First time to Japan... Advice please!!

CryssieJade on 09/10/2015 - 15:00

Hi All!!

Heading to Japan for a month in Feb.

Been wanting to go to Japan most of my life, and finally going!!

What do I need to know about everything? And where are some places that I absolutely have to go?

I like to think that I know Japanese culture quite well, having studied Japanese all through high school. I still remember a little bit of the language, and can read characters.

I will be skiing for at least 10 days of my month there, and flying return into/out of Osaka.

All advice appreciated, thank you!!

Travel

Comments

KTGV on 12/10/2015 - 18:22

+11
Oh hi, I'm going to Japan with my fiance too in January for 3 weeks and I've pretty much planned up all the places we're gonna go there.

I thought I should share with you as it took me a while to research the places and type the whole plan up, it might save you some time. As you said you are a big kid just like I am so I hope my plan might have places that would be of interest to you.

If you have a Google account then go to Google Maps when you're logged on, find the locations of the places that you wanna go and save as Favourite. That way you will have all of the places appear saved on your maps and you can manage your plan better!

We're going to Tokyo then Kyoto and Osaka. Enjoy reading!

Tokyo

DAY 1
Asakusa
1/ Senso-ji Temple
http://www.senso-ji.jp/
Hours Main hall: 6:00 to 17:00 (from 6:30 from October to March)
Temple grounds: Always open
Closed No closing days
Fees Free

2/ Asakusa Shrine
http://www.asakusajinja.jp/index_2.html
Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
3/ Hōzōmon
http://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/hozomon.html

4/ Nakamise Street
http://www.city.taito.lg.jp/index.html

Sumida Park

Asahi Beer Headquarters

TOKYO CRUISE
http://www.suijobus.co.jp/
http://www.suijobus.co.jp/price/index.html#a2

Odaiba

雷門
http://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/kaminari.html

Tokyo Skytree
http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/

DAY 2 - Yokohama
1/ CUP NOODLE MUSEUM 10AM - 6PM fee 500 yen
2-3-4 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Yokohama station to Minatomirai station: 180 yen 3' (walk 30 minutes)
http://www.yokohama-akarenga.jp/en/
- Walk to CUP NOODLE MUSEUM 5'
- Explore 1h30'

2/ Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
Building No. 1 – 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Building No. 2 – 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
1-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
- 10' walk from CUP NOODLE MUSEUM
- Explore 1 hour

3/ SEABASS
- 15' to YAMISHITA PARK on the sea bus 350 yen

4/ YAMASHITA PARK - ALWAYS OPEN
279 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Explore 30'

5/ Yokohama Marine Tower 10.00am - 10.30pm
15 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Walk from YAMASHITA PARK 15'
Observatory fee 750 yen
- Explore 30'

6/ Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise 8.30am - 9.30pm, fee 5050 yen
Hakkeijima, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
http://www.seaparadise.co.jp/

An hour from Yokohama Marine Tower
Ishikawacho Station to Hakkeijima station 480 yen 40'

Explore the park

BACK TO ASAKUSA
Hakkeijima Station to Asakusa: 1100 yen 1h30'

CHANGE TO GO TO SEA WORLD FIRST THEN BACK TO EXPLORE YOKOHAMA

DAY 3 - Kamakura
http://www.jnto.go.jp/engpre2/location/routes/g_route/golden…

Asakusa to Kita-kamakura station: 1020 yen 70'

Visit Engaku-ji Temple 8am - 4.30pm, 300 yen
Explore 60'

Walk to Meigetsu-in 9am - 4pm, fee 300 yen
15' walk from Engaku-ji temple, explore 60'

Visit Kencho-ji Temple, 8.30am - 4.30pm, fee 300 yen
15' walk from Meigetsu-in, explore 60'

Visit Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, 6am - 8.30pm
http://www.tsurugaoka-hachimangu.jp/manner/
17' walk from Kencho-ji temple, explore 30'
14' walk to Kamakura station
Kamakura station to Hase station 190 yen, 5'
10' walk from Hase station to Kotoku-in
http://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/visit/access.html
Kotoku in - 8.00am - 5.00pm, 200 yen admission fee, 20 yen inside statue

Hase (Kanagawa) to Asakusa 1010 yen, 90'

~2220 yen for trains

DAY 4 - Monkey park BOOK A TOUR

DAY 5
1/ Shibuya
2/ Harajuku
3/ Shinjuku
4/ Roppongi
5/ Ryōgoku Kokugikan (sumo tournament)

DAY 6
1/ Puroland
2/ Doraemon museum

DAY 7 - Disneyland

DAY 8 - Disneysea

DAY 9 - AKIHABARA

1/ Tokyo National Museum
http://www.tnm.jp/

2/ Toshogu Shrine
http://www.uenotoshogu.com/

3/ Ueno Zoo
http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/zoo/ueno/

4/ Maid cafe

5/ Explore Akihabara

DAY 10 - 15.1
1/ Ghibli studio

2/ Tsukiji Market
http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/

3/ Explore Ginza

4/ Imperial Palace
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/

5/ Yasukuni Shrine
http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/

6/ Tokyo Dome
http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/dome/

1/ Koyasan Tokyo Betsuin
http://www.musubidaishi.jp/

DAY 11 - Mount fuji

KYOTO PLACES

DAY 1 - EAST SIDE

1/ Daigoji
http://www.daigoji.or.jp/

2/ Fushimi Inari Taisha
http://inari.jp/
3/ Sennyū-ji
http://www.mitera.org/

4/ Tōfuku-ji 東福寺
http://www.tofukuji.jp/

5/ Toji
http://www.toji.or.jp/

6/ Rengeoin Sanjusangendo
http://www.sanjusangendo.jp/

7/ Kyoto National Museum
http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/jp/index.html

8/ Kyoto Tower
http://www.kyoto-tower.co.jp/kyototower/index.html

DAY 2

9/ Kiyomizu-dera
http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/

10/ 三年坂sannenzaka

11/ ninenzaka

12/ Kōdai-ji
http://www.kodaiji.com/index.html

13/ Minoko (restaurant)
http://www.minoko.co.jp/

14/ Yasaka Shrine
http://www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp/

15/ Chion-in
http://www.chion-in.or.jp/index.php

16/ Shōren-in
http://www.shorenin.com/

DAY 3 - FURTHER EAST

30/ Nanzen-ji
http://nanzenji.com/

31/ Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji
http://www.eikando.or.jp/

