Planning a trip to Japan

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I know I've seen a few threads on here with Japan advice, but the ones I saw were a bit old (couple years). Was hoping for some advice.

My girlfriend and I are planning to go the first week of September. Yes, that's a while from now, but, I like to plan. Plus, I'm getting the expenses in order.

No worries about the passports and whatnot. Mainly, I'm trying to find the best possible deals on the flight. We'd be leaving O'Hare and landing in Narita (Tokyo).

So, what are my flight options? I read that Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" is a good choice, but probably will not be applicable until a month or so before the flight (since you get a better rate because they are trying to fill flights). Plus, I cannot order those too early, as they are non-refundable/non-transferrable.

I've heard you can get a good rate if you go on a tour? And I know a couple Japanese travel agencies have been mentioned, but I don't know what any of them are named.

I'm also aware that a "package deal" with the flight and hotel is usually cheaper, but we've already chosen the hotel we will be staying at. It's the Remm Hibiya.

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Anything we should specifically check out while we're over there? I think we will be staying in the Tokyo area, so keeping it limited to that is preferred. She's into anime, and I am (obviously, being on a game website) quite a gamer. And that's mainly why I wanted a hotel in/near Akihabara.
 
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Hey, I'm actually planning a trip to Thailand for October. My original plan was to spend a week in Japan first, then spend 2 weeks in Thailand. I live in the south suburbs of Chicago, so I've been looking into fares from O'hare as well. So far, booking a flight through Japan Airlines through Expedia seems to be the cheapest I've seen online. I don't really know how Expedia works though, not sure what kind of extra charges they might add.

P.S. My Thailand trip is about Buddhism, not ladyboys and "bargirls" :) I always feel the need to clairfy that haha.
 
I took a trip myself to japan for about a month last September, but I can't really give you any advice about cheap flights. I think I ended up paying 700-800$ for a ticket.

Since you're only staying in Tokyo, theres no need to spring for a rail pass if you were considering it. If you are unable to recognize japanese in the written form, you'll want to get yourself a station map of Tokyo in english before you go. I don't remember how it was in Tokyo, but in Kyoto at least, the names on the maps above the machine where you purchase your tickets only had english names for the larger stations. Onboard the trains themselves (in tokyo) they announce the station name in japanese and english and the screens switch between japanese and english.

Another good thing about the tokyo line is that its just a massive loop, so if you do miss a stop, you can get off the train and simply take one going the other way.

Obviously akihabara is going to be a good choice for games and manga and a large amount of porn (if you can't read japanese its easy to be surprised as i found it to often be a floor in department store-ish buildings, you'll be browsing model kits on one floor, cameras on the next, head up to the next and, oh hello whats this?) There was one store that was particularly cool, though unfortunately I can not remember the name. It had a gigantic selection of older games at cheap prices (in japanese of course), as in, huge selection of NES, SNES, Sega CD, Dreamcast, etc. This was an entire floor on a multi-floored store.

You've said your going to be staying in a hotel, which means you probably have a higher budget than I did. There are many interesting places to eat in every Tokyo district, but I stuck to mainly fast food from sukiya or yoshinoya due to money constraints. For a reasonable sized bowl of gyudon with egg, miso, and ocha you only pay about 4$, which I thought tasted great and fills you up. Its worth trying at least once even if you aren't forced by budget. Ramen shops are surprisingly expensive compared to donburi places like sukiya, it seemed that the average price for a bowl of ham ramen was 5-6$, which isn't expensive on its own, but keeping in mind its largely broth and you're paying more than you would for a filling bowl of gyudon, it isn't as appealing.

For "japanese" gifts (ie stereotypical souvenirs) check out the oriental bazaar. Things like stylized kokeshi dolls, sake sets, cheesy t-shirts, etc. can be found there. For cool japanese toys, check out Kiddy Land.
 
Don't know much about flights, but my friends were able to buy 1 day passes for the JR line and the toyko metro line for around $15 I think? It's a really good deal if you're going to be traveling around a lot. Also, don't be out past midnight when the trains shut down because taxi rides are extremely expensive.
 
I just went to Tokyo last April. I booked my flight, hotel and a couple tours through Expedia. For 9 nights and couple tours, I think my total came to just about $3000 for me and my wife. The hotel I stayed at is called Shiniagawa Prince Hotel. What was nice about that hotel is that it is right across the street from the Tokyo line. Room quality was meh...but the room was only for sleeping as there is so much to do in Tokyo. God I want to go back there.
 
[quote name='erifsievol']Hey, I'm actually planning a trip to Thailand for October. My original plan was to spend a week in Japan first, then spend 2 weeks in Thailand. I live in the south suburbs of Chicago, so I've been looking into fares from O'hare as well. So far, booking a flight through Japan Airlines through Expedia seems to be the cheapest I've seen online. I don't really know how Expedia works though, not sure what kind of extra charges they might add.

P.S. My Thailand trip is about Buddhism, not ladyboys and "bargirls" :) I always feel the need to clairfy that haha.[/QUOTE]

Hope your trip goes well. I've been watching the main travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, Priceline) and they all seem close in price for the dates I'm looking for.

[quote name='crystalklear64']I took a trip myself to japan for about a month last September, but I can't really give you any advice about cheap flights. I think I ended up paying 700-800$ for a ticket.

Since you're only staying in Tokyo, theres no need to spring for a rail pass if you were considering it. If you are unable to recognize japanese in the written form, you'll want to get yourself a station map of Tokyo in english before you go. I don't remember how it was in Tokyo, but in Kyoto at least, the names on the maps above the machine where you purchase your tickets only had english names for the larger stations. Onboard the trains themselves (in tokyo) they announce the station name in japanese and english and the screens switch between japanese and english.

Another good thing about the tokyo line is that its just a massive loop, so if you do miss a stop, you can get off the train and simply take one going the other way.

Obviously akihabara is going to be a good choice for games and manga and a large amount of porn (if you can't read japanese its easy to be surprised as i found it to often be a floor in department store-ish buildings, you'll be browsing model kits on one floor, cameras on the next, head up to the next and, oh hello whats this?) There was one store that was particularly cool, though unfortunately I can not remember the name. It had a gigantic selection of older games at cheap prices (in japanese of course), as in, huge selection of NES, SNES, Sega CD, Dreamcast, etc. This was an entire floor on a multi-floored store.

You've said your going to be staying in a hotel, which means you probably have a higher budget than I did. There are many interesting places to eat in every Tokyo district, but I stuck to mainly fast food from sukiya or yoshinoya due to money constraints. For a reasonable sized bowl of gyudon with egg, miso, and ocha you only pay about 4$, which I thought tasted great and fills you up. Its worth trying at least once even if you aren't forced by budget. Ramen shops are surprisingly expensive compared to donburi places like sukiya, it seemed that the average price for a bowl of ham ramen was 5-6$, which isn't expensive on its own, but keeping in mind its largely broth and you're paying more than you would for a filling bowl of gyudon, it isn't as appealing.

