First Time backpacking around Japan, help?!
 

So I'll jump straight in.

Basically me and my husband-to-be are planning to go to Japan for a month for our honeymoon. We'd like to take the 'backpackers' approach and explore at our own pace, kind of doing our own thing.

But we are both completely new to this! obviously we both have the common sense to keep us out of trouble on the trip. But I really, really would appreciate ANY advice or help with the rest. Has anyone else done this and how did you find it?


Questions I especially need answered:
Recommended/reliable hostels or B&B's and their general locations?
How much money should we take to spend (this includes accommodation and general stuff)?
Is it fairly simple to use the public transport from one place to the next?
Oh and what is the best time of year to go (we'd prefer the 'low season')

We've read up about all of these things but I guess you can only learn so much without actually experiencing it for yourself.

Thanks in advance for any input guys :) !

Hi,

A month backpacking will give you a lot of time to cover many grounds. You can do an entire cross country trip!

Cheap hotels: JapanHotel.net Japanese Business Hotels, Ryokans, Minshukus, Guest Houses, Hot Springs and other accommodation

Look at my other post, I wrote a 14 days guide, which may be able to help you plan

I went to Japan over new year and used the following site to book digs in Japan before we left the Uk, Hostels & Youth Hostels Worldwide - Online Bookings.
Advantages are that there is feedback on the accomodation so you can assess if its the place for you, there are generally some photo's of the accomodation and you can reserve online. There is plenty of choice for accomodation on the site.
Check out Michigan90's post in 'travel advice' with the useful website for arranging train/plane/bus travel.

Once you guys get back you could update wikitravel.org with at least some info! right now its got nothing!
Backpacking in Japan - Wikitravel
but this thing (Hitchhiking in Japan - Wikitravel) is long as the number 8 laying on its side...

Hmm.. good idea, maybe I should also post my 14 day guide there. I never posted on Wiki before, how should I go about doing this? Just post it as is or do I need enough reference to make it non ambiguous?

There's a lot of places to stay, and for some reason Hotels etc. Are really cheap like the most expensive one i found when i was over their last time was about $120 a night. But it really depends where you are going. First its going to be a massive culture shock when you arrive at the airport you will have no idea my suggestion is find the nearest info booth in the airport and get them to direct you to a hotel booking service for the night then once you have that hotel booked find out where it is (will usually be near popular area's) and catch the nearest train/subway to it.

After the first night you will usually get your bearings make sure you have a little phrase book or something like that so you can ask basic questions. Best thing to do is find the nearest internet cafe and search for where you want to go and what you want to do. (theres an internet cafe pretty much every block or area so you shouldn't have trouble finding one) So once you figured out what yah wanna do just print out a map. Or if you feel like chillin' in the town a bit just print off a local map or goto a convience store and find one.

It's always fun just to see whats around cause you can end up in all kind's of adventures. Last time me and my friend just flew into kansai airport conviently met up with an aussie like us who had been to the country before and helped us out at the start because we were just dumbfounded.

But also if your ever in Kyoto, Look for Kyoto's Cheapest Inn its 200 yen for a week. Which is about $20 converted :D. Though its not very private not many hostels are but you get shower's, Bike Hire, Laundry Services and free internet :P. I couldn't be bothered typing out the rest it's best once your started to find your own way cause thats how you end up having the funnest time :D

just book online:

TOYOKO INN
JapanHotels.com
Japan Hotels - all the best hotels in Japan
Japan Hotels - Reservations Online and Discount Hotels in Japan
JAPAN HOTEL ASSOCIATION

The cheapest I paid was like $11 canadian a night at a business hotel, the room size are small, its almost like a stateroom on a cruise, but since you will only be using the room to sleep, whatever goes right