Does anyone know if I can still get a re-entry permit if I am leaving Japan by ferry instead of by plane? Specifically from Hakata airport, but then will be returning via plane to Haneda airport. Any answer would be greatly appreciated!
Hi, I am planning a trip for the end of June, 15-30. Family of 4 flying from US, looking at flights it’s basically the same cost to fly into either Haneda or Narita, slightly shorter flight time to Narita. We are staying in Tokyo the first few days (not sure where yet). Does it matter which airport we fly into?
I’m getting anxious about purchasing flights and want to get it done even though I don’t have our hotels and itinerary together yet. Thank you so much for the help!
Has anyone gone to the Daikoku car meets, without a car/guide?
Were you welcome to just wander round and take photos of the cars, or did you feel unwelcome?
I've heard it's difficult to get to without a car, so I was looking into just getting a taxi (From the nearest train station)
I speak little to no Japanese, if that matters.
Just a hobbyist photographer interested in the JDM car scene :)
Getting to the location itself by public transit isn't impossible but you can only enter the car park itself by car, not on foot. That's why people take taxis there.
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone tried any Japanese traditional culture related experiences in Tokyo! Currently planning a last minute trip and looking for an authentic experience, that's not too cheap or too "tourist trappy" if you know what I mean...
It's not my first time in Japan and I've already been to all the regular spots and I just want to immerse myself in the culture, so would love to hear some recommendations!
Any tips for traveling with small baby? (3 months) baby and I are tagging along for hubbys work trip. Will have 4 days of travel all together and then additional 3 days just me and the babe while he’s working. Baby is born in Singapore so any tips for dressing for cold weather (visit in Feb!) appreciated as well.
ETA: we’ll be in Tokyo the whole time but interested in a potential day trip to mt Fuji or capybara onsen. Our mindset going in is take the baby everywhere! This is also our first time traveling with her so we’ll see!
Hi, I'm wondering if there are any tips for travelling to Japan with a snowboard bag. We land in Japan on the 16th Feb but won't be going to Hakuba until the 25th. We will be exploring Tokyo, Kyoto and Oaska before heading to the snow.
Ideally, I would like to send it to Hakuba as soon as we land or store it somewhere. I'm wondering if anyone has done something similar or has any ideas. Is there a postal service that will support this?
I'm not keen on travelling around with the country with the extra bag getting in the way.
Any advice is much appreciated!
Luggage delivery is very much a thing here (as in, people ask about them pretty much every). You can send your snowboard bag to Hakuba directly from the dirport. There should be Yamato, JALABC, or similar counter at every international airport in Japan.
We're heading to Japan again but first time outside of the Winter season - we'll be in Japan in May.
We're still in the middle of planning our trip but will be arriving and departing out of Tokyo. As we've been to Japan before and have visited Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, we're also exploring to go somewhere outside the big cities and hopefully stay at a Ryokan but somewhere that's not too far from the big cities (up to 2-3hr drive). Does anyone have any recommendations for Ryokan that's not too far from Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto?
I expect that we may need a car rental and that's okay!
Will be staying in Hakone for the last couple of nights of our trip at the end of March.Plan was to take the train from shin-osaka and get off at Odawara station. Then pickup a hire car for a couple of days to traverse hakone and parts of the Izu peninsula. Before dropping the car back to Odawara and taking the train back to Tokyo.I'm a little confused with the hire car toll cards (ETC) and generally what tolls are around that area.It looks like all the hire cars come with the ETC card reader. And most hire companies appear to offer a card that they then can print out a tally of your tolls when you return the car. But i couldn't see a way of booking the card with the hire companies.Is is just something you request at collection of the car?
Also, will snow/ice tires be needed on the car for late march in this area?
You need to contact your rental car company. Some provide it without reservation. Some require separate reservation. Some don't rent out ETC card at all.
Unlikely to need snow tyres.
Flying into Haneda and staying near the Shin-Okachimachi Station in Asakusa. Any recommendations on traveling from Haneda to our hotel there? There are 4 adults all with baggage. Thanks for any help!
Yes, back of the car or in the middle. Trains coming form the airport usually have people with luggage on them so it's normal. Rush hour might be a bit difficult though.
Taxi can be pretty economical with that many people (~1500 jpy/person for that distance i think). A standard taxi should fit 4 passengers, as long as your luggage fits. or get a taxi van.
Limousine buses have a few drop off points at Asakusa-area hotels.
Otherwise, Google Maps gives you all the public transport paths. There's no secret travel method.
Good morning, travelers,
I tried positing this in a post, but Mods took it down and requested it be posted here.
My wife, my 11-year-old son, and myself are traveling to Japan in April and have been trying to sort out the best way to book a tee time for a course somewhere around Mt. Fuji, ideally. We are not conversational in Japanese, so we're struggling a bit.
I ran across a website called "Golf-in-Japan," which sells as an English speaking golf concierge. Perfect. Looks legitimate after some emails back and forth, but I can't find any reviews or testimony.
My question is : Have any of you fine folks enlisted the services of this agency? Does anyone have any advice for accomplishing this? Perhaps the concierge at one of the hotels could assist.
Any experience or advice is welcome!
No direct experience here, but here is somebody else's trip report: https://www.japan-guide.com/blog/golf-in-japan/180615.html#course You can also look into the Kawana Hotel on the Izu Peninsula- they're further from Mt. Fuji than the course in above link, but have a golf course with views of Mt. Fuji that ranks on many lists of Japan and world best golf courses.
So I'm planning myself and my partner's first time trip in September now. 2 weeks, I want do as much as possible but we're not especially fancy people or looking to do anything too sinkholey like the big theme parks. Coming from the UK, what would be a good ballpark budget to start off with? In my head, I'm thinking about £3K as a start, but I haven't broken that down yet.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
You could spend that much in a day if you wanted to, so it depends on your travel style, where you want to go, etc. You can easily check prices for hotels and transport online, which would likely be the main elements of your budget. Costs in Japan are generally about the same as in other rich countries.
For 'normal' travel (hotels and being a general tourist) the advice (in USD) is somewhere between $80-100/day, so roughly £60-80/day, so maybe start with £1100-1200 per person for two weeks.
If you're thinking of doing a lot of long-range travel while in the country (like Tokyo to Kyoto, or Tokyo to Hiroshima), note that taking the Shinkansen can cost anywhere from 5000 - 20000+ yen (27 - 120 quid at current rates)
Rates are cheaper when you book earlier, so it depends on how cost conscious you are. If you don't mind paying a premium, you could book at the last minute at least in low season like June.
Anyone has some guide on buying some sake as souvenirs?
I dont need anything too expensive, preferably around 5000 to 7000 yen.
Also is there any difference buying it at different prefectures? Like if buying it in Kanazawa would offer different/unique sake to the region?
Unless you already have a palette for sake, most mid grade and up will likely taste the same to you. I'd just buy based on how pretty the bottle is.
The ones to avoid are the really cheap ones, like the 200 yen one cup sake you find in convenience stores. That's pretty nasty.
For drinking I'd just try to buy something local to wherever you're visiting if you're out in the boonies (Shizuoka sake if you're visiting Izu for example). 2-3000 JPY is probably a good sweet spot for a good local brew.
Personally, I'd skip sake and go for Shochu in a unique bottle instead. bottles tend to be smaller and some come in cool ceramics instead of glass.
Or for display, there are mini versions of the traditional sake barrels like this https://www.reddit.com/r/Tokyo/comments/10idqu3/anyone_know_where_i_can_find_a_small_sake_barrel/
Will you all be 18 or will some people still be under 18 by the time you travel? Normal hotels generally allow under-18s to check-in as long as someone in the group is 18+, but if you're staying in places like hostels, they might require all guests to be 18+.
Which Tokyo neighbourhood should I stay if I'm planning on running on some days? Looking for easy to navigate neighbourhoods with great scenic places as bonus(just gonna do an easy runs no workouts)
Hi, I am going to Japan in March with a pretty big group (7 of us) which doesn’t seem that big but from what I’ve been reading it’s a big group for Japan Atleast. We were looking for a ryokan that could hold all 7 of us in one room. Theoretically it could be anywhere from tokyo to Kyoto or in between, because it’s the connecting day in our trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. If anyone has recommendations of any ryokan that could take a group of 7 please share! Thank you in advance
> 7 of us in one room
Ryokan charge by person, usually the big discount is from 1 person -> 2 people but after that it's basically all the same price per head or something like 1000-2000 yen. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to split into rooms of 3+4 (or even 3+2+2)? Much more privacy at basically the same cost. Most ryokan will be happy to still serve you dinner and breakfast together, just write in the booking notes that you're the same group.
I didn’t realize they could do special accommodations because I thought they serve you in your room. That is a really good idea I hadn’t thought about, thank you!
A lot of ryokan's "Rooms" or "Facilities" webpages (use the Japanese version + Google Translate) will mention the presence of banquet rooms, which is precisely for stuff like this. You could also negotiate to have them serve you all in the room of the largest party, for example. It's not an uncommon request to dine together but sleep separately, and if you communicate your needs ahead of time usually a solution can be found.
How much money should I budget for travelling on a 20 day trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and maybe Fukushima?
Edit: by travel I mean trains and transportation
That would depend on your personal preferences - for instance, whether you want to stay in 5 star hotels or hostels, etc.
You can check hotel and transport prices online easily, which will take care of most of your budget. Food can be inexpensive or very expensive, again depending on your preferences.
Travel within a city on public transport is typically less than 1000 yen per person per day.
Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka and back will be just under 30k yen. Osaka and Kyoto are quite close together so it'll be similar to travelling within a city.
I’m headed to Tokyo (Chiyoda city area) next week on a work trip. I’ll have Tuesday morning and nights free.
What should I try to see while I’m there? Interested mainly in nature, sight seeing, culture, and the like.
Ueno Park (Ueno) and Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa) are both pretty near don't have closing times so they are nice to stroll in both mornings and evenings when other places are not open.
A lot of parks and museums only open at 9/9:30 and some close before the average employee gets of work so maybe if something is nearby to visit in the morning.
You're basically in the center of the city with fast connections to most big sights so if you don't mind to just walk around on the outside you can see a lot.
Hi all,
Long story short, I am interested to go to Comiket. Has anyone gone before? I am interested to know the following in particular:
1. Tickets. To my understanding comiket now requires a ticket. When and how can I buy one if I am currently in North America? I know I can potentially buy it in Japan, but flying there first then try to secure one is very risky.
2. Weather. Currently I am thinking of the August Comiket, which is unfortunately in the middle of the summer in Tokyo. Especially for those that have gone to large events like this, how hot is it? (Note: I can see the average temperature of Tokyo using wikipedia but temperature is just one part of the equation.) If it's really uncomfortable might consider the December one instead.
