Japain as a gift trip
 

Hello everyone.
Planning trip to Japain in April-May trying to figure out how to start.
Duration is 7 to 10 days. I know it is short.
I've got free tickets and picked Japain as to 'get most for my money' destination.
Does anyone have an advice for me?
Thanks

Where's Japain?

I was kind of hoping to get an answer from people who know where Japain is.
Logical? Very much so.

Japan is a "get most for my money" destination? That's news to me.

My advice would be to start by buying a good guidebook. With absolutely no information about you or what you enjoy doing, we really can't help you. And since you seem to know little about Japan, a guidebook will help you decide what area or area you want to see, and what sights and activities may be of interest to you.

I don't know where Japain is either!


Do you want to go to Japan?

I do have an advice to you about Japain and that would be to not ask a question if you are going to provide the answer. Logical?

FYI: Japain is the city of Japan which is in the country of Spain!

And we should all know by now that Spain is on the floating continent of Belgium! The people of Spain are commonly referred to as those Bad Bad Vikings.

:B

I think you definitely fly on a plane to Japain.

(You can take a plane to Japan)

That would be fly a plain to Japain.

I apologize hubmly and sincerelly.
I though you were mocking me but now I see what you meant.
It is Japan of course.

Kathie,
it is like if you know you would never go somewhere because of a price of this trip and all of a sudden you get this opportunity! And you have to act fast but you weren't prepared because you never thought you can go.

What I think is that I will have to buy all the tours that I can afford and just go with a groups and enjoy.
I do not really have any prefferences for this particular destination.
Anything goes.
If you know good tour bureu or anything I appreciate any info.

Serenidipidy,

Try some of these sites for info on Japan:

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

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/prefecture.htm

You only have time for two cities in 7 - 10 days. If it were me I would pick 5 days in Tokyo and 5 days in Kyoto. Do a search on this Asia forum on the two cities and come back to us with some questions.

Also search the sites that I have listed and see if your interested in anything about Japan.

Well at least it's a start!

Aloha!

Aloha to you too!
Thanks a lot!

My apologies for giving you a hard time. Am happy to help with planning a trip to Japan.

How did you come about this free trip?

Here is a link to a good tour company:
http://www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/

Branches worldwide:
http://www.jtbgmt.com/sunrisetour/08_branches.html

The following site is customized to USA tourists (mostly by showing airfare specials which would not interest you), but here it is:
http://www.jtbusa.com/enhome/

Here is another page at the JNTO site (which ht referred to) which can give you some ideas for visiting Japan.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/interests/index.html

Thanks so much.
We were going to Israel and company screwed up our landing in London so they gave us free tickets.
It was India or JapaN. Or US West Coast.
So we want to exersize Japan idea unless we'll decide it is too short of a trip for the fligh that long.
Have time until 2008.
Tahnks

The rain in Japain falls mainly on the plain.

Sorry Serenidipidy, couldn't resist. :-))

Would you suggest I take a train?:-))

That would be a pain and a drain. And it would leave you insain.

Insane more then a rain on a plain?

Look at this: http://www.generaltours.com/tour/?tid=40

8 days, $1,999

Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka

poetry ain't going to take the poor soul anywhere.Pl overlook the typo and help.

Hi Serenidipidy,

Do you already have the dates fixed? You may want to take into consideration the last week of April and the first week of May are "Golden Week" in Japan, which is a peak travel season. If you can move the dates before or after, you'll have much more pleasant experience and better value for your money.

If you can go the last week of March or the first week of April, there's a good chance you'll be arriving in the middle of the cherry blosson season. It's really a pretty view.

With 7 days, I would spend the first 2-2.5days in Tokyo, days 4-6 in Kyoto, the last day coming back. If you're just doing Tokyo-Kyoto-back to Tokyo, you won't need JR pass. Just get the round-trip bullet train tickets. (That way, you can use faster Nozomi trains which are not covered with the JR pass).

Another way to cover both cities would be fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka (or vice versa).

With 10 days, you can add a day trip or an overnight stay out of Tokyo (Hakone), or venture westward toward Hiroshima/ Kurashiki/Miyajima.

What are your interests? Would you want to see more urban/contemporary/ pop culture? If so, more time in tokyo. Into "traditional" temples and shrines? Then you'll need 3days minimum in Kyoto. (Though some people admit being "over temple/shrined" after so many visits).

OK, the story is - packege cost $3600.
They will deduct $1200 pp from it for flight.
It is still $2400pp x2 = $4800.
Too expensive.

I am wondering if i booked a hotel on my own what rates would be approximately.
And then I could just wonder around. They do speak English widely in there right?
Thanks

I'm confused - you won a flight, but they want you to buy a package?

If you're there 10 days, I'm sure you can find places to stay for less than $480.00 a night!

I agree with above poster - I'd go in April before Golden Week. Maybe the 11th to the 20th or so.

We went the last two weeks of March 2006 - for various reasons - it was chilly, downright cold on some days - but good for sightseeing.

I'd get on it right away, but I'd book myself. We stayed at the Renaissance in Ginza on points, but even if you paid for that hotel (and you could certainly find a cheaper hotel) it wouldn't be $480.00 a night.

In Kyoto we stayed at a guest house - in the back cottage so we had several rooms and our own bathroom, small kitchen and sleeping loft - for $8000 yen a night per person. That ended up being $240 a night for 3 people. We loved it, its in central Kyoto in the older section of town.

If I had 7 days, I'd do Tokyo and Kyoto. If I had 10 I might add an overnight trip to Hiroshima/Miyajima.

We had a full 14 days in Japan and did 3 nights (2 days) Tokyo, 5 nights Kyoto, 3 nights Saijo (30 min from Hiroshima) and our last night in Narita because we had to travel from Hiroshima to Narita in one day and didn't want to stress about making the flight.

If you could fly out of Osaka (KIX) that would be even better.

It will be MUCH less expensive for you to book hotels on your own rather than buying the package. Do you have that option?

English is not widely spoken in Japan. It's not like Thailand, for instance, where most people you have contact with will speak at least some English.

You might want to get yourself a guidebook to read about Japan before you try to decide where you want to go and what you want to do.

For $480 a night you can get fabulous lodging in a hotel in Japan or a very nice ryokan with kaiseki dinner. For half that amount ($240) you can stay at very nice hotels (Westin Miyako in Kyoto). For one quarter that amount ($120) you can stay at the Holiday Inn in Kyoto (and one-third off that amount if you pay in advance) or the APA in Gion.

Doesn't sound like you got a gift.

Good point mrwrnfl

We spent under $5000 for our trip last year.

That included air fare for 2 from Chicago

14 day rail passes for two

Lodging (except Tokyo which was 3 nights on points) for 3 - and we stayed 5 nights at a guest house so we paid per person.

That amount includes subway, meals, entrance fees etc. for 14 days for the three of us.

We were there 15 days total.