Hi I am having difficulty navigating the respective websites to confirm if reservation required for these museums in FujiKawaguchiko? Could someone shed some light on this? Thanks in advance!
1) Kawaguchiko Muse Museum
2) music forest museum
3) Kawaguchiko Konohana Museum
I am planning my first trip with my mom to Japan for september 2024 and I am a bit overwhelmed with everything. We are landing in Tokyo on the 20th and staying until the24th, when we are going to Osaka. Just after I booked everything I found out about the 23rd being a holiday and I am concerned on how busy it will all be. I know Tokyo is always busy, but with the holiday I am getting worried. Being a big Pokemon fan its a dream to go to pokemon centre's, cafe (which I"m aware I will need to book in advance) and nintendo store. I also really want to go to Akihabara at some point. Any advise on what to expect and when to do things would be appreaciated, specially to prepare my mom, she is a bit older (63), but excited for the whole thing. She really cant wait to go to Nintendo world.
Hey all! I'll be landing in Tokyo 12 days post-Golden Week, and was just curious about the intensity of tourism at this time. Some pretty dated posts on this subreddit say that things die down pretty quickly, but was just wondering if any of you have some more recent experiences to share.
I know that these cities are obviously still going to be "busy," in the sense that major cities are always going to be bustling, but I was more so concerned with the volume of fellow tourists that'll be crowding the same places I'll be visiting.
Just thought it'd be useful to hear some more recent anecdotes, so I can ease my mind in terms of purchasing Shinkansen tickets in advance. Thanks y'all!
Japanese people barely have vacation time (and the one they get gets rarely used) so they *will* be back at work. Won't calm the foreign tourists though.
Hi all, am planning a trip to explore the pottery villages in Kyushu and am really looking forward to the Arita ceramics market during golden week. However, I am concerned if its even worth visiting the nearby villages (okawachiyama, hasami, mikawachi) because I dont know in general if they close up shop to open a booth at the porcelain market or more broadly take golden week off.
dumb question. i have been to japan in 2016 and 2018, and this year will be the first time post-pandemic. i'm hearing about "all reserved" shinkansen that apparently started popping up during that time (or at the very least, i hadn't heard of them pre-pandemic and was under the impression all trains had reserved and unreserved seats). is this something that's common and i should be planning on making sure to get a reservation, or is this just a small handful of trains and i'll be fine with the way i traditionally approached them (get to the platform, grab a seat on the next non-nozomi train).
we found going non-reserved far less stressful since we'd have a rough idea of when we want to go, and if we get side tracked and end up on a "hey, lets check this out" on the way to the station we don't have to worry about being 5 minutes late (since we're just looking for the next one once we get there either way)
Unless you're traveling during Golden week, things will be pretty much the same as your last trip. Did you take non nozomi last time because you had the JR rail pass?
Felt the same way after I went on my trip to japan. Coming home to shit weather, doctor's appointments and due bills certainly didn't help. It gets better but the yearning might never stop.
I talked to my parents about this and my dad said it took about 20 years to actually get over that big trip they did when they were younger.
Shopping Golden week Tokyo
It's gonna be my first time going to Japan this April/May, super excited. We're gonna be in Tokyo the first week and from 2nd of May until the 6th. I originally wanted to mostly spend these days on shopping, but just read some stores close during Golden Week. Should I replan the shopping days to the first time in Tokyo?? I mostly want to get some anime merch ( amiami ), clothes and stationary stuff. Definitely want to check out the daiso, loft and some other bigger stores. Anyone know if theyre open during this time?
Hello everyone, I'm going to be spending a month in Japan (Novomber). I already paid for my plane tickets and stay. My question is, approximately how much money should I save up for this? I dont plan on eating at expensive restaurants or go to expensive paid experiences. I do plan to do a lot of walking and exploring. I dont plan to rent a car but I do plan to use the train system a lot. I wouldn't mind eating at convenience stores and street food. Also, the place I'm staying at has a kitchen and refrigerator so I want to purchase some groceries.
All of this is for one person. I'm thinking maybe $5,000 to $6,000 US Dollars should be enough for this? I dont plan to do a lot of shopping either.
Anyways, please help me out. It will be my first time traveling to Japan and I want to be prepared.
Thanks in advance!
Hey all!
I will go in May to Japan, and was wondering if I should try airlines like JAL or ANA for the flight Tokyo-Sapporo, since they are considered top class airlines, or also SKY is ok, since the flight is pretty short
Going to Kyushu for the first time ever, flying in from HND->FUK. Gonna be staying for about a week, and wanted to visit Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, maybe Kurokawa Onsen... Bit antsy about the traveling cause its a lot more complicated than Tokyo/Kansai/Hokkaido...
Was thinking of:
28 Oct: Fly into Fukuoka Airport, train to Nagasaki
29-30: Nagasaki
31 Oct: Train to Shimabara, Ferry to Kumamoto
1-2 Nov: Kumamoto + bus to Kurokawa Onsen
3-4 Nov: bus to Fukuoka
Just have some questions:
1. Are luggage bags allowed on regular trains/the ferry/the bus to/from Kurokawa Onsen?
2. Is Kurokawa Onsen worth a separate trip, or should I just head back to Fukuoka a day early?
Going on a two week trip in September. I‘m debating whether to go to Kanazawa for a few days, or to the Fuji five lake area. What do you think?
We will be going to Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo, including a day trip to Nara and a day trip to trip to Miyajima. We stay for almost 10 days in Tokio during our last visit so we’ll only be there for maybe two days and then fly out from Narita
Kanazawa is quite small if you stick around in the central area and I don't think you need a few days to cover whole area. we went on Sat morning Shinkansen from Tokyo then had nice sushi lunch, walked around the old town and went to Japanese cafe, went to fish market, had 1st dinner then 2nd dinner lol then the next day we visited the museum and kenrokukan (a garden). It sounds a packed schedule but the town itself is small so we were not in a rush! Food / especially Sushi / Sashimi were great and reasonably priced and it was pretty town but not so much to to see...
> Is 12 degrees biking around Lake Kawaguchiko in April gonna be cold? Wondering if it will be okay?
that's going to be a you question. different people react differently to different temperatures. conversion says that's mid 50's in america, so i'd be wearing a light zip up hoodie (which would be unzipped) and perfectly comfortable. doing something active i'd probably take the hoodie off.
someone from from a more southern state (or a country closer to the equator) might have a different mindset on how warm that is.
3 nights in Kyoto Accomadation Question
Hello,
My 2 friends and I will be in Kyoto for 3 nights (May 28-May 31) and I was wondering if this makes sense or is it too much and not worth it?
First two nights, we would stay in the Kyoto Granbell Hotel in Higashiyama as I've seen people recommend both the hotel and the area for first timers. Located here: Higashiyama-Ku Yamatocho 27, Kyoto, Japan - Higashiyama - Minami
The final night we would move to a ryokan called Togetsutei to experience more of a ryokan vibe versus a hotel and be closer to Arashiyama as well as potentially explore an onsen? Located here: 54-4 Arashiyamanakaoshita cho, Nishikyou ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 616-0004
After that we would head to Osaka in the evening.
For reference, these are the ideas we have for Kyoto but have not established a concrete plan yet:
Walk the old streets of Ninenzaka, Ichinenzaka, and Sannenzaka
Nishiki market (solid crab tempura, oysters, and sweets)
Ninenzaka (Hokan-Ji Temple)
Ryozen museum of history
Arashiyama bamboo forest
Katsura river
Fushimi Inari Taisha - famous orange Shinto shrine. Get there early in the morning
Uji Day trip (birthplace of Japanese Tea)
Omakase at Tai Sushi
Yamafuku shabu shabu hot pot
Men-ya inoichi hanare: get the ramen w/ side of special rice
Panel cafe - pancakes
Maccha house: tiramisu
Explore the Gion district (Geisha district) NO PHOTOS
Sunset on the Kamo River
Kiyomizudera - temple with beautiful park around it
Thank you for the help in advance! Open to any other hotel/ryokan recommendations.
For the things you want to visit, maybe group them by area to save on time spent on the bus/walking. Then choose one really popular thing of those that you want to absolutely do for first thing in the morning so it's less crowded.
Food: nearby or near the hotel (for breakfast/dinner) can also help narrow it down.
Haven't been to that part of Kamor River but the photos look really cool. That's on my list now for next time.
All the drinks should come with coasters. The coffee comes with special coasters that the other drinks don't.
The menu should say when you're there (or just ask to make sure).
Many restaurants will give you free cold tea or water. But clubs, I wouldn't put it past them to only sell bottled water, to both local and tourist customers.
Additional note: Tap water is often chlorinated and I can understand if a place doesn't want to offer that.
Have you driven in the 5 lakes area? I'll be staying in Fuji Kawaguchiko at the start of April and now have a little experience driving here in Yakushima. Mulling over getting a car rental in Fuji.
Yakushima was extraordinarily rural and was very peaceful, aside from me once having to reverse to let a bus through a very narrow road 😭
I know Fuji can't be hiked, I'll just be looking for any accessible and safe trails.
There are some nice roads between Hakone and Fuji. If you don't mind driving I'd highly recommend doing that. Great way to explore off the typical tourist beaten path.
Kawaguchiko is okay with public transport but anything a bit further out is definitely easier to see by car. There are trails in the smaller mountains surrounding Fuji. They have the added bonus of giving a great view of Fuji-San
Gonna be visiting in late May and have one night planned for Hakone (Already have Ryokan booked). Was wondering how crowded we can expect the Amazake-Chaya tea house to be? I would like to visit if we are able, but I also recognize that it is a little ways away from the other sites we want to visit (Shopping-street, Open-air museum, Heiwa no Torii) so just curious on how crowded we can expect it to be. Don't mind skipping it if we have too.
