Planning for Trip

[ajltucker]

Hi folks,

I am currently in the process of planning a trip to Japan for around 3 weeks in either July or August and was after some advice from people in a similar situation. As this is my first time travelling to Japan let alone my first time travelling by myself.

I am looking for advice such as best places to stay, places to visit, and also a rough idea of how much money would see me through the three weeks, nothing to the exact dollar pound etc but just what other members have found to be adequate doing the whole "tourist thing"

Thanks very much for your ideas and comments...

 

[Row]

well allmost dito in here > but im plannin on a stay, instead trip (1year and/ore longer)
so ill be watchin this 0.0
please advise, arigato

 

[sven]

the internet will do u a lot of favor

 

[jet_dee]

That time seems a little bad for travelling there. August is the date for the Buddhist O-bon festival of the dead. Japanese people fill up the transport and accommodation, prices rise like crazy. Try to spend your time there before August. Also, July will likely be as hot as hell. Last year in Tokyo the temp. didn't sink below 30 degrees Celsius for every day of July. It's like walking around in a sauna.

The best months for travelling are the Spring time. Autumn brings typhoons, Winter is nice in some parts but too goddamn cold in others. June is the annual rainy season.

Best guide you can have is Lonely Planet's Japan guide, you should be able to find out through google. Pretty much covers everything you need to know.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

jet-san is right.
However, there is an area without the rainy season.
It is Hokkaido .
Hokkaido of summer is very cool.
In addition, food is delicious, too.
Fishery products eating in a market of Hakodate are delicious.
I want you to eat "Hakodate curry".
Please buy a Japanese sweet in a Japanese sweet shop near Matsumae Castle.
A shop serves you tea of cherry blossoms.
There is a delicious sushi bar in "Otaru".
There are a lot of hot springs in Hokkaido, too.
I recommend that you go for a drive by car in Hokkaido.

 

[lem2000]

July and August are very HOT in Japan, and very humid. Make sure you are dressed for it, and plan for it activity wise. I have not been to Hokkaido , but I'm sure it is one of the "coolest" places in the summer season. Enjoy the trip .. I got my ticket today for the end of march (for 10 days!).

-lance

 

[cheapshot]

well allmost dito in here > but im plannin on a stay, instead trip (1year and/ore longer)
so ill be watchin this 0.0
please advise, arigato

and me,


im planning to arive in sept though...

 

[TAPION]

me too, am going in late MAY

 

[daneish]

Me, 5 or 6. I'm going in late may too(like the poster above me). May 25-june 15th to be exact.

 

[Row]

lol one big party =D

 

[ArmandV]

July and August are very HOT in Japan, and very humid. Make sure you are dressed for it, and plan for it activity wise. I have not been to Hokkaido, but I'm sure it is one of the "coolest" places in the summer season. Enjoy the trip .. I got my ticket today for the end of march (for 10 days!).

-lance

Ditto! I am toying with the idea of going at the end of March when my daughter is on Spring break.

We went last August and it was like a sauna. Bring plenty of t-shirts and walking shorts. I found that cargo (many pockets) shorts worked out the best.

Since we toured around Japan last summer, my thinking is that I'll just hang around Tokyo this time.

 

[den4]

There are lots of ideas littered throughout this forums on where to go and what to do, but, the one thing you should try to do is exchange your monetary funds with somebody who wants to sell their yen for your $$ or whatever you happen to use. This way, you can get the exchange rate of what it is on that day and bypass the bank or exchange fees that all monetary institutions will charge you with when you get to a facility that handles this. This will mean some legwork for you to do the research into who is willing to do this, but there are always people returning from Japan with extra yen they know not what to do with, and so their immediate response is to save it or go to the bank and exchange it...If you know of somebody (most likely from a Japanese company) that wants to do this, you both win.
Now your particulary nation may have certain laws regarding this, so you may want to find out what is legal or not, but, personally, a monetary exchange so that the banks don't rip you off should be ok (it's not like you are selling drugs or laundering money)
And get yourself a Japan Railways Pass so you can use the JR rails without having to pay over and over again (unless you plan on staying inside Tokyo only).

just my two yen's worth....

 

[gmubasan]

salve, I am a new member and need to start organizing my return to japan.
I lived in japan for several years, still have friends there and with my wufe were planning to stay a couple of months renting a flat in kyoto or nara and then visit around.
my name is giorgio, italian from florence, now live in roma.

and need help.
what do you think of all this ?
ciao

 

[gmubasan]

maybe there is someone interested in coming to stay in nmy farm in tuscany and exchanging a flat in nara ?

 

[ArmandV]

My first trip to Japan in November 2001 had the currency exchange rate (dollars for yen) at 119yen/$1.00. When we went last summer, the rate was 110yen/$1.00. Now it appears the exchange rate is around 102yen/$1.00. I'd sure like to have the 2001 rate back again.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I write information to a person traveling in Japan.
Because it is a season of a festival, we have a big festival in July and August in all parts of Japan.
The Gion festival of Kyoto is done from July 1 to July 31.
http://www.rurubu.com/event/Detail.asp?ID=04070055
"HAKATA-GION-YAMAKASA" of Fukuoka is done from July 1 to July 15, and "OIYAMA" done early in the morning on July 15 is particularly unmissable.
ご指定のページ・ファイルは見つかりませんでした：るるぶ.com
In Aomori, "NEBUTA-MATURI" is done from August 2 to August 7.
The others
Chiba "SAWARANO TAISAINATUMATURI"
http://www.rurubu.com/event/Detail.asp?ID=04070111
Fukuoka "KOKURA GION TAIKO"
http://www.rurubu.com/event/Detail.asp?ID=04070163
Osaka "TENJIN SAI"
http://www.rurubu.com/event/Detail.asp?ID=04070248
Please refer to this site.
http://www.rurubu.com/event/index.asp

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Addition of festival information.
"SANJA-MAYURI" of Tokyo Asakusa-jinja Shrine
It is done on May 16 from May 14.
It is a big festival done in Tokyo.
"HIDA-TAKAYAMA-MAYURI(SANNOUMATURI)"
It is done on April 15 from April 14.
For this festival, a festival car of a mechanism is splendid.
Please look by all means.