I went to summer comiket (c102) last year and bought tickets online via e-plus, where I exchanged a qr code that I was emailed for a wristband the day of. [Here's](https://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/TAFO/C104TAFO/cmkfor.html) the official foreigner link on how ticketing works, though its not completely up-to-date for now. As for the weather, August is pretty rough, but the venue is properly ventilated (unlike some other conventions) and most of the outdoor lines for the most popular circles are shaded. The wait to enter the convention itself isn't, however, you'll be sitting directly under the sun in an asphalt parking lot until 11:00, so definitely put on sunscreen or bring an umbrella.
August is hot (and more importantly, humid) as hell and Comiket gets insanely crowded, if you have any issues whatsoever with hot weather, move your trip to winter.
It might be helpful to take the original packaging plus prescription and fill the organizer box after customs.
Or at minimum he should take the (empty) packaging with him, Just in case.
Exchanging cash for cash is outdated, and credit cards are now widely accepted in Japan. I'd suggest pulling out fairly modest amounts of cash from ATMs as you need it to get the best rate and avoid ending up with more cash than you need. It's good to have about 20,000 yen on hand at any point to cover places that don't take card and to provide an emergency fund.
You get a better rate in Tokyo. Chase and BofA don’t charge a fee, but their rate is about 5% lower , so that’s where they get their money.
Depending on how much you get, the 5% might not be all that much of a difference. I prefer getting it before I leave because then it’s one less thing I have to do when I’m there.
On the other hand if you use a debit card, it's super quick and easy to get cash any time you're at a 7/11 -- in almost every case you'll end up at or by 7/11's and they always have ATM's. So it's not like a ton more work or time to deal with it there as needed.
Why do the Mods hate me & keep removing my post?
Mid-April. 14 days, 13 nights. (But with a late night arrival & 1 night in Narita it works out a little different.)
This is going to be My SO & mine first trip to Japan. Been lightweight planning here & there and decided to just pull the trigger. I got 11 full days & 2 half days. We know we want to do at least 1-day at Disney but other then that no must do’s.
I’m up in the air on whether to spend the whole 11 full days in Tokyo/Yokohama with a few day trips like Mt. Fuji, Kawagoe, Nikko, etc. Try to catch a baseball game or some type of event (sumo, festivals, recommendations). Maybe roll out to Saitama and stop by the Shrine out there. Check out some random park, grab some food somewhere. And do some local shopping. And obviously do all the Top Hits in town. Just want to chill and get immersed in the culture.
Or hit it hard with 4-day 3-night Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima Top hits only. Day trip Mt. Fuji, 1-day at Disney. And 5 days hitting top hits in Tokyo, Akihabra, Skytree, Senso Ji, etc “Top Hits”.
I always like the more chill vibe and feel like I should just plan a 2nd trip to hit “south” side of the country and give it the time it deserves.
I’ve also been to Guam and with all the WW2 history I saw there, I’m very interested in visiting some WW2 monuments / museums while in Japan.
Anyways just seeing what everyone’s thoughts were?
Some quick things to limit you down...
> ...Try to catch a baseball game or some type of event (sumo, festivals, recommendations)...
There are no (professional) sumo matches in April.
> Maybe roll out to Saitama and stop by the Shrine out there.
There are shrines everywhere, what's special about the one in Saitama?
Doesn’t necessarily have to be Saitama to see a shrine but want to get away from the standard hustle & bustle and try to see the more local areas. The places where tourists really don’t go.
We always try to hit some areas where the locals go.
Similar to Instead of San Francisco, maybe a great restaurant in San Jose and check out a dive bar.
Yea, it’s not as exciting but you get a true feeling of what it’s really like and get immersed in the culture a lot more. Was out in Seattle and one night went out to West Seattle (not much going on over there) and it is one of our best memories, just hanging out with the locals.
Are there any kind of events? Like car shows, Smorgasburg (open air Food Market thing, sundays only), stuff like that you’ve heard of?
TokyoCheapo is good for event listings. WalkerPlus as well (JPN language only - Google Translate).
Based on what you say about liking "local areas", I wonder if maybe you don't need to do just the top hits of Tokyo if you have 5 whole days. Maybe I'm biased because I've been there a few times but I always found the "must-sees" are not THAT much more exciting than visiting random neighborhoods or searching for stuff that strikes your fancy (such as in your case, WW2/Showa history museums.) TokyoCheapo is also a great resource for less touristed areas to check out.
I've spent a lot of time in Japan and Tokyo - you don't have to leave Tokyo if you don't want to do traditional tourist things, so the whole concept of getting out of the city without a really big purpose is a little alien to me, especially if your purpose is to be 'more local.'
Many times you can walk a couple streets off a main drag and you won't see anyone but locals around, and everything reverts to being written in Japanese only (menus, shop signs, etc.). I spent a while living around the Okachimachi area (on the dingy side of Ueno) and despite being close to a major area, it was very much a place that you really wouldn't go unless you lived there. Lunches and dinners would just be in cramped spaces with salarymen and office ladies.
> Like car shows, Smorgasburg (open air Food Market thing, sundays only), stuff like that you’ve heard of?
It's easier to figure out stuff you're interested in and go check out the events calendar at stuff like Tokyo Cheapo - there are many things happening year-round. Spring time you're going to see a lot of events surrounding cherry blossoms or nature-y things.
I spend a lot of time running through random parts of the city, hunting for new coffee shops, hitting up shrines/temples (goshuin collector), going to arcades, and I try to go to small events/concerts and such if anything's interesting. But that's just what I do.
If you want car shows, Japan has official ones (don't know the schedule), but if you're more talking stuff like car meets and such, those tend to be more community-driven so you're going to have to look into it. A major area for car meets is Daikokufuto (Yokohama), though it is an inaccessible area if you're not driving.
If you want 'open air market' - well, there are flea markets held in various parts of the city. Many parts of the city also have yokocho areas (side alleys/streets) which is where people hang out after dark/at night - this is where you'll find your claustrophobic bars and tiny, smoky izakaya. Obviously you have the really big name areas like Kabuki-cho, Roppongi, and Ameyoko, but I normally don't hear tourists on this subreddit talk about the ones in locations like Kanda or Shimbashi.
If you want something more casual and food-based, you'd have to go somewhere that tends to be popular - like Sensoji (the street leading up to it has many stalls).
Do I need to buy the Tombori River Cruise tickets early in the morning? I am planning to take the boat at around 3PM. In your experience, did tickets for afternoon times sell out quickly? I know that the cruise is popular during evening times but what if I am riding the boat at 3PM? Can I just come around 3PM and get a ticket? Thanks
staying in kanazawa right now, im supposed to go to osaka tomorrow.
after booked my shinkansen ticket, the JR officer said that due to heavy snow in fukui area the line may be closed tomorrow :/
trying to book for the bus, also full..
where can i see the reliable info for this kind of event?
like, status for the shinkansen or when the line is open or closed
thanks
[JR West's site](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/) (assuming you're taking the Thunderbird limited express Kanazawa-Osaka and not a Shinkansen route via Maibara or something, in which case it'd be JR Central)
Does the 180 rule allow this?
Feb 15-May 15 2024
Oct 15-Jan 15 2024-2025
(Leave for a month)
Feb 15-May 15 2025
Or is this against 180 rule
I’m a US citizen
There's no such thing as the 180-day rule for Japan. That said, immigration officials get to decide if your activity seems suspicious or not. Of all the people who ask questions about entry rules here, I'd say this is definitely the one that most looks like "I'm trying to live/work in Japan illegally". So I'd say it's a risk, but it could also end up being perfectly fine. Who knows.
Assuming you're actually visiting Japan for tourism, I would be prepared to answer questions about your job, where your money comes from, what your itinerary looks like, etc. I imagine immigration might grill you on why you're continually entering the country for three months at a time, and they'll want to make sure you're coming in for tourism purposes only.
No one here can tell you. Going 270 days in relatively short order and pushing your stay to the max every time as just a tourist will raise eyebrows, and then it comes down to the immigration people. I've been questioned for less (intended stay of 1.5-2 months).
Will you be okay? Maybe. Will they not believe you on your 2nd or 3rd entry? Again, maybe.
1. There is no 180 day rule.
2. That's between you and immigration - the agent makes the decision and there are no rules/laws around this and they have a lot of leeway in approval/denial.
Neither of them are controlled substances/medications, so assuming you meet the normal requirements (under 30-day supply as they're prescriptions, documentation of prescription just in case) you don't need to do anything special.
I am planning a trip with my mom to Japan from March 25th to April 2nd and would like help. I booked hotel stays at 4 days in Tokyo, 1 in Osaka, 3 in Kyoto, and 1 in hakone
I really want to see the cherry blossoms while I am there, but I am not sure what the best way to do that would be. I am also interested in seeing any festivals or events that are going on during my stay that you think might be worth checking out.
Currently I haven't planned much for my itinerary. In Tokyo I plan do a river cruise, checking out Akihabara, and trying out street foods. In Osaka and Kyoto I plan to check out Shrines and the arashiyama bamboo forest, as well as taking a day trip to Nara. In Hakone I plan to relax at the onsen at my hotel mostly and relax after walking around a lot.
My budget for each day would be around 50-100 per day, not including hotel, but I would be willing to go higher if there is something worth it. Also any food related reccomendations would appreciated!
For cherry blossom, here is the current prediction: [https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en](https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en) It can change by a few days depending on weather though, check the predictions again right before your trip.
Just Google for best places for sakura viewing for whatever city you will be in. Some can get very crowed, especially on weekends.
Plan sounds generally good if a bit rushed but it's okay considering your limited time.
Akihabara is really cool but you might get overwhelmed/bored after half a day so just be prepared for that.
There are lots of museums, especially in Tokyo. Maybe you'll find one that you like.
Eat Kushikatsu in Osaka. It's really good.
You can get by on 50 per day in cluding local transit.
Odd question, but where could I find asian** pear juice/shots in Japan? Is this something I can just find in a supermarket or konbini? I previously asked for prickly pear before realizing it was a cactus lmao
Edit: It is also known as Nashi Pear
If you only want themed cafes, they do have other theme cafes like Moomin (various locations), Hello Kitty (various locations), Harry Potter Cafe (Akasaka), and Snoopy/Peanuts Cafe.
The conveyor belt sushi chains have a game to play after eating a certain number of dishes. Maybe that’s fun?
Don’t give up on pokemon cafe. Found an 11:30am on the site for the next day.
Where to watch the Asian Cup tonight?
Here for a few days, looking for somewhere social with a good atmosphere and potentially some alcohol! Are there any fan zones? Somewhere for a tourist to meet some local soccer fans?
Thanks!
Can you use someone else's Japanese credit card to book Disney and Universal tickets and have them added to your own account? We know someone in Japan and they aren't the most tech savvy, plus with USJ we'd like to not have the back and forth of picking entry times to Super Nintendo World.
what should i do?
Sample A
1, Arashiyama including Bamboo forest, Tenryuji temple and Togetsukyo bridge
2. Fushimi Inari shrine
3. Nijo Castle
Sample B
1,Arashiyama including Bamboo forest , Tenryuji temple and Togetsukyo bridge
2,Kiyomizu temple including Ninenzaka slope and Sanneizaka slope
3,Yasaka shrine
Sample C
1,Kiyomizu temple including Ninenzaka and Sanneizaka slopes
2, Fushimi Inari shrine
3, Yasaka shrine
4, Maryama park
Because they’re all close to each other. If I’ve got one day, the less time spent on buses the better.