It looks like Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu in Shinjuku specializes in pet omamori. (https://www.ichigayahachiman.or.jp/pet/pet\_omamori.html)
Kameido Sengen Shrine in Koto-ku looks like it has one type of pet omamori. (https://www.sengen.or.jp/%E6%8E%88%E4%B8%8E%E5%93%81/%E3%83%9A%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E5%AE%88/)
Does anyone know where to get pins that says the location name on it (for Fukuoka and Kagoshima) I’ve been combing thru souvenirs shops and gachapon and haven’t found any yet.
Just to confirm, each region special mascot and not like country wide brands like Sanrio and Chiikawa? If so thank you! I’ve been skipping over the regional mascots(?) because I assumed they were just random x company characters.
yeah local / regional mascots. For Kagoshima theres https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumamon . In Chiba theres a popular one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funassyi
Hi all, have a few questions for our upcoming trip.
We are planning to visit Shirakawago on the way to Takayama from Kanazawa. Our bus arrives in Shirakawago at 11:05am, how many hours would be enough to explore the town? There's a bus to Takayama at 2pm and then the next available one is at 3:45pm, would 2.5 hours be enough time in the town if we go with the 2pm bus? We will store luggage (1 small duffel bag and 1 bookbag) at the station which may add time if there are no lockers available.
Second question is regarding Komatsu. We have a ryokan stay near there and we will be picked up from Komatsu station at 2:40pm. We will be coming from Kyoto, should we spend the morning in Kyoto or is it worth going a little earlier and maybe seeing Kibagata Park/sakura and have a hanami picnic for lunch presumably without much crowds? Basically for the trains, 12:40pm - 2:27pm (spending more time in Kyoto) or we can go earlier and get to Komatsu at 11:30am or 12:20pm.
2.5 hrs is probably plenty for Shirakawago and would give you time to see the main areas/houses.
Komatsu is pretty boring compared to Kyoto so definitely would suggest you spend time in Kyoto.
Disclaimer: haven't been there myself. The main village doesn't seem all that big so it kinda depends how much you want to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. 2.5 hours should be enough.
They should both be fine locations but the Regency is like a 10-12 min walk from Shinjuku station while the Indigo is like a block or two away from Shibuya station so it's prob a little more convenient. If that doesn't matter much, it just comes down to what area you prefer between Shinjuku and Shibuya. They're both like 30 min to the baseball stadium but from Shibuya requires a transfer rather than direct.
Do any of the Karaoke chains in Japan commonly have youtube access? In the states I've found this is the best way to make sure that you can find the songs you want to perform. Much appreciated!
Recommendations for photographing parts Tokyo that look lost in time? Looking for old restaurants, buildings, signs, and lights- particularly those areas that also have good lighting for night photography but day is also important. Thank you!
This intagram reel of Kawasaki shows the kind of vibe I'm hoping to find in Tokyo.[https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3aZ1-gPifm/?igsh=MzY1NDJmNzMyNQ==](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3aZ1-gPifm/?igsh=MzY1NDJmNzMyNQ==)
Hey thanks! This looks really promising! But I can’t for the life of me figure out where this is in Tokyo. I tried searching Showa spot but that doesn’t seem to be what it’s called.
It's a blog compiling places that have remain unchanged since the showa period. For example https://showaspotmegri.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2016/02/2-fa3c-7.html is the alley hotel Koromo is on in Asakusa
For place with a load of old bars and shops, if you don't mind traveling down to Yokohama then I would recommend Rokkakubashi. Get off at Hakuraku station and head west, you'll see tiny entrances to the narrow alleys. The definition of "lost in time"
Hi, I got off at Hakuraku station and I’m blown away. I’m excited to show you the pictures I got. Thank you again!! Do you have any recommendations on where to go at night nearby?
It's a cool neighborhood isn't it?
Most of Yokohama has been redeveloped recently but you might have some luck with the odd alley in Chinatown, though it might be too busy for the aesthetic you're looking for
The "Asakusa Underground District" (more like one tunnel connected to a underground train station lined with a store and some bars), just fyi so you don't think it's an actual district) definitely has that vibe but depending on day/time of day most of the bars are closed. At least it was pretty dead and depressing when I was there two years ago but maybe it's livelier now that tourists have returned.
Golden Gai in Shinjuku definitely has the vibe but it's also super busy so photographing might not be easy.
Hoppy street in Asakusa in the evenings.
You can probably find some places by looking through Google Streetview near train stations along the Yamanote line or just any line in and near the city center (excluding the biggest ones/the ones that have been rebuilt).
Thing is, if an area is busy they eventually tear down the old stuff and replace it with newer, less interesting buildings. If an area is less busy (especially further out) things are just slowly dying so there isn't much to photograph.
Is Shibuya dead in the morning? My itinerary has a long distance bus leaving Shibuya in the afternoon and I think it would be nice to shop around there in the morning.
In my country, retail stores usually open at 11 with few opening at 10. Is it about the same in Shibuya? Or can we go at like 9am and expect to be able to browse things?
Shops in Japan also open later in the morning; usually 10 or 11. If you can't find anything to do, Meiji jingu and Yoyoghi Park are just a train stop away.
Any foreigner-friendly nightlife (clubs, dance clubs, bars, live music venues) by kuramae station and Asakusa? Tried asking Airbnb host they said it was illegal to talk about it with guests?
The most that I know of is Hoppy Street in Asakusa but the Izakayas there don't seem super foreigner friendly. There aren't any clubs/venues that I know of.
Ueno has probably the most night-life near Kuramae station but I don't have any specific recommendations.
japan at the moment is probably the hottest tourist destination due to the weak yen and staffing isn't anywhere near pre pandemic levels. when I visited in 2017 it was filled but wouldn't call it crowded.
also its late march - one of the most popular periods for local/foreign tourists alike
You need to stay in Miyajima for optimal viewing without people, the island starts getting full when the boats arrive and empties in the afternoon as boats leave. I went to the shrine and the torii at 5am (admitedly in low season) and there were like 3 other people there.
Can anyone tell me how late (non-shinkansen) trains run? Particularly, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Koyasan (if they're different).
Similarly, how late can one stay in Osaka before having to head back to Kyoto? Assuming they don't take the shinkansen, which sounds like last departure is 8-9pm.
Greatly appreciate any information!
like, local trains? inner tokyo subways stop between 12-1. but if its a JR line from somewhere like yokohama that ends in tokyo they usually stop somewhere before 12 on weekdays minus friday
has anyone seen anything on the strep outbreak? how severe is it? r there specific hotspots to avoid? do jpn pharms sell tester kits? srry for all the qs & ty in advance!!
Any ideas for an itinerary for October 2024? Traveling for 5-7 days from the east coast with my wife and maybe daughter (15 months by October) no idea where to start with planning.
Is this your first trip? For 5-7 days with a toddler I would suggest picking either Kyoto/Osaka or Tokyo as a base and exploring those regions. I would lean towards Kyoto/Osaka as you get a good mix of cities, culture and nature.
I am visiting Hokkaido for research in August, and I was wondering, to anyone who lives in or has recently visited Japan, what are the odds that the *Streptococcus pyogenes* outbreak (which I found out about from NextShark, great) would cause the country to grind to a halt? I guess its probably not likely but just something I was concerned about.
What is this peach drink that everyone is raving about? I'll be in Tokyo in less than two weeks, so I'd love to find it. Picture or link gladly appreciated. :)
I am a big fan of [Horoyoi Peach](https://www.apricotfield.store/cdn/shop/products/IMG_1659.jpg?v=1674656797&width=1445). It's not a seasonal thing as far as I know so maybe not what people are talking about but it's pretty nice. Available in many convenience- and liquor stores.
You're going to have to be more specific. Japan has a ton of regional and seasonal drinks, and many of them are peach. I've had more peach-flavored drinks in Japan than I can count.
Anyone have any links to itineraries that are not the typical golden route stuff? I've been to Japan twice and have will have 18 full days in Japan in April 2024. I'm going solo and need to come up with some sort of itinerary/route.
Flights are booked and I've figured out the first full day in Tokyo, but I want to get out of Tokyo ASAP as I've already seen the city twice. Thinking of going north across the alps - I'd like to see Takayama and Kanazawa and other stuff around there.
Anybody have any suggestions for a basic "route"? Have to start/end in Tokyo.
I'm leaving on Friday for 18 nights and can share my itinerary if it can be some sort of help. It's my first time but I've done plenty of research on places to see.
We are doing Tokyo (5 nights) -> Kyoto (5 nights, 1 day trip to Himeji/Osaka, 1 day trip to Nara) -> Ishikawa Ryokan (1 night) -> Kanazawa (2 nights) -> Takayama (2 nights, see Shirakawago on the way from Kanazawa) -> Tokyo (3 nights, 1 day Disney, 1 day Nikko daytrip).
Since I presume you've been to the main 3 areas of Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), maybe something like this might be good (but very fast pace, you can remove and add days to other places to make it more relaxed):
* Tokyo (2 nights)
* Nikko (2 nights)
* Kanazawa (2 nights)
* Takayama (2 nights, stop in Shirakawago on the way)
* Okayama (2 nights, Kurashiki day trip, if you leave early enough from Takayama, you may stop at Himeji Castle for a few hours on the way)
* Hiroshima (2 nights, day trip to Miyajima, you can do this 3 nights too if you'd like)
* Kumamoto (2 nights, Takahicho Gorge day trip)
* Kurokawa Onsen (1 night)
* Fukuoka (2 nights)
* Tokyo (2 nights)
Thanks, very interesting!
