I know there has been the whole issue over OT subject recently.....but this is only board I know I can get an honest answer from ^_^ In june I am going to Japan for a week on holiday (w00t!). Now I am looking forward to this very much (despite exams coming up very soon)...but I was wondering about currency stuffs. Is it worth taking Travellers Cheques and Yen, or Just Yen? or what? I'm really not too sure ^_^ All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
Wherever you go, you'd be a fool really if you JUST took the national currency. At least you have insurance on travellers cheques. Best thing is to have some cash, some travellers cheques, and a credit card.
Better get Yen at home,they won't take any foreign currencies beside less banks who will exchange yen for dollars for insane fees (yes nobody likes foreigners nor their currencies ;-)
Go fish. Japan has some of the cheapest exchange rates in the world due to regulation. The best part? It costs the same at the airport, or at the bank down the street. Bring your currency here (in travellers cheques) and change it.
There aren't SO many places to cash in for foreigners, so the airport would probably be best. Japan is a cash society so don't plan to pay in cheques at all, if you bring them make sure you do it with the intentions of exchanging them for more cash. I recommend a money belt, much less cool than a money clip but more practical If you're going to Tokyo, you might be able to find your bank (if international) in Ginza. Also, I'm sorry that you're going in June. That’s the touristy season/shitty hot weather season, right GaijinPunch?
Depends. First two weeks of June can be okay, although hot. The last two will almost undoubtedly be filled with rain. Any (even Japnaese) bank will cash travellers cheques. When in doubt, by American Express Cheques. You will have no problem with them.
I'm going to Tokyo in July & August... that also the "shitty weather & tourist season"? By the way, as I'm going on a limited budget, I cant afford to eat out every day. As there's a kitchen in the gaijin house I plan to cook m own food... how's prices for supermarket food and stuff? Or are there any places to eat cheap (sorta like Old Country Buffet in the 'States :smt040 )
July and August are pretty hot. If you're not walking around in a suit, it's bearable. Just really muggy, so bring LOTS of T-shirts. You will not be able to wear an undershirt twice without washing it (unless you don't mind reaking to high heaven). In all honesty, the super market food is pretty expensive in relation to eating out. The cheapest meal is McDonalds -- you can fill yourself up for less than 600 yen.
Also it's not the acceptable european hotness but the nasty asian real high humidity hotness,so take lots of t-shirts with you,you won't need anything else ;-) Just eat soba/ramen all day or get conbini food from 711s or the other stores that are just some meters away from you ;-) Also Mc Donalds is an alternative if you don't get enough calorines.Tourist season is always when many people have their holidays so think for yourself ;-)
on a budge, right? Those T-shirts are probably $30-$40 each... hard to resist with something so stupid written on them. I missed buying a greeting card that said, "Please come on my new house!" As sOurce said - Ramen is another alternative, although it'll just make you hotter. Another $5 meal, and will still a bit greasy, it actually qualifies as food, where McDonalds doesn't.
Yeah tokyo is full of design clothing shops who want insane amounts for their stuff but everybody buys it anyway.The normal t-shirt price is 40-60$ for designer stuff.So nothing for you with a tight budget.Also L is mostly already hard to find and the biggest size there.I normally wear XL or XXL which is a nearly impossible find there ;-) So it's not the right place for buying western sized clothing for tall foreigners at affordable prices.
I bought many T-shirts for $6-14, all L but shrunk to M after a few washings; price and quality all depends on where you shop. There are cheap places to buy things... Stores like LAOX in Akiba have cheap random things. If you leave Tokyo, normal amenities will cost up to 60% less. Unfortunately outside of Tokyo can be boring. If you don't have a JR pass, getting anywhere will be a bitch. For cheap food, AM/PM is probably the best; tons of premade 400en meals which they'll heat for you. Many of them taste as good as an actual resturant... um also you can get really good "premium" add-water udon, they cost like 200en opposed to 120. Lastly, buy drinks from vending machines if you're on the run. With a little searching you can find a machine holding a "+20% more" drink for the same price as a regular size hah.
Their L is like M anyway. But you can't get designer engrish shirts for that price only the non designer stuff that nobody wants ;-)
Engrish shirts are designer? Designer things usually range from $50-100 a pop, and are are usually imported... You wont see a single girl in Japan without something Louis Vuitton. I'm sure a great place for crazy cheap shite is the Tokyo Big Sight flea market, it appears to be 90% clothes so that'd probably be an area of interest.
NOOOO shhh! dont say hthat here! not near me!!!! (spent 8 solid hours shopping yesterday and got erm oh yea nothing! haha i even tired a girl out from shopping!) Erm ahh all the evisu there must be there... mind u its abit skanky here now... so is lV! thats the most skanky thing to be wearing here. . .
