Should i go Japan Alone?
 

Hello fellow Japanforumers, as some of you may know I am VesperD.. and I've been planning to holiday in Japan this summer. Me and a group of friends actually, or so i thought.. well 5 of us was initially down for going Tokyo this summer break but so far only 2 out of 5 has come through as being reliable, the other 3.. lets just say they are lucky to even buy a ticket let alone spending money. And even so, there is not knowing what will happen to the reliable 2 from now towards summer.

So i was wondering, IF.. it turns out I really am going alone.. would that really be ok? im in a
dilemma; whether i should stay with my friends this summer or chase my dream of holidaying in Japan this year. I have saved up enough for a ticket which i will be booking this March, and £500.. right now im trying my best to find a Job so i can really spend over in Tokyo.

As you can see my Dilemma is really bugging me out, and im usually not a stressful person.. im chilled on good days.. and on bad days( lets just say i havent had one in a very long while).

I really want to go Japan this year, and then again I don't because I'm really not sure what to expect, its less of a surprise if you are with a companion.. you know what i mean?

That is why i wish to hear your opinions/assurance, or if anyone can share their experience in Japan with me, and anyone in the community wondering the same. Any tips or advice people would like to give to a first time solo flier? What can i expect, how much cash is enough?

I do realise the majority of the JFers havent been Tokyo before, let alone travelling there solo, so on the behalf of the unspoken and people wondering the same; is travelling alone at a young age to a big city really ok? or.. what is is your opinion? Im 16 and living in London by the way.
Sorry for the bombardment of questions, I just want help from the same site that i have come to call home, where i have learnt so many things, and made so many friends. Enlighten me please.

Thank You for Reading, if there are any questions you would like to ask, anything you wish me to clarify, feel free.. please and thank you. :ywave:

All depends on how you feel to be honest...

I have had very few problems getting around since I got here but I had a lot of help settling in so I don't really know how it would be with no/little help

Best advice would be to NOT travel in July/August though... the summer climate here is pretty nasty (especially for us brits who are used to dry summers!)

lol Im going to Japan...in august...alone too lol me its for 2 or 4 yrs...Im really sorry i cant help more...

anyway im in august in tokyo I already have a flat there(my dad hav one) if you need something just PM me! Good Luck for your trip!

To be honest, I think you're too young to go to Japan by yourself. Wait at least 2-3 years more. And going alone is hard as hell. Would be another thing if you went in a group.


Look at me, I've been waiting to go to Japan for I dont know how many years. And this year I finally can go with enough responsibility for myself, a good friend to enjoy this with and enough cash. Makes it a lot more worth it even if you may have fun by yourself.

At least thats what I think.

I say you should go! i have been to japan on and off over the past 10 years alone be brave! be an explorer!

Thanks for replying guys :)

to chachava - yeah i know what you mean chachava, if the summer climate in Japan is the same as it is in Vietnam and Singapore i guess i have no problems, as for settling in i dont plan to for a while.

Oh i also noticed you are staying in Yokohama, hence the location.. i have some relatives staying in kanagawa, if its near to Tokyo i plan to visit.

Koaku - hey there Koaku, pretty cool that you're staying in Tokyo, how old are you?.. and thanks for the offer, i will gladly help you in return( if you need anything) :D

Fijah - thanks for your opinion Fijah, really appreciated.. i understand where you're coming from, but there are several reasons why i wish to go at a young age. Primarily my dream is to travel the world, and my first stop at legal traveling age shall be Japan.. or so i thought. 2nd, i wish to take on a student exchange programme in uni in a few years, so i can study abroad ( hopefully in Japan), that is why i wish to experience Japan young.

Fijah i agree with you.. about experiencing it with friends, i was thinking the same thing.. what is a holiday if you have no one to experience it with? share the moments, but right now.. i am not sure if its a holiday, or a solo venture.

Dont get me wrong, i am not your typical teenager i can take care of myself.. and a very responsible guy, but at the same time i am always looking for fun.

