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Japan; a good destination for first-timers to Asia?

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Japan; a good destination for first-timers to Asia?

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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 08:44 AM
  #41  
 
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Have you investigated the price of hotels and meals? If this could be a budget factor, I suggest you check on it. I lived in japan in 1969-70, when the exchange rate was 360 to 1. Now it's closer to 100 to 1, meaning that everything is automatically 3-4 times as expensive, before accounting for inflation. Everyone has heard stories of 50 dollar breakfasts, $200-300 dinners.
As for recommendations, my little children (now middle aged) loved the yakisoba, an inexpensive noodle dish.
Will you be renting a car? Driving was certainly interesting. It was on the left side of the road then. I still remember navigating the heavy traffic in the big cities.
Paul
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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 09:56 AM
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kappa. I have to admit that I almost never check back on any answers to my posts. I give advice and people either use it or they don't. Apologies to any questioners I have not answered.

I spend time on a number of other boards besides this one (came from Physorg a while ago) and it is often just a quick look around here.
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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 10:01 AM
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Paul H. I got about 238 yen to the £ sterling over 20 years ago.

I got 35 baht to the £ in Thailand for years and then the recession hit and it went over 80 to the £ before dropping back to over 70. One of the few countries worth visiting where it has actually gotten cheaper to visit.
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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 12:01 PM
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kaneda, I give you one tip. Click on your (uderlined) name and you will get all the posts where you have posted.

This way I have noticed, you have posted all over the boards not only Asia. Yes maybe that's why you cannot follow all your posts. perhaps, too many posts. When I wrote " Flight from Haneda, Openjaw (recent one, you thought openjaw costs a lot more than Arr/Dep same point - Wrong!) etc rememeber ?" actually I meant the posts where you stated things that are questionable so other people posted with different ideas, some of them (especially mine ) were to correct your statements. If you don't come back, I cannot tell if you have learned from others' posts and corrected/adjusted your thoughts (or you stick to your ideas). Maybe you lose your crediblity a bit this way. Oh, well.
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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 12:10 PM
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> I give advice and people either use it or they don't....

Sorry again. You wrote above. But if you give a "wrong" advice, that's another thing. And you can learn from others' posts that try to inform you the things other than what you know, if not down right to correct your advice. So my advice is come back and check the thread where you have posted.
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Old Dec 2nd, 2006, 02:07 PM
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As for prices, in the 11 years we have been here, most prices have gone down. Gasoline has recently increased by about 15% though. We are a family of 3, and eat out in restaurants quite often. A meal for the 3 of us is usually less than ¥3000 total, and dinner around ¥5000 for the 3 of us. Last week, 4 adults and two 9 year olds at a huge yakiniku dinner for ¥¥10,000. Of course it is possible to spend more, much more. It's also possible to spend more, much more in New York or Los Angleles.

Prices are not so high if you try just a little to seek out restaurants outside of the big hotels, and if you seek out hotels that are not luxury hotels or luxury ryokan...we typically spend more when we travel in the states than when we travel in Japan. We have a reservation at the Osaka Hilton next week for 3 people with breakfast, tax included for ¥18,500 total.

About the tofu restaurants...most of them use fish stock (dashi) for preparation of most of the dishes. It's fiine for someone who does not like to look at fish, but not fine for someone who cannot eat fish due to allergy or being vegetarian. Kaisiki is similar...most items are prepared with dashi. The only places where there is no fish at all is those places which follow the strict Buddist vegetarian practices...which are few and far between.

To completely avoid fish, you will be safe eating Italian, Indian, yakiniku (ask about the sauce though), yakitori (again, ask about the sauce), fast food and family restaurant meals. Hotel buffets are usually a pretty good value and have a huge variety of foods to choose from (¥3000 per person or so).
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Old Dec 3rd, 2006, 07:20 AM
  #47  
 
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Kappa. The offending lines:

One point. If you fly in one airport and out another, it can add a fair bit to an airfare. It may be better to spend a few hours on a train and return to your original place of arrival.

Note. It CAN add a fair bit. It MAY be better.

I checked the airlines and it was notably more to fly open jaw (what a ghastly phrase), but I suppose if you pick a more expensive airline they throw it in cheap or for free, so not really a saving. I noted that while I gave a fare, you and KimJapan did not which I think proves my point. Luisah gave a price of $177 more than I quoted, and it stopped off at Atlanta instead of being non-stop.

People come here for advice and do not blindly pick one post and follow it. I like to offer other options which they may or may not choose to take.

Yes, I have been around the world a number of times (but Japan only 3 times) so can post on other boards.

