I want to visit Tokyo or larger Japan before I die.

[Mike03]

Since I was about eight years old I have been obsessed with visiting Tokyo, at least before I die.

It just has always fascinated me. Japan in general I just find so captivating, at least what I know of that country from living here. I've never been to any other country except Canada.

I feel like time is passing me by, and I was just wondering if anyone here as been to Japan or thinks it would be a good idea to visit Japan soon.

What do you think about an individual going by himself? Should I try to be part of a tour, or just stake out on my own?

ON EDIT

How much would it cost for like a month's worth of hotels and meals?

[DarkTirade]

1. By 'soon' do you mean 'before the dollar devalues any further'?

[Mike03]

3. LOL, that is one consideration that should be on my mind.

Since I never splurge on myself, probably I would just go for it, without guilt, no matter what it would cost. For the most part, I'm very frugal. But it would be so cool to visit Tokyo. I think I would be traveling alone. That scares me a bit, but It would be okay.

[DarkTirade]

9. Actually I was thinking that at this rate, even factoring in the costs involved you might come back

with more money than you left with if you stayed there long enough... :)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

2. I feel the same way

I am subscribed to a Tokyo job list hoping I'll be right for one.

I seem to love the most expensive places. England and Japan.

[Mike03]

5. Good for you

As for me, I'd be content to just spend a couple of weeks, maybe three weeks as a traveler.

I didn't realize England was that expensive now. My father would probably love to visit England.

Good luck with your endeavors.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

7. And good luck with yours

:toast:

[Tripper11]

4. You should go for it!

Seriously....I was in Japan several times back in the early 80's and it was an amazing blend of the past and the future. At that time I had felt like I stepped into the future, it was amazing and yet as we spent more time there, I began to notice how their historic culture was not only preserved, but embraced and respected as a way of life.
Truly...go for it.

My current obsession is the UK and Europe. I was born in England and would love to go and visit the town I was born in and also cruise around everywhere my parents went when they were young.

[Mutley]

6. I would *definitely* go to Japan.

:bounce:

[datasuspect]

8. this guy is aching for a visit too

[Mike03]

10. I don't care about the expense.

Honestly, I have never gone on any vacations in my life except for my honeymoon in the southwest, ten years ago.

Perhaps it would be smart to try to communicate with someone who has been to Japan or lives in Japan, just to begin to figure this all out. I'm rather a timid person, and this will be a challenge. But my desire is greater than my fear.

[TimeChaser]

11. I'm planning a trip next spring,

only for a week, but I want to get it in while I have the time.

[Mike03]

12. That's great

Any advice on how to go about this?

Are you going through a travel agent, or just playing it by ear and booking a flight and just going.

I'm so uninformed when it comes to travel, it's pitiful.

[TimeChaser]

13. I'm not sure yet

I'm starting way in advance (going in the spring of 09 :) ), and just starting to go around asking friends to see who wants to come.

[spinbaby]

14. I love Japan

I've been there twice now and hope to go again. Getting there and getting around is far more manageable than you'd imagine--after all, they're used to international visitors. What you do is buy a plane ticket and a Japan Rail pass from a nice travel agency like JALPAK or IACE that specializes in Japan travel. Then you take a very, very long flight to Narita where customs will dump you out in front of the Airport Limousine (bus, really) counter where you will buy a ticket to take you to your hotel in some popular and convient area in Tokyo (I like Shinagawa) that you will have booked ahead of time on something like hotels.com. The nice English-speaking clerk will check you in and there you are--ready to explore one of the most interesting cities in the world where everyone is polite, many speak English, and there is next to no crime. While you're there, you'll take a couple of side trips to Kyoto, Kamakura, or Hakone.

Expect air fare to cost around $800 off season and rail pass I think around $250 for a week. Don't go really cheap on the hotel--you want one that is used to Americans--but you should be able to get a pretty decent one for around $125 a night. With food, the sky's the limit--you can easily pay $25 for a breakfast buffet at the hotel or, for a lot less, brave the local eateries. Personally I could live on the ekiben boxed lunches they sell at the train station.

Have fun.

[Mike03]

16. Excellent advice!`

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of detailed or first hand experience that is really inspiring and helpful.

Thanks...

[spinbaby]

25. Once you've made the trip once, you're hooked

Tokyo really is one of the greatest cities to explore. What I really like about it is how safe and convenient it is. It manages to be a very exotic adventure with very little risk involved.

[Mike03]

15. Reputable websites?

Are there any good websites that deal with travel to Japan or Toyko, if anyone knows?

In terms of being clueless, I don't know if it is even possible to be more clueless about foreign travel than I am.

[oregonjen]

17. Lived over there for 5 years

Like Spinbaby wrote, you need to see Kyoto and Nara. Those two cities alone are full of historic cultural artifacts. A day tour of temples and shrines is a good idea because they are spread too far apart to see all of them efficiently by train and walking. Spring or fall are great times to go because the heat/humidity in summer makes it uncomfortable. Winter usually is cold and clear.

