Budget travel in Japan - tips and info thread

[Silverelf]

Just pay attention to the signs available and you should do fine. You'll get used to the system in a day or so. It may seem confusing when you are not yet there, but when you get there, it's really different.

I was very intimidated before I got to Tokyo as well and we were ready to be lost on the trains but we managed to get used to it.

Just need to pay attention to maps and signs and you're fine.

 

[petetherock]

I agree, trains are pretty ok in Tokyo if you know a little Mandarin.
They will annouce the next station and often have signs within the trains telling you which station is next.
Lines like the Hibuya, Shibuya or Ginza line often have English announcements too.

 

[Lomographer]

yea, your fan ti zi for chinese good,

you can rmb already

anyway get used to the names, so you won't miss the station when they announce it.

honestly, i find it as easy as singapore, especially with all the lines interconnecting,

you can litterally reach anywhere from your starting destination.

 

[Lomographer]

I agree, trains are pretty ok in Tokyo if you know a little Mandarin.
They will annouce the next station and often have signs within the trains telling you which station is next.
Lines like the Hibuya, Shibuya or Ginza line often have English announcements too.

btw there isnt shibuya or hibuya line,

you mean station

and it's hibiya not hibuya.

 

[Lomographer]

and if anyone here going to tokyo reckons he's gonna use the metro alot,

remember to buy day passes they are very worth,

if you reckon you're going back every holiday like me

get the pasmo card.

it's very very convenient and cheaper then normal 1 way trips that range 100-210 yen.

 

[petetherock]

For those on a really slim budget, the department store bakeries tend to dispore of their cakes / buns and sushi at a discount at the end of the business day, if you have time, you can hang around the stores and wait...

 

[petetherock]

Gonna ask a question of my own:

I have 10D or so in Japan planned, this time I wish to see Hokkaido and the region there for a week, plus 3 days transit in Tokyo.

Can anyone give me some ideas for places to stay, chill and get good scenery?

I have not decided which season to go, so thats another area I will look for suggestions.

Cheers!

 

[Lomographer]

hokkaido...

wanna try hot springs?

or see lavender fields?

tell me and i'll fill you in.

 

[petetherock]

Hot springs - check
Lavender fields - nice but that limits me to summer ? kiv...

The Spring (best choice) or Autumn seasons are my preferred choices...

 

[Lomographer]

actually autumn also got lavender fields to see,

but must be dead on time in order to catch them before season ends...

check out the dates again.

 

[shierwin]

Traveling in Japan DIY is very easy. Links for JNTO and japan-guide were posted before. There's a link which you will find useful when taking trains in japan. A route planner in fact.

http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/

You need not be too tight in the bugdet. Give you an example of 2 couples for a 10day F&E spring trip to Kyushu:

JR pass 7D @ Y23,800. Total expenses covered by my pass using JR lines if paid by cash would come to Y76,000 (the amount covers only the limited express and shinkansen rides with reserved seats; local line rides not included)
Accomodation for 2pax:
6N Hakata @ Y12,500 with Bft; 8min walk from rail stn
1N Kumamoto @ Y21400 with Bft; 3min walk form stn (weekend rate, higher)
2N Beppu in a ryokan hotel @ Y32,400 with Bft and Jap style dinner; 10 walk from stn

Expenditure, including 7D JR pass, 9N accomodation, local transport, admission fees, meals came to about S$2100 (under Y34,000 pax). Airfare by SQ not included cos that depends on what's offered. SQ fly direct to Fukuoka in Kyushu.
Places visited: Hakata, Daizaifu, Nagasaki, Oita, Beppu, Kitsuki, Yufuin, Mojiko, Kumamoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, HImeji.

Tips:
1. Must do your research and plan your travel carefully
2. >95% of names of places in japan are in Kanji. So it's best to have japanese language maps. Many of the local signboards are written as such. If you can read Kanji, moving around will be much easier. However romanised japanese are found on many signboards.
3. Information counters are found in almost all the rail stations and you can buy local pass there too or they will advise you
4. Buy a local city transport pass for a day unlimited travel
5. Food prices are posted outside the restraurants... so no embarrasment to check out.
6. Meals around train stations and local eateries are reasonable
7. For budget planning purpose:
a. Meals (L/D) Y1000 per meal
b. Local transport Y500 per day
c. Sight-seeing Y500-1000 per day
d. Odds and end Y500-1000 per day

Japan is not a cheap place, but you can manage the cost of a pleasant holiday. Hope the info helps.

 

[petetherock]

Thanks, the info you gave is very useful, I will see which timing suits more.

I prefer a bit of skiiing, but that will depend on whom I go with.

Cheers

 

[absoluthal]

Thanks for the infos bro...
Really need some infos for meal and transportation budgets....

 

[Lomographer]

Thanks for the infos bro...
Really need some infos for meal and transportation budgets....

you can post whatever you need and i will try to help you plan and answer your questions

 

[absoluthal]

you can post whatever you need and i will try to help you plan and answer your questions

thanks bro...
right now im still planning with 2 of my frens abt where to go n wat to do...
will surely ask questions here once we more or less finalized the details...

