Hi everybody. Need some advice on Japan. Today I was at the Matta Fair and thinking of signing in for a Apple Holiday's Japan 3 nite Hokkaido (Toya-ko, Noboribetsu, Yubari, Otaru, Sapporo & Chitose) and 4nite Tokyo (Asakuso Kannon, Disneyland, Shinjuku&Ginza). The choice of travel period is between 28 September & 8 October. What do u all think about this period or places?

1) How is the weather? Would it be too cold for elderly ppl, especially in Hokkaido?

2) I read in some guidebook that Aug-Oct is Typhoon period. Is that true and if so, then the trip would be spoilt if clashes with the typhoon?

3) Anything Must Try or Must Buy or Cheap Bargains in these regions?

Need advice asap coz need to book by Sunday liao.

Thanx.

Not that many days in touring tokyo. 1st nite is for taking domestic flight to hokkaido and return to tokyo another nite.
1 day disneyland. 1 day asakusa, shinjuku & ginza. Another day is checkout for flight returning to malaysia liao
Most time spend in Hokkaido and only actual 2 full days for tokyo.

About the weather, how many layers of clothes are we looking at? to be comfortable warm? Coz afraid the elderly ppl cannot tahan lor. Normally how many typhoon hits tokyo area around autumn mth.

Btw, some forum r saying japan is encountering somewhat frequent minor earthquakes. Is that true? Scared lah!

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Added on September 6, 2008, 2:51 pm Wat is shiroi koibito? sounds like some anime character? Sorry I'm a noob in Japanese stuff.

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 6 2008, 02:51 PM

Btw which is better... Disneyland? or Disneysea?

Finally booked the hokkaido-tokyo trip. Any advice or prep from u all sifu before "Japan here I come"

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Added on September 7, 2008, 10:58 pmBtw is it cheaper to use japan's tel line to call back malaysia (what tel card and wat package-minimal use) or use Maxis roaming function to call back?

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Added on September 7, 2008, 11:08 pmAnyone knows how long is the domestic flight from tokyo to chitose, hokkaido takes?

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Added on September 8, 2008, 11:30 amAny more recommended stuff which are :

Must see, must try, must eat, must drink, must buy and must know for trip to hokkaido and tokyo

from all Japan Sifu other than those already discussed in this forum.

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 8 2008, 11:30 AM

Some questions again =)

1) is it true that only 3G phone will be able to roam in Japan and older model with GSM cannot roam?

2) are the phones in Japan generally cheaper than Malaysia? is it advisable to get one there?

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 9 2008, 09:32 PM

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2223.html just read this site saying GSM phone won't work in Japan and even 3G only some will work.

Aiyoh, like that how to roam? Must use those rental or prepaid phone then.

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 9 2008, 09:46 PM

coz got may haf something to attend to also during holidays. wat to do... tough world. So any suggestion coz from wat i read, only option is prepaid or rental which can be quite expensive. ... hmmm...

Then i need internet connectiion also leh.. does not simplify things

Seems like japanese h/phone seldom haf gsm capability, so even if get one cheap from 2nd hand shop also cannot use in malaysia.

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 9 2008, 10:38 PM

the N73 can use back in malaysia meh? i thought Japan block their phone one

Sorry to intrude but was a bit puzzled bout the average dinner starting from 100 yen...??? I tot 100 yen is bout RM3/- only. Can get that cheap ar??? I thought jpn eat very expensive? At that price it would be cheaper than alot of place in Malaysia wor?

Hmmm since getting a h/phone would be quite impossible becoz of technology diff, perhap does anybody knows about prices of digital video camcorder over there, compared with Malaysian prices?

Was thinking of getting a Sony Full HD Video Camcorder w HDD / DVD (HDR-SR11E/HDR-SR10E/HDR-UX20E)? Any idea hows the mkt price over there?

i dun mind going for the lower spec one... of the Full HD. Any website of shops in akiba which is in english one where i can survey the price before i go there? What i know is that the sony Full HD range in malaysia is selling around RM3600-4999 range. ?Sony price in Malaysia is std retail price liao, very hard to get discount.

Nihon go da me!

My tour package wil be going to asakusa, ginza & shinjuku this October. Any recommendation on food or interesting places over there?

Also planning to try the following food (unique food fr Japan) :- Any advice on the cost or place to have them?

1)Kobe Beef / Matsuzaka Beef / Yamagata's / Hida beef / Yonezawa beef/Mishima/ Ikeda beef. ANy idea how much is a good portion steak of the above should cost?

2)Kumamoto Horse meat. (hehehe.. still not sure dare try or not)

3)Kegani - Hairy Crab (is this the same as Shanghai's hairy crab -"Da CHa Xie")

4)Akkeshi's oysters,

5)Saroma's scallops,

6)sea urchin (uni)

7)ika-meshi, rice-stuffed squid

8)matsutake mushroom

9) Karasumi

At least if know the cost now, then when the tour guide take us, they won't haf opportunity to overcharge us.


Any depachika or department store basement food court, featuring tiny specialist stalls dishing up local specialties with hangaku or 3-wari to get a bargain within ginza & shinjuku?

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 17 2008, 11:05 PM

U would not wan to know where lar... michelin .. unless u r the type who fly first class to japan... hahaha
I'm not for sure.

Anyone been to Satou Steakhouse in Kichijoji , 5 to 10 min walk North of Kichijoji station in Musashino,Tokyo,Japan?
Heard that can get a Kobe beef lunch at 1200-5000 yen.



This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 18 2008, 10:18 PM

wanna check something..
1) is the power supply in Japan same as those in Malaysia other than the 2 pin problem? Do i need to bring ac convertor thing?
2) is it cheaper to convert yen in Malaysia or should i bring MYR to convert in Japan? My understanding is its cheaper to convert in Malaysia.
3) Btw is it hard to find a money exchanger that accepts RM in Japan or should i bring currencies such as USD/SGD?

Hmm... somehow had the feeling tat MYR tak laku..... tats why ask tat question to confirm. At least it is reassuring to know our MYR is of no value to most of the world.... hahahahah

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Added on September 25, 2008, 12:10 amOk...so no need ac converter unless my stuff cannot 110V ... thanx...

no usd lar.... got some SGD.. but not enough. GUess i'll bring some kuredito kato would be insure against insufficient pocket money

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Added on September 25, 2008, 12:21 amhad a few relatives & fren went to hokkaido, all gave positive feedbacks on hokkaido. so should be ok gua. better be lar, coz i just register for a tour 2 hokkaido.

Other than the seafood being very tasty, being very fresh, being very luxurious and being very expensive, i guess nothing really special lar. P kekekee... allergy to ebi, u can still go for uni, ika, toro, maguro, hotate, kani, ikura, saba, hamaguri, tako, torigai etc.... so much seafood choice for u to survive on.

This post has been edited by D-Tourist: Sep 25 2008, 12:22 AM

ok.. just got my visa approved today.... so next week it will be sayonara Mareishia, ohayo gozaimasu Japan hehehe...

Any more advices???

hi everybody... i'm just back from hokkaido & tokyo....
nice weather but not cold leh... rainy got lar
was a nice holiday trip... lucky go there earlier.. heard tat japanese yen went up again these few days..

my visa was approved last minute so manage to go but had to reschedule it 1 day earlier to join another tour group.

Not cold leh.... was staying in tokyo dome hotel for 2 nites. some chilling wind got lar... but most of the day no need light jacket also.

hmm.. perhaps the area i went not so much anime craze, more to stylish formal office ladies (OL) ....especially in ginza lar, its either LV, prada, burberry.. etc..