For "japanese" gifts (ie stereotypical souvenirs) check out the oriental bazaar. Things like stylized kokeshi dolls, sake sets, cheesy t-shirts, etc. can be found there. For cool japanese toys, check out Kiddy Land.[/QUOTE]

Awesome! Thank you for this!

Yeah, our budget isn't set in stone, but it will be pretty high. We haven't taken a vacation in quite some time. So, this is the one to make up for that. The hotel alone for the five nights we're staying is $76X. And I plan on doing a lot of shopping, which is why I'm hoping to get that "great" deal on the flight.

[quote name='DV8']Don't know much about flights, but my friends were able to buy 1 day passes for the JR line and the toyko metro line for around $15 I think? It's a really good deal if you're going to be traveling around a lot. Also, don't be out past midnight when the trains shut down because taxi rides are extremely expensive.[/QUOTE]

Good to know. I was wondering what time they stopped running.

[quote name='blaked569']for hotels, look into staying at a hostel...you lack privacy and security for your belongings, so beware.[/QUOTE]

Someone else actually mentioned that to me, and they seemed greatly affordable, but we've chosen for sure what hotel we're staying at.
 
You should definitely try to make it outside the city as well if you can. You will miss a lot otherwise. Anyways, try Continental around February. I remember looking last year around the same time and tickets were high $600's which is pretty good. I booked a Continental package with hotel and tickets that came out to way more than I could've paid had I booked separately, but the Keio Plaza hotel is in a super convenient location.

If you have a refrigerator in your hotel room then I recommend going to Seiyu and doing grocery shopping. This may sounds stupid, but the food there is so affordable. You could easily buy breakfast food and lunch food there, especially instant noodles. You will probably have a tea maker in your hotel room that you can get the hot water from. I think there's a Seiyu in Ikebukuro not far from the station on the Yamanote line. Also, if you go later at night you can probably expect to see 50% off stickers on the fresh food (sushi, tempura, whatever). I wish I knew about this early on in the trip so I could've bought liters of drinks and saved $$ instead buying of cans here and there at 7-Eleven or Lawson. I hope this helps.
 
Oh heres a nice tidbit of helpful info so you don't look silly when it happens. Depending on your understanding of Japanese you may or may not know a few words or phrases. Well this one is going to come in handy if you ever buy a meal from a Lawson, 7-11, Seicomart, etc.

Usually you can get by easily enough without saying a word when purchasing your items. Maybe its just because of being a foreigner, but no one ever tried to engage in small talk while buying items like what would happen at a grocery store or gas station here. However, the exception to this is when you purchase one of those bento-type meals. They will always ask you if you want it heated up, so even if you don't understand, if they kinda look at the food and ask you a question, assume they're asking if you want it hot/heated up. The first time this happened they asked me and I stood there like an idiot only understanding part of what the lady said and not making the connection. Eventually she just pointed to their oven a few times and whatever it was she was asking I just said yes and oh the relief!

Its convenient to pick up a bento lunch and walk/go somewhere to eat it, so its likely this situation will happen to you. Along Tokyo Bay with a view of the rainbow bridge is nice. Going in September, the cicadas will be out in full force, their buzzing is relaxing or annoying, I personally like it makes for a pleasant lunch atmosphere.

Also, September is hot as hell in Japan. It doesn't help how humid it is either, especially in Tokyo. Be sure to bring cool, comfortable clothes.
 
My mom travels to Japan every year. She always uses specialized Japanese travel agents. Last year she used http://www.amnet-usa.com to purchase tickets.

I remember tickets for the same exact flight through expedia, priceline, etc was at least $200 more expensive, flying out of LAX.
 
I've gone each of the past two years; the most recent time was last year in December with my girlfriend like you are doing. You are definitely going at a good time if you want cheaper plane tickets. In December I paid about 1,500 per ticket on JAL. The very first time I went, I took Singapore. The prices were very reasonable and the service and food was actually way better than JAL. I haven't travelled with ANA, so I can't really comment on that. If there is a Japanese travel agency near you, you can try them to see if they can find you a good deal.

All I can really add is that you should make sure you get the Suica card. If you aren't going for the all day pass for the Tokyo loop, get the Suica card and put some money on it and swipe it everytime you want to ride the train. If you plan on staying at one area for a long time instead of going to 10 different places staying only an hour at each place in one day, this will actually be more cost effective than buying the all day pass. TRUST ME you will dedicate at least one day to Akihabara (my guess is you'll probably go back on another day because you'll feel like you missed something). Basically just make sure you plan out where you will be going every day.

Anyway back to the Suica card, when you get out of the airport they offer this deal called Suica + NEX (narita express, it should be on signs). You get the Suica card (cant remember if they put some money on it or not) and you get a pass from Narita to Tokyo. I believe it was cheaper and faster than the alternative.

Also just a little more about convenience store etiquette. This actually applies to any store, but when you pay, typically you aren't going to be placing money in the cashier's hands like you do in the US. They all have these little trays, so just drop the money in there. Also when you go shopping in Akihabara look for the words 中古 (or ask for "chuko") if you want to buy some great used games. Japanese people are lightyears ahead of us Americans and their stores put Gamestop to shame. Considering my GS opens up games and tries to sell them as new, most used games in Akihabara are in better condition than the new games at GS. So definitely go used if you want to save some money.

I cant think of anything else for now, but if I think of anything I'll be sure to post it.
 
My fiancée and I were in Japan for two weeks in early December. Our trip was hastily planned, as we decided to go about two weeks before we left. An amazing trip, and I'm eager to go back there soon.

Neither of us had traveled there before, and happened on some good airfares, so we decided to go. The tickets were as low as $600 return (SFO-NRT) on some carriers, but we decided to pay about $650 for JAL. The plane and service were both much better than American carriers, so it was worth it to us.

We traveled around the country by rail, spending a few days in Tokyo at the end of our trip. I'll restrict my comments to Tokyo, as that will be most helpful to you.

Japan, and Tokyo in particular, is a very easy country to travel in. We can't read Kanji, and don't speak any Japanese. We picked up a few useful phrases, and people were very friendly and helpful if we ever looked disoriented. The Tokyo subway is pretty easy to understand, particularly if you're from a city and are used to transit systems. I wouldn't worry about the station names, as every station has a number which is announced (verbally and on screen) on-board subway trains.

Food-wise, you're in for a huge treat. Food in Japan is delicious, and not super-expensive as people make it out to be. Don't be afraid to venture into random places. Some of the best food can be found in the vicinity of large train stations (Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, etc.).

This purely depends on your style of travel, but I wouldn't bother with guidebooks and the like. Just grab a map when you get there you'll find a well-stocked tourist office (JNTO) in Narita, as well as most train stations.

http://www.japan-guide.com is an excellent resource, we used it almost exclusively to plan our trip. The JNTO website is a great one as well (http://www.jnto.go.jp/)

If you have more questions, feel free to ask in this thread or message me.
 
