looking to stay in Auckland for a few nights (accommodation not sorted yet) then onto Christchurch for 2 nights (accommodation not sorted yet) then pick up a campervan for a few weeks (this is sorted) next stop is Australia (accommodation not sorted yet but as we have been before this is not a problem).

We have never been to Tokyo before so don't know which areas or hotels are best. We have been checking out travelling by train too.

Any more advice would be great.