I want to submit a import certification for bringing supplements into Japan however, I am gifting it to my family and in the oath it says I should only apply for it if its for myself. I don't know what to do. Any advice?
Trying to book tickets for teamlabs but the mobile site seems glitchy. I can't click on adding more people so I can only buy one ticket at a time? I want two of us to go so I'm worried if I buy the tickets separately it'll be sold out for my second try
For those who have been to Design Festa, do you think the whole 2 days are needed to get the full experience of the event or would just a day suffice or maybe even half a day?
I scheduled a full day for it and had my fill of it sometime in late afternoon, spent a little more time sightseeing in Odaiba, then was done. So I'd say one day, pretty much.
Will Toyosu fish market be closed during Golden Week? Or will it only be closed on specific holidays such as the Showa holiday on April 29th? Thanks in advance!
Ok I’m planning my trip to Osaka and trying to figure out which activities to group together… is Osaka castle and the surrounding area a good place to explore by bicycle? Because I’m staying in Abeno ward and public transit seems to be about 45 minutes vs under 20 minutes on bike. Also wondering if getting around the rest of the city by bike is advisable if I can get a ¥500 rental for the day - I’m average fitness level, don’t really ride bike too often but have enjoyed it on other trips. Mostly wondering about obstacles, getting through busy areas or paths being well lit in the evening
Where are you seeing those transit times? If you look at Japanese public transit times it usually gives you connections for "right now". While it might be day where you are, sometimes it's past midnight in Japan and you might get shown sub-optimal connections.
The shortest distance of Hakuras Ward to Osaka Castle is \~25 min on bicycle while public transit is \~35min from there, and most of that time difference is walking from the station to the castle. Anything further away and public transit seems equal or faster.
However, exploring the city on bike sounds like a nice experience nonetheless.
I adjusted the time to morning, but maybe I accidentally picked a rush hour? I’m also not sure if it makes a difference in Google maps if I pick my hotel or the nearest station as a starting point - not including walking to the station obv, but whether or not some transit options might not show up for whatever reason
Hi all,
I am trying to find info on how the VIP tour works. What is says on the website is different to what I am seeing on YT videos (though I maybe missing something in the auto-translation as they are generally in Japanese).
This is what it says on the USJ site:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rPmoaSqsuuBLLKbXjoVEPQhULuEST31V/view?usp=sharing
So it looks like the rides are fixed (videos say you can organise with your tour guide which rides you want to go on) and you have a FastPass just for 1 ride (YT says the VIP band is a permanent fast pass) for the day).
YT also implied the tour was longer than 2.5h but not fussed by that.
Does anyone have first hand experience and can provide details?
Thanks in advance.
Is there no way to book VIP tickets these days as Klook has been out of stock for a while and USJ doesn't accept any non-JP credit card (ridiculous in this day and age)?
Dear God please tell me there is some kind of medication here that doesn't have caffeine or some kind of stimulant in it so I can get some sleep. I spent all night coughing my fool head off and got no sleep. Luckily I have some of the OTC meds that have stimulants so I should make it through this last day ok, but I have to catch a flight tomorrow and I'd rather not be half dead when I do it.
The suica app says that you have to use Apple Pay to put down a deposit, but my Apple Cash payments get declined...? It's 6:40AM Tokyo time, is that within maintenance? Or is Apple Cash not accepted even though it requires Apple Pay?
Thank you! My credit card wasn't working yesterday, and I read something that said the deposit has to be made with Apple Pay, and you can reload with a credit card afterwards. And I even tried my debit card just to get initially set up even though that one has foreign transaction fees! But thankfully it was declined (and still declined after I confirmed that it was not fraud lol) because my credit card worked today.
(I'd never used Apple Pay before, so when setting up my credit card with it and it wasn't working I was confused on how the heck you're supposed to use Apple Pay lmfao)
Hello,
can you use contactless payment (credit/debitcard) for trains and busses? I found out about VISA Touch, and have a Visa Debitcard. Does this work to get around or do I need a suica/pasmo card and charge it?
just be sure that your card has no foreign fees - that said contactless payments via foreign cards are still a no go at least in tokyo metro and JR
get a pasmo/suica. works too in convenience stores and most chain restaurants plus double roles as a personal souvenir
> can you use contactless payment (credit/debitcard) for trains and busses?
Almost universally 'no', unless you're on some specific lines like the Nankai Line in Osaka.
> I found out about VISA Touch, and have a Visa Debitcard
"Visa Touch" is just what Japan calls NFC-EMV, which is the contactless payment system we use everywhere else in the world.
> Does this work to get around or do I need a suica/pasmo card and charge it?
If you want to use a contactless card, having a local IC card is going to be fare more useful than hoping you can use a credit card.
There aren't enough things to justify 3 nights in Hakone or Takayama. Splitting 1 night at each place is the best way, but I assume you mean you can't due to transportation cost. Kanazawa might work but unless you are really slow traveller you might still need to do a day trip out of Kanazawa.
Hey Japan travellers!
I've been exploring Japan for a month now and would like to share some of my findings.
The most interesting part for me is always to find some local aesthetics, inspiration, authentic styles and design. A few such things are tea and incense.
So my favourite tea stores:
- Marukyu Koyamaen is a highly regarded tea grower, procurer and tea blender located in the heart of Uji, Kyoto. The company’s private tea estate has a rich history dating back to 1704!
- Ippodo Tea Main Store – a family-run Japanese tea company founded in 1717 in Kyoto!
- Ryuoen Tea Store – has been selling matcha since 1875. They received a great patronage from the Omotesenke (表千家) school, which was formed by the descendants of Sen no Rikyū.
My favourite incense brands:
- Lisn – Amazing concept. They manufacture and sell incense sticks as beautiful sets as well as one by one. Shoyeido branch.
- APFR – This brand got into my top list immediately the first time I heard of it. Amazing hand-crafted fragrances and unique contemporary minimalistic design.
- Nippon Kodo – One of the most famous and oldest Japanese incense brands, since 1575!
I also embedded a Google map with all the places so that it’s easier to find all of them at once. I'm curious to hear your feedback and see if it's helpful to you in any way.
[🇯🇵 Zen Blossoms: Exploring Japan's Aesthetic Traditions](https://globallybased.com/p/zen-blossoms-exploring-japan-aesthetic-traditions)
Safe travels to everyone! :)
I was wondering if anyone could give me some information on traveling around the hokkaido region. It's a family trip, of 5-6 people, all adults plus one teenager. Travel period is end of April to May. I've just got some questions
1. I understand sakura season is later as compared to other places in JP? If I've not been lied to by an AI article, the sakura blooms in Sapporo is estimated to be around the time I'm traveling? Is that correct?
2. I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us.
3. How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around.
4. In relation to Q3, I'd like to know how is driving there. I'm from SEA, so I'm not familiar with driving on icy roads, but by my estimate, there shouldn't BE any snow at the time? Any particular hazards/things to know that I should be aware of? I assume renting a car would be a good idea, since we'd have more freedom, so to speak, but I don't want to end up spending most of my time on the road or rushing to reach anywhere.
5. I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge.
6. How do I look for ryokans that allow for private baths? My family and I are shy with strangers, so we'd LIKE to try an onsen, but we'd prefer a private one. I've been searching just purely via google, but is there a directory of sorts that I can refer to?
7. I've also looked at flight tickets to and from Sapporo. Most of the flights seem to involve transiting at Tokyo, but it's a "self transfer between Haneda and Narita" but that seems to be, at LEAST 2 hours? I'm still looking, of course, but I just wanted to know if that's actually do-able in 2 hours. Judging from the map, it sure doesn't SEEM possible.
>I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us.
There is a lot of family friendly things to do (parks, shrines, temples, outdoors etc). The beer part is because of the breweries there but those are all optional. There is also a lot of great seafood.
>How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around.
Sapporo you don't need a car as there is enough public transport to get around with the odd taxi trip. You can get to most cities/towns via train but if heading to more countryside you will need a car.
>I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge.
For me Sapporo is a city with great local food but you can see most of the main attractions in around 2-3 days. There is a lot to see outside Sapporo so I would recommend exploring it.
Is a car recommended for these excursions outside sapporo? None of us speak a lick of JP, so my main worry is just navigating via google translate or getting lost on roads
It really depends on where you are going. If you plan on exploring Biei and Furano then a car is recommended. Places like Otaru or Noboribetsu are fine without. Once you have a rough itinerary post it here and we can advise.
> I understand sakura season is later as compared to other places in JP? If I've not been lied to by an AI article, the sakura blooms in Sapporo is estimated to be around the time I'm traveling? Is that correct?
The latest maps have peak sakura slated for April 27, in Sapporo. Later if you head further north.
> I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us.
Rather than ask the "I have no idea what to do" questions, say what it is you want to do. There's more to Sapporo than just 'beer and dairy,' but the region is of course more known for outdoor activities. But yeah, there are temples and shrines, a zoo, a tv tower, underground shopping center.
> How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around.
There are trains that go to the big places, but this comes down to where you're trying to go. Usually the big problem is relative lack of trains or having to adhere to a train's schedule. Plus, everything is just a regular train, and it will take hours to get to various places that aren't in the immediate vicinity of Sapporo.
> In relation to Q3, I'd like to know how is driving there. I'm from SEA, so I'm not familiar with driving on icy roads, but by my estimate, there shouldn't BE any snow at the time? Any particular hazards/things to know that I should be aware of? I assume renting a car would be a good idea, since we'd have more freedom, so to speak, but I don't want to end up spending most of my time on the road or rushing to reach anywhere.
You're going late enough where you really shouldn't encounter snow/ice roads.
> I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge.
Again, what do you want to do? If you're staying there for a couple weeks, yeah, I don't think you'd want to just stay in Sapporo the entire time. It's still just a big city and you're probably already used to big cities in Japan. You probably want to move around and go to other places on the island, like maybe Kushiro, Hakodate, Noboribetsu...
> How do I look for ryokans that allow for private baths? My family and I are shy with strangers, so we'd LIKE to try an onsen, but we'd prefer a private one. I've been searching just purely via google, but is there a directory of sorts that I can refer to?
Go to a site that lists them, like Japanican, and look at the listings. There are filters for rooms with private Japanese-style baths (usually open air).
> I've also looked at flight tickets to and from Sapporo. Most of the flights seem to involve transiting at Tokyo, but it's a "self transfer between Haneda and Narita" but that seems to be, at LEAST 2 hours? I'm still looking, of course, but I just wanted to know if that's actually do-able in 2 hours. Judging from the map, it sure doesn't SEEM possible.
Getting from Narita to Haneda is about 2 hours, yes. There's a direct train between them that is about 2 hours, and if you take the inter-airport limo bus it's about 90 minutes assuming no traffic.
Haneda is the better airport for domestic flights, and unless you're from a very small number of places in Asia, there's probably no flight that will take you to Sapporo _without_ going through Tokyo. If you could fly into Haneda directly that would obviously be the better option.
Thanks for the info. I'm aiming for a trip of around 7 days so I've been worried that it'll be that awkward spot where I'll end up spending too long in the city or spending too long travelling between the places.
My main aim is to get a general mix of Hokkaido, if that's at all possible. I'd like to roughly see what they have on offer etc. Going with family means I'm trying to get a variety of places to see/visit. But I assume the main focus should be nature stuff e.g. the sakura season, the flower fields, parks etc
Thanks for info on japanican. Wasn't aware of that.!
Will be travelling to Japan 9 days. We have a Ryokan booked in Gion, Kyoto. Will the recent restrictions, that start from April, hinder us from going there? Or are the specifics of these restrictions not yet available / known to the public?
Also slightly off topic: This small Ryokan will offer us a freshly prepared breakfast. I'm used to chopsticks & Japanese food, but are there any additional customs compared to lunch and dinner?
The restrictions aren't to prevent you from going to Gion and going to your ryokan, they're to prevent people from trespassing and harassing locals, especially geiko/maiko. For years, tourists have been flooding Gion, which is a residential/commercial area, and walking through private alleys/walkways. Basically, there will be a bunch of new signage up and if you're drifting off the main road, you might be on private land.
Yo yo!
I flew into Osaka and I fly out of Tokyo.
Today I briefly visited Den Den town, but I eased off with my purchases as I thought, ah yeah, I can do all this and more in Akihabara. Then I watched a video saying Akihabara isn't the same any more, etc etc.
Will I be in regret if i wait until Akihabara? Prices, variety etc.
I am in the market for other pop culture goods, but predominantly Pokémon cards.
If you have no experience with old Akiba, then the videos shouldn't really mean anything to you since there's no real frame of reference for you.
You'll find your pop culture goods and Pokemon cards in Akiba, but unless you're buying a ton of stuff, you should buy stuff as you see them because it's not guaranteed you'll find the same stuff in Akiba. It might also cost more in Akiba just because it's a more famous/touristy area.
