Want to tour Japan

[ezzra]

The GF and I want to visit Japan next month for a week or so and have no clue as to who to go about

it, where to go and where to stay on a medium budget, any ideas/suggestions of an itinerary

will be appreciated...

[craigt3365]

I find this website has great information:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/

I'm also a big fan of guidebooks. I've done a few trips to Japan, all independently, and setup with great info from books like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Fodors, Frommers, DK, etc. It takes a bit more work and research, but you can setup your own agenda.

With that being said, look in the Bangkok Post. I'm not sure what day is best, but there are lots of ads for package trips to Japan. It's the hot ticket here right now due to the visa changes for Thais. Sometimes, especially for shorter trips, the package deals can be very good. Perhaps even touch bases with a local travel agent to see what they can do.

Japan is a big country. It'd take at least a month to tour it from top to bottom. With only a week or so, I'd focus on Tokyo and Kyoto. You can take the bullet train between the two very easily. Not sure on the timing, but in a month, you should be right about in the middle of the fall color change. I'd love to see that some day.

Tripadvisor.com has some great info also.

[craigt3365]

Oops...forgot this site:

http://www.japan-guide.com/

Very good information.

I don't know this one, but it seems to get some recommendations:

http://www.tokyoessentials.com/

[arkom]

I find this website has great information:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/

I'm also a big fan of guidebooks. I've done a few trips to Japan, all independently, and setup with great info from books like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Fodors, Frommers, DK, etc. It takes a bit more work and research, but you can setup your own agenda.

With that being said, look in the Bangkok Post. I'm not sure what day is best, but there are lots of ads for package trips to Japan. It's the hot ticket here right now due to the visa changes for Thais. Sometimes, especially for shorter trips, the package deals can be very good. Perhaps even touch bases with a local travel agent to see what they can do.

Japan is a big country. It'd take at least a month to tour it from top to bottom. With only a week or so, I'd focus on Tokyo and Kyoto. You can take the bullet train between the two very easily. Not sure on the timing, but in a month, you should be right about in the middle of the fall color change. I'd love to see that some day.

Tripadvisor.com has some great info also.

Agreed with craig, been to both Tokyo and Kyoto and they are very nice. Would compare Tokyo to Bangkok and Kyoto to Chaing Mai. I used japan-guide.com as reference for both and highly recommend it as well. For me I did a week in each city, but on different trips, Tokyo is a huge city and you can take day trips to Mt. Fuji and Nikko.

Kyoto is not as big but very beautiful and only 30 mins from both Osaka and Kobe. Bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo is about 2-6 hrs depending on what time you leave.

Enjoy Japan it is an awesome country!

[givenall]

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I find this website has great information:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/

I'm also a big fan of guidebooks. I've done a few trips to Japan, all independently, and setup with great info from books like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Fodors, Frommers, DK, etc. It takes a bit more work and research, but you can setup your own agenda.

With that being said, look in the Bangkok Post. I'm not sure what day is best, but there are lots of ads for package trips to Japan. It's the hot ticket here right now due to the visa changes for Thais. Sometimes, especially for shorter trips, the package deals can be very good. Perhaps even touch bases with a local travel agent to see what they can do.

Japan is a big country. It'd take at least a month to tour it from top to bottom. With only a week or so, I'd focus on Tokyo and Kyoto. You can take the bullet train between the two very easily. Not sure on the timing, but in a month, you should be right about in the middle of the fall color change. I'd love to see that some day.

Tripadvisor.com has some great info also.

I have traveled with Thai tour company. I do not recommend using any Thai tour company since you end up going to many shops that they get commission which is waste of time. I recommend what I did in Japan, go there by yourself and use the tour offered by any good hotel. They are more honest and do better job taking you around

[CNXBKKMAN]

You need 7 day japan rail passes. This will give you freedom of the whole country on bullet trains and local trains. You can use them straight away from the airport to the city. These can only be bought outside of japan. If you do a bit of research there are plenty of reasonable priced budget hotels, eating can be cheap also. Brilliant country to travel around.

[waynethor]

Have fun in Japan, but don't don't do any street racing. They don't take kindly to people speeding through their streets and knocking people off their bicycles.

What ever happened to the 3 Thai guys who were street racing and killed the student on her bicycle?

[craigt3365]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I find this website has great information:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/

I'm also a big fan of guidebooks. I've done a few trips to Japan, all independently, and setup with great info from books like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Fodors, Frommers, DK, etc. It takes a bit more work and research, but you can setup your own agenda.

