Recommendations Wanted!

おすすめ募集中!

おすすめ募集中!

JP and I are finally planning our (first) trip to Japan in 2010 – and well this is an open call for any recommendations in the Tokyo area. We got a bunch of guidebooks for places to visit but more than anything we need recommendations for places to stay and where to buy tickets.

I’ve been eyeballing JTB USA but I don’t know what their agency fees are and if I could avoid them that would be nice… I don’t like sites like expedia or orbitz because I’ve heard horror stories that they put up bullshit deals so I always prefer to buy directly via the hotel or airline website. I may be jumping the gun here since we’re planning to go mid-late March 2010 but if anyone has recommendations for this we could at least start looking somewhere. We’re only going for about 7-10 days (cause of work) so I’m looking something within the price range of under $130 per night. Also no Ryokans, I want my own bathroom lol!!

Thanks guys!

日本語:
私たちはやっと来年3月日本旅行行きます。しかしどこでホテルやチケット買うのはまよってるんです。ただいまおすすめ募集中です! (東京の周辺なんですけど。) しかし旅館とか遠慮しておきますw よろしくおねがいします! m(｡-_-｡)m

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38 thoughts on “Recommendations Wanted!”

  1. Uwaaa :D I hope you both have fun! I’ve yet to have my first trip to Japan yet as well, but what my friend has told me she recommended well just not taking any tourist whatever guides since they’re a waste of money and you spend more on it.

    ;D I’d totally recommend hitting otome road! I’ve always wanted to go there haha~ (besides some general other places as well lol)

  2. ahahha otome road!
    actually the guides we found were at kinokuniya and they were like fun guides sorta like “recommended places to visit” so we sorta have an idea of where we want to go and what we want to see.

    I only bought guides with lots of pictures, not those boring thick books full of b/s trying to impress “gaijins about the wonderful land of the rising sun” :lol:

  4. *O* Have fun on your raburabu trip to Japan! :D I’m planning to go to Japan myself at the end of Senior year but that’s two years from now. >P

    This probably goes without saying but never get a tour guide. US, China, Europe, ALL BAD EXPERIENCES FOR ME. AND THEY WERE BORING. :(

    My friend used this site when she went to Japan with her family. Hopefully this helps! http://www.jnto.go.jp/

    And I’m sure there’s some giant Pokemon building somewhere. :X

  5. um i think you guys are misunderstanding. I said tour guides like…books. With pictures. and maps.

    not some guy walking around babbling about how wonderful Japan is ^^;

  6. I stayed at Asakusa Ryokan for 5 nights in May. Their website is in English. http://www.toukaisou.com/index.html

    Ryokan style; futons on tatami; there are rooms with double bed and in-room toilet + shower. English spoken at front desk (yay Vancouver Canucks!).

    Walking distance to subway. Not too bad a neighbourhood. Walking distance to Asakusa Kannon. Lots of restaurants within 10 blocks (like the rest of Tokyo).

    My bible for trip planning is the Lonely Planet guide. The Japan one (older edition) can be found scanned online in Google Books.

    Oh, can someone explain to me the square patterns beside the posts?

  8. for starters if u`re choosing between jal and ana, go with ana (tried both before, at least at the time, ana services were a bit above jal)

    now, for your trip is kinda hard to think about it because all the friends IRL i know, they do stay on hostels/couchsurfing.

    its more of a low cost long term trip
    which enables you to walk around more than you planed =p

    which means you could go up to hokkaido or down to okinawa too =p

    hmmm 13.000￥.. in two people thats what you waste for lunch/dinner/coffee cans in a day

    good restaurants range above that much too (yeah,
    since its a short visit consider wasting money on food they taste great if you like japanese food)

    i mean.. oh well e.g. 500￥ for a bowl of ramen
    wasting money on the local supermarket is nice too @_@

    a lot to waste on yay @_@

    if u`re too unsure about the trip go with agency plans but if u`re used to trip around and i know you can read, then go there, walk around a bit (u`re gonna find hotels easily in the center if im not wrong) in worst case cenario just crash for a night in a hostel.

    oh also, talking with people who went for parties in the weekends in japan, they said ‘since it was a place to nap/shower, we just went to a love hotel, some even have laundry machines’ too bad im not sure of the prices (lol)

  9. When I was in Tokyo I stayed here: http://www.sakura-hostel.co.jp/ för 3nights I think it was. It’s really close to an amusent park and this big thiny it’s says lightning on.. I forgot what’s it’s called >_> In Tokyo we went to Ueno zoo to see the panda, but it died that day .__. Then we visited Disneyland (we were only there for 2 and a half day).

    Well, hope you’ll enjoy it. And eats lots of delicious food :)

  11. bicicles are nice!!1 hehe

    but do pray for no taifu during your stay, thats the only time u`ll be seeing any real rain in there anyway heh

  13. Thanks James and wacko =D
    Also my boss recommended to use Expedia to get a combo package for flight AND hotel…I’m thinking about doing that now. Anyone have any negative things to say about them?