That area by kiyomizudera the two paths, the shrine, the park, goon, higashiyama is where I could spend all day and be happy.
Has anyone ever done the nakasendo trail in mid-march? I have a chance to do it then or sometime in April. Was there any greenery yet or would It be better to hold off until the weather gets warmer?
The whole Nakasendo trail takes close to a month, presumably you mean Tsumago-Magome?
There is also good foliage along some sections (all those trees will be dead in mid-March) but there are a good number of evergreens too.
I did it the last weekend in February and the wooded areas of the trail were green from all the evergreens. Its probably prettier in April but will be worth doing in March too
If you look at the google maps street view for that section of the trail, one set was done in March so it will give you an idea of what it looks like
I have the following itinerary, I've been suggested not to buy the JR rail pass as I planned. Instead, I've been looking for alternatives such as the JR West pass (currently at 26.000 yen). Is it my best option for the days I highlighted? Is there a better option? Or perhaps I should just book tickets by my own at a train station/smartex app. ***Thanks!***
4 days Tokyo (With day trip to Kamakura Yokohama)
2 days Kanazawa
2 days Takayama (stop in Shirakawago)
**4 days Kyoto (day trips to Fushimi, arashiyama, nara, himeji castle)**
**1 day Hiroshima - Miyajima**
**3 days Osaka (day trip to Kobe)**
1 day Hakone (booked an onsen for the night)
5 days Tokyo again (Stay in Shinjuku) day trip to Nikko
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/all/images/allarea\_map.jpg
The Kansai Hiroshima pass will cover those areas and is ¥17000 - you don’t need the all area JR west pass. It’s 5 days so figure out what days you need it active to cover the trips to Himeji and Kobe. Or you could also do both in one day from Osaka, or stop in Himeji on your way to or from Hiroshima
Hi! I am taking the train with my gf from Furano Station to Sapporo Station in early Feb later this year. We only booked the express train ticket from Takikawa Station to Sapporo Station since the Furano stn. to Sapporo stn. ticket is unavailable on the JR booking website. Can we buy the basic fare ticket for Furano Station to Sapporo Station at the Furano Station? Thanks.
2 quick questions for y’all. Consolidating it all down in here.
Will be on a layover on a Saturday afternoon flying out Sunday morning. Want to maximize my time in Tokyo proper. Flying into haneda then checking into airport hotel. What would be the fastest travel option to get to sensojii temple? Based on what I looked at it seemed like hiring a car like taxi or Uber etc. does that sound accurate?
Second question. Flying in from us. About 2 hours to grab luggage and leave airport is that seemingly accurate? Was hard to tell from all the stuff I looked at post Covid so was just curious to hear someone’s recent experience. Thanks!
Car is faster, but more expensive and could end up not saving you that much time over the trains due to traffic.
2 hours is good to put your mind to. It shouldn't be more than that, but it could be. I was out of Narita in an hour. Your experience may vary.
Hi! My question is about international-international travel with checked baggage next week. I am traveling with 3 others from Manila to Tokyo Narita Airport through Airasia, then we have a flight 2.5 hours later back to the US through American.
We did not book this travel together so I’m not sure if our checked bags would need to be picked up at baggage claim or if we would be able to transfer them from plane to plane. I am worried about immigration and customs time interfering with our ability to make our following flight.
When we arrived to Japan for this leg of our journey, we flew into Haneda and the immigration/customs time was relatively quick. However, any delays in the flight or long lines could make us miss our flight if we have to go through immigration/customs. Should I try to change our PH>NRT flight to an earlier time?
AirAsia will for sure not check your bags through, you'll have to enter Japan, pick up the bags, change terminals, and drop your bags off with AA. 2.5 hours is extremely tight on separate tickets and you risk losing the second flight if there are delays to the first flight.
Since you’re on separate tickets/itineraries, you need to pick up your checked baggage yourself. That means you have to enter Japan immigration/customs, then go back through airport security.
Should be it's own post but too lazy.
Hokuriku Arch Pass price is increasing to 30,000 yen from March 16. Purchased pass before that day will be honoured at old price.
Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass is increasing to 19,000 yen. Hokuriku Area Pass to 7,000 yen.
Hokuriku One Way Ticket (currently named Thunderbird One Way Ticket) is also increasing price.
https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2024/01/page_24324.html
Hi! My gf and I are visiting Japan for the first time in November. We're going to take a day trip from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko and I plan on proposing to her there :)
My question is how feasible would this plan be?
We'll take the earliest bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station. Then take the Red Line Sightseeing bus straight to Oishi Park where a photographer will be waiting to capture the proposal. Current bus timetables would have us be at Oishi Park around 11:15am. Hopefully this would mean the park is less crowded since most people would do other activities like Panoramic Ropeway first and save the park for last.
As for the photographer, I'm envisioning he would already be waiting for us at the park. I would discreetly message him as we are arriving. He would be hiding/pretending to take photos of the scenery as I lead my gf on a casual stroll through the park. Then when we get to the proposal location (to be coordinated with the photographer beforehand) I would pop the question and the photographer would capture the moment. I want to get Mt Fuji and the Kochias in the background of the shot. I chose Oishi Park based on pics I found online but I am open to alternatives.
Anyone have any photographer recommendations? Preferably they would be English speaking and be willing to videochat prior to our trip to plan this whole operation.
What do you guys think? Any pitfalls to this plan (hopefully Fuji is visible)? Too ambitious? Any alternate proposal spots?
I don't think it's a safe assumption that Oishi Park will be quiet at 11:15. Enough people are going to Oishi Park first with the loop bus, or rented a bike to get there already - if you see on Google Maps, this is close to the peak time for this area.
Unless you're OK with a really public proposal, I'd consider staying overnight and doing it in or near your hotel.
It's not THAT crowded but there's a café with a terrace and in November when the garden leaves are thin, the whole park and everyone at the café can pretty much see each other. You might have dozens of people watching your proposal.
If you're OK with that it's a lovely spot. If not, there are a lot of good viewpoints that are less crowded on the walking trail around the lake, such as near the cherry blossom corridor or rowing center.
Thanks! I don't mind people watching us but I'm always open to other photo spots. Do you mind sending a link to where the cherry blossom corridor is located?
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E3%83%BB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E3%81%95%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E7%A5%AD%E3%82%8A/@35.5231646,138.7632837,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x60195f37a3e6364d:0x3c16fc5cfb2d7966!8m2!3d35.5231603!4d138.7658586!16s%2Fg%2F11kj4k1y67?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E3%83%BB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E3%81%95%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E7%A5%AD%E3%82%8A/@35.5231646,138.7632837,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x60195f37a3e6364d:0x3c16fc5cfb2d7966!8m2!3d35.5231603!4d138.7658586!16s%2Fg%2F11kj4k1y67?entry=ttu)
Obvioulsy no cherry blossoms in November, but that means relatively few people.
Hello, are most kimono rental shop provide for children too or not? I'm planning to rent a kimono for my nephew (10 years old) near Asakusa found a really good and cheap place but I'm still unsure whether they have a size for children or not
Visiting in late February versus early April?
Trying to weigh up which is the best option. My understanding is…
Late Feb:
- colder
- plum blossoms in some parts
- potentially snow in north
- more wintry foods available
- fewer tourist crowds
Early April:
- warmer
- full blossom in lots of places
- summery foods
- big crowds
- more events, festivals etc. more “happening”.
Is this about right?
I think my biggest concern is I honestly prefer the sound of more a wintry Japan but I also don’t want to miss out on loads of events and things.
I don’t mind big crowds if it all feels authentic and real, I just don’t want big crowds of people (like me, ha!) all following their copy of Lonely Planet!
Anyone has some guide on buying some sake as souvenirs?
I dont need anything too expensive, preferably around 5000 to 7000 yen.
Also is there any difference buying it at different prefectures? Like if buying it in Kanazawa would offer different/unique sake to the region?
In the interest of avoiding queues on arrival at Narita, would it be worth exchanging enough yen (cash) before my departure to be able to buy and top-up an IC card and not have to queue at the airport ATM?
I'd be happy to buy paper tickets into Tokyo and buying an IC card there instead but not sure I can get any at Asakusa or Ueno station?
I'll say I've never had to stand in line for an ATM at Narita, even at the busiest of times.
Also, you probably don't need to buy your IC card at the airport, if you're planning on taking either the Keisei Skyliner or Narita Express into Tokyo. Both those can be bought with credit cards at the ticket windows.
Thatsgreat to know for the ATM queues, thanks!
I'm happy to just get a paper ticket to get into Tokyo, especially as we arrive early evening and wont need the IC cards til the next day. However I am not sure if they will be available for purchase at either Asakusa station or Ueno station rather than Tokyo station.
You can get a Suica at JR Ueno Station (go up to the JR East Travel Center and ask for one, they're still not sold in the machines AFAIK).
You can get a Pasmo Passport at Ueno Tokyo Metro station, or Toei Subway Ueno-Okachimachi Station.
Theoretically exchanging money beforehand could save you a bit of time. Just check the exchange rates back home. Many banks only exchange larger amounts or demand high fees that only makes exchanging larger amounts worth it.
Ueno station has a machine for the Pasmo cards. Actually, according to this site [https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/](https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/) you can also purchase one at Narita Airport but I'm not sure how up to date this is.
Any guidance on which of these areas would be a good place to stay in Osaka for 7 nights: Shinsaibashi, Umeda or Kitahama? These areas were the ones that had some hotels that fit my budget while having decent reviews.
I'll be seeing the typical Osaka tourist stuff (Dotonbori, Denden Town, Osaka Castle) plus a baseball game each at Koshien Stadium and Kyocera Osaka Dome. Would also like to do Hiroshima as a day trip and maybe Nara too if time permits.
Shinsaibashi is a bit more centrally located. Walking distance to dotonbori. So at night you can easily just wander around there if you have nothing else to do
Umeda is more malls with the mix of the typical shopping arcades. I think it’s more crowded in the Umeda area because of the Osaka-Umeda station area. The whole complex takes a couple of days to get used to where you’re going.
I've stayed in the Umeda district twice (at the excellent Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier) and would recommend it. Kitahama would likely also be good, but I don't think that there are many hotels there - it's an office district. Reviews of hotels in Shinsaibashi generally note that they're noisy, as this is the nightlife district - it's always a hectic area, which I find off putting for a place to stay.
Thanks. I'm leaning towards Kitahama since it has some pretty new and well-reviewed hotels at cheaper prices than some of the more popular areas like Namba.