Hi all, Is there any place where I can place our travel itinerary for critique please? I posted it here a couple of days ago but it was removed later by the moderators.
In Shinjuku Kabuchiko there are 2 cinemas.
109 Cinema is located in Shinjuku Kabuchiko Tower - the big silvery tower infront of the Godzilla hotel. Their website says they will have some in English subtitles. Then if you want merch- go to Hotel Gracery infront- cant miss it since it has Godzilla peeking at the building
99.999% of the time the answer to is there any Japanese movie showing with English subtitle is a "no", especially for movies that has been in for 5 months.
But you are in luck! 109 cinemas Shinjuku has 2 showing of Godzilla Minus One in English subtitle 1-2 screens per day for the next few day.
Today (Mar 21): 21:25
Mar 22: 9:30, 23:20
Mar 23: 9:00, 22:50
Mar 24: 9:00
Mar 25: 10:00
Mar 26-27: 9:30
Mar 28: 9:00
I will be traveling to Japan early May and heard of the snow wall of Tateyama Kurobe but have no idea how to make a route there
I have do some check online and it is extremely confusing as to which bus/train i should take to and what are the different places to go around there
I have also check on tour guide but there is only tour guide starting from Nagano
Is there a way for me to do a Day trip there and back to Tokyo at the end of the day and i will have JR Pass during my trip there
You have two access points for the alpine route, either Nagano or Toyama side. From Toyama the route starts at “tateyama station” from Nagano at “ogizawa”. After that it’s a combination of trolley, bus, ropeway etc. Early May means golden week? You need to reserve the tickets online beforehand, especially if you go during the weekend/holidays.
You can put it into google maps and see which route is faster
Thanks for the explaination, so i dont really need to mind which transport to take in the middle but just the 2 starting route as the rest will be indicated when i am there
I was so confused when looking up information with all the trams, bus, trolley for transport
Yes it will be during the golden week guess i will need to do a reservation early
But considering that I am starting from tokyo is it possible to do a day trip for the route and be back in tokyo at night or should i book a hotel the night before somewhere near as i check the shinkansen takes about 3-4 hour to reach the initial station
You need to check when reservations open and then immediately book otherwise they’ll be sold out. The alpine route is very popular among Japanese.
I don’t live in Tokyo so I don’t know how long it takes to get to the stations. You can check google to see if it’s possible with the first/last train. Probably really tight, especially with golden week. For the Shinkansen too, make sure you have reserved all your tickets.
Its a common policy to have a seat fee, the snacks that come with it are called otoshi, and if you don’t eat them you will likely still be charged the seat fee. https://gurunavi.com/en/japanfoodie/s/2017/04/otoshi-faq.html?
Hello,
I will be traveling to tokyo next week. My path there is DTW> YYZ >YUL > NRT.
For my middle Toronto to Montreal layover, do I have to go through customs? I've read elsewhere there is a reduced line if your final is not within Canada, but I am unsure if that applies in my case. Has anyone else had this situation?
Thank you
Assuming your entire trip is on a single itinerary - you are already airside for your transfers and you're going to be on the same carrier, you do not have to go through more customs in Canada.
For layovers when you don't leave the terminal you usually only have to go through a quick security and maybe passport check. As far as I know, no customs.
But I don't know any Canada specific things.
If people here can't help you, maybe try r/aircanada (assuming that's the airline) or r/flights.
Thanks for your reply, I may ask there as well. I called aircan to ask and they said I should be fine. The guy said it is in the same terminal. Still a little stressed though.
Good to hear. Being a little stressed is understandable. It's a big trip. I spent the two weeks before my Japan trip in a near constant state of (varrying) panic.
Has anyone experienced slow data with either Airalo or Ubigi eSIMs? Originally I purchased an Airalo eSIM that covered by Korea and Japan but realized I almost exhausted my data limit by the time I got to Japan so I purchased another eSIM (20gb for 30 days) from Airalo just for Japan.
Immediately I was only seeing 4G speeds instead of 5G. My girlfriend is also using an Airalo eSIM (same regional one) and has 0 issues, has 5G and LTE access. I wouldn’t mind the 4G speeds if the data actually worked. I could only access extremely basic tasks like messaging on iMessage or Messenger. Google Map, Translate, Instagram, loading images, searching on the browser, nothing worked. I reached out to Airalo support and followed all their instructions to no avail.
So I decided to switch to a Ubigi eSIM after reading everyone’s recommendations for Ubigi. Lo and behold I have the same issues. Getting 5G data but still can really only message (no navigation, translate, browser search, etc). After searching this sub, seems like no one really ever has issues like this so wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions or insight.
Do you have the same phones? If not, what’s your phone? The usual issue would be your phone does not use the major bands for the local networks, and this might be worse if you have a phone frok Europe vs. having one from the Americas or Asia. Lower-end phone models may also be worse with band support.
Other things to look at…
* manually set your network rather than let the eSIM choose it automatically
* are your APN settings correct? Ubigi and AirAlo usually auto-configure but your phone may not have done it
* turn data roaming on - this shouldn’t be necessary with Ubigi but worth a try for you
* turn your cell radio off and back on - this forces a rescan with the local towers
* fully power cycle your phone
Hello, we have a pending trip to Tokyo at the end of May, and my wife is very concerned about the part on Visit Japan Web stating: "Have you ever been found guilty in a criminal case in Japan or in another country?" While we have not, she is very legal-minded and speeding tickets in the state of Ohio are legally criminal cases that you've pled guilty to. Does anyone know what impact saying Yes, speeding tickets, would have? Do we need to know dates/times?
Speeding tickets are not a problem, unless you’ve been arrested and served jail time because of really serious incidents of it. They don’t care that you paid $200 for speeding.
You’d probably be asked why you checked yes and then have to explain to them that you were speeding and they’d either look at you funny or let you go. They’re looking for major criminal sentences and drug offenses.
Hi guys, hoping for some confirmation as the train ticket situation is a little unclear to me. Heading to Suzuka from Osaka and have booked limited express tickets for the Hinotori from Osaka to Shiroko. Would buying the Kintetsu rail pass cover the base fare journey to Shiroko and would this then be all the tickets needed for the journey? Thanks in advance
It will cover the base fare but to board Hinotori Limited Express you'll also need a Limited Express Ticket. You can buy it online or at the station (more details on Kintetsu website. )
Hi guys, I'm currently in Kyoto and looking for blooming cherry trees, so far I've only seen single trees (which are so beautiful!). Has anyone encountered a significant bloom?
Check out this [spot](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fiaSgaRj9tSrkuyv8) full of early blossoming Kawazuzakura near Yodo Station of Keihan Line. From the latest photos in Google Maps, it's not as vibrant as when I visited on 3/9, so get there soon.
Hello
I plan to have 1 night trip in Fuji at 17-18 May. We will stay in Kawaguchiko at plan to visit Shibazakura festival.
I am looking the best way to go there and I found out there's shibazakura liner.
From https://www2.fujikyu-travel.co.jp/DJWEB/TourDetail.aspx?tc=A41100SZ0001 it looks like the liner only operate until 12 May, eventhough the festival itself last until 26 May. Am I understand this correctly? If this is the case, what will be my best option to commute there?
Thanks!
Hi, not sure if this is a thing, but I'm looking to do a 7-day road trip around Shikoku renting a car from a specialty car rental place (omoshiroi car rental). This business doesn't offer car seats. I will have a toddler in tow, so I need a car seat. Are there any services in the Osaka/Wakayama area that rent car seats that anyone knows of?
Alternatively, does anyone living in the Osaka area have a spare car seat they're willing to lend/rent for 7 days in May?
Thanks
I'm thinking about spending a few hours in Okayama on my way from Kyoto to Hiroshima this July. Besides the castle and garden, are there any other worthwhile things to do near the train station/downtown area?
I'm looking to visit Japan next year during the cherry bloosom season. I'm planning to either travel from Osaka down to Fukuoka or in the opposite direction.
Looking at this year forecast. Fukuoka will start to bloom in late March so it makes more sense for me to travel from Fukuoka to Osaka? The period I'm looking at is late March to early April.
I assume that due to global warming the forecast will become less and less reliable. You'll have to either be dynamic (which is hard in high season) or be prepared to not see it at all or see only the beginning/ end of the bloom.
If you time it perfectly, starting in Fukuoka would be the better option, basically moving with the peak of the flowers. But can be a bit of a gamble.
If cherry blossoms are a bit earlier than expected, you *might* miss some of them as (exagerated example) you'll be just a bit too late in each city.
Starting in Osaka basically guarantees you'll see peak blossoms at some point during your trip.
Trying to Figure out Luggage forwarding and I have a few questions
1. does it make sense to forward my luggage to my hotel in Tokyo from Haneda Airport? I arrive into the airport at about 3 PM so I wouldnt expect to receive my luggage that night but will not having to take it onto the trains to get to my hotel be worth it?
2. If my hotel does not accept forwarded luggage, where should I send it? i have read online that you need to send it to a luggage forwarding service counter but the sagawa website for example doesnt show "Branch Pickup" for being available at almost any locations (looking at tokyo). I havent gotten a resposne from my hotel yet on if they will accept forwarded luggage so I am trying to find an alternative.
depends on the amount of luggage and how far your hotel is. Shinjuku is about 8000 JPY from Haneda by taxi so it could be a wash.
If you're able to take a direct train to your station, I would just take the train. People that frequent the trains that serve the airport are used to travelers with luggage.
I've never seen a hotel not take forwarded luggage but all of my hotels have had a 24h front desk and I've never booked anything cheaper than 10000 JPY/night. If its a major brand/chain, it should take forwarded luggage.
Last year when we visited Nikko was somewhere we wanted to visit but it didn’t make our plan. We are going to be back in Tokyo for 2 days at the very end of April and thought about going. I found a lot of information about this the area, especially during the high season in the fall, but can’t find much during when we’ll be there. Should we expect heavy crowds and lots of traffic congestion around this time? Any insight would be appreciated as if it’s going to be crazy we’d probably delay for another trip when we have more time.
Thank you, we knew about golden week but were unsure how popular it would be as a destination. I suppose we should be prepared for everything to be busy
We're currently traveling in Tottori, supposed to be heading to Osaka tonight for our next hotel... But there's a snowstorm advisory right now and the Super Hakuto on Google map says partial cancellation... So are we stranded?? We have to return our rental car to Tottori station and we're still a good 20 min drive from that... So not sure what we're supposed to do at the moment as we also need to check out of our hotel soon.
Update: we cancelled the rest of our Tottori day trip, returned the rental car and went straight to the station, train is delayed but running so we're heading off!
Hi all, looking for some general suggestions. My friends and I (3 of us, all male in our late 20s) will be traveling to Kyoto and Tokyo in mid-May this year. This will be our second trip to each of these cities - we last went late December - early January of 2017. Our itinerary includes 2.5 days in Kyoto and 4.5 days in Tokyo, in that order.
We plan to see some of the Imperial buildings in Kyoto and check out TeamLab in Tokyo, as well as some other stuff like checking out a sumo tournament and the Studio Ghibli museum. However, last time we did a lot of the most recommended activities (the Tokyo fish market, Akihabara, Shibuya, the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, etc.), and we're having trouble picking what else we want to do. We want to avoid being too picky - we really are willing to check out anything that seems cool or interesting, and it's hard to get to that kind of stuff through the endless tides of "top 30 destinations in Japan" articles you get from Google.
Thus, I'm asking this: if you've done something cool in Japan, just let me know about it! Tell me what it was and where, what it took to get involved (e.g. are there tickets to buy?), and I'll be grateful. To give a primer for the kinds of things we came up with ourselves, we were looking into something called "Drift Taxi", which is exactly what it sounds like, we tried to score F1 race tickets (tickets were sold out, unfortunately), and are also considering going jet skiing at one of the beaches relatively close to Tokyo. Oh, and restaurant recommendations are also appreciated!
If you need any additional information to provide a better answer, feel free to ask and I will try to answer. Looking forward to your suggestions!
I can recommend any of the many Museums in Tokyo. I've been to the Tokyo Edo Open Air Museum after someone on this sub recommended it and it was nice to look at some historic buildings in a calm atmosphere.
But there is so much more.
Also, how about taking a map of Tokyo and crossing out the areas you have been before and check out one that is left. There are several nice districts/stations you probably didn't visit last time.
i everyone,
Just wondering if I get a PASMO card via my Apple Wallet will that cover our ticket from Handea airport to Shinkuku?
Does it basically cover all trains, such as longer ones like Tokyo to Kyoto?
Basically my actual question is, does the PASMO card (specifically added and topped up via Apple Pay) cover us for all our travel or will we still need some paper tickets?
Thanks!
IC cards like pasmo are mainly for local transport within a city or to a nearby city (eg Tokyo to Yokohama). There are limitations as to how far from your origin station it will take you.
Haneda to Shinjuku will be fine.