Ya know, I know that Akihabara is supposed to be THE place to go, but I sure thought Den-Den town in Osaka was a lot better. Anyone else have an opinion in comparisons for the two places?
 
In my opinion Den-Den town was no comparison. I think Osaka is worth the visit, but not if you are going to nerd out. Den-Den town has mostly stores that sell electronic parts with a few anime and videogame stores here and there. Also the feeling at night is just not that great; not as lively and populated as Akihabara.
 
Also, if you're looking for day trips from Tokyo, consider Nikko and the Mt. Fuji / Hakone area.
 
Thanks for all the information, everyone. Keep it coming!

jling: I really appreciate the "etiquette". I don't want to stick out too much over there! :lol:
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']I took a trip myself to japan for about a month last September, but I can't really give you any advice about cheap flights. I think I ended up paying 700-800$ for a ticket.

Since you're only staying in Tokyo, theres no need to spring for a rail pass if you were considering it. If you are unable to recognize japanese in the written form, you'll want to get yourself a station map of Tokyo in english before you go. I don't remember how it was in Tokyo, but in Kyoto at least, the names on the maps above the machine where you purchase your tickets only had english names for the larger stations. Onboard the trains themselves (in tokyo) they announce the station name in japanese and english and the screens switch between japanese and english.

Another good thing about the tokyo line is that its just a massive loop, so if you do miss a stop, you can get off the train and simply take one going the other way.

Obviously akihabara is going to be a good choice for games and manga and a large amount of porn (if you can't read japanese its easy to be surprised as i found it to often be a floor in department store-ish buildings, you'll be browsing model kits on one floor, cameras on the next, head up to the next and, oh hello whats this?) There was one store that was particularly cool, though unfortunately I can not remember the name. It had a gigantic selection of older games at cheap prices (in japanese of course), as in, huge selection of NES, SNES, Sega CD, Dreamcast, etc. This was an entire floor on a multi-floored store.

You've said your going to be staying in a hotel, which means you probably have a higher budget than I did. There are many interesting places to eat in every Tokyo district, but I stuck to mainly fast food from sukiya or yoshinoya due to money constraints. For a reasonable sized bowl of gyudon with egg, miso, and ocha you only pay about 4$, which I thought tasted great and fills you up. Its worth trying at least once even if you aren't forced by budget. Ramen shops are surprisingly expensive compared to donburi places like sukiya, it seemed that the average price for a bowl of ham ramen was 5-6$, which isn't expensive on its own, but keeping in mind its largely broth and you're paying more than you would for a filling bowl of gyudon, it isn't as appealing.

For "japanese" gifts (ie stereotypical souvenirs) check out the oriental bazaar. Things like stylized kokeshi dolls, sake sets, cheesy t-shirts, etc. can be found there. For cool japanese toys, check out Kiddy Land.[/QUOTE]

coool man how much you spend on all the trip, the plane tickets, hostels food and all that stuff
 
[quote name='BARBARIANGOLDEN']coool man how much you spend on all the trip, the plane tickets, hostels food and all that stuff[/QUOTE]
Rail Pass- 600$
Plane Ticket- 700$
Food/Sleep Budget- 1050$ (20-35$ a night at hostels/cheap hotels/dorms, meals about 4$ each, little less than 50$ a day)
Spending/Emergency Money- 400$

2750$ for 23 days. I slept outside the train stations twice to save a little extra money spent on a nice evening out and a couple of bar trips. I'd say this is pretty close to the minimum amount of money you'd need to stay for about a month. You could save some money on food by buying stuff like instant ramen at a grocery store instead of getting that 4$ donburi bowl. I guess you could sleep outside train stations more often as well. It seemed pretty common, bunch of drunk suit wearing guys were doing it, so I didn't feel out of place. The only difference was that I had a sleeping bag :lol:

You could also save money by skipping out on the 21-day rail pass if you know where you want to go. I wanted to travel all of Japan, and I did, and the pass saved me a ton of money, but if you're like the OP here and know you're only going to stay in Tokyo or only going to go somewhere in particular, no need to get a rail pass.
 
You probably know this already, but definitely make your way over to Super Potato in Akihabara. Each floor is pretty much dedicated to a system or a generation of systems. Its location is sort of hidden and the signage is exceedingly modest, so just do a quick search online and you can find a map. Other than that, when you get out of the station and make a right you'll be facing the main street in Akihabara which basically has all the big stores facing each other. Just walk down that street and go in all the stores, and then make a u-turn and go into all the stores on the other side. Make time to go down some of the small streets that branch from the main street as there are some anime/videogame stores there too. Do it that way and you'll hit up most if not all the stores that interest you in Akihabara.

What can be helpful if you can't speak the language and are looking for a specific game is to search the game on Amazon.jp or some similar site and write down the Japanese name on paper. I did this and just handed it to the employee and they found all the games for me. Otherwise, you will take hours browsing walls and walls of literally thousands of games looking for the one you want.

If you guys like anime and videogames, I would suggest going to a maid cafe like @home (name of the cafe), when you are in Akihabara. The moment you get out of the station you'll be greeted by girls dressed up as maids who will hand you cards to show you where the cafes are. It's definitely worth a visit because of how odd, yet interesting it is. Order some food while being waited on by maids, play some oldie board games with them, and take a quirky picture with your girlfriend and the maids. I guarantee that you and your girlfriend will get a kick out of it. I know my gf and I loved it.

Make sure you visit a Japanese arcade/fun center on the main street in Akihabara. Go to the top floors and that's where most of the hardcore Japanese fighting game players play. Just watching the Japanese players play SF4 for a moment is pretty amazing if you are into fighting games. Also you can play some of the ridiculous UFO/claw catcher games and try to win something for your gf.

Also someone mentioned getting a map with the English translated maps of the rail loop. You can find that on the JR site so print that out before you leave for Japan, that way you can get a mental picture of the route from area to area.
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']Rail Pass- 600$
Plane Ticket- 700$
Food/Sleep Budget- 1050$ (20-35$ a night at hostels/cheap hotels/dorms, meals about 4$ each, little less than 50$ a day)
Spending/Emergency Money- 400$

2750$ for 23 days. I slept outside the train stations twice to save a little extra money spent on a nice evening out and a couple of bar trips. I'd say this is pretty close to the minimum amount of money you'd need to stay for about a month. You could save some money on food by buying stuff like instant ramen at a grocery store instead of getting that 4$ donburi bowl. I guess you could sleep outside train stations more often as well. It seemed pretty common, bunch of drunk suit wearing guys were doing it, so I didn't feel out of place. The only difference was that I had a sleeping bag :lol:

You could also save money by skipping out on the 21-day rail pass if you know where you want to go. I wanted to travel all of Japan, and I did, and the pass saved me a ton of money, but if you're like the OP here and know you're only going to stay in Tokyo or only going to go somewhere in particular, no need to get a rail pass.[/QUOTE]

Bumping the thread. Still interested in anything that has to be said.

ck64, was your ticket $700 one-way, or $700 round-trip. Where did you get your ticket so cheap (if round-trip)?!
 
