tokyo

[gorgeous_me]

ah talaga, mas ok ang rate sa airport, hehe, sige don na lang siguro ako papalit
tnx sis

[indigo.tulle]

exciting noh!?  sarap ng takoyaki!!!! ^_^

changing colors usually starts up south tapos ends north, so would suggest ending your stay at tokyo area. 

[lheimatte]

Sis indigo.tulle, thanks for sharing. 5D lang kasi kami, initially we want to check Mt. Fuji pero feel masyadong gahol kami sa time, if only we can extend two more days para sulit ang JR pass for Mt. Fuji and Tokyo sideway trip. Kasi kung pilit namin sya, most likely yung 50k na additional cost for JR pass and Mt. Fuji tour na hinde sure kung magpapakita sa min sa 1st week ng Mar parang less than 2 days lang namin ma eenjoy, tapos parang amazing race pa dating namin. Just have to check for a promo rate around autumn don na lang namin ispend yung 50k add na lang kami ng konti, mas mahabang time pa ang travel namin. Haba ng explain hehe. Isa pa, if ever san sa kyoto o nara or osaka meron covered pa ng snow by 1st week ng march? Thanks ulit!

[cherrynaval14]

when we went to Japan, we already exchanged our money at Czarina Foreign Exchange. you can google it at Cubao:)

[lheimatte]

Sis cherrynaval14, noong pumunta ka sa japan last time, bumili ka ba ng JR pass? Pano yung transpo from Osaka to Tokyo nyo and how many days kayo sa osaka/tokyo? Can you share you iti to me? Thanks!

[cherrynaval14]

we used willer express or the night bus trip from osaka to tokyo and vice versa.  link: http://willerexpress.com/x/bus/dynamic/3/en/html/pc/bus/index.php f . We chose the 11:30pm departure from Umeda Sky Building willer office to shinjuku station. we arrive at 6:30am. we chose the relax double seater. It costs me around P5,750 (roundtrip). My total transpo expenses amounted to P10,500 including the willer, suica card (tokyo) and icoca card (for osaka). When we arrive at osaka kix airport, we bought at the travel desk the osaka unlimited pass for 1 day of 2,000 yen. This already includes a free entrance to Osaka Kaiyukan aquarium, osaka castle, floating garden observatory and more. We used the icoca card for USJ since this can be accessed by JR trains. Then for the osaka city tour  used the osaka unlimited pass. We rtoured Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium, Tempozan, Shinsaibashi street, Amerika Mura, Dotonbori, and Ebisubashi. We went back to our hotel before 6pm to check out at 9pm then we went to Umeda Sky Bldg. since the Willer Express office is at the GF of the said bldg. We planned to visit the Floating Garden Observatory but we did not push through because the elevators are transparent so we got scared. We checked in at Willer Bus and 10 mins. before the departure time, they already called our attention to line up. Before we ride the bus, we lined up  and the conductor asked us first what station is our arrival so he can  designate the luggages per station. When we arrived at Shinjuku, the conductor took out all our luggages in the compartment and off we went. Then we purchased the suica card at the train station. We only used suica card in tokyo (tokyo disney resort, JR trains and non jr trains). Then we returned the suica card at shinjuku station and got a refund of 1,000 yen . Then we arrived again at Umeda station at around 7am from Shinjuku. We also used japan-guide.com. I also downloaded the ipod applications of trains.jp , japan subway route map and go tokyo.

[cherrynaval14]

our itinerary was:
nov 24 night arrive osaka kix airport; check in at Hotel Il Grand Umeda
nov. 25 universal studios osaka
nov. 26 osaka kaiyukan aquarium; tempozan; Minami-Namba (shinsaibashi, amerika mura vill.; ebidubashi, dotonbori) and umeda; bus night trip to shinjuku tokyo
nov. 27 check in at Hotel Nihonbashi Villa; Asakusa Sensoji temple,  ginza, ebisu garden place (hanayori dango), harajuku -takeshita shopping street and meiji shrine, shinjuky (tokyo metropolitan gov't office), shibuya (crossing street and hachiko statue) and tokyo tower
nov. 28 tokyo disneyland
nov. 29 tokyo disney sea
nov. 30 akihabara (maid cafe), fujiko f. fujio museum (doraemon museum), odaiba/tokyo teleport station (venus fort, aqua city, fuji tv bldg. rainbow bridge;check out at hotel at night ; willer bus to umeda station
dec. 1 osaka castle, departure to manila.

thanks.
           