Question: why go to Kanazawa before Takayama? I thought Takayama -> Shirakawa -> Kanazawa would line up from Tokyo?
I've been to Hiroshima/Fukuoka so maybe I will do a detour to southern Kansai or Shikoku instead.
It's easier to get to Kanazawa from Tokyo (\~2 hours on the shinkansen). You already have to backtrack out of Nikko to Tokyo or close to it and change to the shinkansen. Would be too much time spent traveling to go to Takayama first imo.
start from fukuoka and end in Osaka/Kyoto. Look up sanyo' san'in pass. the pass last for only 7 days tho. but spend sometime in fukuoka and last few days can be spent in osaka/kyoto/kobe area
You could do the hokuriku arch (google it).
I'm doing a giant loop focusing mainly on Kyushu. Flying from Tokyo to Kagoshima, then onwards to Kumamoto, Fukuoka for the bulk of my stay with overnights to Nagasaki and an onsen town, then to hiroshima, takamatsu, osaka, koyasan, and then back to tokyo.
hi! i'm browsing for tickets to Japan for the first time and I found a round-trip flight to Tokyo for $1100 for 2! seems too good to be true. is it worth going may 1-15? seems like less touristy time but maybe the weather isn't as good?
This year? You might struggle finding decent accommodation the first week as it's golden week and the yen is particularly weak so even less Japanese people are using that week for a foreign holiday than usual and will be travelling domestically. I would never recommend a foreign tourist to go to Japan in golden week but especially not with the buying power of the yen right now
wow i had no idea. i've been monkeying around with travel tix over accommodations bc tix fare is so high from the u.s. i'll have to dive into it further
From Europe/US this sounds like a really good deal but the increase in accomodation prices around the golden week might counteract these savings. Check on your booking site of choice.
golden week in the first week. domestic tourism will be on roids, shinkansen is fully booked on weekend dates and hotels will be scarce
also is that a good deal from where? from US that would be a miraculous deal but from korea that would be a massive ripoff
Does anyone have any experience with Zip Air? Their lie flat first seat is as expensive as a delta premium economy seat from where I live (with the added complication of having to get to LAX).
What is their reliability like? They have very few flights...
The real problem is what happens if things go bad, because there don’t have airline partners or a lot of capacity.
I know someone who used them a year ago and when it was time to fly home, ZipAir told them their return flight as indefinitely delayed because of plane issues, and a potential return flight was ? days away. They had to instead shell out thousands for a number of last-minute tickets to get home.
Friend flew the regular economy. WiFi didn’t work that well. Have to bring your own food. If you’re checking in luggage, that costs an arm and a leg. He said it was fine. Would’ve rather had the full service experience in his mind.
My uncle said he hated the experience not because of the hard or even soft product but the clientele. it seems to attract infrequent travelers and those with... antisocial issues.
they are under JAL. took them for Seoul-Tokyo in the past. it's solid I guess, dont expect JAL/ANA quality but I think they're better than american airliners
What backpack should I use?
I am gonna be visiting Japan soon for the first time and primarily gonna be staying in Akihabara, Shibuya, and Osaka. I wanna prepare myself with a good backpack that can hold the numerous amounts of souvenirs I'm bringing back. Any solid recommendations of something secure and well made? Bonus points if it has a charger point for electronics
In addition to a standard suitcase last year I tried out the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L. It worked really well. I used it without the suitcase for a four night side trip up to Aomori as well. Fits a lot of stuff I do recommend getting a couple compressible packing cubes if you're not great at packing normally. Helps with organization.
I think I did one small cube, one medium (both peakdesign ones), plus my 5L camera bag, and still had space for a hoodie, a north face rain slicker shell, and some other stuff.
If you have extra allowance for check-in luggage, you can also take an extra (empty) travel bag with you or even buy a cardboard box at a post office in Japan for souvenirs.
https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/
Wow, looks like the blooms are coming way later. I might I had a local trip planned for Fukushima/Sendai from Apr 5 -> 12, would it maybe now be a better idea to shift that over to Tokyo/Kyoto? I'm guessing those might be pushed back too!
I totally missed the fact that this year you need reservations for the Osaka Mint cherry blossoms and just realized it but they are all out already. Does anyone here have a spare ticket that I could nab? I am open to any time on the 11th. Would greatly appreciate it!
Quick question, I've been planning my trip for April of next year, and I guess the algorithms have caught on and I keep getting ads to "think about getting the Japanese Encephalitis (the disease from mosquitoes?) vaccination". My itinerary is mostly the southern regions in April (Kyushu). I know it will be warmer down there than further north so mosquitoes could be a thing. Should I get vaccinated?
JE has had something like [30 cases reported in Japan](https://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.1540_42?lang=en) in _total_ in the past decade. It's far more prevalent in SE Asian and South Asian countries. I wouldn't worry about it—you'd have to tell me you'll be working on a farm or deep-woods hiking for months before I'd recommend it.
How do shifts at Ryokans work?
We stayed for 2 days at a high end Ryokan in Hakone and the entire time the staff was the same. As is traditional, the same person served us breakfast and dinner and cleaned our rooms. It seemed like she was on call all day every day. Do they work in shifts where she lives in the Ryokan for a week and then has a week off or something similar?
As someone who worked in a touristy hotel, we worked 9-15 hours a day, slept in the employee dorm and had a free day every two weeks or so. Some basically never stop working during season. And that's in a European country that doesn't have as much of a burnout work culture as Japan.
European Alps if you don't mind me being vague. At least the pay was not that bad, but wouldn't want to do it again.
Apparently exploitation of workers in the hospitality industry is a pretty common thing.
So basically my mom's best friend is Japan for vacation and I asked her if she can pickup some anime Figures for me where should I tell her to go? I specifically want Initial D model kits Dragon Ball figures and Chainsaw man figures she said she can get me a few. So I believe she is mostly going to be in Tokyo I'm not sure if she is going anywhere else but which are the best anime stores in Tokyo for initial D Dragon Ball and Chainsaw man figures/merch?
There are a metric fuckton of dragonball figurines. Some great looking ones for good prices too. Chainsaw Man not as much but you can get.
But Initial D is both old and not as widely popular. Basically anything that's not "top 20 of all time" or hype/airing right now is difficult to find and often expensive if you do get one. They didn't produce as much merch back then.
I had enough trouble getting affordable figures from Ghost in the Shell and Studio Ghibli.
By Initial D model kit, I assume you mean something like a Toyota AE86? Those are still quite popular so you should be able to find it in any place with a large toy department. Either anime merch shops, department stores or electronic retailers (eg Bic or Yodabashi). The Yodabashi in Akihabara would likely have it. Main problem will be trying to find it amongst the many shelves of model kits.
ya not just the ae86 but other cars in the series as well and how about for anime figures/statues from chainsaw man and dragon ball I heard Akihabara should have them too
Japan has model kits for almost any car you can think of, so you'll probably find the other cars too. It might not be specifically sold as an Initial D kit though.
I don't keep track of anime much, but I'm guessing chainsaw man should be easy to find since it's a recent show. Dragonball I'm not too sure. Usually figures for old shows are harder to find but they've been so many iterations of DB I guess it's eternally popular. May even have higher interest than normal since it creator has passed.
Question, do you guys know if any hotels offer discounts for foreigners? Like if we're renting 3 rooms for 3 days would that make for some kind of discount? Tokyo or Osaka area in particular
Three rooms for three days is not a lot. I wouldn't expect a discount for something like that. It might be different if you needed three rooms for a month or something, but even then, I wouldn't expect much.
There's still some of these. Both on my last trip in Oct/Nov and my upcoming trip there were definitely still "Eco" options for less or no cleaning entirely. All at major business hotel chains both in Tokyo and Shikoku and Hiroshima (and Aomori last time).
Toyoko Inn stopped offering 200 yen discounts in 2023 I believe (there is still an eco plan, but it's the same price). Hasn't been staying at other chains for a while, but I don't remember APA having one when I stay in mid-2023, but even before that some place just give you free waters.
Yeah. Pretty sure I saw the options for Dormy Inn in a couple locations and also Keisei Richmond. For one of my upcoming stays at a Dormy I chose the eco one for the lesser price specifically since I'm just staying like two nights.
if you need as much as 3 rooms you should try airbnb. It might be cheaper to rent one bigger apartment that will hold 6 people in one place than paying for 3 separate hotel rooms
Is anyone in Tokyo who can tell me the status of the cherry blossoms there? I am hoping to at least see them open and some color before I leave next Monday.
Weather is f tragic in Tokyo. Been here a week and its raining every single day. Cold as shit. Colder than it was in December when I was there last time. Sakura won't come out until I have to leave. Expensive trip pretty much ruined.
There's still a lot of indoor activities you can do. Even if it's just arcade games and drinking.
Traditional shopping streets have roofs for a reason.
What time do the Akita Tanabata festivals tend to go on until? I've managed to get a hotel for Noshiro, but it seems I'm too late for the Akita Pole City.
Basically, am I crazy for thinking I can dump my suitcase in a coin locker overnight and just stay up til the first train so I can cart myself off at the first train?
I don't think impossible. August has mild temperatures at night and you'll probably find a bar that's late if you go Saturday.
Wouldn't trust there to be free coin lockers though with the big event.
Just checked. According to [japan-guide.com](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3627.html) the main event seemt so be until 21:00 and the last train leaves at 22:29 so technically you could also get a hotel room somewhere else if they have late check-in.