  14. I guess everyone’s situation traveling to Japan is different.. twittered you some thoughts… also depends on what type of agenda are you guys going to do? Akihabara is very overrated, but definitely get to experience things that are not seen in America. Make sure you set a budget early on in the planning process..otherwise will be searching through things. Omo I know relied on a tour situation, I stayed with my friend, but traveled to other parts of Japan. Including one night stay at a hotel.

    Definitely get the JR Rail passes.. those are really great.. also purchase Ghibli tickets well ahead of before going to Japan.

  15. btw if im not wrong theres something about sunday tickets for the trains i kinda forgot about it but it was something about you pay a price and you can keep using it or whatever

    whatever, at the station nearby home, there wasnt even a person to take care of the station on sundays anyway

  16. Wow. Sounds like you’re planning your Japan trip around the same time I’m planning mine (with a bunch of college friends; also to visit my brother who is teaching in Shikoku).

    I might see you there!

  17. well, one piece (no pun intended) of advice – set a budget and hold to it or you will end up spending all the money on the first day in akiba or otome road…
    and get homebound tickets if you dont want to end up like characters of Megatokyo :P

  18. Orbits and Expedia and Cheapflights.com have worked fine for me in the past. I am in Japan now and he ticket was only 740 with taxes, but hey are going up again.

    1: GET A RAIL PASS. Living in Japan is not expensive…MOVING AROUND IS. A rail pass MUST be bought outside the country,
    http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html
    2:Toyoko Inns are the Howard Johnsons of Japan, but they are super clean and everywhere….60-70 bucks a night. All the ones I’ve been in have had laundry, internet access and complimentary breakfast.
    http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

    3: use the rail pass….visit places outside of Tokyo. Go to Himeji castle.

    If you are staying more than 2 weeks I’d say “GET OVER IT” and share a bathroom. The guest houses are great…but they really are not cost effective for less than about 2 weeks as they run 5-800 a month and none I’m aware of pro-rate.

    #Remember about your shoes
    # when visiting castles wear really tough socks
    #put the right trash in the right receptical
    #respect the locals personal space
    #ask permission before taking someones picture ESPECIALY if they are in costume
    #Eat at McDonalds once or twice..trust me.
    # try the local food…do not leave without eating Tonkatsu Curry.
    # Heroes Steakhouse in Akihabara has some of the best steaks evah.

    Thats it for now…good luck! *)

  19. i find it funny how everyone says go see ghibli go see ghibli when my interest in ghibli works is pretty much 0. i dont care that hes the god of anime or whatever, it’s like telling a foreigner who comes to america that they MUST visit grand central station or they’re missing out – when all it is, is just a train station on 42nd street with overpriced dining concourse >_>

    anyway -were only staying for about a week and a half. I’ll definitely try expedia – I heard they have good combo deals regarding hotels AND flights. We’re not going outside of Tokyo so a JR pass would be a waste of money. We’re thinking of getting one of those cards that you put money on to travel between the different Tokyo wards.

    I also heard the Japan McDonalds is a billion times better than American ones so lol yea I definitely want to try it. (aside from the fact that I love Donald memes on NicoNico…ranranruuu~)

    Seth I don’t know if we’re gonna rent a cell phone when we go to Japan so I have no idea how I’d ever meet up with you lol.

  20. When I went last month I stayed in a superhotel, which was cheap to split between 2 people per room (~8000/night, with breakfast), but it wasn’t really made for tourists. I stayed in Akabane for no reason, which is a bit more homely but probably too shady for a tourist, too. Definitely get a hotel near a major train station, the transit fees do add up and it’s something to take into account.

    I would consider a JR pass only if you plan to travel a lot, or going to ride the shinkansen. The trains are nice but why travel when you are better off minimizing it anyways?

  21. mc donalds is cheap XD 500yen for a meal, sometimes thats 10x cheaper (lol)

    too bad a few sandwiches are a bit too sweet @_@
    btw hell i miss eating takoyaki T_T

  22. Oh, cell phone rental–there are like a dozen places in NRT you can pick one up. Mine was about $30 including all calls, free email, for 6 days. So it’s not cheap. I think if I shopped around I probably could have gotten a better deal.

    It’s not really necessary unless you want to get in touch with people, which I did.

  25. 1 week JR pass will pay for itself only if you go to Kyoto and back once using the Shinkansen. It also allows you to prebook train tickets, and to walk in and out of Tokyo area JR trains without figuring out the correct fare! But it doesn’t cover the Narita Express.

    One thing to look into is SUICA/NEX, which I think is a combination subway + Narita Express train pass. Start your research here:
    http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_002.html

    There are plenty of cheap hotels that you can book yourself online. There might be a bit of headache since you might have to fax them something. For fun, you can search for capsule hotels! I don’t have a link, sorry, but I know a friend has stayed for one night. Anyways, the best way to stay is to bum nights at friends’ places. Start calling in your Japan contacts!