32/ Heian Shrine
http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/

33/ Okazaki Shrine (RABBIT SHRINE)
http://www.okazakijinja.jp/

34/ Kurodani Temple
http://www.kurodani.jp/

35/ 哲學之道 Philosopher's Walk
https://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=1&Ma…

36/ Honen-in
http://www.honen-in.jp/

37/ Higashiyama Jisho-ji
http://www.shokoku-ji.jp/g_about.html

DAY 4 - WEST SIDE

17/ Pontocho Area
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3921.html

18/ 京都錦市場商店街振興組合 Nishiki market
http://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/

19/ 新風館
http://shinpuhkan.jp/

20/ Nijō Castle
http://www.city.kyoto.jp/bunshi/nijojo/

21/ Kyoto International Manga Museum
http://kyotomm.jp/

22/ Kyoto Imperial Palace
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/guide/kyoto.html

23/ Toei Kyoto Studio Park
http://www.toei-eigamura.com/

DAY 5

Arashiyama
http://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=4&Man…

24/ 大本山天龙寺Tenryū-ji
http://www.tenryuji.com/

25/ Otagi Nenbutsu-ji (1200+ statues temple)
http://www.otagiji.com/

26/ Daikaku-ji Temple
http://www.daikakuji.or.jp/

27/ Ryōan-ji
http://www.ryoanji.jp/top.html

28/ Kinkaku-ji
http://www.shokoku-ji.jp/k_access.html

29/ Kōtō-in
http://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=1&Man…

OSAKA PLACES - 4 DAYS

1/ Katsuō-ji
http://www.katsuo-ji-temple.or.jp/

START CLOSEST FROM OSAKA STATION

2/ Daimaru Umeda (shopping centre)
http://www.daimaru.co.jp/umedamise/

3/ JOYPOLIS
http://umeda-joypolis.sega.jp/

4/ 梅田スカイビル Umeda Sky Building
http://www.skybldg.co.jp/skybldg/

5/ 梅田空中庭園
http://www.kuchu-teien.com/observatory/index.html

6/ Osaka Castle
http://www.osakacastle.net/

7/ Hōkoku Shrine
http://www.osaka-hokokujinja.org/

8/ Osaka Museum of History
http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/index.html

9/ Tsutenkaku Famous for its neon lights, this landmark features an observation deck open to the public
http://www.tsutenkaku.co.jp/

10/ UNIVERSAL CITYWALK OSAKA
http://ucw.jp/

11/ 天保山大観覧車 This 112.5-meter Ferris wheel holds 480 passengers & offers panoramic views plus illumination shows
http://www.senyo.co.jp/tempozan/

12/ Tempozan Market Place
http://www.kaiyukan.com/thv/marketplace/

13/ Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
http://www.kaiyukan.com/index.html

14/ Nara park
http://nara-park.com/

15/ Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine
http://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/

16/ Osaka Science Museum
http://www.sci-museum.jp/

17/ Tsuyuno-shrine
http://www.ohatendori.com/

18/ Shinsaibashi (shopping area)

19/ Universal Studios Japan
http://www.usj.co.jp/

20/ Shinsekai (shopping street)

21/ Abeno Harukas (department store)
http://www.abenoharukas-300.jp/

22/ Shitennoji Temple
http://www.shitennoji.or.jp/

23/ National Museum of Art Osaka

24/ Osaka Tenmangu Shrine
http://www.tenjinsan.com/index.html

25/ Dotonbori (道頓堀) iconic shopping area in osaka

26/ Hozenji Temple
http://houzenji.jp/

27/ Naniwa Food Theme Park
http://www.senyo.co.jp/tempozan/

28/ Asahi beer

KOBE - 1 DAY

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2159.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g298562-Activities…

1/ 神戸ルミナリエ Kobe Luminarie
http://www.kobe-luminarie.jp/

2/ Kobe Port Tower & Meriken Park
http://www.kobe-meriken.or.jp/

3/ Wakkoqu restaurant
http://www.wakkoqu.com/index.html

4/ 神戸どうぶつ王国（Kobe Animal Kindom）
http://www.kobe-oukoku.com/

5/ Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institution
Japan
〒651-0073 Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe
http://www.dri.ne.jp/

6/ Nunobiki Falls, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

7/ Ikuta Shrine
Japan
〒650-0011 Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe
中央区下山手通1−2−1
http://www.ikutajinja.or.jp/

8/ Harborland
http://www.harborland.co.jp/

9/ Kobe Chinatown
1 Chome-1-3-18 Sakaemachidori
Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture 650-0023
Japan
http://www.nankinmachi.or.jp/index.html
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 01:30
  
  +1
  
  WOWWWWWWWWW.
  
  I've met someone as organized as I am!!
  
  This is what my itinerary will look like in the next month or so lol
- sal78 on 13/10/2015 - 09:50
  
  +2
  
  thats crazy! relax and enjoy! dont pack everything in. japan is a country you can visit again and again. if i was going to tokyo dome, it would be for a concert!! maybe Arashi!
  - CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 10:28
    
    +3
    
    Wayyyyy too many temples on that itinerary, and military precision. I'm organised, but to a point. Maximum of two attractions a day for me.
    
    My favorite things to do are wander and eat!!
    - KTGV on 13/10/2015 - 15:53
      
      Haha I know I've put too many temples there but that's what I've seen on the Internet mostly, and yeah my kind of holiday is not to relax but to explore so I try to do as many things as I can in one day 😆 and I know I'm crazy that I have to put everything in place before we go so my itinerary needs to be super detailed.
      
      oh and have you booked your ticket to Japan yet? initially I was only going to Vietnam so I've booked my tickets with Vietnam airlines but then the travel agent told us we could choose to go to a third country for free as they were having a promotion and that's how we got our tickets to Japan for free, I'm not sure if the promotion is still on but just wanted to share.
    - KTGV on 15/10/2015 - 18:54
      
      @Cheap Charlie: Robot restaurant is on my list too, of course I'm not gonna miss it, hmm and by the way how did you buy the tickets to the show? I went to JBT and they told me they sell the tickets at $72 per person, also have you been to Maid Cafe? JTB sells tickets for $48 I'm not sure if I should book these with JTB or buy in Japan. Thanks!
- mrjazzieb on 13/10/2015 - 16:42
  
  +2
  
  Don't go on the Tokyo Bay Cruise. Save your 2 hours for something better.
  - KTGV on 13/10/2015 - 18:20
    
    Oh may I know why is that? I'm planning to catch the seabus/seabass from Asakusa to Odaiba because the seabass looks so futuristic
    - mrjazzieb on 18/10/2015 - 18:05
      
