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trip to japan -
02-17-2009, 04:58 PM
hi, this is my first time traveling to Japan and was wondering if I could get any tips on a itinerary, ways of travel ( the speed trains in Tokyo are reknowned to be good) ect. Also if anyone can suggest any good hostels, and advice on a budget to keep myself going. Basically I would like to see as much of Japan as possible.
Obviously I wont be able to see all of Japan, but I would like to know the areas or places worth visiting within a 2-3 month period around April/May. what I plan to do is book a hotel the first night some where safe in Tokyo, and then go look around for any backbacker hostels, around the city( obviously the city is huge, some where close to the international airport in the Ota ward) . I was thinking of spending the first week or so in Tokyo and then going on to other parts of the country (Okinawa, Kyoto,ect) I have a rough idea of the places I would like to see (Studio Ghibli museum in minato,main street in akihabara, senoji temple, so far in attractions in Toyko, ). I was wondering if any1 here from experience, would recommend any other sight seeing attractions, meseums or places outside of Tokyo that might be of interest or is really worth checking out. (If you want a rough idea of my interests, yes I like alittle bit of manga and anime, but also interested in the past traditions (tea ceremony for example), food (ramen, sushi) the history of the edo period and older , and the current culture . I dont speak fluent Japanese, I have lesson packages that teachs the simple basics (hiragana katagana, romanji, ect) and I heard it a neccesity to learn Japanese if your traveling to areas outside of central tokyo, and I am polishing what I learned a while ago. Also if anyone here is also planning a trip or who would like to plan a trip with anyone, feel free to contact, as its my first time travelling on my own but something I have always wanted to do. thank you 
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02-17-2009, 05:34 PM
Quote:
 猿も木から落ちる
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02-17-2009, 05:37 PM
If you want to save money, you should probably avoid the "speed trains" (Shinkansen) and stick to buses and local trains. They are slower, but also less expensive, and it sounds to me like you have more time than money, so the trade might be worth it.
Also, getting to Okinawa would require either a domestic plane or a long ferry ride, so unless you have some pressing need to see it, stick to the 4 main islands of Japan. These are tons of posts here discussing itineraries, look up some of them for ideas, and buy a good Japanese guidebook (I like Lonely Planet) Amazon.com: Japan (Country Guide): Chris Rowthorn: Books This will give you a lot of places to visit, and how to get there (with plenty of maps), as well as places to stay. I always carried my Lonely Planet guide with me when traveling in Japan. As for a rough itinerary suggestion, how about (in order) Tokyo, Nikko, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Mt Koya, Himeji, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Matsuyama and Shikoku, Nagoya, Hakone, Yokohama, and back to Tokyo. It's a long looping trip over 3 of Japan's main islands, but you have a month or 2 there, right? You could see all that in about 25-30 days minimum, and you'd experience a vast cross-section of Japan, new and old, urban cities and the rural countryside, and all the main sights.
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02-18-2009, 03:12 AM
LONG reply: wow i think i got carried away...haha..well im planning a one month trip to Thailand to explore and dive the andaman sea as we speak..er...type...and im feeling real good so that might explain it
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As for place to stay i suggest you keep yourself to bugdet backpacking hostels or cheap hotels when anything else isnt available. I used those a lot while in Japan and never had any problems at all. Just keep in mind it isnt supposed to be 5 stars material. You can save further money by eating at food stalls and 7-eleven or any other kind of cheap place. Treat yourself to something better from time to time tho. An apple juice with a banana and an egg sandwich breakfeast at the local 7-eleven isnt really fun after a while. but it is a great way to save money none the less. Ramen and street food stalls are your friends. Just follow the japanesse and point to whatever there eating or learn how to say: same thing please or do like me: hand over whatever money your willing to spend to the chef or cashier and say o-ma-ka-se shi-mass (something like that) which means : choose for me or nani-ga o su-su-me des-ka (soirry again for porr translation) which means please choose for me. Ok it might not be delicious everytime but it sure is a LOTS of fun and very interesting to discover new foods. and besides the looks and smiles of the pretty waitress you will get when saying o-maka-se- shi-mass is just PRICELESS. If you want to save money buy a JAPAN RAIL PASS. I puchased mine for something like 400 canadian dollars, a year ago, and i could take any JAPAN RAIL train in the WHOLE country (exept the newest one and some private ones) for a WHOLE month. Hell i would say you could buy 2 of those and still save a LOTS of money. Well of course that depends if you intend to move around or not. But the cost of a JAPAN RAIL PASS are pretty much covered after 2-3 trains like osaka->kyoto->tokyo so its a no brainer. Only foreigners can buy this pass so USE IT. I cannot stress this enuf. Quote:
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As for moving from one city to another i suggest you make a round trip. Do not go in all directions randomly. Make a circuit and use bigger cities as base for sidetrips. What i would do is start in Osaka and make my way clockwise, more or less, around the island following the coastline and getting further "inside" the islands when necessary. You can save a lots of time that way. Using a couple of night buses might also be a good idea but with 2-3 months its not like your in a hurry anyway. Well..not that much. Quote:
 There always the classic must see. I wont go thru those here since theres too many of them. use the in-ta-net for this and your guidebooks. Quote:
 Even tho its true that english is spoken a lot outside the major cities you can still interact with the locals and comprehend each other. younger people tend to speak japanese more then older.Hands signs and stuff like that are always fun. Be creative. Another tip: bring a Lonely planet japanesse conversation handy book. The small pocket ones. These are GOLD. There everything you will ever need in there and people can POINT answers in japanesse with translation in english. You could also memorized a couple of questions and remarks and get along pretty well. Even tho you wont fully comprehend the answers you can make it up or hand them the book for them to point and the correct answers. Im telling you. This little marvel makes travelling so easy i felt like cheating and didnt wanted to use it unless absolutely necessary. Its almost star trek technology but its hand manipulated  Quote:
Feel free to ask any more questions but give us some help as well (like you did by talking about your interest and stuff) Raisthlin PS: I almost forgot. When planning a trip like that..well there a lots of logistic, research and planning involved. Dont get frustrated by these important task. Do it only when your in the right mood. Have a drink...or two, listen to music, eat japanesse, or do anything else that make you fell good while doing those tasks. You could also do em all at the same times..that what i did. This will help you to stay cool and relaxed when your overwhelm with informations and questions. Read a small portions of Japan history each day (national geographic book is good for this). It will spark your interest and give you ideas of things to do/see. You still have a couple of weeks to prepare so do it correctly. Slowly but seriously. Dont forget to have fun tho and, like i said, leave some room for the unexpected. 
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