    Cheap food: Find a supermarket (basement of Sogo, etc.), and go there 1/2 to 1 hour before closing time (8pm!!! so freaking early). The cooked food section will clear out their stuff for 1/3-1/2 price. McD sells the cheapest coffee in Japan.

    More food: You will spend a lot of coins buying canned drinks, just like all the anime. A LOT. Also you must eat at an izakaya at least once. It’s gonna be expensive, though.

  26. For eats, the best way is to find some Japanese person who knows all the delicious-but-reasonable eats. For example, try out Jangara Ramen when you visit Akiba. It’s totally awesome for 800-900 yen (Ippudo-grade stuff).

  28. I just went this may for about 2 1/2 weeks with a group from my university (for the last five days me and my girlfriend were on our own). We went with a professor who was from Tokyo (actually, around Ueno were we stayed). I had been planning my own trip before hand, but once this opportunity showed up, those plans went by the wayside. I would definitely say starting to plan now is a good idea. Our group started planning probably 8 months in advance.

    Hands down the best place to stay would be the Oakwood Apartments in Shinjuku. They are mainly a temporary housing place for business people, but they will book shorter stays too to fill up vacant apartments. Awesome place, professional, friendly, helpful staff in an ultra modern complex. This is were we stayed on our own. We had a single studio apartment with a full bed which is in you budget range per night (even though they called it a double i think). Had all the cool stuff you hear about in Japan, ie electronic toilets, automatic bathtub that filled itself with your preferred temperature bathwater, lcd tv with Japanese cable equivalent, and even a kitchen. Also the icing on the cake was an awesome sky lounge up at the top of the comlex with awesome views of the west shinjuku business district. We booked directly through them.

    If a more traditional experience is what you after, we stayed with the group at Hotel Edoya in Ueno. Tatami mats and futons, plus your own bathroom, the best of both worlds. I think that place is also within you range, but the room descriptions are confusing on their website.

    Hope this helps, definitely consider the Oakwood, probably the coolest place Ive ever stayed in my life.

    Here is some things we did, maybe you’ll enjoy them too:

    -Sumo tourney
    -Kabuki theatre (looooong, as in 5+ hours)
    -Tokyo National Muesum
    -Tsukiji fish market (might get run over by a cart)
    -Roppongi hills (mori art museum on like 50th floor, other neat stuff there)
    -maid cafe (http://popopure.com)
    -neko cafe (www.nekojalala.com)
    -look for events and festivals (we went to a bigsite art event and Sanja Matsuri)
    -see an anime movie? (we saw eureka 7)

    sry for the long post, got a little carried away.

  31. Would ya pick me up a loli while your there? Mine is getting a little old.. and it’s starting to sound like kugimiya rie looks like I gotta put it down again :[

  32. so i live in tokyo, so i know the area pretty well.
    actually i live in ikebukuro, which is actually a pretty good location, close to many cool areas,

    15 min to shibuya, 7 to shinjuku, 15 to ueno, 20 to akihabara and asakusa, 15 min to tokyo station
    and ginza

    i don’t know of any specific hotels, but location is definitely important when running around the city. tokyo is huge. don’t underestimate that.

    i also recommend, shinjuku gyoen, its a very beautiful park. especially during cherry blossom, so many varieties. it’s my favorite park in tokyo.

    and i’m sure your travel books have mentioned other good placs like: nakameguro, shimokitazawa, koenji, yoyogi park (especially on sundays, there’s always like a sort of festival or a flea market) i definitely recommend kichijoji, there’s a nice park and on weekends there are street performers (same for ueno), and there are lots of nice shops. though if you plan on shopping, its a bit expensive here, i prefer the flea markets where you can get clothes for 100 yen or 200 yen at the cheapest.

    oh and if you choose to see a movie, after 8:00 its 1200 yen. usually its 1800 yen, the first of the month its 1000 yen. and wednesday is lady’s day.

    and here’s a good website for trains, you just plug in two stations and it tells you how long it takes to get there, which lines to use, and how much:
    http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/
    and the last train is usually around midnight(depending on the train line), so be careful. but if you get stranded you can sleep in an all night manga/internet cafe or do karaoke all night. or i guess there are always love hotels.

    and with trains, if you don’t get a jr pass (which i think will be worth it especially if you go to kyoto) you should at least get a passmo or suica, which is this card you put money on and the turnstiles deduct money from when you use. very easy to buy and use.

    so yeah, that’s a lot of things, but i really hope you enjoy tokyo, i really love this city.

  33. Dammit, why can’t you go to Kyoto? That’s the only city I really know.

    P.S: Looks like Kaichou wa Maid-sama just got an anime.

  36. If your planning on really stocking up on otaku merchandise you should probably think about sending your goods back to your house in NYC.

    I’m talking kilos here,shit that won’t fit in luggage,If your just getting some doujins than don’t worry about it.XD

  37. nah I wouldn’t buy otaku stuff in Japan….I can get it in my city lol, too many Japanese things in NYC XD I don’t buy otaku stuff anymore…if this was 10 years ago this would actually be a serious concern though :lol:

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