Japan General

Reposting from previous
>>965360
>Free wifi is common in most hostels. Also there's free wifi at 7-11 and Starbucks. Also the hub chain of pubs has free wifi.
Is the free wifi at 7-11 and Starbucks connect & go, or do they require you to sign up?

>>965376
I've never seen wifi without a portal sign in outside of a hotel in Japan. No idea about 7-11 stores since I never needed to use it, but I assume its like Family mart where you don't even have access to all of the internet. I know at the 7-11 owned Ito Yokado the internet is gimped.

Been thinking about doing the 4 week intensive course at the coto language academy.
Anyone here have experience with coto?

Looking for more info on this >>965311

I'm only 23, so car-renting usually isn't an option anyway. But hey, worth looking into?

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I heard Japan (tokyo in particular) is pretty overpriced.
Would it be worth going farther south (Osaka) or is everywhere just the same?

>>965398
The countryside is cheaper than the cities; I don't imagine Osaka would be much cheaper than Tokyo. Even then, I wouldn't say Japan is particularly expensive in the way, say, Norway is. The yen's dropped quite a bit too, so that makes it a little cheaper.

As with any place, certain things are more or less expensive. In Japan, beer and train travel is relatively expensive, but hotels and whiskey aren't. YMMV.

>>965398
I dunno where everybody gets the idea that Japan is expensive. I've heard a lot of people say it, but I've never seen anybody produce any hard evidence or data to prove it. I think it's mostly just hearsay.

Japan is fine. Tokyo, even, is fine. Sure, it will be expensive if you pay entry fees to a bunch of museums, eat at michelin-star restaurants and stay in a nice hotel. But you know what? That's true of literally every other city on the planet. If you want nice stuff, you pay a lot of money.

If you stay in a mediocre hotel, you will pay a mediocre price. If you stay in a CHEAP hotel, you will pay a low price. Hostels and sharehouses are even better. Check Airbnb, and you will find absurdly low prices on lodging, especially if you're staying a month or more.

Food is cheap, too. Don't eat out every day. Buy food at the supermarket. You can even get very reasonably priced pre-made meals at the supermarket or convenience store. If you really wanna treat yourself, spring for a fancy lunch. Most places have very well-priced lunch specials, but overpriced dinner specials.

Transportation isn't so bad. I might even say it's better than some western cities. This, you have to do a little research on.

Perhaps people were upset for a number of years because the Yen was pretty strong for a while. Is till don't think it was that big a deal, but even if it was the case, the Yen ahs dropped quite a bit recently. It's at ~110-120 for 1 USD now, as opposed to the ~80 it was before. Now is really the best time to go; you'll get a lot of bang for your buck.

>>965376
What this guy >>965388 said. And to add to that, some portals require you to register in advance, you can't do it while trying to sign in on the go. Hotels are the only sure place to get free wifi. Biggest JR stations too. That said, I stayed for a month without a pocket wifi and it's not that hard to get around if you're not a complete idiot.

>>965397
No.

The most expensive part of japan is the flight. Besides that its the lodging , also is it possible to get a hostel type place but with a little more privacy? I love people and enjoy strangers but I snore very loud and do not want to inconvenience the others if I stay at a hostel. Any advice? I was thinking of staying in a hotel but some of you say unless you're a busineasman/in japan on business there really is no reason to pay for a hotel.

Would airbnb be the best choice.?
I just need a place I can stumble back to drunk and maybe with someone and not bother a ton of people

I'm having trouble deciding on when I should go. I'm free from the second of June (quitting my job), up until the 20th of August (going to college).

I guess my question is, how "bad" is the rainy season during June? I'd very much like to stay from mid june to late july, is that a bad idea?
I'll be pretty much everywhere south/south west of Tokyo.

>>965435
I'd just stay in a business hotel. They can be cheap as fuck, are usually conveniently located, and often have amenities like laundry machines.

>>965372
I've got a question regarding calling a Tokyo cellphone from Canada.

Would this be the correct number format?...

011 81 090 4XXX7XXX

Thanks, I'm going to Tokyo next week

>>965435
I found that finding free wifi was pretty difficult. Finding it in 7/11 was tricky at times

>>965388
>>965421
That's good to know. This will be my first time traveling in a country where I can't read/speak a lick of the language, so I'm just a little nervous I'll run into an emergency and won't have the internet to bail me out. I'm rather accident-prone, so...

>>965406
>>965398
Expensive is a very relative term. It depends on what city/country you are from.
If you come from the US, i suppose you may find it relatively expensive. If you're from Canada (like myself), you'll find the prices decent. Heck some grocery products are crazy cheap compared to what i pay back home, which is very surprising considering the fact that japan is a small island nation with a large population.
So, speaking as someone who comes from one of the more expensive cities in the world: apartments are relatively cheap, even in tokyo, groceries are roughly the same, booze is hit and miss as mentioned above, premade lunch boxes are much cheaper than id pay for them back home; and depending on your diet, can be more cost effective than cooking at home. Transportation isnt cheap, but its also over 9000 more efficient than what Im used to, so i dont mind paying the extra cost.

Havent spent much time in rural japan, but prices seem to be lower on certain things, you have less variety though.

Examples using numbers wont help since its been a while and both the yen and cdn have been through a rollercoaster, but if you come from cities like Toronto or Vancouver, living in Japan will be easier financially as long as you have a decent job.

>>965398
Japan isn't really that expensive, and it's cost of living is comparable to other major cities of the world. The rumor that Japan is expensive comes from a number of years back when the Japanese economy was booming and the Yen was really strong.

As a point of reference, I'm from a major city in Canada. Some of things that stood out for me in terms of costs:
- Cigarettes and Alcohol (cheaper in Japan)
- Groceries (more expensive)
- Take Out (cheaper)
- Dining Out (same, it's actually cheaper when you factor in the fact that there's no tipping whatsoever in the country)
- Clothing (same)
- Toiletries (same)

I think in general, people get swept up in being in a foreign country and want to do as much as possible while away. So they go to museums, amusement parks, shows, etc which quickly add up and make it expensive.

>>965435
for how long? If it's one month or longer, a sharehouse might be an option

>>965424
Okay, fair enough!

>>965436
to clarify: I know about the rainfall and temperatures, those aren't hard to come by, but it would be great to hear from someone who actually has experience traveling during this period. How bad is it really?

>>965465
>apartments are relatively cheap

aren't apartments ridiculously expensive there? I saw some ads on the street and in windows of real estate agents and it said around 60.000-70.000 Yen/month for a maybe 10-15 m2 apartment, which seems like a lot to me

>>965502
http://www.tatami-guesthouse.com/
http://www.oakhouse.jp/eng/
http://www.t-guesthouse.jp/

Getting below 50k円 in Tokyo is probably impossible, and expect most places to go for more than 60/month if you want to live alone.

>>965510
hm, some pretty sweet dormitory-style rooms for 40k / month http://www.oakhouse.jp/eng/house/35

>>965510
well yeah seems like a lot to me, but thanks for the links, I am looking for a guest house to stay in during August in Tokyo actually

>>965502
That translates to roughly 600$ CAD.
I don't know where the place you saw the ad about is located. But even with 15m3 it's laughably cheap.
Where I live in Canada, a basement 'apartment' (one room, kitchen leads to the exit) in a semi decent area at the outskirts of the city costs 800$+

So again, it's all relative.

>>965372
Frindly open soaplands fir westerners? What about willing whores with gaijin?

>>965523
check the OP

>>965515
I understand but yeah, I'm afraid that's what it costs. At least you're not trying to rent something in [spoiler] Stockholm [/spoiler]

So I wanna book a flight from Vienna to Tokyo and I am having a bit trouble deciding which one to take:

First option: Emirates. Departs from Vienna at 3 PM, arrives in Istanbul at 11PM, then has a 9 hour layover. Next flight departs at 8AM from Dubai, arrives in Tokyo Haneda at 11PM, after which I'll either have to sleep at the airport or in a manga kissa if I can make it to town with the last train. Costs: 535€.

Second Option: Also Emirates and also departs from Vienna at 3PM, but eventually arrive in Tokyo at 5PM the next day, however at Narita and not Haneda. Also costs 610€.