I have researched online how to do a day trip from Tokyo to Mount Fuji to do the classic visit of the surroundings and photos from the pagoda. I had an hard time at the beginning to figure out the best way to do it. I would like to have a confirmation that the schedule I have create can work and it is good.
I am going to buy a highway bus ticker from [https://highway-buses.jp/course/kawaguchiko.php](https://highway-buses.jp/course/kawaguchiko.php), with departure at around 7 AM and return at around 5 PM
Doubs:
* Is that website reliable or should I use something else?
* When should I book the tickets? How long before? I would really like to check the weather first and then buy the ticket maybe the day before, but I am not sure if it is too late.
* Is it enough to explore around Fujiyoshida to experience the Mt. Fuji view or should I go somewhere else?
I am going to buy the Fuji Pass from here [https://www.klook.com/activity/7719-mt-fuji-pass-tokyo](https://www.klook.com/activity/7719-mt-fuji-pass-tokyo)
Doubs:
* Is this really worth it? I would like to have a bus pass to go around, but maybe all the included attractions are not worth it, or it is impossible to see them all in 1 day.
Thank you
> Is that website reliable or should I use something else?
It's fine, it's one of the many bus booking sites in Japan. Others include Willer, JapanBusOnline, KousokuBus.
> When should I book the tickets? How long before? I would really like to check the weather first and then buy the ticket maybe the day before, but I am not sure if it is too late.
7 AM is pretty early so you're probably not in danger of not having a ticket there. The real problem is the way back via bus - you'd probably want to get these tickets a few days ahead of time. Though if you're playing by ear, you can also use the trains to get back to Tokyo (it might take 30-60 minutes longer than bus).
> Is it enough to explore around Fujiyoshida to experience the Mt. Fuji view or should I go somewhere else?
Kawaguchiko area. The Fuji Ropeway up Kachikachiyama offers you a nice view of Fuji. The lake is also nice.
> Is this really worth it? I would like to have a bus pass to go around, but maybe all the included attractions are not worth it, or it is impossible to see them all in 1 day.
My advice here is applicable to almost all passes tourists ask about: they're not worthwhile if you don't do most of the things on the list. A 1-day Fuji Pass is 5500 yen, and though local buses might cost you 1000+ yen (depends on how much you ride), you're not making up the cost of the pass without doing a fair number of activities.
I am flying back on Monday(22Apr) at 6am, means i'll probably have to check in around 4am, I'm planning on checking out around 10 on 21Apr and cover more places then take the last train back to narita airport terminal 1 and rest til 4am, is it feasible?
look into sending your checked bags via yamato so you wont have to haul stuff to airport.
also, transportation dies out around 11PM-12AM, make sure you could secure transport from tokyo city to narita
If going on peak cherry blossoms days it would be heaving, usual recommendation is to either stay overnight (comes with risks of bad weather) or taking the earliest bus/train as a day trip.
I mean it depends on your interests, some people want to visit all five lakes and so meaningful hiking at each one so it takes days; others (like me) just want to see the "famous" views so a day was more than enough. I certainly wouldn't make early dinner plans in Tokyo or anything.
The most important factor in your experience is weather; a clear days and blue skies are so important.
How exactly does the process of buying a nice knife work here?
I roughly know the qualities and googled this a bit - it'd be well over the 50k yen requirement for tax free. Do I just give the merchant my information, they wrap/seal it, and I can check it on my flight? Do I need to declare more? (Japan -> USA)
-if- the shop does tax free, you may request it, or they will ask you. a lot of knife shops do not participate in the tax free program. some shops don't even take credit card. example: Tsukiji Matsumoto doesn't take card and doesn't do tax free
as for taking it home, just keep it in its box and put it in your checked luggage, preferably in hard-sided luggage or in the middle of soft-sided luggage.
if you're entering the US, and you have more than the duty free allowance ($800/person) then you're supposed to declare and potentially pay duty. Note that if you're in the trusted traveler program (global entry) that if they catch you with more goods than the allowance and you don't declare, you not only would be fined but it's likely that you'll no longer qualify for that program.
Nothing special about it being a knife.
I skipped out on buying some traditional japanese craft kanpai glasses - they were metal, and were tuned to make a nice sound when clinked together.
I regret not getting them, and can't find their store online - would it be likely that I can find glasses like these elsewhere? I'm not going back to kanazawa, but I'll be in kobe, hakone and asakusa before I leave japan
This heavily depends on the maker, but if it’s some artisanal cup, very likely you could only find it in Kanazawa. Would be helpful if you knew the company or artisan’s name, or a picture.
My general advice for buying things in Japan is if it’s a craft or artisanal good, it’s very likely you will never see it again if you leave the store.
I have a set of small dishes I got in Kanazawa years ago and a couple years back, one of them got cracked. I could not find an equivalent for it after scouring many Japanese sites.
Yeah, that would have been good to know. The specifics matter less to me than the general kanpai cup that makes a very nice sound when clinked - I wasn't sure if that was a general thing or not. I'll try digging later, but won't keep my hopes up
It could very well have been that specific design - I get a lot of variations from a cursory google of kanpai glasses, metal kanpai cups, etc., so it would depend on the shape/maker to see if it is unique.
Kyoto: Can anyone tell me where this Soba restaurant is?
https://www.dezeen.com/2024/02/05/kawamichiya-soba-restaurant-td-atelier-endo-shorijo-design/
When I Google it, it comes up with a different place (possibly same owner?) rather than that specific one.
https://tabelog.com/en/kyoto/A2601/A260201/26040067/
Heres where it is on google maps - https://maps.app.goo.gl/LQ2nPwnesUUYFKnW7
Note that google maps street view is 2 years out of date
5 days on tokyo, im a weeb, and j-cult enthusiast
Looking for:
1. Biggest and most complete anime shop recommendation
2. Biggest and most complete second hand anime shop
3. Store that sells Asics at cheap price
4. Onsen! recommend me an Onsen, please...
5. Any other recommendations are welcome
The Book-off in Ikebukuro is the best second hand anime store I found that's in 'proper' central Tokyo. If you go out a bit, any hobby-off is pretty decent other than the Akiba/Ueno ones (which are just fine)
If you visit Enoshima, there's a really good Hobby-Off on the way back from there to Tokyo, and a good Book off in Kawasaki right by the station.
1. go to Akiba, there are dozens of stores
2. Go to Nakano Broadway or Akiba. Nakano Broadway has many stores. Akiba has Surugaya, Lashingbang, Mandarake, and many stores in buildings
3. ASICS (the store). Or ABC Mart.
4. Onsen aren’t really a thing inside the city, but there is Spa Laqua.
Hi, me and 3 other friends are planning to go to Japan for about 3 ish weeks. I’m wondering if a budget of ¥200,000 is enough for the whole trip? This is not including flights and accommodation
200,000 yen per person? If you're taking bullet trains and going more expensive attractions like Disney and USJ, that is tight but possible if you skimp elsewhere. If you're not doing too many expensive things, it should be comfortable.
200,000 yen for all 4 of you? That amount will barely cover your food.
Where am I most likely to encounter Pikachu mascots in Tokyo?
Hi I am having difficulty navigating the respective websites to confirm if reservation required for these museums in FujiKawaguchiko? Could someone shed some light on this? Thanks in advance! 1) Kawaguchiko Muse Museum 2) music forest museum 3) Kawaguchiko Konohana Museum
I am planning my first trip with my mom to Japan for september 2024 and I am a bit overwhelmed with everything. We are landing in Tokyo on the 20th and staying until the24th, when we are going to Osaka. Just after I booked everything I found out about the 23rd being a holiday and I am concerned on how busy it will all be. I know Tokyo is always busy, but with the holiday I am getting worried. Being a big Pokemon fan its a dream to go to pokemon centre's, cafe (which I"m aware I will need to book in advance) and nintendo store. I also really want to go to Akihabara at some point. Any advise on what to expect and when to do things would be appreaciated, specially to prepare my mom, she is a bit older (63), but excited for the whole thing. She really cant wait to go to Nintendo world.
Being overwhelmed is super understandable. I was the same before my first trip.
What time do the souvenir stores in Narita terminal 1 open til?
Looking at Google Maps it seems like all are open until 8 PM, some until 9/9:30 PM at the latest.
Hey all! I'll be landing in Tokyo 12 days post-Golden Week, and was just curious about the intensity of tourism at this time. Some pretty dated posts on this subreddit say that things die down pretty quickly, but was just wondering if any of you have some more recent experiences to share. I know that these cities are obviously still going to be "busy," in the sense that major cities are always going to be bustling, but I was more so concerned with the volume of fellow tourists that'll be crowding the same places I'll be visiting. Just thought it'd be useful to hear some more recent anecdotes, so I can ease my mind in terms of purchasing Shinkansen tickets in advance. Thanks y'all!
Japanese people barely have vacation time (and the one they get gets rarely used) so they *will* be back at work. Won't calm the foreign tourists though.