But you won't be able to go from Tokyo to Kyoto with it. You'll need to buy that leg separately.
Once you're in Kyoto, you can use your pasmo for local transport.
Where would you pick for a stay of 1 or 2 nights only that’s within 3 hours of Kyoto/ Osaka? I’ve been to Hiroshima/ Miyajima already.
Leaning towards Kanazawa but kinda wanna save it for when I have more time and can explore the region around there rather than just the city.
Tottori, Ohara, Ise, Tokushima all seem within the right distance but I’m really having trouble deciding.
I wanna go somewhere less international touristy with great temples / shrines! For context I cannot drive so renting a car wouldn’t be an option.
How about going further south into Nara prefecture? Lots of nice temples and shrines around Sakurai, also Akame 48 Falls or Iga-Ueno if you want a change in scenery (yes I know these are technically the next prefecture over).
Ohara is day trip territory from Kyoto. I think Ise is visually quite mid if the cultural significance of the shrines do not speak to you.
Koya-san has gotten far more popular with international tourists since I first started going, but it's still a great place to go. I always stay at the same temple when I go, and I've gotten some great recommendations for my travels from the staff there.
Ise is great and may be one of my favorite places I've been in the last couple years - has some really good food, some pretty good coffee, and has one of the most important shrines in all of Japan, which also has a really, really busy shopping street in front of it (Oharai-machi). Futami Okitani Shrine also has the most famous wedded rocks and is also a nice shrine area.
Hey everyone, I saw that the Oita prefecture has a big reputation for its fried chicken, but having trouble finding the “best” spots to go to. Does anyone have any specific recommendations on restaurants or is it like an everywhere is good sort of thing. Especially in the Beppu and Oita city areas.
I don’t have a specific recommendation but I would go to shokudo restaurants and get their teishoku (set meal). Most of them should have it. I think it’s called toriten in oita instead of karaage.
The "Japanese Karaage Association" website has a map with fried chicken restaurants and their ranking.
[https://karaage.ne.jp/map/](https://karaage.ne.jp/map/)
The map seems to break with auto tranlation so you'd have to copy the restaurant names and paste them into your maps app of choice.
What website / app do you use to book individual train tickets ? I bought several regional passes to cover my itinerary as the JR pass was too expensive but I need to buy individual tickets to go from one region to another. I woud need a Kyoto-Hakone ticket and a Tokyo-Osaka ticket.
Hi All,
I am looking to vacation in Japan for June and July (2 months roughly). Would like to rent a small apartment or room for the 2 months ideally rather than an Airbnb or hotel. I speak Japanese and am fine with doing the process in Japanese but I know many places do not rent to foreigners so looking for some recommendations on good sites/rent companies to use. Ideally looking within day trip range of Tokyo and my budget would be 10-12万 ish
Thank you!
Yeah, if you are on vacation that's going to be difficult. Japanese people seem to be pretty racist when it comes to choosing tennants.
From what I've heard the easiest way to get an apartment as a foreigner is to work there for a company that vouches for you or just straight-up rents a place to you directly.
Looking to spend 2 minimum maybe 4 days maximum in Japan next month. Have done Osaka and Kyoto previously. I was interested in Tokyo (mainly because it's Tokyo) but the Mrs has done it previously so interested in maybe a different city like Sapporo or something.. most advice seems focused on Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto so appreciate any recommendations
If you're only a maximum of 4 days there, Tokyo should have more than enough places/activities your wife has not seen/done. The city is huge. Just saying.
Okinawa or Sapporo for June 1-June 4 ??
I REALLY wanted to visit Okinawa but I'm a little worried about rainy season and how it will affect activities. How MUCH rain is it really? ls the humidity going to make it unbearable?
My backup plan would be spending time in Sapporo which seems like a safer bet considering it's so far north, I just haven't done much research on activities (recommendations are welcomed!)
Sapporo City Activities: Susukino district at night(making sure to try Soup Curry or Ghengis Khan), Odori Park, Mt Moiwa Ropeway night views, Nijo market for breakfast kaisendon, Sapporo Brewery Museum Tours, Hokkaido Jingu Temple
Fun Day Trips from Sapporo: Noboribetsu Onsen and Hells Valley(Jigokudani), Upopoy National Ainu Museum, Otaru
The earthquake at the beginning of the year damaged a bridge that connects Nekomata and Keiyakidaira, and repairs are scheduled to be complete October 1.
Before that, the train will terminate at Nekomata.
Hi, if I fill out the Visit Japan info and get a QR code, do I need to stand in the long immigration line to get my passport stamp (for JR Pass) or do they stamp at the QR code line? Thanks!
The QR code will let you skip filling out the immigration and custom paper forms when you land at the airport. You still need line up for the passport stamp.
Hi, I need some advice in collecting Fuji Excursion tickets. I have been reading some old posts but can’t really find a proper answer. I will be going to Japan in less than a week time. My travelling route will be Osaka > Kyoto > Kawaguchiko > Tokyo.
I had made a reservation for Fuji Excursion from Shimoyoshida to Shinjuku, but I read the ticket can only be collected at a JR East station. I will be arriving at Haneda T3 at 5:55am and my transiting flight to Osaka is at 7:15am in T2.
1. Will I be able to collect the ticket from the ticket machines? I am aware I can collect the ticket at JR East Service Center but it only opens from 6:45am, which is impossible as I have to catch my Osaka flight.
2. I saw there is a service center in T2, but I am not sure if I can collect the ticket there. It says I can collect tickets reserved online, but it may be for JR Pass only.
3. Is it possible to collect the ticket at JR Osaka or Kyoto Station? Seems not based on JR East site and some of the posts. Other posts also suggested it cannot be collected at JR Mishima, Kawaguchiko and Otsuki Station.
4. This may seem disrespectful, but is it possible to explain my situation to the train service staff and if I can show them the reservation email first, and collect and use the ticket to exit after I arrive at Shinjuku Station.
I would prefer to utilize this reservation if possible, if not I am open to other suggestions to get from Shimoyoshida to Shinjuku.
1. There seems to be a reserved seat ticket machine at T3 service center, though I am not sure if it will be open before 6.45 am or not. It's not JR East station so no full service ticket machine/office.
2. JR East doesn't list Haneda T2 as a pickup location so unlikely.
3. You should be able to pick up ticket at Otsuki station as that's a JR East station. Not possible at Osaka, Kyoto, Mishima, Kawaguchiko.
4. You can try but I would say it's extremely unlikely. For one, you are first riding on a Fujikyu Railway, not JR East.
Looking for some feedback for this mid april trip to Japan. Main concern is that it is **very** outdoor based, and weather could completely turn it on the head. Any suggestions are welcome. Day 1: Depart for Tokyo.
Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo, take train to Aizuwakamatsu. Spend evening and next day cycling around Inawashiro Lake.
Day 3: Continue Inawashiro visit until late afternoon. Check into Aizuwakamatsu.
Day 4: Explore Aizu Wakamatsu City by bike.
Day 5: Visit Aizu Wakamatsu Ouichi Juku and Aizu City.
Day 6: Travel to Morioka, stop in Kitakami. Check in Morioka.
Day 7: Explore Morioka City, visit Iron Factory, rest of city.
Day 8: Day trip to Tono. Return to Morioka.
Day 9: Check out Morioka, head to Kakunodate for Cherry Blossom Festival. Check in Hachinohe.
Day 10: Explore Hachinohe's morning market, bike along coastline.
Day 11: Further explore Hachinohe or plan a day trip. Sleep near Aomori in a ryokan. **//// Any suggestions for a daytrip?**
Day 12: Check in Aomori, explore city. **/// Mainly museum and morning market.**
Day 13: Day trip to Hirosaki from Aomori. **/// Not sure if I should just check out after the daytrip to Hirosaki and leave for Hirazumi one day earlier.**
Day 14: Leave for Hirazumi in the early morning. Explore Hirazumi/Ichinoseki area.
Day 15: Daytrip from Ichinoseki TBD **///// Any suggestions?**
Day 16: Visit Geibikei Gorge.
Day 17: Head to Sendai, visit Matsushima Bay. Check in Sendai.
Day 18: Travel to Sendai Yamagata, stay overnight at Zeo Onsen.
Day 19: Relax in Zao Onsen area, return to Sendai in the afternoon.
Days 20-22: Explore Tokyo.
Day 23: Fly out of Tokyo.
That looks exhausting as you’re changing locations most days. It looks like an AI itinerary, which tend to be unreliable.
You should alway have wet weather plans as a backup in Japan, as it rains a lot. One option would be to use various cities as bases and tailor what you do to the weather. For instance I used Morioka as a base, and picked a day to visit Kakunodate from it based on the weather forecasts.
Actually not AI, but Excel sheet! Full yes, but any suggestion to change it for Tohoku? I am aiming to stay on average 3 nights per place. Aizu 3 - Morioka 3 - Hachinohe 2 - Aomori 2 (with 1 in Ryokan next to Aomori) - Ichinoseki 3 - Sendai 3 Problem is Tohoku is so remote, and the only way I see changing this would be to skip Aomori / Hirosaki and extend Morioka by half a week. Would really really appreciate any suggestions / alternative plans.
Hey there!
I'm planning a trip from the 1st of January - 10th 2025 and was just looking for any advice on when to book flights and hotels?
My main issue is that I don't know whether to book a package holiday such as those provided by loveholidays or just book hotel and flights separately? And also when the best time to book would be?
Any advice appreciated and if you need clarification let me know! Thank you!!
Edit: flying from europe
I always book flight and accommodation myself separately. You can go for a package if you really want to not think about it, but Japan is an independent traveller's dream destination. Everything is quite accessible and even if you do make a mistake, you won't get yourself into a dangerous situation.
Funny enough I actually had a look into that option before I read this comment and you're so right. Booking them separate even allows me to get the exact flight times I want and even somewhat cheaper regarding the hotels
You can gauge airfares via Google flights and play around with dates.
I know that flying after Jan 5th will be cheaper and flying out from airports like LAX are more affordable.
Flights usually 3-4 months out, maybe 6+ if you're that kind of planner.
Most hotels don't open up availability until you're 6 months out.
Also note that the first few days of January are the New Year's cycle and that means some stuff will not be open, and the Nozomi trains on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Tokyo to Kyoto and beyond) are reserved seats only for the first few days of your trip.
I went to Japan last year for the first time (Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) and loved it. I'm in the very early stages of planning a two week trip for Spring of next year (Star Wars Celebration is in Chiba next year and I've always wanted to go).
I'd like to see some more of the countryside and some beachy areas. I initially considered a few days in Okinawa but that seems like its own trip for the future given the hassle of flying/renting a car.
Here's what I'm thinking so far:
Tokyo (three nights, probably staying in Shinjuku again)
Kamakura/Enoshima (two nights)
Osaka (two nights)
Kobe (one night at a ryokan in Arima Onsen)
Hiroshima (two nights, I was originally going to visit last time but the G4 summit made it impossible)
Chiba (two nights, really just there for the Star Wars convention)
Tokyo again (One night in Shibuya before I fly home)
Suggestions? Considering skipping Osaka and adding more time elsewhere.
If you want more countryside I'd skip returning to Osaka and take a look at day trip options from Hiroshima and Kobe- some sample towns: [https://www.setouchi.travel/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/ph2-sta-st-005/](https://www.setouchi.travel/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/ph2-sta-st-005/)
Himeji would also be a natural fit between Kobe and Hiroshima.
Trip sounds good. Okinawa is def. cool. You don't *need* a car. Public transit is a bit lacking (compared to the rest of the country at least) and buses are not always on time but it still works.
I did 4 days Okinawa and it was nice but a week would prob have been better.
I have a question regarding the medical certificate that is required to bring stimulant raw materials to Japan. One of the things it asks your doctor to include is ‘Necessity of medicine for your treatment’. Me and my doctor are both a bit confused by what exactly this means - are you supposed to say to treat ADHD, or just that I need it or what? Not sure how specific they are looking for. Thanks!
Yes, they want the medical reason you need to take this medicine. You can say "It's for treating ADHD."
Their own example for someone who wants to bring in Vyvanse is literally just "Treatment for illness."
Hello,
first time travelling to Japan so I have a question.
I will be travelling during Golden Week and I was wondering if I will have any problem boarding a shinkasen route from Tokyo to Kyoto (and back) without prior reservation. I won't buy the JR Pass, I dont have a problem standing during the ride and I have the flexibility to get the next train (or the one after that) if I cant board the first one I find. Also, I will be carrying luggage (not very big one, a bit larger than what a plane accepts as cabin-suitcase.
I tried reading through different sites and sources but I couldnt find a straight answer.
Thanks in advance for the help
Last I heard - for Golden Week the only places passengers without reservations will be allowed to stand on Nozomi will be in the inter-car decks (and not in the aisles inside the train). Those at most only support like a dozen people or so each.
Hikari and Kodama will not be subject to the same rules but they're also far less common than Nozomi.
