Hello Expats!

Some of my guys won the AirAsia "lottery" and got tix spanning the New Year weekend. I want to ask for them: Besides temples, what is there to do during the holidays, isn't everything closed? What's your experience?

Just noticed too, their flight gets into Haneda at 22:30. Does that mean it's too late except by taxi to get to a hotel on the other side of Tokyo?

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This post has been edited by oneeleven: Sep 26 2010, 07:54 PM

Those can be surprisingly expensive to Malaysians. Cheapest might be RM$7 with just bit of tofu or egg.
If you are on a tight budget, instant noodles and piece of fried chicken from a convenience store make a meal with protein, or even a McD special sometimes the cheapest thing to eat anywhere! If you can handle making stuff from a supermarket then you'll really be fine.

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PS: Can anyone say what is the latest situation with WiFi ? Last year it was still difficult to find free in most shopping areas. Are there pay hot spots at 7-11 now (like Taipei)?

Google it. Please know homestay is not just cheap lodging. You should be a warm and genuine family guest, willing to spend time and commitment to the hosts. Look up GIRI and understand it!

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If you only ride out somewhere and then come back at night (one return trip), the passes probably not worth it, especially if you take a combination of Metro underground and JR above-ground (different companies).

If you have over 5-6 hops that day then the 750 or 1,000 yen all services ticket is worth it. The Metro-only ticket is available at any machine. It is the same small size, so be careful, it's easy to lose!

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Can someone recommend an English radio station/show from Japan that we can get on the internet? I'd like a mix of music, news, features.

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Don't know if he is just being sarcastic but just in case you need to know, there are many ways to cut back a lot if you are there for a long stay.

1. Yes, have good walking shoes. It's not that far between 2 or three train stops. Even in winter, walking keeps you very warm. Group all your distance travel in town on the same day and use an all day pass. Take the slower train or bus from the airport. Don't ever miss the last train at night or the necessary connections.

2. Those are not really cheap and you might get malnourished. Try to get lodging where you have some way to heat up food like a microwave or even kettle. Then you can get inexpensive stuff from the supermarket like eggs, sausages, make your own sandwiches to carry out for meals. Look for late afternoon, late evening clearance tagged fresh food items. The convenience stores usually have cooked eggs, dried meat/seafood snacks, fried chicken pieces. You can have these for the price of onigiri. Try the free samples in the food section of department stores early evening.

3. Fill a used plastic drink bottle and carry it with you. Fill with tea, coffee, milk or juice when you leave and then refill on the street from drinking fountains or even restroom taps. Buy soft drinks (and many other things) in the 100 yen shops.

4. Look in the free English tourist magazine listings for a guest house room to rent by the week. Some Japanese stay overnight in train station corridors but probably only if they are waiting for the first train. If you must do it, don't look too shabby to attract police checks. See if there is a manga shop nearby where you can sleep on a chair overnight for a small price. Luggage can go into station coin lockers.

Travelling in Japan, be proud to be a cheapskate; blowing a big load of Malaysian cash will not compare with what Japanese spend when they want to impress!

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Japan is different; enjoy whatever is there. Just breathe the clean air, taste the tap water, walk around the clean streets, notice the difference in the McD afternoon promo, etc. Walk down into the Metro -- don't need to go anywhere, just look at the huge mall. Pop into free temple and shrine gardens, watch people in Yoyogi park. Window shop 2-3 days around Shinjuku Station. Look at the manhole covers in the sidewalks. Checkout my last post yesterday.

As you can see from others' comments. this kind of travel is not for everybody. Before the big spenders scare you off, I can say I've done both high and low travel, many trips, Shinkansen all over, lived in Tokyo and Kansai for months, and stayed in fancy onsens, and I still say it is most enjoyable just walking and exploring.

(And don't worry, if Fukushima blows up, radiation will circulate all around the world anyway.)

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Maybe those celebrating hanami are enjoying what's left of their lives???? And please don't say "japs" very insulting like the "N" word and uneducated behaviour.

Wanna see fake ones smiling politely at gaijin (check out "tatamae") or real ones with feelings in a crisis? Different strokes.....

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This post has been edited by oneeleven: Mar 26 2011, 05:43 AM

Just be careful yakuza touts in Kabukicho don't drag you by the arm into a bar and you have to pay pay pay for all kinds of extras (not even AHEM).

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Try browsing at the biggest Don Quixote store , near Shinjuku/Kabukicho too:

http://www.tokyoq.com/weekly_updates/tqoole/don.html

There are others around town. Also a Muji for inexpensive stylish goods and moderately priced restaurant:

http://www.tenkai-japan.com/2008/07/29/muji-shinjuku-store/

Top floors in Shinjuku Station have beautifully decorated corridors around expensive restaurants. At least one all-you-can-eat (tabehodai). Don't eat, just look! Anyway, usually a long queue sitting outside waiting for a table.

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This post has been edited by oneeleven: Mar 28 2011, 11:09 PM

Give up this plan. I notice a lot of mistakes in your English. Even language exchange partners for free practice will choose carefully, and even reject Brits and American-born Asians. Private schools of course will take blonde blue-eyed females who just learnt some travel phrases before they left Siberia. The Japanese willing to pay well for lessons are usually highly educated and need an experienced high level trainer for public speaking, business comms, technical translation, etc. Please do go and enjoy Japan but you must re-think or re-educate.

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PS @ Lucidus -- background to your trip is very interesting, and I am sympathetic, having stayed one night at the Washington long ago when I did not know where else to go! Just an opinion -- try looking for a cheap hostel or guest house near Ueno (incl Iriya,Nippori, Minowa, Asakusa). It is an older area with plenty to see and do, food and shopping is less expensive, many transport lines even to the airport but walking distance to most things. You should have had enough of Shinjuku by then.

This post has been edited by oneeleven: Apr 6 2011, 08:23 PM

Thank you so much for the pictures. Heart numbing. Somehow they hit me more than what I've seen on the news.

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