Actually yesterday I have just bought a five day trip to Sapporo/Otaru from Tokyo, travelling near Christmas period. Havent really plan out which place to visit, but it will be a leisure trip for me walking around the canal and enjoying the cold and atmosphere.

Passport

Flight. Bought air ticket and hotel via ANA website. Cosr me 60000yen in total for two.

Its 3 nights at ANA hotel in sapporo and 1 night at an onsen in Otaru. Now will be planning our trip. Thinking of using 18kippu to travel to Asahikawa for a day trip. I do like taking the slow train moving along the country side.

Flying from Tokyo and Peach dont fly to Sapporo from Tokyo. Also I am flying during peak period which is 22nd Dec. Also including 4 days hotel and two way flight from tokyo its 30,000yen/person.

This post has been edited by sacwoc: Nov 27 2013, 07:05 PM

No snow in Tokyo

Saw a program in Japan recently where they introduced the types of buses. Some are only woman bus and some has a room of its own, similar to a first class seat in an airline. Of course the more luxurious it is you pay more. During the Tokyo Motor show last week besides cars they have a few interesting buses on display as well.

This "disaster fund" is actually the consumption tax that they are going to raise it from 5% to 8% next year. So far I only pay income tax and also resident (municipal and prefecture) tax which varies according to where you stay. Both this adds up to 30% of my annual income. At least I get some services from the resident tax like free health care check in addition to the one given by the company, discount rate to the sports center. Besides that, if you have a baby you will also received one lump sum about 300,000yen. You will get this as long as you pay tax even if you are not Japanese.

Besides that, the whatever interest (about 0.003%) you earn in bank will also be tax! So might as well keep it under the pillow, which what most elderly people do here.

This post has been edited by sacwoc: Dec 9 2013, 05:04 PM

Thats not the highest. Like Malaysia tax is base on your income. So I think some pay 50% as well

This post has been edited by sacwoc: Dec 9 2013, 08:17 PM

I am in Tokyo itself

Nah. Just a job. Try to make as much here and then move on.

Some shops in Rakuten Japan do actually ship internationally. You have to checked. As I do subscribe to rakuten mailing list, sometimes I get email offering free shipping internationally. Of course its also selected shops as well.

Pretty much depends if you have time to shop. Even though its still winter here, shops are beginning to have sale for winter clothes as they would like to clear off this year winter stock. However I do find those winter clothes they sell in Banana Republic in Mid Valley are quite reasonable.

As for food I cannot really comment. I guess Coke and Sprite and maybe bread is halal though.
If you google, I think there is a page about halal food in Japan that was created by someone in Indonesia.

This post has been edited by sacwoc: Dec 27 2013, 04:04 PM

Sales tax is still 5%. 8% will only start from April 1st next year. So I guess that time you can get a refund of 8% as well. Too bad i am not entitle.

2. There is one blue label shop at the end of the main ginza street. This is a burberry shop that also have burberry and black label.

3. There is a 1 day subway pass but you really have to plan your trip to make it worthwhile. Some place you mention is also serve by JR. Odaiba and rainbow bridge are basically the same place and both metro and JR does not go there.

Nope wont happen this year. According to the Nikkei newspaper (in Japanese though), the move will start in 2015. But then who knows if it might postpone again.

Yes you can. Since March 2013, all these cards (pasmo, suica, kitaca, etc) can be used nationwide. So when you topup in Tokyo Metro/JR, you will need to select the pasmo or suica sign instead. I did used my pasmo in Hokkaido recently which I cant in 2012.

Yup. Its still open. But the tuna auction area is close till 20th Jan. The new area in toyosu is facing some contamination issue as its previously own by Tokyo Gas.

Yup its shopping area with some art museum as well. You can go up to the top floor to have a nice view of tokyo. I think u need to pay 1000yen to go up. I can go up for free though so i am not sure of the exact amount. Lunch set up there is also 1000yen but need to be a bit early cause it can get fully book pretty quickly.

Sakura is late march or early april. It depends very much on the weather