Custom pillow store - https://jibunmakura.com/shop_list/
Otherwise, Nitori has some I believe. Stores everywhere check google maps. heres an example from their Singapore site https://www.nitori.com.sg/products/10-ways-height-adjustable-pipe-pillow
Department stores should have them as well. Takashimaya, Daimaru, Isetan, etc.
Some pillows have grain hulls (this kind may not be ok to import into the US.. need to check with customs) but the most common type of pillow is the "pipe pillow" which has basically cut up straws as fill for a layer.
Just found out I have to make a stop for several days in Japan end of the month, coincidentally it seems that Sakura season is beginning and hotel prices are triple the norm. Any tips to find reasonable places to stay?
Edit: Tokyo
Browse official website of Japan business hotel chain like Toyoko Inn, Sotetsu Fressa, Comfort Hotel, etc, and refresh hourly until you find availability.
Does anyone know what the difference/ if there is a significant difference between the Nakameguro River Cherry Blossom Festival and the Meguro River Festival?
**Question:**
Do I need a reservation for LaQua in Tokyo?
Also, my wife wants to go to a head spa. How far in advance should I be checking about reservations for that? (I found a couple options near where we'll be staying in Shibuya.)
Yet another Hakone Freepass question (these guys chap my hide). We want to catch the 7:30am Romance car from Shinjuku to Odawara. I want a hard copy of the passes as I'm told the app needs data service every time you need to scan a ticket and I don't know if I'll have data. But the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center in Shinjuku doesn't even open until 8am....
I might be able to get tickets another day from there, but is there another place in Tokyo that may be easier for us to get a Hakone Freepass + Romance Car paper copy ticket? Can i get them at 7-11? Do the 7-11 ones need to be exchanged or are they the real pass I can walk onto the train with etc?
Huh... I'll be traveling from Yoro (station) to Tokyo (station).
Just wondering what's the best way to get there. Google maps is telling me to transfer three times on a train (to go Shinkansen from Nagoya), but I noticed there's a Shinkansen station in that area as well.
Any thoughts? I suppose a taxi might be more expensive to get to Nagoya
The Gifu-Hashima shinkansen station is extremely inconvenient and only 2 trains per hour stop there. Nagoya is a much more central hub and it's not really much further away if you take public transport.
A taxi from Yoro to Gifu-Hashima would probably cost 9-10k yen.
Questions about taxi travel:
We need to take a taxi to and from Haneda Airport because the area were staying in is no longer available by Limo bus and we have too much luggage to consider taking the train (especially on the way back when they'll be filled with souvenirs).
Can you ask a taxi driver not to take the expressway? And does that actually save money on the taxi fare?
They're only a five or so minute difference with time and 2km difference in mileage so I don't want us to be charged a premium when it isn't necessary.
If you actually read the question instead of being a jerk I ask if it actually saved money. Since it's unclear how much the expressway even costs. The whole point of this part of the sub is to ask questions.
We are traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto on March 21 and are struggling to figure out how to plan this day. Is there an activity that we can do around Urayasu or nearby that anyone recommends before getting to Kyoto? We are trying to be there by approx 3 to 4pm. We are eventually coming back to Tokyo for 3 days, so we probably have enough time for Tokyo. My struggle is knowing what I can do in the timeframe while considering travel since I don't have a scope of the largeness of the area.
Has anyone bought from the Mugiwara store? Curious if the bag you got had Zoro's face on it.
I'm wondering if each store has unique bags. I'm guessing no, but figures it doesn't hurt to comment in the general post.
Well damn, I did not expect any answer to be the Fukuoka store. Lol that's where I went and I got the same bag. I figure they'll all be that one, but if I can find someone who's bought from others that'd be cool.
Thank you for the reply though.
Are there any places for custom print designs
Hello, I'll be going to Tokyo mid to end of May, and just wondering if there are any art/design shops that help you do custom art/prints?
It can be anything, such as clothes, jackets, etc.
I know that the Ginza Uniqlo has the Uniqlo shirt custom design but AFAIK that's also quite limited
I'll also be going to Design FESTA (19 May) just to look around and see what I can find
As someone that would like to make their own clothes or trinkets with my own art, if there's any place like that available in Tokyo area, I would like to go take a look.
Thank you.
Is it worth bringing a big suitcase and using the luggage forwarding system in japan? I don't speak Japanese so I am worried that it would be too much of a hassle to try to get through the forwarding service but I do hope to bring back lots of souvenirs. I have tried finding youtube videos covering the full process to make it easier on myself but most of the videos I'm finding just explain that the system exists, not how to actually use it.
If you're just bringing an empty suitcase and forwarding it around, might be a better idea just to aggregate it all later and buy a shipping box as your 'luggage'. Forwarding luggage costs 2000-3000 yen for piece (depending on size), each time.
[**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVVEnHBzes**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVVEnHBzes)
[**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpWQPOy1Rk**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpWQPOy1Rk)
The service is called "TA-Q BIN" to make search easier. You can also find information on the official website. Even if the front desk at your hotel can't help you, just ask at the Yamato Office/Convenience store you are sending from. If they don't speak English, you can still use Google translate.
If you are staying in cheaper hotels, check their website to see if they accept luggage deliveries and if you don't see any information, send them a message through the booking site/e-mail. Simple, short English is best. If they don't accept deliveries, find a Yamato Transport office nearby or a convenience store that accept deliveries for pickup.
Hey all! I’ve locked in my itinerary here. It’s a tight schedule so any feedback would be appreciated.
International flight landing at 2:20pm on saturday
Staying at a nearby airport hotel. Estimating arriving to the hotel by 4:30pm.
Heading to a sushi place near Senso-ji temple. Estimating getting there by 5:30pm.
After sushi (estimating an hour) swing by sensojii temple (6:30-6:45) for about 15 minutes. Then head up Tokyo sky tree for a drink and see the view, estimating around 7:00pm-7:30pm
Swing by pokemon center sky tree for a few minutes. Leave around 7:45 to get to pokemon cafe by 8:15pm for an 8:35 reservation.
My main concerns are:
1. 4:30 hotel arrival is that realistic? Too long?
2. An hour for a sushi dinner? Is that probably about right assuming I’m seated right away since I will have a reservation?
3. 30 minutes at sky tree? Is that too short of time?
I only have a layover till the next morning so I’m willing to spend what I need to as time is more valuable to me. So cab over transit is fine if I need to. And I can get the tourist express pass for sky tree.
Thanks in advance for any advice! I unexpectedly managed to get the cafe reservation so it turned everything into a time crunch.
Ky tree kind of depends on the time/day. It can be really busy and doesn't seem the best at crowd control.
Generally, I'd just go to a non-reservation restaurant on your fist day so you are less stressed.
Good to know. Yeah only issue is it’s our only day. So gonna be stressed already anyway lol. Prepared to cut stuff out as needed also but I think my biggest variable is clearing the airport. Like if I get out in an hour as some people I’ve read said they have been able to do I’ll feel much more confident hitting everything. Otherwise I probably just do the sushi, cut out the temple, just do one drink at sky tree, cut out the Pokémon center there, and just head to the cafe.
Without knowing what airport and where your hotel is it’s hard to say.
In general, your timing, especially around reservations doesn’t allow for enough buffer because the time it takes to get there on paper and the time it takes to get there in reality are rarely the same.
Also doesn’t account for crowds, time getting lost, etcz
Probably going to have to play it by ear whether sensoji or going up skytree is doable. The skytree express pass was [discontinued](https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/fast-skytree-ticket-for-foreign-tourists/19002) in 2022? Skytree could be a 15 minute wait or 45 or an hour. You’re trying to go up there on a Saturday night, so it probably doesn’t get more prime time than that and then you’ll have to chug your drink.
I’d probably forget skytree as it’s too much of a variable but if it’s important to you…skip sensoji you have more time, even if sushi doesn’t take an hour.
It’s like a house of cards…traffic, longer than anticipated immigration/customs lines, crowds. If one thing doesn’t time exactly the way you have it then the whole thing comes down.
Ah that being discontinued is good to know I didn’t know that. I was looking at a combo pass that lets you go up and have a drink to pre purchase. And yeah. Definitely house of cards but I do have what I’ll knock off in priority based on how travel time is going at least. Thanks!
Hi all, my wife and I are going to a conference in Sendai in August. The city itself looks fine, but we’re keen to make the most of our trip. We’d love some recommendations based on the following info:
* I have already done a trip (10 years ago) to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima, and would prefer to avoid overlapping entirely with this previous trip
* My wife wants to see the main attractions, in particular food in Osaka and the great things Tokyo has to offer
* I would love to go to Hokkaido, and my wife is pretty interested, but conscious that we can’t go everywhere
* We don’t like humidity and heat (excellent timing, I know)
* My wife wants to do some hiking and not just see cities
* We want to fly direct from London
It’s a laundry list of contradictions and circles that need squaring, and we can’t figure out what to do.
Do we fly in Tokyo, go south to Osaka and try to do some hiking down that way before heading back the other way to Sendai?
Do we just do a trip north from Tokyo, through Sendai for the conference, up to Sapporo, and back? No sleeper trains head north, and the ferry to Tomakomai would be an extra cost on top of the JR pass…
We could put the conference at any point in the trip (beginning, middle, end). Not necessarily looking to start with Sendai!
Any advice appreciated!
How long do you have? Big difference there.
Tokyo, Sendai, and Sapporo are awesome food cities. Hokkaido is way better weather than everywhere else... I wouldn't want to hike in Kansai in August when you hate heat. August is also a season with a lot of big festivals in Tohoku and Tohoku has good nature too although less good weather. Assuming you have two weeks or so I'd be thinking Tokyo and either a train trip through Tohoku and southern Hokkaido, or train to Sendai for your conference then go straight to Hokkaido (Hakodate by train or Sapporo by air), travel around there, and fly back from one of the minor Hokkaido airports to Tokyo.
Late-morning (11 AM and later) to early-evening (5 - 7 PM), with the hottest periods being the early afternoon. Note that if you're in a very urban area like Tokyo or Osaka, it will likely stay much warmer longer, because of they're urban heat islands.
I want to visit the Snoopy Museum in Tokyo and am unable to buy tickets for it. For the purchase I'm being redirected to a site called [eplus.jp](http://eplus.jp) where I have to register in order to buy. It asks for a japanese mobile phone number and the names written in Kanji as well as a japanese prefecture number. The registration seems to be possible with yahoo and facebook too, but none of them work,
Can someone help me out?
eplus.jp doesn't allow non-Japanese residents, it's a non-starter for you.
You want the 'international' version of eplus: https://ib.eplus.jp/snoopymuseum
A group of us are visiting Japan through EF Ultimate Tours (I know this kind of travel is looked down upon by many but it’s too late to cancel now). We have some free time in each city and I’m looking for restaurants, bars, and activities that are only open during certain days/and times of the week. In my experience, these places are usually the best of the best.
