Travel Japan

[apollo_creed]

you need one each

JR owns a chain of convenience stores in stations and sometimes on the outside called "Newdays" you can use the suica as payment there to clear any balance.

Its also worth nothing that if you are paying a lot of cash for things coins really build up. you can use those coins (bar the 1 and 5) to charge your suica

Cheers mate.

That's also good to know as it's really an unknown to us how much we'll use it so if we do overestimate, I'm sure there's plenty of things we could purchase from Newdays.

I think we will exchange quite a bit of cash beforehand as well so also good to know.

 

[00Stinger]

Anyone done any driving around japan?

 

[00Stinger]

So I've booked

• 4 nights in Tokyo (North of Minato City & near Hamarikyu Gardens). Sems pretty close to a fair few parks and tourist attractions
• 5 nights in Osaka (Chuo ward)

Got 5 nights to book in here (thinking Tokyo maybe Shibuya or Shinjuku, unless anyone has any other suggestions?)

• 5 nights in a resort in Okinawa
• 1 last night in Tokyo

 

[basashi]

Anyone done any driving around japan?

yep, plenty

 

[00Stinger]

yep, plenty

So I obviously need an international license, yes?

Is hiring a car for a day trip to drive from Tokyo to Mt Fuji a good idea? Osaka to Kyoto? Around Okinawa (might be harder to know)?

Looking at a few day trips, maybe 1 from each city (possibly 2 from Tokyo). Doing the day trips with 4 of us (me, wife & kids 7 & 5). Is hiring a car for the day a better idea than train?

 

[basashi]

So I've booked

• 4 nights in Tokyo (North of Minato City & near Hamarikyu Gardens). Sems pretty close to a fair few parks and tourist attractions
• 5 nights in Osaka (Chuo ward)

Got 5 nights to book in here (thinking Tokyo maybe Shibuya or Shinjuku, unless anyone has any other suggestions?)

• 5 nights in a resort in Okinawa
• 1 last night in Tokyo

if you are near there and travelling wiith kids (4-9 ish) ... and have a wednesday free then you should take the Yurikamome line to toyosu and tkae them to Kidzania Tokyo.

Cannot recommend it enough. on Wednesday they load all their english speaking staff on shift, so its not completely english oriented but it is your best bet.

English Wednesday! | KidZania

 

[basashi]

So I obviously need an international license, yes?

Is hiring a car for a day trip to drive from Tokyo to Mt Fuji a good idea? Osaka to Kyoto? Around Okinawa (might be harder to know)?

Looking at a few day trips, maybe 1 from each city (possibly 2 from Tokyo). Doing the day trips with 4 of us (me, wife & kids 7 & 5). Is hiring a car for the day a better idea than train?

yeah you will need your international licence, your current real licence, your passport. You need to bring a mount for your phone so you can use google maps for navigation and you need to select the ETC card inclusive option when you rent the car. If you rent a car it really needs to be for a reason though, not just to go to a particular thing in a built up area. do it if there is an area of countryside you want to tour through and stop at many places or do it to get to a place that is a long way from public transport. other than that don't bother. there is nothing wrong with getting a train as far as you can go and then taking a taxi the rest of the way.

 

[00Stinger]

Kidzania Tokyo

Mate that looks awesome with the kids. Thanks heaps

Do I need to book in advance

 

[00Stinger]

yeah you will need your international licence, your current real licence, your passport. You need to bring a mount for your phone so you can use google maps for navigation and you need to select the ETC card inclusive option when you rent the car. If you rent a car it really needs to be for a reason though, not just to go to a particular thing in a built up area. do it if there is an area of countryside you want to tour through and stop at many places or do it to get to a place that is a long way from public transport. other than that don't bother. there is nothing wrong with getting a train as far as you can go and then taking a taxi the rest of the way.

thanks

I was only looking at a car for real countryside day trips that wre and hour & 1/2 plus. Mainly for being on our own time and also to potentyially to visit a few villages we wouldnt if travelling by train

 

[basashi]

Mate that looks awesome with the kids. Thanks heaps

Do I need to book in advance

I think no but CHECK. you need to be in the queue at opening time. there are probably a few sites you can read up on but some jobs are more popular than others. so when they let you in you need to grab tickets for the popular ones like airline pilot. but remember that each booking is for a time so don't double book yourself.

 

[JyeDye]

If you are thinking of using "Welcome Suica" at the moment make sure you get one at the airport terminal station when you arrive. Most other outlets are temporarily suspended. Sales of new regular Suica and Pasmo are suspended everywhere as of about a week ago.

