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Planning Japan Trip VERY OPEN to ideas
Ok Im planning on visiting Japan for the first time May 23-30. This will be my 6th continent and for the first time im pretty intimidated about how to take on this trip due to the language barier. Id like to do 4 days in Tokyo and 3 in Kyoto. ANY help in the following areas would be greatly appreciated:
Will I be ok not knowing a lick of Japanese? Reccomendations on places or general areas to stay in Tokyo and Kyoto Transportation insight-Rail, sub, bullet train. Places to see/ Things to do. Thanks in advance. |
Oh Yeah. Im a BUDGET but Quality Traveler
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ok, fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka or vice versa.
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You'll be fine not knowing any Japanese, especially if you stay only in those two cities. No Japanese, no problem.
With only a week, definitely do an open jaw with Narita (NRT) and Kansai (KIX). |
You can get from Narita Airport to Tokyo for 1100 yen if you take the Keisei train and change to a JR local.
You might be able to get a bus, for a low price, from Tokyo to Kyoto but Japan has the shinkansen and I believe it is a must-do. It would be about 13,000 unreserved from Tokyo to Kyoto. If you take a JR Rapid train from Kyoto to Osaka and another one from Osaka to Kansai Airport then you could make that trip in less than 2 hours for 1830 yen. So, that's about 16,000 yen for the bulk of your travel. If you can't do the open-jaw flights then you would want to get a 7-day JR Pass for 28,300. You'd be able to use the Narita Express to Tokyo and back, shinkansen to Kyoto and back, and JR trains in Tokyo. Flying the open-jaw can save you money and time (would be worth $100 extra in airfare, but could actually cost the same or less). There will be a grand sumo tournament in Tokyo when you are there. Go there around noon or 1PM on the 23rd or 24th. Ask where to get the chanko nabe (chahn ko nah bay). Here is all the Japanese you need to know: 1)<i>hai</i> pronounced "hi". The Japanese say this a lot. It means "yes". Walk up to a service counter and the attendant says "hai". I usually reply "hi" for "hello", out of habit, which sounds like "hai" to them so it works out because it would be an appropriate reply. In fact, saying hai is pretty much appropriate anytime. Hai! It's like a short "hi", you cut it off in your throat. If a Japanese person asks you in English if you speak Japanese just say Hai! and you will likely get a chuckle. The Japanese have a word for "no" but they don't say it, but you might get a hand gesture for no. 2) <i>dozo</i> is "please", "please, go ahead", with lonng ohhs: dough-zough 3) <i>sumimasen</i> sue-me-mah-sen is "excuse me" to get someone's attention or as "excuse me" for the stupid thing I just did or, for all I know, am about to do. You can use it at the beginning of what you are saying and could use it at the end at the same time! Really useful. 4) <i>gomen nasai</i> go-men-nah-sigh is "I am sorry". You can use this on it's own or with between a couple of sumimasens if you really screwed up. 5) <i>toire wa doko desu ka?</i> toe-ee-reh wah doh koh dess kah? |
oops, where was I? oh yeah:
5) toire wa doko desu ka? toe-ee-reh wah doh koh dess kah? The "doko?" is where? and the "desu ka" is "is it?". So, "doko desu ka" is "where is?" and the first word is the subject, in this case, "toilet". Really, toire is literally toilet, just they pronounce the "l" like an "r" and they don't have any real Japanese words that end in "t" so they drop it. 6) <i>arrigato gozaimashita</i> ah-ring-gah-toe go-zye-mahsh-ta = thank you very much. If you find yourself saying this with a high pitched nasal voice and draw out the ending "tah" then you may have been in Japan too long. 7)If you want to know if someone speaks English then say: "do you speak English?" Hope this helps! ;) |
This helps soooo much.THANK YOU. Do I need to get the Sumo tickets ahead of time
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I got my plane ticket and a couple hotel nights secure. Heres what I got
May 18-21 Hawaii May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 Tokyo May 26 Tokyo May 27 Tokyo May 28 May 29 May 30 Return home I was not able to get an open jaw so Im flying in and out of Tokyo. I was thinking of doing Kyoto those first three days coming back to Tokyo to 3. Is there another city close to Tokyo that I can do a day or two or even a day trip? |
Are you landing in Japan on the 21st or 22nd? If the 22nd then I would recommend staying in Tokyo then going to Kyoto. Or put the three days in Tokyo back a day. The first three days of your trip would be your best shot at going to the sumo tournament, if you care about that.
Nikko, Kamakura, and Hakone are good day trip or overnight trips from Tokyo. |
Thanx mrwunrfl I do want to go to the sumo tournament. I thought I read it lasted till that Sunday. Are you suggesting the earlier days cause those are the best days to go? Or has the tournament schedule changed? I will look into Nikko, Kamakura, and Hakone
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That last weekend of the tournament, esp. Sunday, would more likely be sold out. The tournament champ will probably be decided in the last two days. Even if it wasn't the last week I would expect a weekend crowd to be bigger, so less availability of good seats.
Any time reading up on how the tournament is conducted would be well spent. Not that it is any bit mysterious, it is not, not at all. But it is good to know the tradition and the format of the program. |
beware of dog,
You've already gotten great advise from kim and mrw. Don't worry about the language thing as where you will be going it won't matter much. Just about all Japanese people under 50 or so understand a little English as most of them had to take it for 6 years or so in school but just as with my high school language classes most of them don't remember much, lol. mrw, I love your #4. Sounds like a priest giving penance. :) Aloha! |
Actually, I guess the best day to go is one of the last two - when the champion will be decided. Problem could be in getting tix.
