Yup! And also can go to Lawson's to get the tickets as well since Lawson's are practically everywhere.

Hi guys,some questions to prepare for my trip. Appreciate the advise and help.

where can i buy the JR rail pass vouchers in Malaysia? Any ideas? can buy Online kah? or just make reservation only then go to Japan buy at the rail station.

Can someone explain the reserved and unreserved seat process. I been reading up and just managed to confuse myself.
What if i get a unreserved seat ticket and then find full, can i just wait for the next train? or, it is recomended to get the reserved?

My HTC Desire HD phone can be used in Japan, is there a SIM card we buy n use like prepaid cards here? Does not seem to have i searched already anyone knows?
Or just get the regular phone card to use in payphones.?

The bank statement for visa application, is there any requirement how old/new it should be? Can we print online statement to use?

Thank you.

You can't purchase JR Rail Pass at Japan. You have to buy 'JR Pass Exchange Order' from a travel agency located outside of Japan(before you enter Japan) and exchange JR Pass Exchange Order with JR Rail Pass at designated stations or area in Japan.

You can use most JR trains, buses and ferrys.(including Shinkansen except for Nozomi and Mizuho class)

The difference between reserved and unreserved seat :
You don't need an reservation when you ride on train( Just show your JR Pass and Passport to staffs, then they let you pass the gate. It's the same when staffs on train ask you, while on board, to show your ticket.), just you can't seat on the Reserved car so that you should find a seat on the Non-reserved car.


Check this sites also :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Rail_Pass
http://www.japanrailpass.net/

Thanks 789k sorry i was referring to JR Pass Exchange Order i guess i'll go to JTB then there's a branch in Penang.

Ok, here's the review for AA flight to Haneda from KL.

Seat was comfortable, just that the arm rest abit smaller than full commercial flight. Leg room was also comfortable. Since I am only 160cm tall.

Flight reached at 10.45pm instead of 10.30pm coz of the windy situation.

Immigration check was fast as there was absolutely no queue when we got into the terminal.

However, I had to wait for about 20mins for my bag to turn up. Maybe because i checked in early and the bag was at the BACK of the plane?

Managed to reached the inn at 1am via monorail & JR train. Phew!!

It's humid, warm and it rained halfway walking to the inn.

Verdict: I think best to visit tokyo during winter, early spring and late autumn.

Heard that the typhoon's coming today!!

back from tokyo! holy crap you guys weren't kidding when you said to get ready for tons of walking. I think in this 5 days I walked more than I normally walk in an entire year!

highlights of the trip were erm ... public bath in LaQua ... not used to being in a room full of naked guys with their ahem-ahems swinging left right when they walk. and some more with ladies in the same room wtf?

oh and the omakase set in dai sushi and daiwa sushi in tsukiji fish market (i went twice lols). too bad couldn't make it to the auction, cos public transport not early enough

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Added on September 2, 2011, 12:45 pm
I did a reservation online, can go to the ticketing office inside Ikspiari shopping mall, no queue there. Disadvantage I guess is that you have to reserve a couple days in advance, and only for fixed-date tickets.

Anyway at those "discount ticket" stores I saw a couple of them selling disney one day passes for 6-6.2k yen (discount couple hundred) ... didn't go for it though cos I scared my reservation they will charge my CC even if i no-show.

Spending went WAY over budget. 142k yen on everything (2 people) ... some more my ATM card wouldn't work at any of the local ATMs (not even the seven-eleven ones), had to resort to drawing cash advance from credit card

This post has been edited by deodorant: Sep 2 2011, 12:45 PM

I'm thinking of visiting Japan in late December but i have a doubt to clear which is the visa application.

Do i need visa if i am to visit Japan for less than a month? This is what i found from The Embassy of Japan website, the quote stating that

"The visa-exemption arrangements between Japan and Malaysia have allowed Malaysian nationals who meet relevant conditions can enter into Japan without a visa for a period of stay not exceeding three(3) consecutive months."

Does anyone here know about the conditions to be met in order to enter Japan without a visa for staying less than 3 months?