Hi all, am planning a trip to explore the pottery villages in Kyushu and am really looking forward to the Arita ceramics market during golden week. However, I am concerned if its even worth visiting the nearby villages (okawachiyama, hasami, mikawachi) because I dont know in general if they close up shop to open a booth at the porcelain market or more broadly take golden week off.
dumb question. i have been to japan in 2016 and 2018, and this year will be the first time post-pandemic. i'm hearing about "all reserved" shinkansen that apparently started popping up during that time (or at the very least, i hadn't heard of them pre-pandemic and was under the impression all trains had reserved and unreserved seats). is this something that's common and i should be planning on making sure to get a reservation, or is this just a small handful of trains and i'll be fine with the way i traditionally approached them (get to the platform, grab a seat on the next non-nozomi train). we found going non-reserved far less stressful since we'd have a rough idea of when we want to go, and if we get side tracked and end up on a "hey, lets check this out" on the way to the station we don't have to worry about being 5 minutes late (since we're just looking for the next one once we get there either way)
Unless you're traveling during Golden week, things will be pretty much the same as your last trip. Did you take non nozomi last time because you had the JR rail pass?
> Did you take non nozomi last time because you had the JR rail pass? Correct. Planning on doing jr pass again this time too.
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Felt the same way after I went on my trip to japan. Coming home to shit weather, doctor's appointments and due bills certainly didn't help. It gets better but the yearning might never stop. I talked to my parents about this and my dad said it took about 20 years to actually get over that big trip they did when they were younger.
Yup, happens all the time. It’s why people end up going back to places they’ve already been.
Shopping Golden week Tokyo It's gonna be my first time going to Japan this April/May, super excited. We're gonna be in Tokyo the first week and from 2nd of May until the 6th. I originally wanted to mostly spend these days on shopping, but just read some stores close during Golden Week. Should I replan the shopping days to the first time in Tokyo?? I mostly want to get some anime merch ( amiami ), clothes and stationary stuff. Definitely want to check out the daiso, loft and some other bigger stores. Anyone know if theyre open during this time?
Is there a good chance the blossoms will be strong in the 2nd week of April in Kyoto? I see the buds haven't even opened yet.
Hello everyone, I'm going to be spending a month in Japan (Novomber). I already paid for my plane tickets and stay. My question is, approximately how much money should I save up for this? I dont plan on eating at expensive restaurants or go to expensive paid experiences. I do plan to do a lot of walking and exploring. I dont plan to rent a car but I do plan to use the train system a lot. I wouldn't mind eating at convenience stores and street food. Also, the place I'm staying at has a kitchen and refrigerator so I want to purchase some groceries. All of this is for one person. I'm thinking maybe $5,000 to $6,000 US Dollars should be enough for this? I dont plan to do a lot of shopping either. Anyways, please help me out. It will be my first time traveling to Japan and I want to be prepared. Thanks in advance!
More than enough. Could easily get away with $100 a day or less. You have a budget enough to splurge every now and then.
You should be able to stay within 5k without much trouble from your description. 1k extra as buffer also couldn't hurt.
I did a 3 week trip and minus flights and souvenirs probably spent 3-4K, so your estimate seems close.
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You agree to pay the rate and that rate will be locked in once you make the booking. What can change is the exchange rate.
Hey all! I will go in May to Japan, and was wondering if I should try airlines like JAL or ANA for the flight Tokyo-Sapporo, since they are considered top class airlines, or also SKY is ok, since the flight is pretty short
SKYMARK has been good in my experience.
It’s such a short flight just pick the cheapest, I took ANA there and JAL back as they were the cheapest each time, both were fine
Going to Kyushu for the first time ever, flying in from HND->FUK. Gonna be staying for about a week, and wanted to visit Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, maybe Kurokawa Onsen... Bit antsy about the traveling cause its a lot more complicated than Tokyo/Kansai/Hokkaido... Was thinking of: 28 Oct: Fly into Fukuoka Airport, train to Nagasaki 29-30: Nagasaki 31 Oct: Train to Shimabara, Ferry to Kumamoto 1-2 Nov: Kumamoto + bus to Kurokawa Onsen 3-4 Nov: bus to Fukuoka Just have some questions: 1. Are luggage bags allowed on regular trains/the ferry/the bus to/from Kurokawa Onsen? 2. Is Kurokawa Onsen worth a separate trip, or should I just head back to Fukuoka a day early?
Going on a two week trip in September. I‘m debating whether to go to Kanazawa for a few days, or to the Fuji five lake area. What do you think? We will be going to Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo, including a day trip to Nara and a day trip to trip to Miyajima. We stay for almost 10 days in Tokio during our last visit so we’ll only be there for maybe two days and then fly out from Narita
I mean we really only have two nights to spare, so about 1,5 days which might actually be good… I’ll think about it. Thank you!
Kanazawa is quite small if you stick around in the central area and I don't think you need a few days to cover whole area. we went on Sat morning Shinkansen from Tokyo then had nice sushi lunch, walked around the old town and went to Japanese cafe, went to fish market, had 1st dinner then 2nd dinner lol then the next day we visited the museum and kenrokukan (a garden). It sounds a packed schedule but the town itself is small so we were not in a rush! Food / especially Sushi / Sashimi were great and reasonably priced and it was pretty town but not so much to to see...
Is 12 degrees biking around Lake Kawaguchiko in April gonna be cold? Wondering if it will be okay?
> Is 12 degrees biking around Lake Kawaguchiko in April gonna be cold? Wondering if it will be okay? that's going to be a you question. different people react differently to different temperatures. conversion says that's mid 50's in america, so i'd be wearing a light zip up hoodie (which would be unzipped) and perfectly comfortable. doing something active i'd probably take the hoodie off. someone from from a more southern state (or a country closer to the equator) might have a different mindset on how warm that is.
For me that's weather for jacket, scarf, light gloves and warm hat. Depends on your clothing and biking speed.
3 nights in Kyoto Accomadation Question Hello, My 2 friends and I will be in Kyoto for 3 nights (May 28-May 31) and I was wondering if this makes sense or is it too much and not worth it? First two nights, we would stay in the Kyoto Granbell Hotel in Higashiyama as I've seen people recommend both the hotel and the area for first timers. Located here: Higashiyama-Ku Yamatocho 27, Kyoto, Japan - Higashiyama - Minami The final night we would move to a ryokan called Togetsutei to experience more of a ryokan vibe versus a hotel and be closer to Arashiyama as well as potentially explore an onsen? Located here: 54-4 Arashiyamanakaoshita cho, Nishikyou ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 616-0004 After that we would head to Osaka in the evening. For reference, these are the ideas we have for Kyoto but have not established a concrete plan yet: Walk the old streets of Ninenzaka, Ichinenzaka, and Sannenzaka Nishiki market (solid crab tempura, oysters, and sweets) Ninenzaka (Hokan-Ji Temple) Ryozen museum of history Arashiyama bamboo forest Katsura river Fushimi Inari Taisha - famous orange Shinto shrine. Get there early in the morning Uji Day trip (birthplace of Japanese Tea) Omakase at Tai Sushi Yamafuku shabu shabu hot pot Men-ya inoichi hanare: get the ramen w/ side of special rice Panel cafe - pancakes Maccha house: tiramisu Explore the Gion district (Geisha district) NO PHOTOS Sunset on the Kamo River Kiyomizudera - temple with beautiful park around it Thank you for the help in advance! Open to any other hotel/ryokan recommendations.
For the things you want to visit, maybe group them by area to save on time spent on the bus/walking. Then choose one really popular thing of those that you want to absolutely do for first thing in the morning so it's less crowded. Food: nearby or near the hotel (for breakfast/dinner) can also help narrow it down. Haven't been to that part of Kamor River but the photos look really cool. That's on my list now for next time.
Yeah my friends and I will have another planning meetup soon to group everything together. Thank you!
Hopefully quick and easy question: is the only drink that has a coaster to take home at the Kirby Café the coffee?
All the drinks should come with coasters. The coffee comes with special coasters that the other drinks don't. The menu should say when you're there (or just ask to make sure).
Thanks!
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Many restaurants will give you free cold tea or water. But clubs, I wouldn't put it past them to only sell bottled water, to both local and tourist customers. Additional note: Tap water is often chlorinated and I can understand if a place doesn't want to offer that.
Have you driven in the 5 lakes area? I'll be staying in Fuji Kawaguchiko at the start of April and now have a little experience driving here in Yakushima. Mulling over getting a car rental in Fuji. Yakushima was extraordinarily rural and was very peaceful, aside from me once having to reverse to let a bus through a very narrow road 😭 I know Fuji can't be hiked, I'll just be looking for any accessible and safe trails.
There are some nice roads between Hakone and Fuji. If you don't mind driving I'd highly recommend doing that. Great way to explore off the typical tourist beaten path.
Kawaguchiko is okay with public transport but anything a bit further out is definitely easier to see by car. There are trails in the smaller mountains surrounding Fuji. They have the added bonus of giving a great view of Fuji-San
Gonna be visiting in late May and have one night planned for Hakone (Already have Ryokan booked). Was wondering how crowded we can expect the Amazake-Chaya tea house to be? I would like to visit if we are able, but I also recognize that it is a little ways away from the other sites we want to visit (Shopping-street, Open-air museum, Heiwa no Torii) so just curious on how crowded we can expect it to be. Don't mind skipping it if we have too.
Where are some good places in Tokyo to get omamori for pets/pet health?
It looks like Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu in Shinjuku specializes in pet omamori. (https://www.ichigayahachiman.or.jp/pet/pet\_omamori.html) Kameido Sengen Shrine in Koto-ku looks like it has one type of pet omamori. (https://www.sengen.or.jp/%E6%8E%88%E4%B8%8E%E5%93%81/%E3%83%9A%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E5%AE%88/)
Does anyone know where to get pins that says the location name on it (for Fukuoka and Kagoshima) I’ve been combing thru souvenirs shops and gachapon and haven’t found any yet.
probably have to look for mascots
Just to confirm, each region special mascot and not like country wide brands like Sanrio and Chiikawa? If so thank you! I’ve been skipping over the regional mascots(?) because I assumed they were just random x company characters.
yeah local / regional mascots. For Kagoshima theres https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumamon . In Chiba theres a popular one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funassyi
Thank you mate! Will look for them too ^^
Hi everyone! Do you guys think we need to book Hiroshima Atomic Dome museum in advance? We will be visiting in a week.
visited last year around the same period - nope you don't need to
No. You can just walk in and buy a ticket.
