Spring Break Japan

[ckamc]

Hello

As you can see this is my first posts on the forum. I am still using the search on the site to gather bits of into but I have a couple of questions already on the top of my mind.

I am going to be traveling between Tokyo, Kyoto -Osaka, and Fukouka, Between March 10-17.

I have a good amount of money saved but I see airliine prices have jumped a bit since I last looked into going ($850 round trip to 1150). Planning on getting a rail pass (whether I get coach or 1st class I am still debating). I plan on staying with friends in Tokyo and in Fukouka... have to get a hotel in Kyoto and osaka... Would one be able to have a good trip with $900 for two night hotel stay and enjoying food and drinks for a whole week?

Secondly, are there any mobile applications anyone would recommend? I am thinking something better than google translation (which can be spotty from what a friend has told me when I try and repeat things back to her in Japanese). Anything for navigating the trains or general travel? Google maps seems fairly good for walking around and I saw the posts about how getting around on the train stations can be easy for those not too good with japanese, I just want a good backup since I may find myself during certain times traveling by myself.

I have been wanting to go for almost 8 years now... so you can imagine how excited I can be to finally be able to do this. Feel free to add in any questions about my travel plans, I know about passport and reading about banking. Hopefully the yen can get closer to 90... hate the feeling of how my dollar has depreciated with the yen being so strong.

Thanks!

 

[Glenski]

You can get English maps at any information center or on the Internet.
People in big cities don't speak it well, but well enough to understand clearly, slowly spoken language. They don't expect foreigners to know any Japanese anyway. Public transportation in big cities have English on signs and ticket machines.

If you plan to use hotels for only 2 nights, yes, US$900 is plenty for those and for general entertainment expenses for a week. Figure 5000 yen for a business hotel (including breakfast).

 

[zoomingjapan]

Hi!

All the citites you are planning to visit are used to foreign visitors and have a lot of information in English. It will be easy to navigate through the train or subway systems without any Japanese skills!

I suggest business hotels, breakfast is usually included and it's gonna be around 40-50$ per night for a single room.
Or you can try to find a traditional ryokan with onsen which might be more expensive, but sometimes it's difficult ot find something for only ONE person.

You'll be quite busy if you plan to visit all those cities in only one week.
Kyoto is really busy for cherry blossom season, but that's in early April, so you should be safe!

Too bad that you're coming before the beautiful cherry blossoms are gonna be out.

 

[ckamc]

Thanks for the input!

The more I start to think about it the more I may just skip Fukouka and just focus on Kyoto-Osaka and Tokyo.

Any particular area of Osaka and/or Kyoto (in terms of wards) anyone recommend trying to find a hotel near that would keep me near most of the attractions?

Interested in seeing how the locals will take when a Ganji walks into a bar by himself...lol

 

[zoomingjapan]

In Kyoto and Tokyo things are spread out, so it doesn't really matter all that much where your hotel is.
In Osaka there aren't too many things for sightseeing, but again it doesn't matter too much.
The only thing I'd recommend is that you get a hotel that is near a station for any of these cities.
For Tokyo it's usually very convenient if your hotel is on the Yamanote Line.

Who or what is a "Ganji"?? (o__O') ....
Or did you want to say "gaijin" (foreigner)? ....
If so ... well, nothing much! You're going to visit only cities that get a LOT of foreign tourists. The locals are used to that by now (more or less).

 

[ckamc]

Close this thread please... forgot when I opened a new one I had this one. THX