Hello there guys. I was just wondering if LYN had some sort of Japan-centric community and I found this thread.

Anyhows, I'm planning on coming to Tokyo sometime Nov-Dec for jalan2, budget style, for two weeks. See how far I can get by with kombini food, hostels, couch surfing and HelpX-ing.

Yes, with the rates as they are. Lol.

Hopefully I don't get stranded over there or sumthing. I'm not really looking to buy stuff or do anything specific, just there to sight see mainly.

It's been years since I was last in Japan and I kinda miss it, I guess. I've been planning to go back for years but only now is it happening.

Oh yeah, tried Go Go Nippon already, and while half of the game was informational, the other half felt... well... like a game. Well, it IS a game after all.

So guys, is the very idea of budget travel in Japan an outlandish one? Any general cost saving tips, ones that tour guidebooks gloss over maybe?

Other than that, I have some more specific questions.

1) Is it even worth it for me to get Softbank or JCR rental SIM (not iPhone, sadly), or would it be better for me to just get a pre-paid B-mobile U300 1-month SIM?

All I really need is data anyway. I'm dying to get a Prepaid SIM for another phone (I have spares) but I know that's not easy.

Similarly, I don't think the Japanese have prepaid blackberry simpacks either. Rather, is there any way for a tourist to get Blackberry services at all in JP? Besides JCR's rentals.

Any "backdoor" way to get data/blackberry services without resorting to rentals? Preferably pre-paid or contract-free.

2) Clothing - Hows the weather like Nov-Dec? It's like between autumn/winter so I'm having trouble deciding to pack for winter or autumn or both.

3) Anything interesting happening late Nov-early Dec? Most online guides I go to tell me nothing's on.

4) Suica or Passmo or JR East travel pass? Looking at the travel pass, I doubt I'm gonna need THAT much investment into travel. I'm more then game on spending time switching slow trains into the far reaches if it comes to that, vs taking a Shinkansen. And given enough stops, I can walk a long, long way (as long as it's cold).

4) ATM machines? Can we withdraw money from ATMs in JP from say Maybank or whatever? Through Cirrus or something? Or should I stick to traveller's cheques/bag o' cash for my financial reserves?

5) Kombini/Supaa Bentos - They DO have kinds that vegetarian/fish-based stuff only right? It'll be kinda horrifying if I were to spend 2 weeks eating cold soba and onigiri for bfast, lunch and dinner. Though I have no real issues if it actually comes to that.

Your insights are certainly appreciated. Dozo yoroushiku ya de.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Oct 18 2011, 07:54 PM

There's lotsa weird stuff to buy in Akiba...

Sorry for the extremely long reply lag, but thanks for the detailed write up. Now for counter qs:

1) I might just get the b-mobile for "emergencies" then, as it would prolly allow for the most basic of communication easily (email). It's not expensive too, relatively speaking.

2) Hmm, which means I won't get through a proper Japanese winter? Oh well, at least I don't haveta pack heavy overcoats.

3) Okay dokes. Let's look see if there's any fun stuff happening during that time.

4) I have an app doing the calculations for me, though it relies on online databases, thus the need for basic data.

5) That's a relief. But by "have to activate" you mean on the ATM machine in Japan, or through the bank in Malaysia prior to the trip (like someone else mentioned earlier) or both?

6) Unfortunately, yes, halal is a criteria, although I can live with cold soba/shashimi/sushi/seafood stuff most of the time. In short, things that are OBVIOUSLY non-halal I cannot, but I can munch "grey area" stuff quite easily.

Not that I can afford anything beyond cold soba bentos anyway lol, but I was wondering if they do have vegeterian/full seafood supermarket/kombini bentos.

Or I can go vegeterian - seems there's increasing interest in vege food there. Worse comes to the worse, I'll just bantai Raj Mahal lol.

Hmm. The Air Asia thing looks interesting. Maybe if this one goes fine I should go again next year, maybe target Osaka this time.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Oct 31 2011, 09:14 PM

2 weeks to go, visa, tickets, booking all sorted out.

Now I'm actually anxious. Hopefully 2 weeks for Tokyo-Kamakura-Nikko-Yokohama would be enough time.

Still a lot to do though in these last two weeks. Still refining my plans.

Tokyo busses seem hell to figure out though. Only online reference seem to be wikipedia, and god knows if that's updated.

Someone needs to whip up an Android app to figure out the busses, like the excellent "Tokyo Trains" app.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 20 2011, 09:20 PM

Well, that's true. Hell, if I can travel down from one side of Istanbul down to the other by foot, Tokyo should be fineeeee.

*famous last words*

Need to source myself a good pair of walking shoes though. And a stockload of Brahim's, just in case I start missing meat and chicken.

Dang. Even packet food? Oh well, I've fully marked total vegan food spots over in Tokyo, Yokohama, Nikko and Kamakura edi in Google Maps. A bite of something wouldn't be so hard to find now.

And if all else fails, there's always trusty natto and zaru soba.

And rad index... daym. Sure Xmen when I come back.

I'm staying around Minamisenju lol (Kiyokawa area) for the first 4 days - the black hole of Japanese Train system coverage (10-30min walk to the nearest stations, Minowa metro, Asakusa, Minamisenju). Heck, it's like the black hole of everything, really, but most of the cheaper, non-fully booked accommodations are clusted here lol.