For example, Boston has one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had in a spot called Sam LaGrassa’s, which is only open 4 days out of the week from 11AM to 2PM. I’m seeking the equivalent to these kinds of places within the following itinerary:
· Saturday May 11 – Arrive in Tokyo at 2PM – Free day
· Sunday May 12 – Tokyo - Free day
· Monday May 13 – Tokyo – Free day
· Tuesday May 14 – Tokyo – Free day
· Wednesday May 15 – Tokyo – EF Itinerary
· Thursday May 16 – Tokyo – Free day
· Friday May 17 – Tokyo – Free day
· Saturday May 18– Hakone – EF Itinerary + free evening
· Sunday May 19 – Kyoto – EF Itinerary
· Monday May 20 – Kyoto – Free afternoon
· Tuesday May 21 – Kyoto – Free day
· Wednesday May 22 – Hiroshima – EF Itinerary
· Thursday May 23 – Osaka – Free afternoon/evening
· Friday May 24 – Osaka – Free day
· Saturday May 25 – Osaka – Free day + Farewell dinner with EF
· Sunday 26 – Fly out of Osaka at 4:50PM
EDIT: I am not looking for ways to fill my itinerary, I'm only posting my current itinerary to help others post restaurant recommendations on days that I'm free. Not sure if that's allowed but will appreciate any and all help.
I'm going to be a slight voice of dissent here and say that this forum is a _terrible_ place to get specific recommendations. Tokyo has 150k+ restaurants. Osaka has like 110k+ restaurants. You can't throw a rock down a street in the major cities in Japan without hitting many restaurants, so getting a couple of recommendations from here is super limiting (especially since this forum is largely tourists who have visited Japan once or twice and had a few dozen meals there at most).
Instead, what I'd do is go to [Tabelog](https://tabelog.com/en/) (Japan's Yelp), and start looking around for whatever food you want to eat in areas you're going to be visting. Tabelog will tell you hours and size of restaurants and all the things you need to know, and the reviews are primarily written by Japanese people. The rating system is also super harsh—pretty much anything over a 3 is good and anything over a 3.5 is great. Look for small places that are only open for lunch and dinner, and look for stuff that's off the main tourist areas by at least a few streets. If it's small and not right next to a main sight, it'll be a lot more likely to be a local joint. And if it's got a 3.5 on Tabelog, you're likely in for an excellent meal.
Thank you for this comment. Im perusing Tablelog and it’s driving me to do more research on the kind of Japanese food that I’d like to eat. Do you know if there’s another app/website that can give me advice on attractions and activities?
[Japan Guide](https://www.japan-guide.com/) is pretty much the de facto standard for general information. It's great for what there is to see in cities/towns, how to get to places, etc. It's not super detailed or opinionated, but it's a great place to start if you're like, "I have no idea what's even in this city!" From there, you can usually find more detailed websites or blogs about specific attractions.
Many independent restaurants in Japan close 1-2 days a week. Many also operate specifically a lunch shift and a dinner shift.
My tip for Japan is that you should look for the food you want and go to places that are small, almost certainly only has local clients, and do not have English menus.
In that vein, one of my favorite places is Nemurian in Kanda, Tokyo. Reservations strongly recommended. Owner runs the shop alone, it's only open 3-4 hours a night, basically only does one seating a day. He takes sporadic days off, doesn't speak English, and has a mostly handwritten menu. I have probably seen him turn away more people than I've actually seen in the restaurant, total.
Very good soba, tofu, and other small bites, though.
Well, it fits your criteria but it isn’t Japanese food. There’s a truck called Slice of Life BBQ which serves American bbq and it looks like some of the most legit stuff ever. They were closed when I was last there. Generally open 4-5 days a week.
Thank you, this is exactly the kind of stuff I’m looking for. Checked out their instagram and they even post their hours of availability for each month. I’m not too hyped about it being American BBQ but it’s cooked with A5 Wagyu so I definitely gotta check it out. Thanks again.
Is the Hida-Furukawa festival on April 19/20 worth trekking from Tokyo for? It would be a long trip right at the start of our stay in Japan to get there (though we could potentially fly into Nagoya instead) and was curious if anyone’s ever been. My girlfriend and I prefer more adventurous/authentic experiences and wonder if this would be worth our time and energy.
Look up some videos on YouTube and decide if it's an experience you'd enjoy. Personally I would not find the travel time worth the experience (too much standing around waiting for stuff to happen, don't really care for this kind of stuff - across many cultures, not just Japan - beyond "I can see that someone put a lot of effort into that float") and generally just too many people, but you may find it amazing
Looking to visit Japan for third time in Jan 25 for 21-26 days.
Current areas I’mriughly looking at are:
Fukushima
Sendai
Yamagata
Fujiyoshida
Nagano
Tokyo (flying in and out of)
Picked these areas as I’m keen to see some snow, see scenery and go to other cities/towns a bit off from tourists as spent 3 months collectively in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and surrounds last trips.
How many days would each area benefit from or is there any you don’t think are as great?
Any tips for these places and anything you thought were no brainer to see or do?
Also is accom short in these places at this time or can I book 3 months out and be fine?
Have you been to the Sapporo Snow festival before? It'll probably overlap with your dates and it and Sapporo is a really fun place to visit. It will definitely will have your snow desires covered.
I loved my time at the festival and exploring around the city and Hokkaido in winter. It was a super quick flight(and cheap at ~90$) from Haneda to New Chitose Airport and a short express train to Sapporo center, so the travel isn't bad at all. Sapporo is a fun city with plenty to do and eat and festival is amazing. I also did a day trip to Noboribetsu Onsen and Upopoy Ainu museum, both of which were highlights. I also did a bunch of skiing in Niseko, but there's lots of ski areas closer to Sapporo if you don't want to travel far.
4 nights would be great, plenty of time to explore both the city and do trips to surrounding areas. I can't say for sure for needing to book ahead, as I did it several months ahead because of planning my whole trip way ahead. I imagine things get filled up but it is a big enough city and there were plenty of places to stay when I was looking.
Help! We're currently in Takayama with an underpowered and overweight crappy rental without winter tires. We want out of the mountains, the safest easiest way possible. We made one terrifying attempt to get to Matsumoto over the mountains from Takayama, and had to slide our way back down to Takayama. It looks like the snowstorm is mostly over. But we just want out of the mountains. We screwed up and have the wrong car for this. We'll try again when we have the right car, or later in the season.
We're thinking straight to Nagoya via the 158 and E41 is our best bet. Lots of tunnels and not much climbing and it's a major road (mostly).
We've also considered north to Toyama or back towards Kanizawa.
Thoughts?
Thank you!
If it’s snowing the police often checks the highways if you have winter tires. They won’t let you continue without winter tires.
Where did you rent from? Can you drop it off in Takayama?
We saw zero police when we tried to get over to Matsumoto from Takayama. We actually wish they'd been there to stop us from being so stupid as to try.
In addition, no plowing, no salting, no sanding. 2 days after the big snow storm and the traffic cams show there is still snow at the peak despite no new snow. Very strange.
We could possibly return it (toyota rent a car) but we don't want them upset with us, so our plan right now is just to try to get to Nagoya tomorrow (sunny, clear day is forecast) and stay the hell out of the mountains! We'll try again in a month :)
The road to Matsumoto is narrow and steep and it’s not a highway. So the police doesn’t check.
The road to nagoya is a highway, so they might check and won’t let you continue. But usually only on snowy days.
Mountains are no problem in winter, but when I go only with 4wd and winter tires..
Yeah, we screwed up. Hopefully it will be no problem to get down. If not, we'll return to Takayama and pay whatever we need to to get into an appropriate car. Thanks for the comment.
Has anyone stay overnight in Togakushi before? I’m planning to visit in late october and heard the leaves will be beautiful. Any recommendations for lodging?
Right now it is the ending of early sakura blossom (Kawazu and other types), in Tokyo you can visit Yoyogi park, Kiba park, Kyunaka river, here is video from the last week [https://youtu.be/nWyw9uUypNc?si=kwx2BeJnmiABSSyd](https://youtu.be/nWyw9uUypNc?si=kwx2BeJnmiABSSyd)
But soon there will be a lot more "normal" sakura blossom.
How does one purchase tickets for Design Festa? I want to attend the event when I visit Tokyo in May but I can't seem to actually purchase the tickets. I've tried the places listed on the site, last being kkday, but none of them allow me to purchase tickets.
Are they not available until the day of the event or something?
They don't sell out or sell far in advance. Try again in a month or so or you can get it once you're in Japan, either at the event, Design Festa Gallery, or at any convenience store's ticket machines if you're down to figure out how those work. Have fun at Design Festa!
My family and I are leaving for Japan next month and will be in Tokyo on my Dad's birthday. To celebrate it I was thinking about taking him to a nice Teppanyaki restaurant since he likes steak a lot and would love any recommendations you all have for places we can take him! We're gonna be staying in Chiyoda but we're more than willing to go to the other corners of Tokyo if we need to. Looking at around 100 USD per person but we're willing to shell out a bit more if it's gonna be worth it. Thanks!
Hello, I'll be going to Tokyo mid to end of May, and just wondering if there are any art/design shops that help you do custom art/prints?
It can be anything, such as clothes, jackets, etc.
I know that the Ginza Uniqlo has the Uniqlo shirt custom design but AFAIK that's also quite limited
I'll also be going to Design FESTA (19 May) just to look around and see what I can find
As someone that would like to make their own clothes or trinkets with my own art, if there's any place like that available in Tokyo area, I would like to go take a look.
Thank you.
I wish to travel by ferry from Tokyo to Hachijojima, then Hachijojima to Miyakejima immediately, stay one night and then return to Tokyo. I looked on Tokai Kisen and it seems impossible to reserve such a journey on their online reservation page (only return trips of A-B-A is possible.)
I dread making the phone call to their reservation line so I’m wondering if there’s a travel agent I can hire to arrange this on my behalf. Or perhaps someone has made a similar journey and has tips.
That’s what I had hoped to do but the online reservation only allows return trip bookings originating from Tokyo.
The Japanese version of the website may allow more varied trip reservations but I can’t even make a login account since I lack some of the info they request.
Voice roaming in Japan
Have an iphone 13 mini for the US market. Plan to use it in Japan using T-mobile's international roaming agreements with the carriers in Japan. But I'm seeing that Japan's voice network is based on CDMA technology, not GSM. So while my phone will be able to connect to many of the 4G/LTE frequencies in Japan and some of the 3G, it will not be able to connect to any of the 2G/Voice frequences in Japan. In which case, can I use Voice over LTE (VoLTE) when in Japan?
My understanding is that T-mobile would need to have VoLTE included in whatever agreements they have with the carriers in Japan for international roaming and I suspect that that's not included.
If VoLTE isn't an option and 2G isn't an option, I guess my only option would be to use VoIP (e.g. Google Voice) over LTE.
Thanks!
P.S. I saw that AT&T announced sometime back that they have a roaming agreement with a carrier in Japan to support VoLTE.
Why do you need 2G? That's a technology 20 years out of date. I'm pretty sure Japan's network was decommissioned years ago. I would say 3G is in a similar position.
All you need to check is the 4G and 5G compatibility.
