Japan for less than €300 rtn!

mrcheez

First thing I do when I arrive is gorge on Wasabi Kit Kat... best way to get over jet-lag

_Tombstone_

mrcheez wrote: »

First thing I do when I arrive is gorge on Wasabi Kit Kat... best way to get over jet-lag

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/130216/flashing-night-lights-may-help-lessen-jet-lag.html

Jesper

mrcheez wrote: »

Just FYI, there are still good deals to be had by paying the "normal" price on Turkish airlines. Probably pay another €100 but sure that's probably what you'll spend on accommodation per night.

Just booked 11 May to 30 May... gonna be a damn nice time I reckon and away from Golden Week.

Well done on your booking $300! Unfortunately myself and girlfriend booked only a fortnight ago for for quiet a bit more - even though I'm still happy with the price tbh! We are flying on the 11th as well and back from Osaka - Istanbul on the 26th with two nights in Istanbul and home on the 30th.

Don't miss out on the 2016 Sumo Summer Basho. It will be in Tokyo when you are there. Apparently not to be missed but needs to be booked in advance!!! (which of course we have still to do).
http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/sumo-summer-basho

Our plan is 3 days Tokyo - 7 day JR rail pass - 3/4 days Osaka.
It's worth a look at the theme parks in Japan - some of the best in the world apparently! Universal Studio's/Disneyland/Disney Sea etc. We are both close to 30 but heard the roller coasters and parks are brilliant!

Don't forgot to buy your kitchen knife's!
I'm surprised to hear that electronics aren't as cheap as I thought - I want one of the new Sony Cameras!

Now to finish reading the posts and borrow some ideas!

alastair

The Takashimaya Times Square department store beside the Shinjuku train station is well worth checking out - including the Tokyu Hands arts and crafts floor - the place is vast, with all sorts of great stuff under the one roof.

Jesper

Bhangraman wrote: »

If anyone are looking for ideas for their trip: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=znvBp5SnDk-8.kSG6gEp4C2Yg

Excellent Itinerary! Copy and Paste - now to figure out how to make edits!

mrcheez

I'm planning on hitting up Okinawa as well for some Pacific island beaching/chilling. Anyone been, or recommend alternative islands to visit?

Tristram

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm planning on hitting up Okinawa as well for some Pacific island beaching/chilling. Anyone been, or recommend alternative islands to visit?

Miyakojima is a gem.

acquiescefc

Recommend Hakone Freepass. (not free)

About an hour from Tokyo. Mountainous place where you can do a full circle of the area by various modes of transport bus,train,cable cars and a boat across the lake. Really impressive.
Loads of places to see in between, shrines, sulphur mines, onsen, open air museum, you can even see Fuji going over the top in the cable car, if its a nice day, sadly wasnt when i went.

http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/hakone/

mrcheez

Tristram wrote: »

Miyakojima is a gem.

If visibility is good I might dive the USS Emmons, destroyer sunk by kamikaze planes



This, sumo, Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka, and wasabi kit kat. I'll be a happy man.

mrcheez

Might be of use to someone who missed out on the original deal (particularly if they live in Brussels!)

http://www.secretflying.com/2016/03/brussels-belgium-to-tokyo-japan-for-only-e361-return/

kn

Thought this might be of use to some people.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

DylanK

mrcheez wrote: »

Might be of use to someone who missed out on the original deal (particularly if they live in Brussels!)

http://www.secretflying.com/2016/03/brussels-belgium-to-tokyo-japan-for-only-e361-return/

just booked Japan for Nov, just in time for the koyo (colourful leafs)

mrcheez

DylanK wrote: »

just booked Japan for Nov, just in time for the koyo (colourful leafs)

Cool, how much in total (incl flight from home), or are you near Brussels?

mrcheez

kn wrote: »

Thought this might be of use to some people.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

Are there different places to get these rail passes with different prices (i.e. cheaper in some than others) ?

Also for the sumo in Tokyo in May I hear tickets go on sale in April, is there an English-speaking site I can buy these from?

