僕のたび Soon!!

[Deathofme]

HI!
I will be going soon to Japan for a month. I wanted to tell you guys about my trip and also ask a few questions. Any advice is strongly appreciated!!!

I will land at Narita and spend a week in Tokyo and stay in a Youth Hostel. I plan to visit pretty much all the sections of Tokyo. And eat some bentou! I am not sure yet how I should travel within Tokyo. I heard the metro/subway is pretty expensive, about 10-15$ each time used? I am thinking of getting a Japan Railway Pass but am not sure if I will use the shinkansen enough or if the buses will be too slow to travel with withing cities, because here the buses are slow as hell so I don't know how it is in Japan.

After a week in Tokyo I will go to Osaka to meet a friend!! I will spend 3 weeks in Osaka. I will visit many cities, including Kyoto and Nara, among others. She will show me around. Again as of yet I don't know how we'll travel to theses cities, maybe she has a car or something I guess I should ask her. Hmm why didn't i think of this sooner...

So, I will wander around, get a bit lost, do some 見物, take pictures, and hopefully be inspired to carry on.

[fielle]

If you are going to a number of cities, I think the rail pass will be worth it.

In Japan, using a car to go long distances is generally not chosen by most people because most highways are toll roads, and are not too much cheaper than taking a plane or a train. Buses are fine for local travel, but you'll probably be using the local trains more than buses, as the buses are also a lot more cryptic for a non-resident.

[two_heads_talking]

Perhaps you can ask your friend in Osaka, what would be the most efficient way to travel, as it seems you will be spending most of your time in that area. it might be by bus or train, but that friend would know best I think.

[Deathofme]

good idea, I will ask her. But if anyone knows, does the JP Railway Pass includes metro/subway?

Also I just read about the Golden Week, which is at the end of april, apparently its the worst time to go to Japan as people are on vacation and gets en masse to points of attraction, hotels are booked, etc. =/

[two_heads_talking]

As far as I remember the railway pass only covers the railway, not subway/metro. However, I do think they have subway passes available ..

[Riza]

Cool.

I wanted to start a thread, but since there's one already...

Well, here's the deal, I might be going to Japan during Summer. I know a few japanese phrases, the numbers, the family members -_-'', I know ho to read hiragana, and by that time I shall know katakana as well.

Where should I go? I like Tokyo, but heard that it's pretty expensive. I'm not the one who wants to go to Japan, its my mother -.-'', I only want to go there when I know how to speak japanese.

But, if we do go, I have a few questions to ask you:

1 - Can I buy lots of stuff like Music Albums and videogames and bring them to Portugal without any problems?

2 - What clothes should I wear? :s, I use mostly jeans, a sweatshirt and tennis. Yeah, tomboy style -.-'', oh, and a ponytail or two ponytails in both sides of the head.

and now I'm gonna lunch, my dad's calling me >.<

[Deathofme]

I think you can buy stuff (up to a point maybe) and bring them back to your country. I'm not from Portugal, but a few years ago when one of my friend came back, he didn't even have to show the stuff he bought and he also had his receipe ready in case.

Japan is very hot during summer. I've been told it's best to visit in Spring or Autumn.

[sei]

Japan is very hot during summer. I've been told it's best to visit in Spring or Autumn.

How hot? Cause in Portugal we are pretty much used to hot weather. Course it also depends on the area. It easily reaches 40ºC (aprox.104ºF, I think) here now.

[two_heads_talking]

Since Japan is an island the heat isn't the worst of it. In Tohoku (the northern part of the island above Tokyo) the summer heat sits around 90-100f but the humidity is where you get your butt kicked. The further south, you go, the hotter and more humid it gets. Okinawa is most definately not pleasant in the summers, especially if you must wear BDU's(Battle Dress Uniform) as I did..

[BrianM]

Japan is very hot during summer. I've been told it's best to visit in Spring or Autumn.

How hot? Cause in Portugal we are pretty much used to hot weather. Course it also depends on the area. It easily reaches 40ºC (aprox.104ºF, I think) here now.

What part from Portugal? I'm from Nelas, Viseu. And yea it does get hot. My sensei just said today that the worst time to go to Nippon is in August, of course when I'm going.
I had a quick question about cell phones. When we land, my friend and I will be picked up by the tour guide of the tour we are taking. So I don't know if we will have time to walk around Narita airport, especially to pick up a pre pained denwa. My question is, can we buy pre paid phones there or also in America that are made for Japan?