Bump.

Getting excited, and doing more research. My girlfriend and I got our passports, so that's an expense we can cross off the list.

I received some nice (free) brochure/magazine about the rail pass, and about tours in Japan. We're definitely looking at doing a couple one-day tours. Looks like they run about 12,000 yen or so per person. (They even have a ninja/samurai "tour"...we're both interested in that one!)

Still waiting on our plane tickets. Looks like prices on the major flight sites are hovering around 1,100 per person (round trip). I definitely want to find a better deal on those.

One thing I'm not sure about, and I hope somebody can answer. Say we're leaving on September 1 (leaving the US). If we get a return flight of September 9, do we fly out of Japan on their September 9...or the US September 9? (Japan's like, what...15 hours ahead of us or something?) This will be my first flight; sorry if I sound like an idiot. :lol:

So, more suggestions would be nice!

EDIT:

[quote name='xtal']Also, if you're looking for day trips from Tokyo, consider Nikko and the Mt. Fuji / Hakone area.[/QUOTE]

Mt. Fuji/Hakone was one of the one-day trips we saw in the magazine. It sounded quite nice. Does anybody know how those work, exactly? Do you get taken there from Tokyo? Or, do you have to meet somewhere outside of Tokyo?
 
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I did the Mt.Fuji/Hakone day tour before. You get picked up from one of the hotel stops they list and onto the bus you go. So yeah, you do head out from Tokyo.

Pick the one that has the return trip on the Shinkansen (bullet train). Much quicker to get home in the evening and it's very nice to experience the train system. What they do is drop you off at the train station at the end of the tour and hand you the tickets. You are on your own at that point. Make sure it's the right train and you'll be speeding back to Tokyo Station in no time.

If you are doing the Mt Fuji/Hakone tour, upgrade to the one that includes the lunch. They make a stop around lunchtime at a restaurant and it was yummy. Brought to a private room with your tour mates that opted for lunch. We had a nice prepared meal that included a big bowl of udon noodle soup, shrimp and veggie tempura, and a bunch of other stuff.

Bonus that you'll likely be with other English speaking folks that may or may not be as confused as you.
 
[quote name='transparent']Bumping the thread. Still interested in anything that has to be said.

ck64, was your ticket $700 one-way, or $700 round-trip. Where did you get your ticket so cheap (if round-trip)?![/QUOTE]


I flew to Tokyo, Japan last year around the end of May and stayed for a week. My ticket was around $750 roundtrip, at the time that was when airlines were being hit hard by the economy and few people were flying so they have very cheap flights up. I think I used Kayak.com to find my flights.


Here's some stuff I wrote up for my friend who went last year.


Tips:

- You can drink alcohol on the streets of Japan. It's kind of frowned upon so if you do it expect people to stare at you.

- Try to befriend some locals and ask them for good spots to go. This is actually rather hard because people in Tokyo for the most part are uncomfortable to with speaking English. But it doesn't hurt to try because they can often get you into places you wouldn't find on your own.

- If you have tattoos most spas or public pools will ask that you either cover them up or leave. Just fyi.

- Watch out for hostess girls. If you know the girl is a hostess then it's not bad. A hostess is basically a girl that works at the bar and will hang out with you until she gets bored aka. until you stop buying drinks or if she doesn't like you. These girls work for the bars and get paid out by how much stuff you buy.

- Avoid the African dudes these guys are promoters or security for clubs if you can. These guys usually just pester you to goto their club and don't expect to get any good advice from them. Most of these guys are clueless about Japanese culture or directions in general.

- The food in Tokyo is all delicious. That's all I can say even the refridgerated food from 7-11 taste better than the Japanese food I've had in the US. Also try all of the drinks from the vending machines they're pretty nice. Try every food establishment the food quality and customer service is amazing.



Here's some places to go to in Tokyo, Japan. I've broken them down by districts.

Shinjuku district:
- If you want cheap drinks and conversation I'd recommend going to the Golden Gai. It's like a small area that full of tiny shanty style bars. You'll find a wide range of people there some of whom are talkative to foreigners.

- There's also an alley way that serve various types of Japanese food. Most of these places have been condemned by the government because their buildings are unsafe, the food is good though. I forget what it's called but you'll know when you see it because it's not hard to spot.

- The redlight district here is called Kabukicho most of them won't even let you in unless you're Japanese and at the very minimum at least speak the language fluently. I can't really tell you anything here other than if you see a bunch of billboards with Asian guys that look like Rod Stewart then congratulations you're in the Nichome district aka. the gay district.

- Shinjuku Gyoen which is the Imperial Garden. I never got a chance to visit this place but I heard it's cool. They have a bunch of cherry blossom trees.

Shibuya district:
- You'll want to see the Shibuya Crossing. There's a Starbucks on the corner that has the best view of the street. If you exit the subway on the Shibuya stop it will pretty much place you right infront of the crossing. There's also a statue of Hachiko, a really famous Japanese dog.

- On the same block as the Hachiko statue is the Shibuya 109 shopping mall, it's an all women store so you won't find any guy stuff there. I'd recommend just walking around each floor and checking out the eye candy and fashion. The guys store is further down the street it's called Shibuya 109-2, I've never been there but I was told it was nearby.

- If you're into parks and cool scenery I'd recommend checking out some of the parks and temples in the area; There's Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine.

Harajuku district:
- The Omotesando area is worth checking out for shopping there's a mall there call the Omotesando Hills Mall. It is beautifully designed and was built by a world famous architect. There's not a whole lot of cool stuff in the mall itself but the various stores located around the mall are worth checking out for both shopping and sight seeing. They have some really interesting building architecture in that area. If you're in the area you might as well check out the mall as well, the view from the top floor is pretty amazing.
- The other area to check out is Takeshita Street which is where most of the Harajuku (goth) type people dress up and hang out. I've been told the best day to go out is Sunday because that's when the largest crowds are out.
- The Audi dealership in this district is pretty cool, they give out free Red Bulls. Just pretend like you want to buy one and they'll just hand it to you for free.

Ginza district:
- This is where you go if you want to see alot of high end store and rich people. You'll find a bunch of car dealerships and high end fashion stores like Gucci and Tiffany's. Might be worth checking out if you want to see architecture but aside from that there's not to much tourist stuff there.