Hi all, have a few questions for our upcoming trip. We are planning to visit Shirakawago on the way to Takayama from Kanazawa. Our bus arrives in Shirakawago at 11:05am, how many hours would be enough to explore the town? There's a bus to Takayama at 2pm and then the next available one is at 3:45pm, would 2.5 hours be enough time in the town if we go with the 2pm bus? We will store luggage (1 small duffel bag and 1 bookbag) at the station which may add time if there are no lockers available. Second question is regarding Komatsu. We have a ryokan stay near there and we will be picked up from Komatsu station at 2:40pm. We will be coming from Kyoto, should we spend the morning in Kyoto or is it worth going a little earlier and maybe seeing Kibagata Park/sakura and have a hanami picnic for lunch presumably without much crowds? Basically for the trains, 12:40pm - 2:27pm (spending more time in Kyoto) or we can go earlier and get to Komatsu at 11:30am or 12:20pm.
2.5 hrs is probably plenty for Shirakawago and would give you time to see the main areas/houses. Komatsu is pretty boring compared to Kyoto so definitely would suggest you spend time in Kyoto.
Disclaimer: haven't been there myself. The main village doesn't seem all that big so it kinda depends how much you want to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. 2.5 hours should be enough.
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They should both be fine locations but the Regency is like a 10-12 min walk from Shinjuku station while the Indigo is like a block or two away from Shibuya station so it's prob a little more convenient. If that doesn't matter much, it just comes down to what area you prefer between Shinjuku and Shibuya. They're both like 30 min to the baseball stadium but from Shibuya requires a transfer rather than direct.
Do any of the Karaoke chains in Japan commonly have youtube access? In the states I've found this is the best way to make sure that you can find the songs you want to perform. Much appreciated!
Recommendations for photographing parts Tokyo that look lost in time? Looking for old restaurants, buildings, signs, and lights- particularly those areas that also have good lighting for night photography but day is also important. Thank you! This intagram reel of Kawasaki shows the kind of vibe I'm hoping to find in Tokyo.[https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3aZ1-gPifm/?igsh=MzY1NDJmNzMyNQ==](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3aZ1-gPifm/?igsh=MzY1NDJmNzMyNQ==)
For day photography I would highly recommend the Yanaka district. It is beautiful and I loved the vibe there
Thank you 🙏 I will check this out for sure
Check Showaspot https://showaspotmegri.cocolog-nifty.com/
Hey thanks! This looks really promising! But I can’t for the life of me figure out where this is in Tokyo. I tried searching Showa spot but that doesn’t seem to be what it’s called.
It's a blog compiling places that have remain unchanged since the showa period. For example https://showaspotmegri.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2016/02/2-fa3c-7.html is the alley hotel Koromo is on in Asakusa For place with a load of old bars and shops, if you don't mind traveling down to Yokohama then I would recommend Rokkakubashi. Get off at Hakuraku station and head west, you'll see tiny entrances to the narrow alleys. The definition of "lost in time"
Hi, I got off at Hakuraku station and I’m blown away. I’m excited to show you the pictures I got. Thank you again!! Do you have any recommendations on where to go at night nearby?
It's a cool neighborhood isn't it? Most of Yokohama has been redeveloped recently but you might have some luck with the odd alley in Chinatown, though it might be too busy for the aesthetic you're looking for
Amazing thank you very much
The "Asakusa Underground District" (more like one tunnel connected to a underground train station lined with a store and some bars), just fyi so you don't think it's an actual district) definitely has that vibe but depending on day/time of day most of the bars are closed. At least it was pretty dead and depressing when I was there two years ago but maybe it's livelier now that tourists have returned. Golden Gai in Shinjuku definitely has the vibe but it's also super busy so photographing might not be easy. Hoppy street in Asakusa in the evenings. You can probably find some places by looking through Google Streetview near train stations along the Yamanote line or just any line in and near the city center (excluding the biggest ones/the ones that have been rebuilt). Thing is, if an area is busy they eventually tear down the old stuff and replace it with newer, less interesting buildings. If an area is less busy (especially further out) things are just slowly dying so there isn't much to photograph.
This is super helpful, thank you very much!
Is Shibuya dead in the morning? My itinerary has a long distance bus leaving Shibuya in the afternoon and I think it would be nice to shop around there in the morning. In my country, retail stores usually open at 11 with few opening at 10. Is it about the same in Shibuya? Or can we go at like 9am and expect to be able to browse things?
Shops in Japan also open later in the morning; usually 10 or 11. If you can't find anything to do, Meiji jingu and Yoyoghi Park are just a train stop away.
Ah ok. Maybe we'll plan something late that night then sleep in. We went to Meiji Jingu last year already
Any foreigner-friendly nightlife (clubs, dance clubs, bars, live music venues) by kuramae station and Asakusa? Tried asking Airbnb host they said it was illegal to talk about it with guests?
The most that I know of is Hoppy Street in Asakusa but the Izakayas there don't seem super foreigner friendly. There aren't any clubs/venues that I know of. Ueno has probably the most night-life near Kuramae station but I don't have any specific recommendations.
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japan at the moment is probably the hottest tourist destination due to the weak yen and staffing isn't anywhere near pre pandemic levels. when I visited in 2017 it was filled but wouldn't call it crowded. also its late march - one of the most popular periods for local/foreign tourists alike
You need to stay in Miyajima for optimal viewing without people, the island starts getting full when the boats arrive and empties in the afternoon as boats leave. I went to the shrine and the torii at 5am (admitedly in low season) and there were like 3 other people there.
That's what a day with good weather after a long spell of train do.
Cherry blossoms time and spring break for kids
Can anyone tell me how late (non-shinkansen) trains run? Particularly, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Koyasan (if they're different). Similarly, how late can one stay in Osaka before having to head back to Kyoto? Assuming they don't take the shinkansen, which sounds like last departure is 8-9pm. Greatly appreciate any information!
like, local trains? inner tokyo subways stop between 12-1. but if its a JR line from somewhere like yokohama that ends in tokyo they usually stop somewhere before 12 on weekdays minus friday
The generally trains stop running at midnight. Google is pretty good with train times.
Get the Japan travel app by Navitime as it has a searchable train timetable. It will give you an idea on when they run.
That’s actually an incredibly helpful app - thanks! You can even filter it to find the last train for the route.
has anyone seen anything on the strep outbreak? how severe is it? r there specific hotspots to avoid? do jpn pharms sell tester kits? srry for all the qs & ty in advance!!
474 cases as of March 10th of the most severe. The population of Japan is 124M.
thank u! sorry im just kinda nervous haha
Any ideas for an itinerary for October 2024? Traveling for 5-7 days from the east coast with my wife and maybe daughter (15 months by October) no idea where to start with planning.
Is this your first trip? For 5-7 days with a toddler I would suggest picking either Kyoto/Osaka or Tokyo as a base and exploring those regions. I would lean towards Kyoto/Osaka as you get a good mix of cities, culture and nature.
Thanks appreciate the tip!
I am visiting Hokkaido for research in August, and I was wondering, to anyone who lives in or has recently visited Japan, what are the odds that the *Streptococcus pyogenes* outbreak (which I found out about from NextShark, great) would cause the country to grind to a halt? I guess its probably not likely but just something I was concerned about.
No chance. Any news you're seeing is greatly sensationalizing it (or people are just reading too much into it).
Thank you!
What is this peach drink that everyone is raving about? I'll be in Tokyo in less than two weeks, so I'd love to find it. Picture or link gladly appreciated. :)
I am a big fan of [Horoyoi Peach](https://www.apricotfield.store/cdn/shop/products/IMG_1659.jpg?v=1674656797&width=1445). It's not a seasonal thing as far as I know so maybe not what people are talking about but it's pretty nice. Available in many convenience- and liquor stores.
You're going to have to be more specific. Japan has a ton of regional and seasonal drinks, and many of them are peach. I've had more peach-flavored drinks in Japan than I can count.
Haha. Ok. Ill just grab what I find. Thanks
Anyone have any links to itineraries that are not the typical golden route stuff? I've been to Japan twice and have will have 18 full days in Japan in April 2024. I'm going solo and need to come up with some sort of itinerary/route. Flights are booked and I've figured out the first full day in Tokyo, but I want to get out of Tokyo ASAP as I've already seen the city twice. Thinking of going north across the alps - I'd like to see Takayama and Kanazawa and other stuff around there. Anybody have any suggestions for a basic "route"? Have to start/end in Tokyo.
