Japan travel tips

[E6系]

Hello Mr Nick_Burman,

 

Very funny story.  I'm glad you could make your purchase.  Did you manage to spend any time in the bookshop opposite?  I lost my wife in there once ... I have, of course, found her since then.  ;)

[katoftw]

Passports done and sorted.

[katoftw]

OCT 17 - Fly in to Narita @ 7pm, travel to Shinjuku.

OCT 18 - Visit Kato Hobby Shop, visit other hobby shops/Akihabara area.

OCT 19 - Toyko sightseeing, afternoon for cosplay @ Harajuku

OCT 20 - Travel to Ofuma, Shonan monorail, Enoshima sightseeing, Enoden, Kamakura sightseeing.

OCT 21 - Travel to Kyoto, afternoon free to explore Kyoto central area.

OCT 22 - Randen, temples, Kitano/Arashiyama sightseeing.

OCT 23 - Steam museum, Sagona railway, Kitano/Arashiyama sightseeing.

OCT 24 - Travel to Hakata, afternoon free to explore Hakata.

OCT 25 - Travel to Kumamoto, Kumamoto sightseeing, late afternoon/evening free to explore Hakata.

OCT 26 - Travel to Kumamoto, SL Hitoyoshi*/Shenpei/Hayato no Kaze.

OCT 27 - Travel to Nagasaki, Nagasaki sightseeing using trams, return to Hakata.

OCT 28 - Travel to Narita, fly out @ 9pm.

 

I decided to drop Hakone and do Enoshina instead. Seems a bit more kid friendly, and closer to Shinjuku, so less rushing and more time to explore. And can use JR Pass to get there without extra cost.

 

* = Very doubtful of reserving a seat, but will use KYUSHU ODAN TOKKYU if booked out.

Edited July 2, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Very nice planning Katoftw san!

 

Please let me know if you managed to get the SL Hitoyoshi. I think you can pre-order tickets one month in advance, but you'll need the help of a local as they do not take overseas reservation. I'm strongly thinking on taking the SL Hitoyoshi since I've never been on one and it can be a very nice (or not nice, Mrs. got turn off by the huge smoke emitting...) experience for both the Mrs. and myself.

 

Don't miss the Bamboo forest and the possibly largest Railway Diorama in Sagano Arashiyama station!  

[katoftw]

 

Very nice planning Katoftw san!

 

Please let me know if you managed to get the SL Hitoyoshi. I think you can pre-order tickets one month in advance, but you'll need the help of a local as they do not take overseas reservation. I'm strongly thinking on taking the SL Hitoyoshi since I've never been on one and it can be a very nice (or not nice, Mrs. got turn off by the huge smoke emitting...) experience for both the Mrs. and myself.

Been on a few steam trains before. Wife is fine with the smoke. Just remember to close your windows in the tunnels.

 

I thin took I will need to organise a local to book my SL seats. Which I do not have. Hence my belief I'll be unable to book seating so close to the attempted travel day. Any locals on this site willing to help out?

 

Don't miss the Bamboo forest and the possibly largest Railway Diorama in Sagano Arashiyama station!

Wife will love the forest. Kids will love the diorama.

 

Hopefully by the end of the trip, I will have rode on E231s, teoi subway, Shonan monorail, Shinkansen 500, 700 and 800 series, blue 883 and white 885 sonics, Nagasaki trams, Enoden trams, Kumamoto trams, Randen trams, 86 series SL, Kiha 140/47s.

 

I'm a bit bummed I'm missing Yokohama, Hakone, Nagoya, Osaka, Toyama, Hiroshima, Beppu and Kagoshima. But that is an excuse to return for another trip again sometime.

Edited July 2, 2014 by katoftw

[nartak]

 

Been on a few steam trains before. Wife is fine with the smoke. Just remember to close your windows in the tunnels.

 

I thin took I will need to organise a local to book my SL seats. Which I do not have. Hence my belief I'll be unable to book seating so close to the attempted travel day. Any locals on this site willing to help out?

 

Wife will love the forest. Kids will love the diorama.

 

Hopefully by the end of the trip, I will have rode on E231s, teoi subway, Shonan monorail, Shinkansen 500, 700 and 800 series, blue 883 and white 885 sonics, Nagasaki trams, Enoden trams, Kumamoto trams, Randen trams, 86 series SL, Kiha 140/47s.

 

I'm a bit bummed I'm missing Yokohama, Hakone, Nagoya, Osaka, Toyama, Hiroshima, Beppu and Kagoshima. But that is an excuse to return for another trip again sometime.

 

Dear katoftw,

 

Please PM me.  I will try it for you if you need any assistance.

[westfalen]

Wise move setting aside a whole day to visit hobby shops.

 

Booking the SL seats in advance before you get to Japan may mean not being able to use your passes but sometimes there is a price you have to pay.

[nartak]

Sorry if people get upset.
My intention was purely voluntary and just wanted to help if anyone having problem on getting reservation or ticket and it is just apart from my business.

As a Japanese, I also have a feeling that welcoming people from the world and have a pleasant trip and support as much.

