JP rail pass or not?! Japan for 9 days

[zubyahn]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but everyone is so enthusiastic about making other people's experience in Japan the best, so I'm climbing over the barrier of shyness to ask for some input for my Japan trip (1st time traveler!!!) t

I'm staying in Japan from May 19th to May 28th. This is a tentative travel plan:

May 19th-May 22: Tokyo (relative's house)
May 22-May 24: Osaka/ Kyoto/Nara (Hotel reserved)
May 25-May28: Back to Tokyo, may go to Fuji and Yokohama.

I have some concerns that would be great if you can give me some advice. With this travel plan, do you think it's economical to purchase a JP rail pass the $300 kind? If yes, what would be the best way to use it?
Also, I know Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are full of the best. I don't think I will be able to squeeze this into 3 days. Kyoto and Nara, which place should I pay a visit? And also, does JP rail pass cover Nara and Kyoto? If these 3 days are not sufficient, I may take a 1 day trip from Tokyo to Nara.
My friend living in Japan advised me to wear light clothes with a light jacket. Is it true that it is still that chilly in Japan during May 19-28? It's burning hot in North America already. Should I exchange my money into yen first in America?

Thank you sooo sooo much!!!!

[MMM]

1) Exchange your money in America first. With only nine days, why would you want to waste your time trying to exchange money in Japan?

2) If the rail pass is 300 dollars, it will be worth it because it will be about that much for round trip shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Osaka and back.

3) A day trip to Nara should be made from Osaka, not Tokyo.

4) Check the weather before you go. It might be rainy.

[nipponguy]

I agree with MMM, it would probably be better to buy the rail pass and exchange your $ stateside. May in Japan is pretty temperate- not usually too cold or too hot. Have fun! -Jeff

[Troo]

I'll third MMM's advice.

Be aware that with a JR pass, the fastest Shinkansen (Nozomi) is not covered by the pass. If you want to shave about 50 mins off your journey you can pay extra, but it's not worth it.

The next fastest service, Hikari, is covered by the JR pass, and is only slower because it makes a few additional stops. Reserved seats are included in the JR Pass (but you have to ask for them if you want them, otherwise you get unreserved), but Green Car (i.e. first class) are not, and would require an extra payment (in the region of 4,500 yen) if you wanted them. I find regular seating more than adequate on the Shinkansen, and have never bothered with green car.

I would reccommend going from Tokyo to Osaka, then doing Kyoto, Nara, etc as day trips from Osaka. Even if you visit Kyoto twice, the JR pass covers it, and it's just a short hop from Osaka to Kyoto on the Shinkansen. Osaka has the other benefit that Shin-Osaka is the end of the line from Tokyo, and getting on the Shinkansen at either end (i.e. before passengers at non-terminus stations) means you'll find it a lot easier to bag an unreserved seat. This is more important if you're travelling with others, but I've seen the unreserved cars so full that mid-route boarders have spent two hours standing outside the toilets.

The JR pass is for 7 days, and you MUST buy it before entering Japan. Once there you take your proof of purchase to one of the JR offices in a major station (Tokyo, Ueno, etc) or to the desk at Narita airport and exchange it for your pass. There is a form to fill out, and the whole process can take up to an hour if they're busy, so be prepared to allocate some time for it. Don't collect it until you're ready to use it, otherwise you'll activate it early and waste days

Your friend is advising light clothes because it will be warm, not because it will be chilly. Take a waterproof coat, though, as Tokyo's weather tends to be quite changeable on the run-up to Summer.

Whether you visit Kyoto or Nara depends on what interests you personally. I've been to Kyoto twice, but won't be going to Nara until next year, so can't really advise you there. Kyoto has one of the BEST gardens I have ever visited (the grounds of Ginkakuji), but Nara has free-roaming deer for which you can buy deer biscuits (shika sembei) and hand-feed them. Kyoto has perennial tourist favourite Golden Pavillion (Kinkakuji), the other BEST garden I have ever visited (Ryoanji), the tallest wooden structure in Japan (Toji's pagoda), and a temple with 1,001 statues of Kannon, all with different facial expressions, clothing, tools, and poses (Sanjusangendo). Nara has the world's largest wooden building (Daibutsuden Hall at Todaiji), Japan's most celebrated shrine (Kasuga Taisha), the world's oldest wooden buildings (Horyuji), and a nicely preserved area of traditional warehouses and homes (Naramachi). Obviously both cities have far more than just what I've mentioned above, but those are the main draws for tourists (well, and the Geiko district of Gion in Kyoto, but the Geiko are far harder to find than guidebooks would have you believe, and are always en route to work if you see them).