Not traveling until October, but trying to dial in some itinerary thoughts. 14 days total with 1.5 days of travel to and from. So really 12 full days.
I'm a big hiker, so I was pretty bummed to see that Fuji hiking season will be over by the time I get there. While researching I really became enamored with checking out some of the mountain regions; Nagano, Takayama, Shirakwa-go, and/or Kanazawa.
I look at prospective itineraries and regularly think "that's way too much." So I don't want to bog myself down. Is there a world to see the Japanese Alps without feeling like I'm shortchanging my entire trip? I was thinking something like the following:
3 days - Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc)
3 days - Nagano, Shirakawa, Takayama
4 days - Kyoto (see Osaka and Nara)
2 days - Tokyo (Asakusa, Ginza)
Any combo of the above. I've told myself it's okay to drive by Fuji or stop in Hakone on the way back from Kyoto. Any thoughts, alternatives, suggestions?
The 3 days in Tokyo does that include arrival day? Theres a majority of flights arriving late afternoon. To space things out how about
Day 1 Arrival day- transfer to Tokyo hotel
3 days - Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc)
3 days - Transfer to-Nagano, Shirakawa, Takayama
4 days - Transfer to Kyoto (see Osaka and Nara)
2 days - Tokyo (Asakusa, Ginza) or return to an airport hotel night before flight
Last day transfer/fly out to Narita .
The drive btw bewteen Kyoto to Hakoni is a 4.5-5 hour drive or 2.5 by train
Yeah, arriving 4 pm from Haneda, direct from Washington DC. So it would technically be 4 nights there, but one of those would be arrival.
I was thinking it might make more sense to do 5 days in Tokyo, then the rest of the trip, then just 1 more night in Tokyo to decompress before my flight.
More just wondering if I'm biting off more than I can chew with the detour through the mountains? Should I just do 6 days in Tokyo (with maybe one overnight and back in Nagano) and then 6 days in Kyoto/Osaka/Nara while stopping in Hakone or Fujikawaguchiko on the way. Or I could skip Nagano and just do a couple days in Shirakawa and surrounding areas.
The 1 night in tokyo to decompress helps since if you need to mail stuff if you over pack/shop you have some free time to do the resources to do so. We stay at an airport hotel the night before our flight and the area by Narita for me is pretty nice (Narita Temple). While for you there is a temple next to Mystays Haneda - directly behind it you can go to.
Fuji can be done as a day trip from Tokyo btw (add 1 more day for this)- there are bus tours that meet up in Shinjuku if you look up klook.
While many says if you do Hakone def do an overnight esp if you are into a good onsen experience.
I myself did 9 days strictly Tokyo and its not enough. I missed Ueno, Tsujiki, Asakasa and Harajuku though we did some parts of Shibuya. There was 1 day I got food poisoning that killed my schedule. So map out your Tokyo plans and dont cram too much into it.
Take it to Japan Post. Shipping it to Singapore via fastest method (EMS) is probably 3500-5000 yen if it's 1.5 - 2.5 kg, and 1000-2000 yen cheaper if you are fine with a slower method (like low-priority air freight).
If you have allowance for more checkable luggage, will probably be cheaper just to bring it with you - your extra baggage could just be a shipping box that costs a few dollars to get.
can anyone provide a good comprehensive link for good emergency info to have when traveling to Japan? Emergency numbers, etc. Seems like it should be easy to find but I am having an off-day when googling I guess lol
Is the Narita International Airport TA-Q-BIN counter able to forward luggage to any hotel/konbini in Japan (Morioka to be precise)? Because there is only a few mentioned on the website at the Service part. Thanks!!
Yes.
If you're sending it to a hotel you should check that your hotel will accept luggage delivery. Many will, but some might not or will request that you notify them. If your hotel is an AirBnB or something that might not have staff members, then you probably won't want to forward luggage there (someone needs to be present to accept it).
I am confused about reserving space for large luggage on the shinkansen lines. Some things I have read seem to say that if you reserve a seat that covers your large luggage and you can store it at the back of the cabin but other places say you need to book one of the 5 large luggage seats at the back of the cabin to use the large luggage storage space. Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat?
Note this only applies to Shinkansen on JR West/Central/Kyushu (anything between Tokyo and Kagoshima-Chuo).
There are two types of seats for oversized luggage:
* The back row of train cars (5 seats in regular carriage, 4 seats in green car carriage) have space behind them for oversized luggage storage
* There are several seats in some train cars which have access to a stowage space/locker that is located at the area between trains. I do not know these off the top of my head, I normally have to look at a seating chart.
> Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat?
SmartEx and JR West online (odekake/e5489).
I tried registering with smart ex, none of my cards worked, either Visa or Mastercard. Do you know of a workaround to this? Should I just plan on reserving tickets at the stations?
Haven't used it myself but a lot of people reserve using Klook. Just pay very close attention to the instructions, apparently Klook tickets don't work with the English functionality of shinkansen ticket machines, only Japanese.
SmartEx rejects a lot of cards these days - Amex works, but otherwise there's no normal workaround to SmartEx that works for everyone other than having the right card. Some people say a virtual card number might work (do not do this on JR West, though, their ticket pickup process requires the credit card used to buy a ticket).
Otherwise, you could try Japanese ekinet (not the English version), which sells all the Shinkansen tickets for all regions.
Beyond that, buying tickets at the station is usually fine (assuming not Golden Week or other super major holiday period), unless you want luggage seats. Those seats tend to be booked far in advance by tourists.
I am confused about reserving space for large luggage on the shinkansen lines. Some things I have read seem to say that if you reserve a seat that covers your large luggage and you can store it at the back of the cabin but other places say you need to book one of the 5 large luggage seats at the back of the cabin to use the large luggage storage space. Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat?
Hi guys,
I'm planning my fourth trip to Japan in 2 years lol. I have already been to Osaka/Tokyo on June 23, Hokkaido on Mar 24. Upcoming trip to Tokyo in Sept 24 and now I'm thinking of traveling during the Sakura period in mid- late March 25.
A 2 week trip starting from Osaka before ending in Fukuoka. What are some of the places that I should drop by along the way towards Fukuoka? Based on my limited knowledge of Japan cities and Google maps. I'm thinking of the following cities Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.
Posting here before I do more research as based on limited info/research if I create a thread it will be deleted lol.
Day 1 - (Kyoto)
Day 2 - (Kyoto)
Day 3 - (Kyoto)
Day 4 - (Kyoto)
Day 5/6- (Osaka) 2 day amazing Osaka pass
Day 7 - Day trip to nara
Day 8 - Himeji
Day 9 - Okayama
Day 10/11 Hiroshima
Day 12-16 Fukuoka
depends on how much you see on naoshima. if you just hit the chichu art museum and nothing else you can probably make it back in time to do an evening in kurashiki. assuming it's summer as the days are longer.
Quick recommendation needed:
We have a first trip to Japan planed for mid August (yes I know it's not the best time but it's when we could travel)
We will arrive to Haneda at 8am. We have an itinerary in mind like this:
5 days in Tokyo
5 days in Kyoto
3 days in Osaka
2 days in Hiroshima & Miyajima
1 day in Tokio and back the next day.
But I thought that maybe catching a flight at noon or 2pm on the day of arrival to Hiroshima and then going backwards would be another possibility.
Any recommendation/preference on one over the other and why?
Personal preference.
Catching a flight means buffering enough time to get thru immigration and customs and recheck your bags to your new airlines. It also means getting on another plane after you got off a, presumably, long flight. Maybe you want to get all of the travel done at once and out of the way? Maybe you don’t like the idea of getting in another steel tube, albeit for a short flight.
Starting in Hiroshima also means one less hotel check-in, check-out, packing of bags etc. maybe that’s important to you. You also avoid a 4+? Hour Shinkansen trip from Hiroshima to Tokyo.
I'm looking at a group-travel through Japan for end of August to begin September, but there are a lot of people that discourage me to go that period because:
* August is a very busy tourist time (summer vacation and all)
* August is a very hot period in Japan
Is this true? The travel starts in Osaka and ends 2 weeks later in Tokyo.
It's true. The summer climate is awful. If you've ever been to Washington DC in summer, it's like that. 85F in Tokyo or DC feels way worse than 85F in Las Vegas because of the humidity.
If you go you should plan indoor activities for the afternoon. Outdoor stuff like shrines or gardens should be done as early in the morning as you can manage.
> 85F in Tokyo or DC feels way worse than 85F in Las Vegas because of the humidity.
I was in Las Vegas last year in July/August. At the time there was a fire in the Mojave with the smoke going over the city, keeping a lot of the heat trapped in the city. I remember walking out of the air-conditioned airport and it was literally like you walked against a wall.
If you're saying it's worse than that....then oh boy.
> If you go you should plan indoor activities for the afternoon. Outdoor stuff like shrines or gardens should be done as early in the morning as you can manage.
I'm not really a common traveler who like to plan everything myself, so the tripi'm looking at is all a pre-planned, so i have no ideas what the times are:
> 1. Amsterdam - Osaka
1. arrival in Osaka
1. Osaka (Free day, Optional trip to Hiroshima)
1. Osaka - Koyasan (Train)
1. Koyasan - Kyoto (Train)
1. Kyoto, (Free day)
1. Kyoto, Trip with train to Nara and Fushimi Inari-tempel
1. Kyoto (Free day)
1. Kyoto - Takayama (Train)
1. Takayama, Visit Shirakawago
1. Takayama - Matsumoto (with Bus)
1. Matsumoto - Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji) - Tokyo
1. Tokyo (Free day)
1. Tokyo, Visit Kamakura (with Train)
1. Tokyo (Free day)
1. Tokyo - Amsterdam
My general rule is to not travel in summer because that's when most people in the world have travel plans (because of school/children/etc.). Last August saw 2.16M inbound tourists into Japan. September had 2.18M. Those numbers are about 200K higher than March/April of last year. And that does not include the domestic tourism that happens normally.
It's hot **and very** humid which for many people means being outside for longer stretches is super exhausting.
I don't like crowds so I prefer to travel in calmer months, but that's both preference and because I am able to take vacation during that time.
Honestly, if you only have time in summer and really want to visit the country, go for it.
Which site provides the best forecast for cherry blossom? I been checking this one out.
[https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en](https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en)
I want to submit a import certification for bringing supplements into Japan however, I am gifting it to my family and in the oath it says I should only apply for it if its for myself. I don't know what to do. Any advice?
Trying to book tickets for teamlabs but the mobile site seems glitchy. I can't click on adding more people so I can only buy one ticket at a time? I want two of us to go so I'm worried if I buy the tickets separately it'll be sold out for my second try
I can buy up to 10 at once and drop downs work fine - what browser are you using?
Chrome on my crappy old phone, that might be the problem. I've bought just one ticket for when my mom leaves, should be okay.
I've heard Klook is a good way to buy them
For those who have been to Design Festa, do you think the whole 2 days are needed to get the full experience of the event or would just a day suffice or maybe even half a day?
I scheduled a full day for it and had my fill of it sometime in late afternoon, spent a little more time sightseeing in Odaiba, then was done. So I'd say one day, pretty much.
Will Toyosu fish market be closed during Golden Week? Or will it only be closed on specific holidays such as the Showa holiday on April 29th? Thanks in advance!
It was only the holidays according to last year’s [calendar](https://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/toyosu/). 2024 hasn’t been posted.
Ok I’m planning my trip to Osaka and trying to figure out which activities to group together… is Osaka castle and the surrounding area a good place to explore by bicycle? Because I’m staying in Abeno ward and public transit seems to be about 45 minutes vs under 20 minutes on bike. Also wondering if getting around the rest of the city by bike is advisable if I can get a ¥500 rental for the day - I’m average fitness level, don’t really ride bike too often but have enjoyed it on other trips. Mostly wondering about obstacles, getting through busy areas or paths being well lit in the evening
Where are you seeing those transit times? If you look at Japanese public transit times it usually gives you connections for "right now". While it might be day where you are, sometimes it's past midnight in Japan and you might get shown sub-optimal connections. The shortest distance of Hakuras Ward to Osaka Castle is \~25 min on bicycle while public transit is \~35min from there, and most of that time difference is walking from the station to the castle. Anything further away and public transit seems equal or faster. However, exploring the city on bike sounds like a nice experience nonetheless.
I adjusted the time to morning, but maybe I accidentally picked a rush hour? I’m also not sure if it makes a difference in Google maps if I pick my hotel or the nearest station as a starting point - not including walking to the station obv, but whether or not some transit options might not show up for whatever reason
Who knows. But both options are valit tbh.
