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)

Male and female are separate.

Hi everyone, I would be travelling with my mom in Tokyo for 34 days this coming oct to nov. I have booked sotetsu fresa inn through agoda and it costs roughly around rm8k but can cancel last min. I have saw ppl online recommending services like oakhouse apartment for a better deal if stay for a month. Can anyone tell me what the best bang for buck for 2 persons stay? I don't mind if the apart or room is small cause we will be going out all day long anyway. My budget is around 7k - 8k.

Got any good recommendation for the service apartment? I saw oakhouse reviews quite good.
Just searched it but for my date only got 2 hotels which are located in Kanagawa but the price also almost the same as the one that i booked 

I receive this note from a friend. Old japan note. Is this note still useable in japan now? Going to osaka on march

Are you sure? Because went to 2 money exchange both dunwant to accept because its old note.
Its well preserve because its packed in plastic for years..

riding on this... is it better to go with Maxis 30 days RM100 package or get data sim card after arriving in Japan?
10+days trip  

Taking Vietnam Airlines from Nagoya Chubu Airport to Malaysia. Saw air asia 1 way from KIX to KL already cost rm 1k without luggage and meal, but VN cost RM 1.18k from Nagoya. Since Nagoya is more convenient for this trip hence probably will take this airlines instead. Transit 1 hr at Hanoi so overall 9 hours so not too bad though

BTW i booked this air asia to KIX during promo at RM 500+, going backpacking with less clothes and gonna shop there esp GU outlets and return to KL with hauls😬
Went Japan few times and clothes GU never disappointing. Although I prefer clothes in Korea range rm15-40 back on year 2014 more quality and still wearable until now, GU clothes more variety with same quality as Uniqlo but cheaper.

Hi guys,

I am planning to go to Japan in May. Have been searching the net for the "How To's" but am stuck at the Kyoto to Takayama portion with regards to ticket purchases and mobile hotspot related ones.

Has anyone tried using the SMART-EX app for booking a seat on the shinkansen? I would like to know if it also prepaid debit cards as I have a Merchant Trade prepaid VISA debit card with JPY currency already loaded in it. JR Pass is not cost effective for me vs purchasing the ticket by cash but this app gives some savings for advance purchases. Also, is it possible to purchase the Hida Wide View ticket via this app?

Also anyone have experience using the Shinkansen-Ticket service (https://shinkansen-ticket.com/)? I'm thinking of using this to reserve the Wide View Hida seat if it cannot be done via the SMART-EX app. I'd like to reserve a seat far in advance as I will be departing from Kyoto to Takayama on a Sunday morning.

As for the tech side, for those who have their own personal mobile wifi and just buy a Japanese data sim card to slot it inside, I would like to know which model do you use/ I am kinda paranoid about the device not being compatible with the network type there (any recommendations would be very much appreciated).

Thanks in advance.

thanks so much bro! glad that you replied!

Question on ATM withdrawals, Wise support is hopeless... i asked them a simple question on which ATM brands can do cash withdrawal, they gave me a Visa site listing all ATM machines accepting Visa 
There's not much info on the web as well, I think its 30000yen per month before they start charging fees
Wise website stats Family mart and e-net ATMs, some forums mentioned Seven bank or post offices are workable some times
did you try cash withdrawal from Japanese ATMs?

Will there be any additional charges to the bank account when withdraw from any outlets?

Hi everyone, is March good month to visit Hokkaido? I bought my ticket to Tokyo in last month so my first planning is when arrive to Tokyo straight direct to Hokkaido. Second option is to go to Kyoto and give up Hokkaido. Kyoto or Hokkaido which is best to visit in March?

Tokyo - Osaka is ¥14720/way

7 day JR pass costs ¥29000

It’s just marginally cheaper with the pass, not sure if it’s worth the hassle?

Looks like I don't get much savings for 1 x round trip.
Guess I will buy single pass bah.
And save the hassle.

Can single pass bought in advance and make reservation from website?
Or have to do it in train terminal?

Do they accept credit card?

Is JR dirty tricks. I been Japan so many years, based on my experience. If you booked thru JR Rail Pass, system will know you are foreigners, it will automatic pop out all seat full.
10-15 years ago there are no such thing as online booking, ticket had to booked / purchase thru machine / JR ticket counter, Those JR ticket counter saw foreigners face, automatic put you in non-reserved seat during Golden weeks.
That time, all shinkansen still got non-reserved seat, foreigners 100% kena non reserve seat. Non reserved seat become like our KTM commuter, seat are 1st come 1st serve, if half way you walk away from your seat for pee, another person can take over your seat. My longest record was from Tokyo standing all the way to Akita. 

3 Way:
Option 1:
Buy Grand Class Seat.  You got 60% chances can get seat reserved during Golden Week.  JR Rail Pass + 28,980 Yen
I called it Money Power.....Batman...''I am Rich''

Option 2:
From Ichinoseki Iwate take Local train heading to Sendai City. From Sendai take Night Express Bus to Tokyo. Expecting heavy traffic jam on highway but you still heading to Tokyo and all your plan won't effected. Just need to do some minor adjustment.

Option 3:
Booked the flight ticket now.
Sendai to Tokyo.  One way ticket around Rm400-500. Of lucky, early bird ticket around 300-400

hi everyone,
I am trying to buy train ticket of jr east tokyo to kawaguchiko

but whenever i go to payment, it says card not verified. OR verify already I ask to send OTP i never received it. I try so many times

can anyone advise me how to purchase the tickets pls thanks

I tried master as well. Different cards, never go through. I think Japan website problem dont accept Malaysian credit card.

I asked people from Taiwan side help me buy, straight go through. Summore is Visa card. So not true Visa have problem..is more like japan online payment got problem with some countries credit card. Malaysia is definitely one of them

Kansai Amazing Pass is only for 3 days? So that means I have to buy 2 times if I am staying about 7 days in Osaka and Kyoto? Metro can probably cover Tokyo.

I am planning to touch down Tokyo first..then take train to Kawaguchiko, then bus to Kyoto and finally goes back to Malaysia from Osaka.

Travel a lot as in go out of Tokyo or just within Tokyo? Probably will visit hot places like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara and Roppongi kot.

Hi all, thinking to repeat trip to Osaka this year or maybe next year. Previously was fliying using airasia x and its kinda affordable. But since after covid, even airasia x flight is sky rocket.
Just wondering if let say I landing at Nagoya and ride train/buses to Kyoto/Osaka, it is make sense?

Example
AAX > KIX ( around 1.7-2k random date )(not all inclusive)
SIA > SG > NGO (1.9-2k) ( all inclusive ) random date

Both flight are return flight