Japan in October - welcome your suggestions

[AngieP]

I've been grounded for the past 11 months with a serious illness which is now resolved. To celebrate, two girlfriends and I are going to Japan in early October for about 12 days. None of us has been to Japan before and our Japanese is rudimentary. We are all keen travellers and in our late 40's, early 50's. This is our proposed itinerary - we welcome FF suggestions on how to get the most enjoyment from our trip. Arrive Narita late Thur evening, into Tokyo for four nights - tour on Friday, Disneyworld on Sat, 'streetlife' day on Sunday with free volunteer guide. Depart Mon morning for Kusatsu on shinkansen and have two nights onsen experience. Wed morning travel to Mt Koya for two nights at a Buddist temple ryoken with half day tour with guide of the mountain and its temples. Friday morning off to Hiroshima - 1 night. Sat arvo travel to Kyoto for Sat, Sun and Mon night - Nara day visit on Sun. Depart from Kansai airport on Tues evening. Looking forward to your suggestions/comments! Keen to hear about good outlet shopping which is easily accessible.

 

[ArseneV]

Sounds amazing so far. For a 12 day trip, you have all the important things covered.
In regards to 'outlet shopping', do you just mean shopping centres?
What are you after in particular?
Shopping centres a plentiful and generally they all have the same stores as each other.

 

[Evan]

For shopping at outlets... In Kansi area...
Outlet in Japan / Kobe Porto Bazar

Some others listed but i only know the one in Kobe.
Factory Outlet in Japan, ?????

So if your using just local JR railway and i guess at some time later the bus to KIX that day or later then Porto Bazar is good and close, Huge Nike shop with heaps of cheap shoes you don't get locally when i was there last.
Some real bargains at times when i have been there. Has all sorts of brands from Bose to Osh-Gosh and North Face, lots of womens fashion as well, all the major sporting brands as well.
You have to get off at JR Tarumi and you walk towards the water. Takes 10 mins to walk but its easy walk. There is also a shuttle but i have never used it.
If you can't find a map or anything on-line i could draw it.

Edit: just found this also
http://yaccyann.sakura.ne.jp/marinpiakobe/e.html

 

[drron]

Sounds good.You dont need any more than rudimentary Japanese.Even out in the countryside they will usually try their hardest to understand you even if it has to be sign language.
Outlet shopping.Quite frankly not worth it.We have been to the outlets in Osaka-just a stop or 2 before KIX.Sure a great variety but prices that you can probably better at DFO.Does not compare with the USA.Mrsdrron has a black belt in shopping and she declares she wouldnt go back.
Enjoy walking around a department store or 2.Go to the basement-often a few free tastes plus reasonably cheap snacks.Also for shopping dont miss the 100 yen shops-all sorts of mysterious nik naks.
Also best to have your big meal at lunch-much cheaper than the evening meal.Dont be afraid of eating at a local restaurant.Virtually all have plastic replicas of the meals in the front window.worst case scenario just take the waitperson outside and point at what you want.
Enjoy.

 

[russ]

Great choice on the onsen and ryokan!

It's your call, but are you sure you want to spend 25% of your Tokyo time at Tokyo Disneyland, which is basically a small version of the Disneylands in the USA? (I should know... I was living with Cinderella, or was she some other character... I forget!)

I realise you're having a day tour of Tokyo on the first day, but I guarantee you it won't be enough! If I had time there again, I'd be heading to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, Roppongi, the Imperial Palace and the Akasuka temple for starters. Oh and you must play a game of pachinko!

My other thought is to take some little Australian gifts with you. You'll find some Japanese people so helpful and generous that you'll want to be able to present them with something.

 

[v8Statesman]

I should know... I was living with Cinderella

OT I know sorry, but I just could not read back this.....!

Over to the playground?

 

[Evan]

OT I know sorry, but I just could not read back this.....!

Over to the playground?

I know a few USJ staff (Universal Studio's Japan) so i could imagine its possible he was living with Cinderella.

hyaku en shop are fun you can get some good laughs at a things you can find there.

Shopping be it Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Japan it makes no difference, you simply have to know the prices ! thats the only way to find a bargin, even say Apple will sel iPods in one country cheap, and in another country the Notebooks will be cheap but the iPods expensive.

 

[Alanslegal]

AngieP, as much as I am a "tick the box" kind of tourist, your proposed itinerary is very intensive and during/after the 12 days it will be very tiring!

4 days in Tokyo just isn't enough, so I'd personally delete Disneyland off the list (and the decision should be easier if you have already been to a Disneyland somewhere else in the world). Its all the same - just in a different City

I'd also delete the Imperial Palace in Tokyo off your list, having just been there on 21/5 I can say it was the biggest waste of half a day. Firstly, you don't see much, its a guided tour, and everything inside was boring.

If Sunday is your only free day - This is what I'd recommend - Go to Harajuku in the morning where you will visit the Meiji Shrine, after that head to Take****a Street around lunch time where you see some people in ''fancy'' dress, this street also houses one of the largest 100yen shops in Japan, walk around there, visit some shops. Also Forever21 receently opened there adjacent to H&M (which is a chain clothing store I fancy)! Consider catching a subway to Asakusa (2-3stops away) where you can wander around there incl this famous temple I can't remember the name, take 35minute river cruise down to the pier adjacent to the Intercontinental Tokyo Bay hotel (which is where I stayed). From there, you can walk 15minutes to the Yamamote line (Hamomoscho station) and subway to Shinjuku/Shibuya for dinner where you can catch a tan from absorbing too much rays from the neon lights

All in all, you'd enjoy Japan!