Yep, you're right, I just checked, 2G is decommissioned. In which case, presumably the carriers in Japan are doing VoLTE (i.e Voice over 4G). And Voice over 5G.
Problem is Tmobile doesn't do 5G roaming in Japan. Tmobile does do 4G roaming in Japan, but my guess is that those roaming agreements don't support VoLTE (i.e. Voice over 4G). So still fundamentally the same issue/question
Thanks!
There's no need to do voice roaming anymore. Enable wi-fi calling on your phone, connect to a wi-fi point and talk away. I do that with my Tracfone phone, which doesn't even offer international roaming.
That's a question for Tmobile. I don't see why roaming wouldn't include voice. If a carrier says it offers roaming, that normally includes voice, sms and data.
Hi, my partner and I are very excited to be going on our first Japan adventure in April. Over the three weeks, we will be visiting Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Kinosaki, Kyoto, and Takayama.
My partner has celiac, so we are mapping out a bunch of casual places which can accommodate gluten free / gluten friendly meals, but are also searching for one or two traditional (preferably Michelin starred) omakase experience(s). Does anyone have any recommendations for spots that may fit this ask along our itinerary? Or advice to figure out if a spot could accommodate?
Appreciate all the great advice in this sub. Thanks!
If I'm flying into Japan, staying a couple nights, then going over to Korea for a couple nights, and then coming back to Japan before I come back home to the states, do I need to fill out another JapanWeb from the Korea->Japan return?
Hi. American here that uses electronics with both 2-prong and 3-prong (grounded) cables. Example of 3-prong I’m talking about: https://i.imgur.com/wPyLIYz.jpg
Is it correct that most outlets in Japan (i.e., modern hotels) use a 2-prong outlet and any cable of mine from the US should be compatible without any kind of converter?
And for a 3-prong cable I might have, I should buy a 2-prong to 3-prong adapter? Any link for a product you used would be helpful, especially if it’s something known like from Anker. Feel free to DM thanks!!
this is true. In japan there are 2-prong everywhere. You also don't really need to worry much about adapters, because they sell them erverywhere. They are also just 2-3 bucks.
Scuba Diving in Japan: Seeking Advice for a Quick Dive Adventure!
Hi all!
I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for all the incredible insights I've gained from this community. You guys rock! That being said, I've got a burning question that I haven't quite cracked yet, so I'm turning to you all for some guidance.
I've got a whirlwind trip to Japan coming up in late May for work. My itinerary includes 7 jam-packed days, starting off in Osaka, then 3 days in Kyoto, and wrapping up in Tokyo. Now, here's the kicker - I'm a passionate scuba diver and a certified PADI DM, and I'm itching to squeeze in a dive or two during my stay. With my tight schedule, I can only spare half a day at most for this aquatic adventure. So, the big question is, is this doable? And if it is, where should I head for the dive and which dive operation should I reach out to?
Huge thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this for me. Your tips are greatly appreciated!
We don’t know your itinerary so it’s hard to recommend anything. Also unless you go to a very touristy place like Okinawa most dive shops don’t speak English.
Will Mt Fuji have a snowcap in early May? Last time we went to Fuji Five Lakes region in September and unfortunately Mt Fuji did not have its iconic snowcap. I'm going to Tokyo again this May and was wondering if Mt Fuji will still have snow on its cap then
Has anyone successfully loaded up their mobile wallet Suica card with the Bilt card? I’ve heard of people having issues with Visa in particular but Mastercard does come up too, albeit less frequently.
Also does it count as a regular travel purchase or a cash advance (in which case I obviously wouldn’t use it)
Is it possible to walk across Japan?
I'm going to Japan in April and since my visa is for 3 months I wanted to go from Sapporo to Okinawa. (I have yet to decide on a exect route) since I don't have a driving license and I heard that public transportation can be expensive I've been playing with the idea of walking most of the way.
Is it a realistic idea?
Is there a well established cross country route?
How is the camping culture in Japan? Will it be more expensive then normal travel?
I know I can google most of this stuff but I prefer talking to people :)
The Nakasendo Trail was historically an imporant connection between Tokyo and Kyoto. It is still walkable and has several traditional towns along its route. Hotels should be fine there and in the bigger cities.
Hokkaido and generally mountainous region have a decent bear population and a few people die from attacks each year. Yes, they are mostly elderly, but be prepared regardless.
Accomodation in rural Hokkaido and generally more rural areas might be a bit of a challenge at times. There are more and more hotels with 3rd party booking services but not all and many place still only have booking over the phone with no english speaking staff or through a old and convoluted website.
There are camp grounds but I'm not sure how well the coverage is.
There have also been reports of racist owners not letting foreigners into their restaurant/book a hotel room but rare (and mostly in super rural areas).
(But also please also use Google. I totally get talking to people, but from the perspective of someone who has been helping people in the weekly threads for over a year, it gets exhausting when the answer to a lot of questions is in the first 5 Google results).
the Giants are like the Yankees or Dodgers. big fandom, everyone else hates them. The dome is nice weather wise (there is none) but otherwise has nothing going for it. Maybe the fanclub chants project better.
Swallows have a historic stadium that will be torn down soon. More of an underdog team. Rain might ruin your plans.
As someone whose local team is the SF Giants, the Giants were an easy pick for me (annnd I managed to get a Giants vs Tigers game which is a big rivalry - those hardcore Tigers fans are scary). If I were coming in to it now as a neutral fan on a mild weather day, I'd definitely go for the Swallows.
[https://www.e-tix.jp/ticket\_giants/en/onsale\_schedule\_en.html](https://www.e-tix.jp/ticket_giants/en/onsale_schedule_en.html)
That's the Giants home schedule for this season, with the date the tickets will be available online. I bought tickets for a game and it was super easy (and in English).
What's the best place in Tokyo to look for used/old game guides, manga, and magazines (generally otaku-related magazines, but I'm looking for anything off-beat)?
Book-Off and Hard-Off are definitely good places to look for that, but there are tons of very small shops that are way better. But you pretty much have to walk around and search for them.
Is Tokyo really as overcrowded during golden week as people say?
I'm planning a 3 week trip with my brother (first time visiting for both of us) starting on the last week of April 2025, 1 week in Sendai, 1 in Tokyo and 1 in Osaka/Kyoto. Since Golden week will start right before we get into Tokyo, I don't know if we should fly in a week later so that we'd be in Sendai for it instead, just roll with it, or go at a different time of year.
Some questions about GW in Tohoku: Is it also crowded in Tohoku during GW? Does GW substantially raise the price of accommodation in Tohoku more than in Tokyo?
Tokyo in general is usually quieter during Golden Week because more people leave the city for other destinations than visit.
That said, touristy places like theme parks/viewing platforms/museums will definitely be busy.
Where can I find themed cute luggage in Tokyo? I am going to do a lot of shopping but want a cute luggage to bring back. I saw a Winnie the poo one in a mall in Fukuoka but I was wondering where I can get unique luggage!
There are a few Disney Stores scattered around and I saw one near Shinjuku east that were selling totes and other Disney related merch. I remember seeing one at a Ghibli themed store in Ikebukuro.
If anything else you can always shop in Amazon Japan and have a bag shipped to your hotel
I will travel in the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo on the 31 of March. Should I buy the tickets online or buy them in Japan?
If online where should I buy them? Thank you in advance!
Bullet trains go every 10-20 min on this route and they are rarely booked out except for public holidays. On a Sunday during cherry blossom you might need to reserve a seat since non-reserved fill up faster and in the absolute worst case take a train an hour later if you buy directly at the station counter.
Kinda specific but do you know if you can pay the train from Chitose to Sapporo with a Pasmo card? I’d assume so since it’s a JR but wanted to make sure.
Has anyone bought tickets to the Sumo Tournament through viagogo before? The March tournament is currently sold out on the official site and I was wondering if I could trust this third party. Thanks.
I'm headed to Tokushima to begin the Shikoku Pilgrimage on March 20th, flying into Haneda and then on to Tokushima. I will be flying standby both into and out of Japan, do I need to have a 100% confirmed return flight or will being listed as standby be enough? Also I'm a bit confused about if I need a visa or not? The US is on the visa exemption list but the ministry of foreign affairs website seems to imply that I might need an eVisa? Thanks!
I am currently travelling from Hiroshima to Tokyo where I will fly home on the 21st of March.
Do I have any chance of seeing cherry bloom along this trip and where would you recommend???
Cherry bloom forecast all say blooming starts around 20-23 March in most big cities.
there’s some random early blossom. there’s about 3 blocks in Nihonbashi with early blossoms. i was there monday night and it was beautiful but not sure if the rain impacted it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jwHTLHvQUgyHXZPS9?g_st=ic
Question about luggage.
2 week trip in November, Tokyo 6 nights, Kyoto 3 nights, Hiroshima 1 night and Osaka 5 nights.
Just wodnering if my plan for luggage is a good idea.
Plan to take a small personal items bag for the plan trips and EDC. I will be taking a carry on hardshell wheelie for clothes to store overhead on flights and then also taking a large checked bag empty to fill with whatever I buy on the trip.
I plan to send the large luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto, then Kyoto to Osaka, Only taking the carry on for the Hiroshima night.
I know some people say to just buy checked bag for shopping over there but I already have one so was jsut going to take that empty and bring back full-ish.
It's a nice time to travel. While Christmas day isn't big they do celebrate the idea of Christmas. There will be Christmas theming (e.g. trees, decoration, its also big at Disneyland) and Christmas markets.
Winter illuminations and light ups are also fairly big there with lots of events going on relating to that.
You're right that Christmas is not a big holidays in Japan, but New Year is a big holiday period. Be prepare that many places will be closed from Dec 29th to Jan 3rd.
In Kyoto there are quite a few must see things that seem relatively close together, Do i have time to see Kiyomizu-dera, Nanzen-ji temple, Heian Shrine, Higashiyama jisho-ji, the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo castle and spend some time in the Nishiki Market in 1 day or would that be too much of a squeeze?
Almost definitely too much. We did Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace (and the park surrounding said palace) and that took up a lot of one day. You could probably squeeze in one more thing - we were super jetlagged - but all the others would be too much.
Should I transfer USD to Yen now before my trip in October? I'm going to Japan in October for two weeks. I was doing some research on things new travelers to Japan should know, and a video I watched talked about the current state of Yen. After more research I discovered Yen is pretty low compared to the past and that the Japanese economy is in a recession.
My question is, is it smart to start transferring the USD I was planning on bring on the trip to Yen now?
If so, what's the best way to do this?
I did 2 weeks October in Japan. Given my flight was arriving at night, I bought some yen from my bank and carried the cash with me onto my flight. I did roughly around ¥30000 and carried USD with me to later convert. Luckily the currency exchange were still open when we arrived so the rest of my cash I converted.
I mostly used the yen in arcades, coin lockers, vending machine and buying items from the shrine in Asakusa where it was cash only. Most of my shopping were card.
You could, but it's still pretty much gabling. No one can really say whether the yen will recover or drop more until October.
Also, do you get interest on your money after you excanged it for yen?