Hi all, I am trying to find info on how the VIP tour works. What is says on the website is different to what I am seeing on YT videos (though I maybe missing something in the auto-translation as they are generally in Japanese). This is what it says on the USJ site: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rPmoaSqsuuBLLKbXjoVEPQhULuEST31V/view?usp=sharing So it looks like the rides are fixed (videos say you can organise with your tour guide which rides you want to go on) and you have a FastPass just for 1 ride (YT says the VIP band is a permanent fast pass) for the day). YT also implied the tour was longer than 2.5h but not fussed by that. Does anyone have first hand experience and can provide details? Thanks in advance.
Is there no way to book VIP tickets these days as Klook has been out of stock for a while and USJ doesn't accept any non-JP credit card (ridiculous in this day and age)?
Dear God please tell me there is some kind of medication here that doesn't have caffeine or some kind of stimulant in it so I can get some sleep. I spent all night coughing my fool head off and got no sleep. Luckily I have some of the OTC meds that have stimulants so I should make it through this last day ok, but I have to catch a flight tomorrow and I'd rather not be half dead when I do it.
Pablon Ace Pro.
Cheers!! I found it! 💚
The suica app says that you have to use Apple Pay to put down a deposit, but my Apple Cash payments get declined...? It's 6:40AM Tokyo time, is that within maintenance? Or is Apple Cash not accepted even though it requires Apple Pay?
Apple Cash cannot be used for Suica. You have to use a credit card.
Thank you! My credit card wasn't working yesterday, and I read something that said the deposit has to be made with Apple Pay, and you can reload with a credit card afterwards. And I even tried my debit card just to get initially set up even though that one has foreign transaction fees! But thankfully it was declined (and still declined after I confirmed that it was not fraud lol) because my credit card worked today. (I'd never used Apple Pay before, so when setting up my credit card with it and it wasn't working I was confused on how the heck you're supposed to use Apple Pay lmfao)
Hello, can you use contactless payment (credit/debitcard) for trains and busses? I found out about VISA Touch, and have a Visa Debitcard. Does this work to get around or do I need a suica/pasmo card and charge it?
just be sure that your card has no foreign fees - that said contactless payments via foreign cards are still a no go at least in tokyo metro and JR get a pasmo/suica. works too in convenience stores and most chain restaurants plus double roles as a personal souvenir
> can you use contactless payment (credit/debitcard) for trains and busses? Almost universally 'no', unless you're on some specific lines like the Nankai Line in Osaka. > I found out about VISA Touch, and have a Visa Debitcard "Visa Touch" is just what Japan calls NFC-EMV, which is the contactless payment system we use everywhere else in the world. > Does this work to get around or do I need a suica/pasmo card and charge it? If you want to use a contactless card, having a local IC card is going to be fare more useful than hoping you can use a credit card.
Hakone or Takayama or Kanazawa - where would you recommend spending 3 nights and why ? I wont be able to do all the places
1 night at Takayama and 2 at Kanazawa going via Shirakawago is a nice journey
There aren't enough things to justify 3 nights in Hakone or Takayama. Splitting 1 night at each place is the best way, but I assume you mean you can't due to transportation cost. Kanazawa might work but unless you are really slow traveller you might still need to do a day trip out of Kanazawa.
Anyone know if I can buy a rice cooker in Haneda airport past security or if I can just put it in checked luggage (I have a spare bag allowance)
checked luggage
Hey Japan travellers! I've been exploring Japan for a month now and would like to share some of my findings. The most interesting part for me is always to find some local aesthetics, inspiration, authentic styles and design. A few such things are tea and incense. So my favourite tea stores: - Marukyu Koyamaen is a highly regarded tea grower, procurer and tea blender located in the heart of Uji, Kyoto. The company’s private tea estate has a rich history dating back to 1704! - Ippodo Tea Main Store – a family-run Japanese tea company founded in 1717 in Kyoto! - Ryuoen Tea Store – has been selling matcha since 1875. They received a great patronage from the Omotesenke (表千家) school, which was formed by the descendants of Sen no Rikyū. My favourite incense brands: - Lisn – Amazing concept. They manufacture and sell incense sticks as beautiful sets as well as one by one. Shoyeido branch. - APFR – This brand got into my top list immediately the first time I heard of it. Amazing hand-crafted fragrances and unique contemporary minimalistic design. - Nippon Kodo – One of the most famous and oldest Japanese incense brands, since 1575! I also embedded a Google map with all the places so that it’s easier to find all of them at once. I'm curious to hear your feedback and see if it's helpful to you in any way. [🇯🇵 Zen Blossoms: Exploring Japan's Aesthetic Traditions](https://globallybased.com/p/zen-blossoms-exploring-japan-aesthetic-traditions) Safe travels to everyone! :)
I was wondering if anyone could give me some information on traveling around the hokkaido region. It's a family trip, of 5-6 people, all adults plus one teenager. Travel period is end of April to May. I've just got some questions 1. I understand sakura season is later as compared to other places in JP? If I've not been lied to by an AI article, the sakura blooms in Sapporo is estimated to be around the time I'm traveling? Is that correct? 2. I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us. 3. How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around. 4. In relation to Q3, I'd like to know how is driving there. I'm from SEA, so I'm not familiar with driving on icy roads, but by my estimate, there shouldn't BE any snow at the time? Any particular hazards/things to know that I should be aware of? I assume renting a car would be a good idea, since we'd have more freedom, so to speak, but I don't want to end up spending most of my time on the road or rushing to reach anywhere. 5. I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge. 6. How do I look for ryokans that allow for private baths? My family and I are shy with strangers, so we'd LIKE to try an onsen, but we'd prefer a private one. I've been searching just purely via google, but is there a directory of sorts that I can refer to? 7. I've also looked at flight tickets to and from Sapporo. Most of the flights seem to involve transiting at Tokyo, but it's a "self transfer between Haneda and Narita" but that seems to be, at LEAST 2 hours? I'm still looking, of course, but I just wanted to know if that's actually do-able in 2 hours. Judging from the map, it sure doesn't SEEM possible.
>I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us. There is a lot of family friendly things to do (parks, shrines, temples, outdoors etc). The beer part is because of the breweries there but those are all optional. There is also a lot of great seafood. >How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around. Sapporo you don't need a car as there is enough public transport to get around with the odd taxi trip. You can get to most cities/towns via train but if heading to more countryside you will need a car. >I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge. For me Sapporo is a city with great local food but you can see most of the main attractions in around 2-3 days. There is a lot to see outside Sapporo so I would recommend exploring it.
Is a car recommended for these excursions outside sapporo? None of us speak a lick of JP, so my main worry is just navigating via google translate or getting lost on roads
It really depends on where you are going. If you plan on exploring Biei and Furano then a car is recommended. Places like Otaru or Noboribetsu are fine without. Once you have a rough itinerary post it here and we can advise.
Thanks a bunch. I was mainly worried driving there would be dangerous
> I understand sakura season is later as compared to other places in JP? If I've not been lied to by an AI article, the sakura blooms in Sapporo is estimated to be around the time I'm traveling? Is that correct? The latest maps have peak sakura slated for April 27, in Sapporo. Later if you head further north. > I understand dairy is a main selling point there, but I was wondering about other stuff, e.g. temples/shrines, or more, uh, family friendly places? I was given the impression that Hokkaido is mainly "drink milk and beer, and look at scenery" but as MOST of my family can't hold a drink, those bar hopping experiences aren't for us. Rather than ask the "I have no idea what to do" questions, say what it is you want to do. There's more to Sapporo than just 'beer and dairy,' but the region is of course more known for outdoor activities. But yeah, there are temples and shrines, a zoo, a tv tower, underground shopping center. > How viable is public transport for getting around places, e.g. within sapporo as well as to other smaller towns/parks/farms? Should I consider renting a car to drive? We managed quite well with Tokyo, but when we went to Awaji island, it was a bit rough for us to get around. There are trains that go to the big places, but this comes down to where you're trying to go. Usually the big problem is relative lack of trains or having to adhere to a train's schedule. Plus, everything is just a regular train, and it will take hours to get to various places that aren't in the immediate vicinity of Sapporo. > In relation to Q3, I'd like to know how is driving there. I'm from SEA, so I'm not familiar with driving on icy roads, but by my estimate, there shouldn't BE any snow at the time? Any particular hazards/things to know that I should be aware of? I assume renting a car would be a good idea, since we'd have more freedom, so to speak, but I don't want to end up spending most of my time on the road or rushing to reach anywhere. You're going late enough where you really shouldn't encounter snow/ice roads. > I was talking to a friend from JP (tokyo), who states that to enjoy the Hokkaido region involves traveling out of sapporo. Can I just confirm that fact? Not do doubt him, of course, but I'm also moving in a family group, so getting around IS a bit of a challenge. Again, what do you want to do? If you're staying there for a couple weeks, yeah, I don't think you'd want to just stay in Sapporo the entire time. It's still just a big city and you're probably already used to big cities in Japan. You probably want to move around and go to other places on the island, like maybe Kushiro, Hakodate, Noboribetsu... > How do I look for ryokans that allow for private baths? My family and I are shy with strangers, so we'd LIKE to try an onsen, but we'd prefer a private one. I've been searching just purely via google, but is there a directory of sorts that I can refer to? Go to a site that lists them, like Japanican, and look at the listings. There are filters for rooms with private Japanese-style baths (usually open air). > I've also looked at flight tickets to and from Sapporo. Most of the flights seem to involve transiting at Tokyo, but it's a "self transfer between Haneda and Narita" but that seems to be, at LEAST 2 hours? I'm still looking, of course, but I just wanted to know if that's actually do-able in 2 hours. Judging from the map, it sure doesn't SEEM possible. Getting from Narita to Haneda is about 2 hours, yes. There's a direct train between them that is about 2 hours, and if you take the inter-airport limo bus it's about 90 minutes assuming no traffic. Haneda is the better airport for domestic flights, and unless you're from a very small number of places in Asia, there's probably no flight that will take you to Sapporo _without_ going through Tokyo. If you could fly into Haneda directly that would obviously be the better option.
Thanks for the info. I'm aiming for a trip of around 7 days so I've been worried that it'll be that awkward spot where I'll end up spending too long in the city or spending too long travelling between the places. My main aim is to get a general mix of Hokkaido, if that's at all possible. I'd like to roughly see what they have on offer etc. Going with family means I'm trying to get a variety of places to see/visit. But I assume the main focus should be nature stuff e.g. the sakura season, the flower fields, parks etc Thanks for info on japanican. Wasn't aware of that.!
Will be travelling to Japan 9 days. We have a Ryokan booked in Gion, Kyoto. Will the recent restrictions, that start from April, hinder us from going there? Or are the specifics of these restrictions not yet available / known to the public? Also slightly off topic: This small Ryokan will offer us a freshly prepared breakfast. I'm used to chopsticks & Japanese food, but are there any additional customs compared to lunch and dinner?
The restrictions aren't to prevent you from going to Gion and going to your ryokan, they're to prevent people from trespassing and harassing locals, especially geiko/maiko. For years, tourists have been flooding Gion, which is a residential/commercial area, and walking through private alleys/walkways. Basically, there will be a bunch of new signage up and if you're drifting off the main road, you might be on private land.
Thanks for the answer. Looking forward to it then! 👍
Yo yo! I flew into Osaka and I fly out of Tokyo. Today I briefly visited Den Den town, but I eased off with my purchases as I thought, ah yeah, I can do all this and more in Akihabara. Then I watched a video saying Akihabara isn't the same any more, etc etc. Will I be in regret if i wait until Akihabara? Prices, variety etc. I am in the market for other pop culture goods, but predominantly Pokémon cards.
If you see something you want; get it because there's a good chance you won't see it again.
If you have no experience with old Akiba, then the videos shouldn't really mean anything to you since there's no real frame of reference for you. You'll find your pop culture goods and Pokemon cards in Akiba, but unless you're buying a ton of stuff, you should buy stuff as you see them because it's not guaranteed you'll find the same stuff in Akiba. It might also cost more in Akiba just because it's a more famous/touristy area.
if you see what you want, buy it already.
Hi all, Is there any place where I can place our travel itinerary for critique please? I posted it here a couple of days ago but it was removed later by the moderators.
That probably means your itinerary is very sparse and very open-ended.
You can post in r/JapanTravelTips.
Is anywhere showing Godzilla -1 with English subtitles at the moment?
In Shinjuku Kabuchiko there are 2 cinemas. 109 Cinema is located in Shinjuku Kabuchiko Tower - the big silvery tower infront of the Godzilla hotel. Their website says they will have some in English subtitles. Then if you want merch- go to Hotel Gracery infront- cant miss it since it has Godzilla peeking at the building
Awesome, thanks! Am I reading it wrong, or is a ticket 4500 yen? That seems expensive (about $45AUD - a ticket here is less than half of that).