Third Option: Turkish Airlines. Leave Vienna at 6:45AM, arrive in Tokyo at 7:20AM the next day, however at Narita. Cost around 570€.

I am mostly leaning towards the first flight, though I have not managed to sleep on a plane a single time and I am afraid that during the trip, I'll be up for around 40+ hours non stop before I finally arrive in Tokyo. Also, since I have a 9 hour layover, I thought I'd go explore the city, but I don't know if there's much to do at 12AM there (don't want to go clubbing or I'll get too shitfaced to miss my flight). The other Emirates or the Turkish airlines flight are good with the time of arrival, but getting from Narita to Tokyo is going to be even more expensive and time consuming, plus I'd like to see a new airport every now and then. Which one would you take guys?

>>965448
I dunno, but pretty sure most cell phones are 080 mine is atleast

>>965495
Groceries are more expensive if you don't eat like a Japanese person. If you do they should be about the same. However when it comes to dining out I find prices to be about the same but you get less food.

>>965502
For the amount of space you get, apartments are expensive, but not outrageous. But what I find most interesting about Tokyo is that on an average fresh out of school salary its possible to get an apartment right in the heart of the most interesting areas of Tokyo. The place will be 1 room and small as hell, but if you mostly just use it to sleep (since you know you're surrounded by amenities) its not too bad at all.

>>965465
A macdonalds burger is cheaper in Japan than in Brazil, and we export beef!

>>965546
Choose whatever. I want to note that there's capsule hotels in both airports so you can crash there.

And sleeping on a plane isn't hard. Get a eyemask, ear plugs, and learn how to meditate to calm yourself. You'll be out before you know it.

>>965549
Depends on the carrier, I believe. Mine is 090.

>>965554
well the thing is my inner jew doesn't want to pay for a hotel (plus I believe they're quite expensive at the airport aren't they?)

my problem with sleeping is mostly my anxiety about flying which keeps me up unfortunately. Last time I flew I was up for 20+ hours at that point, took two sleeping pills, drank a glass of white wine and didn't manage to sleep a single minute during a 10 hour flight

>>965502
That's "ridiculously expensive"? Even 70,000¥ is less than 600USD.

I currently live in NYC, and to get a place that cheap, you would have to have 2-3 roommates, live at least an hour out of Manhattan, and be able to put up with being stabbed a few times on your way home from work every night.

Even other places I've lived (urban, suburban, rural, semi-rural), that's a fair price.

I'll admit that in Japan, you get less space for your money. So, a ~$600 apartment in the US is probably going to be larger (though maybe not by much) than a ~70k¥ apartment in Japan.

When you guys travel do japan do you just take a bunch of cash and convert it there, or would it be better to convert it in the US? Or do you use your credit cards?

>>965614
Look up the fees for withdrawing internationally and if there's any fees to exchange money at home through your bank.

My bank, Bank of America, does a $5 transaction charge overseas past the exchange rate at any post office or 7-11 ATM--just make sure you alert your bank beforehand about travelling so they don't lock your account.

>>965614
Depending on which areas of Japan you'll be visiting, some shops/restaurants do not have any machines and accept cash only. My advice would be to prepay whatever you can in advance, such as accommodations to take the burden off your shoulders. Making multiple transactions will quickly add up in fees, so it's better to take a large lump sum with you already converted to Japanese Yen before arriving to Japan. Money should be split between your wallet, luggage, carry on bag, etc. So that if one of your items goes missing, you're not completely screwed. Japan has one of the lowest crime rates, so the risk of getting robbed or mugged is very low.

My friends and I are going to Tokyo for three weeks. We plan on buying a rail pass. Would it be viable to make day trips to osaka and kyoto? Or would it be too mcuh time spent on the train. We want to go to Fuji-Q one day and climb fuji another day as well.

Has anyone tried staying a month cheap in Japan through Airbnb or similar? Would it be better to split into weeks or one place and day trips? Would really appreciate experiences and amount spent etc

>>965652
You can sleep in the train while you travel from one place to another.

>>965660
I don't think I could

>>965665
Can you sleep on a plane?

Got my JR Pass but does this mean I can use it to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo Centre? If not is the train cheapest method in?

>>965674
If you choose to activate it right when you arrive you can take the N'EX into Tokyo which takes about 50 minutes to get to Tokyo central.

The cheapest method is the Keisei Sky Access line which is about 1100 yen off the top of my head and takes about 60 minutes to get from the airport to Ueno station.

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I am working for a major credit firm and may be moving to Japan next year for my job. No guarantees yet, but if I have to choose where to go, it will probably be Nipponland.

I do want to take a trip there first to get a taste of it all. How much would you recommend I save up for it? I'd probably stay for around five days, if that helps. My main focuses would be gaming, sumo, and food. And I'm not talking their high end dining, I mean their foods that are comfy as fuck and can be enjoyed without crazy reservations.

Their gyudon and ramen shops especially look delicious. Pic related

>>965697
Five days? Without flights you could do it for less than 1k easily I think.

Lets say you spend $40 a day on food plus maybe something at the airport: 220

Train in from Narita and back out: Min 25 Max 45

Accomidation: Can easily get a place for $50 a night up to $100 just check hotel reservation websites, would not reccomend capsule hotels.

Transport around Tokyo: $30 for the week is easy as

Spending: 2nd hand games are pretty cheap, I just checked a sumo ticket selling website and its about 50-100 bucks for a ticket. Maybe another 100 bucks for alcohol

Cheap as hell if you want it to be

>>965701
Okay cool. So I could probably travel over there in about six months if I save up now. Gotta prepare for those insane ticket prices

>>965701
>would not reccomend capsule hotels
I can understand why, but it sounds like you've had a bad experience with them before. Care to elaborate?

>>965652
It takes roughly 3-4hrs each way from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto, so you're basically spending 7-8hrs/day doing day trips. You're better off simply relocating from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto towards the end of your trip, before coming back to Tokyo to catch a flight back home. It's easier to make day trips to and from Osaka or Kyoto, as it's only 30-45mins between them on train.

Kyoto, you can easily see/visit most of the major sites and shrines in a couple of days. Osaka is very similar to Tokyo, but a bit grimier and with a more blue collar feel to it.

Seriously, does no one have any experience at all of traveling in japan during late june-early july?

The thing is, according to the statistics (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2273.html), it's not even that bad. 45-50% of rainy days isn't that much compared to the rest of the year where it seems to average around 25-30%.

In the end, I guess it doesn't really matter because I only have two months free.. stupid rain season :(

>>965747
I was in Tokyo in late June last year, weather wasn't bad.
It was hot but not scorching, kinda humid but not really annoying (nothing to do with S-E Asia for example).
It rained a bit, like around 3 days out of two weeks. Wasn't even 3 days in a row mind you, more like some days the weather was changing.
In short, it was okay.

>>965751
all right, thanks for the reply!

To those of you who've traveled alone for a month or more; what do you do yo pass the time? I'm beginning to worry that just over a month by myself might be a long time. Sure, I'll get to practice my JLPT4 japanese a lot but there are cheaper ways to do that..

>>965747
it's bad if you're going there for your once every two years 1 week paid leave vacation and you can't go to X because the roads are flooded and you don't want to ruin your camera equipment.

for the average backpacker it doesn't matter

>>965771
ok, great. I think I will move my trip to a slightly later date anyway but thanks for the reasurring words

>>965766
well you're in a new country so exploring might be a good thing. Going to sights, taking pictures, eating new foods, seeing new quirky things, attend some events, hang out with people from the hostel, meet people from Couchsurfing/Interpals. There's quite a lot of things that you can do over there

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>>965778
Ok, that's pretty much how I imagined it as well.. Good to hear that I wasn't way off

>>965546
>>965554
well I went with the cheapest and longest option #yolo

>>965766
There's a lot of stuff to do in Japan, where even a month or more isn't enough to explore everything this country has to offer. Heck, you could spend an entire month exploring Tokyo and still not get bored. However, the only caveat being the more you see, do and eat, the more it's gonna costs you.

>>965707
I haven't been to one before, I've read quite a bit about them though. I'm sure there are good ones.

