First time trip to Japan questions
 

Hi everyone,

I leave next week for 9 days in Japan (I know, I wish it could be longer) and have a few last minute questions.

-My boyfriend and I have already bought our JR passes that are good for 7 days. Leaving out of Tokyo's Shinjuku station, which line(s) would get us to Mt. Fuji?
-We've booked a hotel in Osaka for 2 days and plan on going to Harry Potter World while there; any advice on what kind of park tickets to buy? I know we only need 1-day tickets, but there're options for 5 or 7 ride fast passes-- should we buy those instead? We both love going on all types of rides.
-This one might seem a little random: we both plan on getting a small/medium tattoo to mark this trip while we're there, but I'm at a loss of where to look for reputable tattoo shops in Tokyo (English speaking would be a HUGE plus as together we only speak conversational Japanese).
-I'd like to buy a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for the plane ride (2hrs and then 12hrs straight for us) but I can't decide on what kind to go with. $300 is my max, and I prefer over the ear to anything else. Wireless or not wireless, doesn't much matter to me. I have a couple more long distance flights this year and want a solid pair. Bose quiet comfort Q25 and Beats Studio Wireless keep popping up at the top of my list.

Thanks for any and all comments. I tried to be as specific as possible with the questions :)

For transportion to Mt. Fuji, click on "Getting There and Around" on the Mt. Fuji page of japan-guide.com:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html

Sorry I can't help with any of your other questions. :-( You might get better answers by posting on japan-guide's forum.

What day would you go to Fuji-san?

The train to take from Shinjuku would a limited express named Kaiji. That is a JR train that will get you to Otsuki. From Otsuki you would take a non-JR train to Kawaguchiko. That train is operated by Fujikyu Railways and would cost ¥1,140 each way because you won't be able to use your JR Pass.

Besides the Fuji Five Lakes region linked above another option would be Hakone. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

<<Besides the Fuji Five Lakes region linked above another option would be Hakone. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html>>

And you can go to Shinagawa station from Shinjuku to hop a shinkansen to Odawara. That'll cut about 25-30 min off the trip. From Odawara, you take a JR line train to Hakone.

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Best headphones are peculiar to your music taste. And you don't need noise-canceling, you need either over-ears that will dampen the surrounding noise or in-ears that fit. If you must get NC, you'll be paying $75-100 of the price for the noise-cancellation tech itself, which means the remaining cans will be on par with lower quality offerings.

Bose suck because the sound quality is dull. Beats usually suck because they are bass heavy unless you want that. The few decent Beats I've heard are outside your price range.

See here for more:
http://headphonesaddict.com/best-noi...tingheadphones

Can't answer the other questions - no real interest in Osaka. We don't put bumper stickers on a Porsche = no tattoos.

Be aware that tattoos mean something different in Japan than they do to you. You cannot go into a public onsen bath with visible tattoos. If you have a small tattoo, you can cover it with a bandage to go into an onsen.

Actually, regarding the OP, the trip is long finished.
But for future reference, a few noteworthy points - having a tatoo screams yakuza or Japanese mafia. Nearly all places will not let you in if you have one. As for covering it up - it's case by case. Some places might allow it while others will not - don't think by covering it up you are guaranteed an entry inside.
Obviously if you're a foreigner you're not the Japanese mafia, but Japanese are not in the habit of making exceptions to rules they make. They are quite strict in most cases.
But actually here is a list of tatoo friendly places. How long it'll be before the rest of Japan follows suit is an open question though.
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/8-hot-s...oos-can-enter/


About Hakone, there is no "JR line train to Hakone". There is no JR line at all - you need to take Odakyu, which is not covered by any JR Pass. Fortunately from Odawara, Mishima and other places, you can get a Hakone Free Pass.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/deels/freepass/hakone/