DylanK

mrcheez wrote: »

Cool, how much in total (incl flight from home), or are you near Brussels?

no I based in Dublin, but return flights to Brussels by Ryanair can be found for around 40e (more tho if you wanna check in lugguage). Paid 380 for the flight from Bru - Japan. The another 70e (with a piece of check in luggage) to Bru = 450e in total!

I have checked other airlines that fly out from Dublin as well, cheapest I found in Nov was 620e. No where near 450e

Bhangraman

Bhangraman wrote: »

If anyone are looking for ideas for their trip: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=znvBp5SnDk-8.kSG6gEp4C2Yg

I have updated this itinerary for anyone interested, adding information about transport, costs, times, almost final (just initial Tokyo/Kyoto layers to update regarding transport).

Route: Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Iya valley, Hiroshima and back to Tokyo for more to explore Hakone (near Mt Fuji) and Kamakura.

So excited, counting the days

mrcheez

Seeing as this is bargain alerts, anyone find the cheapest place to source Japan Rail tickets?

absolutegroove

Bhangraman wrote: »

I have updated this itinerary for anyone interested, adding information about transport, costs, times, almost final (just initial Tokyo/Kyoto layers to update regarding transport).

Route: Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Iya valley, Hiroshima and back to Tokyo for more to explore Hakone (near Mt Fuji) and Kamakura.

So excited, counting the days

Hello,

Great itinerary. Can I ask are you purchasing a JR Pass? I fly out to Japan on April 8th and I still have a few loose ends to tie up.

Thanks.

TJJP

Rail pass is best via japan-rail-pass.com. courier delivery from paris\london. Depending on exchange rates, but still cheaper than buying here. There are some changes afoot at the moment with rail passes more generally, looks like JR are remapping the regional passes to take account of the new Hokkaido Shinkansen that opened last week. The tohoku pass (North area) seems to be dividing into two areas. This all is largely irrelevant to anyone booking a 7 or 14 day all Japan pass though. The interesting part is that the info on the new pass types (on sale from April) seem to be going electronic delivery (perhaps direct from JR) and also seem to available to buy on arrival for a 1,000 yen surcharge. All a bit unclear but worth watching the JR websites in any event.

mrcheez

absolutegroove wrote: »

Hello,

Great itinerary. Can I ask are you purchasing a JR Pass? I fly out to Japan on April 8th and I still have a few loose ends to tie up.

Thanks.

Hmm doesn't it take a few days for the JR Pass to be posted to you though? Maybe you can pick up from USIT office same-day.

Incidentally Sumo tickets for Tokyo in May go on sale on April 9th, for those who are going in May.


.

Block (8

Definitely get a JR Pass if your going to use one of the bullet trains as it pays for itself. It will save you a lot of hassle going to the paypoints and figuring how to use the machines and working out the cost of each destination when going around Tokyo. With the JR Pass you just walk through the side and show your pass to the guard and bypass where one puts the bought ticket to open the little gate.

It was only at the end of my week in Japan that I figured out that it cost me the same or less if I bought a pass and saved me a lot of headache. There's a great trip report in the travel forum which I followed and Kyoto is really nice taking the Shinkansen.

sheep?

Actually, just thinking on this since people are mentioning the Shinkansen.

If anyone is thinking of getting a wee bit off the beaten track, the Shinkansen only recently started going to Kanazawa City in Ishikawa prefecture.

It's a little 'unknown' gem (even to Japanese people), only about 500,000 people living there, but it has a lot of highlights:

Kenrokuen, one of Japan's top 3 gardens (which probably means it's the third best :P)

Nagamachi, a samurai district, with some restaurants where you can try Kaga Food, a speciality of the region just to the north of the prefecture. Kanazawa escaped a lot of destruction during the war, so as a result there are hundreds of tiny, narrow streets to explore.

Kanazawa Castle is great craic, especially when you get into it. It was being refurbished when I lived there, but not sure if they've finished yet.

Lots of places to eat local fish dinners (the fish is great, and there's also a great fish market in the city).

Great nightlife as well, particularly for a small city. I have bar and restaurant recommendations if anyone is interested. There is a Manekineko Karaoke, cheap and cheerful.

Also, an amazing welcome to anyone who gets off the train....



