16 days in Japan - help me plan an itinerary

16 days in Japan - help me plan an itinerary

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kiethton

Original Poster:

13,883 posts

179 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Trying to organise a Japan trip to surprise my GF with next month for her 30th - has been nagging to go there for years, with 18 days holiday available for 9 days leave next April seems as good'er time as any (and will leave me some good CFA cramming time/revision gap on the planes!)

We are very open, wanting to explore onsens, cities, temples etc - the best that Japan has to offer (I'd like to try and get close to Fukishima too...)

Have found this which seems quite good but could always rely on some real world input - other places to consider/places not to bother with and hidden gems - for things to do, see and eat.

Budget is limited(ish), about to press the button on Aeroflot flights for £500pp and am happy to use Air BnB to save hotel costs. Happy with that, hotels but no hostels....we'd like to be in each others company only of a night! haha - I know inside the cities public transport is king, happy to hire cars for the other (rural?) bits if worth it/cheaper/more flexible smile

Thanks in advance!

matrignano

4,345 posts

209 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Can't help but watching this with interest as I will also go during Easter next year!
I paid £790 direct with BA using some Avios points fwiw

Freds

947 posts

136 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Thanks to Joanna censored Lumley and her current TV series, the Mrs has decided this should be our next trip away, so, will follow with interest....

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Write up from a trip to Japan a few years back. Hope that is helpful to you. Enjoy your trip, you'll have a great time! smile

kiethton

Original Poster:

13,883 posts

179 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Thanks, that's comprehensive and some great photo's - much appreciated smile

Freds

947 posts

136 months

Tuesday 20th September 2016
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Excellent ! Thanks very much smilesmile

wong

1,276 posts

215 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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Needs a bit of planning. Are you doing a whistlestop tour or concentrating on one or two locations?
Japan is big...~50% bigger than the UK. How much of the UK will you want to see in 2 weeks?
www.japan-guide.com was very helpful.

Eating out every day can add up. The supermarkets do excellent sushi boxes which will save some money. Some even reduce the prices ~ 6 pm.
Try the electric toilets - they spray a water jet to clean up. Oddly only single ply toilet paper.

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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wong said:
Needs a bit of planning. Are you doing a whistlestop tour or concentrating on one or two locations?
Japan is big...~50% bigger than the UK. How much of the UK will you want to see in 2 weeks?
www.japan-guide.com was very helpful.
Very much this; went to Japan for the second time in March this year and spent 11 days in Tokyo; previous trip was in 2007 when I went to Tokyo, Akita, Osaka, Ishigaki and back to Toyko. 16 days mean you could do, say Tokyo + Kyoto and spend plenty in each exploring as much as you can. On my first trip I took in many more locations but only spent a few days in each - I much preferred my second trip back, spending all my time in Tokyo at a more relaxed pace (or as relaxed as you can be in Tokyo).

Worth youtubing the Attache guide for Tokyo - the guy covers a lot of good points worth bearing in mind. Next time I go back I have to look into booked the Studio Ghibli museum well in advance + doing the Mario Kart tour around the city at night time.

ETA I highly recommend the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo. It isn't a restaurant, but there are robots hehe


Edited by parabolica on Wednesday 21st September 12:28

al1991

4,552 posts

179 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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We've just come back from 12 nights in Japan on a budget.

We did Air BnB in Tokyo & Kyoto which were both great and saved us a packet on hotels, bottled water and breakfast. Not to mention Pocket Wi-Fi.

On the topic of Pocket Wi-Fi (effectively a remote modem you can chuck in your back pack) this is a must have item in my opinion, we would have not made the most of our trip without Google Maps, Tripadvisor etc.

As a couple we budgeted £100 per day for Japan for food, drinks and travel. We pretty much stuck to this but we had a few beers in the apartment from the 7-11 etc.

Bullet train was superb, but very expensive. I think the unreserved cars are cheaper but don't worry there's always seats as there are so many trains departing.

In Tokyo we did Roppongi, Imperial palace, Meji Jingu, Senso Ji, Takesta (sniggers) street, Ramen Street, Goverment buildings for the views etc. All worthwhile seeing IMO.

Kyoto is stuffed full of wonderful temples and go see the monkeys, not for the monkeys but for the awesome views of Kyoto.

And all of the food was wonderful; ramen, tempura, wagyu beef, sushi, etc.

kiethton

Original Poster:

13,883 posts

179 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for that - I think that we'll be working to a similar budget - £50pp p/d

I was looking at the bullet train and it did look to be quite expensive, very cool, but expensive....would a car for a week work better or should we just lump an "all public transport" (if there is such a thing) travel card for the duration?

Good point about the internet thing - would be very hand to both get around and translate - where did you get these from? - each hotel or before arrival?

al1991

4,552 posts

179 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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kiethton said:
Thanks for that - I think that we'll be working to a similar budget - £50pp p/d

I was looking at the bullet train and it did look to be quite expensive, very cool, but expensive....would a car for a week work better or should we just lump an "all public transport" (if there is such a thing) travel card for the duration?

Good point about the internet thing - would be very hand to both get around and translate - where did you get these from? - each hotel or before arrival?
Hi there,

The Pocket Wi-Fi was in the two apartments we stayed in through Air BnB - it was mentioned on the booking page so well worth double checking when looking at apartments.

