Planning first trip to Japan- All advice welcome!

[Tarabris]

I am planning a trip to jappan for myself, and some half a dozen of my fello eighteen year olds- but being such money will be very tight, and so- as well as basic advice such as 'what to fill a week long trip with' I could realy use some tips on how to make our money go further.

We should be going to tokyo (or somewhere in the imediate local of) around springtime, were all 18 to 19 and therefor partying will be an unavoidable must.

So, any tips at all would be apreciated; recomended things to do & see, accomidation, and any other words from the wise wont go amiss.

 

[ArmandV]

I am planning a trip to jappan for myself, and some half a dozen of my fello eighteen year olds- but being such money will be very tight, and so- as well as basic advice such as 'what to fill a week long trip with' I could realy use some tips on how to make our money go further.
We should be going to tokyo (or somewhere in the imediate local of) around springtime, were all 18 to 19 and therefor partying will be an unavoidable must.
So, any tips at all would be apreciated; recomended things to do & see, accomidation, and any other words from the wise wont go amiss.

"Ah, you young people. Making the most of life. While it lasts." - Count Dracula.

Lodging: What I would recommend is that you check out the youth hostels. They are designed for your age group in mind.

Food: Fortunately, there are plenty of fast-food places to go to (KFC, McDonald's, Yoshinoya) and cheaper restaurants (Denny's).

Go see: Shibuya, Odaiba, Asakusa, Ginza, Tokyo Tower . If you can afford it, take a bullet train ride to Atami City and from there catch local JR commuter trains to Hakone/Mt. Fuji. It may be more economical to get a Japan Rail Pass for the week (about $230). You can use it on most bullet trains and other JR trains in Tokyo (Yamanote). Rail Pass is unlimited use for the flat rate. Go to the Broadway Mall in Nakano and check out the Mandarake stores.

 

[nice gaijin]

If you decide to get the rail pass, be sure you know what it is good for. I believe the Nozomi shinkansen and all non-JR modes of transportation are not covered by the pass, so if you plan on spending a lot of time on the subway or on other lines, it might not be the best idea.

And if you're planning on partying in Tokyo, money will flow from your pockets like water. If you just mean going out to drink, go to an izakaya (Japanese bar/restaurant) and get nomihoudai (all you can drink, usually for a 2-hour period). Nomihoudai is way cheaper than paying for drinks individually, but the mixed drinks are usually pretty weak. I can't give any advice on the clubbing scene, as I prefer not to waste money on the priviledge of shoving my way through an overcrowded room.

A large amount of your money will be going to lodging; so if you can, try to find cheaper hotels like capsule hotels or youth hostels. You probably will have a harder time trying to find a place with enough space for everyone, so it might be necessary to break into smaller groups; in which case, you might want to appoint a team leader for each group, and get him/her a pre-paid cell phone. Cell phones are extremely useful for organizing gatherings. If you have any Japanese friends, they could be indispensible when it comes to exploring the city for more reasons than one; getting in touch with them will be infinitely easier with a cell phone.

 

[Mike Cash]

It has been my experience that people who say any and all tips/advice will be appreciated almost uniformly resent mine. Not that I care, or anything.

Party to your hearts' content, but keep in mind that in Japan all of you are legally minors.

 

[nice gaijin]

excellent point; although I have never actually met anyone Japanese or foreign who has been carded in Japan, the law is the law. It was never an issue for myself, though, since I was a legal "adult" the first time I came to Japan. As long as they don't look like kindergarteners, there probably won't be any questions, but one never knows...

 

[ArmandV]

excellent point; although I have never actually met anyone Japanese or foreign who has been carded in Japan, the law is the law. It was never an issue for myself, though, since I was a legal "adult" the first time I came to Japan. As long as they don't look like kindergarteners, there probably won't be any questions, but one never knows...

It wouldn't do to visit another country and proceed to break their laws.

 

[Tarabris]

ah- now this is an unexpected problem- being a brit and with most neighboring countrys having a legal drinking age of 18, i didnt quite see this coming- as the only country i know of having one higher is America.

but still- only a minor setback realy; theres more to life than alcohol- so keep the tips coming

 

[nice gaijin]

It wouldn't do to visit another country and proceed to break their laws.