ChikiChiyo - thank you for the thumbs up, seems like you are the only one not against me travelling today :)

Im 19...if you looking for a flat or anything in august its ok for me lol you 'll be my first mate in Japan lol

How hot does it get? I like hot weather and would most likely go to Japan when it's Winter at home, therefore Summer in Japan.

Edit: Like main cities in the middle island

thanks for the thumbs up Koaku, are you jamaican? one of my friend most possibly travelling with me is Jamaican :D, if i do go we could hang out!

that would be pretty cool, if i could stay at your pad.. not so sure if my friends join.. but yeah I'll keep your offer on that one.

At 16 you are not going to be able to book a hotel by yourself, so unless you have places to crash, it might be tough.

Thanks for the word up, im not sure if most of Japan's hotels have the same policy but in UK we was able to stay at a premier travel inn at the age of 16.

Im close to 17 now.. if that makes any difference, i think not.

not Jamaican lol if your going with some friendz that not a problem I think there will be enough place fo 5 person. so...

Oh my bad Koaku (haha), thank you for your generosity, I'll keep that in mind.
by the way where are you now? if i last recalled correctly, you live in London

lol used to live...lol I was in Holloway Uni..and I've finish now..*SAD* london missed me everyday!!no GB guyz missed me everyday lol (I've only Noodl now lol) anyway im in Paris for finish (also have) my degree and going to Japan in August! YAATTAA!

Hostels might be OK, but hotels are more strict.

Personally i wouldn't go to Japan alone at the age of 16 without having a strong level in japanese! There could be endless numbers of complications due to your age and hotels (which someone already mentioned) is just the start!

If you really wanna go, i suggest that you find at least one adult to go with and/or try to convince your reliable buddy's to go! Even though a group of 16 year olds can have problems, it's a lot more reassuring than just being a single 16 yr old in a country you don't know with a language you don't know!

Koaku - aww thats too bad, i was thinking we meet up and get to know eachother, play basketball at greenwich park, eat suishi or something.

MMM - Yeah its common sense that hotels are stricter than hostels really, thanks MMM I'll keep that in mind.

Noodle - thanks for the input Noodle, seems like it really is wise to travel in a group, i am a begginner in Japanese.. i might not be able to get around, alone.
How was your first time in Japan? did you face any difficulties, if so what type?

Wow guys it, seems like alot of people are against me going alone, i guess it really comes down to whether any of my friends choose to buy a ticket this March.

I haven't been to Japan yet, but I'm just talking from experience from travelling to other countries.. Travelling alone can be fun, but you really have to be extra carefull with everything. I always find that the only "better" thing about travelling alone instead of a group is the fact that you can go wherever you like whenever you like. BUT, if you and your friends are tight and you wanna see similar/same things, then there is absolutely no advantages from travelling solo!... This just from what i've experienced!

Hm...I'll be going alone this march, and it's my first time too :p
But I'm already 29 ^^ and i hope my japanese is good enough XD

If you're interested, we can go together. Here's my itinerary
http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...needed%29.html
I'm a budget traveler so it won't blow holes in your pocket

yes i agree with you noodles, you get to see more travelling alone, i have a guy who is just looking for girls, a guy who is crazy about anime, a guy who is into music producing and his girl friend, and a girl who i dont know much about.. hmm a diverse group, not sure if we all want to see the same things at the same time, there might be conflict. Another reason to travel alone.

Thanks for the encouragement Tsuzuki, i am going to need it, if i book my ticket.

yukiya you are a nice person for offering me that, but it seems you are going in March, i am booking in March :)

30-36degrees heat (in Tokyo region anyway) which isn't insanely hot but that is not the main problem... the worst part is the 95%+ humidity which makes the overall climate really muggy and nasty. You will sweat like crazy by just standing still, even in the shade

Easily the worst time of the year to be here in my opinion

I don't think it's a good idea to travel on your own if it's a holiday trip. You're not really going to enjoy your stay there, it'd be rather boring... visiting places and not having anyone to share your views with or even discuss what route to take, that's part of travelling.