      I didn't read your entire post as I didn't have the time when I initially replied. The Asakusa/Odaiba SeaBus isn't the Tokyo Bay Cruise I was referring to, so don't worry about what I said.
  - CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 19:10
    
    No way I would do that…not my style
    
    EDIT: Just realised you weren't talking to me :p
- anth0888 on 13/10/2015 - 21:36
  
  +1
  
  Thats an intense schedule. I would allow for some time between, as often i found it was the most unexpected places along the way that were interesting and unique.
  - KTGV on 13/10/2015 - 23:00
    
    Yeah I know. I just put all of them there to make sure we won't miss out but of course the unexpected can happen :-)
Meconium on 12/10/2015 - 18:30

+3

Go to the Sapporo Snow Festival and the Otaru lantern festival in Hokkaido. These are on in early-mid February and are magnificent. There is a really cool German-style beer hall beside the canal in Otaru, check it out. Even if you weren't planning to go to Hokkaido because you are skiing/snowboarding elsewhere, it's worth it to spend a couple of days up there to visit these two festivals. You can take a shinkansen (bullet train) to Aomori, then go on express trains to Sapporo and Otaru with the JR Pass.
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 01:31
  
  +1
  
  I'm going to just miss the Sapporo festival, but I'll check the dates for the Otaru festival, cheers!!
[Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 19:01

+1

Maid Cafe and Onsen
Feed deers and monkeys.
Take photos of people.
Eat until you pop.
- eug on 12/10/2015 - 19:15
  
  +2
  
  The OP, being female, might find a butler cafe more interesting?
  https://www.tsunagujapan.com/you-can-be-a-princess-for-a-day…
  - [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 19:31
    
    I went to Maid Cafe with a group of females. :D
    The caucasian butlers in the photo look very scarey/creepy!
  - CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 00:55
    
    Actually, I've found an Alice in Wonderland Restaurant that I plan to go to!!
mum23 on 12/10/2015 - 19:24

Anyone been skiing in hakuba or shiga kogen? 3 of us can't ski, 2 are not very experienced skiers
which place woul you recommend and where to stay please? Thanks
- markacad on 15/10/2015 - 15:17
  
  +1
  
  I went last year to Hakuba and will be returning in Jan 2016. I had never skied before and picked it up in around 3 days. Sakka is a good beginner slope which wasnt too over crowded.
  
  We stayed at this Ryoken, highly recommend it. staying there again, can't wait!! https://www.facebook.com/shirouma
  
  Hope this helps :)
jennkei on 12/10/2015 - 19:26

+1

Don't forget to check out the stuff on the other Japan thread as well. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/211665

Have fun!
Blackfyre on 12/10/2015 - 22:30

+1

Check if there are any festivals that you fancy for the period you're visiting and plan around them

Have a look at http://www.japantimes.co.jp/events/things-to-do/traditional-…
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 00:58
  
  This helps heaps!! I've been told that I NEED to go to a festival :)))))
cinna on 12/10/2015 - 23:36

+2

I went with my sister in Dec 14, we had the best time!
I was worried that the language barrier would be difficult, but most important places (train stations, big shops, tourist attractions) had signs in English + Japanese.
We used public transport the entire time. The public transport system makes you realise how far behind we are here in Australia (though to be fair, they have a much larger population)!! It's also really nice how passengers always line up to get on the train carriage, rather than gathering in a crowd around the door preventing people from getting out and pushing their way through (at least that's what it's like in Perth). Shinkansen trains between Toyko and Kyoto/Osaka run every hour or so.

Our itinerary for just under 2 weeks was:
Tokyo (1 night)
Takayama - 2 nights - we stayed in a nice onsen with mountain views, it was a few days of relaxation before lots of travel
Osaka - 2 nights
Kyoto - 2 nights - I would recommend hiring a bike and riding from the skinkansen station to the Botanical gardens and Golder Temple. It was a lovely ride (and mostly on paths, not roads)
Tokyo - 5 nights, we also did a day trip to Hakone - bought a day pass for an amazing onsen there)
I think another day in Osaka and Kyoto would have been better, so we could slow the pace down a bit. Apart from that the itinerary was pretty good! We didn't do Hiroshima, Universal Studios, or Tokyo Disney which would take at least a whole day themselves.

We got the 14 day rail pass and found it to be of good value, though I suspect this was because we did a lot of travel in a short period of time. I think we only had to buy a train ticked once because the line wasn't included on the JR pass.

One thing we noticed is that we got strange looks when we ate in public, like in a park, or walking to the train station. We then noticed that Japanese people don't eat in public. Apparently it's considered rude to not sit down and eat as it means you're not appreciating your food.

We stayed in hostels except for in Takayama. They were all super clean! Especially compared to Europe and American hostels. So if you're trying to save a bit of money, hostelling could be an option.
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 01:35
  
  +1
  
  Thank you so much!! As much as I like to think I have a great grasp of Japanese culture, I never knew about the eating in public thing :/
  
  And yes, hostels all the way!! Its only a place to lay my head :)
sal78 on 13/10/2015 - 09:41

+1

perhaps watch a historical drama or two to learn more about japan's history and see how they used to lived. When i went to temples i could picture how it used to be in the edo period, what they wore etc

Im careful at the shrines because many people still hold angst against the japanese. they were ruthless. it's the reason korea has no royalty today.

the keanu reeves movie is good and there's a shrine in tokyo.

but jap dramas are slow. i prefer korean n chinese historical dramas. last time in korea, my hubby was surprised at how much i knew about korean history lol all the kings, queens, successions etc i even walked around the areas outside gyeonbokgung palace like Buchon, Buchon is where the ministers and nobles lived and the distance they walked to palace each day during the joseon dynasty. We travelled outside of seoul to the burial site of King Sukjong and Queen Inhyeon to pay our respects. Very beautiful and interesting. He was one of my fav rulers.

Walking Near the palace, we walked past Queen Inhyeon's birth home .. really peaceful and special. gyeongbokgung palace was just surreal. Just standing in the same ground that previous emperors have walked.. ther are certain paths built inly for the emperor to walk on like the ones to the ancestral rites building. You can picture what the palace use to be like, the hustle n bustle, differents area, clothing, their actions and etiquettes. It's so much more meaningful for me.