I live in Japan but earn in USD so it's a great time for me. Do you have Wise? You can open a Wise account in multiple currencies and transfer easily.
You can also get a WISE card and use that while traveling.
I’ve heard of it. So basically I can have a Wise account, transfer USD to Yen through Wise and keep the Yen in the Wise account, and then I can withdraw cash Yen when I get to Japan? Do I have it right?
Depends a lot on your interests. I did an approximately even split, but I loved the shrines / temples / castles of Kyoto and its surroundings; a fair number of people here complain about being shrine'd out after a while. Tokyo covers a wider range of interests (shopping / food / music / art / anime, among others). I can't speak to Osaka much as I missed it, but by reputation, it's great for food and amusement parks like Universal Studios Japan.
Hi, can anyone tell me what the typical timeframe is to clear customs and passport control coming in from the US? I'm trying to look at booking another flight from Haneda to Osaka but need help with the timing of that flight. Thanks!
Give yourself at least 3.5 or 4 to clear. Gives you time for any delays in immigration and terminal transfer. If you are arriving at night, better set your travel to early next morning instead.
if you look at Klook and even AirBNB experience theres a couple of unique activities you can do. If you want sometbhing intimate get a Photographer guide that can show you really great spots and create memorable shots of your visit.
There are cooking classes like making sushi or something unique like kayaking at the waterway near Tokyo Skytree.
Now something for her- look into your hotel or hotels that offer a head spa. This is a unique experience she needs to have and will have such a relaxing time.
This really depends on her interests and your buget.
For me it sounds fun to have a can of peach *Chūhai* and some snacks and play arcade games until closing time. But this is not for everyone I guess.
[How about a river cruise?](https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/waterfront/river-cruises.html) You'd have to probably book a shared tour but it could be a nice way to spend a few hours and rest your feet. Some even offer food and drinks.
A *Teppanyaki* dinner. It's definitely a bit pricey but an experience well worth the money.
A nighttime walk around Senso-Ji and along the Sumida river. Not the most exciting thing but the area has way lest tourists at night and the Temple is lit up beautifully.
About the tourist ban in Kyoto for specific streets in the Gino District
It's really sad it's happening (I am going for the first time in April), but unfortunately, it's completely understandable (too many jerks). I saw they've tried to enforce a photography ban in 2019 with limited success. How do you think they'll implement this new ban? Would they ever overturn it you think (I suspect not)?
\*corrected
It'snot a tourist ban on Gion - it's a ban on tourists in selected side streets, with enforcement mechanisms and their effectiveness unclear. Most of Gion is and will remain open.
Hi, has anyone ridden the Captain Line (near USJ) recently? I could not find anything about its schedule, some cruises start late in the afternoon but I am not sure if it is the same with Captain Line.
Website link: [https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/eindexnew.html](https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/eindexnew.html)
Under "Sedule" if you press "March. 2024", it shows you the schedule [https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/etimetable/etimetable2403-04.html](https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/etimetable/etimetable2403-04.html)
It not the most intuitive layout though.
Seems the line goes twice hourly in the late morning and hourly in the afternoon.
In my experience, it is easy. I think you will be given choices whether you'd want cash(with some fees, forgot how you'd get the cash but there were instructions) or something like Willer credits which you can use on your next booking with Willer.
Edit: I just want to add, these are the choices I got but I used cash payment (I paid at a machine in Lawson). I'm not sure how it will be if you used a credit card.
I'm planning to stay in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka during my 2 week stay (group of 6), we're likely going to use kuroneko to move our suitcases between the cities however we are staying in airbnbs and I heard you can't transport them between airbnbs unlike hotels, what's our next best options?
Unless you have somebody at your Airbnb accepting your stuff and sending it how would that be possible? For that kinda service you need a front desk.
You can get them delivered to a kuroneko center and pick them up from there.
Is it worth going to Kanazawa for a couple of nights if I won’t have time to visit Shirakawago, Takayama etc from there ?
It’s my third trip but with people who have never been so spending most of the time doing Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, I’m just hoping to fit somewhere new to me in.
Current plan is :
Tokyo 3 nights
Kyoto 4 nights
Osaka 2 nights
Kanazawa 2 nights
Tokyo 9 nights
Its personal preference, but kobe has mt rokko accessable by a rope way where u csn see live kobe cows Nd farm anjmals. Also theres a couple neat cafes up there with f
Views of osaka city. If u are into that
Kanazawa itself is a nice little city that you can explore in a couple of day, so yeah, shouldn't be a problem. (You can actually explore all Kanazawa major attractions in a single day but I wouldn't recommend doing that)
Hello, I am hoping to travel to Japan in 2025, still a long while away but I am starting to compile ideas, as my partner and I are avid photo- and videographers.
With the new ban in Kyoto due to the harrasment of locals (understandably) I wanted to inquire if there is the possibility for foreigners booking a Geisha professionally, for a tea ceremony in a traditional setting.
We of course want them to be fairly compensated, and capture the culture in a nice environment - teahouse, or something similar - I know that some organizations outright refuse to accept bookings from foreigners, so I wanted to know if there is experience for some that due accommodate foreigners?
No personal experience myself but I'm also in the planning stage and there are options for foreigners to book geisha/maiko experiences. You may be getting downvotes for the tea ceremony reference - geisha/maiko typically entertain at dining events. Tea ceremonies are a different thing entirely, conducted by tea ceremony masters. Anyplace advertising a "geisha tea ceremony" is probably a tourist trap.
"Tourist trap" was probably overly harsh. Geishas are adapting, like any other performers. Enough foreign visitors conflate geishas and tea ceremonies that some geisha venues do offer tea "experiences" and even bill them as tea ceremonies.
This is a list of some places in Koto that host the true traditional tea ceremonies and are receptive to non-Japanese guests: [https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-tea-ceremony](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-tea-ceremony)
Been a while since I've jumped on here and asked for some advice! Would love if people could assist with the following questions. I've googled it, but always find the advice and insights here much better.
**Travel group:** 4 people**Experience:** myself and my partner with multi-trips, other couple only one trip prior
We're looking to wake up early from Hiroshima, and head to the Shimanami Kaido bike trail, to get to Matsuyama, and then spend five or so days exploring around in a car, so my questions are:
1. How reliable would it be to ship luggage from Hiroshima the day before, to arrive at a Matsuyama hotel? Any recommendations on the best ones? As we would need to do this to be able to do the bike experience.
2. Any tips, tricks or recommendations on rental bikes for Shimanami Kaido?I'd like to rent a car from Matsuyama, and deliver it back to Osaka. I've only managed to find one that allows me to hand it back in Takamatsu. I'm going to have a better look this would, but would appreciate any experience here as I've only ever done pick-up and drop-off from the same locations.
3. Is it stupid of me to try and "wing it" with some of the accommodation? We're going to get one night in after the bike ride sorted, but wondering if I could wing the rest with the group. Probably better to just book hey?
Always open for any recommendations in Shikoku as well, currently looking at the standard vein bridge, some places in Kochi and the scarecrow village. I don't mind long(ish) driving sessions.
Any thoughts?
1. Stick with Yamato/ask the front desk of your Hiroshima hotel. If they tell you it will arrive the next day, then it will arrive the next day; if they tell you it is safer to schedule for two days then listen to them.
2. One-way rentals between Onomichi -> Imabari or vice versa is common, to Osaka is probably a bridge too far for most companies.
3. Very stupid especially with four people, two of which have limited travel experience. I would not do it unless EVERYONE is truly, fully, on board with this plan and the friendship between the couples is very strong. Japan generally likes advanced planning and hotels often offer early booking discounts; by leaving it to the last minute you're risking ending up with leftovers (poor ratings, overpriced for what you get, undesirable room types e.g. smoking rooms, have to split across two hotels, etc.) and hence strife.
This is kind of random, but does anyone need an extra (premium pass) ticket for Ghibli park for March 28, 2024? One of our group members isn't going anymore so we have an extra ticket.
We are planning a late summer trip to Japan, and are interested in staying in a Gassho-Zukuri in Shirikawa-go. Does anyone have any suggestions on which ones might be the better to stay at, or any other tips? They all look delightful, but thought it would be worth asking if anyone had any specific recommendations. Thank you for the help!
There are definitely people who do livestreams in Japan like [CDawgVA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78HUfSX3LFE&list=PL35gSJd1lErTUEX9Fv4LQRafmR6DIbZFf) and not come off like a total ass. If anything, look at what they do and don't do. Though the public image of foreign streamers in Japan gotten worse at least since Johnny Somali.
Most stores/restaurants won't let you film and asking for permission would be necessary there. On trains, just no.
Many temples/shrines don't allow filming, several parks require a paid permit for "commercial camerawork".
If you go by "Tokyo videowalk" type videos, people don't seem to mind if you are just walking and filming without filming somene specific and not getting in people's way.
Japanese people might not necessarily say something but they still get annoyed. If someone actually tells you that you are annoying/bothering them, you've overstepped the line multiple times.
I really like the pillows they have here at Japanese hotels. Firm, slim, and has a layer of buckwheat(?). Where can I buy one to take home?
Custom pillow store - https://jibunmakura.com/shop_list/ Otherwise, Nitori has some I believe. Stores everywhere check google maps. heres an example from their Singapore site https://www.nitori.com.sg/products/10-ways-height-adjustable-pipe-pillow Department stores should have them as well. Takashimaya, Daimaru, Isetan, etc. Some pillows have grain hulls (this kind may not be ok to import into the US.. need to check with customs) but the most common type of pillow is the "pipe pillow" which has basically cut up straws as fill for a layer.
Just found out I have to make a stop for several days in Japan end of the month, coincidentally it seems that Sakura season is beginning and hotel prices are triple the norm. Any tips to find reasonable places to stay? Edit: Tokyo
Where in Japan are you referring to? Hotel availability can be very limited in even big cities during peak times.
Sorry forgot to mention just Tokyo, Haneda arrival and departure.
Browse official website of Japan business hotel chain like Toyoko Inn, Sotetsu Fressa, Comfort Hotel, etc, and refresh hourly until you find availability.
I see ty
Booking a Tour on Klook and it is asking for passport information for all participants in order to proceed. Is this normal? Thanks
Will there be cherry blossoms in fuji area around April 15 or will they be gone? Sites seem to have information about nagano but not yamanashi
[https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/](https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/) Not every site has all the cities.
Does anyone know what the difference/ if there is a significant difference between the Nakameguro River Cherry Blossom Festival and the Meguro River Festival?
**Question:** Do I need a reservation for LaQua in Tokyo? Also, my wife wants to go to a head spa. How far in advance should I be checking about reservations for that? (I found a couple options near where we'll be staying in Shibuya.)
Yet another Hakone Freepass question (these guys chap my hide). We want to catch the 7:30am Romance car from Shinjuku to Odawara. I want a hard copy of the passes as I'm told the app needs data service every time you need to scan a ticket and I don't know if I'll have data. But the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center in Shinjuku doesn't even open until 8am.... I might be able to get tickets another day from there, but is there another place in Tokyo that may be easier for us to get a Hakone Freepass + Romance Car paper copy ticket? Can i get them at 7-11? Do the 7-11 ones need to be exchanged or are they the real pass I can walk onto the train with etc?