Maybe you should wait at least another year before going to Japan. You may think you're more responsible than the average teenager but that doesn't mean much. I wasn't like the average teenager either and thought I knew it all and had everything figured out. Looking back at those years I see just how foolish and confused I really was. With years comes knowledge, sometimes. You seem like a responsible kid but give it some time.

Go with your best friend in a year. Don't even bother going with a bunch of people you're not really close with. Just going with your best friend is key. Going with too many people will be chaos because I would imagine Japan has a lot of things to do and see and the situation would get frantic with everyone wanting to do different things and just settling on what to do may lead to arguments and people taking sides on what to do and may alienate one another. Having only one person with you will lead both of you to compromise much easier and do something you can both enjoy.

One year will really benefit you emotionally and mentally as you gain more knowledge and maturity and will better appreciate the trip than you probably would now. I think giving it some time is most important right now. Just look back one year ago when you were 15 and how you are now. I am 21 right now and I already feel like I'm much more knowledgeable now than I was just 1 month ago or even last week. Japan isn't going anywhere so just go in a year. You'll see how one year can really make a difference and make your experience much more enjoyable.

Did you disappear or something? Anyway, it may even be best to go alone to Japan without anyone. Even if you go with your best friend there will still be many disagreements and one of you may be irritated at the other person most likely. If you must go with someone then make it only one person because you can always split up and do your own thing around the city in case of an argument or disagreement on where and what to do. When you go alone it gives you an opportunity to take everything in around you and you will be more aware of your surroundings because you know that there's no one you know near you so that can make the situation more exciting.

I know you may want to experience Japan with someone else by your side that shares your excitement but you can always meet other travellers at the hostels and this will give you a better chance to meet and talk with them if you're alone than if you were with someone else. When you're with someone else you may not care to meet other people because you figure that you have your friend with you so there's no need to meet new people and you just focus on your friend the entire time instead of people all around you. Being alone almost forces you to want to meet other people. I think meeting a bunch of new people at a foreign land will be much more exhilarating than going with someone that you've known for a long time and it may be a wise idea if you want to save the friendship that you care about because arguments on the road can be common.

I like travelling alone when I can. I don't mind eating alone in a restaurant or seeing a movie by myself. But if I remember correctly the OP was 18 or so...that might be a little young for such an adventure.

The OP isn't 18 just yet but I recommended he wait until he's 18 before going but I doubt he'll wait until then if he really wants to go. If he really wants to go then maybe he should. He could meet other people on the road and use them as support in case he gets overwhelmed. I'm sure people at the hostels will be accepting and help him out. I'm sure there will be many people from the U.K. that can guide him and give him some comfort in case he gets too overwhelmed by the new culture. Having some beer with new people that you meet can never hurt, or just drink by yourself.

I've travled a lot in many different places alone or with someone.
And you know?!! I have been saving the Travel to Japan even though that I really wanna go there.
why?!!!!!....
hmm ... good question :D.
....
Why y y!!!!!!........... I forgot!!!!!:eek:
AHH!!
because I want to enjoy the travel. a lot of things that I really wanna see during a short period.
how much time I'll waste to look for something in a place that I don't know, and imagine :rolleyes: when you are alone waiting just to get there "no chatting or loughing". I guess in this case you'll cut half the enjoyment "tell me about it :( ".and this is japan, I don't want to waste any single second.
that's why I want to make sure that I have a good company(one or two, no more no less):vsign:
I will go this May or June:ywave:, if my friends didn't change their mind:rolleyes:.

hey man!!!, do something that you'll keep it in your memory not camera memory.

Going it alone
 

I have been to Japan by myself many times. Spent my late teens to early 20's there on a working holiday.

Depends where you're going, where you want to stay and whether you want to associate with gaijin or nihonjin while you're there.