But heck, it's bloody winter. I guess I'll just jalan to Ueno or Akiba. Save on transport costs too.

@obee: Changing skin? Ebi-furai man lol.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 21 2011, 08:37 PM

Visa wise, just prepare all the things required as put on the Malaysian Jap embassy website, 6k in bank, apply, settle. Mine all done after 3 days with little issue.

Wonder if Nikko is crap cold this year round, hopefully it is (I like cold). Planned to go Hakone, but Nikko worked out to be cheaper overall even with accomodations (thanks to the Tobu passes).

Plus I've been to Hakone before once. Nikko not yet.

Planning to raid the used camera/laptop/stuff stores all over Tokyo too. Hopefully I can get some good deals.

So any LYN guys (or gals) in the Tokyo area free to grab a drink or something during the 30th-10th? Or anybody in Yokohama on the 10th-13th?

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 28 2011, 01:30 AM

You coming back when? I'll PM you later lah.

Osaka pulak early sem hols (feb/march)? I should have 6k all ready by then muahaha.

Tokyo pun blum khatam, got heart. Boarding my Narita flight in 10 mins, suddenly very anxious.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 29 2011, 11:05 PM

Can, can. Will PM.

First day in Japan. Already got my BMobile 1-month U300 SIM sorted out (was painless, kinda). Posting care free with cheap (relatively) packet data right now from the Shitamachi area.

Yum.

Also managed to check out CrossPoint Omori. Some things were cheap as dirt (think film stuff), others okayyy lah. Konica Minolta stuff were cheap, 2nd hand AIS lenses slightly cheaper then Malaysia overall. Also a LOT of broken stuff (if you rajin wanna clean).

I got a old Sunpak flash for RM8 woo hoo. Free batteries summore.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 30 2011, 02:16 PM

Will do. Did search for those two myself, not yet.

Now dinner at what must be the most chic Vegan place in Tokyo that actually has logical prices, Ain Soph. Very the loft kinda feel in the middle of Ginza.

And really, Tokyo feels tiny once you get used to the trains and metro. You can get everywhere any time you like with only a simple metro map (and enough charge in your Suica/Pasmo), even my Train app is underutilized now.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Nov 30 2011, 06:10 PM

Same here nasizwan. This ain't gonna be my last time in Sun Up land.

Back from day 2. Went to a lot of places (Tsukiji, Ginza again, Harajuku and Shinjuku) but if you want camera stuff (vintage film stuff specifically), Nakano's Fujiya is the place to go, especially the "Junk Shop" branch (they're all clustered together anyway).

Should be old news to Tokyo-ites however.

They were carting off (literally) lenses for like what, ¥2100 each? I even got a Minolta MD 50mm f1.4 woot, but I only saw 3 Minolta manual lenses (2 of which I bought).

Besides cartfuls of bodies and PnSes, and lenses of almost all other makes.



Here's a pic from my blog (shameless plug lol).

CrossPoint was ooookay, but Fujiya's Junk Shop is a treasure trove. Bear in mind though, stuff is sold AS IS in them carts, so you'll have to take your chances (you can inspect to your heart's content before purchase though). There ARE some modern AF lenses too, but mind the fact that the condition it's in varies greatly.

AND, the worst thing is, they accept VISA. Bye bye my credit limit.

Tomorrow, Kamakura/Enoshima. And Fujiya again if I have extra time lol (or maybe some of the shops in Shinjuku, need to check those too).

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Dec 2 2011, 03:18 AM

This works most of the time, just make sure your English place name sounds Japanese. Ie. Shibuya Crossing = Shibuya Crossingu.

Or something.

About mobile data, if you can spare RM120, just order a B-Mobile U300 one month sim/microsim online (or buy the RM300+ 3 month version from Bic Camera/Yodobashi in Japan if ordering from a Japanese only web page scares the hell out of you). It'll make things MUCH easier, and it's the cheapest option for mobile data. There's even coverage up here in Nikko yo.

Like Radkiller said, free wifi is close to nil. Unless your hotel/dorm has free wifi that is.

You and everyone else. Yes it's expensive, but consequently, the general pay rates are of reasonable levels to compensate.

And yeah, it's not too shabby in rural areas, though finding work and transport is gonna be a pain though IMHO.

If you find nice paying work around Tokyo, the slightly further outlaying areas are not too expensive (comparatively) for housing and still covered by the main rapid rail lines to Tokyo, so it's not bad IMHO. But you might get sick and tired of the daily transit rush.

It'll be better if you actually came down here for a taste of the real thing. Plus you can research.

This post has been edited by Eiraku: Dec 7 2011, 03:01 PM

Sad and depressing but true really. We haven't even gone the hell that is the Japanese mobile phone providers yet lol. Calls are effing expensive here lol.

Thankfully I'm running back to KL soon.

You can say that again. I'm freezing my balls off tonite, the rain's making Tokyo nights almost as cold as Nikko's.

Nothing compared to Sapporo though lol.

My last day in Japan, now lazing around in Yokohama's French Hill. Kinda sad asso I'm heading home, even if Japan is hell expensive.

Sungguh sedih menuggu flight balik di narita.

T_T

Sounds like a rempit song title lol.

Akiba asso got halal food what? Pakistan place near Suehirocho.

A bit sad missed chance to TT with Nasizwan though, now safely back in Hot-and-Humid-land.