With that being said, look in the Bangkok Post. I'm not sure what day is best, but there are lots of ads for package trips to Japan. It's the hot ticket here right now due to the visa changes for Thais. Sometimes, especially for shorter trips, the package deals can be very good. Perhaps even touch bases with a local travel agent to see what they can do.

Japan is a big country. It'd take at least a month to tour it from top to bottom. With only a week or so, I'd focus on Tokyo and Kyoto. You can take the bullet train between the two very easily. Not sure on the timing, but in a month, you should be right about in the middle of the fall color change. I'd love to see that some day.

Tripadvisor.com has some great info also.

I have traveled with Thai tour company. I do not recommend using any Thai tour company since you end up going to many shops that they get commission which is waste of time. I recommend what I did in Japan, go there by yourself and use the tour offered by any good hotel. They are more honest and do better job taking you around

Excellent point. But maybe there are some deals that are just airfare and hotel? Sometimes, you can get good deals with these types of promotions.

I did 2 weeks in Japan. All solo, no tour guide. Just my guide book. Which had all the details on the sites, history, how to get to them, prices, etc. I'm also not a big fan of group tours!

[RichardThailand]

If you're touring between cities then check out this bus company. 1/4 price of the high speed trains, very easy to book and they are very safety conscious. I feel safer taking a 5 hour trip on one of these buses than in a typical 5 minute taxi ride in BKK.

http://willerexpress.com/en/?mid=157

Edited September 5, 2014 by RichardThailand

[dundas]

I'm with the person who mentioned the 7 day JR Rail Pass - around $300 per person. This allows you to do your own tour, rather than relying on tour buses and guides, not that there's anything wrong with that, but travel by train is super-fast, easy, and comfortable and if you use a rail pass, can be fantastic value. If you want to stay longer, you can combine the JR pass with other, cheaper and more local, rail passes, not all of which need to be purchased outside Japan, and which are also good value. Google "JP rail" for a site run by an individual who gives some terrific information and advice on how to use rail passes to get most bang for your buck. He also has some sample itineraries. I would spend time in Tokyo (just travelling around the city on the Yamanote line can be an education), Kyoto, and after that it depends on your interests. If you buy a JR Pass, just make sure you use it, so that you can obtain the maximum value from it.

I normally stay in hotels close to major rail stations - the areas nearby are normally safe, and there are some terrific business hotels that offer reasonable rates. I would budget about $60 per person per day for accommodation and about $40 for food and drinks, although it's easier to spend much more than that. If it were me, I would probably stay in one or two centrally located hotels, and use the rail pass to make day trips to other places. For instance, there's a terrific business hotel above Shin-Osaka station -and just three or four minutes after leaving your hotel room, you can be on a bullet train - just fifteen minutes to Kyoto, a coupe of hours to Tokyo, and you can make numerous other day trips.

Long distance buses are definitely much cheaper than point to point tickets on the shinkansen (bullet train), but they area also slower, and offer much less room. Nagoya to Kyoto by bullet train is a matter of minutes, or quite a few hours by bus. But if you do the numbers, you might find they also offer good value.

Whatever you decide, have fun!

[rfukata]

check out this tour bus company in Tokyo; website http://www.hatobus.com/en/

apart from the JR rail pass, they have short day trips as well as a array of other tour options. Hato busses are nice & clean.

Also, JR (Japan Railways) have their own tour offices located within big stations such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa etc.,

in which you can book hotels directly for any city at a reasonable cost. Now is a good favorable time to go as the yen is

trading at 104-105yen vs the USD.

-other places of interest in Tokyo

Tsukiji Fish Market

Shibuya Station

Harajuku Takeshita dori

Roppongi (night life)

Asakusa

Rainbow bridge

Ginza

enjoy your trip.

[changsinghleo]

Why advise people on how fast they can travel? If they really are tourists everything should be of interest, so what's the hurry? Something's going on everywhere you happen to be and should be seen as at least interesting, so slow down and take a real look at where you are! Or, just check into a nice ryokan (Japanese style lodging, and can be fairly reasonable at times) and get a real taste of Japanese ways. Spend a whole week in 2 or 3 of these which is an experience not to be had elsewhere. And, they always serve great food. Stay in one at a seaside resort and immerse yourself in the hot baths and stroll the streets in the evening in yukata, a simple robe and grass slippers. And, guess what, if you forget or lose something while traveling it will have been turned in somewhere. Theft more or less doesn't happen. Oh, Japan can be such a pleasure, but try not to hurry as the Japanese do. Might I suggest, do not check your I-Phone while there, save it for boring times. If you have a bit of funding to spare drop in to a typical Japanese restaurant for a fun evening, but do it away from the foreign tourists, become local people for a bit. Sayonara!