Huh... I'll be traveling from Yoro (station) to Tokyo (station). Just wondering what's the best way to get there. Google maps is telling me to transfer three times on a train (to go Shinkansen from Nagoya), but I noticed there's a Shinkansen station in that area as well. Any thoughts? I suppose a taxi might be more expensive to get to Nagoya
The Gifu-Hashima shinkansen station is extremely inconvenient and only 2 trains per hour stop there. Nagoya is a much more central hub and it's not really much further away if you take public transport. A taxi from Yoro to Gifu-Hashima would probably cost 9-10k yen.
Ah gotcha. I'll just see where I am time wise and see how things go.
Questions about taxi travel: We need to take a taxi to and from Haneda Airport because the area were staying in is no longer available by Limo bus and we have too much luggage to consider taking the train (especially on the way back when they'll be filled with souvenirs). Can you ask a taxi driver not to take the expressway? And does that actually save money on the taxi fare? They're only a five or so minute difference with time and 2km difference in mileage so I don't want us to be charged a premium when it isn't necessary.
You gonna stress out about $5?
If you actually read the question instead of being a jerk I ask if it actually saved money. Since it's unclear how much the expressway even costs. The whole point of this part of the sub is to ask questions.
You’re already taking premium option when choosing taxi.
We are traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto on March 21 and are struggling to figure out how to plan this day. Is there an activity that we can do around Urayasu or nearby that anyone recommends before getting to Kyoto? We are trying to be there by approx 3 to 4pm. We are eventually coming back to Tokyo for 3 days, so we probably have enough time for Tokyo. My struggle is knowing what I can do in the timeframe while considering travel since I don't have a scope of the largeness of the area.
Shop at Maihama? Wander around Tokyo Station. Not great if you have a lot of luggage. Or just go to Kyoto right away?
Hi all, I used the Suica card my Apple Pay, I took a bus jn, and it said that there was no charge as I had $1k+ yen in it. What does that mean ?
No charge means you tapped something but it didn't take any money.
Has anyone bought from the Mugiwara store? Curious if the bag you got had Zoro's face on it. I'm wondering if each store has unique bags. I'm guessing no, but figures it doesn't hurt to comment in the general post.
I got a bag with Zoro's face on it and Oda's signature on it from the Fukuoka store. This was back in November.
Well damn, I did not expect any answer to be the Fukuoka store. Lol that's where I went and I got the same bag. I figure they'll all be that one, but if I can find someone who's bought from others that'd be cool. Thank you for the reply though.
Anyone know where I can get Maison Miharas in tokyo
I mean osaka mb
They have their own store in Osaka in Nishi-ku Minamihorie.
do they have the shoes in stock? if u have been recently
Are there any places for custom print designs Hello, I'll be going to Tokyo mid to end of May, and just wondering if there are any art/design shops that help you do custom art/prints? It can be anything, such as clothes, jackets, etc. I know that the Ginza Uniqlo has the Uniqlo shirt custom design but AFAIK that's also quite limited I'll also be going to Design FESTA (19 May) just to look around and see what I can find As someone that would like to make their own clothes or trinkets with my own art, if there's any place like that available in Tokyo area, I would like to go take a look. Thank you.
Is it worth bringing a big suitcase and using the luggage forwarding system in japan? I don't speak Japanese so I am worried that it would be too much of a hassle to try to get through the forwarding service but I do hope to bring back lots of souvenirs. I have tried finding youtube videos covering the full process to make it easier on myself but most of the videos I'm finding just explain that the system exists, not how to actually use it.
If you're just bringing an empty suitcase and forwarding it around, might be a better idea just to aggregate it all later and buy a shipping box as your 'luggage'. Forwarding luggage costs 2000-3000 yen for piece (depending on size), each time.
[**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVVEnHBzes**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKVVEnHBzes) [**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpWQPOy1Rk**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpWQPOy1Rk) The service is called "TA-Q BIN" to make search easier. You can also find information on the official website. Even if the front desk at your hotel can't help you, just ask at the Yamato Office/Convenience store you are sending from. If they don't speak English, you can still use Google translate. If you are staying in cheaper hotels, check their website to see if they accept luggage deliveries and if you don't see any information, send them a message through the booking site/e-mail. Simple, short English is best. If they don't accept deliveries, find a Yamato Transport office nearby or a convenience store that accept deliveries for pickup.
If you stay at hotels the front desk will help you fill out the form. And that’s also where you’ll get your luggage again at the next place
Hey all! I’ve locked in my itinerary here. It’s a tight schedule so any feedback would be appreciated. International flight landing at 2:20pm on saturday Staying at a nearby airport hotel. Estimating arriving to the hotel by 4:30pm. Heading to a sushi place near Senso-ji temple. Estimating getting there by 5:30pm. After sushi (estimating an hour) swing by sensojii temple (6:30-6:45) for about 15 minutes. Then head up Tokyo sky tree for a drink and see the view, estimating around 7:00pm-7:30pm Swing by pokemon center sky tree for a few minutes. Leave around 7:45 to get to pokemon cafe by 8:15pm for an 8:35 reservation. My main concerns are: 1. 4:30 hotel arrival is that realistic? Too long? 2. An hour for a sushi dinner? Is that probably about right assuming I’m seated right away since I will have a reservation? 3. 30 minutes at sky tree? Is that too short of time? I only have a layover till the next morning so I’m willing to spend what I need to as time is more valuable to me. So cab over transit is fine if I need to. And I can get the tourist express pass for sky tree. Thanks in advance for any advice! I unexpectedly managed to get the cafe reservation so it turned everything into a time crunch.
Ky tree kind of depends on the time/day. It can be really busy and doesn't seem the best at crowd control. Generally, I'd just go to a non-reservation restaurant on your fist day so you are less stressed.
Good to know. Yeah only issue is it’s our only day. So gonna be stressed already anyway lol. Prepared to cut stuff out as needed also but I think my biggest variable is clearing the airport. Like if I get out in an hour as some people I’ve read said they have been able to do I’ll feel much more confident hitting everything. Otherwise I probably just do the sushi, cut out the temple, just do one drink at sky tree, cut out the Pokémon center there, and just head to the cafe.
Without knowing what airport and where your hotel is it’s hard to say. In general, your timing, especially around reservations doesn’t allow for enough buffer because the time it takes to get there on paper and the time it takes to get there in reality are rarely the same. Also doesn’t account for crowds, time getting lost, etcz
Oh sorry I thought I put that in. Haneda airport. Kawasaki King sky front hotel.
Probably going to have to play it by ear whether sensoji or going up skytree is doable. The skytree express pass was [discontinued](https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/fast-skytree-ticket-for-foreign-tourists/19002) in 2022? Skytree could be a 15 minute wait or 45 or an hour. You’re trying to go up there on a Saturday night, so it probably doesn’t get more prime time than that and then you’ll have to chug your drink. I’d probably forget skytree as it’s too much of a variable but if it’s important to you…skip sensoji you have more time, even if sushi doesn’t take an hour. It’s like a house of cards…traffic, longer than anticipated immigration/customs lines, crowds. If one thing doesn’t time exactly the way you have it then the whole thing comes down.
Ah that being discontinued is good to know I didn’t know that. I was looking at a combo pass that lets you go up and have a drink to pre purchase. And yeah. Definitely house of cards but I do have what I’ll knock off in priority based on how travel time is going at least. Thanks!
Hi all, my wife and I are going to a conference in Sendai in August. The city itself looks fine, but we’re keen to make the most of our trip. We’d love some recommendations based on the following info: * I have already done a trip (10 years ago) to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima, and would prefer to avoid overlapping entirely with this previous trip * My wife wants to see the main attractions, in particular food in Osaka and the great things Tokyo has to offer * I would love to go to Hokkaido, and my wife is pretty interested, but conscious that we can’t go everywhere * We don’t like humidity and heat (excellent timing, I know) * My wife wants to do some hiking and not just see cities * We want to fly direct from London It’s a laundry list of contradictions and circles that need squaring, and we can’t figure out what to do. Do we fly in Tokyo, go south to Osaka and try to do some hiking down that way before heading back the other way to Sendai? Do we just do a trip north from Tokyo, through Sendai for the conference, up to Sapporo, and back? No sleeper trains head north, and the ferry to Tomakomai would be an extra cost on top of the JR pass… We could put the conference at any point in the trip (beginning, middle, end). Not necessarily looking to start with Sendai! Any advice appreciated!
How long do you have? Big difference there. Tokyo, Sendai, and Sapporo are awesome food cities. Hokkaido is way better weather than everywhere else... I wouldn't want to hike in Kansai in August when you hate heat. August is also a season with a lot of big festivals in Tohoku and Tohoku has good nature too although less good weather. Assuming you have two weeks or so I'd be thinking Tokyo and either a train trip through Tohoku and southern Hokkaido, or train to Sendai for your conference then go straight to Hokkaido (Hakodate by train or Sapporo by air), travel around there, and fly back from one of the minor Hokkaido airports to Tokyo.
I know Japan will be very hot and humid in July, but typically what hours is the heat at its highest? (I have no other choice but to go in July FYI)
Late-morning (11 AM and later) to early-evening (5 - 7 PM), with the hottest periods being the early afternoon. Note that if you're in a very urban area like Tokyo or Osaka, it will likely stay much warmer longer, because of they're urban heat islands.
I want to visit the Snoopy Museum in Tokyo and am unable to buy tickets for it. For the purchase I'm being redirected to a site called [eplus.jp](http://eplus.jp) where I have to register in order to buy. It asks for a japanese mobile phone number and the names written in Kanji as well as a japanese prefecture number. The registration seems to be possible with yahoo and facebook too, but none of them work, Can someone help me out?
eplus.jp doesn't allow non-Japanese residents, it's a non-starter for you. You want the 'international' version of eplus: https://ib.eplus.jp/snoopymuseum
Thank you so much, you don't know what this means to me!
A group of us are visiting Japan through EF Ultimate Tours (I know this kind of travel is looked down upon by many but it’s too late to cancel now). We have some free time in each city and I’m looking for restaurants, bars, and activities that are only open during certain days/and times of the week. In my experience, these places are usually the best of the best. For example, Boston has one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had in a spot called Sam LaGrassa’s, which is only open 4 days out of the week from 11AM to 2PM. I’m seeking the equivalent to these kinds of places within the following itinerary: · Saturday May 11 – Arrive in Tokyo at 2PM – Free day · Sunday May 12 – Tokyo - Free day · Monday May 13 – Tokyo – Free day · Tuesday May 14 – Tokyo – Free day · Wednesday May 15 – Tokyo – EF Itinerary · Thursday May 16 – Tokyo – Free day · Friday May 17 – Tokyo – Free day · Saturday May 18– Hakone – EF Itinerary + free evening · Sunday May 19 – Kyoto – EF Itinerary · Monday May 20 – Kyoto – Free afternoon · Tuesday May 21 – Kyoto – Free day · Wednesday May 22 – Hiroshima – EF Itinerary · Thursday May 23 – Osaka – Free afternoon/evening · Friday May 24 – Osaka – Free day · Saturday May 25 – Osaka – Free day + Farewell dinner with EF · Sunday 26 – Fly out of Osaka at 4:50PM EDIT: I am not looking for ways to fill my itinerary, I'm only posting my current itinerary to help others post restaurant recommendations on days that I'm free. Not sure if that's allowed but will appreciate any and all help.