Roppongi Hills district:
- This is where you go if you want to drink or go out clubbing. All of the clubs are here and for the most part they're friendly to foreigners. People here actually try to speak some English; so if you want to hit on girls or whatever this is your best place to be. Also beware there's alot of promoters on the street for various strip clubs and dance clubs. These guys are a big nuisance and for the most part the clubs they recommend usually suck. At the very least you can con them into letting you check out their club and just bounce. This usually works with the guys promoting strip clubs however I'd avoid the strip clubs in Japan they all suck and are nothing like the ones in the US. But if you want all you can drink for an hour it might be a good option. The best strip clubs I'm told are the Japanese only ones but they don't let foreigners in those places.

- There isn't really a "good" club in this area they're all kind of the same. Rarely did I ever spend more than an hour in one before I decided to check out another place.

Koto district:
- This district is really far from everything but it also happens to have one of the best clubs in all of Japan. It's call Ageha. Ageha runs a free bus service at night from near the east exit of Shibuya station in Tokyo. The bus takes 30-45 minutes. There is also a free return bus service. I never got a chance to go to this club but every one tells me it's the best. They always have famous Electronic DJ's there, like Armin, Ferry Corsten, Digweed, and Tiesto have played there numerous times. They also play hip hop as well.

Akiba district:
- This district is where you want to go for electronics, porn and various themed cafes. I don't really know how to explain this place but that's what you can expect if you go there. If you're looking for any of that stuff that's where you should be.

Odaiba district:
- This district is a man made island. It's still in development right now so there's alot of empty space. I wouldn't recommend going here unless there's some specific you want to see. The ride there is kind of long and out of the way. But at night the Rainbow Bridge is very beautiful.

- The Sega Joyopolis is a big arcade, for like $30 bucks you can play there for a couple of hours without having to pay for the games. Some of the games are pretty fun if you go on the weekends the lines are pretty long but at the same time there's alot of cute girls there.

- The Toyota dealership. This dealership is located near the Sega Joyopolis. It's kind of cool you can test drive cars if you have an international drivers license and you can sit in a car that drives itself. But for the most part it's a dealership so it's not that exciting.

- Located near the dealership is an indoor mall that is basically a ripoff of the Venetian Hotel in Vegas. They have some okay stores but I'd mainly go to see their ceiling and the car museum they have inside.



The Imperial Palace is another cool place to goto. I forget what district it's in. It's only open during two times of the year which is around the Blossom Festival and the Emperor's birthday. Even if it's not open the surrounding area is very beautiful and worth checking out.
 
I went to Tokyo for a few weeks around New Years in 08/09. I wish I could give you advice on where to go and what to do, but my friends (who live there and I stayed with) basically knew how to get around and where to go/what to do.

Definitely go to the obvious hotspots (Akihabara, Harajuku, Shibuya, Tsukiji has really good fresh fish, and Roppongi just because it's funny and so sketch there).

My only regret(s) that I didn't do that I'm planning on doing on my next trip there next year is to go outside of Tokyo to do a bit more sight-seeing, go check out a maid cafe, and hook-up with more models. lol

You'll definitely have a good time there.
 
[quote name='Naramie']I flew to Tokyo, Japan last year around the end of May and stayed for a week. My ticket was around $750 roundtrip, at the time that was when airlines were being hit hard by the economy and few people were flying so they have very cheap flights up. I think I used Kayak.com to find my flights.


Here's some stuff I wrote up for my friend who went last year.


Tips:

- You can drink alcohol on the streets of Japan. It's kind of frowned upon so if you do it expect people to stare at you.

- Try to befriend some locals and ask them for good spots to go. This is actually rather hard because people in Tokyo for the most part are uncomfortable to with speaking English. But it doesn't hurt to try because they can often get you into places you wouldn't find on your own.

- If you have tattoos most spas or public pools will ask that you either cover them up or leave. Just fyi.

- Watch out for hostess girls. If you know the girl is a hostess then it's not bad. A hostess is basically a girl that works at the bar and will hang out with you until she gets bored aka. until you stop buying drinks or if she doesn't like you. These girls work for the bars and get paid out by how much stuff you buy.

- Avoid the African dudes these guys are promoters or security for clubs if you can. These guys usually just pester you to goto their club and don't expect to get any good advice from them. Most of these guys are clueless about Japanese culture or directions in general.

- The food in Tokyo is all delicious. That's all I can say even the refridgerated food from 7-11 taste better than the Japanese food I've had in the US. Also try all of the drinks from the vending machines they're pretty nice. Try every food establishment the food quality and customer service is amazing.



Here's some places to go to in Tokyo, Japan. I've broken them down by districts.

Shinjuku district:
- If you want cheap drinks and conversation I'd recommend going to the Golden Gai. It's like a small area that full of tiny shanty style bars. You'll find a wide range of people there some of whom are talkative to foreigners.

- There's also an alley way that serve various types of Japanese food. Most of these places have been condemned by the government because their buildings are unsafe, the food is good though. I forget what it's called but you'll know when you see it because it's not hard to spot.

- The redlight district here is called Kabukicho most of them won't even let you in unless you're Japanese and at the very minimum at least speak the language fluently. I can't really tell you anything here other than if you see a bunch of billboards with Asian guys that look like Rod Stewart then congratulations you're in the Nichome district aka. the gay district.

- Shinjuku Gyoen which is the Imperial Garden. I never got a chance to visit this place but I heard it's cool. They have a bunch of cherry blossom trees.

Shibuya district:
- You'll want to see the Shibuya Crossing. There's a Starbucks on the corner that has the best view of the street. If you exit the subway on the Shibuya stop it will pretty much place you right infront of the crossing. There's also a statue of Hachiko, a really famous Japanese dog.

- On the same block as the Hachiko statue is the Shibuya 109 shopping mall, it's an all women store so you won't find any guy stuff there. I'd recommend just walking around each floor and checking out the eye candy and fashion. The guys store is further down the street it's called Shibuya 109-2, I've never been there but I was told it was nearby.

- If you're into parks and cool scenery I'd recommend checking out some of the parks and temples in the area; There's Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine.

Harajuku district:
- The Omotesando area is worth checking out for shopping there's a mall there call the Omotesando Hills Mall. It is beautifully designed and was built by a world famous architect. There's not a whole lot of cool stuff in the mall itself but the various stores located around the mall are worth checking out for both shopping and sight seeing. They have some really interesting building architecture in that area. If you're in the area you might as well check out the mall as well, the view from the top floor is pretty amazing.
- The other area to check out is Takeshita Street which is where most of the Harajuku (goth) type people dress up and hang out. I've been told the best day to go out is Sunday because that's when the largest crowds are out.
- The Audi dealership in this district is pretty cool, they give out free Red Bulls. Just pretend like you want to buy one and they'll just hand it to you for free.

Ginza district:
- This is where you go if you want to see alot of high end store and rich people. You'll find a bunch of car dealerships and high end fashion stores like Gucci and Tiffany's. Might be worth checking out if you want to see architecture but aside from that there's not to much tourist stuff there.