I love Japan and it's people so much and consider it my second home. My husband is Japanese and we go visit his family every couple of years. Because we have young children, we go to Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, which helps the kids connect more. We have never visited Disneyland here in the States, so it's a treat for everyone.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to pm me and I might be able to help you.


:) :hi:

[Mike03]

18. Thank you very much for the guidance

I will print out this entire thread when it dies down.

This is great advice, and this is what I was hoping for.

Thank you.

[Hondadriver]

20. I was staioned there for a year

when I was in the Marine Corps at MCAS Iwakuni. Every weekend a couple of us would rent bikes from special services and just ride out till we got tired and then would find someplace to eat then ride back. We spent several weekends at Kintai Bridge just enjoying the area.
here is a link to the bridge:
http://iwkn.at.infoseek.co.jp/ebridge.htm

[Mike03]

19. Maybe I could talk one of my sisters into going.

Would it be better to go with someone to Japan, or just brave it out myself.

[oregonjen]

21. Depends on your personality

If you like being alone, then go alone. However, it's always nice to share the experience! You both would have amazing memories to share for life.

[XemaSab]

23. I have three different friends who just got back from two seperate trips

One went with a group; two went with each other.

The woman who went with a group was really underwhelmed, the other two had a great time.

I'd say don't go with a group, but bring a friend. :)

[Mike03]

22. Maybe the closest I can get is to move back

to Los Angeles and Japan Town. Or San Francisco and Japan Center.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. I studied there in the 1970s and have been back over a dozen times

My next trip is literally next week.

One of the great things about Japan is that it's quite different from the West, and yet it's incredibly clean and safe. That means that you don't have to pay a lot of money to feel safe and healthy.

I have a reservation in a so-called "business hotel" that is literally only about $65 a night for a single. The rooms are drab and look like college dorm rooms, but they have a tiny private bath and broadband Internet. (The capsule hotels are only for drunk men who have stayed out past the last train home.)

For food, you can pay astronomical sums, or you can pay a few dollars in a hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop restaurant, which is what I prefer to do. If you have to pay more than US$10 for lunch or US$15 for dinner, you're not really trying.

The cheapest way to get from the airport to midtown Tokyo (40 miles), is the Keisei Skyliner, a train that costs about $15 and runs to the Ueno area. The limo bus is about $30, and is good if you are staying at one of the expensive hotels that it serves. The Narita Express, which also costs $30, is covered by the Japan Rail Pass if you get your pass validated at the airport, but that ride counts toward your first day of use.

By the way, getting a Japan Rail Pass is worthwhile ONLY if you're traveling outside Tokyo at least as far as Kyoto and back. Otherwise, you're better off buying individual tickets, especially on the local private railways. Incidentally, to answer a FAQ in advance, the JR Pass is NOT valid on the Tokyo subway system or anyone other subway system.

I was in the UK in both 2006 and 2007, and Tokyo is a bargain compared to London. For one thing, the yen has not risen as fast as the euro or the pound. For another, prices are simply lower, as long as you don't go for the high-end products. In the UK, prices are generally the same in pounds as they would be in dollars here, so that, for example, you might see a restaurant advertising lunch specials for £6.95. However, that's nearly US$14 at the current exchange rate.

As far as sightseeing is concerned, GET A GUIDEBOOK. Don't rely on websites and brief messages from online acquaintances. You might enjoy the Insight Guide for its beautiful photography, but both Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide have full guidebooks just for Tokyo and vicinity. All of these contain a lot of valuable cultural information.

Personally, I would NEVER go to an unfamiliar place without reading up on it.

[spinbaby]

27. A couple of comments

You're very familiar with Tokyo and speak Japanese. I've only been there a couple of times and speak very marginal Japanese (Mo sukoshi kanten na nihongo de, onegaishimasu!). From my experience, I'd advise a first-time visitor to spring for a better hotel where they're used to dealing with Americans and also to get a rail pass, even if no long trips are planned. The major train loop around Tokyo (Yamanote?) is JR and takes the rail pass. It was worth having the rail pass so we could ride the loop without fiddling with ticket machines--just show the pass and go. Also, the bullet train was a huge thrill for us and we used the rail pass to spend a day riding back and forth on it. The train isn't a big deal for a regular visitor, I know, but for Americans who don't often get a chance to ride on trains at all, the bullet train was a major attraction.

You're lucky to be going back next week--I can't wait to get back to Tokyo again, but we're putting the kidlet though school, so no extra funds.

[NewJeffCT]

26. If you were going to go for a month

I would start off by going with a tour. That way, you can visit the important sites. Then, if something intrigues you and you want to explore it more, you can go back on your own.