tokyo

[greyzie]

@coolchick- sa airport mismo look for the limousine bus and inquire for shuttle service to your hotel. If i remember it correctly, around 3000 yen ang fare. Maraming coin lockers sa airport but mabilis maubos yun for big luggages. Prepare din coins, 600 yen ata yun for large.

[CoolChick]

Hi girls! Thank you again Talkinme, Toocrazy, and Greyzie sa mga tips nyo! I'm already here in Tokyo. Good thing it wasn't as cold as I was expecting nung dumating ako last night and for most of today. Hindi ko kinailangan magsuot ng second layer under my jeans.

Medyo late dumating flight ko so I didn't see yung mga coin lockers sa airport. Dumeretso ako doon sa counter sa tabi ng exit to lobby para iwan yung isa kong luggage. Tinanong nga ng immigration bakit ang dami kong bags kahit 3 days lang ako. I had to explain na pauwi na ako ng Chicago. Nag-ok naman yung sa immigration. I took the Limousine Bus straight to the hotel as per suggestion nyo. Dali lang pala. .

Nagjoin ako ng Grey Line Tour for today. And tonight, sinubukan ko magnavigate around Shinjuku using this map guide of Tokyo and narealize ko hindi ko mabasa yung mga street signs sa map! I'm a little worried about going around on my own tomorrow. Gusto ko sana pumunta sa Ginza, Harajuku and Shibuya. Anyone with suggestions para sa easiest commute from Shinjuku?

Hulawho, sis I'm currently staying at Hotel Century Southern Tower here in Shinjuku. So far ok naman yung hotel and very close to the train station. Beautiful views of the city pa yung mga rooms. Napili ko sya kasi ok yung reviews nya sa Hotels.com and Tripadvisor.

[foxy_girlfriend]

sis anong station nearest ka? nearest JR line or Metro subway kasi you could opt to buy one day pass train ticket then ride all you can na yun.

[greyzie]

@coolchick: Harajuku & Shibuya, just use the JR Yamanote line. Paikot lang yun, every 5 or 10 minutes ang interval. Papuntang Ginza, need to use the subway na (Metro line). Kung nasa Southern Terrace ka, walking distance lang Shinjuku station.

here's a pdf copy of the train map:

http://www.tokyotopia.com/support-files/jr-train-map.pdf

[CoolChick]

Foxy_girlfriend, ay meron palang day pass! Sayang I didn't check Girltalk this morning. I paid about 190 or 160 Yen every time I rode the train today and mga 4 times din yun. . I'm near the Shibuya Station. Sobrang naduling ako when I first looked at the map ng trains. Lol!

Greyzie, yup I am here sa Southern Terrace. I just followed the people I think were going sa train station. Thanks sa copy! Everyone has been very helpful here! The hotel gave me maps of Tokyo and ng train. Naligaw ako nung una but medyo gamay ko na later on. So I basically rode the red, the green and the brown lines to get around. Minsan kasi nalilito ako kasi iba iba yung sasabihin ng mga tinatanungan ko. Grabe, I love Tokyo! Natuwa ako sobra. Sayang I have to leave tomorrow.

[hulawho]

Hi girls! Thank you again Talkinme, Toocrazy, and Greyzie sa mga tips nyo! I'm already here in Tokyo. Good thing it wasn't as cold as I was expecting nung dumating ako last night and for most of today. Hindi ko kinailangan magsuot ng second layer under my jeans.

Medyo late dumating flight ko so I didn't see yung mga coin lockers sa airport. Dumeretso ako doon sa counter sa tabi ng exit to lobby para iwan yung isa kong luggage. Tinanong nga ng immigration bakit ang dami kong bags kahit 3 days lang ako. I had to explain na pauwi na ako ng Chicago. Nag-ok naman yung sa immigration. I took the Limousine Bus straight to the hotel as per suggestion nyo. Dali lang pala. .

Nagjoin ako ng Grey Line Tour for today. And tonight, sinubukan ko magnavigate around Shinjuku using this map guide of Tokyo and narealize ko hindi ko mabasa yung mga street signs sa map! I'm a little worried about going around on my own tomorrow. Gusto ko sana pumunta sa Ginza, Harajuku and Shibuya. Anyone with suggestions para sa easiest commute from Shinjuku?

