internetwiz

I am trying to nail down some details for my upcoming trip and hope you can help me answer some questions.

I've read older threads about Suica vs Pasmo. I am not buying a JR Pass, so will be using one of these cards to buy JR train tickets (Nara-Kyoto-Kanazawa and Matsumoto-Tokyo) [we'll be taking the bus between Kanazawa to Takayama and Matsumoto]. My question: I think the passes are about the same, but people recommend getting the Suica pass. Is there anything I should be aware of before I commit? Or should I just get one of each?

Secondly, I keep wavering back and forth between renting a pocket wifi vs renting a smart phone. The costs are about the same, and I really don't want to do both as I could use my own U.S. smart phone (although there's a cost associated with that too). My concern is having access, particularly in the mountains. Does anyone have any recommendations on what makes the most sense? I would primarily want access for Google Maps, or looking up information. I doubt we'd be making too many phone calls. I have a iPhone 5 tentatively reserved with Global Advanced, but could switch it to pocket wifi.

Lastly, I have three hotels in Kanazawa booked (Crowne Plaza, Hotel Nikko, Hotel Trusty). Has anyone stayed at any of these places that could offer comments? The Hotel Trusty seems to be in the best location, so I'm leaning in that direction.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Mara

I don't believe you can use a pre-paid IC card for longer trips.....you still have to buy a separate limited express ticket as per this article from japan-guide:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

I have had a Suica card for years and I have used it between Kyoto and Osaka and Kobe but not for long distance trips....plus I use it for buses and subways in Tokyo, Kyoto and quite a few other cities.

I don't think you need both....

Can't answer your other questions - I have Tmobile with free data so I just used my regular smart phone while in Japan....

russ_in_LA

I stayed at the Hotel Trusty on my trip last April and loved it! The location could not have been better. Here is what I said in my most recent trip report about it:

"Although the room was small, it was clean and modern and the hotel was incredibly well located; about a 6 minute walk from the 21st Century Museum and Kerokuen Garden to the east, a 7 minute walk from the Nagamachi Samurai District to the west, and a 5 minute walk to the Oyama Shrine to the north, with an entrance to the Kanazawa Castle park just behind the shrine."

It also had the best breakfast of any hotel on our trip. If you want to read more detail about it, there is more info on the trip report. Have fun!

internetwiz

Thanks, russ_in_LA. I saw your trip report and that was one of the reasons I started rethinking my other reservation. We booked a larger room, and hopefully we'll like the breakfast as much as you did.

Thank you for your insight on the IC cards, Mara. It looked like we could use the Pasmo card on most of the trains, but I need to go back and see whether we're planning on going on any express trains (I suspect we are). I still like the idea of a IC card for the trains we can use them for since it seems so much easier. I still need to figure out which one ... or both.

I still would appreciate anyone's input on the phone/wifi question. Although with Verizon switching the contract plans, maybe it is time to look at T-Mobile.

Kathie

We just purchased our train tickets at the station... I was unaware that you could use one of the cards for long-distance trains. Buying tickets at the station was easy. I printed out all the trains we wanted from hyperdia. Do ask that they print your tickets in English, as I ended up with a stick of tickets I couldn't read and had to have the concierge write on them what each ticket was for!

On the matter of the phone/wi-fi question... we switched from Verizon to T-Mobile for our international travel. We didn't have it at the time we went to Tokyo, but we used the free international data in Paris and in Peru and it worked great. The problem is that the T-Mobile reception elsewhere isn't so great. We now spend a month each year in Kauai. We have no data reception at all where we stay on Poipu Beach and the voice reception is a bit spotty. The other place we go where we can't get reception is Lopez Island, up in the San Juans. We had reception near the water with Verizon (and that was really all we needed) but no reception at all with T-Mobile. As much as I hate to give up free international data, I think we will switch back to Verizon before we go to Kauai next year. Some people have a fine experience with T-Mobile, I think it depends on exactly where you live and where to go.

internetwiz

I remember seeing your write up about the train tickets, Kathie. I'm sure we'll be purchasing our tickets at the station, too, but thought if we had pre-loaded cards, it would make things easier. At some point, we'll want to have one of the cards before we get to Tokyo.

Re: T-Mobile, I have a friend who loves their service, but I have very limited service with Verizon where I work, so I suspect it would be non-existent with T-Mobile so I'm not too keen on switching carriers, despite my threats.

A month on Kauai sounds wonderful. I can foresee something like that in my future, too. Perhaps our paths will cross as I have some very fond memories of my times there.

Mara

If you are landing at KIX which seems likely from one of your earlier posts, then the Haruka and Icoca Pass looks good for you:

http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/tr.../icoca-haruka/


Getting back to phone service - you can also rent a SIM card if your phone is unlocked....have you considered that - maybe less expensive than a phone or pocket wifi. As far as changing your home mobile service provider, I ended up with Tmobile years ago because Verizon didn't give me any service where I worked and Tmo did. Maybe you know someone with a Tmobile phone so you could test it at your work location....

Kathie

hey, wiz, I love Mara's suggestion of trying out T-Mobile's reception by borrowing some else's phone. When I had Verizon, I never had reception problems. Posted something about the T-Mobile issue on the Europe board and a guy there told me his reception was great with T-Mobile but not with Verizon. Now I've seen the coverage maps, but there is nothing like actual experience to tell you what works for you!

