Money issues - Japan
 

Hello Japan experts, as our trip draws near, I'm checking to make sure I have all of the basic info I need. We plan to use ATMs to get cash. My notes say that the ATMs inside the airport terminal take US cards, as do ATMs in post offices and 7-11 stores. Do these ATMs generally have an upper limit of how much I can withdraw at a time? Could I, say, withdraw 100,000 yen? (My bank says the only limit on my withdrawals is how much money I have in my account.)

We will use a credit card to pay for accommodations and train tickets, but expect to use cash for most other things. Higher priced restaurants take credit cards, but little places do not. Is this accurate?

SUICA cards - I thought there was a SUICA deal with the limo bus, but I can't find it on the Limo bus website. The SUICA card is good at convenience stores and the the Tokyo subway. Can it be used in the Kyoto subway?

We plan to buy our train tickets for our whole stay at Narita. I have looked at endless maps of Terminal 2, but am unclear where we buy tickets. Do we go to the station underneath terminal 1 or is there a desk in terminal 2 on the arrival floor, like there is for the limo buses?

Thanks so much for all of your assistance!

There is a ticket office at JR Narita Airport Terminal 2 station.

Here is a map of the station: www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/e611.html

I would go to the office (dark green) labeled with the three stars and midori-no-madoguchi (reservation office) sign: japanrailpass.net/images/midori.gif

Thanks, Mr.W. Is the station on the floor below Floor 1 of Terminal 2? I realize now that all the maps I looked at showed floor 1 and floor 2 of terminal 2.

But if you are just going to take the limo bus from the airport then you can do the JR Pass exchange and get your seat reservations at any of 6 stations in Tokyo or 2 in Yokohama.

Here is a list of stations with offices for rail pass exchange (and ticketing and seat reservations) and their hours: www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en009.html

This list of locations, as is typical, is from north to south, so scroll down and see the 6 Tokyo stations listed after the three airport stations.

You would go down to level B1F: www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/map/index_t2.html

The JR office that you want -- where you can get all your tickets & reservations -- is downstairs. Follow the signs that say "Trains" after you exit from customs.

http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/i...ias_index.html

According to Japan Post site - the limit is 200,000¥

oops, clicked submit instead of preview...

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2027.html

And that is the site with info on transport from NRT - the N'ex and Suica are a package. The limo bus has a Limo and Metro Pass deal...one day on the Metro....

Have a wonderful trip!

madame, buy a guidebook!!!

Thanks, everyone. We are not using a JR pass, it is cheaper just to buy the individual train tickets. So our plan was to buy the tickets and get the seats at Narita, before we take the limo bus to the Hyatt. I suppose if we are exhausted, we can just take the limo bus and buy our tickets at Shinjuku station, as it is very close to our hotel. But normally we are pretty awake when we arrive at Narita.

Ok, so no Suica card with the limo bus, but a one day metro pass. We can buy a Suica card from a machine in any train station, I guess.

And thanks Mara, for the ATM info.

We fly two weeks from tomorrow!

Bob, I understand that you don't need to know all this as you are traveling with your guide. Sigh. I envy you and Karen traveling with Peter and Linda.

Kathie,

You of course got good advice above. You can get your train tickets from the travel agency in the Hyatt lobby.they speak English n will be very helpful and convenient for you. Much easier than looking for the ticket office at Shinjuku station.

No you cannot use your suica on Kyoto subway but probably won't use Kyoto subways as is the most inconvenient of kyotos trans systems. Yes you can get a suica from the pink machines in all jr stations. Wish we were going at the same time.

Aloha!

Hi Kathie, I withdrew 150,000 yen at a Citibank ATM in Kyoto without any problems. And you're correct that most larger establishments take credit cards, but not the smaller stores and restaurants. Seems like most of your other questions are already answered, but please ask if something's not clear.

HT, if there is a travel agency in the Hyatt lobby, then we won't bother trying to buy the tickets at Narita. We'll just get cash from the ATM in Narita and get on the limo bus.

Thank you all. Yes, I think I have all of my money questions answered. It's always re-assuring to hear that others have withdrawn that much from an ATM, tripplanner.

ht, I beg to differ - you can use your Suica card on the Kyoto subway system....I did it last spring.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

Mara, good to know, Arigato gozaimasu!. Last time we were there was 2yrs ago when we met u n mrwnerfl in Tokyo. I hear u can now use in Osaka also which we couldn't do last time we were there. Will report back.

Kathie, there has always been a travel agent in the lobby right next to the bell desk room unless that has changed too. Check the Hyatt Tokyo website.

Aloha!

The only reason I would go to a JR station at Narita airport would be to get a seat on the Narita Express and/or get a JR Pass.

If the Hyatt doesn't work out, or even if it does, it is easy enough to get tickets at Shinjuku. You can write down your itinerary. A JR ticket agent is going to understand: 13/11 13:20 KYOTO -> SHINJUKU. He shows you the price and you check the tix to make sure they are in English.

There are Nozomi departures from Tokyo station bound for Kyoto every 10 minutes or 20 minutes. Nov 23 is a holiday so if traveling +- 2 days around that then I would get seats in advance. Otherwise, I would take advantage of the freedom of not being limited to using Hikari shinkansen by the JR Pass. If getting all the tix in advance reduces your anxiety level then by all means do so.

HT, I looked at the Hyatt website and couldn't find a travel agency listed, but I'll assume it is there. As noted, we can always get our tickets at Shinjuku Station.

Mr.W, We have a complete list of all of our trains (No JR Pass) ready to purchase and have them give us seats. I even have notes from all of you Japan experts on which side of the train to request seats to get the best views! We won't be going from Tokyo to Kyoto this trip, Tokyo>Kanazawa>Kyoto>Hakone>Narita.

We fly two weeks from today!

Very exciting, Kathie. I'm four weeks away from my adventure and am starting to count down the days.