Hulawho, sis I'm currently staying at Hotel Century Southern Tower here in Shinjuku. So far ok naman yung hotel and very close to the train station. Beautiful views of the city pa yung mga rooms. Napili ko sya kasi ok yung reviews nya sa Hotels.com and Tripadvisor.

I checked Hotel Century Southern Tower na. Unfortunately, fully booked na sila sa preferred dates namin. Holy week kasi, kaya mahirap mag book.

Enjoy Tokyo! Can't wait for April!

[talkinme]

The weather will not be nice today, kasi uulan the whole day, anyway pwede mo kasi lakarin from Shibuya to Harajuku, maybe around 15 mins.

[khat]

sobrang miss ko Japan, been here twice na, gusto ko mag tour ulit dito, miss the shopping, yung mag lakad lakad, lalo na ang food,

[CoolChick]

Hulawho, sayang dami palang fully booked. I really enjoyed the hotel dahil sa location. Have fun rin sa upcoming trip mo sa Japan sis!

Talkinme, I saw sa map na pwede lakarin kaya lang I have been literally walking the whole day and night so I caught the train from Harajuku to Shibuya. Sumuko ako sa paglalakad. Lol! Kasi medyo nasa dulo na rin ako ng Omotesando. It was raining rin the morning I walked around on my own. Buti na lang lumabas ang araw.

[melodymedley]

I am planning a DIY trip to Japan - Autumn season in 2012. Would like to solicit your inputs for the Tokyo leg of my trip. IT is largely based on the Japan Guide website.

Day 1
- arrive in Narita Airport, 6:00am
- Proceed to a hostel in Shinjuku  area
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office
- Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
- Kabukicho

Day 2
-Sensoji Temple
-Boat ride on the Sumida River from Asakusa to Hama Rikyu
-Hama Rikyū
-Shiodome
-Odaiba

Day 3
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Shibuya
Harajuku
Meiji Shrine

Day 4
-day trip to Nikko

Day 5
- travel by shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto

Any inputs/comments would be greatly appreciated. I'm reading about the train lines and the passes that they offer and nakakahilo na sya. Walang "mother-railpass" that covers all the train lines. You really have to plan your trip carefully to do a cost analysis if the pass is worth it. I do plan to get the 7-day JR railpass when I travel and explore Kyoto and its surrounding areas.

[toocrazy]

^ i think the JR railpass is a good choice since that'll cover some of the trains na rin naman in Tokyo... but if you can afford it, get a Suica card na rin and load the minimum so you can switch to non-JR trains faster.

the trains might look intimidating (and it could be) but just ask people and you'll get around easy enough.

[foxy_girlfriend]

^^ sis depende sa pupuntahan mo sa odaiba sa day 2 pero ako ndi ko kaya yung odaiba ng 1 day from 10am to 9pm. ang dami ko kasi gustong puntahan don. been there 4 times already meron pa rin akong di napupuntahan (altho me mga inuulit kasi ako hehe). I bought a day pass ng yurikamome line going around odaiba.

[melodymedley]

@sis toocrazy - reading up on the Suica card and it seems like it is a good option. I won't buy tickets every time I change to non-JR trains. My 7-day JR pass will be valid from Day 4 pa. Since I will have a JR Railpass, can I just show up on the train station without reservation? Although free reservation naman kapag JR railpass holder. I am thinking what if I miss my train...Parang iniisip ko, dadating na lang ako and then hop of the next train out (no reservations)

@sis foxy_girlfriend - This is my plan for Odaiba. Is this feasible? Am thinking baka tabi-tabi lang sila.
Fuji TV Building
Rainbow Bridge
Palette Town
Toyota Mega Web
Ferris Wheel

[toocrazy]

^ sorry hindi na ako familiar dun sa reservation...

