Jak Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 As in title really, me and my gf are planning on heading out to Japan for a few weeks around April time next year, was just wondering if any of you had been out there and could recomend places to stay/ sights to see etc etc... Not got a massive budget so no posher than posh hotels unfortunatly! but we would rather have our own room as opposed to a dorm type thingy. Any hints, tips or reccomendations would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance Jak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Walker Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 As in title really, me and my gf are planning on heading out to Japan for a few weeks around April time next year, was just wondering if any of you had been out there and could recomend places to stay/ sights to see etc etc... Not got a massive budget so no posher than posh hotels unfortunatly! but we would rather have our own room as opposed to a dorm type thingy. Any hints, tips or reccomendations would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance Jak Been quite a few times so can definitely help. How long you going for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jak Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi Gaz, Thanks for the reply! Am hopefully going for around 2 Weeks, which i know dosnt sound a long time but its coming down to cost and assuming that we can always go again for longer in the future if we like it (also planning a month in NZ soon so looking after the monies lol ) Jak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coup Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi Jak, I went a couple of months ago with the gf and loved it. If your planning on going to Tokyo, the Time Out guide is very good. I had quite a few of them and was by far the best. Found a great hotel from Trip advisor (http://www.oakwood.com/serviced-apartme ... p6921.html) Its actually apartments but is cheaper than a hotel and more convenient. It even has a bar on the top floor called the sky lounge thats great for a cheap night. Whilst Tokyo is great, if your there for 2 weeks you'll run out of stuff to do and want to do some trips out and I cannot recommend enough hiring a GTR (http://www.senkei.net/eng/yamagaso.html) which is apparently where Tokyo goes to relax. We also went to Nikko which will give you a full fix of temples. You need never see a temple again. I probably sound too enthusiastic about everything but really did have an awesome time. I'd recommend trying as much new stuff as possible -food and even things like maid bars - very weird but very Japanese. Finally. I really hope you like fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zPaul Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi there. I have been to Japan 4 times, My dad owns a company which is the european distributer for a Japanese Fettling machine(originally made for subaru). My dad has been to Japan on no less than 70 occasions so let me know your interests other than cars and ill do my best to help point you in the right direction with things . P.s. you can actually see tyre marks as well as twatted barriers on the downhill roads caused by drifters Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jak Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 Thanks for the help guys, hiring a GTR sounds immense - may have some convincing to do though as far as the GF goes!! Yeah we are heading for Tokyo but want to see outside the city too so Nikko sounds good! also found a tour that takes us to see snow monkeys - just wondering wheter it makes sense to pay for the tour (£800 for 4-5 days only 1 of which involves the monkeys) or do it ourselves - i.e. daytrip out on the bullet train! will have a chat with my gf and try and get a list together of what type of things each of us particulaly want to do! Again i'd be well interested to see some the downhill drift runs but the missuse is less car orientated, so we will just have to see on that front! Jak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Thanks for the help guys, hiring a GTR sounds immense - may have some convincing to do though as far as the GF goes!! Yeah we are heading for Tokyo but want to see outside the city too so Nikko sounds good! also found a tour that takes us to see snow monkeys - just wondering wheter it makes sense to pay for the tour (£800 for 4-5 days only 1 of which involves the monkeys) or do it ourselves - i.e. daytrip out on the bullet train! will have a chat with my gf and try and get a list together of what type of things each of us particulaly want to do! Again i'd be well interested to see some the downhill drift runs but the missuse is less car orientated, so we will just have to see on that front! Jak Where are you going to see the monkey's? Getting to the Japanese Alps from Tokyo is very easy but is a little more difficult by Shinkansen (Bullet Train to you and me). If you plan on doing a bit of touring by train get a Japan Rail Pass but you must use it quite a bit to make it worthwhile buying. STA Travel Shops can issue you with one but depending on the exchange rate they can be very expensive. If you are planning on travelling to Hokaido (Saporo is the main town there) get a Skymark flight there from Haneda which should cost you about £125 depending on the exchange rate. If you are going to Japan with BA or JAL you can pre-book your flight before your visit to Japan and get them cheaper through their OneWorld Flying Programme. Finnair is part of it as well. Kyoto is a real must if you have the time. If you know someone who speaks Japanese try the Travel Agents in Tokyo. You can save a lot of Yen by buying your tours there rather than here. Either way, have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jak Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 Thanks Choptop - Sound advice - i may actually know someone who speaks japanese of the Swift Gti Forum - i took a semesters worth of lessons in my second year at Uni (2008) but wouldnt stand a chance of arranging it myself i dont think, i may be able to get my tutor to help though.... P.S. Whoop Whoop 100th post! Jak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zedwagon Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 you can get day trips from tokyo into the mountains and i think they go as far as where the monkeys are. i wanted to do this when i went and had it booked but it was cancelled due to a typhoon!! did just over a week in tokyo and 4 days in kyoto which is definitely worth going to - completely different to toyko with lots of temples and gardens. you can get between the 2 on the bullet train - about 2.5 hrs and about £60 one way, but worth it. if its a clear day you can see mt fuji out of the window. for things to do in toyko buy a good travel guide and explore using the underground. its really easy and all the different areas of the city are quite different. harajuku, shinjuku are good to see also the shrine at asakusa - theres a street 5 mins walk from there thats full of shops selling japanese tea pots and cups,knives and sake pots at decent prices. also in toyko - the hama-rikyu garden is worth going to-it has a ceremonial tea hut in the middle of the lake which and was impressive cos it was a really old traditional garden but surrounded on every side by glass skyscrapers youre going at cherry blossom time aswell i think which is one of the best times of the year to go from the airport to tokyo - get the airport limousine bus - its basically a coach to the main hotels in tokyo but is the easiest and cheapestvway to get to/from the airport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coup Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 lots of great tips on here! For monkeys, if your not too worried about them being snow monkeys, they also have them in Nikko. I got stalked by a family of them after my food whilst I waited for a bus. They are up in the mountains just by the town where theres a beautiful lake and waterfall. About a 15 minute bus ride. For getting into tokyo, the guides also say to take the limousine bus but I found that as my hotel was in Shinjuku, there is a JR train that goes straight there that was faster, easier and almost as cheap. Plus it'll give you a chance to get your JR rail pass that you'll need to explore tokyo. One more tip thats a bit geeky and seems rediculous in the age of the iPhone is taking a compass. Everyone says how easy it is to get lost - but just knowing which way north is with the street map in hand makes it soooo much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich5259 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 I had 12 trips to Japan on business and the train is the best way to get to the city from Narita. When you're traveling about, it's ok to have 10 or 15 minutes between trains if you have to make connections - They are ALWAYS on time, no need to allow an hour like you do here. The express trains and Shinkansen have a trolley service for drinks and snacks, the girl won't speak english, but poining to what you want works fine. Make sure you try the selection of sandwiches and the dry fish too. For a day trip out of Tokyo, take the JR past Yokohama to Kamakura, where there are seveal temples and things, including the famous Giant Buddah http://www.kamakuratoday.com/e/sightseeing/daibutsu.html http://www.japan-guide.com and http://www.sunnypages.jp are useful too Remember that many restaurants will require you to take off your shoes, so pack some new socks, you don't want to be embarassed by your toes poking out. For food, try shabu-shabu and tempura. If on a tight budget, the Yoshinoya franchise is the local equivalent of McD and has pictures for you to point at. Lots of restaurants have plastic replicas of the meal in the window, so you can point at those too. Have a great time and worry about the credit card bills when you get home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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