Next time we go back we will travel to the other cities which goes back to 57bc to 668 ad the period of the three kingdoms in gyeongju. so many world heritage listed sites.
Lee Gee on 13/10/2015 - 09:43

+2

You MUST go see the ROBOT Bar in Shinjuku in Tokyo.
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 10:11
  
  I have literally ONE fear, and it's Robots.
  Thanks, but no thanks!!
  - Lee Gee on 14/10/2015 - 09:37
    
    +1
    
    lololol it's not what you think, do a google search on Robot Bar Shinjuku. My mum told me about it when she went to Tokyo, and loved it. I though to myself well there's one thing i won't go see haha. but upon looking into it i could not wait to go see.
    - CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 10:35
      
      Oh okay, just had a look…so they're all people in robotic costumes? Are there any actual robots at all?
      
      I'd be fine knowing that they're human!!
    - lenlynn on 15/10/2015 - 15:22
      
      @CryssieJade: There are some robots but they are not the usual robots. They are over-the-top funny robots. e.g. good hot warrior girl atop a giant robot dragon fighting an evil hot warrior girl on a giant snake. I greatly recommend the robot restaurant!
dogebargain on 13/10/2015 - 09:47

+5

If you're in Tokyo, hit up Genki Sushi. $1 Sushi plates, bringing out that OzBargain spirit. It's literally $15 for unlimited green tea, water, and a heck of a lot of sushi.

Take a 28 Degrees Credit Card with you. No fees, and a handy backup for any purchases you make where debit cards aren't accepted (Disneyland!)

Learn the general lingo. Just spend a few days learning basic phrases, it'll take you a long way and locals will love you for it!

Venture outside of Tokyo. Mt Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara just to name a few.

If you're into electronics - definitely visit Akihabara. The town of everything video games and electronics.

See as many shrines and temples as you can! Each has their own charm and beauty.

SOURCE: Visited earlier this year :)

ENJOY! Japan is one of my favourite countries to visit, you always feel so safe and welcome there. It's seriously incredible.
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 10:15
  
  +1
  
  Thank you so much!! Super helpful :)))
itbargainhunter on 13/10/2015 - 11:21

+1

I am giving my 2 cents

1) Must have SIM card. You can get book one online and collect it in airport or hotel (i.e check b-mobile, OCN) or if you are feeling insecure you can even get one in australia with https://www.traveljapan.com.au/

2) Get JR Pass only if you plan to travel a lot intra major city. I found it some time cheaper buying bus/train ticket 3/7 days in advance. It is even cheaper buying on those discount ticket store on major shopping street but you neen to know a bit Japanese.

3) Get a "charge card". i.g "ICONA" in Osaka. These cards are national connected so ICONA can be used in Toyko area as well. Major purpose of these card is for public tranport like JR/ under ground train/ Bus. It is super convienent as you don't ever need to read the confusing fare chart and get the right ticket at station. Downside is it always charge the standard single fare.

It is also a mico payment system. All convience store and a lot of restaurant takes it. You can charge it in any convinence store.
0z on 13/10/2015 - 11:56

+2
From my own experience:
- Lots of nice people who will help you wholeheartedly even though they don’t speak English (well). They might walk with you to the place you ask them for direction/instruction, they might ask their neighbour to mind their shop so that they can spend time helping you.

The way they pronounce McDonalds (say) can be different, so have a pen ready to write down and show to them. Furthermore, some people really don’t know where McDonalds (say) is even though it only meters away, you can ask others, don’t assume it is too far away.

Avoid eating when you are walking, unless you see others doing that (example: there is a festival where food is selling, then everyone is eating…)

If you don’t smoke, don’t pick a smoking hotel room, you won’t be able to sleep and there is no way to get rid of the smell even though hotel staff will try their best, when there is no non-smoking room available!

If you visit a bakery/cake shop and see a lot of tongs, the chance is you are to use one of them to pick the cakes then hand it to the counter with you cakes. Once I had chosen my cakes and was paying at the counter, the sale girl asked me where the tong was, I said I had put it back, she had to replace all the tongs with the fresh ones.

Salespeople generally want you to pick the right item and be happy with your purchase. There is a small chance they won’t sell if they suspect you are buying a wrong one. They might spend lengthy time explaining, so make sure you show them you are happy with your purchase.

I like Japanese nail clippers and bought heaps of them.

Not sure if it’s true anymore but none of the iPhones you bought from Japan would work anywhere else (the truth was no shop in Japan would unlock the phone for you, from my research!)

There are DAISO shops in Australia, too. Visit them first to know which items you can buy here.
- CryssieJade on 13/10/2015 - 12:49
  
  Thanks so much 0z…some of that I know already, but nailclippers, that's new to me lol
- yasui on 14/10/2015 - 20:58
  
  +1
  
  McDonalds is pronounced as Maku-dou-nalu-dou in Japanese. Some people call it Mac or in Osaka it is called Makudo. Just like Australian call it Macca.
- piggyfund on 15/10/2015 - 11:41
  
  +1
  
  Good info - A lot of McDs are near the train station so you just follow the golden arches. There are a few different menu items but for the price there are other better options. You are better off trying a local chain. I knew some Americans who only at at McDs everyday, gross.
  
  The range you get at Daiso in AU is probably only a third or less of the actual stock variety they have. You will also see a lot of 'Japan Only' goods for example Hello Kitty good etc in 100 yen stores. There are plenty of 100 yen chains, CanDo, Seria … Just look for the 100 yen signage.
  
  Find supermarkets and drug store have snacks, drinks and household goods for even less than 100 yen.
Serena12 on 13/10/2015 - 14:49

+2

I just got back 2 weeks ago and its amazing. Tips:

Wifi: Rent Pocket Wifi. Its a lifesaver. Google maps is your friend when trying to get around Japan. I used this provider. They send the pocket Wifi to your designated hotel and comes with a return envelope so before you leave japan. Just drop it in the nearest post box. Easy!
http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/pocketwifi.html

Kyoto: If you are willing to pay for an amazing experience. Book a tour to tour to watch a Maiko Performance over dinner. I did this one:
http://www.viator.com/tours/Kyoto/Maiko-Performance-and-Dinn…

Disneyland/Sea Crowd Calendar:
http://tdrnavi.jp/forecast/disneysea?lang=en
This site has used past data to forecast what the crowds will be like in the theme parks for future months. Its very informative and helps with your decision making on when to avoid going during busy seasons (School holidays, weekends etc). Note in Japan queuing is like a norm. They queue for everything. And its normal for the rides to have 2 - 3 hour wait times. So avoid the peak periods!

Suica Card:
Its basically a train card. You top it up and just tap it at the train stations. So much easier than having to find the ticket machine every time. There are other prepaid train cards out there but i like the Suica Card because it seems to work with most train companies in Japan. (There are multiple like the JR, TEOI etc). Plus you can get your money back for the purchase of the Suica card and any credits left at the end of your trip.

