Making a trip to Japan- suggestions!

No offence but you are basing this on what exactly? Your own years of experience living in Japan? Because this is a rather crude generalization in my opinion. And one I would disagree with.

 

You can try downloading maps into your phone, maybe? There's also Google's online maps. I recommend keeping a pocket wifi with you. It can be quite helpful, and you won't have to lug around a laptop with you that way. I'm assuming you have a competent enough smart phone, of course. The other option would be to rent an entire phone. Lots of options here:

http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/pocketwifi.html

I've used them with success during my last trip. Just make sure you register well enough in advance so they have the item you're trying to rent.

For another option, a friend of mine successfully used these guys:

http://www.econnectjapan.com/

The batteries on the pocket wifi devices tend to last around 5 hours when on the entire time. Syncing generally takes around a minute for it to fully establish a connection from the time you turn it on to the time you can use the internet on your phone. Connections can be spotty in subways and almost non-existant on trains, but I recommend going with some sort of service like this, even in the more rural areas. Actually, especially in the more rural areas. It helped me out more than once, that's for sure. Finding free hotspots in Japan can be brutal if you don't know where to look.

If you're looking for places to visit, check wikitravel. They have a good guide on where to get to places, how to get there, what's interesting to see, places to eat, etc. You can pretty much plan your entire trip based on things that look interesting to you on that site. When you're in Japan, just go there on your own and explore during your free time. Even if you're doing what a lot of the tourists do, when you're doing it alone and at your own pace, it feels more like an experience ... if that makes any sense?

One more cool thing about that rail pass - you don't really have to plan your routes. You can get on any JR train, ride it to wherever and get off whenever you feel like it. It's less stressful because you don't have to worry about constantly budgeting your trip with regards to travel fees, double-checking to make sure you got off at the right place, and most of all, you can be spontaneous with your stops. If you see some place that looks interesting, get off and have a look. Bored? Hop back on the train and take it to another location.

Oh, and I forgot about the money to bring question. It really depends on how much you're gonna splurge and what you plan on buying. After travel fees, I generally like to budget around $50 or so/day for food and whatever else I may be interested in. If you plan on buying more expensive things, you'll have to budget accordingly. If you plan on tightening your budget, that can be done without much of a problem, too. If you're short on cash and need money, try finding a local 7-11 or post office. Their ATMs should be able to accept foreign credit cards. I also recommend exchanging whatever cash you plan on bringing in Japan. Easy places you can do it are at the airport or at a post office. They seem to net a nicer exchange rate than the ones here, I've found.

 

And as we all know it's perfectly safe to have your balls X-rayed 24/7

 

Well the laptop I plan on using it's really "luggable", considering it'll fit in a pocket. And if I bring a full laptop, I'll have a backpack anyway, for carrying extra stuff and gear.

Thanks for that nice list of info, code001, I'll certainly put that into use. $50 a day seems about right, if not much less because I am planning to have some days where I just do nothing.

 

LOL! Time to wear lead lined underwear.

 

Wait! Who know it might give us the mutant power! Shooting yellow beam out of Mr Willy anyone~?

 

I'm going on a backpacking holiday to Japan this summer, I'm planning on starting in Kyoto and finishing in Tokyo (although I gotta go back to Kyoto for the flight home) over the course of about a month, is There anything in between those which would be good to visit? I'm really into old Japanese buildings and Landscapes as well as the hyper modern style of Tokyo

 

I'd recommend these places:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Nara (About 30 min south of Kyoto, so it's slightly outside of your route, but it'll probably be worth it)
http://wikitravel.org/en/Nagoya
http://wikitravel.org/en/Yokohama

These two are a bit outside of your trip, but you might still be interested in them:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Osaka
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kobe

 

I know it was a joke, but now I'm wondering if the radiation is somewhat harmful for a pregnant woman? I'm planning to spend about 2 weeks on tokyo with my wife.

 

This should help answer that:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eq/eng/04_recovery.htm
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/measurement.asp

 

if you are planning to use the bus to move about in Kyoto this may be of help - only in Japanese though...

http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/keitou/keitou.htm

Also something I read somewhere out in the net....


"...Be sure to look in the right direction. For example, if you plan to return on the same bus, you may need to cross road to the the stop on the opposite side(unless it's a circular route). Take note the arrival time so you know how much time you have at the attraction. ....use your mobile/camera to take a picture of the timetable which is quicker......"

 

Ah, such good info here. Teeming with help, thanks everyone.

Another question for all yous- what are the general rules for phones and devices on the bus/public transit? I have this feeling they're restricting.

Not like my music leaks from my headphones, but I just would like to make something I consider an every-day thing here isn't offensive there. The last thing I want to be is offensive.

 

While I was over there last year for a couple of weeks, texting/browsing is fine on the train, saw some people playing games on their mobile phones and (3)DS' with headphones on. Seemed like it was a faux pax to chat on the phone while on the train though. Have never been on public transport so quiet and clean in my life, mile better than anything back home. Though rush hours are pretty full on.

 

I miss Japan, all this talk of Japan!
I don't really miss it for it's technology though... more the lack of technology.
I stayed in Kyoto and Tokyo and Kyoto was far more cool.
Loved walking around all those temples. The paths just went on and on.
But alas, the friend I went over with had plans for each day.

If I could do it all again, I'd set fire to her plan book and just walk around for days on end! :biggrin-new:
Hope I can return there again someday soon...!
Have fun on your journey! :encouragement:

 

The trains will tell you what to do. Literally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcU45EM-k0M#t=6m47s

Texting/gaming/listening to music is fine. Just observe how others are doing things and copy them. You'll be fine.

 

I look forward more to the traditional buildings of Kyoto (like the kinkakuji and Gion district) rather than looking at shops selling figurines of anime characters! but I figure if I'm gonna pay that much to get across the world I may as well see as much of Japan as possible and load up on electronics and games that would normally kill me shipping wise

 

Well, I guess I won't be making calls anyway, I don't want to face those long distance fees.

I also just heard back from the homestay family- they're going to charge me a hefty fee per day.
1000 yen per day. ($10.8)

I am so happy. That is much lower than I initially planned for, so my budget just opened up a huge amount.