I can't read Chinese but what does it mean? China immigration considered the passport is invalid due to the half-chopped stamps? Mine had a couple of these since the Japan immigration took away the receipts stapled on my passport. Is it possible to ask them use the next clean page if they are so anal about it?

Can't believe they wouldn't accept such marks on a passport considering they must have seen plenty of such half-chopped marks on PRC passports!

Theoretically yes, but I wouldn't want to spend my holiday on a spreadsheet comparing prices and matching the buys so I can ngam-ngam hit above 5k yen for all the disparate purchases. lolz!

Yeah, different shops have different prices, and even same franchise shops have different prices at different locations. They haven't learnt our commercial darkarts of cartel price fixing yet.

This post has been edited by babylon52281: Nov 20 2019, 01:02 AM

Someone had told me that their purpose is to ensure you don't use it for local consumption or resale. So they need to make sure you are declaring ur tax-free purchases when you leave.

Ya, we also saw the cruise ship docking and both of us were stunned. My BFF is a PRC herself also can't stand them and kept pulling me to be away from the crowd. We avoided them by going to Glover Garden.

We didn't visit any atomic site but instead we decided on Penguin Aquarium last minute, it was a perfect choice!

Summarized translation: China Visa centre declined this lady's visa application because treated her passport as invalid. She went to our immigration to apply new passport again and was told by our officers we have the rights to reject people from doing anything to our passport. Her passport is considered as "passport rosak" and had to pay RM 400 to re-apply again. RM 200 for the passport and additional RM 200 for penalty.

It's not her first time applying China visa and it's her fourth time, previous three times had no issue. Actually she also admitted her passport has a lot of staple holes and half stamps because I think she's a third party purchaser and always goes to Japan to buy stuff on behalf of others. Her advice is we shouldn't let these shops to staple, and them to tape the slips instead and also make sure the entire stamps are on the slips and not half on slips and half on passport.

My opinion is not China immigration being an anal but the truth is her passport is considered void and invalid, even our Immigration officers also mentioned the same thing. I also don't know how, I have two pages with half stamps and staple holes and I really hope my next China visa application won't be rejected.

u no need to compare like a spreadsheet
first few days, walk around and enter a few drug store on the way
look at the items u wanna buy and remember the price

if it's like cheaper, just buy it
sometime standalone price is cheaper than after tax refund price(at other place)...u never know
the store at less crowded/touristy place have a lower price(but lesser variance)

actually no one outside malaysia practice price fixing, they're all used to something called competition
only malaysian wanna sell at the max ceiling price which is why we can't compete

Penguin Aquarium was something that came up to my interest but yeah that's on the other side of Nagasaki peninsular and we don't have means of transport nor time to go there. Not like we can cover every attractions and places of interest. lolz!

Since for entry visa they would put a sticker on the passport, I would have asked them to stick over those half-chopped marks. Not like those China immigration fellas have x-ray eyes to see under the sticker.

And seriously, if you ask our immigration officers, whatever that is not an entry or exit visa chop/sticker, they will just say its invalid as if the rest of the passport pages cannot be used. Real stupid answer imho. Of course they untung when they force you to make a new passport and fine you too, so they have "incentive" to invalidate it.

Believe me. We tried. And that was only for Kitkats. lolz!

After the umpteen number of shops we go for one shotengai we then also compared with OTHER shops in ANOTHER shotengai. And then we compared with Donki too. And Lawsons. And Family Marts. And 7is. And AEON plus Seiyu supermarts.

So yeah, it was lucky someone in my group was keeping mental track on the prices as I was by then confused which was which at where. Haha!

u don't need to compare kit kat price lah
kit kat price is fixed everywhere
it's either 220yen for the plastic bag one or it's 800 yen for the box
the price is fixed everywhere u go(the only difference is flavour availability)
the price that will differ is the medicine, make up, skin care product

Depends on individual preferences ba. Wife and I have done 6 Japan trips so far, all 6 also stop by Tokyo a few days. Even next year upcoming Sakura trip also Tokyo then only Kansai.

Our favourite city and tourist destination in the whole world 😂

This post has been edited by deodorant: Nov 20 2019, 12:59 PM

Anybody going to Kyoto in the next few days? Colors should be peaking just about then.

If you love that city so much shouldn't keep on going. If not it will become boring like me toward Japan.
Going so much so much until numb liao

This post has been edited by RegentCid: Nov 20 2019, 01:13 PM

We took public bus and it is just at opposite of JR Nagasaki station, guided by the staff in information centre where I got the tram ticket and ropeway ticket.

Well, I don't know how to ask them to put sticker on those half-stamped marks because every time I apply my visa, it is via third party (my company's appointed travel desk), so there is no way for me to communicate with them and I doubt they will entertain. Front desk and the person who sticks the visa are two different persons.

In short, just be smart with those stamps. I just shared the news for awareness, whether to listen or to follow, it is entirely up to the individual. I'm a frequent traveller to China so I seriously do not want this incident to happen to me. If it screws up during one of my business trips to China then I'm doomed.

