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Weltall (Offline)
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Planning my trip to Japan - 03-07-2009, 06:23 AM

Ok, earlier today I decided I am finally going to take my dream vacation - Tokyo.

Here are some questions I have for you all, and thank you in advance for any responses:

1.I am 24, and I enjoy videogames, clubbing/nightlife, and backpacking in cities. I don't care for a "quiet" vacation or hotel. I want to be in or around the excitement! I won't be going to bed until 4-5 AM and I will only sleep a small handful of hours a day. Taking all of this into account, Roponngi or Shinjuku are my best hotel options, yes?

1. I was thinking about July, how is July in Tokyo? Are there better months? I prefer hot weather and the summer time is my only option right now. (June~August)

2. What are the best hotels to stay in either Roponggi or Shinjuku? I want to stay close to a train port so I can walk to them quickly for traveling. I don't plan to go outside of the major Tokyo areas except maybe Osaka for one day. Also, by best hotel I don't mean the most luxurious or expensive. Sure, I don't want to sleep with bugs, but I would like a private room in a decent hotel.

3. What is the best way to book one of these trips? I am sure it is not Expedia/Priceline/etc, but I don't know of the best sources. Any help here is hugely appreciated

4. How much money do I need to prepare? I know the minimum is a few thousand. I will be going to bars/clubs at night, but mostly during the day just walking around / shopping / arcades / visiting some friends (No, staying on their floor isn't an option (If you can also, include info about the train passes, cost etc)

5. Where do you suggest I visit while in Tokyo? I am not 100% positive on how the districts are separated, but I will be doing some studying before I go. How far apart are places like Shinjuku and Roponggi? How much/long does it take to travel to Osaka for a day and back?

6. What are some cost saving advice/tips you guys may have?

7. Best places to eat in each area?

8. Where are the best arcades!? Shopping districts?!

9. TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!! Sorry for so many questions, I am open for pushback on being lazy / not searching, but I would like a centralized location for this info (this thread)!

I'll add more as I think of them

Thank you again for all your responses,


Welt
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MMM (Offline)
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03-07-2009, 06:30 AM

If you are staying in Tokyo, you won't want to waste money on a train-pass. You probably won't use its value daily. You want to stay on the Yamanote Loop line, but if you are out until 5 AM you can find cheaper accommodations outside of Roppongi and Shinjuku (I am not a Roppongi fan) I like Ueno, as there are nice and cheaper hotels near the station.
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Weltall (Offline)
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03-07-2009, 06:31 AM

Can you post the names of the hotels so I can do some research on the ones you prefer? I've not even heard of that city (yes, I still have much research to do >_<)
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03-07-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Weltall View Post
Can you post the names of the hotels so I can do some research on the ones you prefer? I've not even heard of that city (yes, I still have much research to do >_<)
It isn't a city, but a stop (train station) in Tokyo on the Yamanote loop line.

(search Yamanote Loop on Google)
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AlivPaa (Offline)
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03-07-2009, 10:06 AM

lol,
we all want to spend most of our daily hours awake absorbing in all there is (see both life in day and night perspective)
But sounds like you will have a huge holiday for sure.
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Raisthlin (Offline)
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03-09-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Weltall View Post
Ok, earlier today I decided I am finally going to take my dream vacation - Tokyo.

Here are some questions I have for you all, and thank you in advance for any responses:

1.I am 24, and I enjoy videogames, clubbing/nightlife, and backpacking in cities. I don't care for a "quiet" vacation or hotel. I want to be in or around the excitement! I won't be going to bed until 4-5 AM and I will only sleep a small handful of hours a day. Taking all of this into account, Roponngi or Shinjuku are my best hotel options, yes?

1. I was thinking about July, how is July in Tokyo? Are there better months? I prefer hot weather and the summer time is my only option right now. (June~August)

2. What are the best hotels to stay in either Roponggi or Shinjuku? I want to stay close to a train port so I can walk to them quickly for traveling. I don't plan to go outside of the major Tokyo areas except maybe Osaka for one day. Also, by best hotel I don't mean the most luxurious or expensive. Sure, I don't want to sleep with bugs, but I would like a private room in a decent hotel.

3. What is the best way to book one of these trips? I am sure it is not Expedia/Priceline/etc, but I don't know of the best sources. Any help here is hugely appreciated

4. How much money do I need to prepare? I know the minimum is a few thousand. I will be going to bars/clubs at night, but mostly during the day just walking around / shopping / arcades / visiting some friends (No, staying on their floor isn't an option (If you can also, include info about the train passes, cost etc)

5. Where do you suggest I visit while in Tokyo? I am not 100% positive on how the districts are separated, but I will be doing some studying before I go. How far apart are places like Shinjuku and Roponggi? How much/long does it take to travel to Osaka for a day and back?

6. What are some cost saving advice/tips you guys may have?

7. Best places to eat in each area?

8. Where are the best arcades!? Shopping districts?!

9. TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!! Sorry for so many questions, I am open for pushback on being lazy / not searching, but I would like a centralized location for this info (this thread)!

I'll add more as I think of them

Thank you again for all your responses,


Welt
1- Shinjuku. Roppongi is gaijin filled and not that great. But there is lots of good restaurants and entertainment there. But i really dont like the whole "feel" of the place

2- look online...your best bet is to do a search on some hotel ooking service and real the hundreds of reviews there. I would stick with one who has at least 150 recetn reviews and have an overall 85% of satisfaction. This is a sure bet.

3- Always depends. there is nothing better..its just a matter of timing and oipportunity. call your travel agent and ask her to come up with the best price possible for tickets. Call a few more agencies as well. look online for deals on tickets. Get the less expensice one. i travel the world and that what i always do. For me, my travel agent, Claudine a very nice person and a friend, always end up offering me 30% lower fare then rest of the market but that doesnt mean i dont look elsewhere. Just do some good old shopping and tell them all you do so. they try to beat each other prices.

4- 8 tips that will save you money in Tokyo | Japanite!

It depends what you want to eat,drink and etc. I would say 3x8-10 USD for each meal if you go cheap. Less if you go backpacker cheap like i sometimes do. (sve money for clubs haha) Maybe 100USD per night for clubs and taxi. Really this is something that changes from one person to another. just bring as much cash as you can and go with the flow once there. If you bring back money good...if not you had a great time so its all good. Just bring as much as you can....

5- Roppongi, Shinjuku, etc. There all in Tokyo so all close since subways and trains are kinda like startrek beam there. Beam me up! As for Osaka its about 2 and a half hour by train. As for what to "do & see" just do yourself a favor and buy a tokyo guide book. Lonely planet for exemple. Everythings in there. Including what not to miss and even some itinerary.

6- breakfeast at 7-11, consider guesthouse instead of hotel for a couple nights, go to club with "all you can drink" deal usually a 30$ cover charge but once your in you can drink whatever you want, use subways not taxi (unless too late), im sure theres also some guide about this on the internet...search google.

7- Way too hard to answer....search internet, look review in guidebook, price range ? etc.

8- Im not sure but Akihabara is probably best bet for arcades. as for shopping you have lots of options. I like Takeshita Street.

9- already hundreds of threads about "everything" in here. Dont be lazy...read, read, then read some more and when you are done make sure to keep reading again and again. Now go buy yourself Lonely Planet Tokyo guide. its really cheap...you can even download a pdf version from lonelyplanet website if im not mistaken. I doubt you will have any more question after reading it..


Peace

Last edited by Raisthlin : 03-09-2009 at 09:05 PM.
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Weltall (Offline)
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03-10-2009, 02:03 AM

Thanks everyone for the help! I can't WAIT! - Yet, I am forced to
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