[Nick_Burman]

Sorry if people get upset.

My intention was purely voluntary and just wanted to help if anyone having problem on getting reservation or ticket and it is just apart from my business.

 

As a Japanese, I also have a feeling that welcoming people from the world and have a pleasant trip and support as much.

 

Nariichi-san,

 

You and just about most of the Japanese population, I would say. In my personal case this attitude of the Japanese of almost bending themselves backwards to try and help foreign visitors was one of the thing that made my trip to Japan such a pleasure. Keep at it!

 

Cheers NB

[katoftw]

 

Dear katoftw,

 

Please PM me.  I will try it for you if you need any assistance.

Pm'ed. And very grateful.

 

I dont believe what westfalen posted to be negative. He was just making comment about being able to book with and without a current rail pass. So normal payment may be require in this situation.

 

And I'm fine with that. All up it's about 27XX yen for an adult including seating fee. So alittle cheaper for child under 6. So about $100AUD for a 2.5 hours ride is okay by me.

Edited July 2, 2014 by katoftw

[westfalen]

 

Pm'ed. And very grateful.

 

I dont believe what westfalen posted to be negative. He was just making comment about being able to book with and without a current rail pass. So normal payment may be require in this situation.

 

And I'm fine with that. All up it's about 27XX yen for an adult including seating fee. So alittle cheaper for child under 6. So about $100AUD for a 2.5 hours ride is okay by me.

Yes, that's all I meant.  No offence intended to any Americans, Germans or British listening but, like Nick Burman, I've found the Japanese to be the most helpful people in my travels.

 

It still works out much cheaper than a comparable steam train ride in Queensland.

[JR 500系]

Definitely paying for the SL Hitoyoshi... It's a nice experience and the Hitsatsu line was named the most scenic line in Japan for rail travel..

 

You can also get the 3 special pin badges along the Hitsatsu Line (SL Hitoyoshi, Isaburo-Shinpei & Hayato-No-Kaze) on the buffet car of the Hitoyoshi ~ Must have souvenir for the Hitsatsu Line.

[katoftw]

Nariichi-san has been extremely helpful with getting the SL tickets. I fail to see a reason why he wouldn't be able to get them for it. He has just helped step my first Japan trip up to a whole another level. Thank you Nariichi-san.

 

Now just to figure out what lactose free baby formula looks like in Japan. haha

Edited July 6, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Let us know about your SL Hitoyoshi ride ok? I'm also really hyped to get on it next year!

[katoftw]

flights - paid

railpasses - paid

passports - paid, arrived

kyoto hotel - paid

toyko hotel - booked

hakata hotel - booked

airport parking - booked

travel insurance - paid

travel card - still to organise

travel money - still to organise

Edited July 25, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

Collected railpasses from post office yesterday.

[westfalen]

Collected railpasses from post office yesterday.

Always exciting opening the passes, you know the trip is not far away.  The my Eurail pass for Germany and Switzerland in November should arrive this week so my excitment is building too.

[JR 500系]

ENVY!

 

I don't have any rail passes till next year....  :(

 

By the way, did the rail pass prices increase? I found they had increased since I bought them in 2012, probably due to inflation and raising fuel costs.

[katoftw]

Consumption tax went up in Japan on April 1. 3% extra. I paid $466AUD for a 14 day adult pass.

Edited July 30, 2014 by katoftw

[katoftw]

flights - paid
railpasses - paid, arrived
passports - paid, arrived
kyoto hotel - paid
toyko hotel - booked, to pay on arrival
hakata hotel - booked, to pay on arrival
airport parking - booked, to pay on arrival
travel insurance - paid
travel card - about 50,000yen loaded, still more to load
travel money - still to organise, 1 week out maybe

 

47 days to go.  not that i'm counting. haha

Edited September 1, 2014 by katoftw

[JR 500系]

Envy!

 

Mine is like 221 days away....

 

Can I ask what is travel card? Something you pre-load with cash and use at stores? Something like a credit card or sort?

[katoftw]

Can I ask what is travel card? Something you pre-load with cash and use at stores? Something like a credit card or sort?

Yeah spot on - just a pre loaded credit card that can be used for shopping or at international atms.  And can be reloaded with funds using the internet.  So if some reason I might overspend in a hobby shop (never! haha), then I can reload it up with more yen throughtout my trip.

[JR 500系]

Interesting... Can I enquire further what type of a card is this? Never heard about this, and it sounds mighty useful! Is it a JCB or Master/ Visa card? Where can I apply one? This beats having to carry large amounts of cash and there is standby funds for the hobby shop ~~  :)

 

Thanks in advance!

[katoftw]

i've seens them both in master card and visa.

 

you have to inquire within your own country/bank as to what they provide for you.

[lurkingknight]

still a very cash society in japan... a lot of smaller stores didn't even have a good way of processing credit cards or other cash cards from what I saw.  ATMs at 7/11 are fine to use your normal bank card to convert you yen on the spot, or any bank. Apparently the 7/11 ATMs don't charge anything more than the standard off network ATM fee. At least that's how it worked with my canadian bank card.