Hope this helps! =)
dantione on 13/10/2015 - 15:42

+3

RAIL PASS: I'd recommend HIS Travel. I've bought about 6 now, and they are by far the cheapest. They have offices in BNE/SYD/MELB and can post also.

CASH: As others have said, you've got only 2 options- change money in Aus (at the risk of low exchange rates) or get cash out from an ATM (I found Citibank was the best… my Qantas travel card didnt work with many other ATMs). You cannot swap money anywhere, I saw 1 Travellex there (bad exchange rates obviously).

MT FUJI: If you're staying at Mt Fuji, everything is sparse. Although I avoid doing it usually, I'd recommend booking breakfast/dinner with your hotel.

GENERAL:
-I'd avoid Tokyo Skytree, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building offers 2 viewing platforms which are free. Much better view, doesn't close due to weather, and isn't a complete waste of money :P
-Book seats on the Shinkansen (from the station office) for longer trips, there are reserved and non-reserved carts on the trains. TIP: book seats DE between Tokyo-Osaka - Mt Fuji pops up on the right after Shin-Yokohama. It's an epic view. IIt costs nothing to make a reservation, and is a good precaution. If all the non-reserved seats are filled up- you MUST stand, even if the reserved carts have spare seats. Save yourself the trouble.
-I didn't think the Golden Temple was worth the trip in Kyoto (nothing else I've ever done in Japan was bad). It's on the outskirts of the city, so a long journey. It would've been ok, had it not been totally overrun by tourists. Strongly recommend against this one.

WEATHER: If travelling in winter, the snow affects trains quite drastically. My first time in Japan, we hadn't allowed backup travel options. It was their worst snow in 17 years- trains had major delays & buses were cancelled. We ended up travelling to Mt Fuji via train- which took about 11 hours (as opposed to ~4) as all buses were cancelled. Also be mindful of baggage if transiting a lot. e.g. dragging suitcases through snow
Alternatively, if you're lucky enough be travelling in Spring [Mar/Apr] (which I did earlier this year), note they bloom from South>North. Google "Cherry blossom calendar", it's a magical time of year!

MAPS: It's previously been very hard to get around Japan. Most countries allow you to cache maps for offline use- all within Google Maps. Japan is an exception, and it can be hard to navigate. Wifi isn't as common as you'd think. My first trip, we got pretty lost. A lot of areas within Tokyo don't have any form of street sign. Not even in Japanese. We got lost in the snow for 3 hours looking for our hotel. Luckily enough, these 2 Japanese ladies approached us on the street (one couldn't speak any English)- they spent 1.5hr helping us find our hotel- they called them, and even walked us there! At the sacrifice of their afternoon tea plans. My second trip- I tried the NTT (Docomo) Wifi plan for tourists discontinued which was basically $15 for 2 weeks. Good value, but inconsistent.

There's recently been a few Japan Travel Sims released, they're often posted here. Yet to try, but I'd suggest you pick one up.

As a general thing, speak to the locals! Like, more than you would in any other place… they're ridiculously friendly and immensely helpful. Like I mentioned the old ladies, or my last trip when I met a family in Osaka. We spoke for an hour at the park, and ended up spending about 8 hours with them. I'm heading back in Dec-Jan to stay with them for 5 weeks.

Have a great trip!
- CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 00:33
  
  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! :D
cha059 on 13/10/2015 - 17:45

+3
Awesome post and love the comments! Wished I had this when I went in July!

Couple of things from me:

we used Blank WiFi, though not sure if they deliver the device to Osaka airport for pick up. Was great for getting around and using google translate.

Restaurant/Food Map I created https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=z0ggVOf2kBj0.kivG… came in handy if you had a particular craving for something.

Have a great trip!
- anth0888 on 13/10/2015 - 21:40
  
  Thats an intense map. Lots of info :)
- CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 10:39
  
  Wowwwww, I love your map!! I'm a very visual person, this is probably the most useful thing I've seen on this thread :D
Stolniik on 13/10/2015 - 18:24

+3

I posted a link to our itinerary previously which details all 13 days of our trip. However a brief run down of "MUST DO's" are:
- Invest in a pocket wifi. Ours cost about $78 for unlimited for 2 weeks. This will ensure you never get lost, never get bored on those long bus/train trips and also lets you mix things up a little bit. We also allowed additional time to explore the suburban areas of Japan using maps!
- visit the Bamboo grove and Monkey park at arashiyama!!
- visit Menbakachi Fire Ramen in Kyoto. They literally light your ramen on fire and it reaches up to a meter high of flames!
- odaiba shopping… Enough said haha
- Osaka food street "dotombori" was a HUGE treat for us :)
- 7/11 is your best friend for a cheap, yet tasty meal!! We often went here for a beer and meal (like a bento box) for a late dinner!
- Piss Alley is definitely a must try too… Small alleys of Japanese yakitori restaurants was very enjoyable.
- temples are EVERYWHERE so make sure to select which you want to visit. We chose some of the bigger ones like kinkaku-ji and meji-jingu.
- Osaka castle is a beautiful sight to witness.
- Mount Fuji tour of lake ashi, hakone and mt fuji

Trains are your best friend. Use public transport as much as you can, use google maps to explore and more importantly just take in your environment. It's a really beautiful place to be.

You can read our whole trip itinerary on our blog: Snapshotsoffood :)
- CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 08:29
  
  Thank you so much!! Great info!!
  - Stolniik on 01/11/2015 - 07:47
    
    No problem! Hope you have fun :)
realaaa on 14/10/2015 - 01:06

+1

I think almost anything you can think of was mentioned already. I'd say watch couple episodes of "Kodoku no Gurume" (warning you might end up watching all of it!) and then go find place you liked most in Tokyo, very interesting to see these places in real life.

Also if you are in Asakusa this book shop/bar (yep) is absolutely wicked - https://www.facebook.com/InfinityBooksJapan - my memories of being there still make me smile to this day
- CryssieJade on 14/10/2015 - 08:28
  
  +1
  
  This comment makes me the happiest :D
  
  I was starting to suffer information overload!!
  