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>>965707
>>965899
I've been to one, which I later found out was quite popular apparently. Not much there, kinda wish they had a TV inside the capsule. Also the AC was fucking loud and right next to my head, which would've made sleeping without earplugs impossible. If I had the chance, I would rather stay at a normal hotel or hostel

>>965620
Bank of America is $5 PLUS 1% of however much you withdrawal, so I always take 30000 or 50000 when I use my American account.

>>965867
>tfw lived in Tokyo 2 years and still haven't been to everything of interest

>>965867
Yeah I'm sure there is, and I'm really the type who's easily enjoyed and appreciates most things. I think that what I really wanted to ask was "will it get lonely", rather than "will it get boring". And that's a question only I can know, and create, an answer to. One of the, perhaps even to myself, "hidden" reasons behind this trip is for me to be forced to shatter my own comfort zone, for the purpose of building a new, much larger one.

sorry for getting all /blog/ on you, I'll be in every Japan general thread until I leave but I promise to not get so "individualistic", a trait often looked down upon on this imageboard, in the future. ๑•́ㅿ•̀๑) ᔆᵒʳʳᵞ

How does a latino becomes a member of the yakuza?

>>965906
Living and traveling are two different experiences. What's interesting to tourists are probably regular to you.

>>965915
Easy. Go find a Yakuza, kill him with a sushi knife, and because you are stronger they must use you to replace him. You'll have to tape back your eyes and say you're from Okinawa, but it'll work.

So how do I become a Yakuza (I'm German btw)?

>>965940
Do this:>>965922 and explain that you're half Japanese.

>>965911
I sorta get where you're coming from. The first couple of days were a real shock to my system. Here I was alone in a foreign country, with no one to depend on and nothing but a basic rudimentary understanding of the language. I really struggled the first couple of days to get past my anxiety, linguistic ineptitude, culture shock, etc. It wasn't until after I got my SIM card sorted with data plan and could better navigate the country on my own did things look up for me.

The real turning point for me, was on my 3rd day I booked a dinner at a really high end sushi establishment, and could honestly say it was one of the best, if not THE BEST meal of my life. I thought to myself, this is it. This is what I've been after and the real reason I wanted to come to Japan and Tokyo. I wanted to find and discover myself, experience once in a lifetime opportunities, get out of the rut I had placed myself back home, with the day in and day out grind/routine of work and life. I wouldn't describe myself as being sad or depressed, but I was most certainly jaded with everyday life. So that one month in Japan, exploring the country, seeing and trying new things, and eating delicious food made me happy. Truly happy! Japan for me was a truly wonderful and unforgettable experience, and I long to go back there some day.

So my boss (a 75~ish year old man with Parkinson) is planning on going to Japan for two or more weeks next summer and taking me with him, but wants me to plan it out. He wants to visit Kyoto because of it's historical value and museums and gardens.Tell me how it seems so far.
>Fly to Tokyo and stay for 3 days, see Mt Fuji n' shit
>Travel by train to Kyoto and stay a week, seeing gardens and visiting shit
>Train to Hiroshima or Nagasaki (would like help choosing which) to stay for 2-3 nights
>Train back stopping at Osaka (would like to know what's to do there) for 2-3 nights
>Train to Tokyo for night and then take flight out

Also I was wondering if someone could tell me great historical places to visit in the country, stuff like shrines, buildings, ect. Also I have no idea what the fares are for trains or anything. I don't know nearly as much about Japan as you guys, so please help

>>965969
Also I was wondering how handicap accessible the areas are, since he will be either in a wheelchair or a small electric scooter as he can't walk

>>965970
I'm afraid you and your boss are gonna struggle getting around Japan. Even though Japan is a modern country, not many buildings are wheelchair accessible. Since Japan is a nation with a high population density with limited amount of available land, buildings tend to be built tall with multiple shops stacked on top of one another and only accessible through stairs. Not even all the transit stations in Tokyo are equipped with elevators/escalators.

Any decent and cheap hotels/ryokans in Tokyo you guys can recommend? I'll be there in about mid June. Is it going to be difficult to find a place this close to the trip?

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>>965970
I'm pretty sure even the most famous temple in Kyoto isn't handicap accessible. There are stairs everywhere and no way to get there otherwise.

Hello,
I'm very interested in visiting Japan. I recently came into a little bit of money and want to go on a sort of last minute trip. I've been to Europe twice and been to a few US cities. Thing is, I've always been either with a friend or family, but this time I will be alone...

So I have a few questions,
>Is Japan a good country to visit alone?
>Is it easy to meet people (other travellers or even locals) to become friends with and see stuff with?
>Is May a good time of year to visit?
>Is 2 weeks long enough of a visit? (I'd probably just be in Toyko, but I'm not opposed to going somewhere else)
>Will I have an easy/fun time even though I know literally NO Japanese?
>Best things to eat/do/see?

Budget would be about $2500 if that helps.

I'm going to be in Japan for most of April. I will be staying in Kobe for 5-6 nights, Osaka for 3-5, Kyoto for 3 and Tokyo for 4. I have a few ideas for what I'll be doing but I am looking for as many suggestions as possible as I feel my current plans lacking and I am terrified of getting bored/not knowing what to do/missing out. For the Kobe section I will be fine for the most part. I will have activities and a travel guide for most of the time but I am sure I can still squeeze in a few things. I will have a JRpass for the entire duration. My Budget is about $2,000 to $3,000 after the JRPass and hotels. I am pretty much interested in anything Japan has to offer, but trails/hiking are probably highest priority. After that is Shrines/Castles/ Anything with historical value. Cherry blossom viewing is right up there too. Video game / Anime crap is pretty low in priority but still there. I will be trying to eat relatively cheaply as to have more money for souvenirs but a dozen or so nice meals are definitely in the budget. Live music from traditional to Jpop is all ok with me. Martial Arts is the main reason I am going, but most of those desires will be fulfilled in Kobe but with that being said any places of historical or present value in regards to martial arts outside of Kobe is of interest to me. I know enough Japanese to get from place to place, but not actually engage in meaningful conversation.
>Heres my clusterf*** of info, please do with it what you can!

>>966005
>>Is Japan a good country to visit alone?
Yes, although every country is.
>>Is it easy to meet people (other travellers or even locals) to become friends with and see stuff with?
If you don't like approaching others, then no. If you can do that and go to "party" hostels, then you might meet some travelers. If you don't Japanese up to a conversational level, you're not going to meet many natives willing to speak with you (you might be lucky to find a few college kids wanting to practice their English with, though).
>>Is May a good time of year to visit?
Not the worse time as it's before most of the rainy season and still decently cool, but there's better times (which can also be much more expensive).
>>Is 2 weeks long enough of a visit? (I'd probably just be in Toyko, but I'm not opposed to going somewhere else)
...to do what? People have lived years in Tokyo without feeling like they've gotten a in-depth enough experience of it. And Tokyo is not a good representative city for Japan; Osaka and Kyoto are highly suggest alongside Tokyo to give you something else to see.

>>966005
>>966013
>>Will I have an easy/fun time even though I know literally NO Japanese?
You'll feel alienated, distanced, and probably scared, or you might feel just fine. Up to you, but surely you'd be stupid going into another country and thinking it'll be fine to not know some of the language. You've got some time, start learning. Check out the thead on /a/ about learning Japanese. Learn the Kana (should take you a week), start learning some basic words, learn how to look up kanji and use Google translate (app) on your phone, get a phrase book ("Survival Japanese: How to Communicate without Fuss or Fear Instantly" is a good book). I don't recommend going to Japan without at least a basic knowledge of the language--although you can get around Tokyo just fine, you will thank me for pushing this.
>>Best things to eat/do/see?
Research this, bud. I just suggest heading to districts and walking around. Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, ect.
>Budget would be about $2500 if that helps.
For everything? You should be fine as long as your plane tickets aren't expensive, but what you might be fucked on is accommodation--most good hostels sell out early around 90 days before the reservation dates. Hell, the ones I booked sold out 120 days early--and I'm at the end of May, which isn't all too exciting.

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Go to Takayama to see Shirakawa-go and the Hida Folk Village, or Nagano for the Magome/Tsumago/Narai hike?

I love me some traditional Japanese architecture and history, but only really have the time to one or the other.

