Hi all! And thanks for the warm reception I've recieved on this site.
A friend and I will be travelling to Japan on the 29th March, and leaving on the 14th April. While we have some general ideas about what to expect, there are a few things I'd like to know about before we leave, if anyone here can respond to my queries, please do. I'd appreciate any help at all
.
Firstly, I'll explain our situation. I'm 18 and my friend is 19, and visiting Japan has been a dream for us for years. I have *some* (limited) skill in speaking and reading Japanese, probably not enough to actually be useful..
Budget: My friend and I are staying for 14 days and have booked all of our hotels etc. For spending money/food money/getting around/"doing stuff" money we each have about £900, is this a reasonable amount to survive on if we budget or should we take out a little loan? This money is for everything except flights/accomodation. We intend on visiting quite a few paid-entry places like Disney-Sea while in Tokyo, but we are also staying in Kyoto for 5 days, I imagine the attractions will be less expensive there..
Weather: We are both from Scotland (which is usually a fairly cold place). Does anyone know what the weather is likely to be like during our stay? For example, should we pack mostly shorts and t-shirts, or is it likely we'll need jackets and jeans?
Trains/Getting around: I believe we will purchase the JR pass as we are going to be travelling around the country a fair bit, but I'm slightly confused as to where it can be used. Is it ONLY for city to city transport or are there inner city lines too? Generally, how expensive is it to get around Tokyo/Kyoto?
Tokyo Nightlife: I'm sorry, I know this has been asked a million times before.. I'm 18 and my friend is 19, from being from the UK we're used to being able to get into bars/clubs. I've heard conflicting reports about the strictness in Japan, some say they are really lax to foreigners while others say we won't get in anywhere. Can anyone here shed some light on this? Also, can anyone recommend any especially good places? We're used to paying huge amounts for booze here in Edinburgh, (£3.00 for a pint of beer in some places!) what are the prices generally like in Tokyo?
Your recommendations: So far we've planed quite a few outings, but we still have many free days. Are there any must-see attractions (we want to experience everything from Temples and shrines to arcades!) you could recommend in Tokyo/Kyoto? I believe we'll also visit Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima, so points of interest there would be handy too. We really want to see a cherry blossom festival, if there are any on!
I'm sure I have more questions that have evaded me for the moment..
I'm sorry for asking so many questions! I just want to make sure this trip is as enjoyable as possible.
Any and all responses are greatly appreciated!!
P.S- Who else here is going to see X-Japan on the 29th!?