Roppongi Hills district:
- This is where you go if you want to drink or go out clubbing. All of the clubs are here and for the most part they're friendly to foreigners. People here actually try to speak some English; so if you want to hit on girls or whatever this is your best place to be. Also beware there's alot of promoters on the street for various strip clubs and dance clubs. These guys are a big nuisance and for the most part the clubs they recommend usually suck. At the very least you can con them into letting you check out their club and just bounce. This usually works with the guys promoting strip clubs however I'd avoid the strip clubs in Japan they all suck and are nothing like the ones in the US. But if you want all you can drink for an hour it might be a good option. The best strip clubs I'm told are the Japanese only ones but they don't let foreigners in those places.

- There isn't really a "good" club in this area they're all kind of the same. Rarely did I ever spend more than an hour in one before I decided to check out another place.

Koto district:
- This district is really far from everything but it also happens to have one of the best clubs in all of Japan. It's call Ageha. Ageha runs a free bus service at night from near the east exit of Shibuya station in Tokyo. The bus takes 30-45 minutes. There is also a free return bus service. I never got a chance to go to this club but every one tells me it's the best. They always have famous Electronic DJ's there, like Armin, Ferry Corsten, Digweed, and Tiesto have played there numerous times. They also play hip hop as well.

Akiba district:
- This district is where you want to go for electronics, porn and various themed cafes. I don't really know how to explain this place but that's what you can expect if you go there. If you're looking for any of that stuff that's where you should be.

Odaiba district:
- This district is a man made island. It's still in development right now so there's alot of empty space. I wouldn't recommend going here unless there's some specific you want to see. The ride there is kind of long and out of the way. But at night the Rainbow Bridge is very beautiful.

- The Sega Joyopolis is a big arcade, for like $30 bucks you can play there for a couple of hours without having to pay for the games. Some of the games are pretty fun if you go on the weekends the lines are pretty long but at the same time there's alot of cute girls there.

- The Toyota dealership. This dealership is located near the Sega Joyopolis. It's kind of cool you can test drive cars if you have an international drivers license and you can sit in a car that drives itself. But for the most part it's a dealership so it's not that exciting.

- Located near the dealership is an indoor mall that is basically a ripoff of the Venetian Hotel in Vegas. They have some okay stores but I'd mainly go to see their ceiling and the car museum they have inside.



The Imperial Palace is another cool place to goto. I forget what district it's in. It's only open during two times of the year which is around the Blossom Festival and the Emperor's birthday. Even if it's not open the surrounding area is very beautiful and worth checking out.[/QUOTE]

Awesome cliff-note guide!

Everywhere you mentioned is someplace that I've been.
 
@Naramie's post: I thought Odaiba was worth going to, the view there was beautiful and seeing the sterile (could be good or bad, depending how you look at it) Tokyo mainland was evocative of Mirror's Edge (whose society is arguably similar to Japan's, in certain resepcts). Also, they had a Toys R Us with a giant Dialga, which I appreciated.

Lastly, Joypolis wasn't so much an arcade as it was a "digital themepark"...? I was excited until I entered and realized that there were no games present - it's more like VR sim rides and that kind of thing, which are definitely neato but not bullet-hell/street-fighter/akihabara goodness that i was expecting.

also, cocks.
 
Odaiba is awesome, great tourist spots and such. Akihabara is great for anime and games. You MUST try the arcades there. I recommend the Gundam POD game. Shinjuku has a ton of dept. stores, and a nice bookstore too. To keep your food spending down, you can try convenience store meals, which aren't half bad, or go to smaller restaurants where you pay, and eat standing at a bar. It's a bid weird, but the food is good and it's pretty cheap (I got curry rice and ramen for about $5 at one in Shinjuku)
 
You guys don't disappoint! Thank you much for the continued advice. I hope this is helping others as well!

One thing I've been interested in (that I don't know much about)...gambling? They've got Pachinko and such, right? Is there a recommended place to play for a bit...or is this something I should avoid?
 
[quote name='transparent']You guys don't disappoint! Thank you much for the continued advice. I hope this is helping others as well!

One thing I've been interested in (that I don't know much about)...gambling? They've got Pachinko and such, right? Is there a recommended place to play for a bit...or is this something I should avoid?[/QUOTE]

Most conventional gambling is actually illegal in Japan. As for a Pachinko parlor, just walk around Tokyo or any entertainment district and you'll eventually stumble upon one. Be prepared for a lot of cigarette smoke, though.
 
i miss living in japan, was in okinawa not mainland..... man i miss tonkatsu... and soba...mmmmm
but whatever you do, dont eat grape ice cream.... bleah
 
Lots of good advice already... Let me add a few more that haven't been mentioned.

-If you do any travel outside of Tokyo, Hyperdia is a good resource to plan your train ride. It's like the mapquest of train trips. You give it your start/end points, and your desired departure/arrival. It'll tell you the trains to take, where to transfer, how long it'll take, and how much it'll cost.

- Consider sending your luggage from the airport to your hotel. It's maybe $15 per piece of luggage, and they'll deliver it that day, or early the next day. Narita airport is about 1+ hour, and several transfers away from the center of Tokyo. Coupled with the fact that the trains can be CROWDED, it's easier not to hassle with a big/heavy bag, especially after the long flight. You might not have your bag the 1st night, so you'll have to pack a change of clothes and your toiletries in your carry-on, but that's always a wise practice anyway. ;)

- Take the Keisei line from Narita airport. It'll save you maybe $15-20 over using the JR Narita Express.

- Use the ATMs at the post office for cash. Money exchangers and banks will always take a few percentage points to convert your money. Using the post office ATM, I've always gotten the day's exchange rate. You'll need to make sure your PIN is 4 digits, and your bank might charge a few dollars for an out-of-network ATM. Still, I've found that this is the best way to get cash. Remember, Japan is a mostly cash society. You'll be able to use credit cards most places, but don't count on it.

-Speaking of credit cards... Double check your agreement and see what the policy is on foreign transactions.
 
Thanks for the advice all...bump!

I've reserved our hotel for the first five nights here. However, they are booked for the next two days, so, I need to find a hotel for our last three nights over there. I'm browsing around for hotels in the immediate area. A lot of them are damn expensive!
 
[quote name='transparent']Thanks for the advice all...bump!

I've reserved our hotel for the first five nights here. However, they are booked for the next two days, so, I need to find a hotel for our last three nights over there. I'm browsing around for hotels in the immediate area. A lot of them are damn expensive![/QUOTE]

The Ginza Capital Hotel is affordable with a good location -- technically it's in Tsukiji, but it's just an easy 15 min walk to Ginza. Tsukiji Station is about a block away to connect to anywhere else via subway.

It's considered a 'business' hotel and isn't as nice as the one you'll be staying at in the beginning of your trip though. Breakfast buffet was included -- which proved to be a bonus money saver to start off each day well fed. Stayed in the Annex building several years ago.

Everything's really close by, so it was nice to be in the same relative area without the added cost. Hey, it's an option to look into.