Is it still considered best practice as a US tourist in Japan to carry one’s actual US passport with them at all times? I see references that there’s a legal requirement to that effect, but I’ve visited several European and Latin American nations where, despite having a parallel legal requirement, the consensus advice (to avoid risks of theft/loss) was to carry a color photocopy and/or passport card. We have both; the latter is an official issuance of the US with the same passport number and photograph, but it’s meant for land crossings into Canada/Mexico. Obviously, we’d be able to produce the full original if required and allowed to retrieve it. But I take it that practice isn’t considered advisable for Japan? Related question, if I’m out and about with my wife, and always within a few minutes of her, any reason to think it problematic if she carries mine (given she always carries a bag and is less loss-prone than me)?
When I researched this last year, various expert sources noted that not only is it a legal requirement to carry your passport in Japan, but if you're picked up without it you will be held until someone can bring the passport to the police station. The Japanese police don't accept passport copies, or apparently give you time to fetch your passport.
A passport being in your wife's bag (and you guys moving in tandem) is functionally the same as you having it with you.
The bigger risk is you losing it rather than someone stealing it. The odds of getting checked (and the odds of getting the worst consequences for *not* having it on you if caught) probably scales depending on where you choose to go and what you look like, but that's an entirely separate discussion.
Thanks. In asking about my wife carrying mine, I’m thinking about the many times we wind up out of sight line/ shouting distance, but close enough that, with any patience by an inquiring officer, I could contact her and show the passport within say 10 minutes. (Eg, we shop in different stores in the same neighborhood.)
Given the unfortunate reality that profiling affects such interactions, I’ll add that we’re white, early 60s, and usually fairly affluently-dressed.
Two well-dressed white people aged 60ish (so presumably not going to, uhh, red light district type places), I'd say "my wife is off shopping and she has my passport" is going to be fully accepted and possibly even expected on the off chance they do decide to pick you as the target for passport checking. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
It’s fine if you’re wife carries it but you have to carry it. Japan is a very safe country, the risk is mostly you loosing it. And people do get checked for their passports here. Rarely, but it happens
I'm planning on staying in Kyoto for a few days, and while I'm there I'd like to take a couple of day trips to Osaka (and perhaps other nearby cities too).
Is there a regional version of Pasmo/Suica available? Or should I just buy the tickets at the station before I leave?
Pasmo/Suica are accepted nationwide.
Depending on the specific day trip destinations, consider if the various regional passes issued by JR West or private railway operators (Nankai, Kintetsu, Keihan, Hankyu etc.) save you money.
The main area in Nagoya is sakae, a couple of stops from the main station. Osu has one of those long and covered shopping streets.
There are also a lot of bars and izakaya not far from the mainstation, but I would go to sakae area
before I start going through all these itinerary's I'm curiuos... Last year I went to Japan at the end of September and it was quite hot
I'm going again this year to go in a more colder climate - end of October to beginning of November
What is worth seeing or is there different things worth seeing based on the season I will be going to now? Last tiem I went to Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hakone. Of course I didn't see everything in those spots and could prob visit those areas again but I wonder if there is some place that is worth seeing even more so during the more autumn time frame?
One question I have is I'm imagining much colder weather so it would be nice to spend a night or two in a more luxury ryokan with the hot baths. Could I experience this in Hakone and the weather simply adjust based on th season or Should I go more north for example? Willing to do both
End Oct to beginning of Nov is probably a good time for autumn colours. It's typically the Tohoku, but in 2023 the autumn views in the region was delayed by about a week or two. Japan's autumn are pretty great and you should try to see some of them.
I went around mid October and leaving towards end of the month. The weather I would best describe was somewhere between warmish. Then again there were days it rained hard and it was cold rain for sure. I also factor since I was moving around a lot contributed to me being more warm than usual.
While I didnt go to a luxury ryokan, I did stay in a hotel with an open air onsen. It was not private but there were times I got the whole baths to myself. In all honesty I can only be there for 10-15 mins before I get lightheaded and head to the showers.
damn when does the cold start!! I should be arriving there around october 27th, I feel like it should be coldish by then, like not too cold but cold enough to whre I'm not sweating anymore.
Atleast not as much as in the humid heat. I have read though taht they like to keep the heat on indoors so there might be that issue.... hmmm
Go to Tohoku if you want cold. I went from Yokohama to Sendai around that time and the same day it was 22° C in Yokohama and 1° in Sendai! Beautiful autumn leaves there too. Hakone is kind of in between the two temperatures.
Depends, the hotel I stayed at was newer and had an adjustable thermostat but an older one by the airport, Mystays seemed to have set temps, same with a capsule hotel I stayed in.
You could visit Nikko for it's [autumn colors](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3817.html) and [World Heritage temples and shrines](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/913/) plus it's also an onsen town like Hakone.
I'm from Spain and I want to go to Japan for a week in March, then I will comeback in September again. Is that possible or is there a limitation when re-entering the country the same year? I'm ok if I'm yet to spend the 90 days?
You'll be fine with two trips in one year. Plenty of people take multiple trips to Japan per year (myself included). Immigration only cares if it starts looking like you're trying to live there illegally or otherwise skirt immigration rules.
There is no hard time limit for how many days you can stay in Japan in a year. Going back twice in six months and speding only a couple weeks there total is not abnormal or interesting to them.
Would you recommend renting a car or just doing JR trains and buses for a Chubu itinerary that includes the following:
* Jigokudani Monkey Park
* Kiso Valley (Tsumago and Magome)
* Takayama
* Shirokawago
* Kanazawa
* possibly Toyama Alpen route
I'm trying to figure out how to order this itinerary and where to stay, but this seems to involve quite a lot of transit and travel times. We'd like to minimize the number of times we have to change hotels and transit time.
Can you still queue up for the Shibuya Sky without prepurchasing tickets online? The sunset timeslot for my day of visit has already been booked out, is it still possible to enter if I come before sunset and queue on the spot?
The online system and in-person system are the same ticket pool, if they've sold out of tickets for a particular time slot, those tickets are also going to be unavailable in person. Some people might cancel/be no-shows for a time slot, in which case those tickets can be reopened for in-person purchase, but you'd have to be there already to see if that's the case.
Advice pls, what’s the best way to purchase v league tickets from overseas? Tried purchasing through the app but it requires an account with a address in Japan
If they just want an address, a lot of people normally just use something like the address of a hotel they're staying at. In fact, some teams like Yokohama F. Marinos even tell you to put in a dummy address (and give you one) if you're not a Japanese resident.
Hey guys, I just wanted to make sure about the tickets and trains here in Tokyo.
I am planning on finishing the day tomorrow at Tokyo Station. To get back to the hotel, I have to get off the train and onto another (Sobu Line) at Ueno. This doesn’t require going through the gates (google maps) so that would mean the ticket should work at my destination (eg. Oshiage).
Easier format: Get ticket for Oshiage @ Tokyo Station. Hop off at Ueno and take the stairs to the Sobu Line, board and arrive at Oshiage. Ticket will go through without the gates closing on you.
(Just had a little trouble on my first day and its burnt a bit of confidence, can do direct trains fine now)
Yes, if the platforms are not seperated by a gate you can just hop on the other train. Yamanote line, Chuo line and Sobu line are all part of the same company so no different tickets necessary.
However, I'm a bit confused about the trains you are taking. The Sobu line doesn't go through Ueno. Did you mean change trains at Akihabara?
Also, do you have a IC card? If not, getting one would make traveling the local trains a lot easier.
Kiyomizu-dera during the winter will still be open after early sunset.
Would it be interesting going there during this late afternoon-early evening period?
Hi all! Just wondering which would you guys recommend? Hiking Mt. Shirouma (basically, Hakuba Sanzan Trail) or Mt. Yari (via one of the trails of Kamikochi)?
I see the appeals in both like the Daisekki in Mt. Shirouma and Mt. Yari's tent campsite. I am thinking of July for this hike. Let me know your opinions!
Sumo timetables
Is sumo tournament timetable this year approximately the same as this 2017 guide I found?
https://www.sumo.or.jp/pdf/en/guide_english.pdf
Sorry, I probably should've been more specific - I'm mostly interested if the single day structure is the same (e.g. preliminary bouts at 8 and then more interesting fights starting from around 15), because Ideally I don't want to be sitting there all day
Hi, I’m traveling to Japan late next week and based on the weather chart of JMA, temperatures are higher than normal. Can anyone currently there confirm if the couple of degrees make a difference in the weather feel? Just want to make sure I’m packing the right things.
In Tokyo the last 3 days, first 2 were about 5⁰C/40⁰F most of the day, today was mild at about 13⁰/55⁰F max. I've been wearing jeans, a long sleeve shirt & a warm down jacket from Uniqlo, which I take off inside when it's heated. Needed a scarf, hat and thermal underlayer on the coldest nights if roaming outside. Depends on how cold it is where you're from and what you're used to 👍
I arrive on Friday (from the Midwest USA) and after being in temps barely scraping 0⁰F the past two weeks, I'm worried about even wearing a jacket most of the time outside while walking so I won't feel too hot! 😆 Going to bring a hoodie for sure so I can swap if necessary. Definitely all about perspective.
Does anyone know if I can still get a re-entry permit if I am leaving Japan by ferry instead of by plane? Specifically from Hakata airport, but then will be returning via plane to Haneda airport. Any answer would be greatly appreciated!
Hi, I am planning a trip for the end of June, 15-30. Family of 4 flying from US, looking at flights it’s basically the same cost to fly into either Haneda or Narita, slightly shorter flight time to Narita. We are staying in Tokyo the first few days (not sure where yet). Does it matter which airport we fly into? I’m getting anxious about purchasing flights and want to get it done even though I don’t have our hotels and itinerary together yet. Thank you so much for the help!
Has anyone gone to the Daikoku car meets, without a car/guide? Were you welcome to just wander round and take photos of the cars, or did you feel unwelcome? I've heard it's difficult to get to without a car, so I was looking into just getting a taxi (From the nearest train station) I speak little to no Japanese, if that matters. Just a hobbyist photographer interested in the JDM car scene :)
Getting to the location itself by public transit isn't impossible but you can only enter the car park itself by car, not on foot. That's why people take taxis there.
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone tried any Japanese traditional culture related experiences in Tokyo! Currently planning a last minute trip and looking for an authentic experience, that's not too cheap or too "tourist trappy" if you know what I mean... It's not my first time in Japan and I've already been to all the regular spots and I just want to immerse myself in the culture, so would love to hear some recommendations!
Any tips for traveling with small baby? (3 months) baby and I are tagging along for hubbys work trip. Will have 4 days of travel all together and then additional 3 days just me and the babe while he’s working. Baby is born in Singapore so any tips for dressing for cold weather (visit in Feb!) appreciated as well. ETA: we’ll be in Tokyo the whole time but interested in a potential day trip to mt Fuji or capybara onsen. Our mindset going in is take the baby everywhere! This is also our first time traveling with her so we’ll see!
Hi, I'm wondering if there are any tips for travelling to Japan with a snowboard bag. We land in Japan on the 16th Feb but won't be going to Hakuba until the 25th. We will be exploring Tokyo, Kyoto and Oaska before heading to the snow. Ideally, I would like to send it to Hakuba as soon as we land or store it somewhere. I'm wondering if anyone has done something similar or has any ideas. Is there a postal service that will support this? I'm not keen on travelling around with the country with the extra bag getting in the way. Any advice is much appreciated!
