Japan travel tips

[westfalen]

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.

For my last six or so trips I've just used my NAB cash card to withdraw cash from my regular bank account at 7-11 (or post office, but they are only open business hours) ATMs.  I just take enough cash with me to buy anything I might need at the airport when I arrive.  Apart from hotels and the occasional large hobby shop purchase I never use credit cards in Japan.  The two guys who run the Trainaway Tours (now ARHS) trips to Japan have been going there since the late 70's and they just take large wads of cash and have never had problems.

 

Have you checked to see if the Travel Card can be used in Japanese ATMs, you may still be limited to the 7-11 ones.

[lurkingknight]

I also had reasonably large sums of yen on me during my trip, I didn't feel like I was in danger of losing it at all... Only a couple times I felt I was maybe in a bad spot. I've been told to watch out for nigerians while I was there, I'm not sure if there was much truth in it.

[disturbman]

Japan being probably the safest country on this globe, there is indeed no much problems carrying cash around. I had also heard the stories about Nigerians but put them on the account of uneducated racist comments perpetuating clichés about a population. Cities in the western world are definitely more dangerous and dodgier. In Japan I have seen bags, school bags, travel bags, obviously forgotten in the street, stay completely untouched for hours and hours. The only petty crime I ever encountered was umbrellas theft at the kombini when rain pours, always so annoying to find that somebody decided to take your nice and shiny umbrella instead of his or her rusty one. But at the same time, you do not want to be that gaijin that carries its umbrella inside when everybody left it outside.

[katoftw]

i'm taking in about 90,000 yen in notes.  and another 90,000 on a card that is fine to be used for purchases and atms.  the card is only for large purchases and get more money you half way through the trip.

 

do lawsons have atms?  i have a lawson directly below me at shinjuku?  2 within 50m at kyoto, and one at the end of the block at hakata.

 

edit//  just google mapped the 7-11s.  on in same block at shinjuku hotel, maybe 50m max. one between hotel and shinoomiya station, another accross road from shinoomia station, another 100m away from hotel.  and one 100m away from hakata hotel.

Edited September 2, 2014 by katoftw

[westfalen]

The Lawsons have ATMs as do most of the convenience store chains but I've found only the 7-11's machines accept foreign cards, or at least my NAB card.  About the only place you're not a few minutes walk away from one is in the southern part of Shikoku around Kochi, they must not have the concession for that area.  If you can't find a 7-11 and it's during business hours all post offices have ATMs, even ones in small country towns.

Edited September 2, 2014 by westfalen

[disturbman]

Exactly. Post offices, 7-11 and citibanks. I cannot either remember if I could use my visa at Lawson, Am-Pm or Family Mart.

[katoftw]

What notes do the seven money atms spit out?

 

What healthy options are there for breakfast?  Cannot eat McDonalds for 13 days.

Edited September 16, 2014 by katoftw

[cteno4]

Raw egg on rice with seaweed is a staple. Unhealthy are the pastry shops!

 

Jeff

[miyakoji]

Some of the gyudon chains do set meals in the morning. "Taishu shokudo" type places probably do breakfast too.

[railsquid]

What notes do the seven money atms spit out?

 

1,000 and 10,000 yen notes.

[katoftw]

Thanks all that replied.

[JR 500系]

I had Yoshinoya too, simple and cheap. Healthy serving of rice topped with beef or chicken, add in 100 yen gives you a miso soup. Matsuya is another food chain somewhat similar to Yoshinoya.

 

Or you could try onigiri~ Heard they're tasty and nutritious, and easy to eat for the kids.

[lurkingknight]

some reasonably healthy stuff to be found in convenience stores too.. don't be shy about the onigiri or anything in the cold/prepped food section, that stuff is usually delivered early that morning.

[ToniBabelony]

You can also shy away from convemience stores and go for places with these signs: "お弁当" (Obento). They sell much better quality stuff at usually the same price or a little bit higher.

 

Other than that, just look around stations for breakfast places. There must at least be one around (if you're not too deep in the sticks).

[katoftw]

I eat Onigiri alot at home.  No problem eating that.  Although more a lunch/dinner meal in my head.

 

Not too far into the sticks Toni.  Toyko, Kyoto and Fukuoka.

[E6系]

... Cannot eat McDonalds for 13 days.

 

I can't imagine eating McDonalds once ... ever !!!

[lurkingknight]

I did it... cause there is the legend of a big mac that looks like the one in the picture. Their 'get your meal in 30 second's promotion produced burgers of quality we get when the nose picker in the back spends 10 minutes.

[westfalen]

You're on holidays, forget about healthy, go to the bakery.

[E6系]

You're in Japan.  So sorry, but it is the best food in the world.  Sushi, bento box, ramen shop, bakery, soba, teriyaki, tempura ...

 

You cannot drink sake with McDonalds ... ergo ... never eat McDonalds.

[katoftw]

You're in Japan.  So sorry, but it is the best food in the world.  Sushi, bento box, ramen shop, bakery, soba, teriyaki, tempura ...

You my friend are 100% right.  Other than the bakery and soba, everything else I have eaten.

 

I am also quite proud of my homemade teriyaki fish.  And I like getting a bento box full of rice balls, onigiri and pickles sometimes when I am out and about.  And Ramen is nice on a cool winters day in the region I live in.  Winter is only 2 month long in my home region.

[miyakoji]

Not looking to start a flamewar, but Japanese bakeries could add a some whole grain items to their repertoire. Otherwise, I agree.

[ToniBabelony]

Not looking to start a flamewar, but Japanese bakeries could add a some whole grain items to their repertoire. Otherwise, I agree.

 

Go to German style bakeries and you will find it ;)

[westfalen]

If you really want a burger in Japan you should go to MOS Burger not Macdonalds.

 

When looking for a cheap lunch in Japan you shouldn't forget the supermarket, they have a bewildering, by western standards, selection of pre-made meals and take away foods and snacks along with microwave ovens to heat them up.

[bikkuri bahn]

As Toni mentioed, there are so many different types of bakeries, you can usually find a bread type to your liking if you look around.  Of course, the big cities will offer more variety, don't expect multi-grain bread in a town of 20,000, though you will find plenty of melon pan (no thanks!) and an donuts (yummy).

[katoftw]

So it turns out I'm in Kyoto for Jidai Matsuri on October 22nd.  Anything I should know?

 

Or just turn up on the side of the parade and watch until the kids get bored, and move on?