Japan Rail Pass saves you money even if you are only making more than one trip.

http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/

Also, this website has some good deals, we booked train tickets through them and got something like 30% off.

japanican.com

I found the Lonely Planet guide for Tokyo a bit mediocre, the one for Kyoto was superb.

EDIT: You need to buy a Japan Rail Pass BEFORE you go to Japan.

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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How much was the pocket wifi? I looked at getting one when I went, however forgot about it and ended up using my Vodafone passport whilst there - an extra £3 per day and all the data I wanted, meaning google maps etc were available (and a total godsend). One thing I love about Tokyo was the 4g coverage even in the deepest parts of the metro!

kiethton

Original Poster:

13,883 posts

179 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
quotequote all
Thanks smile

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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kiethton said:
Thanks, that's comprehensive and some great photo's - much appreciated smile
Freds said:
Excellent ! Thanks very much smilesmile
No problem smile

Xaero

4,060 posts

214 months

Wednesday 21st September 2016
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My wife and I run an AirBnB place in Sendai, if any PHer is heading up in that direction I'd be happy to give a discount, includes a tea ceremony too which are usually 10k yen (£75) or so in Kyoto and Tokyo and just as authentic.

It's about an hour drive from the Tsunami affected areas too. Which personally I'd recommend and enjoy visiting, but women tend to not like those sort of places. They are also too awkward to get to via public transport so a hire car is required. Matsushima is fairly close and worth a day out.

Anyway, I suspect you're going to spend some time in Tokyo. I'd recommend Akihabara, Tokyo Sky Tree, a river tour on a water bus (as you can really see a lot from them and get an alternative view of the city), Asakusa, Studio Ghibli Museum, Shibuya, and Odaiba for a decent mix and feel of the city.

Hiroshima is worth the trip (it's quite far away from other places), the peace garden and museum are excellent.

wong

1,276 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd September 2016
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I went to Osaka this July. We stayed in 3 different Air BNB apartments in osaka and Kyoto. Each Apartment included the mobile wifi, however, I think they are on limited plans. Great for day one, then slows right down. We stopped the kids Youtubing after that.

Local trains are cheap. However, you've got to get your head around that there are several private rail companies. EG - we stayed near Osaka Namba station. There is the "underground"/tube Namba station, then Nankai Namba, then Osaka Namba and JR Namba stations. And they're all abbreviated to Namba station and are interconnected.

wong

1,276 posts

215 months

Thursday 22nd September 2016
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Onsen - they dont like tattoos. Tattoos means Yakuza. You wont be allowed in if you have any tats.

kiethton

Original Poster:

13,883 posts

179 months

Thursday 22nd September 2016
quotequote all
Xaero said:
My wife and I run an AirBnB place in Sendai, if any PHer is heading up in that direction I'd be happy to give a discount, includes a tea ceremony too which are usually 10k yen (£75) or so in Kyoto and Tokyo and just as authentic.

It's about an hour drive from the Tsunami affected areas too. Which personally I'd recommend and enjoy visiting, but women tend to not like those sort of places. They are also too awkward to get to via public transport so a hire car is required. Matsushima is fairly close and worth a day out.

Anyway, I suspect you're going to spend some time in Tokyo. I'd recommend Akihabara, Tokyo Sky Tree, a river tour on a water bus (as you can really see a lot from them and get an alternative view of the city), Asakusa, Studio Ghibli Museum, Shibuya, and Odaiba for a decent mix and feel of the city.

Hiroshima is worth the trip (it's quite far away from other places), the peace garden and museum are excellent.
Thanks - will take a look after we've got a vague plan sorted - thanks for the other tips too

wong said:
I went to Osaka this July. We stayed in 3 different Air BNB apartments in osaka and Kyoto. Each Apartment included the mobile wifi, however, I think they are on limited plans. Great for day one, then slows right down. We stopped the kids Youtubing after that.

Local trains are cheap. However, you've got to get your head around that there are several private rail companies. EG - we stayed near Osaka Namba station. There is the "underground"/tube Namba station, then Nankai Namba, then Osaka Namba and JR Namba stations. And they're all abbreviated to Namba station and are interconnected.
Yeah - was looking at that, a lot to get your head around!

Not tattoos for either of us (and no desire for any) fortunately

kennydies

198 posts

117 months

Thursday 22nd September 2016
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I traveled for a month one my own then went back a few years later for another month. This was all around the south from Tokyo down to kagashima.

This is the route I did last time with some handy POI's

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eQP_c5PQ_nq_XlIz...

There are some aspects you do at certain times of the year (orange blosoms etc), well worth planning in advance.

Hakomne, Nara, Osaka are definitely worth a visit.

Also plan each city, seeing the harajuka people on a sunday in Tokyo is worth it.

As the thread further up the rail pass is only purchased outside the country and can be used on the trains, some underground and some ferries.

hamish88

161 posts

175 months

Friday 23rd September 2016
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If you're on iOS download Osaka rail map lite.
Just input where you are and where you want to go and It'll tell you the route number and colour of the line you need to follow .
Made life so much easier .
Make sure you have mobile data or plan it when you have wifi and take screenshots