I have seen mistakes in your posts in the past and ignored them. Perhaps in future I should indulge in some point scoring too and point them out?

Kappa. A river monster in rural Japan?
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Old Dec 3rd, 2006, 08:46 AM
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keneda, ah, I'm glad you are starting to get my point.

If you corret errors in others' posts, people would appreciate it. This is a public forum so it's not only for the poster in question but for everybody who read the thread to have right informations. Sometimes it's a bit frustrating A (eg.me)questions B (eg.you)'s post but B will never come back to clarify. Once is ok, but as I said, it happened several times with you. Why I remember? Maybe that's your screen name that's stuck with me. And I said a couple times, your "questionalble" posts, not necessarily wrong posts. Maybe your posts are correct after all. You can calariy it only if you check back.

Anyway, if you see wrong infos in my posts, you would be very welcome to correct it. As I said above, people will appreciate it, not only me. That's how people help each other on these forums. You might have travelled all over the world but you still can make errors and learn from others (that applies to everybody). Have I said that already?

And as to your last question, I will answer it only when you answer mine.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2006, 03:37 PM
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Here's prices for a couple of random flights, taxes and surcharges included.
August 1 JFK - NRT
August 15 NRT - JFK
$1407.57 American Airlines

August 1 JFK - NRT
August 15 KIX - NRT
$1401.00 American Airlines

Open jaw did not cost more, but actually less (but not much).

Like I said before, many booking classes are eligible for open jaws, and the way it is usually priced is 1/2 RT fare each leg. Between NGO, KIX and NRT, the fare differences are minimal if anything at all...but you have to keep in mind to compare the same fare classes for each leg as the roundtrip. If you compare NWA's Q fares for NRT - JFK - NRT, then compare B fares for NRT - JFK - KIX, you will see a huge difference. Simply put, compare like to like and you will have reliable results.

Pricing has little to do with the airlines, as they are competitive and similarly priced. It has everything to do with fare class and revenue management and load management. Simply comparing fares for two trips on expedia or consolidator doesn't tell you exactly what you are comparing. Fare class makes a big difference in the fare rules...open jaw or stopover permitted?...fee for change or cancellation?...mileage earning eligibility?...child discount applicable?...upgrade with miles permitted?... For those that fly often, it is worthwhile to learn about this sort of thing.
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 09:20 AM
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KimJapan. I am not known as a trusting person on message boards in that I do check up on information given and it is just as well I did since the information you gave was not true, to say the least.

Luisah asked for a flight from Miami in June. You gave a flight from JFK in August. I wondered why so I checked and the answer became clear. Feel free to check this yourself (as I would in your place).

American airlines leaving Miami on 1st June 2007 for Tokyo, returning on 15th June 2007 from Osaka. No non-stops. No single stops. A two stop flight, Hawaii.
Cost $2260.

Flights the same dates, Miami to Narita and returning from Narita to Miami with 1 or 2 stops, cost $1374! A savings of US$886 by following my advice.

More like dropped jaw!

So I decided to check your August figures out and it is just as well I did. Using the information you gave, open jaw worked out $2258. Using just Miami-Narita return $1309 - 1330 (1309 - 2 stops). A jaw dropping savings of $928 on a non-stop flight.

Please use the American Airlines site to check these figures out which show KimJapan gave deliberately wrong figures to support a lie.
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 09:24 AM
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Kappa. I have just provided proof that open jaw flights are sometimes a complete rip off and that flying in and out of the same airport can save around $900 in certain cases!

If you do not know what you are talking about, don't try to cover up by accusing other people of making mistakes as people will no longer trust you when you are found out.
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 09:34 AM
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kaneda, sometimes you seem more interested in arguing than in reading what was written and understanding the point the poster was making. If you had read and understood Kim's posts about prices and FARE CLASS (not class of service) you would have understood the point.

Also, personal attacks on posters on this board are not tolerated. KimJapan is a long-time poster who offers excellent, well-researched information.
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 10:51 AM
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KimJapan - please ignore kaneda

Your info was invaluble when I was planning my trip . Don't let one sore head stop you from helping others as you have so often in the past.

tcreath - as far a food. We ate pasta both in Tokyo and in Kyoto. In Tokyo it was at one of the restaurants inside a department store.

We also ate at an excellent authentic Spanish Tapas restaurant in Kyoto. The owner was Spanish as was David our waiter. It's called Antonio's.

In Kyoto there was also a French restaurant owned and run by a Japanese man whose wife is French. We had quite the conversation with him. His English is excellent.