 

[Cynicor]

I'd agree that with only 4 days, Disneyland isn't worth it if you have seen one before, or can get to one within a couple of years. Disney sea IS different though, and you can't find it in any other country. I guess it depends how much you like theme parks- remember they are very squarely aimed at children/youth, and the rides are all about the scenery, theming and technology rather than the faster/higher/longer thrill rides in other parks.

 

[AngieP]

Thank you all for your comments - much appreciated! Unfortunately Disneyland is a non-negotiable due to family commitments. Sounds like we are on the right track though with most of our choices. Yours in happy travels - AngieP xx_

 

[stryker]

Sounds good.You dont need any more than rudimentary Japanese.Even out in the countryside they will usually try their hardest to understand you even if it has to be sign language.

My experience is that virtually everywhere in Japan, 99.9% of the people don't speak a word of English. Sure, they try and be helpful, but the language barrier can be huge. I have travelled the length and breadth of Japan on several occasions.

I have found the best thing to do is to take hotel details, etc, written in Kanji, as all street signs (and virtually everything else) are in this script with no English translation.

Even asking teenagers, who you'd expect would be learning English at school, doesn't usually get a coherent response. Gets a lot of giggles, though.

So be prepared...

 

[drron]

Ah but stryker I am large,silver haired and treated with respect throughout Japan.I dont talk to teenagers though.Whenever i visit I am approached by japanese people wanting to practise their English.i must look wise and venerable!

 

[kpc]

I was recently in Japan. Please see here as to where I visited:http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/trip-reports-and-trip-photos/a-taste-of-japan-17828.html

English is not widely spoken but, in most places in Tokyo, the maps, signs, train announcements are in English as well; it was less so in Kyoto, and even less so in Hiroshima. If you get lost, it's really up to yourself to find your way out as asking for directions, often results in you being more confused. I did always have my hotel written in Kanji tho if I had to catch a taxi back to it, if I ever became that desparate. In one week, I did not have to resort to this

Ordering food is easy...just point at the food display outside the restaurant (or something that a neighbouring table has ordered!!). If you are even smarter, just take a photo of something you want from the food display with your camera, and show it to the waitress/ waiter!

 

[Alanslegal]

Good suggestion by KPC about the "taking photos of things". I also do this, take photos of things in japanese and if you need to, show those photos from your camera to someone and they should be able to help.

This method is also very useful worldwide


Also can someone point me into the right direction .... what is the tipping practice in Japan?

 

[Fifa]

I agree 100% with drron's first reply having been to Japan on 3 visits.
Our most recent was for 4 weeks in Jan/Feb.

We also visited Mt Koya and stayed in one of the special Buddhist temples for one night but spending 2 nights may be a bit much with so much else to see in Japan!

We were advised to book through a travel agent in the main Kyoto railway station complex and were served by a most obliging young man who hardly spoke any English! Most of the temple lodgings are similar in price (9,000-10,000 yen pppn incl dinner and breakfast).

Ours was in the centre of the village and we were the only guests as it was the middle of winter - a monk who spoke very good English looked after us very well. A wonderful vegetarian dinner and breakfast were served in a private room adjoining our 'bedroom' which had surprisingly comfortable futons and electric blankets. The toilets were down the 'freezing' hall and we had private use of the onsen (used at separate times though). In the morning at 6am before breakfast we attended the prayer session, a hypnotic experience involving sutra chanting, incense and gongs. We sat on low seats with backs on a heated floor rug (we still need gloves and parkas though!). It was an experience not to be missed.

Be sure to visit the the mausoleum of Kukai, lit by thousands of lanterns and dont miss Okunoin,east of the center. This magnificent, mysterious place with its vast cedar trees and mossy tombstones is Koyasan's cemetery and contains an estmated 500,000 graves - best visited in the evening after dinner as it is so surreal!

You can purchase a round trip ticket including train from Kyoto, cable car and all day bus. It was too difficult and time consuming to make use of Japan Rail pass.

Have a fantastic trip!

 

[Fifa]

Also can someone point me into the right direction .... what is the tipping practice in Japan?

Alanslegal - Absolutely no tipping in Japan.
Apparently they are quite offended if you tip.

 

[Alanslegal]

Thanks Fifa.

 

[tuapekastar]

Also can someone point me into the right direction .... what is the tipping practice in Japan?

Just to back up Fifa, in my admittedly limited experience, it is not necessary (not even welcomed) to tip in Japan.

 

[Evan]

Yes thats correct, there is no need to tip in Japan.
I have even tried to tip a taxi driver and the next time i took his taxi (short trip from where i was staying to station, usually 660yen each way, minimum fare) and he gave back my tip next time, all of 40yen.

 

[Alanslegal]

I had a hunch that tipping wasn't generally accepted and never did so, but let me be more specific, how about tipping bellyboy/girls who would deliver like 70kgs worth of luggage to your room? I never tipped but felt so bad ... and all of them were wonderful and bowed etc! (This was at the InterCon Tokyo Bay)