Also, has anyone used Asahikawa airport, or taken the ferry at Wakkanai?

>>966013
>>966014
Thank you very much for the feedback. I will definitely get my ass in gear and learn at least a bit of the language.

Anyone know what's there to do around Namba? Going to be there alone for three days and two nights after going to Tokyo and Kyoto with a friend.

Also, what's there to see in Tokyo asides Akihabara? My friend's Japanese, so things will be easier with him around.

>>966019
Shibuya for clothes shopping
Nakano Broadway for weaboo shopping (IMO better than Akibahara for it)
Shimbashi for sleek modern architecture
Tsukiji Fish Market
Yasukuni Shrine (it's a pretty shrine, and the museum's an interesting viewpoint even if it's not very agreeable)
Imperial Gardens
Nihonbashi
Harajuku (Sunday is when the interesting fashions show up)
Odaiba
Day trips to Hakone, Kamakura, or Nikko

Seriously the place is goddamn giant, there's cool stuff in just about every ward.

>>966021
How about Namba?

>>966029
Never been to Oasaka, sorry. Is it worth visiting, anyone who has?

I hear Amerikamura's pretty cool. Don't know much else about it.

>>965974
Mid June is rainseason and completely devoid if festivals so you're gonna be fine. I dont know about ryokans in the Tokyo area but I've found rooms at nice hotels in roppongi for 5k/yen a night in mid june

>>966053
I hadn't even considered the rainy season. How bad is it or how bad should I expect it to be?

>>966053
And by the way, anyone know if there are any traditional onsen around Kyoto or Tokyo?

>>966021
I found Nakano Broadway to be a complete let-down.
I went there around 2 or 3 PM on a regular day and lots of shops were closed and only very few customers inside. Would take Akihabara over it any day.

Also: Yasukuni shrine is infamous for the graves of war criminals. If you're a nazi you should visit it. A normal person shouldn't.

>>966078
It's a shrine for soldiers, which also has war criminals. I could understand somebody not wanting to go there though. Visiting is also very different to paying one's respects as well.

I don't think one needs to be a nazi to learn - not agree to, but learn - other viewpoints.

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Itinerary. Second trip to Japan, with another planned for around February next year.

26 July Tokyo
27 July Tokyo
28 July Nagano
29 July Nagano (Magome-Tsumago-Narai hike)
30 July Nagano (Obuse)
31 July Sendai
1 August Sendai (ferry to cat island)
2 August Morioka
3 August Morioka
4 August Hakodate (day trip to Aomori City for festival)
5 August Hakodate
6 August Hakodate
7 August Sapporo
8 August Sapporo (Otaru)
9 August Asahikawa
10 August Asahikawa (Zoo, possibly Furano)
11 August Rebun Island
12 August Rebun Island
13 August Asahikawa Airport to Tokyo
14 August Tokyo (Comiket)
15 August Tokyo (Comiket)
16 August Tokyo (Comiket)
17 August Tokyo, flight out

>>966085
have you ever been to Comiket? I am going this year as well, but I have no idea what to expect or how to navigate around there

>>966087
Yeah, went there the first time. I'd suggest taking the train there the day before it actually begins - Tokyo Big Sight is actually still open (though the actual doujin halls aren't), which allows you to walk through and get an idea of the layout.

I went there at about 6:30-7:00 each day, which was early enough to have plenty of time to grab what I wanted before it sold out, but not so much that I felt dead tired or dead bored of waiting in line.

Use the online Comiket catalogue to work out where your favourite circles will be (copy and paste their japanese names if need be). You have to subscribe to print the map, though it's cheap and I just subbed, printed my maps, then unsubbed. There are also maps of Tokyo Big Sight itself.

Expect lots of people. Fucking lots. The event organisation is incredibly good (and kind of cool to watch in action), but despite what people say, people over there will sometimes push and shove in crowds. Use paper maps; it'd be too easy to drop a mobile or tablet. Most circles will have their table and day on their blog or pixiv.

Within Comiket, you can get by with pointing and "kore"/"this". 95% of sellers don't care you're foreign, and the other 5% will be mildly amused that a foreigner wants their stuff. One even struck up (English) conversation, which was nice.

Stuff starts selling out around noonish, and by 2:00 stuff will be getting hard to find. Industry booths will generally be pretty well stocked and be in their own hall. They'll have exclusive merchandise (wallscrolls, towels, dakis, whatever), but it will also be very expensive.

Expect to wait in a lot of lines, and make judgements about whether it's worth waiting in the line for a particular popular circle of industry booth, or going to a few smaller stalls in that time that might sell out.

Also, bring a bottle or two of water. Dehydration is serious business.

>>966078
fuck off. is it a crime to visit the american war museums even though we killed millions of japanese in "war crimes?"

the yasukuni shrines has honored the dead in war for HUNDREDS of years. it's hardly about the jews, or whatever butthurt minority group you feel like appeasing.

fucking christ. this is why we can't have nice things.

Anyone have experience using airbnb in Tokyo?

https://m.airbnb.com.sg/listings/5342493

I think you have to change 'listings' to 'rooms' for desktop

This guy over here is advertising a room that has the exact same picture and almost the same description as the room I'm using. The owner of said room also is the only guy giving this person a review on his profile. Both profiles are suspiciously similar.

Should I be afraid?

One room the other guy is renting has a few good reviews, at least.

>>966097
Profile of the guy whose room I'm using
https://www.airbnb.com.sg/users/show/13359822

He has a review from the other guy, but one of the comments seems to imply they're brothers.

>>965980
Goddamn i remember that one. Went there twice. Its really really good

>>966055
I asked a lot about ut further up in this thread (and in the past one), check thr comments. But to summarize: it's nothing like the monsoon in terms if water volume getting thrown on you, but expect a lot of cloudy days

>>966092
ah thanks! How much time did you spend there each day? Also is it worth going there for three days, I mean is there any difference? Also how much money did you spend during those three days?

>>965968
That's great to hear! I hope you indeed do get the money and time to go back some day

Has anyone ever just gotten on the train and gone across the country?

>>966167
Probably.

>>966182
I want to hear someone's personal experience with it. I'll be there for a year and I'm debating it.

>>966184
Debating going across the country on a train? What the hell is the point of that? You don't have to take a year to do that.

Can you be any more vague?

>>966167
I went from Hiroshima to Sapporo in 4 days, could have done 3 but I swung by Niigata for a concert one night. It's a swell enough ride until you hit Hokkaido and the train slows and it's all tunnels.

>>966097

I stayed at this listing: https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/3887236

It's a dollar more than the one you linked to but they're like only one station away from each other. The Sugamo listing was cool because it's right outside a really popular market street that's flooded by old folk. It's a private room with pocket wifi as well. Only downside is the 6 night minimum.

>>966078
Fuck you Shlomo wiseberg

I'm sure this thread gets this all the time, but here it goes.

Me and two other friends are traveling to Japan April29-May11. Our plan is to split the trip in half.

The first half we will be staying in Tokyo and exploring what it has to offer along with seeing some towns around Tokyo, like Mt Fuji

The second half we plan on going to Kyoto and exploring what that has to offer and also going to Osaka.

So far from what I have read, we will need to learn some Japanese terms, which I have already went to /a/ and downloaded the deck that will help me start. I have some time so I will try to fit as much in as I can. I think what we are deciding on is getting the train pass in Japan. It cost $300? I forget, I don't have the full details in front of me, but I think we're trying to see if we can get it cheaper as the pass for a full week is only available to tourist who order it outside Japan?

I plan to bring about $1500 with me, I hope that's enough. I heard from many people on here that it's expensive anywhere, but it should be fairly good allowance I hope?

We're staying in a hotel at both places which is going to cost me close to $800; this 1/3 of the total price.

Is there any other advice you offer? I have a list of what I want to see and where I want to go, but I don't want to miss some key places. Mind you we only have a little over a week to explore the places we want to go.

Also, any advice on what to do about jetlag? Or sleeping on the plane? It's going to be a 11.5hour flight and I've only ever flown from West to East coast.

>>966294
I'll pull my previous advice from this thread: Learn the Kana (should take you a week), start learning some basic words, learn how to look up kanji and use Google translate (app) on your phone, get a phrase book ("Survival Japanese: How to Communicate without Fuss or Fear Instantly" is a good book).