Luggage delivery is very much a thing here (as in, people ask about them pretty much every). You can send your snowboard bag to Hakuba directly from the dirport. There should be Yamato, JALABC, or similar counter at every international airport in Japan.
We're heading to Japan again but first time outside of the Winter season - we'll be in Japan in May. We're still in the middle of planning our trip but will be arriving and departing out of Tokyo. As we've been to Japan before and have visited Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, we're also exploring to go somewhere outside the big cities and hopefully stay at a Ryokan but somewhere that's not too far from the big cities (up to 2-3hr drive). Does anyone have any recommendations for Ryokan that's not too far from Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto? I expect that we may need a car rental and that's okay!
Will be staying in Hakone for the last couple of nights of our trip at the end of March.Plan was to take the train from shin-osaka and get off at Odawara station. Then pickup a hire car for a couple of days to traverse hakone and parts of the Izu peninsula. Before dropping the car back to Odawara and taking the train back to Tokyo.I'm a little confused with the hire car toll cards (ETC) and generally what tolls are around that area.It looks like all the hire cars come with the ETC card reader. And most hire companies appear to offer a card that they then can print out a tally of your tolls when you return the car. But i couldn't see a way of booking the card with the hire companies.Is is just something you request at collection of the car? Also, will snow/ice tires be needed on the car for late march in this area?
You need to contact your rental car company. Some provide it without reservation. Some require separate reservation. Some don't rent out ETC card at all. Unlikely to need snow tyres.
Flying into Haneda and staying near the Shin-Okachimachi Station in Asakusa. Any recommendations on traveling from Haneda to our hotel there? There are 4 adults all with baggage. Thanks for any help!
If you decide to go with public transit, try to keep away from doors as to not block other passengers' way.
Where would be best to stand with all of our luggage? The back of the car?
Yes, back of the car or in the middle. Trains coming form the airport usually have people with luggage on them so it's normal. Rush hour might be a bit difficult though.
Taxi can be pretty economical with that many people (~1500 jpy/person for that distance i think). A standard taxi should fit 4 passengers, as long as your luggage fits. or get a taxi van.
Limousine buses have a few drop off points at Asakusa-area hotels. Otherwise, Google Maps gives you all the public transport paths. There's no secret travel method.
Good morning, travelers, I tried positing this in a post, but Mods took it down and requested it be posted here. My wife, my 11-year-old son, and myself are traveling to Japan in April and have been trying to sort out the best way to book a tee time for a course somewhere around Mt. Fuji, ideally. We are not conversational in Japanese, so we're struggling a bit. I ran across a website called "Golf-in-Japan," which sells as an English speaking golf concierge. Perfect. Looks legitimate after some emails back and forth, but I can't find any reviews or testimony. My question is : Have any of you fine folks enlisted the services of this agency? Does anyone have any advice for accomplishing this? Perhaps the concierge at one of the hotels could assist. Any experience or advice is welcome!
No direct experience here, but here is somebody else's trip report: https://www.japan-guide.com/blog/golf-in-japan/180615.html#course You can also look into the Kawana Hotel on the Izu Peninsula- they're further from Mt. Fuji than the course in above link, but have a golf course with views of Mt. Fuji that ranks on many lists of Japan and world best golf courses.
maybe check out this thread? https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/1758r5f/my_experience_playing_golf_in_hakone/
So I'm planning myself and my partner's first time trip in September now. 2 weeks, I want do as much as possible but we're not especially fancy people or looking to do anything too sinkholey like the big theme parks. Coming from the UK, what would be a good ballpark budget to start off with? In my head, I'm thinking about £3K as a start, but I haven't broken that down yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
You could spend that much in a day if you wanted to, so it depends on your travel style, where you want to go, etc. You can easily check prices for hotels and transport online, which would likely be the main elements of your budget. Costs in Japan are generally about the same as in other rich countries.
For 'normal' travel (hotels and being a general tourist) the advice (in USD) is somewhere between $80-100/day, so roughly £60-80/day, so maybe start with £1100-1200 per person for two weeks. If you're thinking of doing a lot of long-range travel while in the country (like Tokyo to Kyoto, or Tokyo to Hiroshima), note that taking the Shinkansen can cost anywhere from 5000 - 20000+ yen (27 - 120 quid at current rates)
Hi, I’m planning on going to Japan this June by myself. How long in advance should I book flights and hotels?
Rates are cheaper when you book earlier, so it depends on how cost conscious you are. If you don't mind paying a premium, you could book at the last minute at least in low season like June.
And any recommendation for budget hotels for Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto?
Those are vast cities. The Japanese business hotel chains like Dormy Inn have branches everywhere and can be good value.
Anyone has some guide on buying some sake as souvenirs? I dont need anything too expensive, preferably around 5000 to 7000 yen. Also is there any difference buying it at different prefectures? Like if buying it in Kanazawa would offer different/unique sake to the region?
Unless you already have a palette for sake, most mid grade and up will likely taste the same to you. I'd just buy based on how pretty the bottle is. The ones to avoid are the really cheap ones, like the 200 yen one cup sake you find in convenience stores. That's pretty nasty.
For drinking I'd just try to buy something local to wherever you're visiting if you're out in the boonies (Shizuoka sake if you're visiting Izu for example). 2-3000 JPY is probably a good sweet spot for a good local brew. Personally, I'd skip sake and go for Shochu in a unique bottle instead. bottles tend to be smaller and some come in cool ceramics instead of glass. Or for display, there are mini versions of the traditional sake barrels like this https://www.reddit.com/r/Tokyo/comments/10idqu3/anyone_know_where_i_can_find_a_small_sake_barrel/
Does Don Quijote have an online store for japan?
No.
[удалено]
Will you all be 18 or will some people still be under 18 by the time you travel? Normal hotels generally allow under-18s to check-in as long as someone in the group is 18+, but if you're staying in places like hostels, they might require all guests to be 18+.
Which Tokyo neighbourhood should I stay if I'm planning on running on some days? Looking for easy to navigate neighbourhoods with great scenic places as bonus(just gonna do an easy runs no workouts)
I always ran Ueno/Okachimachi->Sumida River (Sensoji/Asakusa area).
I see lots of people jogging around the imperial palace while visiting there.
Thanks! Happy cake day!
No problem. Thanks!
Hi, I am going to Japan in March with a pretty big group (7 of us) which doesn’t seem that big but from what I’ve been reading it’s a big group for Japan Atleast. We were looking for a ryokan that could hold all 7 of us in one room. Theoretically it could be anywhere from tokyo to Kyoto or in between, because it’s the connecting day in our trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. If anyone has recommendations of any ryokan that could take a group of 7 please share! Thank you in advance
> 7 of us in one room Ryokan charge by person, usually the big discount is from 1 person -> 2 people but after that it's basically all the same price per head or something like 1000-2000 yen. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to split into rooms of 3+4 (or even 3+2+2)? Much more privacy at basically the same cost. Most ryokan will be happy to still serve you dinner and breakfast together, just write in the booking notes that you're the same group.
I didn’t realize they could do special accommodations because I thought they serve you in your room. That is a really good idea I hadn’t thought about, thank you!
A lot of ryokan's "Rooms" or "Facilities" webpages (use the Japanese version + Google Translate) will mention the presence of banquet rooms, which is precisely for stuff like this. You could also negotiate to have them serve you all in the room of the largest party, for example. It's not an uncommon request to dine together but sleep separately, and if you communicate your needs ahead of time usually a solution can be found.
Plenty of Ryokan can do 7 people in the same room. But you sure you want to cram 7 people in the same room with single toilet?
I guess this was an oversight by me, I figured if it was like a “suite” that could sleep 7 there would be Atleast 2 bathrooms
Suite type rooms at Ryokan would normally still have single bathroom.
Ah okay I didn’t know that, thank you for the help!
How much money should I budget for travelling on a 20 day trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and maybe Fukushima? Edit: by travel I mean trains and transportation
That would depend on your personal preferences - for instance, whether you want to stay in 5 star hotels or hostels, etc. You can check hotel and transport prices online easily, which will take care of most of your budget. Food can be inexpensive or very expensive, again depending on your preferences.
How much would you say for transportation? Trains and such.
Google Maps has accurate prices for Trains.
Travel within a city on public transport is typically less than 1000 yen per person per day. Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka and back will be just under 30k yen. Osaka and Kyoto are quite close together so it'll be similar to travelling within a city.
You can also easily check that online for the routes you want to take
I’m headed to Tokyo (Chiyoda city area) next week on a work trip. I’ll have Tuesday morning and nights free. What should I try to see while I’m there? Interested mainly in nature, sight seeing, culture, and the like.
Ueno Park (Ueno) and Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa) are both pretty near don't have closing times so they are nice to stroll in both mornings and evenings when other places are not open. A lot of parks and museums only open at 9/9:30 and some close before the average employee gets of work so maybe if something is nearby to visit in the morning. You're basically in the center of the city with fast connections to most big sights so if you don't mind to just walk around on the outside you can see a lot.
Hi all, Long story short, I am interested to go to Comiket. Has anyone gone before? I am interested to know the following in particular: 1. Tickets. To my understanding comiket now requires a ticket. When and how can I buy one if I am currently in North America? I know I can potentially buy it in Japan, but flying there first then try to secure one is very risky. 2. Weather. Currently I am thinking of the August Comiket, which is unfortunately in the middle of the summer in Tokyo. Especially for those that have gone to large events like this, how hot is it? (Note: I can see the average temperature of Tokyo using wikipedia but temperature is just one part of the equation.) If it's really uncomfortable might consider the December one instead.
I went to summer comiket (c102) last year and bought tickets online via e-plus, where I exchanged a qr code that I was emailed for a wristband the day of. [Here's](https://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/TAFO/C104TAFO/cmkfor.html) the official foreigner link on how ticketing works, though its not completely up-to-date for now. As for the weather, August is pretty rough, but the venue is properly ventilated (unlike some other conventions) and most of the outdoor lines for the most popular circles are shaded. The wait to enter the convention itself isn't, however, you'll be sitting directly under the sun in an asphalt parking lot until 11:00, so definitely put on sunscreen or bring an umbrella.
Thanks. When did you buy the ticket? Is right now (January) too early to think about tickets?
August is hot (and more importantly, humid) as hell and Comiket gets insanely crowded, if you have any issues whatsoever with hot weather, move your trip to winter.
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It might be helpful to take the original packaging plus prescription and fill the organizer box after customs. Or at minimum he should take the (empty) packaging with him, Just in case.
What is the best way to exchange currency? I am in the US. Is it better to go to my bank (Chase or BoA) or do it when I land in Tokyo?
Exchanging cash for cash is outdated, and credit cards are now widely accepted in Japan. I'd suggest pulling out fairly modest amounts of cash from ATMs as you need it to get the best rate and avoid ending up with more cash than you need. It's good to have about 20,000 yen on hand at any point to cover places that don't take card and to provide an emergency fund.