To be honest buying tickets for each journey is not the end of the world. But where the cards are handy is when your trip involves the different systems.

For inner Tokyo

• JR operated trains. generally on the surface and usually a much longer spread between stops. if you are going any distance they are much faster. They are always your first choice and they cover the major centres.
• Then there are two major subway networks: Toei and Metro. Often very convenient to get to smaller spots.

Further out from the centre
- a number of private operated lines, like Tobu etc. in addition to the above.

If you have a smartcard you can just flash the card to get between systems. Also, if you are all smartphone carrying adults you can use an app.

Also should note that the "Welcome Suica" cards don't allow you to hand the card in and get the money back like you can with the normal ones. So don't over-top it too much.

 

[Soups]

Booking a trip for Christmas/nys this year.

Anyone been there Christmas Day and ordered KFC?

 

[00Stinger]

Universal studios online wont take either mine or my wides VISA/Matsercards

Anyone had these issues?

 

[apollo_creed]

Universal studios online wont take either mine or my wides VISA/Matsercards

Anyone had these issues?

Yep, had the same problem mate. Try through your phone (I think that is what eventually worked for me).

 

[00Stinger]

Yep, had the same problem mate. Try through your phone (I think that is what eventually worked for me).

thanks, will try that

I'm about to smash my dumb laptop with this. FWIW to get day passes to Universal, time booking for Mario World and express passes it is setting me back a click over $1.1k AU for 2 adults and 2 kids. A little more expensive than I thought/expected

 

[Pugz89]

thanks, will try that

I'm about to smash my dumb laptop with this. FWIW to get day passes to Universal, time booking for Mario World and express passes it is setting me back a click over $1.1k AU for 2 adults and 2 kids. A little more expensive than I thought/expected

We got studio pass and express pass x4 and it was about 1150AUD. Not cheap at all, but it'll be my second time to USJ and it's all worth it.

 

[00Stinger]

We got studio pass and express pass x4 and it was about 1150AUD. Not cheap at all, but it'll be my second time to USJ and it's all worth it.

ok cool, seems the going rate

I'm going on Tuesday in about 7 weeks, what sort of wait time on rides should I expect with the fast passes?

 

[Pugz89]

ok cool, seems the going rate

I'm going on Tuesday in about 7 weeks, what sort of wait time on rides should I expect with the fast passes?

We're there in a couple weeks. The most popular rides are over 120mins at their peak, I think express pass typically brings it down to about 40mins or so.

 

[00Stinger]

We're there in a couple weeks. The most popular rides are over 120mins at their peak, I think express pass typically brings it down to about 40mins or so.

I'm looking at a Tuesday as it is supposed to be the quietist day of the week

I would love to hear the feedback after you visit in a couple of weeks, enjoy!

 

[Pugz89]

I'm looking at a Tuesday as it is supposed to be the quietist day of the week

I would love to hear the feedback after you visit in a couple of weeks, enjoy!

We're doing a Tuesday, but the Monday is a holiday. So not a usual week. Getting the tix was the hardest thing. Now it's all fun times ahead!

 

[00Stinger]

We're doing a Tuesday, but the Monday is a holiday. So not a usual week. Getting the tix was the hardest thing. Now it's all fun times ahead!

last one, any advice on getting from Tokyo to Osaka?

I'm thinking bullet train, best sites for tickets would be great

 

[00Stinger]

Pugz89 did your app booking for Universal take you to a web address?

Mine is still not working

 

[crafty_bernardo]

You can purchase Tokyo>Osaka Shinkansen tickets in Tokyo Station.

Just do it a few days before departure and it’s considerably cheaper than buying online.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pugz89]

Pugz89 did your app booking for Universal take you to a web address?

Mine is still not working

The whole thing was a cluster****. We ended up using the browser site and because it wouldn't accept our card, we had to get our friend in Osaka to go to convenience story and collect the tickets for us. Shit system, the Japanese really prioritise locals it seems and not international tourists for these things. We went through a similar ordeal trying to get F1 tickets for Suzuka, as you had to have a registered Japanese address, phone number etc to be able to buy tickets direct from Suzuka website.

 

[Pugz89]

last one, any advice on getting from Tokyo to Osaka?

I'm thinking bullet train, best sites for tickets would be great

Shinkansen for sure. It is an experience, you have to get a bullet train while in Japan, despite it being a bit pricey. If you sit on the right side of the train heading south from Tokyo to Osaka, if its a clear day, you'll get a nice view of Mt Fuji.