If you are going to Asakusa, you can take a leisurely stroll to Tsukiji Park and board the 11 Bridges(?) Sumida River cruise to get there by boat instead of subway. Very relaxing trip up river. Easy to take the train back to the hotel from Asakusa too.
 
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For anyone with an iPhone, I recommend looking up an app called Teleport+. It's $9.99, and is stuffed with a ton of Tokyo information! Lots of videos, images, descriptions and maps. I almost *never* buy apps...but this one was worth it!
 
I went in October or '08. It was good fun. Some real quick random thoughts:

If you're really into the nerd scene you'll probably want three days in Akihabara. I couldn't get enough of it but I forced myself to do some more cultural stuff and I'm glad I did.

Odiba was fun. The unmanned monorail alone was worth the trip out there plus a quick walkthrough of Fuji TV is good fun. There's the mall nearby and the Rainbow bridge. There's a Statue of Liberty there too, one-fourth the size of the real deal in NYC.

Make sure you dedicate three or so hours to Tokyo Tower. We stayed right up the street at Tokio Inn in the Shimbashi district so it was a quick walk. Tokio Inn was pretty cheap and just a bit dumpy but fine for sleeping and showering. It was a little too far from the train after ten hours of pounding pavement- but money was tight.

Make sure you see Saigo's statue in Ueno Park. The real life Last Samurai.

I recommend checking out Book-Off for like new used books, music and video games. Got some great deals there.

Shinjuku's tri intersection, scramble crossing and Hachiko's statue by the station are a must. Lots of trendy stuff here, with a sweet nerd hideout that neighbor's a vinyl store. There's Book Off here, as well.

Head to Tokyo Dome City for the Shonen Jump Shop and a look at the arena where all the boxing and fight events take place.

Definitely ride the Shinkansen. It's awesome. I went to Kyoto for a day. Definitely not as English friendly but a very good look at a less trendy, less crazy part of Japan. Kyoto didn't do much for me, kind of wish I'd gone to Osaka.

Make sure you hit some shrines and temples. There's a nice one near the Tokyo Tower - Atago Shrine. It's very small and very hidden feeling despite being in the city. It's like, 77 stairs to the top and it puts you near the Broadcast Museum.

Try the Meji Shrine as well. There's a big, busy park nearby and the famous cosplay bridge is there, too.

I ate on the cheap, about 18 a day from Lawson's and fast food'ish places.

There's still a number of things I didn't do, habachi, karaoke, maid cafes. I'm pretty shy and the culture shock was pretty huge for me. Plus, everyone I knew was 13 hours away in Sapporo so I had no locals with me.

For riding the rails I echo the Suica card. We bought a full on rail pass and it was overkill.

Have fun, be prepared to carry your trash (there's no places to throw it away) and there's also very few places to sit (even in parks). Get an umbrella, carry some food and drink with you. I had a messenger bag, and it was never a problem to carry it in stores. Take lots of pictures. Get yourself in some, too. I returned with 3 pictures of myself and they all sucked. lol

It was a mixed bag at times but I'd jump at the chance to go back. Maybe next year...
 
I've been to Japan a few times and I just used points from my Amex. If you spare points, you can book a flight through ANA. I rode their older model planes so I'm not sure how they are now. I heard they brought in new airplanes but the service was spectacular on ANA.

As mentioned earlier, getting a Suica card is your first priority. Put a couple thousand of yen on it and take the subway. The subway will take you literally everywhere. It does a huge loop in Tokyo and crosses everywhere. I'm not sure if its me or not, but no one talks on the subway or they talk very softly. Talking on the cell phone on the train is not recommended. You'll just notice a bunch of people either sleeping or texting/internet on the phone.

Most of the food is great everywhere, even the malls and subway stations. It is amazing how many food places and vending machines they cram into Tokyo. A lot of places have "English" menus BUT you have to request for it. So, if you walk into a restaurant, just simply ask for a English menu. Tipping is also not required. They give it back to you. I've tried many times and a lot of people just simply will not take it.

Make sure you plan out your trip. You don't want to waste time in a day crossing from one city to another. Just do a patch of things here, then a patch of things there, etc etc. There is lots to see so bring a camera. =)

I forgot which stop it was on the subway, but there's a Starbucks across the street and you can do a lot of people watching. It is on the 3rd floor. You will see how crazy busy Japan is. It's like a rat race out there.

Best of all, have fun. Make sure you have a simply map of Tokyo. Good luck!
 
[quote name='littlenicky']
I forgot which stop it was on the subway, but there's a Starbucks across the street and you can do a lot of people watching. It is on the 3rd floor. You will see how crazy busy Japan is. It's like a rat race out there.

[/QUOTE]

Shibuya
 
I've lived in Japan and travelled there almost yearly and from my experience getting a ticket from a Japanese travel agency is usually the cheapest. Try JTB, HIS or IACE for deals or search for other japanese agencies. They may have an actual office in your city as well.

There are some great cheap hotels in Tokyo. My favorite was in Akihabara. The rooms were small and not special at all, but the location was great - just a couple blocks from the station and one block of the main strip. But the best part was they had an onsen (hot spring bath) on the roof of the building. For me that was the best. Laying in the middle of Tokyo in an outdoor (or indoor) hot spring. It was surreal.

I recommend getting outside of Tokyo if you can. The countryside of Japan is my favorite.

Go to stores like Hard Off if you can - or any recycle stores. If you like hunting for treasures this is a must. At Hard Off the "Junk" section is my favorite. I've found so many great Japanese games from older gen consoles for a 100 yen or less. I like collecting older games that I love even though I'll never play the game itself. Plus - some of the recycle stores have really cool things to look at and Akihabara has some great ones albeit a bit expensive.

If you've never been to Japan than go and do some of the normal tourist trap stuff. Go to Asakusa. It's a great experience to see a tourist trap. But fun.
 
[quote name='Bonesinski']I've lived in Japan and travelled there almost yearly and from my experience getting a ticket from a Japanese travel agency is usually the cheapest. Try JTB, HIS or IACE for deals or search for other japanese agencies. They may have an actual office in your city as well.

There are some great cheap hotels in Tokyo. My favorite was in Akihabara. The rooms were small and not special at all, but the location was great - just a couple blocks from the station and one block of the main strip. But the best part was they had an onsen (hot spring bath) on the roof of the building. For me that was the best. Laying in the middle of Tokyo in an outdoor (or indoor) hot spring. It was surreal.

I recommend getting outside of Tokyo if you can. The countryside of Japan is my favorite.

Go to stores like Hard Off if you can - or any recycle stores. If you like hunting for treasures this is a must. At Hard Off the "Junk" section is my favorite. I've found so many great Japanese games from older gen consoles for a 100 yen or less. I like collecting older games that I love even though I'll never play the game itself. Plus - some of the recycle stores have really cool things to look at and Akihabara has some great ones albeit a bit expensive.