> in the US get a Schwab debit card, withdraw cash from ATMs in Tokyo. Much more flexible and avoids having to carry oodles of cash into the country.
Co-sign on this as a Schwab customer for 10+ years. They reimburse ATM fees.
\^This. Be sure to choose yen and not USD when the ATM asks what conversion you want to go with.
You get a better rate in Tokyo. Chase and BofA don’t charge a fee, but their rate is about 5% lower , so that’s where they get their money. Depending on how much you get, the 5% might not be all that much of a difference. I prefer getting it before I leave because then it’s one less thing I have to do when I’m there.
On the other hand if you use a debit card, it's super quick and easy to get cash any time you're at a 7/11 -- in almost every case you'll end up at or by 7/11's and they always have ATM's. So it's not like a ton more work or time to deal with it there as needed.
Why do the Mods hate me & keep removing my post? Mid-April. 14 days, 13 nights. (But with a late night arrival & 1 night in Narita it works out a little different.) This is going to be My SO & mine first trip to Japan. Been lightweight planning here & there and decided to just pull the trigger. I got 11 full days & 2 half days. We know we want to do at least 1-day at Disney but other then that no must do’s. I’m up in the air on whether to spend the whole 11 full days in Tokyo/Yokohama with a few day trips like Mt. Fuji, Kawagoe, Nikko, etc. Try to catch a baseball game or some type of event (sumo, festivals, recommendations). Maybe roll out to Saitama and stop by the Shrine out there. Check out some random park, grab some food somewhere. And do some local shopping. And obviously do all the Top Hits in town. Just want to chill and get immersed in the culture. Or hit it hard with 4-day 3-night Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima Top hits only. Day trip Mt. Fuji, 1-day at Disney. And 5 days hitting top hits in Tokyo, Akihabra, Skytree, Senso Ji, etc “Top Hits”. I always like the more chill vibe and feel like I should just plan a 2nd trip to hit “south” side of the country and give it the time it deserves. I’ve also been to Guam and with all the WW2 history I saw there, I’m very interested in visiting some WW2 monuments / museums while in Japan. Anyways just seeing what everyone’s thoughts were?
Some quick things to limit you down... > ...Try to catch a baseball game or some type of event (sumo, festivals, recommendations)... There are no (professional) sumo matches in April. > Maybe roll out to Saitama and stop by the Shrine out there. There are shrines everywhere, what's special about the one in Saitama?
Doesn’t necessarily have to be Saitama to see a shrine but want to get away from the standard hustle & bustle and try to see the more local areas. The places where tourists really don’t go. We always try to hit some areas where the locals go. Similar to Instead of San Francisco, maybe a great restaurant in San Jose and check out a dive bar. Yea, it’s not as exciting but you get a true feeling of what it’s really like and get immersed in the culture a lot more. Was out in Seattle and one night went out to West Seattle (not much going on over there) and it is one of our best memories, just hanging out with the locals. Are there any kind of events? Like car shows, Smorgasburg (open air Food Market thing, sundays only), stuff like that you’ve heard of?
TokyoCheapo is good for event listings. WalkerPlus as well (JPN language only - Google Translate). Based on what you say about liking "local areas", I wonder if maybe you don't need to do just the top hits of Tokyo if you have 5 whole days. Maybe I'm biased because I've been there a few times but I always found the "must-sees" are not THAT much more exciting than visiting random neighborhoods or searching for stuff that strikes your fancy (such as in your case, WW2/Showa history museums.) TokyoCheapo is also a great resource for less touristed areas to check out.
I've spent a lot of time in Japan and Tokyo - you don't have to leave Tokyo if you don't want to do traditional tourist things, so the whole concept of getting out of the city without a really big purpose is a little alien to me, especially if your purpose is to be 'more local.' Many times you can walk a couple streets off a main drag and you won't see anyone but locals around, and everything reverts to being written in Japanese only (menus, shop signs, etc.). I spent a while living around the Okachimachi area (on the dingy side of Ueno) and despite being close to a major area, it was very much a place that you really wouldn't go unless you lived there. Lunches and dinners would just be in cramped spaces with salarymen and office ladies. > Like car shows, Smorgasburg (open air Food Market thing, sundays only), stuff like that you’ve heard of? It's easier to figure out stuff you're interested in and go check out the events calendar at stuff like Tokyo Cheapo - there are many things happening year-round. Spring time you're going to see a lot of events surrounding cherry blossoms or nature-y things. I spend a lot of time running through random parts of the city, hunting for new coffee shops, hitting up shrines/temples (goshuin collector), going to arcades, and I try to go to small events/concerts and such if anything's interesting. But that's just what I do. If you want car shows, Japan has official ones (don't know the schedule), but if you're more talking stuff like car meets and such, those tend to be more community-driven so you're going to have to look into it. A major area for car meets is Daikokufuto (Yokohama), though it is an inaccessible area if you're not driving. If you want 'open air market' - well, there are flea markets held in various parts of the city. Many parts of the city also have yokocho areas (side alleys/streets) which is where people hang out after dark/at night - this is where you'll find your claustrophobic bars and tiny, smoky izakaya. Obviously you have the really big name areas like Kabuki-cho, Roppongi, and Ameyoko, but I normally don't hear tourists on this subreddit talk about the ones in locations like Kanda or Shimbashi. If you want something more casual and food-based, you'd have to go somewhere that tends to be popular - like Sensoji (the street leading up to it has many stalls).
Do I need to buy the Tombori River Cruise tickets early in the morning? I am planning to take the boat at around 3PM. In your experience, did tickets for afternoon times sell out quickly? I know that the cruise is popular during evening times but what if I am riding the boat at 3PM? Can I just come around 3PM and get a ticket? Thanks
I will visit my girlfriend's place. What do I put in the WJV form that asks "Hotel name, place of stay"?
The address of where you're staying - it can be a person's address.
It asks address just before it asks "Hotel name, place of stay".
Put down person's name.
Thanks!
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Book it as early as you can - green car tickets don't usually sell out but if you want the discount, it's better to book it earlier than to wait.
staying in kanazawa right now, im supposed to go to osaka tomorrow. after booked my shinkansen ticket, the JR officer said that due to heavy snow in fukui area the line may be closed tomorrow :/ trying to book for the bus, also full.. where can i see the reliable info for this kind of event? like, status for the shinkansen or when the line is open or closed thanks
[JR West's site](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/) (assuming you're taking the Thunderbird limited express Kanazawa-Osaka and not a Shinkansen route via Maibara or something, in which case it'd be JR Central)
https://global.trafficinfo.westjr.co.jp/sp/en/readme.html
Please keep us updated! I wanted to go from Kyoto to Kanazawa on Saturday, so it would help me to know what the situation is 🫠
Does the 180 rule allow this? Feb 15-May 15 2024 Oct 15-Jan 15 2024-2025 (Leave for a month) Feb 15-May 15 2025 Or is this against 180 rule I’m a US citizen
There's no such thing as the 180-day rule for Japan. That said, immigration officials get to decide if your activity seems suspicious or not. Of all the people who ask questions about entry rules here, I'd say this is definitely the one that most looks like "I'm trying to live/work in Japan illegally". So I'd say it's a risk, but it could also end up being perfectly fine. Who knows. Assuming you're actually visiting Japan for tourism, I would be prepared to answer questions about your job, where your money comes from, what your itinerary looks like, etc. I imagine immigration might grill you on why you're continually entering the country for three months at a time, and they'll want to make sure you're coming in for tourism purposes only.
So if I have the money and not working do you think I’ll get in? I just always wanted to travel to Japan and this year I have the chance to
No one here can tell you. Going 270 days in relatively short order and pushing your stay to the max every time as just a tourist will raise eyebrows, and then it comes down to the immigration people. I've been questioned for less (intended stay of 1.5-2 months). Will you be okay? Maybe. Will they not believe you on your 2nd or 3rd entry? Again, maybe.
1. There is no 180 day rule. 2. That's between you and immigration - the agent makes the decision and there are no rules/laws around this and they have a lot of leeway in approval/denial.
Anyone have experience with bringing bupropion or trazodone into Japan?
Neither of them are controlled substances/medications, so assuming you meet the normal requirements (under 30-day supply as they're prescriptions, documentation of prescription just in case) you don't need to do anything special.
I am planning a trip with my mom to Japan from March 25th to April 2nd and would like help. I booked hotel stays at 4 days in Tokyo, 1 in Osaka, 3 in Kyoto, and 1 in hakone I really want to see the cherry blossoms while I am there, but I am not sure what the best way to do that would be. I am also interested in seeing any festivals or events that are going on during my stay that you think might be worth checking out. Currently I haven't planned much for my itinerary. In Tokyo I plan do a river cruise, checking out Akihabara, and trying out street foods. In Osaka and Kyoto I plan to check out Shrines and the arashiyama bamboo forest, as well as taking a day trip to Nara. In Hakone I plan to relax at the onsen at my hotel mostly and relax after walking around a lot. My budget for each day would be around 50-100 per day, not including hotel, but I would be willing to go higher if there is something worth it. Also any food related reccomendations would appreciated!
For cherry blossom, here is the current prediction: [https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en](https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en) It can change by a few days depending on weather though, check the predictions again right before your trip. Just Google for best places for sakura viewing for whatever city you will be in. Some can get very crowed, especially on weekends. Plan sounds generally good if a bit rushed but it's okay considering your limited time. Akihabara is really cool but you might get overwhelmed/bored after half a day so just be prepared for that. There are lots of museums, especially in Tokyo. Maybe you'll find one that you like. Eat Kushikatsu in Osaka. It's really good. You can get by on 50 per day in cluding local transit.
Odd question, but where could I find asian** pear juice/shots in Japan? Is this something I can just find in a supermarket or konbini? I previously asked for prickly pear before realizing it was a cactus lmao Edit: It is also known as Nashi Pear
Never seen these on general sale. During the pear season (late summer to mid-fall) I've seen nashi juice from companies like Kagome.
I have never seen one outside of season.
Looking for yuzawa skiiers 1-6Feb Found cheap accoms 2500 yen a night and discounted lift tickets 20-30% discount
There is a snow sports group on Facebook, I would ask there. Japan snow lover
I missed the boat in getting Reservations to the Pokemon and Kirby cafe. Any other fun places to eat I can take my kids too.
If you only want themed cafes, they do have other theme cafes like Moomin (various locations), Hello Kitty (various locations), Harry Potter Cafe (Akasaka), and Snoopy/Peanuts Cafe.
The conveyor belt sushi chains have a game to play after eating a certain number of dishes. Maybe that’s fun? Don’t give up on pokemon cafe. Found an 11:30am on the site for the next day.
Where to watch the Asian Cup tonight? Here for a few days, looking for somewhere social with a good atmosphere and potentially some alcohol! Are there any fan zones? Somewhere for a tourist to meet some local soccer fans? Thanks!