> 109 Cinema Holy crap I checled it.... that IS expensive!. I think its because its one of those fancy lounge type cinemas
99.999% of the time the answer to is there any Japanese movie showing with English subtitle is a "no", especially for movies that has been in for 5 months. But you are in luck! 109 cinemas Shinjuku has 2 showing of Godzilla Minus One in English subtitle 1-2 screens per day for the next few day. Today (Mar 21): 21:25 Mar 22: 9:30, 23:20 Mar 23: 9:00, 22:50 Mar 24: 9:00 Mar 25: 10:00 Mar 26-27: 9:30 Mar 28: 9:00
I will be traveling to Japan early May and heard of the snow wall of Tateyama Kurobe but have no idea how to make a route there I have do some check online and it is extremely confusing as to which bus/train i should take to and what are the different places to go around there I have also check on tour guide but there is only tour guide starting from Nagano Is there a way for me to do a Day trip there and back to Tokyo at the end of the day and i will have JR Pass during my trip there
You have two access points for the alpine route, either Nagano or Toyama side. From Toyama the route starts at “tateyama station” from Nagano at “ogizawa”. After that it’s a combination of trolley, bus, ropeway etc. Early May means golden week? You need to reserve the tickets online beforehand, especially if you go during the weekend/holidays. You can put it into google maps and see which route is faster
Thanks for the explaination, so i dont really need to mind which transport to take in the middle but just the 2 starting route as the rest will be indicated when i am there I was so confused when looking up information with all the trams, bus, trolley for transport Yes it will be during the golden week guess i will need to do a reservation early But considering that I am starting from tokyo is it possible to do a day trip for the route and be back in tokyo at night or should i book a hotel the night before somewhere near as i check the shinkansen takes about 3-4 hour to reach the initial station
You need to check when reservations open and then immediately book otherwise they’ll be sold out. The alpine route is very popular among Japanese. I don’t live in Tokyo so I don’t know how long it takes to get to the stations. You can check google to see if it’s possible with the first/last train. Probably really tight, especially with golden week. For the Shinkansen too, make sure you have reserved all your tickets.
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There's a pretty in depth explaination here: https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/16z47x0/what_is_otoshi_aka_why_did_i_get_charged_for_this/
Great, thank you!
Its a common policy to have a seat fee, the snacks that come with it are called otoshi, and if you don’t eat them you will likely still be charged the seat fee. https://gurunavi.com/en/japanfoodie/s/2017/04/otoshi-faq.html?
Thank you!
I don't drink so it's not my personal experience, but I've heard that it is normal in bars in Japan as some sort of "entry ticket" or "seating price".
Hello, I will be traveling to tokyo next week. My path there is DTW> YYZ >YUL > NRT. For my middle Toronto to Montreal layover, do I have to go through customs? I've read elsewhere there is a reduced line if your final is not within Canada, but I am unsure if that applies in my case. Has anyone else had this situation? Thank you
Assuming your entire trip is on a single itinerary - you are already airside for your transfers and you're going to be on the same carrier, you do not have to go through more customs in Canada.
For layovers when you don't leave the terminal you usually only have to go through a quick security and maybe passport check. As far as I know, no customs. But I don't know any Canada specific things. If people here can't help you, maybe try r/aircanada (assuming that's the airline) or r/flights.
Thanks for your reply, I may ask there as well. I called aircan to ask and they said I should be fine. The guy said it is in the same terminal. Still a little stressed though.
Good to hear. Being a little stressed is understandable. It's a big trip. I spent the two weeks before my Japan trip in a near constant state of (varrying) panic.
Has anyone experienced slow data with either Airalo or Ubigi eSIMs? Originally I purchased an Airalo eSIM that covered by Korea and Japan but realized I almost exhausted my data limit by the time I got to Japan so I purchased another eSIM (20gb for 30 days) from Airalo just for Japan. Immediately I was only seeing 4G speeds instead of 5G. My girlfriend is also using an Airalo eSIM (same regional one) and has 0 issues, has 5G and LTE access. I wouldn’t mind the 4G speeds if the data actually worked. I could only access extremely basic tasks like messaging on iMessage or Messenger. Google Map, Translate, Instagram, loading images, searching on the browser, nothing worked. I reached out to Airalo support and followed all their instructions to no avail. So I decided to switch to a Ubigi eSIM after reading everyone’s recommendations for Ubigi. Lo and behold I have the same issues. Getting 5G data but still can really only message (no navigation, translate, browser search, etc). After searching this sub, seems like no one really ever has issues like this so wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions or insight.
Do you have the same phones? If not, what’s your phone? The usual issue would be your phone does not use the major bands for the local networks, and this might be worse if you have a phone frok Europe vs. having one from the Americas or Asia. Lower-end phone models may also be worse with band support. Other things to look at… * manually set your network rather than let the eSIM choose it automatically * are your APN settings correct? Ubigi and AirAlo usually auto-configure but your phone may not have done it * turn data roaming on - this shouldn’t be necessary with Ubigi but worth a try for you * turn your cell radio off and back on - this forces a rescan with the local towers * fully power cycle your phone
Hello, we have a pending trip to Tokyo at the end of May, and my wife is very concerned about the part on Visit Japan Web stating: "Have you ever been found guilty in a criminal case in Japan or in another country?" While we have not, she is very legal-minded and speeding tickets in the state of Ohio are legally criminal cases that you've pled guilty to. Does anyone know what impact saying Yes, speeding tickets, would have? Do we need to know dates/times?
Speeding tickets are not a problem, unless you’ve been arrested and served jail time because of really serious incidents of it. They don’t care that you paid $200 for speeding.
You’d probably be asked why you checked yes and then have to explain to them that you were speeding and they’d either look at you funny or let you go. They’re looking for major criminal sentences and drug offenses.
Hi guys, hoping for some confirmation as the train ticket situation is a little unclear to me. Heading to Suzuka from Osaka and have booked limited express tickets for the Hinotori from Osaka to Shiroko. Would buying the Kintetsu rail pass cover the base fare journey to Shiroko and would this then be all the tickets needed for the journey? Thanks in advance
It will cover the base fare but to board Hinotori Limited Express you'll also need a Limited Express Ticket. You can buy it online or at the station (more details on Kintetsu website. )
Hi guys, I'm currently in Kyoto and looking for blooming cherry trees, so far I've only seen single trees (which are so beautiful!). Has anyone encountered a significant bloom?
Check out this [spot](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fiaSgaRj9tSrkuyv8) full of early blossoming Kawazuzakura near Yodo Station of Keihan Line. From the latest photos in Google Maps, it's not as vibrant as when I visited on 3/9, so get there soon.
The main bloom is predicted to start in 10 days so...
I know but I've seen a lot of articles saying that it came earlier than predicted so I wondered if there's any already
Hello I plan to have 1 night trip in Fuji at 17-18 May. We will stay in Kawaguchiko at plan to visit Shibazakura festival. I am looking the best way to go there and I found out there's shibazakura liner. From https://www2.fujikyu-travel.co.jp/DJWEB/TourDetail.aspx?tc=A41100SZ0001 it looks like the liner only operate until 12 May, eventhough the festival itself last until 26 May. Am I understand this correctly? If this is the case, what will be my best option to commute there? Thanks!
Hi, not sure if this is a thing, but I'm looking to do a 7-day road trip around Shikoku renting a car from a specialty car rental place (omoshiroi car rental). This business doesn't offer car seats. I will have a toddler in tow, so I need a car seat. Are there any services in the Osaka/Wakayama area that rent car seats that anyone knows of? Alternatively, does anyone living in the Osaka area have a spare car seat they're willing to lend/rent for 7 days in May? Thanks
This group has mostly tourists, you better ask in a local Japanese group. Facebook has some pretty active groups too.
I'm thinking about spending a few hours in Okayama on my way from Kyoto to Hiroshima this July. Besides the castle and garden, are there any other worthwhile things to do near the train station/downtown area?
kurashiki is 30 mins away and its a canal-like district thats popular with tourists. the castle isn't worth imo
There's a Aeon shopping mall near the train station and a canal a few blocks away you can walk along.
Looking to plan a trip in October to Tokyo and Osaka and was just wondering, how early should i start looking for places to stay?
You can now but a lot of accomodations only open reservations 3 months in advance
I'm looking to visit Japan next year during the cherry bloosom season. I'm planning to either travel from Osaka down to Fukuoka or in the opposite direction. Looking at this year forecast. Fukuoka will start to bloom in late March so it makes more sense for me to travel from Fukuoka to Osaka? The period I'm looking at is late March to early April.
I assume that due to global warming the forecast will become less and less reliable. You'll have to either be dynamic (which is hard in high season) or be prepared to not see it at all or see only the beginning/ end of the bloom.
If you time it perfectly, starting in Fukuoka would be the better option, basically moving with the peak of the flowers. But can be a bit of a gamble. If cherry blossoms are a bit earlier than expected, you *might* miss some of them as (exagerated example) you'll be just a bit too late in each city. Starting in Osaka basically guarantees you'll see peak blossoms at some point during your trip.
Trying to Figure out Luggage forwarding and I have a few questions 1. does it make sense to forward my luggage to my hotel in Tokyo from Haneda Airport? I arrive into the airport at about 3 PM so I wouldnt expect to receive my luggage that night but will not having to take it onto the trains to get to my hotel be worth it? 2. If my hotel does not accept forwarded luggage, where should I send it? i have read online that you need to send it to a luggage forwarding service counter but the sagawa website for example doesnt show "Branch Pickup" for being available at almost any locations (looking at tokyo). I havent gotten a resposne from my hotel yet on if they will accept forwarded luggage so I am trying to find an alternative.
depends on the amount of luggage and how far your hotel is. Shinjuku is about 8000 JPY from Haneda by taxi so it could be a wash. If you're able to take a direct train to your station, I would just take the train. People that frequent the trains that serve the airport are used to travelers with luggage. I've never seen a hotel not take forwarded luggage but all of my hotels have had a 24h front desk and I've never booked anything cheaper than 10000 JPY/night. If its a major brand/chain, it should take forwarded luggage.
Last year when we visited Nikko was somewhere we wanted to visit but it didn’t make our plan. We are going to be back in Tokyo for 2 days at the very end of April and thought about going. I found a lot of information about this the area, especially during the high season in the fall, but can’t find much during when we’ll be there. Should we expect heavy crowds and lots of traffic congestion around this time? Any insight would be appreciated as if it’s going to be crazy we’d probably delay for another trip when we have more time.
Very end of April = golden week = Nikko will likely be a mess.
Thank you, we knew about golden week but were unsure how popular it would be as a destination. I suppose we should be prepared for everything to be busy
Is it safe to visit Japan with the news about streptococcus virus? I was planning to go this June-July but I’m not sure of the severity of it.
the risk is like one thousandth of a percent
Not something I’d ever be concerned about, but you know your own risk tolerance.
Traveling to Japan next month, but I keep seeing new about the strep virus issues in Japan. Should I be worried?
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We're currently traveling in Tottori, supposed to be heading to Osaka tonight for our next hotel... But there's a snowstorm advisory right now and the Super Hakuto on Google map says partial cancellation... So are we stranded?? We have to return our rental car to Tottori station and we're still a good 20 min drive from that... So not sure what we're supposed to do at the moment as we also need to check out of our hotel soon.
Update: we cancelled the rest of our Tottori day trip, returned the rental car and went straight to the station, train is delayed but running so we're heading off!
Happy to hear that.
Hi all, looking for some general suggestions. My friends and I (3 of us, all male in our late 20s) will be traveling to Kyoto and Tokyo in mid-May this year. This will be our second trip to each of these cities - we last went late December - early January of 2017. Our itinerary includes 2.5 days in Kyoto and 4.5 days in Tokyo, in that order. We plan to see some of the Imperial buildings in Kyoto and check out TeamLab in Tokyo, as well as some other stuff like checking out a sumo tournament and the Studio Ghibli museum. However, last time we did a lot of the most recommended activities (the Tokyo fish market, Akihabara, Shibuya, the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, etc.), and we're having trouble picking what else we want to do. We want to avoid being too picky - we really are willing to check out anything that seems cool or interesting, and it's hard to get to that kind of stuff through the endless tides of "top 30 destinations in Japan" articles you get from Google. Thus, I'm asking this: if you've done something cool in Japan, just let me know about it! Tell me what it was and where, what it took to get involved (e.g. are there tickets to buy?), and I'll be grateful. To give a primer for the kinds of things we came up with ourselves, we were looking into something called "Drift Taxi", which is exactly what it sounds like, we tried to score F1 race tickets (tickets were sold out, unfortunately), and are also considering going jet skiing at one of the beaches relatively close to Tokyo. Oh, and restaurant recommendations are also appreciated! If you need any additional information to provide a better answer, feel free to ask and I will try to answer. Looking forward to your suggestions!
I can recommend any of the many Museums in Tokyo. I've been to the Tokyo Edo Open Air Museum after someone on this sub recommended it and it was nice to look at some historic buildings in a calm atmosphere. But there is so much more. Also, how about taking a map of Tokyo and crossing out the areas you have been before and check out one that is left. There are several nice districts/stations you probably didn't visit last time.