[cheaca]

Sis cherrynaval14, thank you so much for posting your detailed itinerary. This will help me a lot!

[melodymedley]

I'm back to planning this trip!  I've been reviewing my itinerary. I've decided to stay in Asakusa area instead of the Shinjuku area because there are more hostels in Asakusa and they are 1000 yen/night  cheaper than the one I want in Shinjuku. I will be staying the first four nights in Tokyo.

The hostel is located a minute away from Asakusa station, I am looking at these options:
1) Keisei Line Limited-Express or Express / 80min / 1,060yen (change trains at Aoto station), get off at Asakusa Station.

2) Narita Express / 60min / Reserved seat）, get off JR Tokyo Station
Take JR Yamanote/Keihin-touhoku Line / 7min / 150yen, get off at Ueno Station
Metro Ginza Line / 5min / 160yen, Asakusa Sta

The #1/Keisei option seems cheaper. I can just purchase a ticket for the Keisei line and I'll buy a Suica card separately at 2,000 yen. Total of 3,060 yen.

For #2/Narita Express, I will be using the Suica + Nex (one way) card which will cost 3,500 yen.

The difference is just around 500 yen but I do not know which option is more convenient. Any insights? According to Japan guide's website, the Keisei line is slower and there are no seat reservations and it can get crowded during rush hours. I will be arriving NRT airport at 6am. After immigration, luggage, buying the tix, getting and reading maps, I might be able to ride the train at around 7:30 or 8:00am na. Hope you girls can help me out.

This will be another solo travel and I am very excited! I've always wanted to go to Japan since high school (blame it on all those Anime).

[lheimatte]

I'm wondering kung meron bang promo airfare na Narita-Manila? Naisip ko lang if we buy one way na narita-manila since meron kaming mnl-kix na papunta (actually roundtrip to) pero gusto namin mag extend kahit 2 to 3 days para masulit namin yung trip at madaanan na rin ang mt. Fuji and tokyo, 5D lang kasi yung original trip namin. Hope meron makasuggest ng promo fare para instead of buying jr pass eh mag overnyt bus na lang kami going to tokyo. Around 1st week ng Mar yung original na travel namin. Thanks!

[indigo.tulle]

@melodymedley:

Imho, take the Kesei ACCESS EXPRESS instead, for Y1240 for 50 minutes, plus its very convenient (convenient = transporting luggages with elevator and escalator. 

You won't have to worry being rush hour because the NRT1 is the first base so, you'd have a lot of empty seats.  It's more crowded at the JR stations also.


Please see, http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.html
for updated information, fares and timetable. 


Would you be staying only within Tokyo area, not going to Osaka?  for me, the Metro Day Pass (maybe bundled with the Kesei Ticket) is very economical than the Suica card.  It's unlimited day pass (you can check which one though is more useful for you, but you're staying at Asakusa, which is covered by it) and these subways are the fastest vs the JR stations, that is, if you use the subways heavily. 

[greyzie]

We planned to visit the Floating Garden Observatory but we did not push through because the elevators are transparent so we got scared.

We chickened out din andun na kami sa base ng elevator connecting to the other building

Were you able to check the basement of the building? It's quite interesting, as well...

[cherrynaval14]

Hi greyzie! Dun lang kami sa tumambay sa mga food stalls sa baba ng umeda sky bldg.  yung sa harap ng entrance. we did not enter inside the bldg. anymore, just did people watching hehe. may free ticket na nga kami. naakot lang talaga at see-through ang mga elevator doors. around past 9pm na nun. then we also had our baggages with us  to consider pa, kaya nag dalawang isip na kami   pero ngayon, nagsisisi kami kasi naging destination rin yun sa previous "the amazing race". nakakapanghinayang .