I suggest Memrise for vocab. JPLT N5 Vocab is a good start.

You might want to pull a copy of Genki to run through grammar is you want to speak.

I suggest only Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto for your time span and nothing more.

Japan isn't as expensive as other larger countries. It is when you compare it to most asian countries, but it's not much more expensive than the US or UK.

If you're worried about money, I wouldn't stay in a hotel. Though you might already be too late to get booked at a good hostel (they fill up 90 days in advance).

>>966294
Is the $1500 your total spending money for the trip? As in, it's suppose to cover transit, food, accommodations, etc?

>>966299
It's not lame to carry around a book awhile in Japan? Or are you talking about reading it now?

I'm not sure merise is, but I'll definitely look it up.

Why not Fuji? Not worth it?

Yeah we already booked a hotel in Tokyo and I think we MIGHT have a hostel in Kyoto. Not sure. Might have to ask about that.

>>966302
I'm hoping to pay for transit before hand with a train pass. But yes the $1500 is for the entire trip.

>>966312
Read it now and carry it around with you. It's a pocket book so it's small.

You can always get a phrasebook on your smartphone as well. That phrasebook is just what I like.

Fuji is worth it, but you're spreading a little over a week over four different cities. You've got barely enough time to see the major attractions in Tokyo, let alone all four. I suggest a few places in your time period.

Also, the JRpass is typically not a good deal when you're just travelling between two cities (Tokyo to Kyoto). Look up your routes on HyperDia and see if it's cheaper for the pass or just buying the tickets on their own.

>>966315
>Also, the JRpass is typically not a good deal when you're just travelling between two cities (Tokyo to Kyoto).
But he can use it inside Tokyo. Unlimited train passages in Tokyo!

>>966350
What? A return shinkansen from tokyo to kyoto is like $300 doesn't the JR pass pay for itself with one of those?

>>966353
Yes, in my opinion rail pass is always worth it.

Since the topic is rail passes. I'm studying in Tokyo in a year and for a minimum of one semester. How much should I expect to spend on a rail pass for roughly half a year?

>>966364
nothing since you can't get one on a student visa :)

>>966362
>>966353
>>966350
>>966315
Okay so getting the JR pass IS worth it then? That's what we planned on doing in the first place. I just wanted a second opinion. So there's no way to get it cheaper? Not that it REALLY matters. It would just be nice.

Should I go to Tokyo in early June or mid/late June? When will the weather be better?

What are some decent places (specific stores, not districts like ginza or omotesando) to get good quality clothes in Japan? It's tough for me to find clothes in the States because of my size, so I'd like to take the opportunity. I'm not talking about uniqlo gap tier shit, but a nice pair of thin-fit khakis or a good jacket would be perfect.

>>966371
It's worth it sometimes depending on where you go and how much those tickets will be. It's always worth checking on how much individual tickets will cost compared to the pass.

>>966385
Hot, humid, wet, sticky.

>>966116
>ah thanks! How much time did you spend there each day? Also is it worth going there for three days, I mean is there any difference? Also how much money did you spend during those three days?

Comiket goes from 10am to 4pm (3pm on the last day). I stayed the entire time all three days.

While the industry booths are the same, the doujin circles are different each day, with portions of each hall dedicated to different shows/topics (miliota, love live, kancolle, touhou, kuro no basket, etc). So one section of east hall on day 1 might be Gundam, and on day 2 it'll be Touhou, and on day 3 it'll be Miku.

I'd recommend staying each day, as even if your favourite shows aren't going to have circles on a given day, it's a great atmosphere and you see some neat things.

I went totally fucking nuts buying shit, to the point where I had to mail doujin home from the airport because I was over the luggage limit. Doujin themselves aren't expensive at all (often $5-$10 a pop), though industry stuff will be. Dakis are often $120 because they'll be severely limted in quantity, pretty much everything else will be cheaper that that. It's quite doable on a budget if you don't go crazy buying stuff. There are lots of nice, cheap little doujin that never get scanned too.

If you get bored or tired on any given day, it's a couple of minutes by the elevated train (yurikamome line) to odaiba, which has some nice stuff to fill in an afternoon, like a park, mall, and onsen..

>>966385
Mid June because I might be there

>>966371
Check this http://jprail.com/travel-informations/best-way-efficient-how-much-can-we-use-japan-rail-pass-in-downtown-tokyo.html

>>965372
Hey, I'm looking to using the subway system in tokyo over the course of 1 month. Is there an unlimited 1 month rail pass I can buy?

My friends and I are going to Japan for three weeks. None of us have been there before. We are planning on getting the JR Pass and using it to travel outside of Tokyo. Our plan is to spend our first week in Tokyo, then during the second week stay in Kyoto. From there we want to make a day trip to Osaka and go check that out. We are also planning on going to Fuji-Q one day from Kyoto, and hiking Mount Fuji on another day. The third week we will return to Tokyo and spend the remaining days there.
Is this a realistic plan? Like I've said, none of us have gone so we're just trying to figure out the most efficient way of using the JR Pass to go where we want to go (Kyoto, Osaka, and Fuji).
Any Advice?

>>966370
What can I do then?

What's the optimal way to visit Mount Fuji? I'll be in both Kyoto and Tokyo at points in my visit and I'm wondering what's the best way to do this.

>>966432
if you're going now you're going to freeze to death

>>966435
Planning on going in July.

>>966350
The cost of the rail pass is covered by a round trip to Kyoto or Osaka from Tokyo. Any use of it over that makes it worth it.

>>966430
You can get a student pass that will be slightly discounted version of the commuter pass between your school and whereever you live. For pretty much everything outside of day passes inside of the city you are paying full cost like everyone else in the country.

So where do you find the good beers in Japan? Everything was weak, like 6% max. Even the two or three craft beers I had were weak. Also after like 4 really bad cocktails I gave up on ordering them, was that just bad luck or do the Japanese just make bad cocktails?

Thankfully the whiskey was bomb.

>>966430
For what it's worth, nobody ever really looks at the JR pass if you look like you're in a hurry. Just flash it and keep walking, doesn't matter if it's out of date or not your name. Not sure how much trouble that can get you in though.

>>966446
Literally just google craft beer tokyo. There will be a ton of places. To me beer is beer but my friends like Devil Craft and a place in Nakameguro

>>965659
I'm currently doing that. I got a rental through Sakura House, its like a share house deal so its nice for the price 550USD all utilities inculded. Also cost of living is really inexpensive, its actually cheaper here than back at home.

Help me /trv/.
I'm currently planning my trip for this summer and am looking for suggestions on places to visit. I'm based in Tokyo for the first two weeks and everything within 100km from there is fair game. The last two weeks however are the real problem, I'm flooded with tons of places which could be nice to visit but I can't seem to make up my mind.

I'm looking for places where I can see the nature and get a feel of the old japan without hundreds of other tourists (I'll visit Kyoto separately). Places like Fukuroda, Kitsuki, Senboku and Kiso valley have been suggested to me and they look all seem reasonably promising.

Basically what I'm looking for is the quiet of nature and old japan, somewhat close to the biggest cities or on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto (though I'm open to any interesting place). Places that people either skip on their travel guides or that are missing from the guides completely. I know everyone has their favourite "secret spots" they run into in their travels. I want to hear your suggestions.

>>966446
Why do you want 'strong' beer? Quality has nothing to do with alcohol content

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>>966487
I went to the Nagano province and it was really nice. Peaceful area and it's easy to reach it from Tokyo.

The black castle in Matsumoto is really interesting as well, even though inside the cities might not be your thing, I recommend checking it out if you're in the Nagano area anyway.

>>966096
closet nazi detected

>>966507
Nagano is definitely a strong contender among places to visit. I believe Kiso valley is in Nagano and the parts of the Alps also. I'll definitely look in to seeing Matsumoto castle also, some quick googling tells me it's one of the few castles that actually have original interiors intact. Thanks anon!

To add to my earlier post, as I'm going during the rainy season, one particular image I keep seeing in my head is visiting a quiet onsen somewhere when it's raining. So any suggestions for something like that are welcome. I'm not really looking for extravagant luxury here so smaller places are welcome suggestions. Nature views considered a plus.