From my experience (at least in Kyushu side), it does varies; from 220-240yen/pack and 280-300 for seasonal flavours. There was one place we finally bought which sold the standard flavours (choco, matcha & strawberry) <200yen. Donki is overpriced for standard flavours but they have more varieties (inc the 800yen boxed ones).

Medicines & beauty products I guess are the same too.

Mine 8 years 6 times consider OK lah
Yours 6 months 8 times it becomes resident city and no more tourist / visiting city liao 😂

Same thinking as me. Next overseas trip would be somewhere else becoz the world so big must try different experiences.

already is





This post has been edited by MR_alien: Nov 21 2019, 08:19 AM

I was in Kyoto from 13th to 16th Nov and it wasn't fully red yet, still a lot of greenish.

Next time need to plan a week later to go to Japan.

Hi guys, need your opinions on for my Tokyo trip punya itinerary. Hear me out and let me know if its do-able, ya =) I am still trying to figure out the best way to include things to do and stuff to makan. With every FR i read, i seems to find more new stuff to be included in my itinerary. Haha!

Note:
- Traveling alone
- Staying at Shinjuku near Kabuchiko
- Purpose of the trip : KISS concert (The main reason i am doing this trip. Basically planned my trip around this), experience all things Nippon (temples, food, shop abit..), winter illumination, Mt Fuji, Star Wars exhibition..

Dec 7th (Saturday)
- Arriving at NRT early around 6.30am. Take NEX to Tokyo station. Store my backpack in the locker
- Breakfast at Tokyo station (Ramen Street)
- Tokyo station to Asakusa : Temple and street food
- Back to Tokyo Station - Imperial Palace and surrounding
- Take my backpack and proceed to hostel check-in
- Evening: Odaiba & surrounding - 7pm fireworks at Rainbow bridge

Dec 8th (Sunday)
- Morning: Star Wars exhibition at Shinagawa
- Zojoji temple and Tokyo tower (not going up, tho)
- Meiji shrine
- Harajuku
- Late evening : Shibuya / Roponggi
- Winter illumination somewhere nearby if happens to be around the corner

Monday 9th (Monday)
- Morning : Tsukiji market for breakfast
- Ginza (maybe stop by for awhile)
- Akihabara*
- Shibuya if not enough time on Sunday. Do some shopping around
- Winter illumination somewhere nearby if happens to be around the corner

[itinerary on Sunday and Monday is interchangeable depending on how long i spent in an area]

Tuesday 10th (Tuesday)
- Fuji 5 lakes day trip for Mt Fuji viewing

Wednesday 11th (Wednesday)
- Morning: Teamlab Borderless**
- Ueno & Surrounding + Ameyoko for street food
- Evening : KISS concert at Tokyo Dome
- winter illumination at Tokyo Dome city

Thursday 12th (Thurday)
- checkout, NEX from Shinjuku to NRT. Flight back to KL around 2+ pm

Need all sifus' guidance on below:
1. Is my proposed itinerary sensible in terms of time management and places to visit?
2. *Is it better to visit Akihabara on Sunday? Will there be throngs of ppl coming out with their otaku outfit similarly to Harujuku? It's winter season tho
3. ** Teamlab Borderless closes at 9pm on Sunday. I have 1.5 hours after the Rainbow bridge fireworks between 7.30pm to 9pm on Saturday. I don't suppose i ll have enough time to experience the whole thing? i heard it will be super crowded on weekends too. Thus planning to go on weekday morning. Not a 'must visit' for me
4. Question on public transportation: Plan to max use Tokyo + Toei subways by using the 3 days pass (1500 yen) for all areas in Tokyo. Tor those areas that is on non-Tokyo + Toei lines, i ll make use of PASSMO / SUICA (only top up at minimum to cover these). Is this wise? My plan is

Day 1 - Tokyo city : NEX round trip ticket. Tokyo + Toie 3 days pass (PASSMO / SUICA at the minimum)
Day 2 - Tokyo city : Tokyo + Toie 3 days pass (PASSMO / SUICA at the minimum)
Day 3 - Tokyo city : Tokyo + Toie 3 days pass (PASSMO / SUICA at the minimum)
Day 4 - Out of Tokyo city : 3 days pass expired. Make use of PASSMO / SUICA in the evening
DAY 5 - Make use of PASSMO / SUICA. Not many places to cover
Day 6 - NEX round trip ticket to NRT

Opting for the NEX round trip tix for approx 4000 yen so that last day dont have to kelam kabut transferring between train stations + waiting. Approx 2000 yen each way if purchase the round trip ticket

Thanks y'all. Cheers

This post has been edited by cradle0fFilth2: Nov 20 2019, 04:01 PM

No more become holiday dy, become more like work. So the fun is gone for RegentCid dy. Hahaha

Hahaha. My case next time must plan 1 month later.

Yup, I'll be going to Kyoto tomorrow and will be spending the next 7 nights in Kyoto. Timed it perfectly