  (and I love books so much, thank you!!)
MexicanHat on 14/10/2015 - 06:54

+1

Put your rubbish in the bin. They take littering quite serious over there!!
biozet on 14/10/2015 - 13:54

bring be back a box of mild 7's please
Hotpotcorn on 14/10/2015 - 20:58

people say that japan is more expensive than australia, however this is not the case…
most things in 7-11 japan are cheaper than here… for example a bottle of coke is only 150 yen (~$1.50)…. also there is a lot more variety of products in 7-11 japan… for example adult magazines ;)
- eug on 14/10/2015 - 21:03
  
  +1
  
  for example adult magazines ;)
  
  But you already have the internet. ;)
- piggyfund on 15/10/2015 - 11:20
  
  True but the sizes reflects the price. Food portions are a lot smaller in JP so my husband ends up spending a fortune just to get full.
cryptos on 15/10/2015 - 00:04

+2

Don't be disappointed if your bed is like a rock; I've stayed in mutiple hotels and my guess is the western ones have western beds :)
randomhero24 on 15/10/2015 - 07:06

Don't do the Australian thing and look at its citizens like their a tourist attraction for your entertainment.
piggyfund on 15/10/2015 - 11:32

+1

I read these posts and few have mentioned the ski resorts. Seeing you are going boarding or skiing for a proportion of your trip, package deals may be a good option - ones that include accommodation, meals and ski gear hire as all of this really adds up, I'm assuming you aren't bringing your own. I have Japanese friends organise mine but if you don't have this there are a ton that cater to for Japan 'ski trips' and you end up staying at better hotels for a lot less with lots of perks. If you have your own ski gear you can send those to the resort ahead of time, chat to the travel agent for this option. Plan your trips on as many week days as possible. On weekends there's so many people around there is no where to ski or even move. Also after a few days of people boarding during the weekend I found the slopes to be rock hard there was nothing for my board to dig into to break so ended up spending a lot of time in the onsens.
- CryssieJade on 15/10/2015 - 12:29
  
  Thank you so much for this :)
  
  Japan planned ski trips are still very very expensive, I simply don't see the value in them. (Unless you can well convince me otherwise!!) I wanted to go to Niseko because that's where my friends work, but its not looking like I would enjoy it that much. Plus they don't get any time to ski with me.
  
  Very keen on Nozawa Onsen now.
  
  I'm not taking my own skis as I only have carve skis and not powder skis, so I'll be hiring them from the resort. But also, I don't want to shlep my skis around Japan for 3 weeks!!
  
  EDIT: Okay, maybe I'll look into package deals after all that lol
  - piggyfund on 15/10/2015 - 13:20
    
    +1
    
    If you are going there for a month you can pop into an English speaking travel agent and try to get them to book something for you. If you are going mid week it won't be sold out and at worst case you are going to pay full price anyway? I use to live in Japan and use to go to JTB and some of the larger offices like in Shinjuku or Shibuya have English speaking staff. They had deals I could not match anywhere else. For example I went to Korea - 4 nights 4 star hotels with breakfast, airport transfers and flights for around $400. Buying everything separately would have been more expensive. That's just an example. The ski trips I went on I just tagged along with friends and it worked out to be about $500 for 4 days for a top rated resort, living in Japan you can't get a JR pass so shinkansen travel was included in that price. There is JTB in Oz but think they charge a premium .. but they may have a good deal, worth inquiring. I just remember it being so expensive going to the snow but very memorable, especially onsen in the snow is brilliant.
KupoHo on 19/10/2015 - 09:34

Hi guys (hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your post CrystalJade), we are intending to visit Japan in late May and was just wondering as there as so many places to visit do you base yourself in Tokyo and Kyoto and just do day trips here and there or do you actually book accomodation for each city you goto? We are travelling with my mum n 3yo son so wanted to sort out the accommodation in advance…was intending on using Airbnb but might be hard if we have to keep changing accomodation.

Also is the ING card as useful as the Citybank one mentioned?

Any tips for where to go with the 3yo would be much appreciated :)
CryssieJade on 23/10/2015 - 14:26

+1

Hi everyone!! I've finally sorted out an itinerary…thank you all so very much for giving me advice and a place to begin!! Haven't figured out JR pass or anything yet, but I have tried to time it so that I can have the Seishun 18 Kippu pass (or two) for most of my 'after Hakuba' travel

I'm posting my itinerary below, but I do have a day or two of leeway if people think I should add something else in!!

I have considered Takayama/Shirakawago many times and would like to go, but I think that logistically it won't be easy, and I would like to give it more time than I have – might leave it for my next visit to Japan :)

Wed 17th Feb – Arrive in Kansai Airport (Osaka) at 6pm
Thurs 18th Feb – Osaka
Fri 19th Feb – Osaka to Tokyo (early)
Sat 20th Feb – Tokyo
Sun 21st Feb – Tokyo (day trip to Nikko)
Mon 22nd Feb – Tokyo
Tues 23rd Feb – Tokyo (day trip to Hakone)
Wed 24th Feb – Tokyo
Thurs 25th Feb- Tokyo (day trip to Kamakura/Enoshima Island)
Fri 26th Feb – Tokyo
Sat 27th Feb – Tokyo to Hakuba (afternoon)
Sun 28th Feb – Hakuba (Happo-One)
Mon 29th Feb – Hakuba (Cortina)
Tues 1st March – Hakuba (Goryu/47)
Wed 2nd March – Hakuba (Iwatake)
Thurs 3rd March – Hakuba (Rest Day)
Fri 4th March – Hakuba (Rest Day)
Sat 5th March – Hakuba (return to the resort I liked best)
Sun 6th March – Hakuba to Hiroshima (early)
Mon 7th March – Hiroshima (Miyajima)
Tues 8th March – Hiroshima to Naoshima Island (late)
Wed 9th March – Naoshima Island
Thurs 10th March – Naoshima to Kyoto (late)
Fri 11th March – Kyoto
Sat 12th March (my birthday!) – Kyoto
Sun 13th March – Kyoto
Mon 14th March – Kyoto (day trip to Nara)
Tues 15th March – Osaka
Wed 16th March – Osaka (day trip to Universal Studios Osaka)
Thur 17th March – Osaka (fly out of Kansai airport at 10am)
Fri 18th March – Arrive home.

Thoughts please!!
altomic on 30/10/2015 - 14:34

the thing I loved about living in Japan was that in homes and some companies or restaurants would be that you would take your shoes off at the front door and put on slippers.

and then there would be additional extra slippers when you had to go to the toilet - because you wouldn't wear house slipper when using the toilet!!!!
chompy78 on 31/10/2015 - 12:09

+1

For Internet, just go to one of the big camera stores and they sell sim with a decent amount of gb.
Use an old phone for tethering.

Lots of accomodation places accept paypal.

Airbnb is great there.

Kobe beef is amazing and a must try.

The rail thing is imo not worth it, especially if you are skiing half the time.