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and I have heard that since Musashimaru retired in late 2003 Asashoryu(Yokozuna) has dominated the tournaments winning something like 12 or 13 in a row and 14 out of the last 15 or 16 tournaments. His record is usually 14-1 or 15-0 so it's been wrapped up often before the last day of late.
But I think the last two days are usually the first days to sell out even before a tourney starts. Good luck! Aloha! |
You wouldnt happen to know Japanese so I can make my reservation the day tickets go on slae April 7?
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update on my plans
May 18-21 Hawaii May 22 Tues Tokyo arrive 2pm go to hotel and relax. May 23 Wed Tokyo Sumo tournament May 24 Thurs Day trip to? May 25 Friday Tokyo May 26 Saturday Tokyo May 27 Sunday Tokyo Harajuku? Japanese Women Wrestling Baseball game May 28 Kyoto May 29 Kyoto May 30 Return home ----- Nikko will likely be the Thursday day trip. I want to go to Hakone but I dont know where I can fit that in. |
You've not much time in Kyoto. You're traveling there on the 28th and returning on the 29th?
Women wrestlers, huh? |
Im actually not leaving Kyoto till the 30th. 2 full days.
LOL yes Im a big fan of Joshi (japanese women wrestling) Is Nikko truly a day trip? Id like to get in Hakone or Kamakura as well but I dont know if I will have the time. Thursday is the only day I do not have hotel reservations for Id like to stay in a Ryokan any suggestions? |
I think there are day trips to Nikko operated by JTB. You ought to check hyperdia for train travel times. There are JR trains to get you there but also another company. For info I suggest that you go to jnto.go.jp and search for Practical Travel Guides. Then find the one for Nikko. As expected, the guide has good practical info, for getting there, etc. I have not been to Nikko.
I would stay at a ryokan in Hakone, though, again, I have not done this. There have been a couple ryokan mentioned on this forum, can't think of the names, but try doing a search. |
Nikko can be done as a day trip from Tokyo. If you want to visit the temples and shrines in Nikko and also visit Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, it would be a very full day that you would probably do well to plan carefully to make sure all your connections work. Many people visit the temples and shrines in Nikko itself as a day trip from Tokyo. Also, visiting Nikko is easy to do on your own. In addition to the JNTO site, you might want to check out www.japan-guide.com, which has a lot of helpful information about what to see there and how to get there. Hope that helps!
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If you can, give yourself an extra day in Kyoto. There is so much to see in this city and it does take some time to travel between sites. I arrived on a Friday night and left on a Monday in the early evening, and it was not nearly enough time. Also, I arrived after the office for the Imperial Palace closed (they're closed all weekend)and I was unable to see it at all. No matter what, you'll really enjoy it!
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clbtx, you are back here!! How was your November trip? How was that ryokan in Fushimi, how did you like staying in that area? What did you end up doing in your time in Kyoto? I have thought of you often and wondered how your business trip and extra days went. Can you give a little recap?
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I guess you know that Tokyo is one of the MOST expensive cities in the world. If you have a chance, buy a JR rail pass for tourists- great deal and travel out a bit. Don't worry about the language. Take a little language book. Stay at a ryokan in a town. Maybe go to Nara if you can.
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In Tokyo they have a place to help with cheap reservations....we were there and the 7 of us got a Ryokan for 220 a night...not bad for that many people...
Check out http://www.itcj.or.jp/ You will be OK not knowing, but get a guide book. I spent 4 months last year in Japan...only got lost once Toyko...we stayed in a Ryokan near Asakusa temple.... Tokyo subway....get a map and day passes. In Toko Asakusa is old style...lots of souvenirs.... Tokyo tower....nice Ginza shopping....very nice... Kyoto.. buses...buses...are the way to get aroudn...and the train station has a great tourist help center. Train staion is awesome... I had only 1 day there...:( Had our pic taken with Kotoôshû Katsunori...bulgrian sumo...totally unexpected To get from |
Hi emd! Thanks so much for remembering me! My trip in November was very sucessful and I loved the extra days I spent in Kyoto. I took the bullet train from Tokyo to maximize the time. The ryokan was ok... nice enough, but a little "tired." The two women who run it are very nice. I would say that the location is a little far away from the center of things, but given the challenges I had finding any room at all, it was worth it. Kyoto was amazing! I took over 200 pictures in 3 days! I'd love to go back! I have actually been back to Tokyo twice since for work, but have not been able to take any more vacation time, unfortunately. Maybe some day soon!
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Glad to hear it was a good trip. I can think of worse work trips than two more business trips to Tokyo, but there's gotta be some creative way to get a few days more there after working...
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With such limited time, I would choose Kamakura over Nikko. Kamakura (Japan's capitol before Kyoto) has much more to offer, in my opinion, and is closer to Tokyo. If you don't get a JR Rail Pass, there is a special Enoshima-Kamakura Free Kippu for Y1970. It gives you a round trip from Tokyo (less than 1-hour, nearly Y1800 regular fare) and 2-days of unlimited riding on JR, the Enoshima Ry and the Shonan Monorail.
After a day in Kamakura it is only 30 min. by JR to Odawara, the entry place for Hakone. The first large town is Hakone-Yumoto, about 12 min. from Odawara on the Odakyu Ry, where there are many ryokan. English can be a problem at some ryokan. You pay the JR fare from Kamakura (Ohfuna station) to Odawara, then when you return, buy the cheapest JR ticket (Y140) at Odawara and use your Enoshima-Kamakura Free Kippu to get out in Tokyo, saving Y860 or so. If you want to e-mail me I can send you a step by step route around Kamakura. |
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