If you've never been to Japan than go and do some of the normal tourist trap stuff. Go to Asakusa. It's a great experience to see a tourist trap. But fun.[/QUOTE]

The closest local office would be Chicago's branch, but that's nearly two hours away from where I live. Would it be worth going up there one weekend to check them out?

Do you happen to know what hotel that is in Akihabara? We are already staying at the Remm Hibiya in Akihabara for four nights. I need to find a hotel for our last three nights. If you liked it, I'll definitely check it out.

And, thanks again to all for the advice. It's much appreciated, and I cannot wait for September!
 
Reading this post really makes me want to come back to Japan again and hit up all those places I've missed!!

One key recommendation I have: Good walking shoes. I made the mistake of wearing my Converse chucks the first day and my feet were killing me! You'll do a lot more walking from place to place compared to here. Bought some comfy foot pads the next day and it helped out the rest of the trip.

Oh and another place I can recommend is to visit the Ghibli Museum if you're a fan of Miyazaki's work. Definitely not your typical museum setup and so much fun. If I remember correctly, you have to buy these tickets in advance. There's a US office you can purchase from online though JTB I think.
 
Bump!

It's less than 50 days before our trip begins. I'm starting to get nervous/anxious. A couple things I hope others may have information on:

Getting to the hotel from Narita Airport: What's the easiest way to do this? Can you just jump on a train? I've heard taxi services are a bit steep...so should we avoid them? (We'll be staying at the Remm Hibiya first.)

After five nights at the Remm Hibiya, we're going to need to find a place for the remaining three nights. We're thinking of trying a pod hotel for one night, and then, maybe a Ryokan (tradition Japanese Inn) for the last two nights?

Does anybody know of a good pod hotel that allows the users to either be in the same pod, or, have adjacent pods (my girlfriend doesn't want to be split up)? And, how about a good ryokan in Tokyo? I would prefer both of these hotels be within walking distance of the Remm Hibiya; we are going to try and avoid the train systems and taxis and such as much as we can.
 
Not sure why you're avoiding the trains and taxis, but getting out of Narita is quickest by taking the Narita Express train out to Tokyo Station. The kiosk/automatic ticketing system is easy to buy from. Head down to the train, and it's a speedy and relaxing ride with no traffic to contend with. The bus may be cheaper, but it will be a long ass ride.

Once you arrive in Tokyo Station, you will have to make your way out of the labyrinth. If you know where your hotel is in relation to the closest subway station, then just head over to the respective subway line (same massive building). Or take a taxi outside from door to door to get a quick overview of the surrounding cityscape and take mental map notes of key landmarks. Write the name of the hotel and address for the driver in both Kanji and English to avoid confusion. Learn to say please, thank you, and excuse me in Japanese -- and use often.
 
As far as taxis go, all I keep reading online is: "Don't use them. They are way too pricey."

Trains, I have nothing against. Besides sounding a bit confusing, I think they'll be okay. I just wasn't sure if their was any easier way to make it into Tokyo.

One of the booklets said you can take a limo service from Narita to Tokyo, and that it's affordable. Might have to find that, too. Thanks.
 
[quote name='transparent']I know I've seen a few threads on here with Japan advice, but the ones I saw were a bit old (couple years). Was hoping for some advice.

My girlfriend and I are planning to go the first week of September. Yes, that's a while from now, but, I like to plan. Plus, I'm getting the expenses in order.

No worries about the passports and whatnot. Mainly, I'm trying to find the best possible deals on the flight. We'd be leaving O'Hare and landing in Narita (Tokyo).

So, what are my flight options? I read that Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" is a good choice, but probably will not be applicable until a month or so before the flight (since you get a better rate because they are trying to fill flights). Plus, I cannot order those too early, as they are non-refundable/non-transferrable.

I've heard you can get a good rate if you go on a tour? And I know a couple Japanese travel agencies have been mentioned, but I don't know what any of them are named.

I'm also aware that a "package deal" with the flight and hotel is usually cheaper, but we've already chosen the hotel we will be staying at. It's the Remm Hibiya.

-----------

Anything we should specifically check out while we're over there? I think we will be staying in the Tokyo area, so keeping it limited to that is preferred. She's into anime, and I am (obviously, being on a game website) quite a gamer. And that's mainly why I wanted a hotel in/near Akihabara.[/QUOTE]

Greetings,

It's great that you are going to Japan but before I answer your questions, are you more into the pop culture and modern Japan or are you wanting to experience temples and Japanese culture.

There are people who are into different things as for me, I could care less about going to see the temples and so, I pretty much love hanging out in Shibuya, Odaiba, Shinjuku, Harajuku and Akihabara.

Because you are a gamer and she is an anime fan....Akihabara is nice if you want to visit the game shops and the anime shops. As a gamer, give Joypolis a try in Odaiba. Odaiba is a cool place to visit and also go on the FUJI TV Tour at the FUJI TV HQ. Cool shops and a fun area to visit.

Harajuku is great to experience the pop culture from j-rock to j-pop to the various clothing shops, conbini and fast food shops.

Shibuya is the trendiest place and even at night...it's still packed. Expect to be smashed up with many people in the train when going. But since it's September, it shouldn't be too bad. You can take a picture with the popular Hachi statue, visit Tower Records Japan and HMV and visit the cool malls and shopping areas. If you played "The World Ends with You", you'll see the certain shops the game parodies.

Shinjuku - You can visit the Kinokuniya store, the government building (which I recommend because you can go way to the top and take pictures of Tokyo), if you are in college, bring your ID card to get a discount at the theater (they take US college ID's). Cool restaurants...

Anyway, it all comes down to where you are going and visiting. You can find cheap places to stay and eat...

I will say that if your goal is to spend a lot and not on food let alone fast food, look towards the combini (convenience) stores like 7-11, Lawson, Family Food Mart, Sunkus, etc.

--------------
You are staying near Ginza. A cool place to visit but definitely upscale trendy and it's cool because you are near the JR Yamanote line, so easy access to the train. Btw, nice hotel!!!!

Make sure you check out the used manga, used CD and used game shops....

Anyway, I'm sure you will have fun!!!
 
[quote name='transparent']As far as taxis go, all I keep reading online is: "Don't use them. They are way too pricey."

Trains, I have nothing against. Besides sounding a bit confusing, I think they'll be okay. I just wasn't sure if their was any easier way to make it into Tokyo.

One of the booklets said you can take a limo service from Narita to Tokyo, and that it's affordable. Might have to find that, too. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

"Limo" service generally means motorcoach bus, unless you plan on spending $200+ for a private car type thing. Either way, consider your time of arrival and rush hour traffic.

Here are links for a breakdown of transportation from Narita to Tokyo:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2027.html

http://gojapan.about.com/cs/transportation/ht/ht_naritaaccess.htm

http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

http://www.airporttransfer.jp/

http://www.tokyoairporter.com/fares.html
 
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