packing for Japan in October? Places that have excellent sushi?

A tour? For an 18-year-old? Are you already locked into this tour? If so then look at how much free time you've got and maybe we can squeeze something in around the edges.

If you're not locked into the tour I'd abandon that idea immediately.

Therese,
why do you say abandon the idea?

I have quite a bit of free time in each area. It is more of the type of tour that lets you do what you want, with some stuff mixed in. Almost every afternoon i have to myself.

1. You don't need a tour company to handle logistics of travel in Japan. Japan is a very easy place to travel, easier than any other place I've ever been (and I've been a lot of places). It's also quite safe (within reasonable limits).

2. Being on the tour means that you're more likely to interact with the others on the tour rather than people you meet along the way. As somebody who is interested in everyday life in Japan and possibly spending a year abroad here as a student, I think that you'll find the tour limiting (though just how limiting you're unlikely to know until you've returned in a non-tour context).

3. It's very likely to be more expensive than traveling on your own.

4. You're young. You'll meet other young people. Enjoy it.

That is good to know, but unfortunately i booked the trip long before i found this forum. Also, i am trying to keep a decent relationship with my parents, and the only way they would let me out of the country is with a tour, so i settled with the most non-toury tour i could find lol. But in the future i will definitely go the way you suggest!
Speaking of spending my year abroad, do you suggest doing it through a US exchange program, or...???? I know its a bit of a different topic, but if you have any advise there, i would greatly appreciate it, since i am having a bit of trouble figuring out how to make that happen.
But getting back to my trip, would you like me to lay out my itinerary?
thanks so much for you help, you have no idea how nice it is to have.

Ah, well, if it's your parents insisting (and I'm guessing paying) then it is what it is.

Can you give us a bit more detail about where you'll be and for how long and so forth?

I did an exchange through a Sister Cities program, and a daughter of a friend did a year in Japan through a very big program---can't recall the name at the moment... AFS? She was in high school and now attends university full-time in Tokyo.

Oh, and since you'll be at university by the time you do your exchange you may be able to take advantage of your school's semester abroad program.

My trip is as fallows:

day 1: fly into Tokyo, mid afternoon (Tokyo hotel in Shibuya)
day 2: Tokyo- Ueno/Yanaka district- then have afternoon to myself
day 3: Tokyo- Optional walking tour of kamakura OR day at leisure
day 4: Tokyo- Tsukiji Fish Market
day 5: Tokyo- Ginza/ Imperial Palace Plaza
day 6: Hakone- travel to Hakone- rest of day at leisure
day 7: Hakone (full day of tour stuff)
day 8: Bullet train to Nagoya/ train to Kanazawa
day 9: Kanazawa (almost full day of touring. Omicho market)
day 10: Kanazawa- day at leisure OR Shirakawa-go & Gokayama
day 11: Kanazawa/ then train to Kyoto (pretty full day)
day 12: Kyoto- full day
day 13: Kyoto- day at leisure OR Nara & Fushimi
day 14: Kyoto- tea ceremony/ Haki-tei - evening at leisure
day 15: Kyoto- day at leisure OR Arashiyama
day 16: Hiroshima- afternoon at leisure
day 17: Hiroshima- day trip to Miyajima
day 18: Hiroshima- afternoon and rest of day at leisure
day 19: head home in afternoon from Osaka

That is just the basics. If you need more info on anything in particular, let me know.

Thank you for the input on the exchange programs. I will look into it!

That actually looks like a pretty decent itinerary, tinytraveler---none of this "if it's Tuesday it must be Kyoto" silliness. Do take advantage of the day trip to Shirakawa-go, although it will be run over with tourists, many of them Japanese.

As for best authentic Japanese food, it's actually pretty difficult to get a bad meal in Japan. Things I'd suggest you try, in part for the food itself and in part for the novelty, include:

kaiten sushi (conveyor belt style, inexpensive and fun)
conventional sushi/sashimi (check out the little restaurants on the outskirts of Tsukiji)
tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet, served with shredded cabbage; grind the sesame seeds in the mortar/pestle that comes with it if available)
tempura (restaurants specialize in it)
robata (grilled skewered bits, also specialty restaurants)
kaiseki (set meal, fancy---if you're staying in a ryokan your dinner and breakfast will likely be of this sort---if not then Kyoto would be a very good place to experience this)
wagashi (traditional sweets to be consumed with tea---Kanazawa is known for them, and it seems like every other shop specializes in them)
bento (box lunch to eat on the train---everybody eats on the train)
ramen (or other noodles---you'll see places where you order and pay for your meal at a vending machine in front of the restaurant and then go inside to pick up your order and dine)

It's very easy to order food in Japan---most restaurants have pictures or plastic models of the food. Unlike in the U.S., these are not tourist restaurants, just normal places. Japanese people check out the window display rather than consulting the menu when choosing among restaurants in an area, and so can you.

