Japan planning thread

[Takoneko]

I’ve just booked the hotels for my third trip to Japan next year and about to start planning the itinerary in earnest.

Japan threads pop up here quite a bit and I think people spend a lot of time on planning for Japan trips. I thought it might be nice to have a shared thread where we can pool questions, tips and share research for anyone who has a trip coming up.

All budgets and styles of trip are welcome, whether you’re going hiking, temple-hopping, skiing or visiting theme parks, maid cafes and arcades and whether you’re going to hostels or 5 star hotels. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to enjoy Japan. It has something for everyone.

We’re a couple in our late 30s and our trip will be mid-budget, probably up to about £3.4k per person with food and spends. We’ve splashed out a bit on direct JAL flights and have upgraded all our hotel rooms to at least king size beds in hotels that are in really well connected locations. They are all mid-range Japanese business hotel chains rather than luxury hotels though. (Candeo, Daiwa Roynet and Sotetsu Fresa). We like Japanese food but we’re definitely more likely to be eating eat in mom and pop restaurants and mid-range Japanese chains than in fancy kaiseki places. Any recommendations for mid range restaurants with relaxed atmospheres would be very welcome.

We plan to use the Sanyo-San’in rail pass in the second half of our trip and would be really interested to share ideas for places to visit with anyone else who is planning on using that pass (or who has used it in the past). At the moment we are thinking Iwakuni, Miyajima, Kurashiki and Onomichi from Hiroshima and Himeji and Uji from Osaka, but we are open to other ideas. I speak passable tourist Japanese and we are ok with going to places that don’t cater to English speakers and muddling through with broken Japanese and Google translate.

Which one? The inner market at Tsukiji, which used to be popular with tourists for the tuna auctions, closed down. The main fish market for Tokyo is now at Toyosu, but I don’t think it attracts crowds in quite the same way. The outer market at Tsukiji is still there and quite popular. We stayed nearby and had a wander because it was nearby but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit. It’s just a load of food vendors like you get all over the city but at higher prices than most other places. The food is good, but there’s good food wherever you go in Japan.

@Takoneko it looked like an open food market east of Tokyo station. What’s your top 2 best things?

East of Tokyo station is Tsukiji. The food stalls are still there but the fish market itself is gone now, relocated to Toyosu.

Picking a top two things in Tokyo is really hard and so personal.

I personally love Meiji Jingu. It’s a lovely place for a walk. It’s so spacious and peaceful compared to most of the other popular shrines and temples.

Another favourite for us was taking the water bus down the river from Asakusa to Hinode pier (it was cherry blossom season). We also went to the sky lobby at the Azabudai Hills Mori JP tower that evening. We were lucky as it closed to the public the week after we left. The sunset view of Tokyo tower was amazing (though it was very very busy). I don’t know if it really counts as one thing though. That day as a whole was just really nice.

@Takoneko thank you a river cruise is something I hadn’t considered. I picture it as beautiful with cherry blossom.

@SunnyTimes3 I loved our evening in an izakaya, complete with charming old drunk Japanese men. And I thought the area around Yanaka was great - bursting with mid century charm.

Ooh, lovely!
Could you tell me, the Japanese Hotel chains, do they appear on sites like Booking.com or do you have to search on the chains website? I know in the UK places like Premier Inn, don't and you can only seem to book direct.

@Kendodd They show up on booking sites. I use booking.com. Do be aware that if you’re booking really far in advance some places won’t show up yet. A lot of them become available 9 months in advance, but some bains are only 6 months (or sometimes less).

@SunnyTimes3 Top experience we've had in Tokyo (and most cities) is a bike tour. It's such a fun way to see the city and the local guide gives so much insight and brings you to areas a tourist would never visit. If you're unsure of your abilities on a bike, find a place that does e-bike tours as the bike does all the work on inclines or if you want to speed up.

We used Soshi's Tokyo Bike Tour and would recommend. Soshi is very friendly, chatty, and has some gems to share as someone living in Tokyo but from a different part of Japan. Afterwards, head to Gyoza no Ohsho - Shimbashi Station for the £6 set lunch that will keep you full for days - each person gets 12 gyoza, soup, rice and friend chicken!!!