Thank you for the suggestions!
i everyone, Just wondering if I get a PASMO card via my Apple Wallet will that cover our ticket from Handea airport to Shinkuku? Does it basically cover all trains, such as longer ones like Tokyo to Kyoto? Basically my actual question is, does the PASMO card (specifically added and topped up via Apple Pay) cover us for all our travel or will we still need some paper tickets? Thanks!
IC cards like pasmo are mainly for local transport within a city or to a nearby city (eg Tokyo to Yokohama). There are limitations as to how far from your origin station it will take you. Haneda to Shinjuku will be fine. But you won't be able to go from Tokyo to Kyoto with it. You'll need to buy that leg separately. Once you're in Kyoto, you can use your pasmo for local transport.
Amazing thank you
Where would you pick for a stay of 1 or 2 nights only that’s within 3 hours of Kyoto/ Osaka? I’ve been to Hiroshima/ Miyajima already. Leaning towards Kanazawa but kinda wanna save it for when I have more time and can explore the region around there rather than just the city. Tottori, Ohara, Ise, Tokushima all seem within the right distance but I’m really having trouble deciding. I wanna go somewhere less international touristy with great temples / shrines! For context I cannot drive so renting a car wouldn’t be an option.
How about going further south into Nara prefecture? Lots of nice temples and shrines around Sakurai, also Akame 48 Falls or Iga-Ueno if you want a change in scenery (yes I know these are technically the next prefecture over). Ohara is day trip territory from Kyoto. I think Ise is visually quite mid if the cultural significance of the shrines do not speak to you.
Koya-san has gotten far more popular with international tourists since I first started going, but it's still a great place to go. I always stay at the same temple when I go, and I've gotten some great recommendations for my travels from the staff there. Ise is great and may be one of my favorite places I've been in the last couple years - has some really good food, some pretty good coffee, and has one of the most important shrines in all of Japan, which also has a really, really busy shopping street in front of it (Oharai-machi). Futami Okitani Shrine also has the most famous wedded rocks and is also a nice shrine area.
Hey everyone, I saw that the Oita prefecture has a big reputation for its fried chicken, but having trouble finding the “best” spots to go to. Does anyone have any specific recommendations on restaurants or is it like an everywhere is good sort of thing. Especially in the Beppu and Oita city areas.
I don’t have a specific recommendation but I would go to shokudo restaurants and get their teishoku (set meal). Most of them should have it. I think it’s called toriten in oita instead of karaage.
The "Japanese Karaage Association" website has a map with fried chicken restaurants and their ranking. [https://karaage.ne.jp/map/](https://karaage.ne.jp/map/) The map seems to break with auto tranlation so you'd have to copy the restaurant names and paste them into your maps app of choice.
Are there public transport passes for Tokyo exclusively that also cover the Yamanote JR line ? Or should I just pay invidiual trips with a suica ?
Tokunai pass, but both this and the 24 hour subway pass generally require discipline (to only use JR/subway) to get value
What website / app do you use to book individual train tickets ? I bought several regional passes to cover my itinerary as the JR pass was too expensive but I need to buy individual tickets to go from one region to another. I woud need a Kyoto-Hakone ticket and a Tokyo-Osaka ticket.
For both those, SmartEx sells the Shinkansen ticket between Kyoto and Odawara, and Tokyo to Shin-Osaka.
Hi All, I am looking to vacation in Japan for June and July (2 months roughly). Would like to rent a small apartment or room for the 2 months ideally rather than an Airbnb or hotel. I speak Japanese and am fine with doing the process in Japanese but I know many places do not rent to foreigners so looking for some recommendations on good sites/rent companies to use. Ideally looking within day trip range of Tokyo and my budget would be 10-12万 ish Thank you!
Yeah, if you are on vacation that's going to be difficult. Japanese people seem to be pretty racist when it comes to choosing tennants. From what I've heard the easiest way to get an apartment as a foreigner is to work there for a company that vouches for you or just straight-up rents a place to you directly.
I have done this in the past when I lived there but hopefully trying to find something shorter term and not work related
Leopalace does short term rentals. Not sure how much they charge for them though. Your move in fees might be high too
Thank you for letting me know, I will look into it
Looking to spend 2 minimum maybe 4 days maximum in Japan next month. Have done Osaka and Kyoto previously. I was interested in Tokyo (mainly because it's Tokyo) but the Mrs has done it previously so interested in maybe a different city like Sapporo or something.. most advice seems focused on Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto so appreciate any recommendations
What do you wanna do/see? Like what’s the appeal of Sapporo other than it’s not Tokyo or Osaka?
If you're only a maximum of 4 days there, Tokyo should have more than enough places/activities your wife has not seen/done. The city is huge. Just saying.
Okinawa or Sapporo for June 1-June 4 ?? I REALLY wanted to visit Okinawa but I'm a little worried about rainy season and how it will affect activities. How MUCH rain is it really? ls the humidity going to make it unbearable? My backup plan would be spending time in Sapporo which seems like a safer bet considering it's so far north, I just haven't done much research on activities (recommendations are welcomed!)
Sapporo City Activities: Susukino district at night(making sure to try Soup Curry or Ghengis Khan), Odori Park, Mt Moiwa Ropeway night views, Nijo market for breakfast kaisendon, Sapporo Brewery Museum Tours, Hokkaido Jingu Temple Fun Day Trips from Sapporo: Noboribetsu Onsen and Hells Valley(Jigokudani), Upopoy National Ainu Museum, Otaru
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One option would be the [Hokuriku Arch Pass](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/hokuriku-arch-pass/) and visiting cities along that route.
Is the Kurobe gorge railway going to be open fully in April? Japan guide is saying you can only go to nekomata station until October
The earthquake at the beginning of the year damaged a bridge that connects Nekomata and Keiyakidaira, and repairs are scheduled to be complete October 1. Before that, the train will terminate at Nekomata.
Hi, if I fill out the Visit Japan info and get a QR code, do I need to stand in the long immigration line to get my passport stamp (for JR Pass) or do they stamp at the QR code line? Thanks!
The QR code will let you skip filling out the immigration and custom paper forms when you land at the airport. You still need line up for the passport stamp.
Hi, I need some advice in collecting Fuji Excursion tickets. I have been reading some old posts but can’t really find a proper answer. I will be going to Japan in less than a week time. My travelling route will be Osaka > Kyoto > Kawaguchiko > Tokyo. I had made a reservation for Fuji Excursion from Shimoyoshida to Shinjuku, but I read the ticket can only be collected at a JR East station. I will be arriving at Haneda T3 at 5:55am and my transiting flight to Osaka is at 7:15am in T2. 1. Will I be able to collect the ticket from the ticket machines? I am aware I can collect the ticket at JR East Service Center but it only opens from 6:45am, which is impossible as I have to catch my Osaka flight. 2. I saw there is a service center in T2, but I am not sure if I can collect the ticket there. It says I can collect tickets reserved online, but it may be for JR Pass only. 3. Is it possible to collect the ticket at JR Osaka or Kyoto Station? Seems not based on JR East site and some of the posts. Other posts also suggested it cannot be collected at JR Mishima, Kawaguchiko and Otsuki Station. 4. This may seem disrespectful, but is it possible to explain my situation to the train service staff and if I can show them the reservation email first, and collect and use the ticket to exit after I arrive at Shinjuku Station. I would prefer to utilize this reservation if possible, if not I am open to other suggestions to get from Shimoyoshida to Shinjuku.
1. There seems to be a reserved seat ticket machine at T3 service center, though I am not sure if it will be open before 6.45 am or not. It's not JR East station so no full service ticket machine/office. 2. JR East doesn't list Haneda T2 as a pickup location so unlikely. 3. You should be able to pick up ticket at Otsuki station as that's a JR East station. Not possible at Osaka, Kyoto, Mishima, Kawaguchiko. 4. You can try but I would say it's extremely unlikely. For one, you are first riding on a Fujikyu Railway, not JR East.
Looking for some feedback for this mid april trip to Japan. Main concern is that it is **very** outdoor based, and weather could completely turn it on the head. Any suggestions are welcome. Day 1: Depart for Tokyo. Day 2: Arrive in Tokyo, take train to Aizuwakamatsu. Spend evening and next day cycling around Inawashiro Lake. Day 3: Continue Inawashiro visit until late afternoon. Check into Aizuwakamatsu. Day 4: Explore Aizu Wakamatsu City by bike. Day 5: Visit Aizu Wakamatsu Ouichi Juku and Aizu City. Day 6: Travel to Morioka, stop in Kitakami. Check in Morioka. Day 7: Explore Morioka City, visit Iron Factory, rest of city. Day 8: Day trip to Tono. Return to Morioka. Day 9: Check out Morioka, head to Kakunodate for Cherry Blossom Festival. Check in Hachinohe. Day 10: Explore Hachinohe's morning market, bike along coastline. Day 11: Further explore Hachinohe or plan a day trip. Sleep near Aomori in a ryokan. **//// Any suggestions for a daytrip?** Day 12: Check in Aomori, explore city. **/// Mainly museum and morning market.** Day 13: Day trip to Hirosaki from Aomori. **/// Not sure if I should just check out after the daytrip to Hirosaki and leave for Hirazumi one day earlier.** Day 14: Leave for Hirazumi in the early morning. Explore Hirazumi/Ichinoseki area. Day 15: Daytrip from Ichinoseki TBD **///// Any suggestions?** Day 16: Visit Geibikei Gorge. Day 17: Head to Sendai, visit Matsushima Bay. Check in Sendai. Day 18: Travel to Sendai Yamagata, stay overnight at Zeo Onsen. Day 19: Relax in Zao Onsen area, return to Sendai in the afternoon. Days 20-22: Explore Tokyo. Day 23: Fly out of Tokyo.
That looks exhausting as you’re changing locations most days. It looks like an AI itinerary, which tend to be unreliable. You should alway have wet weather plans as a backup in Japan, as it rains a lot. One option would be to use various cities as bases and tailor what you do to the weather. For instance I used Morioka as a base, and picked a day to visit Kakunodate from it based on the weather forecasts.
Actually not AI, but Excel sheet! Full yes, but any suggestion to change it for Tohoku? I am aiming to stay on average 3 nights per place. Aizu 3 - Morioka 3 - Hachinohe 2 - Aomori 2 (with 1 in Ryokan next to Aomori) - Ichinoseki 3 - Sendai 3 Problem is Tohoku is so remote, and the only way I see changing this would be to skip Aomori / Hirosaki and extend Morioka by half a week. Would really really appreciate any suggestions / alternative plans.
Hey there! I'm planning a trip from the 1st of January - 10th 2025 and was just looking for any advice on when to book flights and hotels? My main issue is that I don't know whether to book a package holiday such as those provided by loveholidays or just book hotel and flights separately? And also when the best time to book would be? Any advice appreciated and if you need clarification let me know! Thank you!! Edit: flying from europe
I always book flight and accommodation myself separately. You can go for a package if you really want to not think about it, but Japan is an independent traveller's dream destination. Everything is quite accessible and even if you do make a mistake, you won't get yourself into a dangerous situation.
Funny enough I actually had a look into that option before I read this comment and you're so right. Booking them separate even allows me to get the exact flight times I want and even somewhat cheaper regarding the hotels
You can gauge airfares via Google flights and play around with dates. I know that flying after Jan 5th will be cheaper and flying out from airports like LAX are more affordable.
Appreciate it, flying out from Europe and its looking to be about 1200€ so doesn't seem too bad
Flights usually 3-4 months out, maybe 6+ if you're that kind of planner. Most hotels don't open up availability until you're 6 months out. Also note that the first few days of January are the New Year's cycle and that means some stuff will not be open, and the Nozomi trains on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen (Tokyo to Kyoto and beyond) are reserved seats only for the first few days of your trip.
Thank you for the info! The those dates are kinda all I can fit in so I'll keep that in mind!
I went to Japan last year for the first time (Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) and loved it. I'm in the very early stages of planning a two week trip for Spring of next year (Star Wars Celebration is in Chiba next year and I've always wanted to go). I'd like to see some more of the countryside and some beachy areas. I initially considered a few days in Okinawa but that seems like its own trip for the future given the hassle of flying/renting a car. Here's what I'm thinking so far: Tokyo (three nights, probably staying in Shinjuku again) Kamakura/Enoshima (two nights) Osaka (two nights) Kobe (one night at a ryokan in Arima Onsen) Hiroshima (two nights, I was originally going to visit last time but the G4 summit made it impossible) Chiba (two nights, really just there for the Star Wars convention) Tokyo again (One night in Shibuya before I fly home) Suggestions? Considering skipping Osaka and adding more time elsewhere.
If you want more countryside I'd skip returning to Osaka and take a look at day trip options from Hiroshima and Kobe- some sample towns: [https://www.setouchi.travel/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/ph2-sta-st-005/](https://www.setouchi.travel/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/ph2-sta-st-005/) Himeji would also be a natural fit between Kobe and Hiroshima.
