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USA to JP, what steps to take? can you guys review my plan -
01-16-2011, 10:27 AM
Should I get a Visa before hand? I was reading that you dont need a Visa beforehand but am I just better off getting one before going?
Total random trip. I have vacation time that needs to be used. So I would like to be going in about a month. plan: get visa get JAL flight (should i use another?) Stay in capsule hotel possible? I dont need nice accommodations, I would rather live in the heart of tokyo rather than have a room which I really wont use. Figure not going there to stay in a room. bring $500 cash /rest on credit cards? See a cartoon Katoon concert. Is it even possible? Ride the roller coaster that is somewhere in the middle of Tokyo I heard about. 
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01-16-2011, 11:55 AM
Tourists don't need a visa to get into Japan from most countries. I don't know where you're coming from. US citizens get a 90 day permit stamped on your passport.
If you want to fly JAL you can. I always do, but there are other alternatives that are cheaper. I guess you can stay at a capsule hotel, but there are hotels in Tokyo that are quite reasonable.... one has to research it. There is a roller coaster across the street from Tokyo Dome, if that's the one you were asking about, but the day I was there in October, it wasn't running.... As far as finances, it all depends on what you're planning to do. Credit cards aren't used as much as they are in the states (here again, I'm supposing you're in the US). You can withdraw cash at ATMs as you use up your funds, I guess. I brought it all with me in the form of TCs, so I cashed them in as I saw fit. Have you looked at other threads in this forum? There are quite a few threads about this very topic.
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01-16-2011, 06:37 PM
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First of all, how old are you? As an American and a tourist, you will get your visa at the airport. It is good for 90 days. I do not believe you can get it in advance. Why JAL? It is nice, but also the most expensive. United, Delta, etc. also fly to Japan. You can stay in a capsule hotel if you want, but why? If you can afford JAL and can afford to go on an extended trip to Japan, why would you stay in the most uncomfortable accommodations? You have to leave the facilities by 10AM every morning, and cannot come back until a certain hour every night. Some places will require you take your luggage with you, and others may have pay lockers for you to store it. If you are staying for more than two nights, get a normal hotel room. How long are you planning on staying? In the :heart of Tokyo" $500 can be gone in a day if you aren't careful. (Where is the heart of Tokyo, by the way?) Japan is a cash-based culture. Most places will take credit cards, but I wouldn't want to use one for smaller purchases. "Cartoon KAT-TUN" is a TV show. KAT-TUN is a band, and if you aren't a fan enough to know how to spell the name right tells me you aren't a member of the fan club, and are not getting into any concerts. It's a little like saying "I am going to California next month. How can I meet Justin Bieber?"
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01-16-2011, 06:50 PM
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Same with flights, from Europe I find Emirates to be the nicest and air france the worse. No idea about airlines from America but I guess JAL will be one of the more pricey ones. From research I found capsule hotels to be actually expensive, the ones that are foreigner friendly anyway, as they are seen as a novelty. Chain business hotels like toyoko inn are what I found the cheapest en-suit accom in Tokyo, look into backpackers hostels and such if you don't mind sharing facilities. If you want to stay longer than a couple week, look into weekly mansions. Japan is not a massive card culture, especially non-Japanese cards, unless you pay for your accom in advance you want a lot more than that, and in cash. It cost me over £1000 back when it was 200Y/£1 for a 2week stay in transport and spends and stuff and I got my travel pass flights and most of the accom in advance. Sorry I don't know what cartoon Katoon concert is. *edit* just read from above that you might have meant KAT-TUN, like any concert you would need to find out if they are touring, get tickets in advance, and if it is some TV show they do, probs little to no chance to find these and book them without a japanese speaking friend to help. Greater Tokyo is massive! There are various themeparks around, but none in what I would call the centre of Tokyo unless I am being dense (maybe there used to be one in Odaiba?) There is quite a big one in Yokohama port area. 
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01-17-2011, 12:55 AM
To add some additional information about capsule hotels and why I cannot recommend one for anything other than a one night experience;
In most cases, there will be no place to store your luggage. They really are a "sleeping-only" sort of arrangement. For each capsule there is a small locker, but I have never heard of one large enough to accommodate even an average sized suitcase. Sometimes they will let you store your bag at the check-in counter, but I have heard of people needing to squeeze their bag into the capsule with them - making it virtually impossible to sleep. Either way, during the day you will be responsible for your bag. You`ll need to lug it around with you wherever you go. Definitely not something that would make for easy sight-seeing. The baths at capsule hotels are of the sento variety. This could be a negative feature for some people. It would be a communal bath with no privacy whatsoever.