@SunnyTimes3

Thats a really good price for direct. It does make a huge difference. It turns the flight into something you can enjoy rather than dread!

@faffadoodledo How is your trip going?

I went with price of flights not date, that makes a big difference. If you have a set time of year then I imagine it’s more tricky and needs research.

Boats and cycles are not things I can do in December. Enjoyed reading about the best times for others. Thanks.

I’m plotting walking routes for day 1 in Shibuya from my hotel (close to Scramble Crossing ) to Harajuku then Meiji Jingu. I will probably taxi back. Trying to keep outside to beat the jet lag OP @Takoneko

@faffadoodledo is it getting cold yet?

@DancingLions I have not been on a plane for years so I’m excited. Until I experience it then dread the return flight.,

@SunnyTimes3 That sounds like a good first day. It’s very similar to what we are planning for our first day.
I’m a teacher. Being tied to school holidays really limits us in terms of when we can go to Easter or Christmas. Summer is too hot and half terms are too short. That means flights are wildly expensive. Our economy flights last year were almost £2k per person, this year they were £1650. If you have flexibility it makes so much more sense to go at a quieter time of year. You’ve got a great deal on your flight and places will also be far less crowded when you’re there.

@SunnyTimes3 no! It's not cold. At least not until sundown. I've been shocked at how warm it is. Additionally Fifi has had its latest ever smattering of snow... and now it's melted!

@SunnyTimes3 bikes and boats are doable in Japan in December as long as it isn't raining. I have friends visiting Japan now and they haven't need their coats at all, it's sunny and autumn warm! Like @faffadoodledo says, it is shockingly good weather this year.

I have had a look at the forecast it’s been 21 day time in Tokyo 😮. Still 3 weeks to go for me.

Haven't got time to read all the comments but thought I'd leave details of my favourite Tokyo accommodation.

When staying in Tokyo my favourite hotel is Keio Presso Inn Kayabacho. It's a really good value 3 star hotel. The things I love about are:

• Quiet location but well connected, with a free bus service nearby that takes you to Tokyo railway station
• Above a convenience store
• Basic but very clean and has blinds that slide across the window so you can have complete darkness in your room if you want.

It's about £50 a night

Top activities we did in Tokyo
(2 adults 2 teens)

Itzikaya bar tour with Magic Tours

Team Labs borderless

I’ve just cancelled my Hiroshima hotel and booked this instead. When you first posted this they weren’t taking bookings for April yet. I checked again this morning and there was availability so I’ve booked. Thanks for the recommendation, I’m really looking for to it. It looks great.

@namechanged221 thanks I’ve added the tour to my day 1 and the team labs to day 6.

Has anyone got an opinion on Tokyo Tower? It’s close enough to Team labs to fit it in on my day 6. They offer a tea ceremony ticket, has anyone experienced this?

Re views of Tokyo. I don't know if we missed out but we didn't do the Skytree. Instead we went up the Metropolitan Government building. It's free and affords fab views. You can see Skytree! And on a clear day Kyoto.

For tea we always enjoyed the tea houses in the various gardens.
We took Monty Don's advice and divided our garden sightseeing into three categories - stroll, dry, and moss. The best of all was Saiho-Ji in Kyoto (tho no tea house there!) - the most calming place I have ever seen.

I’ve never been up Tokyo tower and probably won’t bother going up on future visits. I feel like the view of Tokyo tower is what everyone wants in that part of Tokyo. If you’re in Tokyo tower then you are missing the most interesting part of that skyline. That said, if the tea ceremony ticket appeals to you, then go for it. The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing.

@Takoneko that's how I felt about the tower. You get a great view of it from the Government building

Going up monuments/towers/buildings has never been my thing. I skipped the Eiffle and Empire State and never regretted it, but maybe I would love it. Sounds like tea is better taken elsewhere.

Akihabara is somewhere I do need to go to get some gaming merchandise. I need to plan a day from Shibuya to Akihabara if anyone knows a good stop off?