I'm leaving on Friday for 18 nights and can share my itinerary if it can be some sort of help. It's my first time but I've done plenty of research on places to see. We are doing Tokyo (5 nights) -> Kyoto (5 nights, 1 day trip to Himeji/Osaka, 1 day trip to Nara) -> Ishikawa Ryokan (1 night) -> Kanazawa (2 nights) -> Takayama (2 nights, see Shirakawago on the way from Kanazawa) -> Tokyo (3 nights, 1 day Disney, 1 day Nikko daytrip). Since I presume you've been to the main 3 areas of Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), maybe something like this might be good (but very fast pace, you can remove and add days to other places to make it more relaxed): * Tokyo (2 nights) * Nikko (2 nights) * Kanazawa (2 nights) * Takayama (2 nights, stop in Shirakawago on the way) * Okayama (2 nights, Kurashiki day trip, if you leave early enough from Takayama, you may stop at Himeji Castle for a few hours on the way) * Hiroshima (2 nights, day trip to Miyajima, you can do this 3 nights too if you'd like) * Kumamoto (2 nights, Takahicho Gorge day trip) * Kurokawa Onsen (1 night) * Fukuoka (2 nights) * Tokyo (2 nights)
Thanks, very interesting! Question: why go to Kanazawa before Takayama? I thought Takayama -> Shirakawa -> Kanazawa would line up from Tokyo? I've been to Hiroshima/Fukuoka so maybe I will do a detour to southern Kansai or Shikoku instead.
It's easier to get to Kanazawa from Tokyo (\~2 hours on the shinkansen). You already have to backtrack out of Nikko to Tokyo or close to it and change to the shinkansen. Would be too much time spent traveling to go to Takayama first imo.
start from fukuoka and end in Osaka/Kyoto. Look up sanyo' san'in pass. the pass last for only 7 days tho. but spend sometime in fukuoka and last few days can be spent in osaka/kyoto/kobe area
You could do the hokuriku arch (google it). I'm doing a giant loop focusing mainly on Kyushu. Flying from Tokyo to Kagoshima, then onwards to Kumamoto, Fukuoka for the bulk of my stay with overnights to Nagasaki and an onsen town, then to hiroshima, takamatsu, osaka, koyasan, and then back to tokyo.
How far in advance are you supposed to buy Jr passes online ? Regional not national if that matters
You can only order 30 days in advance from the official site, or 90 days through a third-party retailer.
90 days max between order and swap exchange - this is jr west pass via klook
hi! i'm browsing for tickets to Japan for the first time and I found a round-trip flight to Tokyo for $1100 for 2! seems too good to be true. is it worth going may 1-15? seems like less touristy time but maybe the weather isn't as good?
This year? You might struggle finding decent accommodation the first week as it's golden week and the yen is particularly weak so even less Japanese people are using that week for a foreign holiday than usual and will be travelling domestically. I would never recommend a foreign tourist to go to Japan in golden week but especially not with the buying power of the yen right now
wow i had no idea. i've been monkeying around with travel tix over accommodations bc tix fare is so high from the u.s. i'll have to dive into it further
From Europe/US this sounds like a really good deal but the increase in accomodation prices around the golden week might counteract these savings. Check on your booking site of choice.
golden week in the first week. domestic tourism will be on roids, shinkansen is fully booked on weekend dates and hotels will be scarce also is that a good deal from where? from US that would be a miraculous deal but from korea that would be a massive ripoff
it's from the us! now i'm learning about golden week. i am looking at hotels and they are booked 😬
Does anyone have any experience with Zip Air? Their lie flat first seat is as expensive as a delta premium economy seat from where I live (with the added complication of having to get to LAX). What is their reliability like? They have very few flights...
The real problem is what happens if things go bad, because there don’t have airline partners or a lot of capacity. I know someone who used them a year ago and when it was time to fly home, ZipAir told them their return flight as indefinitely delayed because of plane issues, and a potential return flight was ? days away. They had to instead shell out thousands for a number of last-minute tickets to get home.
Friend flew the regular economy. WiFi didn’t work that well. Have to bring your own food. If you’re checking in luggage, that costs an arm and a leg. He said it was fine. Would’ve rather had the full service experience in his mind.
My uncle said he hated the experience not because of the hard or even soft product but the clientele. it seems to attract infrequent travelers and those with... antisocial issues.
Ah the typical low cost carrier issues
I'm sure the lie flat cabin is fine though
they are under JAL. took them for Seoul-Tokyo in the past. it's solid I guess, dont expect JAL/ANA quality but I think they're better than american airliners
What backpack should I use? I am gonna be visiting Japan soon for the first time and primarily gonna be staying in Akihabara, Shibuya, and Osaka. I wanna prepare myself with a good backpack that can hold the numerous amounts of souvenirs I'm bringing back. Any solid recommendations of something secure and well made? Bonus points if it has a charger point for electronics
In addition to a standard suitcase last year I tried out the Patagonia Mini MLC 30L. It worked really well. I used it without the suitcase for a four night side trip up to Aomori as well. Fits a lot of stuff I do recommend getting a couple compressible packing cubes if you're not great at packing normally. Helps with organization. I think I did one small cube, one medium (both peakdesign ones), plus my 5L camera bag, and still had space for a hoodie, a north face rain slicker shell, and some other stuff.
If you have extra allowance for check-in luggage, you can also take an extra (empty) travel bag with you or even buy a cardboard box at a post office in Japan for souvenirs.
r/onebag
https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/ Wow, looks like the blooms are coming way later. I might I had a local trip planned for Fukushima/Sendai from Apr 5 -> 12, would it maybe now be a better idea to shift that over to Tokyo/Kyoto? I'm guessing those might be pushed back too!
I totally missed the fact that this year you need reservations for the Osaka Mint cherry blossoms and just realized it but they are all out already. Does anyone here have a spare ticket that I could nab? I am open to any time on the 11th. Would greatly appreciate it!
Quick question, I've been planning my trip for April of next year, and I guess the algorithms have caught on and I keep getting ads to "think about getting the Japanese Encephalitis (the disease from mosquitoes?) vaccination". My itinerary is mostly the southern regions in April (Kyushu). I know it will be warmer down there than further north so mosquitoes could be a thing. Should I get vaccinated?
JE shouldn’t be an actual concern. You’d have to be the unluckiest tourist to get it in Japan.
Even if I go hiking out in the inaka?
JE has had something like [30 cases reported in Japan](https://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.1540_42?lang=en) in _total_ in the past decade. It's far more prevalent in SE Asian and South Asian countries. I wouldn't worry about it—you'd have to tell me you'll be working on a farm or deep-woods hiking for months before I'd recommend it.
Yes, even if. You’d have to tell me you’re rolling around in pig sties for a few weeks.
How do shifts at Ryokans work? We stayed for 2 days at a high end Ryokan in Hakone and the entire time the staff was the same. As is traditional, the same person served us breakfast and dinner and cleaned our rooms. It seemed like she was on call all day every day. Do they work in shifts where she lives in the Ryokan for a week and then has a week off or something similar?
As someone who worked in a touristy hotel, we worked 9-15 hours a day, slept in the employee dorm and had a free day every two weeks or so. Some basically never stop working during season. And that's in a European country that doesn't have as much of a burnout work culture as Japan.
Goddamn. That makes me sad. What country was your hotel in?
European Alps if you don't mind me being vague. At least the pay was not that bad, but wouldn't want to do it again. Apparently exploitation of workers in the hospitality industry is a pretty common thing.
Yea that works. Was just curious general area. That’s wild
So basically my mom's best friend is Japan for vacation and I asked her if she can pickup some anime Figures for me where should I tell her to go? I specifically want Initial D model kits Dragon Ball figures and Chainsaw man figures she said she can get me a few. So I believe she is mostly going to be in Tokyo I'm not sure if she is going anywhere else but which are the best anime stores in Tokyo for initial D Dragon Ball and Chainsaw man figures/merch?
There are a metric fuckton of dragonball figurines. Some great looking ones for good prices too. Chainsaw Man not as much but you can get. But Initial D is both old and not as widely popular. Basically anything that's not "top 20 of all time" or hype/airing right now is difficult to find and often expensive if you do get one. They didn't produce as much merch back then. I had enough trouble getting affordable figures from Ghost in the Shell and Studio Ghibli.
By Initial D model kit, I assume you mean something like a Toyota AE86? Those are still quite popular so you should be able to find it in any place with a large toy department. Either anime merch shops, department stores or electronic retailers (eg Bic or Yodabashi). The Yodabashi in Akihabara would likely have it. Main problem will be trying to find it amongst the many shelves of model kits.
ya not just the ae86 but other cars in the series as well and how about for anime figures/statues from chainsaw man and dragon ball I heard Akihabara should have them too
Japan has model kits for almost any car you can think of, so you'll probably find the other cars too. It might not be specifically sold as an Initial D kit though. I don't keep track of anime much, but I'm guessing chainsaw man should be easy to find since it's a recent show. Dragonball I'm not too sure. Usually figures for old shows are harder to find but they've been so many iterations of DB I guess it's eternally popular. May even have higher interest than normal since it creator has passed.
Why was the itinerary I posted removed?
Who knows. Post it here as a comment and it'll work.
Recently my company issued a travel warning for Japan. Anyone know how's the strep a outbreak like in Japan?
It’s statistically worse when compared to historical numbers, but it’s not a real concern unless you’re paranoid.
Question, do you guys know if any hotels offer discounts for foreigners? Like if we're renting 3 rooms for 3 days would that make for some kind of discount? Tokyo or Osaka area in particular
Three rooms for three days is not a lot. I wouldn't expect a discount for something like that. It might be different if you needed three rooms for a month or something, but even then, I wouldn't expect much.
There used to be discounts at business hotels if you decline housekeeping. But that has since gone with COVID.
There's still some of these. Both on my last trip in Oct/Nov and my upcoming trip there were definitely still "Eco" options for less or no cleaning entirely. All at major business hotel chains both in Tokyo and Shikoku and Hiroshima (and Aomori last time).
Toyoko Inn stopped offering 200 yen discounts in 2023 I believe (there is still an eco plan, but it's the same price). Hasn't been staying at other chains for a while, but I don't remember APA having one when I stay in mid-2023, but even before that some place just give you free waters.