If you go to Hiroshima I urge you to try the okinamiyaki. I don't like raw fish and I'm somewhat turned off by "odd" foods, but I'd love to have that about once a week.
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 01:30 PM
  #54  
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Wow...this has been quite an interesting thread!

Thank you again to everyone who has responded. I greatly appreciate it. I think Japan sounds like a great destination, hubby and I have discussed it in great lengths and are still deciding what we want to do with our miles. I'm glad to know that the food won't be as much of an issue as I previously thought. Although again, I wouldn't not go somewhere based solely on food.

As for the open jaw prices, I can only attest from my previous experiences but I've purchased quite a few open-jaw flights and in all my instances they were similar in price to flying roundtrip into/out of the same airport. Obviously it pays to do your homework beforehand, as I'm sure there can be huge price variations depending on the airport and timing, etc, but for the most part my experience has been that it costs very little for us to do open-jaw flights, especially given the fact that my vacation time is also very valuable to me.

Thanks again everyone!
Tracy
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Old Dec 4th, 2006, 02:46 PM
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kaneda, against my better judgment, I am replying to you one last time, and then will ignore you from now on as you seem to be more interested in arguing rather than sharing information.

Instead of calling me a liar, did you really look for the fares I posted? Doubt it, because they are still there today available for purchase...not that that even matters, because airline pricing is constantly in flux. If you wanted June 1 - June 15 you should have asked for it.

Lowest published fares for that period.

June 1, 2007
MIA - NRT
June 15, 2007 NRT - MIA
lowest published and available for purchase fare
$1404 incl tax and surcharge
change in Chicago
US Airways (codeshare with United)

MIA - NRT
KIX - MIA
$1409 on US Airways, change in Chicago
$1294 booked on Alitalia via Milan

OPEN JAW SAME OR CHEAPER!

Someone looking for ideas on routing, published fares and general pricing might find the following two websites useful.
http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/prego

http://www.geocities.com/farebuckets/ This one is useful for seeing the fare buckets. For this to be useful, you need to know about fare buckets, which requires research well beyond the airline's website.

There is not one single way or place to find the best airfare. If you want to get the best fare possible, you have to be prepared to do your homework, watch fares regularly, check published and consolodator fares, and be sure you understand the fare rules so you aren't unpleasantly surprised when your super low fare doesn't earn any miles or you can't make a date change without buying a new ticket. Best fare doesn't always mean cheapest. You need to consider the rules, schedule, mileage earning potential...and you've got to be prepared to hunt for the best deal.

Thank you to Kathie and angethereader for the kind words. That's the nicest thing about this board...I feel like I know many of the posters, and the ones I have met in person are wonderful.
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Old Dec 5th, 2006, 06:36 AM
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I respond to your concerns as I had similar feelings. My recent trip to Japan chnaged all of those concerns. Japan is very much Bilingual - English. Eg, train timetables appear electronically in Japanese and then English.
People were charming and kind. So many people helped me at all times. I only have this experience in the US.
We travelled in Sept-Oct and it was very hot an humid - in Tokyo, Kyoto and when we walked the Nakasendo Way(the old track from Kyoto to Tokyo.- Only walked parts). In some gardens there were lovely buildings set up with airconditioning and water so one could sit and refresh oneself if too hot. The trip was wonderful. Japanese cuisine is much much more than raw seafood. Food examples are displayed in shop fronts and you just point but most people do speak English in some form although they are shy about their accent and generally say they don't speak English. I am very picky due to gastric problems and found plenty of choices and it was easy to eat well without disasters.
I loved Japan so much I am returning in 2007 and travelling further south and along the coast.
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Old Sep 20th, 2007, 08:27 PM
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Bookmarking...thanks.
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Old Sep 21st, 2007, 04:28 AM
  #58  
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Wow...I forgot I even posted this! Just as an update, my husband and I are off to Japan in less than a month! Unfortunately we only have a week, but we decided to use FF miles (Japan requires less miles in October through AA). We are very excited! Our itinerary includes 2 nights in Tokyo, 4 nights in Kyoto and 1 night in Nagoya (where we are flying home from).

I will be sure to post a trip report when we get back!

Thanks!
Tracy
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Old Sep 21st, 2007, 04:30 AM
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And I wanted to assure everyone that I very much appreciated all of the replies, so I didn't want anyone to take it too seriously when I said that I forgot that I posted this! I just meant that we didn't decide to go until awhile after I posted this.

Tracy
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Old Sep 21st, 2007, 10:55 AM
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Tracy have a great trip. Even though it has been a long time since I was in Japan I still have some wonderful memories of a fantastic 2 months there. The people are just wonderful and the culture rich.
Happy travels
J
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