Join the couchsurfing group.
eug on 28/12/2015 - 12:39

Just thought I'd say thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I made my first trip to Japan last month and had a great time! There's lots of great info in this thread. I also posted this on Whirlpool, there's a great mega-thread there too.

I did five days in Osaka (with day trips to Nara, Kobe, Arashimaya, Hiroshima), two nights in Kyoto, and a week in Tokyo (day trips to Yokohama, Fukushima, and Mt Fuji).

I'm still amazed at how safe it is. I saw people driving to convenience stores and leaving their cars running outside while they shopped inside. Food is amazing too – cheap and tasty. And that Family Mart fried chicken! Ahhhhhhhhh! hums the family mart tune

I got my data sim ($49 3GB/30 days) from ABLEnet in Brisbane. It worked fine with my Telstra S6.
It was invaluable – everything would have been a lot harder without Google Maps and its train info. I preferred a sim over a pocket wifi so I'd have one less thing to keep charged. Google Translate was very helpful too, as weird as the translations can be sometimes.

Language wasn't as big a problem as I thought it would be. Most people in the more touristy areas could communicate to some degree in English plus hand gestures. Iwaki was difficult – nobody spoke any English at all. I had to rent a car to drive to Fukushima and the car rental place had to get a phrase book out and an interpreter on the phone. The guy was very, very apologetic even though it really wasn't his fault. Everyone is really polite in Japan.

Gadget shopping was great. I'm a techy kinda guy so Akihabara was fantastic. New stuff isn't cheap though, so while Yodobashi and BIC were very interesting, my favourite stores were Janpara and e-earphone.

Janpara is a chain of stores like cash converters for portable electronics (headphones, music players, tablets, laptops) but with very high standards – everything seems to look near-new.

e-earphone is a MUST-SEE for any audio heads. There's a ton of audio players, headphone amps and dacs, headphones, and earphones that you can try out yourself. They also have a good second-hand section. I've uploaded some photos here.

Tokyu Hands is very interesting too – the bigger stores sell an amazing array of things from luggage to stationery to test tubes to aluminium blocks to raw leather sheets to kitchenware to power tools.

I also made a highlights video of the trip if anyone's interested.
Eeples on 31/12/2015 - 19:25

Apologies if it has already been mentioned…..

Hiroshima can easily be done as a day trip by Jr speed train from Kyoto.

But, if you have the time have a few days there…… Hiroshima is beautiful.

Edit: lol ur back.
MrLeE on 28/02/2016 - 20:27

+1
Here's my guide I wrote for a Facebook Group:

Before I get into this massive long explanation of the three awesome cities i went to in Japan, I just want you to know that japan was the best trip in my life. Ive been to USA, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Fuji, around Australia.. But in all Japan was the best..

Its super safe, super polite, and tourist friendly. Joe and I woke up at 7am everyday, went to bed at 11pm every night. Walking around at night is safe. Completely fine. Of course dont go in dodgy areas, but its so good… You should be getting the JR pass defeinately. And you should be getting it now. You have to buy it in advanced, and its only avalible to tourists. they post it to you like a voucher, and at the train station when you get off the airport, you trade it in for a cardboard book with your ticket inside it. (The size of a passport sorta). and u just flash it out and skip all the lines at all the trains stations. It enables you to use all JR trains interstate, and JR local trains too. Its the VIP of japan and super cheap to tourists. Japanese people would only dream to buy these, but they can but its expensive for them.

Tips:

It's good to learn the basics. Stuff like: Hello, thank you. Excuse me (which means excuse me and sorry and "hello I want your attention at a restaurant waitress") and numbers. It helps. Theres other basics you should learn too like where? (because you can be like: doko tokyo station des ka?). doko is where. desu ka is question mark.

Most hotels have free wifi, but whether its good or not, im not sure. I bought my laptop and then shared the internets to the whole room, so it helped. But I also bought a DATA SIM CARD in japan too. It was roughly $45 and I get it sent to my hotel. Just picked it up when I got there. It didnt activate until I started using it. It was all in English to activate. Don't bother roaming your data from Australia overseas. Thats just stupid. My mate went to USA with me. Said happy birthday to his friends on facebook roaming, and came back with a $3000 bill from optus.

If you want more info on a the data sim card, its here: http://www.econnectjapan.com/

Train Map. Take this with you everywhere,. <Print this English Map of the subway out> Helps you get anywhere (some might not be JR).. http://mappery.com/maps/Tokyo-Subway-Map.jpg

These are the places that I went to in Japan:

Osaka (6 days)- Kyoto (3 days)- Tokyo (9 days)

Osaka is I think Japan's second biggest city. It's not fast paced like Tokyo, and still great sites to see. It has some of the best food in Japan in Osaka. It has some famous places to see. I'm happy to map out some cool things if you ever over there at the time or anything before hand.Osaka is 5.5 hours from Narita Airport. Narita airport is right next to Tokyo. It's only about an hour from the JR bullet train. then another 3.5 hours ish, to Kyoto, then 30 mins to Osaka. I found osaka was an awesome place to see some awesome sites, try some amazing food, and experience Japan on an easier level. Plus the train system in Japan is AMAZING. The JR bullet train (It's known as the Shinkansen) is super fast and if you get a JR pass, then going from city to city and within the normal local trains on the JR pass is also included. But be sure you know the difference between JR line and normal subway lines. Subways go more into detail to each of the regions, (which are all walk able anyways).. But if you want to jump from A to B with no hassle, it'll cost you abut $2 a ride. Which is nothing, because there's a train stop like every block, and it goes lightning fast, and there's one every 4 mins. Joe and I used subway alot sometimes insead of looking for the JR, because it was easier to get from A to B for $2 or $3.

But yes, what I did is I took the train from Narita airport to Osaka. I stayed at a hotel called Natural Hot Spring's Hotel. It was roughly $90 a night (split between two! so $45 each a night). It was at Awaza station, which roughly like museum station to central distance from the centre. only 2 stops, and we had free access to the natural hot springs down stairs. If you dont know what an Onsen is, you can check it out here: images. It was like that, but indoors. Not as super flashy as the outdoor ones, but hey.. it was free and a great way to relax after a night ending. Note: its gender split, since you go in naked. But Japanese tradition.

The place we stayed at was here: Natural Hot Springs Spa Hotel Hananoi Osaka 3-6-35 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka, 550-0002 Japan One double bed & sofa bed 324 162 < includes breakfast

Remember Japan isnt big on breakfast, so as a suggestion, get breakfast from your hotel. Not many places are open early in the morning lol. (Normal japanese people wake up super early, so they just eat at home).