Finally, yes. Get your Yen before you go. Not only is getting it done there a waste of your time, but you get to watch the rates for a little while and buy when it's at its best. You don't have much time to do this in, so you might just have to bite the bullet and get the rate as it currently stands, but it's something to think about next time you want to plan international travel. The dollar is a little weak against the yen at the moment, but it's not a deal-breaker

I'm sure you'll have a great time. Japan's a fantastic place to visit. Take a little time to learn some basic Japanese and customs before you go (I always learn at least yes, no, please and thank you in a destination language before travelling, but if you have specific medical needs, DO take time to learn appropriate phrases, e.g. "I have asthma", "I am allergic to aspirin"). Be sure to get the basics right, which I'm sure your Tokyo relatives will help you with if you ask them - what side to use the escalator in Tokyo vs. Osaka, what noises not to make at the dinner table, what not to do with your chopsticks, etc.

Don't expect Japan to be perfect. It's certainly safer than just about anywhere else in the world, but hanging around in the arse end of Shinjuku at 3am getting roaringly drunk in seedy bars is just as foolish as walking down the street in broad daylight in Compton, LA

[RediscoverTravel]

I agree with MMM and the others but I have always exchanged money in Japan at the airport or banks and generally get a good rate. The exchange rate is changing a lot lately so before you exchange anything get a good idea the rate to know if you are getting a good deal or not.

Learning some basic Japanese will also be very helpful. Do not worry if it is perfect.

To find out if the JR Rail Pass is worth it or not you need to calculate the costs of your transfortation. See Japanese Train Route Finder By Jorudan Co.,Ltd. for an idea of costs and the like. It will also tell you if the train in JR or not. You can take JR and use your rail pass from Nara to Kyoto.

Kyoto is amazing and I highly recommend you spend a few days there. Nara and Osaka can be done as day trips from Kyoto. In Osaka I like Doguyasuji and Kuromon Ichiba. I would always take visitors to these areas and they always have a good time. These places are very different from what you will see in other destinations in Japan. American-mura and Shinsaibashi are also fun.

Spring in Japan is like everywhere else, some days are warm/hot and others are cool/cold.

[Troo]

Originally Posted by RediscoverTravel

I agree with MMM and the others but I have always exchanged money in Japan at the airport or banks and generally get a good rate.

The trouble with taking this option is that if the rate isn't good on the day you go to change your cash, you're screwed. At least buying in advance you get to watch the market then buy when the price is satisfactory.

[shincastle]

Here is my two cents on the topic.
I was reading the section about railways in this website Railway | Traffic Information | Japan-i I think it covers the essential about the JR Pass.

I hope that will help some of you,

Shin

[zubyahn]

Everyone, thank you so much for your input. My plan now is much more concrete, I'm staying in Tokyo from May 19-21, Osaka and Kyoto May 22,23, Yokohama May 24, Tokyo May 25-27. I also purchased my JR pass, the 7 day kind. But now I encounter another dilemma: When to activate my JR pass!! I will arrive in Narita at 2:30 PM on 19th, and leave Narita at 6:30 PM on 27th, which means I would stay in Japan for 9 days, since JR pass is counted on the daily basis, I can only use it for 7 consecutive days. Since I am going to be in Tokyo at the beginning and the end of my trip, is there a cheap daily Tokyo pass that I can purchase..or which kind I should buy? and also, is it better for me to activate my pass by the moment I reach Narita, or I should wait until the 21 to activate it so at least I can use it on the Narita Express on my last day?!

I'm sorry for so many questions.. but I just want to confirm that there is one kind of Narita Express that cost 30$ and it takes 70 minutes to reach Shinjuku Station..and we can put a lot of luggage in there, can't we?
Thank you so so much for your input so far..I'm gonna have so much fun in Japan!!!

[MMM]

The Narita Express is spendy, so if the Rail Pass covers it, I would use it the last seven days.

[zubyahn]

thank you for your quick reply!
I think it's best to use it the last 7 days..
but I still need to figure out how to travel in the first 2 days.
i guess i would have to pay 30$ to get to Tokyo first,, does anyone know of any kind of 1 day pass i can use in Tokyo for the first 2 days?!~