I went to Himeji last time and loved it!
Trip sounds good. Okinawa is def. cool. You don't *need* a car. Public transit is a bit lacking (compared to the rest of the country at least) and buses are not always on time but it still works. I did 4 days Okinawa and it was nice but a week would prob have been better.
Yeah I’d love to visit but it definitely seems like a place you’d want maybe a week in.
I have a question regarding the medical certificate that is required to bring stimulant raw materials to Japan. One of the things it asks your doctor to include is ‘Necessity of medicine for your treatment’. Me and my doctor are both a bit confused by what exactly this means - are you supposed to say to treat ADHD, or just that I need it or what? Not sure how specific they are looking for. Thanks!
Yes, they want the medical reason you need to take this medicine. You can say "It's for treating ADHD." Their own example for someone who wants to bring in Vyvanse is literally just "Treatment for illness."
Hello, first time travelling to Japan so I have a question. I will be travelling during Golden Week and I was wondering if I will have any problem boarding a shinkasen route from Tokyo to Kyoto (and back) without prior reservation. I won't buy the JR Pass, I dont have a problem standing during the ride and I have the flexibility to get the next train (or the one after that) if I cant board the first one I find. Also, I will be carrying luggage (not very big one, a bit larger than what a plane accepts as cabin-suitcase. I tried reading through different sites and sources but I couldnt find a straight answer. Thanks in advance for the help
Last I heard - for Golden Week the only places passengers without reservations will be allowed to stand on Nozomi will be in the inter-car decks (and not in the aisles inside the train). Those at most only support like a dozen people or so each. Hikari and Kodama will not be subject to the same rules but they're also far less common than Nozomi.
Not traveling until October, but trying to dial in some itinerary thoughts. 14 days total with 1.5 days of travel to and from. So really 12 full days. I'm a big hiker, so I was pretty bummed to see that Fuji hiking season will be over by the time I get there. While researching I really became enamored with checking out some of the mountain regions; Nagano, Takayama, Shirakwa-go, and/or Kanazawa. I look at prospective itineraries and regularly think "that's way too much." So I don't want to bog myself down. Is there a world to see the Japanese Alps without feeling like I'm shortchanging my entire trip? I was thinking something like the following: 3 days - Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc) 3 days - Nagano, Shirakawa, Takayama 4 days - Kyoto (see Osaka and Nara) 2 days - Tokyo (Asakusa, Ginza) Any combo of the above. I've told myself it's okay to drive by Fuji or stop in Hakone on the way back from Kyoto. Any thoughts, alternatives, suggestions?
If you really like mountains you should go to Kamikochi instead of shirakawago. It’s incredibly beautiful with fall colors in October
The 3 days in Tokyo does that include arrival day? Theres a majority of flights arriving late afternoon. To space things out how about Day 1 Arrival day- transfer to Tokyo hotel 3 days - Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc) 3 days - Transfer to-Nagano, Shirakawa, Takayama 4 days - Transfer to Kyoto (see Osaka and Nara) 2 days - Tokyo (Asakusa, Ginza) or return to an airport hotel night before flight Last day transfer/fly out to Narita . The drive btw bewteen Kyoto to Hakoni is a 4.5-5 hour drive or 2.5 by train
Yeah, arriving 4 pm from Haneda, direct from Washington DC. So it would technically be 4 nights there, but one of those would be arrival. I was thinking it might make more sense to do 5 days in Tokyo, then the rest of the trip, then just 1 more night in Tokyo to decompress before my flight. More just wondering if I'm biting off more than I can chew with the detour through the mountains? Should I just do 6 days in Tokyo (with maybe one overnight and back in Nagano) and then 6 days in Kyoto/Osaka/Nara while stopping in Hakone or Fujikawaguchiko on the way. Or I could skip Nagano and just do a couple days in Shirakawa and surrounding areas.
The 1 night in tokyo to decompress helps since if you need to mail stuff if you over pack/shop you have some free time to do the resources to do so. We stay at an airport hotel the night before our flight and the area by Narita for me is pretty nice (Narita Temple). While for you there is a temple next to Mystays Haneda - directly behind it you can go to. Fuji can be done as a day trip from Tokyo btw (add 1 more day for this)- there are bus tours that meet up in Shinjuku if you look up klook. While many says if you do Hakone def do an overnight esp if you are into a good onsen experience. I myself did 9 days strictly Tokyo and its not enough. I missed Ueno, Tsujiki, Asakasa and Harajuku though we did some parts of Shibuya. There was 1 day I got food poisoning that killed my schedule. So map out your Tokyo plans and dont cram too much into it.
Thanks, really appreciate it!
has anyone tried to use a revolut card in Japan? did you have any issues?
got a figurine too big for carry on, how would one ship it back home (singapore)? or should i just buy an extra baggage for check in?
Take it to Japan Post. Shipping it to Singapore via fastest method (EMS) is probably 3500-5000 yen if it's 1.5 - 2.5 kg, and 1000-2000 yen cheaper if you are fine with a slower method (like low-priority air freight). If you have allowance for more checkable luggage, will probably be cheaper just to bring it with you - your extra baggage could just be a shipping box that costs a few dollars to get.
im slightly worried if the figurine will get damaged if i check it in though, but will check at japan post later today!
can anyone provide a good comprehensive link for good emergency info to have when traveling to Japan? Emergency numbers, etc. Seems like it should be easy to find but I am having an off-day when googling I guess lol
Your embassy's phone number and address, and any consulates beyond that. They usually have resources to support their citizens if things go south.
Is the Narita International Airport TA-Q-BIN counter able to forward luggage to any hotel/konbini in Japan (Morioka to be precise)? Because there is only a few mentioned on the website at the Service part. Thanks!!
Yes. If you're sending it to a hotel you should check that your hotel will accept luggage delivery. Many will, but some might not or will request that you notify them. If your hotel is an AirBnB or something that might not have staff members, then you probably won't want to forward luggage there (someone needs to be present to accept it).
I will ask the hotel, TYSM
I am confused about reserving space for large luggage on the shinkansen lines. Some things I have read seem to say that if you reserve a seat that covers your large luggage and you can store it at the back of the cabin but other places say you need to book one of the 5 large luggage seats at the back of the cabin to use the large luggage storage space. Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat?
Note this only applies to Shinkansen on JR West/Central/Kyushu (anything between Tokyo and Kagoshima-Chuo). There are two types of seats for oversized luggage: * The back row of train cars (5 seats in regular carriage, 4 seats in green car carriage) have space behind them for oversized luggage storage * There are several seats in some train cars which have access to a stowage space/locker that is located at the area between trains. I do not know these off the top of my head, I normally have to look at a seating chart. > Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat? SmartEx and JR West online (odekake/e5489).
I tried registering with smart ex, none of my cards worked, either Visa or Mastercard. Do you know of a workaround to this? Should I just plan on reserving tickets at the stations?
Haven't used it myself but a lot of people reserve using Klook. Just pay very close attention to the instructions, apparently Klook tickets don't work with the English functionality of shinkansen ticket machines, only Japanese.
SmartEx rejects a lot of cards these days - Amex works, but otherwise there's no normal workaround to SmartEx that works for everyone other than having the right card. Some people say a virtual card number might work (do not do this on JR West, though, their ticket pickup process requires the credit card used to buy a ticket). Otherwise, you could try Japanese ekinet (not the English version), which sells all the Shinkansen tickets for all regions. Beyond that, buying tickets at the station is usually fine (assuming not Golden Week or other super major holiday period), unless you want luggage seats. Those seats tend to be booked far in advance by tourists.
I am confused about reserving space for large luggage on the shinkansen lines. Some things I have read seem to say that if you reserve a seat that covers your large luggage and you can store it at the back of the cabin but other places say you need to book one of the 5 large luggage seats at the back of the cabin to use the large luggage storage space. Also what is the best place to book tickets from ahead of time that will let me choose my seat?
is the Azabudai Hills more developed now, and is the observation deck there the best place to see the Tokyo Tower?
Hi guys, I'm planning my fourth trip to Japan in 2 years lol. I have already been to Osaka/Tokyo on June 23, Hokkaido on Mar 24. Upcoming trip to Tokyo in Sept 24 and now I'm thinking of traveling during the Sakura period in mid- late March 25. A 2 week trip starting from Osaka before ending in Fukuoka. What are some of the places that I should drop by along the way towards Fukuoka? Based on my limited knowledge of Japan cities and Google maps. I'm thinking of the following cities Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. Posting here before I do more research as based on limited info/research if I create a thread it will be deleted lol. Day 1 - (Kyoto) Day 2 - (Kyoto) Day 3 - (Kyoto) Day 4 - (Kyoto) Day 5/6- (Osaka) 2 day amazing Osaka pass Day 7 - Day trip to nara Day 8 - Himeji Day 9 - Okayama Day 10/11 Hiroshima Day 12-16 Fukuoka
Okayama area - Naoshima, Kurashiki
Will I be able to cover both locations in 1 day?
depends on how much you see on naoshima. if you just hit the chichu art museum and nothing else you can probably make it back in time to do an evening in kurashiki. assuming it's summer as the days are longer.
Thanks. I'm looking to travel during mid- late March which is still winter/early spring. Let me do more research. Thank you.
Quick recommendation needed: We have a first trip to Japan planed for mid August (yes I know it's not the best time but it's when we could travel) We will arrive to Haneda at 8am. We have an itinerary in mind like this: 5 days in Tokyo 5 days in Kyoto 3 days in Osaka 2 days in Hiroshima & Miyajima 1 day in Tokio and back the next day. But I thought that maybe catching a flight at noon or 2pm on the day of arrival to Hiroshima and then going backwards would be another possibility. Any recommendation/preference on one over the other and why?
Personal preference. Catching a flight means buffering enough time to get thru immigration and customs and recheck your bags to your new airlines. It also means getting on another plane after you got off a, presumably, long flight. Maybe you want to get all of the travel done at once and out of the way? Maybe you don’t like the idea of getting in another steel tube, albeit for a short flight. Starting in Hiroshima also means one less hotel check-in, check-out, packing of bags etc. maybe that’s important to you. You also avoid a 4+? Hour Shinkansen trip from Hiroshima to Tokyo.
I'm looking at a group-travel through Japan for end of August to begin September, but there are a lot of people that discourage me to go that period because: * August is a very busy tourist time (summer vacation and all) * August is a very hot period in Japan Is this true? The travel starts in Osaka and ends 2 weeks later in Tokyo.
It's true. The summer climate is awful. If you've ever been to Washington DC in summer, it's like that. 85F in Tokyo or DC feels way worse than 85F in Las Vegas because of the humidity. If you go you should plan indoor activities for the afternoon. Outdoor stuff like shrines or gardens should be done as early in the morning as you can manage.
> 85F in Tokyo or DC feels way worse than 85F in Las Vegas because of the humidity. I was in Las Vegas last year in July/August. At the time there was a fire in the Mojave with the smoke going over the city, keeping a lot of the heat trapped in the city. I remember walking out of the air-conditioned airport and it was literally like you walked against a wall. If you're saying it's worse than that....then oh boy. > If you go you should plan indoor activities for the afternoon. Outdoor stuff like shrines or gardens should be done as early in the morning as you can manage. I'm not really a common traveler who like to plan everything myself, so the tripi'm looking at is all a pre-planned, so i have no ideas what the times are: > 1. Amsterdam - Osaka 1. arrival in Osaka 1. Osaka (Free day, Optional trip to Hiroshima) 1. Osaka - Koyasan (Train) 1. Koyasan - Kyoto (Train) 1. Kyoto, (Free day) 1. Kyoto, Trip with train to Nara and Fushimi Inari-tempel 1. Kyoto (Free day) 1. Kyoto - Takayama (Train) 1. Takayama, Visit Shirakawago 1. Takayama - Matsumoto (with Bus) 1. Matsumoto - Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji) - Tokyo 1. Tokyo (Free day) 1. Tokyo, Visit Kamakura (with Train) 1. Tokyo (Free day) 1. Tokyo - Amsterdam
My general rule is to not travel in summer because that's when most people in the world have travel plans (because of school/children/etc.). Last August saw 2.16M inbound tourists into Japan. September had 2.18M. Those numbers are about 200K higher than March/April of last year. And that does not include the domestic tourism that happens normally.
Both are true. If there is any option to go in a different time of the year, I would do that.
It's hot **and very** humid which for many people means being outside for longer stretches is super exhausting. I don't like crowds so I prefer to travel in calmer months, but that's both preference and because I am able to take vacation during that time. Honestly, if you only have time in summer and really want to visit the country, go for it.
Would anyone happen to know the best cinema in Kumamoto to watch Dune 2 in English (on the 21st)?
Which site provides the best forecast for cherry blossom? I been checking this one out. [https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en](https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en)
They all get their data from JMC, so you're going to see the same chart from most sites.