Japan Thread 5

[otra_vez]

Hiya ladies and gents! Need help. How many days should we allot for our Japan trip if we are planning to hit:

1. Tokyo-of course
2. Takayama and Shirakawago
3. Kyoto
4. Osaka
5. Sanrio Puroland

I'm not sold on Osaka, tbh. But my sister is insisting that we visit it. On the other hand, she doesn't feel like going to Kyoto. If we had to drop one or the other, which one should it be? Thanks!

[ataypool]

^Osaka only for the food, Dotonbori and Universal Studios. Keep Kyoto. Just do day trips from Kyoto instead.

[keilu]

Hiya ladies and gents! Need help. How many days should we allot for our Japan trip if we are planning to hit:

1. Tokyo-of course
2. Takayama and Shirakawago
3. Kyoto
4. Osaka
5. Sanrio Puroland

I'm not sold on Osaka, tbh. But my sister is insisting that we visit it. On the other hand, she doesn't feel like going to Kyoto. If we had to drop one or the other, which one should it be? Thanks!

it would depend if you're planning to hit the theme parks: Disneyland / Disneysea (Tokyo) and Universal Studio (Osaka) - as those will take a day each.

if you want to see the old japan - visit Kyoto. For Osaka - the food! Before i went to Japan, i did not particulary like the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe) - but after visiting - mas naaliw na ako sa kanya. The shops in Japan usually close at 8pm - kaya if gusto mo pa maggala  or kumain - the best if you're in Osaka kasi ang Dotonbori up to midnight.

also, take into account your budget. malalayong area yan lahat - unless you're planning on purchasing a 7day JR Pass. travel time mo pa lang sa ibang areas would take at least 8hrs.

[otra_vez]

thanks guys. not planning on any theme park except for sanrio puroland. so if we're doing the aforementioned cities, how many days do you guys think we should give this trip? my sister thinks we can do it in one week but she's the amazing race type and i like to take my time. would 10 days be enough?

[ataypool]

^never been to your no.2 on the list, but allocate a lot of time at Tokyo. Kyoto 2 days is enough if you're not into temples and shrines, or if you only plan to visit the main sites while for Osaka, 1 day just for Dotonbori. Sanrio Puroland is I think at the outskirts of Tokyo so one day is good. 

[berryprincessy]

Hi mga sis! noob question lang. nakabooked kami ng Osaka this coming October. may used SE visa na kami and nagtokyo na kami last year. question lang, baka pwede po ako pahelp sa schedule of stay na ipapasa ko for visa application. and also baka pwede po makahingi ng itinerary? 6N6D kami since yung first day namin is gabi na ang arrival sa KIX so check in and tulog na lang talaga. TIA

[bluewingedangel]

I hope somebody can help me with my questions. Planning a trip for Osaka but we do not know how to go about.

1. Paano po ba ang first step, do I secure a visa first or mag book na ng seat sale? Kasi gusto sana namin maka avail ng promo seats.

2. If we secure a visa muna, paano ba namin itataon yung travel dates. Like if we want to go mga June next year, kailan kami dapat kumuha ng visa? Hindi po ba 2 months lang validity ng visa, so hindi kami makaka-avail ng promo airfare kung sakali dahil too close to the travel date na?

Sorry nalilito kasi ako. So far I have traveled to visa free countries kaya wala pa akong idea. I hope somebody can advise me, clueless talaga ako.

[keilu]

@bluewingedangel

a visa is not guaranteed. you need to apply for this at least a month before your trip.  validity of the visa is 3 months from application with the embassy: for example: applied August 28 - it will be valid until Nov 28 when approved.

i usually avail of the promo fares - kc sayang naman nasa iyo na yan if you want to do a visa first or get a cheaper ticket first then apply for a visa. 

[bluewingedangel]

^salamat ng marami sis! i really appreciate! 

 

[barbillie]

Confirmed booking for Feb 2020:

6 days Hokkaido for the 2020 Snow Festival (staying in Sapporo with day trips to Otaru, Asahikawa etc.)
2.5 days Nagoya (inclusive of a day trip to Shirakawa-go, Takayama and Gokayama)
2.5 days Tokyo (planning to go to places na hindi namin napuntahan nung first time namin magvisit)

[neeners]

Sa mga mahilig mag shopping, here are discount vouchers for Don Quijote: https://justwandering.org/2018/destination/japan/free-discount-coupons-for-don-quijote-in-japan/

Love na love ko yang store na yan. One stop shop for me hahaha May souvenirs, may food, may grocery, may bags, cosmetics, and my favorite Meg Rhythm steam eye mask na available na sa Watson's pero todo hoard pa rin ako kapag nasa Japan lol

[sn0wh1t3]

Hi,

Secured a 7days/6 nights Tokyo trip for me and my 12yo son. Pa-bday gift ko sa kanya.
Our must-see list includes Disney Sea and yung Sumo wrestling. Ano pa kaya ang pwede naming idagdag? We are not into shopping, more on foodtrip pa siguro.

Any tips to make a tweener happy, will be much appreciated. Will backread na rin sa previous thread. Thanks in advance!

[ayanlanz]

subscribing...

Getting visa hopefully next month para sa feb 2020 travel namin.

^^ baka magkasabay po tayo ng travel dates.  Sa klook, 2 dates lang ang Shirakawa-go sched nila.