True, but that doesn't stop people from doing it anyways (not that I'm encouraging such behavior!). It's good to hear that our friend Tarabris is taking the noble route; you most certainly can have a lot of fun in Japan without alcohol. In fact, not drinking will free up a lot of money for other, more memorable activities.

 

[yukio_michael]

ah- now this is an unexpected problem- being a brit and with most neighboring countrys having a legal drinking age of 18, i didnt quite see this coming- as the only country i know of having one higher is America.

but still- only a minor setback realy; theres more to life than alcohol- so keep the tips coming

The thing is that, there isn't anything in Japan as far as bars go as there is in England... In England I lived and worked in St. Albans for a good time, and St. Albans has something like 400 pubs in such a little area...

There are clubs, restaraunts, cafes, karaoke bars, hostess bars, etcetera, all of them serve alcohol to some extent, but there aren't the ammount of bars/pubs etcetera like you find in the UK or USA.

If you are ordering an Asahi with your yakitori, I don't think the server will bat an eye... Even though the age limit is 20, there still isn't such a hysteria about drinking as there is in the states.

It doesn't sound like your going to Japan to "get trashed" so I'll save you the "please be respectful as a guest in another's country" speach, while at the same time, infering it anways.

 

[WHEATTHlNS]

If money is tight, how much partying do you think youre going to be able to do? You'd be suprised how much fun you can fall into just going to a little noodle shop and striking up a conversation with folks. Plus, just meandering about together is an adventure in and of itself.

Spring is a great time too, and if any of you are fit for it - why not try and make it a climb Mt. Fuji trip (is it open during that time. . .I cant remember).

 

[norvegia]

If you don't expect to travel outside of Tokyo, don't get the JR railpass; you will be getting the subway many times and it doesn't work with the pass.

On the other hand, if you want to move quickly, get the Passnet and the Suica cards; they will save you a lot of time getting in and out of stations.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Tokyo Metro: Subway Map
http://japonyol.net/editor/ajax.html

 

[JTalker]

I would highly recommend getting out of the city for a day or so (depending how long you will be here). Tokyo is great and there is plenty to do, but a quick trip out to the country side is fun and will give you a broader aspect of the Japan in general and show you it's not all concrete jungle.

 

[tigermilk]

Well, I haven't been 18 or 19 in 18 or 19 years so I don't know if my suggestions would be welcomed or not. But having been to many of the great cities in the world and seeing today's youth, perhaps a trip to Shinjuku Gyoen is in order. This is a large park near Shinjuku Station. It costs 100 Yen to get in and is pet free. Just go with some food and drink and relax out on the grass. You'll find plenty of youth out there as well as families. It would perhaps be similar to Hyde Park. I've been to Japan some 15 or so times and the park is still one of my favorite places to relax.
More fun could be had at a karaoke club. The rooms are small and will accomodate you and your friends. Loads (thousands) of English songs available to choose from.
Not sure what the Japan baseball or football schedule is like for early Spring, but taking in one of those sporting events is fun, especially baseball (being English, it may not be as interesting as it is for Americans). J-League football is always improving. Tickets aren't too expensive.
In Tokyo, get subway day passes to really save a bundle on transportation.
Most of the top attractions in Tokyo are free so you don't have to worry there.
For food, look for "Otaru Zushi" for some dirt cheap sushi (105 Yen/2 pieces). I went to the one in Tsukuba and was pleasantly surprised. While in the fish mood, get to Tsukiji fish market early. Oddly it seems to be the most memorable thing for many travelers. If you want to have some great tasting food in a unique restaurant, I suggest the Maisui restaurant near Shimbashi Station - (use google and find maisui - this forum won't let me post the URL since I don't have enough posts). Avoid fast food places (McD's, Mos Burger, etc) as they are expensive for what you get. Small noodle shops provide more food for the yen.
To stretch your money farther, remember to exchange money at the airport in Japan. Not sure if it's the same in England as here in the US, but the rates we get at the US airports is lousy. When I take traveler's checks, I get close to 99% exchange at Narita. Cash is 97-98%. Once you get to hotels, you still get better exchange rates for travelers checks but usually the rates are a few percent lower.

 

[El P8s]

There are clubs, restaraunts, cafes, karaoke bars, hostess bars, etcetera, all of them serve alcohol to some extent, but there aren't the ammount of bars/pubs etcetera like you find in the UK or USA.

Won't the bouncers at clubs want to see some ID?