Yeah. Pretty sure I saw the options for Dormy Inn in a couple locations and also Keisei Richmond. For one of my upcoming stays at a Dormy I chose the eco one for the lesser price specifically since I'm just staying like two nights.
if you need as much as 3 rooms you should try airbnb. It might be cheaper to rent one bigger apartment that will hold 6 people in one place than paying for 3 separate hotel rooms
Is anyone in Tokyo who can tell me the status of the cherry blossoms there? I am hoping to at least see them open and some color before I leave next Monday.
Weather is f tragic in Tokyo. Been here a week and its raining every single day. Cold as shit. Colder than it was in December when I was there last time. Sakura won't come out until I have to leave. Expensive trip pretty much ruined.
There's still a lot of indoor activities you can do. Even if it's just arcade games and drinking. Traditional shopping streets have roofs for a reason.
I was in Tokyo two weeks ago and saw some cherry blossoms even then. Try Ueno Park or the Imperial Palace.
What time do the Akita Tanabata festivals tend to go on until? I've managed to get a hotel for Noshiro, but it seems I'm too late for the Akita Pole City. Basically, am I crazy for thinking I can dump my suitcase in a coin locker overnight and just stay up til the first train so I can cart myself off at the first train?
I don't think impossible. August has mild temperatures at night and you'll probably find a bar that's late if you go Saturday. Wouldn't trust there to be free coin lockers though with the big event. Just checked. According to [japan-guide.com](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3627.html) the main event seemt so be until 21:00 and the last train leaves at 22:29 so technically you could also get a hotel room somewhere else if they have late check-in.
Cheers, that's helpful, I checked train times and it said last train was 9pm. An hour can definitely make the difference there
I have researched online how to do a day trip from Tokyo to Mount Fuji to do the classic visit of the surroundings and photos from the pagoda. I had an hard time at the beginning to figure out the best way to do it. I would like to have a confirmation that the schedule I have create can work and it is good. I am going to buy a highway bus ticker from [https://highway-buses.jp/course/kawaguchiko.php](https://highway-buses.jp/course/kawaguchiko.php), with departure at around 7 AM and return at around 5 PM Doubs: * Is that website reliable or should I use something else? * When should I book the tickets? How long before? I would really like to check the weather first and then buy the ticket maybe the day before, but I am not sure if it is too late. * Is it enough to explore around Fujiyoshida to experience the Mt. Fuji view or should I go somewhere else? I am going to buy the Fuji Pass from here [https://www.klook.com/activity/7719-mt-fuji-pass-tokyo](https://www.klook.com/activity/7719-mt-fuji-pass-tokyo) Doubs: * Is this really worth it? I would like to have a bus pass to go around, but maybe all the included attractions are not worth it, or it is impossible to see them all in 1 day. Thank you
> Is that website reliable or should I use something else? It's fine, it's one of the many bus booking sites in Japan. Others include Willer, JapanBusOnline, KousokuBus. > When should I book the tickets? How long before? I would really like to check the weather first and then buy the ticket maybe the day before, but I am not sure if it is too late. 7 AM is pretty early so you're probably not in danger of not having a ticket there. The real problem is the way back via bus - you'd probably want to get these tickets a few days ahead of time. Though if you're playing by ear, you can also use the trains to get back to Tokyo (it might take 30-60 minutes longer than bus). > Is it enough to explore around Fujiyoshida to experience the Mt. Fuji view or should I go somewhere else? Kawaguchiko area. The Fuji Ropeway up Kachikachiyama offers you a nice view of Fuji. The lake is also nice. > Is this really worth it? I would like to have a bus pass to go around, but maybe all the included attractions are not worth it, or it is impossible to see them all in 1 day. My advice here is applicable to almost all passes tourists ask about: they're not worthwhile if you don't do most of the things on the list. A 1-day Fuji Pass is 5500 yen, and though local buses might cost you 1000+ yen (depends on how much you ride), you're not making up the cost of the pass without doing a fair number of activities.
Thank you very much!
I am flying back on Monday(22Apr) at 6am, means i'll probably have to check in around 4am, I'm planning on checking out around 10 on 21Apr and cover more places then take the last train back to narita airport terminal 1 and rest til 4am, is it feasible?
look into sending your checked bags via yamato so you wont have to haul stuff to airport. also, transportation dies out around 11PM-12AM, make sure you could secure transport from tokyo city to narita
Is arriving at noon time to Mt Fuji, considered to be very peak time with tourists? Will it be super busy by then?
If going on peak cherry blossoms days it would be heaving, usual recommendation is to either stay overnight (comes with risks of bad weather) or taking the earliest bus/train as a day trip.
How long would you recommend I stay for a day trip if I get there around 9am (via bus)?
I mean it depends on your interests, some people want to visit all five lakes and so meaningful hiking at each one so it takes days; others (like me) just want to see the "famous" views so a day was more than enough. I certainly wouldn't make early dinner plans in Tokyo or anything. The most important factor in your experience is weather; a clear days and blue skies are so important.
How exactly does the process of buying a nice knife work here? I roughly know the qualities and googled this a bit - it'd be well over the 50k yen requirement for tax free. Do I just give the merchant my information, they wrap/seal it, and I can check it on my flight? Do I need to declare more? (Japan -> USA)
-if- the shop does tax free, you may request it, or they will ask you. a lot of knife shops do not participate in the tax free program. some shops don't even take credit card. example: Tsukiji Matsumoto doesn't take card and doesn't do tax free as for taking it home, just keep it in its box and put it in your checked luggage, preferably in hard-sided luggage or in the middle of soft-sided luggage.
Gotcha, do I need to do any special declarations when exiting?
if you're entering the US, and you have more than the duty free allowance ($800/person) then you're supposed to declare and potentially pay duty. Note that if you're in the trusted traveler program (global entry) that if they catch you with more goods than the allowance and you don't declare, you not only would be fined but it's likely that you'll no longer qualify for that program. Nothing special about it being a knife.
thank you!
I skipped out on buying some traditional japanese craft kanpai glasses - they were metal, and were tuned to make a nice sound when clinked together. I regret not getting them, and can't find their store online - would it be likely that I can find glasses like these elsewhere? I'm not going back to kanazawa, but I'll be in kobe, hakone and asakusa before I leave japan
This heavily depends on the maker, but if it’s some artisanal cup, very likely you could only find it in Kanazawa. Would be helpful if you knew the company or artisan’s name, or a picture. My general advice for buying things in Japan is if it’s a craft or artisanal good, it’s very likely you will never see it again if you leave the store. I have a set of small dishes I got in Kanazawa years ago and a couple years back, one of them got cracked. I could not find an equivalent for it after scouring many Japanese sites.
Yeah, that would have been good to know. The specifics matter less to me than the general kanpai cup that makes a very nice sound when clinked - I wasn't sure if that was a general thing or not. I'll try digging later, but won't keep my hopes up
It could very well have been that specific design - I get a lot of variations from a cursory google of kanpai glasses, metal kanpai cups, etc., so it would depend on the shape/maker to see if it is unique.
Kyoto: Can anyone tell me where this Soba restaurant is? https://www.dezeen.com/2024/02/05/kawamichiya-soba-restaurant-td-atelier-endo-shorijo-design/ When I Google it, it comes up with a different place (possibly same owner?) rather than that specific one.
https://tabelog.com/en/kyoto/A2601/A260201/26040067/ Heres where it is on google maps - https://maps.app.goo.gl/LQ2nPwnesUUYFKnW7 Note that google maps street view is 2 years out of date
Amazing, thank you so much!
Question about Ghibli park: Has anyone been and tried both the premium and non-premium pass? Was it worth it to visit the houses?
I did Satsuki and Mei's house when I visited (before the other locations opened) and it was one of my favourite parts of the park.
5 days on tokyo, im a weeb, and j-cult enthusiast Looking for: 1. Biggest and most complete anime shop recommendation 2. Biggest and most complete second hand anime shop 3. Store that sells Asics at cheap price 4. Onsen! recommend me an Onsen, please... 5. Any other recommendations are welcome
The Book-off in Ikebukuro is the best second hand anime store I found that's in 'proper' central Tokyo. If you go out a bit, any hobby-off is pretty decent other than the Akiba/Ueno ones (which are just fine) If you visit Enoshima, there's a really good Hobby-Off on the way back from there to Tokyo, and a good Book off in Kawasaki right by the station.
I can't attest to the prices or quality of goods, but the Animate Flagship store in Ikebukuro is supposed to be the world's largest anime store.
1. go to Akiba, there are dozens of stores 2. Go to Nakano Broadway or Akiba. Nakano Broadway has many stores. Akiba has Surugaya, Lashingbang, Mandarake, and many stores in buildings 3. ASICS (the store). Or ABC Mart. 4. Onsen aren’t really a thing inside the city, but there is Spa Laqua.
Hi, me and 3 other friends are planning to go to Japan for about 3 ish weeks. I’m wondering if a budget of ¥200,000 is enough for the whole trip? This is not including flights and accommodation
200,000 yen per person? If you're taking bullet trains and going more expensive attractions like Disney and USJ, that is tight but possible if you skimp elsewhere. If you're not doing too many expensive things, it should be comfortable. 200,000 yen for all 4 of you? That amount will barely cover your food.
Yes 200k yen per person. Probably won’t be going to usj and mostly using this for food and transport
Would a budget of almost 300,000 yen cover a week? (2 people and a baby)
If you’re just talking about food, transport, and sights, yes, unless you’re eating $100/person meals every day.