With Osaka we just winged it and walked around everywhere. Like I said before, its super safe. So you can just walk around and just enjoy what ever. This is the same for Osaka Kyoto and Tokyo. If you get lost, its suggested to ask younger school girls, or even 7-11 staff. Sometimes they will even close down the store just to help you. That's how helpful they are! The reason I suggested young girls is because they normally know english better than older folks. and they dont get giggly like boys do.

If you have an andriod, You can translate ANYTHING into japanese with OFFLINE ACCESS with this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.and…

Its the best thing ever invented to man for travelling. You can type anything into english, use no internet, and have it written into japanese instantly. just click the full screen button and show them on your phone.

Anyways, Osaka has some hot spots areas that you should check out:

Osaka

Things to see

Mount Koya* Mino Waterfall at Mino national park. Leave a good early morning and most of an afternoon for this. Its a great park and waterfall. and its free.* Umeda Sky Building (This is a must. Its open till 10pm, but go there late afternoon on a weekeday. Seeing the sun set was magical). It's near the osaka train station.* National Museum of Art (we didnt go here, but heard its good. I was over art since my last holiday)

Osaka Train station. is a awesome shopping / tourist area just to walk around!* Red Ferris Wheel (Hi Five) It's smack bang ontop of a shopping centre. The shopping centre next door to it is like 3 levels of just girl shops. Japan likes to group one type of demographic of type of stores together. Yes, all the girls shops will be together in most places.* Eat Ramen / Okonomiyaki / horse* Explore Dotonbori. Best eating area. Walk around at night. its awesome.* Minami. at night. Do it. its like mini vegas. (this is near dontonburi.)* Osaka Castle is abit far out, we didnt get time to go there. But its a nice temple. But Kyoto has a shit load of temples too. everywhere! But if you got spare time there, go there!

Next I went to Kyoto. Kyoto is the amazing place of japanese heritage, and nice temples. If you get a chance, stay at a ryokan. Its an old traditional japanese house. (like on anime cartoons!) it has paper walls, and sometimes a nice rock garden. remember, they charge by per person. So ours was $150 per person a night. So total $300 a night. Eek! Considering, japan yen is weak at the moment, and AUD is pretty strong. But yeah, we just hacked it because we didnt book early enough, and we wanted to stay in kyoto area. The experience was well worth it though, I loved the included japanese breakfast and short walk to anything.

WE stayed here: http://tamahan.jp/

Kyoto.. Oh Kyoto. It was so good to see the old style of japan, transformed into a whole city. Sometimes you see geshai girls walking around, eat traditional food and see some traditoinal temples. Most cases you dont need more than 2-3 days here, because the major sites are close and you can do most of them quickly.

Some must do though in Kyoto:

Kyoto (2 night / 3 days)

Things to see

Hire bikes and Ride bikes around (roughly $10 a day!) Everything is bike accessible. * Arashiyama - Bamboo forest* Higashiyama

These are the extra things we missed out on because it rained. But I would of done these if it didnt.

Fushimi Inari Shrine* kiyomizu dera / kiyomizu temple* Kokedera* Nara Park. Has tons of deer. walking around a park. A beautiful bike travel to park. If it didnt rain we would of went there to see cool deer!

TOKYO!!!!!! Time for tokyo.. OKAYYY…

The reason we travel from Osaka to Kyoto to tokyo last, was because we wanted to be near the airport before we went home. And only needed a 1 hour train ride home. Instead of doing a 5.5 hour ride home. get me?

In tokyo there's a few main places that you can stay at:

Shibuya = young adult area. Tons of shops, mostly for girls. lol. Great place to start, and easy to find tourist friendly stuff. We stayed at the granbell hotel, had free breakfast every morning, 3 min walk to shibuya station (the main place for the area), and room was rad. Full modern and stuff. We had to share a bed, but who cares, we like to spoon anyways. If you book I think a month in advanced, there's discount :).

Shinjuku is the next main suburb up wards. It has lots of night clubs, great places to eat, and more shops. Its more a nightlife area that has great entertainment, while shinjuku is more shops. (goto robot restaurant here - FUNNIEST SHIT EVER)

Roppongi, is the second biggest tourist area after shibuya. It has as well, heaps of nightclubs, bullshit bars (ill explain that later), and roppongi hills shopping area. nice place to check out for a day and then check out the night life too!

Here's the magical list of things to do I had again for Tokyo:

Tokyo (7 days)

Things to see

Robot Resturant: http://www.shinjuku-robot.com/pc/top/Akihabara (Tech district) . Has everything you want in regards to ANIME, MANGA, TECH, GADGETS, PORN, ANIME, MAID CAFES, AND RETRO VIDEO GAMES!.. Fun stuff. You could prob do it in half a day if your like me. (didnt plan to buy much anime since I cant read japanese!)Shibuya (2 days of shopping, walking around into anywhere, and exploring).Asakusa (travel here by boat or just train it. Boat is just funner)Tokyo Sky Tree. Do this one. It's worth it.* Tokyo Tower. Tallest tower in the world?RyōgokuDisney Sea (half day) look into arial the little mermaid sea show on roof? (I didnt do this, but i heard its good)* Tokyo Drift cars in the streets and look like a sick kunt.

Ueno Park and Chidorigafuchi Park in particular is good for cherry blossom viewing. end of march and April.

Harajuku Park at 6am early is good sights or go there on a weekend sunday morning. Best park experience ever. Its like central park but with heaps of people doing fun shit.

*Tsukiji Fish Markets (didnt go here, but i heard its good)

http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/6181/101-things-to-do…

THINGS TO EAT:

Tick these babies off one by one, as you go through your trip. You have to try the awesome food in Japan. It's 10xx better there than here.

Remember, japan is known to have food in each other for that type. EG: This place is known for it's ramen, so a bunch of ramen places will be roughly around there. Or sushi. etc. Meals are roughly $6-$8 ish. Anymore and your in tourist zone or expensive fancy food. When I say $6 - $8 ish, I mean 100 Yen = $1. That was the rough figure for me when I was over there last month.

RamenSushi (Uobei is a funny sushi resturant in Japan, that does sushi plates for $1.10, and you order it on a train track that comes to your table. Not the super best sushi, but a each cheap eat if you want a sushi fix there). sashimiUnagi (smoked eel)Okonomiyaki (savoury pancake)SobaUdonJapanese CurryTempuraBeefMos burger (really tiny burgers, not high priority, but youll walk past em a few times)Takoyakigyoza (go here: http://superfuture.com/supertravel/tokyo/harajuku/harajuku-g…)

First time to Japan... Advice please!!

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