[akagai]

Japan is HUGE.. Hokkaido has cool northern weather, Okinawa is a subtropical paradise. The Japanese 'Alps" should have great fall color next month.

Do you want an 'active' vacation ( hiking, kayaking, sightseeing) or just lounge around a central location (beach, resort,etc.)

Decide on what you want to see; temples, countryside or cities., WWII history(Okinawa, Nagasaki, Hiroshima),

Let us know what you want to see and I (we) can provide suggestions.

Japan can be VERY expensive, but can be reasonably budgeted. But seldom as inexpensive as Thailand.

Travel and lodging are your biggest expenses.

Agree on

+ Rail pass - if you are on the main islands and want to travel intercity.

+ Buses vs Rail - as said above. Buses are less expensive.. cross country travel should be Ok,, but within large cities, Traffic is Sloooow.
I usually pay the extra for the comfort and speed.
The trains have multiple 'classes' from luxury near private cars to hard wooden benches (rural area).
The train system is amazingly clean, efficient, safe and on time.

+ Business hotels - Just as the name implies, it is a place for business travelers.
These are simple, clean hotels often with inexpensive food available.
These 'hotel' rooms can be humorously small... as in a grown man can touch both walls...
But when I am traveling, my thought is, rooms are only for showering and sleeping.

​ When visiting Japan I stay in these for most nights then splurge for 1-2 nights in a Ryokan (traditional inn)

Western 'style' hotels are more expensive.

+ If you like hot springs, Japan has hundreds of Onsen resorts that can be fun with a large range in prices.

This lady's blog has some interesting lodging suggestions (some not very practical for a couple).

http://wandertokyo.com/inexpensive-places-to-stay-in-japan/

http://wandertokyo.com/10-cheap-places-to-stay-in-japan/

Words of Caution.

+ Night life can bring shocking bar tabs. I once had a $750 USD tab for 4 people, 3 hours with just drinks/bar snacks. Needless to say, now, I ask about prices before ordering.

+ Food can be expensive. There are several sushi types that are multiple hundred dollars per person. just ask before.
Not matter what country, eating like the locals is the least expensive and usually the best food.
I like the ***men menus (Ramen, Somen, etc. noodles).

I have been all over Japan, so let me know if I can assist with specifics.

[akagai]

More thoughts on Japan.

+ Tokyo airports - If you fly into/from Tokyo..
Spend the extra money on flights to/from Haneda which is virtually downtown.
​ The large international airport, Narita is literally hours from Tokyo and can be expensive to get into the city (>$200 USD for a taxi) ($30-40 for a bus/train)

+ Festivals - Japan has numerous festivals, and Fall has the most festivals.

You can absorb some culture, and sample some great inexpensive food from safe street vendors.

Some of these can be bizarre - penis festival, riding giant logs, tug of war with giant ropes (oct 10th in Naha, Okinawa)

Most are just religious and/or harvest festivals.

http://www.japanese-city.com/calendar/events/

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/festivals/

+ Language - getting around can be daunting without language skills.

Just find someone that looks as if they went to college and write your question.

Everyone with college can read/write English, but may not speak well.

Download the English language 'aps' to navigate the train/subway system for most large cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, etc.)

[Chao Lao Beach]

Would there be snow in the Alps in Mid October ?

[akagai]

Would there be snow in the Alps in Mid October ?

I suspect the peaks could have snow by mid October.

The Alps region hosted some winter Olympic events. Remember Nagano and the 1998 Winter Olympics.

The ski season usually doesn't begin until Jan.

There are three regions; Northern, Central and Southern Alps ( creative names).. All are on the Honshu Islands.

Down south, Mount Fuji's climbing season closes in Mid-September ( this is because of storm activity and just plain cold at 12000 feet MSL.)

The valleys should be clear and gorgeous.

http://welcome.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/contents01+index.htm

Live cameras

http://www.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/live/livecamera.html

Northern alps - http://www.northalps.net/nabbn2/index.php?cat=9&language=en

If you enjoy a short visit to the cold, I highly recommend the Sapporo Ice/snow festival, In February of each year.

http://www.snowfes.com/english/index.html

Pictures- https://www.google.com/search?q=sapporo+ice+festival+2015&rlz=1C1ASUM_enUS471&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2OULVJH4B8nYoAT2_IH4Aw&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=1063

[craigt3365]

Would there be snow in the Alps in Mid October ?

We did the Nakasendo hike about that time several years ago. It snowed on us.