Any particular location in tokyo for udon/soba you would recommend to check out?
I'm going for food focus this time around as it's semi business trip.

True bro
By the way, mind sharing where you stayed in Osaka? I thought I booked Shin Osaka but actually I booked in Hommachi instead…

hahaha book Salah ar?

I remember I keep reading or hearing the station hommachi hahaha, should be one stop near where I stayed
I was in Shinsaibashi

hi hi need some recommendation and info

for trip around 10 days (osaka & Tokyo + somewhere in between) for 2 user
what is the cheapest/recommended way for internet?
> buy sim locally when arrived (but this seen very expensive and google price is all over the place from rm50-rm300)
> buy sim from shopee (anyway bought this? can share experience?)
> rent wifi device (i think this is the most expensive way iinm)
as for Bullet train (aka Shinkansen rite?)
from google i need for buy/book it 3 days in advance, is this correct, can anyone confirm?
can this buy online or need to buy in person at station? 
for travel which one is better if anything did it before,
Land at Osaka to Tokyo  or  Land at Tokyo to Osaka

I bought n use this last month in Tokyo (fast speed for the first 500mb everyday)
https://shopee.com.my/Japan-Unlimited-Data-...1566.4210053834

you can buy shinkansen ticket 10 mins before departure but if you are traveling during holidays and peak hour. Best to book in advance. December holiday, all reserved seats during the day are sold out 2 days before. only left with evening departure. You still can buy tickets but risk standing all the way.

My Lake Kawaguchiko pocket list restraurant
ほうとう不動 河口湖駅前店

Make sure you try Yamanashi Style Flat Udon Noodle with vegetable on Miso Soup + 马刺 （horse meat sashimi) + Inari Sushi
These 3 thing are my favorite.

Happy New Year 

Thanks bro, horse meat sashimi a bit exotic

By the way, need your help as there are some trips I can’t seem to book because they have not started/made available
Fuji excursion - only available 30 days advance
Tateyama alpine route - nothing yet though on their website they said it’s open 15/4/2023
Shirakawago - only available 30 days advance
Kamikochi - can’t find where to book yet
Nagano snow monkey - forgot where the bus site is, need to find again
JR pass - I saw can book 90 days in advance

Thanks bro

the sim card just plug and play when you arrived at Japan?
do you know how much is the ticket price now? (from google is around 15k yen website dated back in 2018)

Anyone fly with Air Asia X or  Malindo Air (Batik Air) recently
From KL to Tokyo?
Either reach at 9pm or 10pm
What is the punctuality of the time Or delay you guys experience?
If any delay will miss public transport at 11pm.

Tateyama Alpine Route cannot booked in advance, it does not had any entrance ticket.    You need need is buy transport ticket only. 
May are Opening Season, Get ready for extremely crowded in line to boarding those Cable Car, Buses etc etc. each transport minimum 10-30 minute waiting.
Since you already got JR Rail Pass, I no recommended to get Alpine Tourist Pass.

Toyama Station > Tateyama Station with Toyama Chiho Railway - 1230 Yen
Tateyama Station Bijodaira with Tateyama Cable Car - 960 Yen (10-15 minute waiting in line)  *This will depend how much people riding Chiho Railway with you
Bijidaira to Murodo (Snow Wall) by Bus - 2200 Yen (10-15 minute waiting in line) *This will depend how much people riding Chiho Railway with you
Murodo to Daikanbo by Trolley Bus - 2200 Yen (This part are most congested waiting in line to board that Bus)
Daikanbo to Kurobedaira by Ropeway - 1320 Yen (10 minute waiting usually)
Kurobedaira to Kurobe Dam by Kurobe Cablecar - 1050 Yen (10 minute waiting usually)
Kurobe Dam to Ogizawa by Kanden Tunnel Bus - 1570 Yen (10-20 minute waiting)
Ogizawa-Omachi Bus - 1390 Yen (10 minute waiting usually)
By the Time you reach JR Omachi Station will be sunset already and reach Matsumoto Station will be dark.

