It's hard to advise because different people have different cold tolerances. For example for me if the temperature is around -5 nights and 0 daytime I won't even bother with any gloves, headgear or any base (heattech) layers, just a t shirt, vest and jacket.

Whereas at same temperature my wife need to wear base layers.

And my FIL need to wrap up thick thick like bakzhang.

Seeing as you can't even bring small.scissors on carry ons I doubt crampons will be allowed. Why not just put them in luggage? Also, which part of Japan are you going to that will need crampons?

Decided last minute (sort of) to take a Feb trip to Japan during CNY time!! Flights booked (non refundable), hotels booked (fully refundable) so there's possibility to switch things around.

Edited/updated/new itinerary below. Tokyo hotel = APA Hotel @ Kanda station, Zao Onsen = Some cheap ryokan with breakfast and dinner for 15000y/night.
(estimated costs are in sgd for 2pax cos I'm based in SG now ...)




I'm still undecided whether to spend all that money and time to go to Izu / Kawazu for Sakura; s$140/pax and 2.5hrs each way to see sakura for 2hrs hmmmmmmmm. It seems JR East Pass covers the journey if I don't take Shinkansen and just rely on limited express trains, but that adds even more travel time ...

Any comments are welcome!!

This post has been edited by deodorant: Jan 14 2018, 01:16 PM

garygothic You can only really do either TDL or TDS on one day, not both.

jhchong odaiba got lots of things to do leh. Toyota megaweb is interesting, got games and lots of cars to see, can even test drive if you have IDP. then got oedo onsen monogatari, these 2 alone liao can eat up half day.

This post has been edited by deodorant: Jan 16 2018, 10:08 PM

I've been to Spa LaQua before also, and it was a lot less crowded. However it's also a lot less fun. Other onsens (technically sento I guess) that are less tourist oriented are ... boring cos they're functional rather than touristy, it feels almost exactly like if you visit any spa here in KL lol.

RegentCid you are MrQ??!?

Now I need to worry whenever surfing youtube on living room TV, whether this type of video will be "suggested for you" or under "watch again"
Then moi wife will give me evil eyes


btw any comments on where is gooding in Tokyo to eat Wagyu on weekday night? At the moment I have reservation for ginza ukai-tei
and on waiting list for Oniku Karyu. Not sure if there are other better places (that are possible for gaijin to get reservations for without having any hotel concierge ...)

Jet23sky just a note that APA hotel rooms are really tiny. Well I guess all business hotel chains have tiny rooms, but I don't know if they're as tiny as APA (I stayed once in APA Narita, I literally had to open suitcases on the bed because there was not enough floor space for an open suitcase).

Only you will know whether you changed too much or not based on your own luxury style lol. For example if you every night also ¥30000 sushi and ¥40000 Matsuzaka A5 steaks then mana cukup?

Having said that, for me my upcoming Tokyo/zao trip I'm calculating at around rm8k for 2ppl 8days.

This post has been edited by deodorant: Jan 27 2018, 08:17 AM

I'd be more interested to know why you want to leave onigiri that long? Anyway many airlines will help you refrigerate stuff if you ask.

don't understand.
do you mean, in 4 days, you plan to do all the 4 places listed,
then on 5th day do asahikawa biei furano?
have you gone to google maps to put in the driving directions to find out how many hours you'll be on the road?

For emergencies or if you run out of yen just withdraw via ATM nia.

mugenz it depends where you stay in Tokyo. For me, I normally stay near yamanote and/or chuo JR line, so normally I don't bother with the metro pass.

Hmmmmmm this year seems colder than previous years hor. I don't know if my current ski gear is comfortable for below -10, probably need to relook at the inner layers ...

Zao Onsen itself is ~5km away from the crater and supposedly outside the eruption zone though. Should I make alternate plans? lol.

Hmmm I thought I replied liao but I guess I might have used inappropriate words and kena delete lol.
Wondering where I should put my Plan B instead.
Problem is JR East Tohoku Pass already bought, and JTB charges 20% cancellation fee.
Using this pass ... I guess the other famous ski area in Tohoku is Appi Kogen but it's sooooo far away almost near Aomori.
Alternately just cancel the Tohoku Pass, buy Nagano-Niigata instead, and go Nozawa Onsen / Hakuba?

Ginzan onsen super chio!!!!
But I wanna go skiing, not really for relaxing.
Think I might go appi kogen after all, cos it's on same shinkansen line as shiroishi-zao station so can still visit fox village before going skiing.

Anyone visited koyo ryokan at Kaminoyama Onsen before by any chance? Thinking of stopping by on the way back to Tokyo from Zao for day trip meal + day-use onsen.

Can't find the day use meal booking on their internet booking website and they not replying my emails though

Flying this friday night!!!




If got any comments on the itinerary / if you can spot any impossible planning let me know ah ... still got time to change

Oooh thanks. Bookmark first and see how it goes next week.
Jiromaru you got visit their Akihabara outlet before? That one seems more convenient for me to late night jiak after maricar.

This post has been edited by deodorant: Feb 7 2018, 11:01 AM