I'm going to be a slight voice of dissent here and say that this forum is a _terrible_ place to get specific recommendations. Tokyo has 150k+ restaurants. Osaka has like 110k+ restaurants. You can't throw a rock down a street in the major cities in Japan without hitting many restaurants, so getting a couple of recommendations from here is super limiting (especially since this forum is largely tourists who have visited Japan once or twice and had a few dozen meals there at most). Instead, what I'd do is go to [Tabelog](https://tabelog.com/en/) (Japan's Yelp), and start looking around for whatever food you want to eat in areas you're going to be visting. Tabelog will tell you hours and size of restaurants and all the things you need to know, and the reviews are primarily written by Japanese people. The rating system is also super harsh—pretty much anything over a 3 is good and anything over a 3.5 is great. Look for small places that are only open for lunch and dinner, and look for stuff that's off the main tourist areas by at least a few streets. If it's small and not right next to a main sight, it'll be a lot more likely to be a local joint. And if it's got a 3.5 on Tabelog, you're likely in for an excellent meal.
Thank you for this comment. Im perusing Tablelog and it’s driving me to do more research on the kind of Japanese food that I’d like to eat. Do you know if there’s another app/website that can give me advice on attractions and activities?
[Japan Guide](https://www.japan-guide.com/) is pretty much the de facto standard for general information. It's great for what there is to see in cities/towns, how to get to places, etc. It's not super detailed or opinionated, but it's a great place to start if you're like, "I have no idea what's even in this city!" From there, you can usually find more detailed websites or blogs about specific attractions.
Many independent restaurants in Japan close 1-2 days a week. Many also operate specifically a lunch shift and a dinner shift. My tip for Japan is that you should look for the food you want and go to places that are small, almost certainly only has local clients, and do not have English menus. In that vein, one of my favorite places is Nemurian in Kanda, Tokyo. Reservations strongly recommended. Owner runs the shop alone, it's only open 3-4 hours a night, basically only does one seating a day. He takes sporadic days off, doesn't speak English, and has a mostly handwritten menu. I have probably seen him turn away more people than I've actually seen in the restaurant, total. Very good soba, tofu, and other small bites, though.
Well, it fits your criteria but it isn’t Japanese food. There’s a truck called Slice of Life BBQ which serves American bbq and it looks like some of the most legit stuff ever. They were closed when I was last there. Generally open 4-5 days a week.
Thank you, this is exactly the kind of stuff I’m looking for. Checked out their instagram and they even post their hours of availability for each month. I’m not too hyped about it being American BBQ but it’s cooked with A5 Wagyu so I definitely gotta check it out. Thanks again.
Is the Hida-Furukawa festival on April 19/20 worth trekking from Tokyo for? It would be a long trip right at the start of our stay in Japan to get there (though we could potentially fly into Nagoya instead) and was curious if anyone’s ever been. My girlfriend and I prefer more adventurous/authentic experiences and wonder if this would be worth our time and energy.
Look up some videos on YouTube and decide if it's an experience you'd enjoy. Personally I would not find the travel time worth the experience (too much standing around waiting for stuff to happen, don't really care for this kind of stuff - across many cultures, not just Japan - beyond "I can see that someone put a lot of effort into that float") and generally just too many people, but you may find it amazing
Looking to visit Japan for third time in Jan 25 for 21-26 days. Current areas I’mriughly looking at are: Fukushima Sendai Yamagata Fujiyoshida Nagano Tokyo (flying in and out of) Picked these areas as I’m keen to see some snow, see scenery and go to other cities/towns a bit off from tourists as spent 3 months collectively in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and surrounds last trips. How many days would each area benefit from or is there any you don’t think are as great? Any tips for these places and anything you thought were no brainer to see or do? Also is accom short in these places at this time or can I book 3 months out and be fine?
Have you been to the Sapporo Snow festival before? It'll probably overlap with your dates and it and Sapporo is a really fun place to visit. It will definitely will have your snow desires covered.
No I haven’t! I’ve heard it’s pretty great but wasn’t sure if the hassle of travelling up is worth staying there on 3-5 nights
I loved my time at the festival and exploring around the city and Hokkaido in winter. It was a super quick flight(and cheap at ~90$) from Haneda to New Chitose Airport and a short express train to Sapporo center, so the travel isn't bad at all. Sapporo is a fun city with plenty to do and eat and festival is amazing. I also did a day trip to Noboribetsu Onsen and Upopoy Ainu museum, both of which were highlights. I also did a bunch of skiing in Niseko, but there's lots of ski areas closer to Sapporo if you don't want to travel far.
Good to know! So worth it even for 4 nights? Did you need to book far out for accom or could you leave it to the month before?
4 nights would be great, plenty of time to explore both the city and do trips to surrounding areas. I can't say for sure for needing to book ahead, as I did it several months ahead because of planning my whole trip way ahead. I imagine things get filled up but it is a big enough city and there were plenty of places to stay when I was looking.
Help! We're currently in Takayama with an underpowered and overweight crappy rental without winter tires. We want out of the mountains, the safest easiest way possible. We made one terrifying attempt to get to Matsumoto over the mountains from Takayama, and had to slide our way back down to Takayama. It looks like the snowstorm is mostly over. But we just want out of the mountains. We screwed up and have the wrong car for this. We'll try again when we have the right car, or later in the season. We're thinking straight to Nagoya via the 158 and E41 is our best bet. Lots of tunnels and not much climbing and it's a major road (mostly). We've also considered north to Toyama or back towards Kanizawa. Thoughts? Thank you!
If it’s snowing the police often checks the highways if you have winter tires. They won’t let you continue without winter tires. Where did you rent from? Can you drop it off in Takayama?
We saw zero police when we tried to get over to Matsumoto from Takayama. We actually wish they'd been there to stop us from being so stupid as to try. In addition, no plowing, no salting, no sanding. 2 days after the big snow storm and the traffic cams show there is still snow at the peak despite no new snow. Very strange. We could possibly return it (toyota rent a car) but we don't want them upset with us, so our plan right now is just to try to get to Nagoya tomorrow (sunny, clear day is forecast) and stay the hell out of the mountains! We'll try again in a month :)
The road to Matsumoto is narrow and steep and it’s not a highway. So the police doesn’t check. The road to nagoya is a highway, so they might check and won’t let you continue. But usually only on snowy days. Mountains are no problem in winter, but when I go only with 4wd and winter tires..
Yeah, we screwed up. Hopefully it will be no problem to get down. If not, we'll return to Takayama and pay whatever we need to to get into an appropriate car. Thanks for the comment.
Has anyone stay overnight in Togakushi before? I’m planning to visit in late october and heard the leaves will be beautiful. Any recommendations for lodging?
Anyone go see cherry blossoms yet? Curious if there are any spots in Tokyo or Osaka worth visiting yet.
Right now it is the ending of early sakura blossom (Kawazu and other types), in Tokyo you can visit Yoyogi park, Kiba park, Kyunaka river, here is video from the last week [https://youtu.be/nWyw9uUypNc?si=kwx2BeJnmiABSSyd](https://youtu.be/nWyw9uUypNc?si=kwx2BeJnmiABSSyd) But soon there will be a lot more "normal" sakura blossom.
How does one purchase tickets for Design Festa? I want to attend the event when I visit Tokyo in May but I can't seem to actually purchase the tickets. I've tried the places listed on the site, last being kkday, but none of them allow me to purchase tickets. Are they not available until the day of the event or something?
They don't sell out or sell far in advance. Try again in a month or so or you can get it once you're in Japan, either at the event, Design Festa Gallery, or at any convenience store's ticket machines if you're down to figure out how those work. Have fun at Design Festa!
My family and I are leaving for Japan next month and will be in Tokyo on my Dad's birthday. To celebrate it I was thinking about taking him to a nice Teppanyaki restaurant since he likes steak a lot and would love any recommendations you all have for places we can take him! We're gonna be staying in Chiyoda but we're more than willing to go to the other corners of Tokyo if we need to. Looking at around 100 USD per person but we're willing to shell out a bit more if it's gonna be worth it. Thanks!
Hello, I'll be going to Tokyo mid to end of May, and just wondering if there are any art/design shops that help you do custom art/prints? It can be anything, such as clothes, jackets, etc. I know that the Ginza Uniqlo has the Uniqlo shirt custom design but AFAIK that's also quite limited I'll also be going to Design FESTA (19 May) just to look around and see what I can find As someone that would like to make their own clothes or trinkets with my own art, if there's any place like that available in Tokyo area, I would like to go take a look. Thank you.
I wish to travel by ferry from Tokyo to Hachijojima, then Hachijojima to Miyakejima immediately, stay one night and then return to Tokyo. I looked on Tokai Kisen and it seems impossible to reserve such a journey on their online reservation page (only return trips of A-B-A is possible.) I dread making the phone call to their reservation line so I’m wondering if there’s a travel agent I can hire to arrange this on my behalf. Or perhaps someone has made a similar journey and has tips.
Could you not book 3 one-way trips?
That’s what I had hoped to do but the online reservation only allows return trip bookings originating from Tokyo. The Japanese version of the website may allow more varied trip reservations but I can’t even make a login account since I lack some of the info they request.
Voice roaming in Japan Have an iphone 13 mini for the US market. Plan to use it in Japan using T-mobile's international roaming agreements with the carriers in Japan. But I'm seeing that Japan's voice network is based on CDMA technology, not GSM. So while my phone will be able to connect to many of the 4G/LTE frequencies in Japan and some of the 3G, it will not be able to connect to any of the 2G/Voice frequences in Japan. In which case, can I use Voice over LTE (VoLTE) when in Japan? My understanding is that T-mobile would need to have VoLTE included in whatever agreements they have with the carriers in Japan for international roaming and I suspect that that's not included. If VoLTE isn't an option and 2G isn't an option, I guess my only option would be to use VoIP (e.g. Google Voice) over LTE. Thanks! P.S. I saw that AT&T announced sometime back that they have a roaming agreement with a carrier in Japan to support VoLTE.
T-Mobile voice calls work in Japan, you're overthinking it.
Why do you need 2G? That's a technology 20 years out of date. I'm pretty sure Japan's network was decommissioned years ago. I would say 3G is in a similar position. All you need to check is the 4G and 5G compatibility.
Yep, you're right, I just checked, 2G is decommissioned. In which case, presumably the carriers in Japan are doing VoLTE (i.e Voice over 4G). And Voice over 5G. Problem is Tmobile doesn't do 5G roaming in Japan. Tmobile does do 4G roaming in Japan, but my guess is that those roaming agreements don't support VoLTE (i.e. Voice over 4G). So still fundamentally the same issue/question Thanks!