>>965372
i'll be in japan for 20 days in august(forom 2 untill 22) someone can tell me if there is some good event like traditional festivals?

>>966532
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=festivals+in+japan+august+2015#

>>966005
I've been travelling alone for 6 months, pretty easy to meet people in good hostels.
If you're going in May, skip the first week as everywhere will be packed for Golden Week.
2 weeks in Tokyo is ideal, I highly recommend flying with Peach to Fukuoka to see Kyushu, my favourite region.
>them onsen
You can get by with no japanese, but knowing 'konnichiwa' (hello) and arigatou (thanks) goes a long way.
If you're in Tokyo, my advice is Akihabara, if you want to see how weird Japan can get. I'm talking used panties vending machines.

That's my 50 pence.

>>966019
If you want to see hardcore underground music, check out namba Bears. Intense tunes, but no bar so BYOB

>>966446

This >>966499
Great quality beer comes from Sapporo in my experience. Alcohol % is irrelevant

>>966446
>Drinking beer in Japan when Chu-his exist

I'm going to japan this summer, and I'm wondering where is it safe and cheap to buy health girls/prostitute? been reading allot about it on the web and cant find any good places only negative info about it.

>>966571
see OP

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hey /jpg/,

I'm going for six weeks in a few months for my first time there. Can't wait.

Just figured out http://www.summersonic.com/2015/ is on while I'm there - I'd love to go.

Can anyone that can read Japanese let me know if there's anything I need to know on the site?

Also, uh, how is a 20 year old Australian going to go at a Japanese music festival? I'm sure I'll be fine.

>>966549
not him, but I am considering going to Kyushu in September. How much time should I take to explore the most interesting things there (can be up to two weeks). How much time should I spend in Fukuoka? Also anything you would particularly recommend? Thanks!

>>966589
Seems you need a japanese address or you have to be in japan to get tickets. You're going to have a bad time buying tickets anyway if you can't speak moon. You could try a shopping service (just google "shopping service japan"), some of them are pretty cheap but I know some of them only help you buy stuff off rakuten and the likes.

>>966599
I was wondering why it wasn't a bit easier to buy tickets. Thanks for letting me know, anon.

Luckily I'm doing a course with a company that are based there, so hopefully they can arrange some tickets for me. Does this kind of thing normally sell out?

Really wish I could speak moon. Ah well, in time.

>>966385
all of june is pretty tame when it comes to special events and festivals, but I think you'll find Tokyo plenty "active" even without them..

mid june-mid july is rain season which has it's ups and downs. For the downs see: >>966394 (overcast weather 60% of the days as well). For the ups, well, there'll be fewer people at every attraction, and the photos get pretty nice (cloudy weather is optimal for most photography). The countryside also get very lush and pretty but I can't image you'll notice much of that in Tokyo.

>>966401
I'll be there for all of june-July. I'll probably write in the general thread, let me know if you want to meet up.

I'm currently planning out my japan trip. since i've bought tickets to fuji rock with camping I was wondering if i should be there at the gates before the 24th or does someone know what time the gate opens?

so my plan is either
>22Jul day in nagano overnight at Ryokan
>23Jul see monkeys and hitchhike to Naeba
or
>22-23jul 1.5 days in Nagano, monkeys ryokan
>24 July Early Hitchhike race to Naeba before the gates open.

>>966487
Kiso valley and north up to Toyama are all nice areas to visit. I'd also recommend Noto peninsula for just the kind of "rural japan" you're talking about.

>>966514
I'll be there at the same time as well, and looking for pretty much the same experience as the one you're describing. So far I've heard great things about Kinosakionsen, but it is, well, a bit far from tokyo. Though remember that "far" still means ~4 hours with train

>>966432
>climbing Fuji

everyone I know that has done this has reported it to be a miserable and generally uninteresting experience.

If you insist on doing it bring a backpack with the type of supplies you would bring if you were going on a day-long hike. It will take you several hours of walking up a (relatively) steep terrain to reach the top.

I cannot stress this next point enough: bring warm clothes. Don't be like all the other dipshits that assume the temperature at the bottom is the same as on top. Even in summer you will regret trying the climb in shorts n t-shirt.

honestly, better to simply spend the day in Kofu than fucking around on Fuji. Only go if this is a life goal of yours and only if you are not doing this at the expense of another activity.

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I'll be in the Kyoto/Osaka region in mid-late June and while we've mostly planned everything out, I'm wondering what is cool to see/do in Osaka.

I'm not too interested in Osaka castle (an 1930s replica) but I'm looking for cool hole-in-the wall places to eat or some such shops. Things off the beaten path.

Traveling with my wife so no prostitutes or partying suggestions required, but everything else from traditional to weeaboo would be appreciated

tl;dr: cool shit to see/do in Osaka for people that have already been to tokyo

>>966682
I climbed it last September and it was okay, but it could've been better. My tips:
1. Climb during the day. I did it during the night to see the sunrise and it was not really worth it
2. Bring warm clothes and gloves (which can be bought at the stations too), enough food (I had a pack of green tea snickers with me for the whole climb, which was not enough) and enough water to drink
3. Try to climb when it's not peak season. So not during public holidays or something. The upper part was so jammed when I climbed it that it took almost 3 hours instead of the 1 1/2 it was supposed to

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask

>>966695
I haven't done it myself but some of my colleagues went there last year and really liked it. They walked up during the afternoon and stayed overnight in the rentable rooms that are located on the side of the mountain. Then they woke up early in the night, went up and watched the sunrise, and walked down.

>>966695
>>966705
And, uh, I thought that sounded pretty fly.
Though check it out yourselves on Google maps "street view" (more like mountain view am I rite) and you can see what this guy means. The mountain itself looks boring as shit, it's just rocks

>>966708
>mountain
>it's just a bunch of rocks

Who would've fucking thought.

>>966551
>>966499
You're right, I phrased that wrong. Sapporo beer was good, especially on tap, but I still wanted something that tasted stronger. I like lighter ales, sure, but I like to mix it up with the occasional dark ale or IPA. I'm no connoisseur or anything but I was surprised that I was only able to find one strong beer while I was there (Hoppy was its name I think) and the only place that was available was at a chain ramen shop.

>>966558
I eventually just settled on those when I went to a Lawsons for a drink.

>>966558
Chu-hai are amazing. There are a ridiculous number of flavors.

>>966711
And beaches are a bunch of sand and water.

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>>966711
Oh come on, anyone who've climbed "regular" (see: not volcanoes) mountains wouldn't expect Fuji too look the way it does. It's incredibly boring compared to the shapes most of the worlds mountains are in. It's like a giant sand hill, just made of slight larger "gravel" than regular sand.

>>966558
That's like saying
>drinking chocolate milk when apple juice exists
Like, they're both good, but not at all comparable, and one is not a replacement for the other.

Chu-hi is fucking delicious. But I also like beer.

Sort of on-topic; I've never been able to locate a booze vending machine in Japan. I know they're rarer nowadays, but they do still exist. Does anybody know where they are?

>>966764
I think I saw one in a small side alley somewhere in Asakusa, don't remember where exactly though

>>966682
Climbing is a miserable and tiring experience. But its not impossible as there are children and old people who do it.

Seeing the sunrise is fucking amazing and then at the end of it you can tell everyone that you climbed a mountain and that mountain was Mt Fuji. Totally worth it if the weather is good. I had two chances to do it and I skipped it the first time and regretted it every day until I got the second chance.

>>966667
Thanks for the tips anon. Looks like I'll be heading to Kiso valley and then trying to find my way north to Toyama-ken (Kurobe Gorge especially seems nice) and the Noto peninsula before hitting the Keihanshin area to which Kinosaki Onsen is relatively close. Now I just need to figure out which pass I should buy 7 or 14 day JR pass or the 5 day willer buss pass, which unlike the JR passes can be used on any five days I want.

How will the weather be in June?

>>965779
When are you going?

Would it be possible to take a day trip to Nikko National park from Tokyo? Like to arrive there in the morning and leave at night? Would it be feasible to just spend the day there rather than spending the night?

>>966649
Awesome
I definitely would want to meet up
I'll just be in Tokyo traveling around by myself...