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01-17-2011, 07:24 AM
Thanks guys,
Early 30's and single, so age/cash not that much of an issue. I figure spend before getting married since then it's "our money". I would prefer not to go overboard though. I dont mind roughing it. I studied Japanese in college, so I totally forgot reading but can get by on a limited basis. 2 weeks is my limit for the trip including flight. Im coming from the US. So not Visa needed, *Check*. Capsule hotel sounds out of the picture, I'll look at toyoko inn. I dont mind sharing facilities so I will look into hostels also. I was thinking about Shibuya, but I would prefer to put the cash towards going out vs hotel so a train ride is fine. JohnBraden: Yes Tokyo Dome was the one! I was looking at JAL since it actually seemed the cheapest for the lowest layovers. I'd prefer no layovers. I'll look again but a JAl flight seemed only $100 more than another carrier, and the reviews for JAL are pretty decent. If I have to spend almost 48 hours on a plane, an extra $100 is worth decent service. I'll see if there is cheaper but my quick look found everything to be around $1000 for a flight. Ill look further into it. Coming from NYC, so that ups the costs. Hmm, since credit cards are not as good as cash, vs US where most stores prefer credit cards, Ill up my cash count to $3000. Kind of weird carrying around that much. Im not really into the band Cartoon Katun's song, as much as I like their own show. That and they seem to be on so many TV shows. It has really exposed me to a variety of elements of japanese pop life. I figured since they perform every week for the last few years, it's kind of like going to Cats on Broadway. Not really a big deal if I cant get tickets. Ive been reading older posts and they are a great help. Thanks for any and all pointers in this tread as well!
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01-17-2011, 08:01 AM
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I live here and buy everything here, and our household "cash" budget for a month is 50,000 yen. 35000 of that is for my son`s kindergarten (cash or bank transfer)- so in reality only 15000/month in regular cash needs to be set aside for incidentals. And really, most of that is used for small purchases where a credit card could be used but just isn`t - for example buying a drink at a convenience store (they accept credit), riding the train (could buy a pass with credit), etc. I`d say that we use the most cash buying things at the drugstore (the closest drug store doesn`t take credit cards - I could go to another that does, but why bother?), for parking, or for eating out in tiny restaurants.
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01-17-2011, 08:10 AM
Just to be clear, stores in America (and Japan) do not prefer credit cards. They prefer cash. All credit card purchases cost the store a small fee. This is why in the US you will see signs that say "No credit card purchases under $10" or "No credit card purchases under $5". You wouldn't see that in Japan because no one would use a credit card to purchase anything under probably 3000 yen. It is silly (in Japan) to think you would have less than that in your wallet.
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01-17-2011, 11:06 AM
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If you see one of those signs in America saying "No credit cards for purchases under....", you should know that that store is in violation of it's agreement with the credit card company. Merchants who accept credit cards may not refuse a credit card purchase for any amount. If you find a store who performs such a practice, call your credit card issuer and complain, it's possible that the store will be fined, and your credit card company will refund you for your cash purchase from the proceeds of that fine (while living in America I used to be a credit consultant). Many more places in Japan now accept credit cards. Cash is still king, but most shops in the areas where tourists frequent will take most cards, even China's Union Pay cards. Capsule hotels suck, and they are slowly disappearing from the city. They have been replaced by 24 hour internet or comic cafes with private rooms. These cost roughly the same per day as a capsule hotel, but are actually more roomy. I have flown on JAL, KAL, AA, Delta, and so on when coming to Japan. The best airline for the price so far is United/Continental. I just returned from my winter holiday in America, and I flew United Airlines first class. It's the only America-based airline I have used that seems to always be on time. Time your arrival/departure for the middle of the week, this will be less expensive, and the lines at immigration and customs will be shorter as well. NYC is the cheapest place on the east coast to fly from, as it is the second most common mainland destination for flights to and from Japan. Flights from Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, or Atlanta will usually cost more. You can fly direct from New York on Continental, American, or JAL. Flight time from NYC should be around 13-14 hours, depending on the jet stream, the return flight should take an hour or two less time. I think the Thunder Dolphin (roller coaster) at Tokyo Dome City is still closed, a piece of the roller coaster broke off and fell to the ground while the ride was in use. No one was hurt, but it isn't to be reopened until each and every piece has been inspected.
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