Any help will be appreciated, thanks !

@Regentcid, do you travel a lot from Malaysia to Japan back n forth?

We really should merge both Japan threads. End up people (myself included) double post in both threads cos dunno which one to post in.

@Riggo I did some research on this before going on my holiday. Technically M'sians don't need visa to enter Japan for short holiday. But at the immigration, you will be taken to a room for interview/questioning. Here you need to have all your documents available to prove that you don't intend to overstay; if the authorities suspect anything they will deny you entry and you're on the next flight back to KL.

Best is to just apply visa lah, it's free and very efficient one. Go there, drop off documents, come back 3 days later to pick up - done! Got nice visa sticker in your passport also.

hi Shazzac,
I will be visiting Tokyo on Febraury next year. Glad that i see your post here because i am also worry about late arrival at Haneda Airport and i also read elsewhere that flgith from US and other places are also arriving at the same time so will take a bit longer to clear immigration. seems like now that everything went smoothly.

just a question here, is it convenient to purchase the train ticket at the airport to tokyo? i am planning to get suica card but not sure if the counter open at that hour.

i think u dont need to go counter to get it, i got my PASMO (which works exactly the same with SUICA in city) thru the ticket machine at the Keikyu Line station there, which is not that far away from the arrival gate.

i was able to clear the custom by ard 11.25pm local time eventhough the flight landed 10.55pm, got lucky with my luggage being the 1st batch that being unloaded.

When I arrived, there was absolutely no other flight passengers arriving at the immigration counter as it was EMPTY.

Yes, like Chrisky said, cards are available for puchase at the machines. The machine will give you change, don't worry bout it!

edit : wrong post

This post has been edited by 7989k: Sep 5 2011, 06:40 PM

Just would like to ask
1. what is the difference between JR west pass and Kansai Thru Pass?
Is it the same?

Kansai pass mean Kansai area only....Osaka + Kyoto + Kobe

JR WEST mean whole west side of Japan...including Nagasaki , Fukuoka , Kitakyushu....etc etc

JR West has two types of passes : JR West Kansai Area Pass and JR West Sanyo Area Pass

And there's Kansai Thru Pass. It's not operated by JR West, so you can't use JR lines.
So you can compare JR West Kansai Area Pass with Kansai Thru Pass and get the pass which suits for your travel.

* Fukuoka(Hakata), Nagasaki and Kitakyushu is not included in JR West. It belongs to JR Kyushu.

This post has been edited by 7989k: Sep 6 2011, 04:30 PM

someone suggest me if i'm going on my own better plan my travel before hand and use this website in order for me to know which transport to choose from (alternatives routes and cost as well)

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

which i find it very helpful

i have gone through roughly on this thread and find very helpful information...like visas, hotels and cost....

however the only problem i have which i tried to research but could not find regarding visa is that i'll be travelling with my sister and a friend who still a students.

is it okay to provide a confirmation letter from their universities to replace the requirement for letter from company with each of them provide a copy of saving acc with min RM6K?

because from what i read the one who not working must provide proof how to support their expenses and who accompany them

or is it sufficient just to provide my bank acc?

thank you in advance

@massu


[edit] For me, who is not working, I wrote a letter saying my fiancee (also travelling together) will support me, and attached his bank statement. Visa was approved.

This post has been edited by rexona: Sep 30 2011, 03:13 PM

oh thanks for that info....so the minimum amount should be like RM 18K in my bank account for 3 person travel? or just sufficient amount of money in that acc???

i'm in tokyo now
check out this site u want to know more about tokyo
http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/guide/101-things-to-do-in-tokyo

The reading is also higher than levels measured recently at Iitate, an area in Fukushima prefecture that has been evacuated.
The equivalent annual dose in the hotspot would be 17.6 millisieverts, just below the 20 millisieverts per year threshold that requires evacuation.

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Added on October 14, 2011, 2:03 pma news said that tokyo got high radioactive, is it true...just worry going japan soon.

This post has been edited by mamasos: Oct 14 2011, 02:03 PM