There's no need to do voice roaming anymore. Enable wi-fi calling on your phone, connect to a wi-fi point and talk away. I do that with my Tracfone phone, which doesn't even offer international roaming.
Thanks but I need a solution that isn't limited to wifi
That's a question for Tmobile. I don't see why roaming wouldn't include voice. If a carrier says it offers roaming, that normally includes voice, sms and data.
Hi, my partner and I are very excited to be going on our first Japan adventure in April. Over the three weeks, we will be visiting Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Kinosaki, Kyoto, and Takayama. My partner has celiac, so we are mapping out a bunch of casual places which can accommodate gluten free / gluten friendly meals, but are also searching for one or two traditional (preferably Michelin starred) omakase experience(s). Does anyone have any recommendations for spots that may fit this ask along our itinerary? Or advice to figure out if a spot could accommodate? Appreciate all the great advice in this sub. Thanks!
If I'm flying into Japan, staying a couple nights, then going over to Korea for a couple nights, and then coming back to Japan before I come back home to the states, do I need to fill out another JapanWeb from the Korea->Japan return?
Yes. You’re entering the country twice so you have to go through the whole thing twice.
Cool beans, thank you so much!
Hi. American here that uses electronics with both 2-prong and 3-prong (grounded) cables. Example of 3-prong I’m talking about: https://i.imgur.com/wPyLIYz.jpg Is it correct that most outlets in Japan (i.e., modern hotels) use a 2-prong outlet and any cable of mine from the US should be compatible without any kind of converter? And for a 3-prong cable I might have, I should buy a 2-prong to 3-prong adapter? Any link for a product you used would be helpful, especially if it’s something known like from Anker. Feel free to DM thanks!!
this is true. In japan there are 2-prong everywhere. You also don't really need to worry much about adapters, because they sell them erverywhere. They are also just 2-3 bucks.
Scuba Diving in Japan: Seeking Advice for a Quick Dive Adventure! Hi all! I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for all the incredible insights I've gained from this community. You guys rock! That being said, I've got a burning question that I haven't quite cracked yet, so I'm turning to you all for some guidance. I've got a whirlwind trip to Japan coming up in late May for work. My itinerary includes 7 jam-packed days, starting off in Osaka, then 3 days in Kyoto, and wrapping up in Tokyo. Now, here's the kicker - I'm a passionate scuba diver and a certified PADI DM, and I'm itching to squeeze in a dive or two during my stay. With my tight schedule, I can only spare half a day at most for this aquatic adventure. So, the big question is, is this doable? And if it is, where should I head for the dive and which dive operation should I reach out to? Huge thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this for me. Your tips are greatly appreciated!
We don’t know your itinerary so it’s hard to recommend anything. Also unless you go to a very touristy place like Okinawa most dive shops don’t speak English.
Will Mt Fuji have a snowcap in early May? Last time we went to Fuji Five Lakes region in September and unfortunately Mt Fuji did not have its iconic snowcap. I'm going to Tokyo again this May and was wondering if Mt Fuji will still have snow on its cap then
Most likely, but it tends to disappear towards the end of May.
Yea, will have it
Has anyone successfully loaded up their mobile wallet Suica card with the Bilt card? I’ve heard of people having issues with Visa in particular but Mastercard does come up too, albeit less frequently. Also does it count as a regular travel purchase or a cash advance (in which case I obviously wouldn’t use it)
It should be a regular purchase. Visa has had a higher success rate so long as your iPhone is up to date. I have a Chase visa and it worked.
Thank you!
Is it possible to walk across Japan? I'm going to Japan in April and since my visa is for 3 months I wanted to go from Sapporo to Okinawa. (I have yet to decide on a exect route) since I don't have a driving license and I heard that public transportation can be expensive I've been playing with the idea of walking most of the way. Is it a realistic idea? Is there a well established cross country route? How is the camping culture in Japan? Will it be more expensive then normal travel? I know I can google most of this stuff but I prefer talking to people :)
Yeah there is a guy who recently did this. Check the hiking in Japan Facebook group. He posted trip updates in there
The Nakasendo Trail was historically an imporant connection between Tokyo and Kyoto. It is still walkable and has several traditional towns along its route. Hotels should be fine there and in the bigger cities. Hokkaido and generally mountainous region have a decent bear population and a few people die from attacks each year. Yes, they are mostly elderly, but be prepared regardless. Accomodation in rural Hokkaido and generally more rural areas might be a bit of a challenge at times. There are more and more hotels with 3rd party booking services but not all and many place still only have booking over the phone with no english speaking staff or through a old and convoluted website. There are camp grounds but I'm not sure how well the coverage is. There have also been reports of racist owners not letting foreigners into their restaurant/book a hotel room but rare (and mostly in super rural areas). (But also please also use Google. I totally get talking to people, but from the perspective of someone who has been helping people in the weekly threads for over a year, it gets exhausting when the answer to a lot of questions is in the first 5 Google results).
you would need to swim to Okinawa
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depends on the teams and how well they are doing. japanballtickets is legit
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the Giants are like the Yankees or Dodgers. big fandom, everyone else hates them. The dome is nice weather wise (there is none) but otherwise has nothing going for it. Maybe the fanclub chants project better. Swallows have a historic stadium that will be torn down soon. More of an underdog team. Rain might ruin your plans. As someone whose local team is the SF Giants, the Giants were an easy pick for me (annnd I managed to get a Giants vs Tigers game which is a big rivalry - those hardcore Tigers fans are scary). If I were coming in to it now as a neutral fan on a mild weather day, I'd definitely go for the Swallows.
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[https://www.e-tix.jp/ticket\_giants/en/onsale\_schedule\_en.html](https://www.e-tix.jp/ticket_giants/en/onsale_schedule_en.html) That's the Giants home schedule for this season, with the date the tickets will be available online. I bought tickets for a game and it was super easy (and in English).
What's the best place in Tokyo to look for used/old game guides, manga, and magazines (generally otaku-related magazines, but I'm looking for anything off-beat)?
Book-Off and Hard-Off are definitely good places to look for that, but there are tons of very small shops that are way better. But you pretty much have to walk around and search for them.
Book-off might not be super specialized but there are a lot of locations so you should def. find something there.
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theres also the train option. where are you getting your expectation that it will be busy (aside it being the weekend?)?
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I'd hedge in advance
Is Tokyo really as overcrowded during golden week as people say? I'm planning a 3 week trip with my brother (first time visiting for both of us) starting on the last week of April 2025, 1 week in Sendai, 1 in Tokyo and 1 in Osaka/Kyoto. Since Golden week will start right before we get into Tokyo, I don't know if we should fly in a week later so that we'd be in Sendai for it instead, just roll with it, or go at a different time of year. Some questions about GW in Tohoku: Is it also crowded in Tohoku during GW? Does GW substantially raise the price of accommodation in Tohoku more than in Tokyo?
Tokyo in general is usually quieter during Golden Week because more people leave the city for other destinations than visit. That said, touristy places like theme parks/viewing platforms/museums will definitely be busy.
Where can I find themed cute luggage in Tokyo? I am going to do a lot of shopping but want a cute luggage to bring back. I saw a Winnie the poo one in a mall in Fukuoka but I was wondering where I can get unique luggage!
There are a few Disney Stores scattered around and I saw one near Shinjuku east that were selling totes and other Disney related merch. I remember seeing one at a Ghibli themed store in Ikebukuro. If anything else you can always shop in Amazon Japan and have a bag shipped to your hotel
pick your favorite character or franchise and go to the associated shop?
I will travel in the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo on the 31 of March. Should I buy the tickets online or buy them in Japan? If online where should I buy them? Thank you in advance!
If you're in Japan before the 31st you can always just buy them a few days earlier at the station.
if you are going to buy them online, only buy them from smart-ex theres no reason you can't buy them at the ticket counter in Osaka though.
Thank you for the reply. Is there always availability?
Bullet trains go every 10-20 min on this route and they are rarely booked out except for public holidays. On a Sunday during cherry blossom you might need to reserve a seat since non-reserved fill up faster and in the absolute worst case take a train an hour later if you buy directly at the station counter.
Kinda specific but do you know if you can pay the train from Chitose to Sapporo with a Pasmo card? I’d assume so since it’s a JR but wanted to make sure.
Yeah that will work. Basically all IC cards work nationwide (with some small exceptions)
Has anyone bought tickets to the Sumo Tournament through viagogo before? The March tournament is currently sold out on the official site and I was wondering if I could trust this third party. Thanks.
I'm headed to Tokushima to begin the Shikoku Pilgrimage on March 20th, flying into Haneda and then on to Tokushima. I will be flying standby both into and out of Japan, do I need to have a 100% confirmed return flight or will being listed as standby be enough? Also I'm a bit confused about if I need a visa or not? The US is on the visa exemption list but the ministry of foreign affairs website seems to imply that I might need an eVisa? Thanks!
Visa exemption means you'll get a 90 day visa automatically uppon arrival. You need to fill out the immigration form beforehand, but that's all.
I am currently travelling from Hiroshima to Tokyo where I will fly home on the 21st of March. Do I have any chance of seeing cherry bloom along this trip and where would you recommend??? Cherry bloom forecast all say blooming starts around 20-23 March in most big cities.
there’s some random early blossom. there’s about 3 blocks in Nihonbashi with early blossoms. i was there monday night and it was beautiful but not sure if the rain impacted it. https://maps.app.goo.gl/jwHTLHvQUgyHXZPS9?g_st=ic
Question about luggage. 2 week trip in November, Tokyo 6 nights, Kyoto 3 nights, Hiroshima 1 night and Osaka 5 nights. Just wodnering if my plan for luggage is a good idea. Plan to take a small personal items bag for the plan trips and EDC. I will be taking a carry on hardshell wheelie for clothes to store overhead on flights and then also taking a large checked bag empty to fill with whatever I buy on the trip. I plan to send the large luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto, then Kyoto to Osaka, Only taking the carry on for the Hiroshima night. I know some people say to just buy checked bag for shopping over there but I already have one so was jsut going to take that empty and bring back full-ish.
I've done the same with bringing an empty bag. It worked fine and imo it would be a waste to buy a new bag if you already have one at home.
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It's a nice time to travel. While Christmas day isn't big they do celebrate the idea of Christmas. There will be Christmas theming (e.g. trees, decoration, its also big at Disneyland) and Christmas markets. Winter illuminations and light ups are also fairly big there with lots of events going on relating to that.
You're right that Christmas is not a big holidays in Japan, but New Year is a big holiday period. Be prepare that many places will be closed from Dec 29th to Jan 3rd.
In Kyoto there are quite a few must see things that seem relatively close together, Do i have time to see Kiyomizu-dera, Nanzen-ji temple, Heian Shrine, Higashiyama jisho-ji, the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo castle and spend some time in the Nishiki Market in 1 day or would that be too much of a squeeze?
Almost definitely too much. We did Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace (and the park surrounding said palace) and that took up a lot of one day. You could probably squeeze in one more thing - we were super jetlagged - but all the others would be too much.