 

[ShutterCentral]

Below is my itinerary for Feb2010.
Total cost include meals, airfare, transport include JR pass, entrance fees, misc expenditure & shopping is between SGD 9K to 10K for 2 pax.
Not really budget but it wll be still alot cheaper then you go with tour package. Visit a few road show and the price to hakkaido in Feb2010 is around $3k for 8 days package.

I have booked all the hotels and the airfare.
Taking into consideration of the snow festival, the hotel i got at sapporo is very cheap. Please note that hotels rate will be doubled during the week of snow festival so book your hotel as early as possible.

Pm me if you want the detailed itinerary which will include all the timing of train i am taking and how to get to those places stated below.

JR 14 days pass - 45100yen per pax

5-Feb: S'pore-Tokyo SQ 638 Depart to Narita @ 11.40pm $632 nett/pax

6-Feb: Tokyo-Hakodate, Comfort Inn @ 8000yen per room per night
Hakodate Night Illuminations

7-8Feb: Sapporo-Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
Snow Festival
Clock Tower
TV Tower
Susukino (Night Entertainment)

8Feb: Sapporo - Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
OTARU Glass Making Factory
OTARU Canel

9-Feb: Niseko Hilton Village hotel @ 22450yen per room per night, include BF
Hirafu Town
Hilton Niseko Village
Skiing

10-Feb: Niseko Hilton Village hotel @ 22450yen per room per night, include BF
Skiing
Mt Youtei
Day Snow activities

11-Feb: Sapporo-Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
Tanuki Koji Shopping Arcade (longest shopping street)
Susukino Ramen Alley

12-Feb: Sapporo-Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
Nijo Market
Chocolate Factory
Chitose Factory Outlet Mall Rera

13-Feb: Sapporo-Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
Lake Toya
NOBORIBETSU - Bear Ranch (IF TIME PERMIT)
NOBORIBETSU - Jigokudani or “Hell Valley”

14-Feb:Kushiro Royal Inn @ 10000yen per room per night/1min walk from JR station, include BF
KUSHIRO: Kushiro Masurland - Crane (a must go place in winter)

15-Feb: Abashiri-Hotel Abashiko @ 12750yen per pax with BF and Dinner
ABASHIRI Hokkaido Museum of Northen People
ABASHIRI: Drift Ice
ABASHIRI: Prision Museum

16-Feb: Sapporo-Richmond Hotel Ekimae @ 9000yen per room per night/3mins walk from Sapporo station.
Free and Easy.

17-Feb: Hakodate Comfort Inn @ 8000yen per room per night
HAKODATE Fort Goryokaku
HAKODATE Mt Hakodate (day, sunset and night)

18-19 Feb: Tokyo Kadoya Hotel @ 13650 per room per night/3 mins walk from Shinjuku station
Shinjuku, Shibuya, Meji Shrine, Ginza, etc..

 

[zoossh]

what's the point of starting this thread if we have to do in-depth research on our own.

Subject : Budget travel in Japan - tips and info thread

i think it is probably a kind of user add-on kind of thing but someone need to keep things organised... that req lots of efforts and info can get outdated. it may be unfair to expect someone to provide a thorough info thread, if there is, it is a bonus.

 

[zoossh]

don't get caught woofing can already

what is woofing? and by the way, what's mobile network works in japan? does auto roam covers there?
i'm went there almost 4-5 years ago, so i guess things might have change a lot.

 

[zoossh]

Gonna ask a question of my own:

I have 10D or so in Japan planned, this time I wish to see Hokkaido and the region there for a week, plus 3 days transit in Tokyo.

Can anyone give me some ideas for places to stay, chill and get good scenery?

I have not decided which season to go, so thats another area I will look for suggestions.

Cheers!

google kelly cheng, flickr, hokkaido. she post annotated pictures in chronological fashion. pictures can also see giantcanopy.

i have yet to go to hakkoido, but based on my research done eons ago, you can basically cover southwest/west (cities like hakodate, sapporo, otaru) and central south hakkaido (furano, biei) in that 1 week, but slightly tight unless your breeze through hakodate/otaru. since you wanna chill, you might want to look at furano/biei/otaru as priority. the national parks might take up lot more time, which i guess you need to have maybe a week more.

 

[petetherock]

Thanks
She has great pictures with good color.
I am keen on nature and the cities, well, after a the first few, they will look the same...
So I will take furano/biei/otaru as the needed stops, then venture to the National Parks.
Any suggestions or thoughts on them?
Cheers

google kelly cheng, flickr, hokkaido. she post annotated pictures in chronological fashion. pictures can also see giantcanopy.

i have yet to go to hakkoido, but based on my research done eons ago, you can basically cover southwest/west (cities like hakodate, sapporo, otaru) and central south hakkaido (furano, biei) in that 1 week, but slightly tight unless your breeze through hakodate/otaru. since you wanna chill, you might want to look at furano/biei/otaru as priority. the national parks might take up lot more time, which i guess you need to have maybe a week more.