Fujinomiya trail will get me a sunset? I'm getting on the mountain there and descent from fujiyoshida after sunrise so to travel to nagano afterwards.

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>>965372
>learned japanese over a decade ago
>still afraid of moving because I'm white and I know everyone will assume I'm a weeb
I'm gonna die in America, aren't I?

I apologize if this is a stupid thing to ask, but I'll be staying in Japan for a year working holiday, and I was wondering what to do concerning phones.

I have a phone but I'm unsure whether it would be better to take it over there and buy a SIM or something, or should I just buy a new phone there? I really don't know a lot about that kind of thing. Ideally I'd like to be using 3G/internet on it, if that's possible without it being crazy expensive.

>>966883
Wet and hot

Whats the best way to transfer money from my Japanese bank account (with the Japanese Post Office) to my bank in the United States?

>>965372
Can you become a yakuza as a foreigner?

>>966252
>>966096
Kinda straying into the /pol/ area here. But Jews are actually pretty cool with the japanese and dont care much for said war criminals: Mostly because japan and its people saved many Jews during ww2. Japanese ambassador to germany gave away visas to as many jews as he could before he was forced to leave germany. Japanese nation took in many jewish refugees during the war when even the 'good guys' refused to do so. There are a few memorials and schools in israel named after the previously mentioned ambassador and other japanese figures who saved quute a few jews from the camps.

Is it a bad idea to try to torrent things in Japan?

>>966970
Your phone will not work with anything besides making phone calls and the only people who still need minutes are 50+ year olds with flip phones. Japan's old text message system used some weird hybrid of SMS and MMS that was incompatible between characters. Nobody uses that system anymore.

Everyone else uses line so you will need a data plan and a new phone. Otherwise there isn't a point in having a phone.

>>967020
incompatible between carriers

>>967020
Got it, thanks.

>>966649
>>966897
Another June-July traveller here. Bit scared of meeting internet people though.

>>966649
>>966897
>>967058

I land on July 13th. Solo traveller, and first time going there. Can't wait.

Would definitely be down to catch up. With anyone, really.

>>966881
then I might see you there, have some family in toyama I will be visiting, then I'm planning on touring Noto for a a few days as well

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>>966884
mid june- late july, don't wanna miss the rain season! haha

>>966897
>>967058
>>967060

I'm all for meeting some randoms as well, especially in the safety of a different country. I'm travelling by myself for the first time, so meeting people is top priority. Though I'm afraid that meeting japanese people is higher on the list than meeting random anons, after all, gotta practice that 日本語。

I don't know about the rest of you but I'm looking at getting a cellphone plan with only internet access (if that's possible), so I suggest those interested to check and update in this thread regarding possible days/locations.

>>967074
oh, and please don't bomb my flights

>>967074
My first time travelling by myself too. So exciting but also a little daunting.
I think I'm gonna rent a portable WiFi modem so I can stay connected just in case I'm somewhere that doesn't have it, so I'll definitely keep an eye on the threads.

I know what you mean about meeting Japanese people! Hopefully you and I make some incredible new friends.

>>967060
>>967074
>>967078
Are you guys me?

Second trip to Japan and first solo trip for me. Staying for a month starting on the 22nd of June.

>Though I'm afraid that meeting japanese people is higher on the list than meeting random anons, after all, gotta practice that 日本語。
This is me also, but I'd imagine speaking a more familiar language for a day or two would be a welcome break after a while.

I'll be checking the thread regularly (which pretty much means I lurk daily).

>>967006
There are gaijin amongst their ranks for international business but they're never considered "true" yakuza.

So no, not really.

>>967019
While Japan has one of the best average down and up speeds of the entire world, torrenting is super illegal.

>>967079
>>967078
>>967074
>>967060
>>967058

Hey, fellow solo-traveler here. Gonna show up in Tokyo around the beginning of July and be there for a month. Would definitely love to meet up with some anons and chill.

>>967089

Is torrenting legal stuff (like free software for instance) a bad idea?

So flights and accommodation are going to cost me $2400 all together. What is a good amount of spending money to have? I'm kind of a cheap cunt, would $600 (or 56809 JPY) be enough for 2 weeks? Or should I get more.

I imagine most of it will go towards food and transport.

What is a good length of time to be in Japan. I'm thinking of just doing Tokyo, and I want to see a fair amount.

Opinions?

>>967096
A bad idea as in you're going to get locked away or deported and charged and not allowed in country ever again by just doing so without any say-so from the content makers, yes. Japan doesn't give a fuck: Torrent = robbery no matter what.

>>967097
How much are your plain tickets? My roundtrip was $1000, so how the hell are you burning around $1400 for accommodation?

$600 for two weeks is rather low and doesn't allow for any extravagances. But you'll be fine.

>>967099
90 days.

>>967099
Imho 3-4weeks. There's a lot to do in just Tokyo, but doing them all is gonna cost you a bit of money.

>>967090
Holy shit, I'm landing June 30th and staying until August 3rd. More solo travelers in this thread than I was expecting. This is my first trip outside of the country and also by myself. Would love to meet up with some fellow travelers. I have a space rented out in Bunkyō and a pretty open itinerary.

>>967115
Cool, you're practically doing the trip I initally planned (time-wise). I decided to move mine forward and extend it since I realized that just being free from work, but unable to go to Japan for 30 days would drive me insane.

>More solo travelers in this thread than I was expecting
>It's just two guys and a troll

>>967106
Cheapest tickets are $1200.
I was looking at air bnb for places but most were like 80$/night... cheaper than hotels I suppose. One place that looked decent was 1200 for 2 weeks stay. Much more than I'd like to be paying but it was a private apartment and quite nice looking

>>967124
>80$/night
where?? I'll be staying in asakusa, central tokyo, for much much less.
First two nights with two guys who sounds really cool for 23$/night, then in a shared house with six students for like, 22$/night. And there are several cheaper placed that look really nice. I would've loved to stay with Toshiki but unfortunately his room is booked during the days I'm planning on staying in tokyo.. /rooms/4790286

But sure, if having a private apartement then I guess you're going to have to pay a bit more.

>>967129
>if having a private apartement
..is a must,

>>967129
lel staying with that gayboy would be funny, but my apprehensions on staying at a Japanese person's guest room is that I'm afraid of offending them.

I am not against hostels (which seem to be mostly booked) or shared houses, but I enjoy privacy.

Since we are on the topics of budget, how does mine look like?

Plan is: one month in Tokyo, then travel around Kyushu for two weeks and end with one week on Okinawa (probably two days Naha and five days on Ishigaki)

(All in Euro)
Flights:
Vienna-Tokyo: 535€
Tokyo-Fukuoka: 40€
Fukuoka-Naha: 35
Naha-Ishigaki: 40
Ishigaki-Tokyo: 85

JR Rail Pass Kyushu 10 days: 260

Share house for one month acc in Tokyo: 600€

Okinawa Accommodation: 100€

Fukuoka Accommodation: 100€

Other Accommodation: 300

Food: 1620 €

Transportation: 540€

Misc.: 1000€

Total: Around 5300€

Is that realistic?

>>967124
>>967134
> I enjoy privacy

So, let me get this straight. You're going to spend $80 when you uphold that you're frugal, barely scrape by per day with taking a train to one location and eating only cheap prepared bentos from a konbini, because you want privacy...

Yeah, keep saying you're cheap. You have no fucking idea what that means.

>>967089
>>967096
Japan has super draconian laws they passed, but nobody has been prosecuted under the law since piracy really isn't that big in Japan besides the socially acceptable (renting music cds and copying them, however music cds have this use case built into their price and are 30 to 40 bucks normally). The laws were most likely passed just to get the US companies off their backs.

I've been here for 2 years and torrenting nearly every single day of those 2 years with zero problems.

>>966576
i did use the link and i asked a question on the site but it got removed....
all i did was asking a simple question

I hate to be that faggot who asks a sex question, but where do you take women when you want to bed them?

Is it inappropriate to bring them to the place you're staying at if its a share house situation? I understand if you're staying at a private room in someone's home it would be rude.

Are love hotels actually a real thing that people use?

Sorry for questions.

>>967152
Id go far and say most sex between people 18 and 30 years of age occurs in love hotel.

