budget travelling to japan?

Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 4:10 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Like i said in the other thread:
MangaCafes: not all are 24/7, not all provide privacy or private booths, many are just like your local library, you have shelves and open computers, little if none at some privacy, not all have free drinks/snacks, not all have showers/baths etc, can be noisy, sitting in a chair or even their laydown type chair is not the same as a bed, or futon. Generally not a place you would want to make your stays at.
Do some people do it as a means of lodging yes, but its not meant for that purpose, I mean there are 24 hr mcdonalds that in theory you keep purchasing something from the 100yen menu you stay all the live long night, some homeless people do that.

Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Manga cafes were never a serious consideration for me, although now that I know more about them from guys I'm guessing it's going even further away from anything remotely interesting on my list (Besides of which, why would I spend my time going into a 'net cafe filled with manga when I'm in Japan to shop my mind out? If I wanted manga I could stay home....)

Thanks Smile

So between a guesthouse/dormitory and a smaller inn, which would you think would be better for someone like me looking for my conditions? Or be more likely to find really. I don't mind paying a *little* more if that's what it takes for the curfew

Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Difficult to know without knowing what your budget is. Please convert into Yen, I have a hard time figuring out when someone says "dollars", US dollars, Canadian Dollars, Austrialian dollars are all different, please use denomination when writing things out, USD, CAD AUD etc.

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 3:21 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Around SGD$2,500 which translates to Yen$197,662.74 from www.xe.com This doesn't include the plane ticket, but does include transport, food, shopping and accommodations for 10 days.

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 5:30 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Japanese yen doesn't use the symbol $ (only dollars do).

But anycase, for that amount you can easily afford business hotel level accomodation at best (upwards of 72000 or so totally, leaving roughly 125000 leftover divide by 10 gives you 12000 yen a day for transport, food and shopping, considering the average person doesn't spend that much in a day unless you are going overboard, you should be fine.

The price becomes offset if you plan on crisscrossing all over Japan in 10 days, in that case transportation costs become much higher. Maybe take of 30000yen if you plan on doing that, cheaper if you do slower budget options over the bullet train, assuming you plan to criss cross all over the place. If you just plan on staying in one Metropolitan area, then you should be in good shape.

Business hotels are a good option between guesthouse and full service hotel. I've flown first class to Japan before (and those tix are expensive) and stayed in Business hotels, certainly getting my monies worth in my opinion.

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Yeah... a 6 hour flight in economy with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur (Singapore -> KL -> Narita) plays hell.... a first class ticket though. Hmm... I'll have to glance at the prices.

I'm intending to stay in Tokyo for the majority of the trip, barring a quick jaunt to Hakone for an onsen (Which isn't cheap either, am I correct? Seeing as how onsen's are usually 2day1night packages with big dinners? Maybe I'm watching too many Japanese food shows...) so I'm thinking of grabbing PASMO. I can handle the subways with the trusty English/Japanese version of the map I picked up when I was last there, but a PASMO seems much more convenient (and I can pay for stuff in konbini's with it too, correct?)

I'll look into business hotels dotting the area then. It'll be a little more impersonal I Guess, but seeing as how I'm intending to spend a lot of time in them that may be fine.

PS Yeah I know it's the yen sign, but I have no clue how to input that on my keyboard *laughs*

Thanks again for the speedy replies Smile

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Doesn't matter if you have Pasmo or Suica, they are pretty much the same exact thing , just they have different names.

You can use Pasmo anywhere Suica is used, and vice-versa. Just a comment, Pasmo cards are in low stock, so they are only selling commuter pass versions at the moment, you might just get a Suica card (available at JR east stations), but again, its practically the same thing.

Airplane "First Class tickets" are EXPENSIVE, I was only using it as an example of how even someone with a high budget can be somewhat satisfied with business hotels.

If you plan to make a day trip into Hakone, there's a pass called the "HAKONE FREE PASS" it costs roughly 5000yen from Tokyo, it allows for 1 roundtrip from Tokyo to Hakone (from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo), then in Hakone it allows unlimited uses of the buses, cable car, ropeway, and lake boat tour. Plus various discounts to attractions in the Hakone area, it is a fantastic pass to have when traveling to Hakone. As I note it is valid for one roundtrip from Tokyo into the Hakone area, but you can stay in the Hakone area overnight, before returning to Tokyo, once you return to Tokyo the pass is no longer valid.

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 3:14 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

That would imply I'd be doing alot of travelling/walking around in Hakone if I want to make full use of the card though, correct? Would that mean something like... take the morning train to Hakone, explore like crazy, check in to the onsen resort at around 4 or 5pm and then spend the evening chilling?

Do you happen to know what's the difference between the Day Pass and a normal two way ticket between them? Considering I'm going in December it would mean there's only light rains and nice cold air to worry about - No sweating, so it's possible to hike. But if the distances are great, then I'll see about picking up the pass instead... hmm....

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 3:49 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Hakone isn't some small district, its larger than some cities, so yes the distances are huge, in a hilly, mountainous and open area at points.
That whats makes the pass useful, because to actually get into the Hakone area, you have to use multiple options such as bus, cablecar, ropeway, and even a boat on a lake.

Then once you're in, you can hike etc around at various stops on the bus/cablecar/ropeway etc.

I can't say how much difference there is, but it would be more if you paid individually each time you got on a bus, ropeway, cablecar, or boat in the area. The pass is a great value because again it offers one roundtrip from Tokyo to the hakone area, once you are in the Hakone area, you can stay up to 2/3 days before making the return to Tokyo (Shinjuku station).

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 4:31 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Hmm that may be a good way to pad out my visit to Tokyo then. I'll see into it. We do need to make advance reservations for onsens in the area right?

Thanks for the speedy reply Smile

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:52 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

The price of a plane ticket is extremely expensive, almost 1500€ in France..O_o

I guess I will have to wait!!

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:00 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Air France? Cheap? It sounds strange! Mr. Green

Thanks for the advice

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:40 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

I just got from Japan about a week ago.
Whilst there i was in search for the 100yen shops to get some bargains but i found them very difficult to find,
I saw massive signs in Ikebukuro and Shibuya "Yen Shop" but it said it was located on the 6th floor of a building or something, i went up one in Shibuya on a dodgy elevator and there was just a desk, phootcopier etc in a small room...wtf...anyone know what these Yen Shops are?

anyway i finally found an actual 100 yen shop in Shinjuku.

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0