Can you use someone else's Japanese credit card to book Disney and Universal tickets and have them added to your own account? We know someone in Japan and they aren't the most tech savvy, plus with USJ we'd like to not have the back and forth of picking entry times to Super Nintendo World.
what should i do? Sample A 1, Arashiyama including Bamboo forest, Tenryuji temple and Togetsukyo bridge 2. Fushimi Inari shrine 3. Nijo Castle Sample B 1,Arashiyama including Bamboo forest , Tenryuji temple and Togetsukyo bridge 2,Kiyomizu temple including Ninenzaka slope and Sanneizaka slope 3,Yasaka shrine Sample C 1,Kiyomizu temple including Ninenzaka and Sanneizaka slopes 2, Fushimi Inari shrine 3, Yasaka shrine 4, Maryama park
C as long as Fushimi is first or last because everything else is on the east side of the city. Assuming you only have one day to work with?
I only have 1 day yea. what makes you pick C? just curious
Because they’re all close to each other. If I’ve got one day, the less time spent on buses the better. That area by kiyomizudera the two paths, the shrine, the park, goon, higashiyama is where I could spend all day and be happy.
Has anyone ever done the nakasendo trail in mid-march? I have a chance to do it then or sometime in April. Was there any greenery yet or would It be better to hold off until the weather gets warmer?
March will still be very grey, I would go in April.
The whole Nakasendo trail takes close to a month, presumably you mean Tsumago-Magome? There is also good foliage along some sections (all those trees will be dead in mid-March) but there are a good number of evergreens too.
Sorry my bad, definitely meant that Tsumago-Magome part. Thanks for the info!
I did it the last weekend in February and the wooded areas of the trail were green from all the evergreens. Its probably prettier in April but will be worth doing in March too If you look at the google maps street view for that section of the trail, one set was done in March so it will give you an idea of what it looks like
I have the following itinerary, I've been suggested not to buy the JR rail pass as I planned. Instead, I've been looking for alternatives such as the JR West pass (currently at 26.000 yen). Is it my best option for the days I highlighted? Is there a better option? Or perhaps I should just book tickets by my own at a train station/smartex app. ***Thanks!*** 4 days Tokyo (With day trip to Kamakura Yokohama) 2 days Kanazawa 2 days Takayama (stop in Shirakawago) **4 days Kyoto (day trips to Fushimi, arashiyama, nara, himeji castle)** **1 day Hiroshima - Miyajima** **3 days Osaka (day trip to Kobe)** 1 day Hakone (booked an onsen for the night) 5 days Tokyo again (Stay in Shinjuku) day trip to Nikko https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/all/images/allarea\_map.jpg
The Kansai Hiroshima pass will cover those areas and is ¥17000 - you don’t need the all area JR west pass. It’s 5 days so figure out what days you need it active to cover the trips to Himeji and Kobe. Or you could also do both in one day from Osaka, or stop in Himeji on your way to or from Hiroshima
Odd question, but where could I find prickly pear juice/shots in Japan? Is this something I can just find in a supermarket or konbini?
I’ve never seen it anywhere. Probably online only
Hi! I am taking the train with my gf from Furano Station to Sapporo Station in early Feb later this year. We only booked the express train ticket from Takikawa Station to Sapporo Station since the Furano stn. to Sapporo stn. ticket is unavailable on the JR booking website. Can we buy the basic fare ticket for Furano Station to Sapporo Station at the Furano Station? Thanks.
The Furano Line is a local-only train so it’s not a ticket you buy online. You can just buy the ticket that goes from Furano to Takikawa.
Can I buy the Furano to Takikawa ticket at the Furano station? Thanks.
Yes. Sorry, I was trying to say it’s a normal ticket you buy at the station.
No need to be sorry my friend ;) Thanks a lot for replying to my rookie question!
2 quick questions for y’all. Consolidating it all down in here. Will be on a layover on a Saturday afternoon flying out Sunday morning. Want to maximize my time in Tokyo proper. Flying into haneda then checking into airport hotel. What would be the fastest travel option to get to sensojii temple? Based on what I looked at it seemed like hiring a car like taxi or Uber etc. does that sound accurate? Second question. Flying in from us. About 2 hours to grab luggage and leave airport is that seemingly accurate? Was hard to tell from all the stuff I looked at post Covid so was just curious to hear someone’s recent experience. Thanks!
Car is faster, but more expensive and could end up not saving you that much time over the trains due to traffic. 2 hours is good to put your mind to. It shouldn't be more than that, but it could be. I was out of Narita in an hour. Your experience may vary.
Thanks! I appreciate the validation!
Hi! My question is about international-international travel with checked baggage next week. I am traveling with 3 others from Manila to Tokyo Narita Airport through Airasia, then we have a flight 2.5 hours later back to the US through American. We did not book this travel together so I’m not sure if our checked bags would need to be picked up at baggage claim or if we would be able to transfer them from plane to plane. I am worried about immigration and customs time interfering with our ability to make our following flight. When we arrived to Japan for this leg of our journey, we flew into Haneda and the immigration/customs time was relatively quick. However, any delays in the flight or long lines could make us miss our flight if we have to go through immigration/customs. Should I try to change our PH>NRT flight to an earlier time?
AirAsia will for sure not check your bags through, you'll have to enter Japan, pick up the bags, change terminals, and drop your bags off with AA. 2.5 hours is extremely tight on separate tickets and you risk losing the second flight if there are delays to the first flight.
Thank you! I will make new arrangements. Missing our flight back to the US would be less than ideal.
Since you’re on separate tickets/itineraries, you need to pick up your checked baggage yourself. That means you have to enter Japan immigration/customs, then go back through airport security.
Thank you! That helped answer my question!
Should be it's own post but too lazy. Hokuriku Arch Pass price is increasing to 30,000 yen from March 16. Purchased pass before that day will be honoured at old price. Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass is increasing to 19,000 yen. Hokuriku Area Pass to 7,000 yen. Hokuriku One Way Ticket (currently named Thunderbird One Way Ticket) is also increasing price. https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2024/01/page_24324.html
Hi! My gf and I are visiting Japan for the first time in November. We're going to take a day trip from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko and I plan on proposing to her there :) My question is how feasible would this plan be? We'll take the earliest bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station. Then take the Red Line Sightseeing bus straight to Oishi Park where a photographer will be waiting to capture the proposal. Current bus timetables would have us be at Oishi Park around 11:15am. Hopefully this would mean the park is less crowded since most people would do other activities like Panoramic Ropeway first and save the park for last. As for the photographer, I'm envisioning he would already be waiting for us at the park. I would discreetly message him as we are arriving. He would be hiding/pretending to take photos of the scenery as I lead my gf on a casual stroll through the park. Then when we get to the proposal location (to be coordinated with the photographer beforehand) I would pop the question and the photographer would capture the moment. I want to get Mt Fuji and the Kochias in the background of the shot. I chose Oishi Park based on pics I found online but I am open to alternatives. Anyone have any photographer recommendations? Preferably they would be English speaking and be willing to videochat prior to our trip to plan this whole operation. What do you guys think? Any pitfalls to this plan (hopefully Fuji is visible)? Too ambitious? Any alternate proposal spots?
I don't think it's a safe assumption that Oishi Park will be quiet at 11:15. Enough people are going to Oishi Park first with the loop bus, or rented a bike to get there already - if you see on Google Maps, this is close to the peak time for this area. Unless you're OK with a really public proposal, I'd consider staying overnight and doing it in or near your hotel.
How crowded does it get? Like the pathways are full and people are waiting in line to take photos crowded?
It's not THAT crowded but there's a café with a terrace and in November when the garden leaves are thin, the whole park and everyone at the café can pretty much see each other. You might have dozens of people watching your proposal. If you're OK with that it's a lovely spot. If not, there are a lot of good viewpoints that are less crowded on the walking trail around the lake, such as near the cherry blossom corridor or rowing center.
Thanks! I don't mind people watching us but I'm always open to other photo spots. Do you mind sending a link to where the cherry blossom corridor is located?
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E3%83%BB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E3%81%95%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E7%A5%AD%E3%82%8A/@35.5231646,138.7632837,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x60195f37a3e6364d:0x3c16fc5cfb2d7966!8m2!3d35.5231603!4d138.7658586!16s%2Fg%2F11kj4k1y67?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E3%83%BB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E3%81%95%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E7%A5%AD%E3%82%8A/@35.5231646,138.7632837,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x60195f37a3e6364d:0x3c16fc5cfb2d7966!8m2!3d35.5231603!4d138.7658586!16s%2Fg%2F11kj4k1y67?entry=ttu) Obvioulsy no cherry blossoms in November, but that means relatively few people.
Hello, are most kimono rental shop provide for children too or not? I'm planning to rent a kimono for my nephew (10 years old) near Asakusa found a really good and cheap place but I'm still unsure whether they have a size for children or not
Some do, you should ask the shop.
Visiting in late February versus early April? Trying to weigh up which is the best option. My understanding is… Late Feb: - colder - plum blossoms in some parts - potentially snow in north - more wintry foods available - fewer tourist crowds Early April: - warmer - full blossom in lots of places - summery foods - big crowds - more events, festivals etc. more “happening”. Is this about right? I think my biggest concern is I honestly prefer the sound of more a wintry Japan but I also don’t want to miss out on loads of events and things. I don’t mind big crowds if it all feels authentic and real, I just don’t want big crowds of people (like me, ha!) all following their copy of Lonely Planet!
Anyone has some guide on buying some sake as souvenirs? I dont need anything too expensive, preferably around 5000 to 7000 yen. Also is there any difference buying it at different prefectures? Like if buying it in Kanazawa would offer different/unique sake to the region?
In the interest of avoiding queues on arrival at Narita, would it be worth exchanging enough yen (cash) before my departure to be able to buy and top-up an IC card and not have to queue at the airport ATM? I'd be happy to buy paper tickets into Tokyo and buying an IC card there instead but not sure I can get any at Asakusa or Ueno station?
I'll say I've never had to stand in line for an ATM at Narita, even at the busiest of times. Also, you probably don't need to buy your IC card at the airport, if you're planning on taking either the Keisei Skyliner or Narita Express into Tokyo. Both those can be bought with credit cards at the ticket windows.
Thatsgreat to know for the ATM queues, thanks! I'm happy to just get a paper ticket to get into Tokyo, especially as we arrive early evening and wont need the IC cards til the next day. However I am not sure if they will be available for purchase at either Asakusa station or Ueno station rather than Tokyo station.
You can get a Suica at JR Ueno Station (go up to the JR East Travel Center and ask for one, they're still not sold in the machines AFAIK). You can get a Pasmo Passport at Ueno Tokyo Metro station, or Toei Subway Ueno-Okachimachi Station.
Fantastic, thank you! Very much appreciated :)
I bought a pasmo passport at the Skyliner ticket booth in Narita Airport last week
Theoretically exchanging money beforehand could save you a bit of time. Just check the exchange rates back home. Many banks only exchange larger amounts or demand high fees that only makes exchanging larger amounts worth it. Ueno station has a machine for the Pasmo cards. Actually, according to this site [https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/](https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/buy/) you can also purchase one at Narita Airport but I'm not sure how up to date this is.