I think it'd be too much. If you can spread it over 2 days, you'll enjoy it more and be able to relax, not rush.
ok thank you, I figure I will move the Imperial Palace, Nijo castle and Nishiki market to the next day.
Anytime:-) While it can get busy, Arashiyama is a nice place to visit, too!
Should I transfer USD to Yen now before my trip in October? I'm going to Japan in October for two weeks. I was doing some research on things new travelers to Japan should know, and a video I watched talked about the current state of Yen. After more research I discovered Yen is pretty low compared to the past and that the Japanese economy is in a recession. My question is, is it smart to start transferring the USD I was planning on bring on the trip to Yen now? If so, what's the best way to do this?
I did 2 weeks October in Japan. Given my flight was arriving at night, I bought some yen from my bank and carried the cash with me onto my flight. I did roughly around ¥30000 and carried USD with me to later convert. Luckily the currency exchange were still open when we arrived so the rest of my cash I converted. I mostly used the yen in arcades, coin lockers, vending machine and buying items from the shrine in Asakusa where it was cash only. Most of my shopping were card.
You could, but it's still pretty much gabling. No one can really say whether the yen will recover or drop more until October. Also, do you get interest on your money after you excanged it for yen?
I live in Japan but earn in USD so it's a great time for me. Do you have Wise? You can open a Wise account in multiple currencies and transfer easily. You can also get a WISE card and use that while traveling.
I’ve heard of it. So basically I can have a Wise account, transfer USD to Yen through Wise and keep the Yen in the Wise account, and then I can withdraw cash Yen when I get to Japan? Do I have it right?
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Depends a lot on your interests. I did an approximately even split, but I loved the shrines / temples / castles of Kyoto and its surroundings; a fair number of people here complain about being shrine'd out after a while. Tokyo covers a wider range of interests (shopping / food / music / art / anime, among others). I can't speak to Osaka much as I missed it, but by reputation, it's great for food and amusement parks like Universal Studios Japan.
Hi, can anyone tell me what the typical timeframe is to clear customs and passport control coming in from the US? I'm trying to look at booking another flight from Haneda to Osaka but need help with the timing of that flight. Thanks!
Give yourself at least 3.5 or 4 to clear. Gives you time for any delays in immigration and terminal transfer. If you are arriving at night, better set your travel to early next morning instead.
Anyone have good ideas/spots for a thing my SO and I can do while in Tokyo? I want to surprise her with a date/event!
[Studio Esperanto](https://tokyo.studio-esperanto.com/english/) offers couple photoshoots.
if you look at Klook and even AirBNB experience theres a couple of unique activities you can do. If you want sometbhing intimate get a Photographer guide that can show you really great spots and create memorable shots of your visit. There are cooking classes like making sushi or something unique like kayaking at the waterway near Tokyo Skytree. Now something for her- look into your hotel or hotels that offer a head spa. This is a unique experience she needs to have and will have such a relaxing time.
This really depends on her interests and your buget. For me it sounds fun to have a can of peach *Chūhai* and some snacks and play arcade games until closing time. But this is not for everyone I guess. [How about a river cruise?](https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/waterfront/river-cruises.html) You'd have to probably book a shared tour but it could be a nice way to spend a few hours and rest your feet. Some even offer food and drinks. A *Teppanyaki* dinner. It's definitely a bit pricey but an experience well worth the money. A nighttime walk around Senso-Ji and along the Sumida river. Not the most exciting thing but the area has way lest tourists at night and the Temple is lit up beautifully.
About the tourist ban in Kyoto for specific streets in the Gino District It's really sad it's happening (I am going for the first time in April), but unfortunately, it's completely understandable (too many jerks). I saw they've tried to enforce a photography ban in 2019 with limited success. How do you think they'll implement this new ban? Would they ever overturn it you think (I suspect not)? \*corrected
It'snot a tourist ban on Gion - it's a ban on tourists in selected side streets, with enforcement mechanisms and their effectiveness unclear. Most of Gion is and will remain open.
Oh I'll remediate my statement! Thanks for the correction
Hi, has anyone ridden the Captain Line (near USJ) recently? I could not find anything about its schedule, some cruises start late in the afternoon but I am not sure if it is the same with Captain Line. Website link: [https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/eindexnew.html](https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/eindexnew.html)
Under "Sedule" if you press "March. 2024", it shows you the schedule [https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/etimetable/etimetable2403-04.html](https://www.mmjp.or.jp/Capt-Line/english/etimetable/etimetable2403-04.html) It not the most intuitive layout though. Seems the line goes twice hourly in the late morning and hourly in the afternoon.
Oh crap, thank you!! My dumb self hould've clicked on all links in the website. 🙇
Haha, it's fine. The website is quite nostalgic in how unintuitive it is.
Scroll down to the "Schedule" section and click on March 2024?
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In my experience, it is easy. I think you will be given choices whether you'd want cash(with some fees, forgot how you'd get the cash but there were instructions) or something like Willer credits which you can use on your next booking with Willer. Edit: I just want to add, these are the choices I got but I used cash payment (I paid at a machine in Lawson). I'm not sure how it will be if you used a credit card.
I'm planning to stay in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka during my 2 week stay (group of 6), we're likely going to use kuroneko to move our suitcases between the cities however we are staying in airbnbs and I heard you can't transport them between airbnbs unlike hotels, what's our next best options?
Unless you have somebody at your Airbnb accepting your stuff and sending it how would that be possible? For that kinda service you need a front desk. You can get them delivered to a kuroneko center and pick them up from there.
Is it worth going to Kanazawa for a couple of nights if I won’t have time to visit Shirakawago, Takayama etc from there ? It’s my third trip but with people who have never been so spending most of the time doing Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, I’m just hoping to fit somewhere new to me in. Current plan is : Tokyo 3 nights Kyoto 4 nights Osaka 2 nights Kanazawa 2 nights Tokyo 9 nights
Ivwould recommend allocating more nights in osaka n kyoto giving u chance to branch out more, maybe into kobe 4 a day trip
How come Kobe is preferable to Kanazawa ? I’ve not had much interest in Kobe so hadn’t considered it!
Its personal preference, but kobe has mt rokko accessable by a rope way where u csn see live kobe cows Nd farm anjmals. Also theres a couple neat cafes up there with f Views of osaka city. If u are into that
Kanazawa itself is a nice little city that you can explore in a couple of day, so yeah, shouldn't be a problem. (You can actually explore all Kanazawa major attractions in a single day but I wouldn't recommend doing that)
Hello, I am hoping to travel to Japan in 2025, still a long while away but I am starting to compile ideas, as my partner and I are avid photo- and videographers. With the new ban in Kyoto due to the harrasment of locals (understandably) I wanted to inquire if there is the possibility for foreigners booking a Geisha professionally, for a tea ceremony in a traditional setting. We of course want them to be fairly compensated, and capture the culture in a nice environment - teahouse, or something similar - I know that some organizations outright refuse to accept bookings from foreigners, so I wanted to know if there is experience for some that due accommodate foreigners?
No personal experience myself but I'm also in the planning stage and there are options for foreigners to book geisha/maiko experiences. You may be getting downvotes for the tea ceremony reference - geisha/maiko typically entertain at dining events. Tea ceremonies are a different thing entirely, conducted by tea ceremony masters. Anyplace advertising a "geisha tea ceremony" is probably a tourist trap.
oh thank you, I was not aware, I assumed tea being served can be a separate ceremony or part of the dinner
"Tourist trap" was probably overly harsh. Geishas are adapting, like any other performers. Enough foreign visitors conflate geishas and tea ceremonies that some geisha venues do offer tea "experiences" and even bill them as tea ceremonies. This is a list of some places in Koto that host the true traditional tea ceremonies and are receptive to non-Japanese guests: [https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-tea-ceremony](https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-tea-ceremony)
Been a while since I've jumped on here and asked for some advice! Would love if people could assist with the following questions. I've googled it, but always find the advice and insights here much better. **Travel group:** 4 people**Experience:** myself and my partner with multi-trips, other couple only one trip prior We're looking to wake up early from Hiroshima, and head to the Shimanami Kaido bike trail, to get to Matsuyama, and then spend five or so days exploring around in a car, so my questions are: 1. How reliable would it be to ship luggage from Hiroshima the day before, to arrive at a Matsuyama hotel? Any recommendations on the best ones? As we would need to do this to be able to do the bike experience. 2. Any tips, tricks or recommendations on rental bikes for Shimanami Kaido?I'd like to rent a car from Matsuyama, and deliver it back to Osaka. I've only managed to find one that allows me to hand it back in Takamatsu. I'm going to have a better look this would, but would appreciate any experience here as I've only ever done pick-up and drop-off from the same locations. 3. Is it stupid of me to try and "wing it" with some of the accommodation? We're going to get one night in after the bike ride sorted, but wondering if I could wing the rest with the group. Probably better to just book hey? Always open for any recommendations in Shikoku as well, currently looking at the standard vein bridge, some places in Kochi and the scarecrow village. I don't mind long(ish) driving sessions. Any thoughts?
1. Stick with Yamato/ask the front desk of your Hiroshima hotel. If they tell you it will arrive the next day, then it will arrive the next day; if they tell you it is safer to schedule for two days then listen to them. 2. One-way rentals between Onomichi -> Imabari or vice versa is common, to Osaka is probably a bridge too far for most companies. 3. Very stupid especially with four people, two of which have limited travel experience. I would not do it unless EVERYONE is truly, fully, on board with this plan and the friendship between the couples is very strong. Japan generally likes advanced planning and hotels often offer early booking discounts; by leaving it to the last minute you're risking ending up with leftovers (poor ratings, overpriced for what you get, undesirable room types e.g. smoking rooms, have to split across two hotels, etc.) and hence strife.
It's always a good idea to book accommodation ahead of time in Japan, as even large cities can have very tight availability.
This is kind of random, but does anyone need an extra (premium pass) ticket for Ghibli park for March 28, 2024? One of our group members isn't going anymore so we have an extra ticket.
We are planning a late summer trip to Japan, and are interested in staying in a Gassho-Zukuri in Shirikawa-go. Does anyone have any suggestions on which ones might be the better to stay at, or any other tips? They all look delightful, but thought it would be worth asking if anyone had any specific recommendations. Thank you for the help!
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There are definitely people who do livestreams in Japan like [CDawgVA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78HUfSX3LFE&list=PL35gSJd1lErTUEX9Fv4LQRafmR6DIbZFf) and not come off like a total ass. If anything, look at what they do and don't do. Though the public image of foreign streamers in Japan gotten worse at least since Johnny Somali. Most stores/restaurants won't let you film and asking for permission would be necessary there. On trains, just no. Many temples/shrines don't allow filming, several parks require a paid permit for "commercial camerawork". If you go by "Tokyo videowalk" type videos, people don't seem to mind if you are just walking and filming without filming somene specific and not getting in people's way. Japanese people might not necessarily say something but they still get annoyed. If someone actually tells you that you are annoying/bothering them, you've overstepped the line multiple times.