(Apart from being a tourist attraction, this gate is to give guests to Kanazawa a dry welcome, since it's famous for its rain. It's not that bad though).

Bhangraman

absolutegroove wrote: »

Hello,

Great itinerary. Can I ask are you purchasing a JR Pass? I fly out to Japan on April 8th and I still have a few loose ends to tie up.

Thanks.

Yes a 2 weeks JR pass for my wife and I during our 3 weeks holiday, when we travel extensively inter-city. I ordered it online on https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/ and received it a couple of days later via Fedex. Checkout https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/book-jrp/delivery-rates-and-times

mrcheez

mrcheez wrote: »

Incidentally Sumo tickets for Tokyo in May go on sale on April 9th, for those who are going in May.
.

Sumo tickets are on sale now for anyone going in May. Just booked my Arena Seats in section A (pricey but worth it!). Weekend might sell out fast but mid-week less so.

http://www.sumo.or.jp/en/index

lc180

mrcheez wrote: »

Sumo tickets are on sale now for anyone going in May. Just booked my Arena Seats in section A (pricey but worth it!). Weekend might sell out fast but mid-week less so.

http://www.sumo.or.jp/en/index

Just booked mine last night when I got back from the pub. I had serious fear that I accidentally booked tickets that were €500 each instead of €50! Trying to figure out Yen to Euro exchange rates at 3am is not advisable

absolutegroove

Arrived in Tokyo last night. A little bit of jet lag.

Cheapest option from Narita Airport to Tokyo (JR Shinjuku Station) by train is by Kesei Blue Line ¥1230.00 and it takes about 90 minutes.

Exchanging my Rail Pass receipt for the proper Rail Pass today (I'm starting my rail pass on Tuesday April 12th) - be warned there is a huge cue at Shinjuku Station (JR Office - East Side) at certain times so I'd advise exchanging asap for the date of your travel.

mrcheez

absolutegroove wrote: »

Arrived in Tokyo last night. A little bit of jet lag.

Cheapest option from Narita Airport to Tokyo (JR Shinjuku Station) by train is by Kesei Blue Line ¥1230.00 and it takes about 90 minutes.

Exchanging my Rail Pass receipt for the proper Rail Pass today (I'm starting my rail pass on Tuesday April 12th) - be warned there is a huge cue at Shinjuku Station (JR Office - East Side) at certain times so I'd advise exchanging asap for the date of your travel.

Cool details like this are handy thanks.

Are you backpacking or lugging around a suitcase on wheels? Debating this one myself. Probably end up going with the backpack.

Jentle Grenade

Thanks for all the tips and advice. Booked our Sumo tickets too, thanks mrcheez Hope you have a great time absolutegrove. We're heading in May and my OH has most of the trip planned with military precision (she's been before so knows what's what). We're going to base ourselves in one hotel and do trips from there so we have reasonable sized backpacks.

absolutegroove

mrcheez wrote: »

Cool details like this are handy thanks.

Are you backpacking or lugging around a suitcase on wheels? Debating this one myself. Probably end up going with the backpack.

Backpacking as I'll be travelling around a fair bit. I saw a few people wheeling suitcases to different attractions today and it looked like they were sorry with their choice of luggage. At least with a backpack you can put it one of the many lockers at the various train stations.

If you are staying in Tokyo and not moving around then a suitcase would be alright.

Do some homework on the train lines in Tokyo as they are not all covered by the JR Pass. You can easily get around but there are many different lines/operators and prices.

The Suica card (like an Oyster card in London but it covers all train lines/buses in Tokyo and other cities) is good but if you plan to use one line many times a day then it might be best to buy a one day travel card as it may work out cheaper.

5/6 trips could be ¥1500.00 or more on the JR or Tokyo/Toei Metro but with a one day card it can be ¥800 to ¥1000.00 depending on train company.

Tusky

mrcheez wrote: »

Sumo tickets are on sale now for anyone going in May. Just booked my Arena Seats in section A (pricey but worth it!). Weekend might sell out fast but mid-week less so.

http://www.sumo.or.jp/en/index

What prices range are the sumo tickets? Is this a particular tournament or...?