As for everyday life, ride the train, ride the subway, visit a pachinko parlor, visit a 100 yen store, do karaoke, shop.

Oh, and clothing.

Well, your name suggests that you may be female and petite, so if you want to blend in I'd suggest daisy dukes, fishnet stockings, and high heel over-the-knee boots. That was the big look for 18-year-old girls when I was there in January, anyway. Brrr.

Otherwise "tidy" should cover it. Slip-on shoes/boots make life much, much easier, and make sure your socks are in good repair. Sometimes you're provided with slippers to wear inside of museums---I find them difficult to use, so an extra pair of socks can come in handy if it's chilly.

Tiny- i 've recently talked to several people who went on OAT trips. All seemed very happy with the small size, the more adventurous type travelers, and the less stuffy accomodations.

I can well understand your parents being happier with you in a group too.

Japanese kids tend to wear very trendy stuff, but you can get by with your regular clothing, what ever it is. Nice looking jeans, hoodies, cute tee shirts, funky skirts with tights or legginngs underneath, shawls and bulky scarves are all common. Make sure you take some warm clothing though, as October and November are cold and damp. In addition they tend to keep thier homes and hotel rooms rather cool. You'll want good walking shoes, and a pair of flip flops in case you go to a sento or onsen.

I have mixed feelings about this, and while I'm 64 and have never done a tour before, I'm about to do one in two weeks in Vietnam with OAT. There's a reason they are called Overseas Adventure Tour, they do try to make it an adventure, and although I've never heard of anyone your age on one (unless traveling with grandparents), I don't think that means you won't have a good time.

It's funny about not interacting with the locals. On my current trip I've had occasion to chat with a number of US college students -- one at length on a mini van to Guilin airport, and the more he talked the more sorry I felt for him. He was staying in hostels and all he could talk about were the other Americans he met everywhere and mostly how they'd go out every night and party, eat, and drink. When I asked him about things he had seen in the various China cities he'd been to -- the answers were minimal. Mainly it was this "really cool karoke bar" or "we hung out in this park and drank beer".
Of course it doesn't have to be that way, but I suspect it happens as much with most college kids on their own as it does with those on tours.

In other words, I think the tour just might MAKE you do more cultural things than you'd possibly do on your own. But I'd agree about not signing up for a lot of optional tours, but branch out on your own in the afternoons or evenings.

On another thread I talked about Kappa Zushi (you'd have to ask about it as they don't say Kappa outside -- only Japanese characters) in Kyoto. But they are around Japan. Not only is the sushi very inexpensive and quite good, but in addition to conveyor belts, you can special order items off a touch screen at your place and it is delivered via a little bullet train to your place. You'll meet lots of locals your age there -- I did -- I mean I met them your age, not mine! LOL You can FEAST on sushi for about $10 US.

Thank you for all the advise! I feel much better and more prepared. All of your help is really appreciated!
Oh P.S., yes, I am a girl, and very petite. I should have said so before lol, it just slipped my mind.

Thanks again!

Tinytraveller

Kanazawa is nice to see the gardens, but, I never found much else to see there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanazawa,_Ishikawa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenrokuen_Garden

However, DEFINITELY go to see Shirawakawagp and Gokayama. Fascinating places.

Pity that you would not be there in December, as these places are normally snow covered and very interesting. I was working in the Toyama area back in 2001 and 2002 and I dscovered those places . Definitely see them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirakawago

I preferred Shirakawago over Gokayama, but, your tour will probably take in both. They also have shops there selling tradition Japanese paper products.
Weather late October to mid November will be cool, but, not freezing.

Here's a link to a photo site showing photos of Gokayama in January 2010. Shirakawago is similar
http://regex.info/blog/2010-01-22/1429

I lived in Japan from 1993 to 1997, and visited there frequently on business from 2001 to 2008.

What are your experiences with using a debit card in Japan? Does any debit card from any bank work at the ATM's? I was thinking about taking the majority of my money in yen and some in US dollars, but I want to take a debit card for safety reasons. What do you guys think?

Well, its been over two years since I was in Japan,so,things may have changed in the past 30 months.

From 2001 to 2008, I used to go the POST OFFICE in Japan and use their ATM for withdrawals, using my VISA card. My card would not work at a bank there.

They used to have some crazy hours as well there,so, be warned. Sometimes, they weren't open if it was a public holiday etc.
Maybe someone else with recent experience can assist..