Mara

Kathie, that's how I ended up with Tmo - my first cell phone - Verizon - gave me no service at my job....and I asked a person who I saw on the phone all the time what kind it was and it was Tmo - so I switched and never looked back...lol....luckily I was still in a period that I could cancel without penalty... ;-)

ayalranne

As Kathie suggested I recommend you to buy ticket because both Suica and Pasmo are not available for local lines in Kanazawa. It is not difficult to buy tickets at the vending machine.

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/ticket/purchase.html

Have a great trip!

internetwiz

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions. We will buy our tickets, in English, when we land at KIX. I will look into the Haruka and Icoca Pass, but my first impression is that it might not be cost effective. Once we arrive, our first stop is Nara and we'll get there by bus.

As for the phone, I'm leaning toward renting a pocket wifi, but I'll call Verizon again and see what kind of coverge they have in Japan if we just opt for their international travel plan. I typically don't worry about cell service, but it seems like having access to Hyperdia, Japan Guide, Google Maps and a translation app on the fly would come in handy.

And thanks again to russ_in_la, we are staying at Hotel Trusty Kanazawa.

I'm sure I'll have more questions, but things are taking shape.

If any Fodorites are going to be in Kyoto, Kanazawa or Tokyo in late September - mid October and want to GTG, let me know.

JoanneH

Two places you can stay in Kanazawa: Sumiyoshiya Ryokan
920-0906 54 Jukken-machi Kanazawa-city Ishikawa Japan 920-0906
Tel & Fax 81-(0)76-221-0157 [email protected]
located directly along side fish market will cook anything you buy at market in business over 200 years
or
Kanazawa Miyako Hotel 920-0852 Ishikawa, Kanazawa, Konohana-machi 6-10 , Japan –Kanazawa Miyako Hotel has direct access to JR Kanazawa Station, a 10-minute drive from Kanazawa East Interchange. It offers modern accommodations with 3 dining options, a shopping arcade and rooms with free internet. runa about 50 a night.

Phone: It was so confusing so many plans, wifi etc I just ended up going with JCR;
Phone worked everywhere in Japan from the Mts to the sea. No issues with it, decent price.
Free delivery to your hotel and free return envelope.
http://www.jcrcorp.com/japan_mobile/...contact_us.htm

good value is tour bus cost 2-3 yen goes clockwise or counter clock wise takes hour hits the highlights then you can choose things you want to spend time at.

Mara

Didn't realize you were going straight to Nara in which case you wouldn't need the Haruka/Icoca. However, the Icoca IC card is the one that is sold in that area. The Suica is the JR East card and Pasmo is a non-JR Tokyo area card although they can be used in many areas as per my earlier post's link....

someotherguy

Interoperation of the Suica, Pasmo etc. cards is explained here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...nection_en.svg

All clear now?

Mara

someotherguy, I love that chart....btw, this forum has been completely spammed overnight so at least this post will go back to the top now...

crosscheck

How long is your trip? We recently used Verizon's international data plan in Tokyo and Hakone (in the mountains) for the kind of data usage you mention. It's $40 a month for 100 minutes of calls, 100 sent texts, unlimited received texts and 100mb of data. You can now supplement that for $35 more and get 250mb of date and 250 sent texts. Well worth it to keep your own phone number.

There is also wifi everywhere, so you can communicate with most people in Japan and at home via whatsapp and facetime. Uploading photos uses a lot of data, so it's best to do that while in a wifi area. (We're also in the position where we can't consider T-mo. Although we travel often, the service is horrendous at home.) Luckily Verizon's plans keep getting better and better. You can always sign up and rent a hotspot while on the road if your Verizon isn't working.

internetwiz

crosscheck, my trip is for three weeks. I'll probably opt for Verizon's international plan (although I want the data more than the texts and calls). I can use wifi to use Viber, but I really want the ability to use a map app if we're lost, or find a decent restaurant when we're hungry. I know I can download some of that in advance, but I'd really like to have more flexibility.

I need to call Verizon to find out if I can use a Japanese SIM card. I've been trying to figure out what my phone has/doesn't have versus an unlocked phone.

doug_stallings

In general, I only send texts when I'm traveling. If I need to make an actual call, it's few and far between, so it's never a question for me. Having constant access to the internet is always more useful to me than having a phone.

My phone (AT&T iphone) worked in Japan, and I actually had to make one call during my trip, so I'm glad I had it, but a traveling data plan would have been prohibitively expensive for the amount of data I used.

If you rent a pocket WiFi, then you can make calls using the Skype app and have access to Google Maps, translation apps, and other useful apps on demand. I made very good (and full) use of those, especially the maps and translation apps, so I couldn't imagine not having WiFi.

crosscheck

Your Verizon iPhone 5S should be unlocked. But for three weeks I don't think it's worth giving up your US number. I used apps in for directions, metros, restaurants, translation and random surfing for over two weeks using Verizon's plan (and that was before they offered the $75 package). My data even worked in the North Korean DMZ zone...hope I'm not being tracked now!