If you want gaijin company, stay at youth hostels and join tour groups. If you want nihonjin company, stay in ryokan, or japanese style accommodation and talk to the people there. Often the proprietor is very helpful.
Before I became a travel agent, I spent most of my travel accommodation in Japanese inns from the Japanese Inn Group. JAPANESE INN GROUP

Some of them are dodgy, but they're cheap and easy to book. Have a sensational time and let us know how your stay went when you get back!
HTH!

i travelled alone at that age and it did my confidence wonders!
i'd say go for it! if you stay home you'll only regret not going! and you'll have more freedom on your own to do as you please too, so stuff em! :D

I couldn't imagine travelling alone in Japan at 16, you are pretty courageous. One issue is that you may be too young to get a full credit account with an overdraft. I can't imagine running out of money alone in Japan is much fun..

Without a travelling companion I would, personally, certainly get quite lonely, especially if my Japanese wasn't of a high enough standard to meet people and make friends.
But yeah, having the balls to go to Japan alone at 16 is quite commendable! You would certainly have an unforgettable experience.

Hey guys, sorry for leaving this thread unanswered... I've been so busy and totally forgot about it.

Well I just wanted to set this thread straight, I didn't go Japan in summer 2008. None of my friends were able to make it, because lack of money (as expected xD)

Instead I traveled to Vietnam with family, and had a great time. Looking back, I laugh at myself for being sooo naive xD I've always been adventurous at heart, which has lead me into all sorts of trouble.. like the time I wandered into a construction site, and was chased after by a big dog ^^

Did I really think £750 was enough for a 2 week holiday in Japan? Haha, I'd be living on pot noodles, and sleeping on benches all summer! hmmm what about souvenirs.. maybe an origami crane made by little children to the poor bum sleeping on the park bench xD

I'd like to thank everyone whose whose given me input, it was thanks to you I was able to make a decision, honestly I am glad I didn't go Japan alone at such a young age.

1 month, 1 year can do alot to your wisdom heh? Ghostblade?

I'm going to be going to Japan next summer-ish by myself. I am using that time to save money so I have a nice nest-egg to enjoy myself in Japan. I hope it all goes well. I'm learning Japanese, both from penpals, as well as a private tutor in the meantime. I'm also learning as much as I can about the culture, so I don't act all tourist-y and disrespectful when I don't mean to be :)

Not sure when yet, but either May-ish or September-ish of 2010 is my trip to Japan. Sorry to hear yours didn't work out, and I hope I don't suffer a similar fate! :vsign:

do it! I'm going in December for a few months to brush up on my Japanese, alone. Same age too. It's quite a thrill and I find very easy to get around the Tokyo metro, it's easier than the London underground in my opinion.

Jwagner - Good luck getting there buddy! Come back and tell us all about it when you arrive in Japan :)

JayT - wow JayT you are very adventerous, at 17 and going Japan already? im envious :P Wish I had the guts and money to go alone! But alas it would have been a frightening trip for a first time solo flier... but I guess you're quite experienced? hm? :)

Well it's definitely a little bit nerve wrenching at first.
Since there's so many people in Tokyo,
but most of them are willing to help you out if you need it!

Haha I remember the first time I rode the train in Tokyo I didn't pay the correct fair so when I went to exit the station the gate wouldn't let me out! I freaked out because at that time I didn't know of the fair adjustment machines, but a kind by stander helped me out right away!

Overall It's a very nice and safe place, I've never felt threatened before,
even at extreme hours of the night :O

I think flying solo is quite fun also!
Hopefully you'll get seated next to someone interesting!
Last time I flew alone I sat next to a photographer that took star pictures for national geographics, we had a quite interesting conversation the whole way !


: )

you should take me ! lmao

It all depends on who you go with.


I went to Japan with 15 other students, which I obviously don't recommend-- but my biggest regret is not being able to go with my girlfriend...

What's the point of experiencing something if you don't have anyone to reminisce with?

A VERY good point, however it does work both ways. I had a blast on my own, had my GF been with me ... well ... it would have not been the same, she would have been miserable ;)

But by and large I completely agree with you with the shared experience.

If you want to do something just do it - dont worry about the consequences.