[melodymedley]

Thanks sis indigo.tulle! Good point. Oo nga no, first stop sya (mala MRT North Ave, hehe) so pwede nga ako maka-upo. Thanks for the link!

I will be based in Tokyo (4 nights, with a daytrip to Nikko) and Kyoto (4 nights, with a daytrip to Nara). Will go back to Tokyo for another night then will fly out the next day. I will not be going to Osaka. Next time, para may motivation bumalik sa Japan.

I'll be reading about the Metro Day Pass. Sumasakit ulo ko sa map and passes ng Japan ha. hehe. 

[gorgeous_me]

^ay nakarelate ako, sumakit ang ulo ko kagabi sa map, akala ko train lang, tapos hindi ko makita yung ibang place, yun pala nasa subway, haha...hindi pa din ako tapos kakaaral ng map, LOL

[princess lorraine]

Hi! My best friend and I are planning to go to tokyo. Mga around how much kaya kailangan pag diy? Kasi sa travel agency 5d4n package nasa 1800usd. Tapos pipili lang eigher disney sea or disneyland. Ano pa ba mga must see sa tokyo? Thanks

[indigo.tulle]

@lheimatte:  may snow going up north.  we were there last april at kusatsu onsen (using the JR Pass)
http://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/foreign/    ...if mahilig rin kayo mag onsen, this was the best!  nagday trip kami to an outdoor hot spring and snow-mountains surrounding you.  ^_^   


@melodymedley: autumn in nikko!   
check this out sis, ganda pala.  http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo11/111012_oze.html

may I know saan ka magstay sa asakusa? looking for cheap accomodations also...mahal talaga sa tokyo area hotels, noh?

this overall map should make it easier:
http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/subwaymap/index.html

most are covered by the metro pass (except JR trains).


@princess lorraine: $1800 per pax ba, inclusive of airfare?  when do you plan to go?  madali lang idiy as long as you're prepared before you go (planned IT and how to get there an all) ...and if you can stay at a mid to high end hotels; or if you're buying JR Passes, Suica, or Metro Passes. 

for basics, please see japan-guide.com  and agoda.com for the hotels. 
ideally, touch base (or where you're staying) is maybe at tokyo (since you want to go to disneyland) ...

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3016_land.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3016_sea.html

also consider the tickets, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3016_tickets.html  ...


getting to and from destinations/pricing here:
http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/


hth.  gawa ka muna ideal IT mo, then let's take it from there.

[pheigh]

Joining...might help, been to Tokyo 2x na pero both are business trips Basically easy naman to go around since accessible lahat through the trains. As for the budget,hmmm I think it will be easier to compute pag naka-lay down na itinerary  Places to see, it depends sa interests mo. Tokyo naman offers both the old (traditional) and the new attractions. Best time to go there is during Cherry Blossom (Spring), I think they have actual forecast on what particular date. Set din enough budget for food (approx JPY1,500/meal up), kasi its something that I usually look forward din. Best places to shop - Shinjuku, harajuku and omote sando  Love the sale here, when they say sale everything on the store is sale.

[princess lorraine]

^^thank you so much sis! Yung 1800usd inclusive of airfare via nihhon air, 5d4n hotel accomodation, tours and meals. But pipili lang daw either tokyo disneyland and disney sea. I want to visit both sana. My best friend thinks it's too pricey. I'm not sure naman if kaya namin diy dun. Thanks sis! 

[lheimatte]

^sis, kung USD 1800 each masyado syang mahal, actually I'm preparing my Iti and for 5d/5n na kung tokyo/osaka/mt.fuji/kyot/nara tapos disney sea, universal studio, shrines, palaces, garden, with 7 days JR pass pa at 5k yen/head na day budget meal and hotels (di hostel) roughly around 150k for 2 na yun ha. Try mong ma diy sayang ang pang shopping. Baka lang makatulong