[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Littlerin

-Where in Tokyo is the best ward to stay in? Such as Shinjuku or Shibuya. I've heard that Tokyo is a relatively safe city. However keeping in mind that any place you go to is not ever really "safe". I haven't a clue what area to stay in. This will be a once in a life time opportunity for me, as in feeling and just enjoying everything. So I don't mind paying a tiny little bit more to be closer to the hustle and bustle. However I wouldn't mind walking or having it take me a little longer to get from place to place. I'd like to be close to shopping and things like that though.

First, I don`t know your financial situation... But... Why Tokyo?
Is there a specific reason you have to live in Tokyo and not somewhere else in the rest of Japan that is safer and cheaper? There are other cities - it`s not as if being outside Tokyo will remove you from everything interesting in the country.

Has anyone heard of or had a friend or yourself stay in Japan alone underage? I'm sure there has been, but I mean as far as renting goes?

Consider any of the guest houses out, and any normal apartments also out. If your friend has a good income and is a resident in Japan, they may let you stay in an apartment rented by them - but generally it`s 18+. 16 is pretty much only if the parents rent the room. At 17 I could only get a school dorm room.

I think that this take precedence over ALL the other questions you`ve asked about rooms. It`s the first step, and a huge one. You need to worry about being ably to GET a room, not about the amenities and other minor things.

Can I buy a monthly or weekly train pass or ticket like you can in such places as New York or Paris?

Yes, they sell them... But you will probably want to buy a prepaid card unless you really are travelling between the same two stations practically every day. The passes are for specific trips - station A to station B (and any stops between the two) and have different prices according to how far the stations are from each other. I don`t believe there is a city wide pass - the closest you will probably get would be a day pass for a specific line.

-I'll be staying in Japan for Haname. Where in Kyoto is the best place to see the Cherry Blossoms in your own opinion? Do you have any photos if so?

You`ll be staying in Tokyo but going to Kyoto for Hanami? That`s quite a trip.

There are countless places all over Japan famous for cherry blossoms. If you want to go all out, look into Yoshinoyama in Nara.

Is there any American food stores there? Like how in the US we have some oriental food stores, do they have the same in Japan? Haha I might just have to eat rice the whole time!

There are grocery stores selling pretty much everything. It will be pretty hard to find frozen/boxed US meals - but a potato is a potato, a carrot a carrot, chicken is chicken, pork is pork. This question comes up all the time - it is not at all hard to find all the ingredients you need for any typical American style meal at even the smallest grocery stores. Unless you are completely unable to survive without prepackaged microwave dinners...

-If you've travel to Japan for an extended amount of time, on average how much did you spend in a week?

I`ve lived here for 11 years, and I would say I spend around US$1000 a week. :P
Back in college my husband and I got by on about that much a month. Cook, don`t waste utilities, and walk/bicycle everywhere you can and you can get by on quite little.