[greyzie]

^^sis, although tabi-tabi lang, medyo mahaba-habang lakaran yan. try mo rin ang miraikan museum at yun venus fort na mall (tabi lang ng toyota mega-web)... ganda kasi ng ceiling nung mall na yun.

btw, sis. you'll be entering narita ba, then go to kyoto and exit again sa narita? if so, sulit ang jr rail pass kasi one way pa lang sa shinkansen to kyoto is around 13,000 yen. But if Kansai na ang exit mo, di siya sulit.

convenient talaga ang suica or pasmo cards. meron sa narita yun suica & nex, that is, if you'll be using narita express from the airport. sulit siya kasi me free na 1,500 na load (plus 500 na refundable deposit)

regarding reservations, alam ko for shinkansen at express, need magpa-reserve. me seat number kasi yun otherwise, baka nakatayo ka for hours especially pag maraming pasahero. me choice ka rin pala if smoking or non-smoking. sa local trains or malalapit lang, no need na pa-reserve.

[melodymedley]

@sis toocrazy: hehe.

@sis greyzie: Yeap. Narita ang entry and exit point ko. Bale 10 days: 4 nights Tokyo. 4 nights Kyoto. 1 night Tokyo, then fly back. Mukhang sulit nga ang JR pass because I will be using it for Nikko too. And going to Nara or Osaka (haven't decided yet).

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check out that mall. I'll probably limit what I can see that day sa area na yun. Might be too much for a day's worth of sightseeing.

Yes, I will be taking the Narita Express from the airport. Might get the suica card na rin. If reservation is a must, hindi pala pwede na malate-late ako.

Sumuko na ko sa map ng Tokyo. Skip muna, Kyoto transportation map naman inaaral ko ngayon.
Sensya na matanong. Dito naman ako mangungulit. 

[greyzie]

^compared to tokyo, kyoto will be a breeze. ang ganda pa ng station
they have this city all day bus pass (500 yen). literally hop on-hop off from one tourist spot to another. if abot ka (usually 1st week of dec), meron event sa arashiyama... illuminated yun bamboo forest, sobrang ganda.

you can do both nara & osaka naman sa itinerary mo. try mo yun umeda sky building in osaka. naduwag ako dun pero baka makaya mo

i'm so excited for you, sis... planning pa nga lang exciting na.

btw, nagamit mo na ba ito? http://www.hyperdia.com/
kung hindi pa, it's a great tool kasi anjan na train sched & fares para you can compare din kung ano cost effective sa you.

[vhanya]

yup kyoto and osaka is so easy to navigate =)

[foxy_girlfriend]

sis melodymedley, you can check the places to go in Odaiba here
http://www.yurikamome.co.jp/en/core_sys/images/others/pdf/outline_english.pdf

From Fuji TV Building we usually walk to
Palette Town
Toyota Mega Web
Ferris Wheel

Walking distance na din sa Toyota Mega Web yung Venus Fort, the mall
with the nice ceiling.
 
Sa may Fuji TV building we hang out din sa Decks beach
meron silang statue of liberty don. From Decks din
at night maganda view ng Rainbow Bridge. If you get lucky
you get to witness a Japanese wedding from the nearby hotels
sa Decks.

Before starting our tour to Odaiba, near sa Shimbashi station
may eat all you can na restau 1050 yen for 1 or 1.5hours may
Yakiniku and sushi na yun also bottomless drinks na yun from
the drink bar. Nagpapakabusog kami before ng matinding lakaran.

Tip: Get an English JR east map sa Narita pa lang. Available yun sa malalaking stations
upon request. Pwede ka rin naman magprint pero mas sturdy kasi yun.
You can download here
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/info/map_a4ol.pdf

You can verify kung ano yung magkakalapit
para magroup mo sila for your tours.

[melodymedley]

@greyzie: I was using that website just the other day to check the train sked. But I failed to consider that the JR railpass is not valid pala on Nozomi trains which are the fastest. I have to adjust my ETD Tokyo/ETA Kyoto.

I saw pics ng Umeda sky Building. Ansaya subukan! Very interesting structure. I'll have a field day taking pics.

Exciting ang planning! hehe. Kinda overwhelming din ang info and I am just looking at the japan-guide website and the ever-reliable GT. 

@foxy girlfriend: Nice! May eat-all you can pala for 1050 yen. I am dying to try an eat-all-you-can sushi/sashimi resto there. Lagot sakin ang salmon sashimi!  Hehe!