Anyway, I'd like to ask what rail pass should we buy po on this places:
1) Day trip - Tokyo, Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto
Is there any rail pass that we should buy to tour around the city for a day only?

2) We're staying in Nagoya, nakakalito kung alin rail pass ang kukunin namin to tour around also. 

We're planning to buy JR pass to travel to different locations. Nakakalito lang kung alin ang gagamitin within the city.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[ficklemind]

^ you mean sa Nagoya ang base nyo then daytrips kayo to Tokyo, Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto?
then get the normal JR Pass (nationwide) aroung 13K++ php per person for 7 days (ordinary car) covered din ang Rapid train to Shiriwakago, yung bus lang from Takayama ang hinde kasali.

nung first time namin sa Japan nag JR Pass din kami , we stayed  in Chubu region din with our relatives , we used JR pass going to Tokyo and back (plus the tokyo local trains for 3 days in) then daytrips din kami to Osaka, Nara, Kyoto. sulit na sulit

going back to Japan March next year and buy ulit kami JR Pass, base ulit namin sa Chubu then we'll travel to Tokyo hanggang Yuzawa then  Osaka/Kyoto/Nara hanggang Hiroshima. Mag Shiriwakago din kami. well, depende sa mga kasama ko pala 

Yun can use the JR pass sa Bullet trains ang local trains in Tokyo / Osaka/ Kyoto
may mga subway lines sa cities na hinde covered ng JR pass so just buy single tickets for that or yung mga reloadable IC cards.

[ayanlanz]

^thanks for the suggestion.

And yes po, Nagoya po ang ETA at ETD namin. We're budgeting that 13k JR rail pass while day trips to different cities. Sa Nagoya naman 2 days siguro pwede na to tour around. Nakakalito pero nakaka-amaze ang rail system nila. Haha... 

Sa SG simple lang ang train system while in HK, first time namin maka-experience ng undersea tunnel.  Feeling ko sa Japan, mararanasan namin ang sense of direction skills. 

Himala dahil hindi kami excited ngayon sa amusement parks unlike in SG and HK. Mostly tours and sightseeing ang peg ni bro. Except yung Legoland tower na selfie mode lang ang gusto. 

[rondashie]

^Japan rail systems are on a whole other level. May JR Lines and private lines. Yung JR Pass pwede lang sa JR lines but not the metro subway lines.

I've been to HK Disneyland and Universal Studios Singapore, and I feel like they are no match to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea and Univeral Studios Japan. Iba ang level sa Japan.

[keilu]

subscribing...

Getting visa hopefully next month para sa feb 2020 travel namin.

^^ baka magkasabay po tayo ng travel dates.  Sa klook, 2 dates lang ang Shirakawa-go sched nila.

Anyway, I'd like to ask what rail pass should we buy po on this places:
1) Day trip - Tokyo, Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto
Is there any rail pass that we should buy to tour around the city for a day only?

2) We're staying in Nagoya, nakakalito kung alin rail pass ang kukunin namin to tour around also. 

We're planning to buy JR pass to travel to different locations. Nakakalito lang kung alin ang gagamitin within the city.

Thanks for the suggestion.

your using Nagoya as your base for the whole stay? hmm..take into account that the train system in Nagoya is  subway - medyo tiring (the stairs!) and once under - kind of confusing - so alot time for your travel to the Nagoya station where the shinkansen is (unless near nagoya station ang pag stay nyo).

 if you are doing a day tour lang to tokyo or mt fuji - both are about 2 hours away - you need to reserve seats sa Shinkansen or if not - sa unreserved seats kayo - havent tried the unreserved one since we usually reserve seats kasi. ubusan din ang seats kaya you need to plan ahead to get the time of travel you want.

make sure you download the app - Japan travel by navitime japan - this is the app recommended by JR east para you know the time of the train and the connections. on time ang train sa japan, so kung ano time naka lagay dun, yun talaga ang time of arrival ng train.

and nagoya is better traveled using their bus sytem. they have a tourist bus that circles all the tourist spots in the city - you can either buy the day pass or pay the flat fee every stop.

[ayanlanz]

^thanks for the suggestions po. 

We're going to purchase JR whole japan rail pass po, I guess magpapareserve kami nang maaga. Looks like magiging suki kami ng mga train stations.   

Matatapat sa isang holiday ang sched namin kaya sure na within Nagoya lang ang magiging itinerary namin sa araw na yun.

What pass/card po ba ang easy to use para sa Nagoya subway at bus system? 

[anniegurl]

Preparing for your trip Jan 23- feb 2 Kyoto- osaka

[keilu]

^thanks for the suggestions po. 

We're going to purchase JR whole japan rail pass po, I guess magpapareserve kami nang maaga. Looks like magiging suki kami ng mga train stations.   

Matatapat sa isang holiday ang sched namin kaya sure na within Nagoya lang ang magiging itinerary namin sa araw na yun.

What pass/card po ba ang easy to use para sa Nagoya subway at bus system? 

yes its better to sked ahead your shinkansen trips para sure kayo sa time and seat.

for nagoya - try reading up here (this is where i usually check where to go whenever i travel to japan): https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3302.html

but for nagoya - they have a day pass/tourist pass. https://www.nagoya-info.jp/en/access/getting_around_nagoya/subway.html  otherwise, you can buy the ticket everytime you ride the train.