If you're staying with a host family of course its fucking rude. If you are staying somewhere where you have a roommate of course its rude.

>>967152
What >>967156 said. I mean come on, in any other country this might've been a valid issue/question but you're talking about Japan! Love hotels were made for this kind of stuff

>>967074
>>967058
>>967079
Yeah I'm hoping to be there 6/8 ~ 6/30
So hopefully I meet you guys
Still need to buy my airplane ticket though

I'll be on this thread everyday

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but what is the pissing situation like in Japan? Is it like some parts of Europe where you have to pay to piss, or can you go into a 7/11 or McDonalds and use the washrooms? Are there (free) public bathrooms around?

Thank you!

>>967253
Its weird when the convenience stores and stations don't have free public bathrooms. There is almost never any need to piss on the streets

>>967253
Public toilets are plentiful. Squat toilets, which are fucking terrible, will be very common in rural areas and shrines.

>>967313
>Squat toilets, which are fucking terrible
? I quite like them

It's really cool to see there will be so many solo travellers there towards the end of July - we'll have to do a meetup.

I'm not really sure where I'm gonna stay for the first two weeks of being there - after that I've got accommodation organised, but do you guys have any recommendations for living that wouldn't be too expensive?
I don't have much money, sadly, as I've had to spend most of my travel savings on medical bills after shitty surprise cancer.

I'm thinking I'll try do a week in a hotel and then do the rest in capsule hotels and internet cafes, and maybe a few airbnb places? I'm so not prepared, ugh, oh man. Still a few months to get ready, I guess.

>>967338
Hostels. They'll run you about $25, but hostels in Japan are clean and friendly. I'm booked with K's House and Nui. (try them both) in Tokyo at the moment from many recommendations. They're both running me about $22 a night.

Book accommodations early for Japan--recommended is 90 days in advance.

>>967342
thank you for the recommendations! great idea.

Anyone knows a good and cheap place to drink on Shinjuku or Ikebukuro?

Is japan one of those countries where white people pay more like in china, thailand and such?

>>967380
no

>>967378
If you can speak Japanese, おっぱいパッブ are the best places to pregame

>>967385
18's fine.
Even then I look young as fuck, I get carded here whenever I'm not in my military uniform but no one in Japan minded me

>>967313
Ah yeah, thanks for pointing that out. Have to get back into squatting shape for the summer trip.

>>965372

Couple of questions about teaching in Japan, since I want to try the experience.

I applied for JET, and got past the application stage, but was rejected after the interview stage. I asked my professor from my master's degree program (who encouraged me to try it; I was on the fence until I got his support) if this was the be-all end-all since I was rejected. He said I could pursue teaching with a private company, but warned me to make sure I sign on with a reputable one, since there are many companies that pay poorly, don't provide enough work or otherwise do things that result in a bad experience. I asked him which companies he thought would be good, but he said talking to others who worked privately would most likely yield better feedback. So /trv/, of those of you who have worked in private english education over in Japan, which companies would you recommend, and which would you recommend steering clear of?

(Ideally, I would like to be in Tokyo or Nikko, but I know realistically the odds of getting a spot there are slim, so I wouldn't mind at all ending up teaching in a rural community. After all, I still have student loan payments to make, so I need to be able to make enough to pay them. Though I've also put away $7,000 to help defray loan costs for a year going over there...)

Also, since part of the reason I want to teach in Japan is to further my own research of society and culture, is there anything in particular you suggest that I do with my spare time.

I'll have more questions when I think of them.

>>967410
Japan is not China. The pay is lower outside of JET but you also aren't stuck in the middle of nowhere. You're also free to quit at any time after you get the visa if you don't like the job. Be careful of teaching at a school and getting pressured into doing overtime. This doesn't really happen at the English schools, but a lot of them will give you hardly any holidays off.

>>967135
No one's answering, am I fucked? ;__;

>>967413

Thanks for the initial feedback. Any idea how much lower in terms of pay in general? Also, having holidays off isn't necessarily a priority for myself, as long as I have a day or two off each week.

For private companies, do you need a TESOL certification? Also, any particular companies anyone would recommend, and companies you recommend avoiding like the plague?

>>967452

Also, if anyone is wondering, I did make it to the interview portion of the JET process.

>>967338
If you don't mind cramped, not-very-private conditions, Manga Cafes will be your cheapest option. Also, it's an experience worth having.

>>967135
I think it sounds all right. Next time, only post the values you don't know or people will just skip over your post since "we" usually dont feel like doing someones complete journey for them.

I mean, you seem to have all the living costs written down, and the transportation as well. so the only question is really if 1,6k is enough for two months of food, and I think it is more than enough in japan. The food is really quite cheap

>>967410
JET is only the tippy top of the ESL field in Japan. Pays the best, can get subsidies, ect.

Interac is the next level. You can get the same positions, just not as good as pay and no subsidies.

Past that, there's the private-private field which you can look up on ESL forums. Very slim chance you'll be teaching as a ASL, and more at a Eikaiwa, but it's something.

>>967452
JET is around $37,000 a year, any private stuff is going to be anywhere from $5K less or more for full-time. They make sure you've got enough to live on, and if you live frugally you can save up quite a bit of money (not counting when you're working for a private company like a eikaiwa you can do private tutoring on your off-time).

TESOL cert is nice (I'll be getting one next year), but not needed for Japan. Japan doesn't give a shit; they want a voice recorder and someone to encourage English or someone who makes the students return for lessons.

Here's the thing: If you want save or put money into your loans, skip working in the big cities. The rent is higher, transportation is longer, food is more expensive. Living and working in the heart of Tokyo can kill any thought of paying off loans or saving up.

>>967500

Wow, $5K a year?

>>967515
$5K less than JET stating salary

>>967425
Kind of a boring question, to be honest, but with my limited experience in Japan I'd say that that's reasonable with ample room to cut.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2410.html

>>967515
I think he ment you be getting 5k+ less. So 32k and lower.
It aint too bad, unless youve never lived on your own before and gonna waste money because you dont know how to live within your means.

>>967553

Oh, ok, I see what he meant now. I was actually formulating a budget in my head around 28K, so I guess I made a good estimation.

>>967135
Your food and transportation expense look alright, but your miscellaneous expense might be a little low. I'd add another $500 just to be on the safe side.

For example, assuming you're getting wifi SIM card for your phone, it's approximately $35/14days x 4 = $140. Cigarettes and alcohol are cheap and plentiful there, and you could easily spend $200-300 on just alcohol. Attractions like going up Tokyo Tower, Ghibli Museum, Shrines, etc all range between $5-20 for admission and can quickly add up.

>>967491
oh yeah thanks. I wasn't quite sure about the miscellaneous and transportation portion but as this anon suggested >>967556 I added a bit just to be on the safe side
>>967551
Thanks, this looks about right, guess I just have to hope that the Euro to Yen price doesn't get worse.

>>967553
>>967555

Ah, I don't know if Interac would work for me. The straw that breaks the budget is my airfare.

>>967573

Okay, bit of budgetary backstory. I have $7000 put away, and based upon the budget Interac gives on average on their website, if I got a rural assignment, I'm looking at about 1000 dollars monthly discretionary income after living expenses. right now my loan payments are 1500 a month between my private loans (600 together) and federal loans (900.) so my thought is, since I still have all my deferment periods on my federal loans, if I apply for and get accepted into Interac, I could schedule my federal loans to go into deferment for 1 year, meanwhile this would bring my loan payments down to about 650 monthly, so conceivably could pull it off.

Only x factor left is airfare. How much does airfare to Japan run on average, and would you guys recommend a particular airfare provider?

>live in Japan for 3 yrs
>meet qt jp girl
>go out for 6 months
>leave for usa in 1 year

What do?

>>967590
marry her and gain permanent residence for yourself you filthy gaijin

>>967590
she can't be that cute if she accepts a filthy gaijin in her pussy

I'm 20 years old, planning on going to Japan sometime in the summer with my cousin who is 17. Since he is a minor, will there be any restrictions in Japan for him that I should know about?
We just plan on purchasing a JR pass and traveling to Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, & Kyoto, maybe a few others.

>>967639
Just on alcohol, tobacco, and operating motor vehicles.