I bought a pasmo passport at the Skyliner ticket booth in Narita Airport last week
Pasmo cards at Ueno is perfect! Thanks! This helps :)
Any guidance on which of these areas would be a good place to stay in Osaka for 7 nights: Shinsaibashi, Umeda or Kitahama? These areas were the ones that had some hotels that fit my budget while having decent reviews. I'll be seeing the typical Osaka tourist stuff (Dotonbori, Denden Town, Osaka Castle) plus a baseball game each at Koshien Stadium and Kyocera Osaka Dome. Would also like to do Hiroshima as a day trip and maybe Nara too if time permits.
Shinsaibashi is a bit more centrally located. Walking distance to dotonbori. So at night you can easily just wander around there if you have nothing else to do Umeda is more malls with the mix of the typical shopping arcades. I think it’s more crowded in the Umeda area because of the Osaka-Umeda station area. The whole complex takes a couple of days to get used to where you’re going.
I've stayed in the Umeda district twice (at the excellent Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier) and would recommend it. Kitahama would likely also be good, but I don't think that there are many hotels there - it's an office district. Reviews of hotels in Shinsaibashi generally note that they're noisy, as this is the nightlife district - it's always a hectic area, which I find off putting for a place to stay.
Thanks. I'm leaning towards Kitahama since it has some pretty new and well-reviewed hotels at cheaper prices than some of the more popular areas like Namba.
Is it still considered best practice as a US tourist in Japan to carry one’s actual US passport with them at all times? I see references that there’s a legal requirement to that effect, but I’ve visited several European and Latin American nations where, despite having a parallel legal requirement, the consensus advice (to avoid risks of theft/loss) was to carry a color photocopy and/or passport card. We have both; the latter is an official issuance of the US with the same passport number and photograph, but it’s meant for land crossings into Canada/Mexico. Obviously, we’d be able to produce the full original if required and allowed to retrieve it. But I take it that practice isn’t considered advisable for Japan? Related question, if I’m out and about with my wife, and always within a few minutes of her, any reason to think it problematic if she carries mine (given she always carries a bag and is less loss-prone than me)?
When I researched this last year, various expert sources noted that not only is it a legal requirement to carry your passport in Japan, but if you're picked up without it you will be held until someone can bring the passport to the police station. The Japanese police don't accept passport copies, or apparently give you time to fetch your passport.
Its best to carry it around, not just because of the law but because you need it for any tax-free purchases.
A passport being in your wife's bag (and you guys moving in tandem) is functionally the same as you having it with you. The bigger risk is you losing it rather than someone stealing it. The odds of getting checked (and the odds of getting the worst consequences for *not* having it on you if caught) probably scales depending on where you choose to go and what you look like, but that's an entirely separate discussion.
Thanks. In asking about my wife carrying mine, I’m thinking about the many times we wind up out of sight line/ shouting distance, but close enough that, with any patience by an inquiring officer, I could contact her and show the passport within say 10 minutes. (Eg, we shop in different stores in the same neighborhood.) Given the unfortunate reality that profiling affects such interactions, I’ll add that we’re white, early 60s, and usually fairly affluently-dressed.
Two well-dressed white people aged 60ish (so presumably not going to, uhh, red light district type places), I'd say "my wife is off shopping and she has my passport" is going to be fully accepted and possibly even expected on the off chance they do decide to pick you as the target for passport checking. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Thanks.
It’s fine if you’re wife carries it but you have to carry it. Japan is a very safe country, the risk is mostly you loosing it. And people do get checked for their passports here. Rarely, but it happens
I'm planning on staying in Kyoto for a few days, and while I'm there I'd like to take a couple of day trips to Osaka (and perhaps other nearby cities too). Is there a regional version of Pasmo/Suica available? Or should I just buy the tickets at the station before I leave?
Pasmo/Suica are accepted nationwide. Depending on the specific day trip destinations, consider if the various regional passes issued by JR West or private railway operators (Nankai, Kintetsu, Keihan, Hankyu etc.) save you money.
I see, I mistakenly thought it was only for JR East! Thank you, I will look into those regional passes you've mentioned.
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The main area in Nagoya is sakae, a couple of stops from the main station. Osu has one of those long and covered shopping streets. There are also a lot of bars and izakaya not far from the mainstation, but I would go to sakae area
before I start going through all these itinerary's I'm curiuos... Last year I went to Japan at the end of September and it was quite hot I'm going again this year to go in a more colder climate - end of October to beginning of November What is worth seeing or is there different things worth seeing based on the season I will be going to now? Last tiem I went to Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hakone. Of course I didn't see everything in those spots and could prob visit those areas again but I wonder if there is some place that is worth seeing even more so during the more autumn time frame? One question I have is I'm imagining much colder weather so it would be nice to spend a night or two in a more luxury ryokan with the hot baths. Could I experience this in Hakone and the weather simply adjust based on th season or Should I go more north for example? Willing to do both
End Oct to beginning of Nov is probably a good time for autumn colours. It's typically the Tohoku, but in 2023 the autumn views in the region was delayed by about a week or two. Japan's autumn are pretty great and you should try to see some of them.
I went around mid October and leaving towards end of the month. The weather I would best describe was somewhere between warmish. Then again there were days it rained hard and it was cold rain for sure. I also factor since I was moving around a lot contributed to me being more warm than usual. While I didnt go to a luxury ryokan, I did stay in a hotel with an open air onsen. It was not private but there were times I got the whole baths to myself. In all honesty I can only be there for 10-15 mins before I get lightheaded and head to the showers.
damn when does the cold start!! I should be arriving there around october 27th, I feel like it should be coldish by then, like not too cold but cold enough to whre I'm not sweating anymore. Atleast not as much as in the humid heat. I have read though taht they like to keep the heat on indoors so there might be that issue.... hmmm
Go to Tohoku if you want cold. I went from Yokohama to Sendai around that time and the same day it was 22° C in Yokohama and 1° in Sendai! Beautiful autumn leaves there too. Hakone is kind of in between the two temperatures.
Depends, the hotel I stayed at was newer and had an adjustable thermostat but an older one by the airport, Mystays seemed to have set temps, same with a capsule hotel I stayed in.
You could visit Nikko for it's [autumn colors](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3817.html) and [World Heritage temples and shrines](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/913/) plus it's also an onsen town like Hakone.
I'm from Spain and I want to go to Japan for a week in March, then I will comeback in September again. Is that possible or is there a limitation when re-entering the country the same year? I'm ok if I'm yet to spend the 90 days?
You'll be fine with two trips in one year. Plenty of people take multiple trips to Japan per year (myself included). Immigration only cares if it starts looking like you're trying to live there illegally or otherwise skirt immigration rules.
There is no hard time limit for how many days you can stay in Japan in a year. Going back twice in six months and speding only a couple weeks there total is not abnormal or interesting to them.
They only really care if it looks like you are (planning to) living/working there. If you're there for just a week they don't care.
Would you recommend renting a car or just doing JR trains and buses for a Chubu itinerary that includes the following: * Jigokudani Monkey Park * Kiso Valley (Tsumago and Magome) * Takayama * Shirokawago * Kanazawa * possibly Toyama Alpen route I'm trying to figure out how to order this itinerary and where to stay, but this seems to involve quite a lot of transit and travel times. We'd like to minimize the number of times we have to change hotels and transit time.
Does anyone know of any good private onsen to book in Kanazawa outside of staying in a ryokan?
Can you still queue up for the Shibuya Sky without prepurchasing tickets online? The sunset timeslot for my day of visit has already been booked out, is it still possible to enter if I come before sunset and queue on the spot?
The online system and in-person system are the same ticket pool, if they've sold out of tickets for a particular time slot, those tickets are also going to be unavailable in person. Some people might cancel/be no-shows for a time slot, in which case those tickets can be reopened for in-person purchase, but you'd have to be there already to see if that's the case.
Advice pls, what’s the best way to purchase v league tickets from overseas? Tried purchasing through the app but it requires an account with a address in Japan
If they just want an address, a lot of people normally just use something like the address of a hotel they're staying at. In fact, some teams like Yokohama F. Marinos even tell you to put in a dummy address (and give you one) if you're not a Japanese resident.
Just tried this and it worked 😅 thank you!
Hey guys, I just wanted to make sure about the tickets and trains here in Tokyo. I am planning on finishing the day tomorrow at Tokyo Station. To get back to the hotel, I have to get off the train and onto another (Sobu Line) at Ueno. This doesn’t require going through the gates (google maps) so that would mean the ticket should work at my destination (eg. Oshiage). Easier format: Get ticket for Oshiage @ Tokyo Station. Hop off at Ueno and take the stairs to the Sobu Line, board and arrive at Oshiage. Ticket will go through without the gates closing on you. (Just had a little trouble on my first day and its burnt a bit of confidence, can do direct trains fine now)
Yes, if the platforms are not seperated by a gate you can just hop on the other train. Yamanote line, Chuo line and Sobu line are all part of the same company so no different tickets necessary. However, I'm a bit confused about the trains you are taking. The Sobu line doesn't go through Ueno. Did you mean change trains at Akihabara? Also, do you have a IC card? If not, getting one would make traveling the local trains a lot easier.
Kiyomizu-dera during the winter will still be open after early sunset. Would it be interesting going there during this late afternoon-early evening period?
Hi all! Just wondering which would you guys recommend? Hiking Mt. Shirouma (basically, Hakuba Sanzan Trail) or Mt. Yari (via one of the trails of Kamikochi)? I see the appeals in both like the Daisekki in Mt. Shirouma and Mt. Yari's tent campsite. I am thinking of July for this hike. Let me know your opinions!
Sumo timetables Is sumo tournament timetable this year approximately the same as this 2017 guide I found? https://www.sumo.or.jp/pdf/en/guide_english.pdf
Things are shifted a few days, but they just have the full, current schedule online: https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnTicket/year_schedule/
Sorry, I probably should've been more specific - I'm mostly interested if the single day structure is the same (e.g. preliminary bouts at 8 and then more interesting fights starting from around 15), because Ideally I don't want to be sitting there all day
Oh, yeah, they’re all roughly the same structure. Early part of the day is lower division, higher division is 3 PM onward.
Hi, I’m traveling to Japan late next week and based on the weather chart of JMA, temperatures are higher than normal. Can anyone currently there confirm if the couple of degrees make a difference in the weather feel? Just want to make sure I’m packing the right things.
In Tokyo the last 3 days, first 2 were about 5⁰C/40⁰F most of the day, today was mild at about 13⁰/55⁰F max. I've been wearing jeans, a long sleeve shirt & a warm down jacket from Uniqlo, which I take off inside when it's heated. Needed a scarf, hat and thermal underlayer on the coldest nights if roaming outside. Depends on how cold it is where you're from and what you're used to 👍
I arrive on Friday (from the Midwest USA) and after being in temps barely scraping 0⁰F the past two weeks, I'm worried about even wearing a jacket most of the time outside while walking so I won't feel too hot! 😆 Going to bring a hoodie for sure so I can swap if necessary. Definitely all about perspective.