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Hi guys!
I'm gonna visit Japan for about 2 weeks starting this August 25th. Its my first time in Japan, and I dont speak a single word in Japanese.
I'll stay at my girlfriend's place in Kawasaki/Tokyo area. She has to work, so in that 2 weeks I will have a lot of free time on my own(We plant to go to Kyoto and some others famous attraction whenver we can)
So I want some tips/advices on which places you guys recommend me to visit in Tokyo area?
How hard is this to board the subway system since I dont know Japanese( I could read Chinese characters really well,though)
What food should I try?
Can I rent a cell phone in Japan?
Just about anything you guys want me to know before I'm heading to Japan!
Thank you!
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My best advice would be to bone up on your Japanese.
And have fun!
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All I can add is have a great trip, I am jealous!
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I can answer most of your questions:
First, boarding the train is easy if you know where you want to go, and you can read the characters. Just make sure you buy a ticket for the right amount. Usually at most major subway stations there might be an english speaking person at the ticket office if you need help, so you can always try there, but they announce the stop in english every stop. (you can readjust your fair at the stop you get off if you make a mistake).
You can rent a cell phone at Narita airport (I assume you're flying there), however the deposit on a cell phone there is ~15,000円 if I remember correctly, although the pay as you go rates there are very bad I found.
In the Tokyo area I advise you to go around the Shibuya and Akihabara etc, as it's always fun to look around there, and I believe they're both on the yamanote line, although I may be wrong. Beyond that, you should look at guide book depending on what you're interested in, because there's alot to see. (definitely go to some local bars, and karaoke if you've never been before, it's surprisingly fun!)
If you're interested in learning some basic japanese i posted some in my blog, although it's really basic. If you have any other questions just ask. I hope this helped!
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Calgary25981 Posts
If I can do it, you can do it. I have no tips. Oh wait - Don't go into the women-only car in the train like I did.
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Cool, thank you drag_.
Yeah, I should buy a guide book...its hard to find here since I'm living in a small city in Vietnam, I'll have to go to Hanoi to buy one.
Heading to your blog rightnow !!!
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On August 14 2010 12:07 Chill wrote:
If I can do it, you can do it. I have no tips. Oh wait - Don't go into the women-only car in the train like I did.
lol Chill, How they reacted when you did that?
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There are several companies who will let you rent a cell phone. I used these guys, but I made very few calls, so I don't really remember what the rate was like. You should probably shop around a bit. The company I linked will let you make arrangements in advance to pick your phone up at a post office in the airport; I'm not sure how common of a service this is.
You won't have any trouble on the subway in Tokyo. IIRC nearly every single sign was marked clearly in both Japanese and English, and the same goes for the folded maps you can pick up for free in any station. I think there were a couple places where the signage didn't have English for all the stops, but if you know where you're going, you should be able to just match the characters since you know Chinese. If worst comes to worst, you can gesticulate helplessly at one of the station staff and they'll probably draw on a map for you to indicate where you are and where you need to go.
The one thing to look out for with the Tokyo subway system is that there's two distinct sets of lines, and although they use different tickets, there are stations with stops for both. I had enough trouble figuring out what transfers I needed to make half the time even being able to read Japanese, so if you have a particular destination in mind, you should probably have your girlfriend explain exactly what route to take beforehand. If you want to just ride around at random and explore, which I recommend doing after you've hit the usual must-see tourist spots, each line offers a one-day unlimited pass, I think for around $5 each.
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Don't plan the little things. Everybody there is helpful, friendly, and somebody in a crowd knows English. If you mess up, the natives find it really funny--and then they help you out. I would google "basic japanese etiquette" and read the results, but one thing I'll point out: don't walk while eating. Don't do it.
For food: go where it looks good because its ALL good. I mean avoid cheap blowfish places and such but the food there is really high-quality stuff. The subway isn't hard to use, everything there is close and I seriously doubt you're gonna need a cell phone for just two weeks unless you really want one. And bring little gifts to give to people who help you.
and try all the different vending machines
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On August 14 2010 11:45 Caphe wrote:
How hard is this to board the subway system since I dont know Japanese( I could read Chinese characters really well,though)
Easy, all trains have flashing signs in both English and Japanese. Some of the newer trains (like JR Yamanote, the most popular train) will even announce each stop in English. Most subway trains have this too.
What food should I try?
Research this yourself.
Can I rent a cell phone in Japan?
Yes, I've seen various places that rent cellphones. I don't know how much they cost though.
Just about anything you guys want me to know before I'm heading to Japan!
Keep in mind that subways and trains are separate. The trains are run by JR (within Tokyo) and various private companies (going away from Tokyo), whereas the Subway is managed by "Tokyo Metro". There are also two types of Subways: Metro and Toei. Make sure you know what you are taking. It's not a big deal, but if you switch between companies, it'll charge you a little extra.
Like Chill said, don't go into the wrong carriage (you are generally safe off rush-hour), lol. My friend did the same thing.
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Appearently, When I posted this blog a week ago, I was getting ahead of myself 'cos at that time I have not granted a Visa to Japan :D.
I got the visa now. Tickets are booked and I'm ready to go.
Thank you all with your advices, these should definately a great help for me when I'm in Japan.
And beside SC2, I'm a console gamer, damn, now Japan is like heaven for just this reason only.
Cheers!!
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It's gonna be very hot there. 35-36 C during the daytime.
Since you can read Chinese, things should be a little easier. The subway is easy to board. You look at the map, buy a ticket depending on where you want to go, and then put the ticket through the gate, and be on your merry way. There should be signs everywhere pointing you to the platforms.
I suggest you use SUICA + Show Spoiler +http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suica http://www.japanrailpass.net/
At restaurants, there's usually English along with the menus. Say "_____ kudasai" and smile. Water is "ohiya" (pronounced oh-hee-yuh; more proper way) or simply "mizu" is fine too. no need to tip, and service is great!
Japan is a cash society, so many places dont accept credit cards. So you gotta keep a lot of cash around. But don't worry. It's a safe place, so you dont have to worry about getting mugged. Of course, don't relax TOO much. Also, bills start from 1000yen, while many things cost less than that. So you'll be using a lot of coins. Keep a small coin purse or a place to keep your coins in your wallet. In America, I hardly used coins and just kept them in a jar. In Japan, though, you need them every day.
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EPT