If you from Tokyo going Nagano first (Snow Monkey) + Kamikochi then route above with be terbalik    you end up at Toyama Station.  The waiting time need add extra 10% because most Japanese like going Alpine Route from Omachi > Tateyama Station.
From Tateyama > Omachi are mostly Foreigners & Chinese Tourist  because they go Takayama + Shirakawa first.

Shirakawa can advance booking from Alpico / Nohi.  (I usually booked from Nohi because it just beside Tayama Station)

Kamikochi are Hiking trail. You going with Family. Can forget about it. Your kids cannot stand the wind chill temperature + hiking (need alot stamina)
If you die die must go, then from Matsumoto Station / Nagano Station take Express Bus to Kamikochi Bus Terminal. Bus ticket can advance booked from Alpico.
*Seriously not recommended for you!*

Nagano Snow Monkey are public bus. From Nagano Station take Private Line "Nagano Dentetsu" Limited Express to Yudanaka Station. From Yudanaka Station take Public Bus to Shigakogen Roman Museum and walk to Snow Monkey Park (Follow the Direction Sign / GPS) or Take Taxi (1000 Yen only) 
*Warning!!! Do not wear sneaker!!!  Wear only Boots.  If you ca't find boot for your children then forget about this snow monkey)

Wear Sneaker, you are cari mati with frost Bite.

You da man bro   
Very detailed!!

For Tateyama alpine, Yeah it’s just transport but can book advance? If I can buy all the tickets in one shot all the way to Kurobe dam and back to Tateyama then will save time queuing for ticket.

I’m doing:
Nagano - snow monkey day trip
Toyama - Tateyama alpine day trip, Looks like need to start very early to beat the crowd… tickets can only be purchased from Dentetsu-Toyama station?
Takayama - Shirakawago day trip and next day Kamikochi day trip
I can’t move the hotel dates in Takayama because I was able to book at reasonable price

Snow monkey and Kamikochi still very cold in mid April?

The Kamikochi trek really that challenging? My son I don’t worry as he hike with us in Melbourne previously to mount Oberon, 8.8km return, very proud of him
It’s the other family I’m more concerned, I better ask them to look at the trail first because total walk is like 8-10km, thanks for the warning bro

What’s the best way to find good restaurants that’ll accept my 3.5 year old? First time going JP with a kid, seems like all my previous experience is useless lol.

Currently browsing tabelog (gaijin version) and enabling the “kids are welcome” and “preschool children are welcome” filters.

Tateyama Alpine Route transport are 1st come 1st serve basic. That why waiting line are long specially peak season. Tateyama Alpine Route transport ticket can purchase all when you at Tateyama Station (Tateyama > Ogizawa)  This mean you only need buy ticket from Toyama Dentetsu Station > Tateyama Station & Ogizawa > JR Omachi Station.

Snow Monkey Part...1000 Yen Taxi fare are from Yudanaka Station direct to Snow Monkey Park entrance. But from Snow Monkey Park back to train station. Taxi appear infront of snow monkey park entrance chances are 10% only.
So you still need take bus from Museum (bus stop) back to train station. 

Snow Monkey & Kamikochi still very cold during April. You still can encounter snow.

Actually after Teteyama Alpine Route, you will be exhausted due to crowd + cold + chill wind. Tateyama Alpine Route scenic view are all open space, wind had nothing to slow it, strong wind are direct penetrating into you.

If you study Kamikochi, it was at highland plus hiking trail are all surround that Lake / River. This mean Wind will breezing along river.  kamikochi temp. at April around 5-10 Celsius but the deadly cold wind make you feel like 0 Celsius. Hiking trail no challenge but very cold lah. 

that means I need to start around 7am from Dentetsu-Toyama station, reach Tateyama around 8am, ticket bought from counter? Any idea Got English speaking staff there? I’m thinking of doing round trip Tateyama-Kurobe dam-Tateyama, last thing I’d want is getting wrong ticket all the way to Ogizawa 

I found this website for Nagano to snow monkey park, is it valid?
https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/access/na...-bus-timetable/

Thanks for the heads up bro, need to bring more winter wear then, lucky came to this forum first, else go there pakai spring wear freezing