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HOME >Japan >tips

Japan travel tip

 


 

VISA

EU citizens staying less than 90 days don't require anything more than their passport to get a medium size sticker on it together with a piece of the immigration form stapled (and then removed)

 

MONEY

The currency is the Yen, at the time of writing he was amazilngly strong vs euro(1€= 97Yen, Dec2011), however few years ago it happen to have 1€= 150Yen, I hope you'll be luckier them me!!

 

GUIDE BOOK

I had Japan Lonley Planet (in italian 11th version), generally a good support, but I wonder why there's am estensive coloured chapter on 'Japanese architecure' instead of more practical. For instance pictures of the food? It's impossibile to understand what is a zaru soba untill you don't see a picture. What about a map of the Nagoya metro line or Hiroshima tram network?

 

HEALTH

In Japan you can lick the floor on the streets:-) maybe avoid to do it 50km from Fukushima Nuclear Power station!

 

GENERAL TIPS

  • Costs
    Finally we spent 75€ per day per person (JR pass and the inbound flight excluded), that is the highest cost I've ever had in any travel, anyway for being in Japan it's not too high,
    I'd say 10-20% higher of what could be the budget travelling in Western Europe

    Here is the split of the costs:

    Accommodation:
    - double or twin room in a hostel: 28-38€ pp
    - Japanese room (with tatami and futon, namely sleeping on the floor) in a Ryokan (typical Japanese guesthouse): 60€ pp
    - capsule hotel: 30€ pp (9hours capsule hotel in Kyoto where we stayed was 49€, but it's really a cool place! (http://9hours.jp)

    Dinner total: 15-25€ pp
    - noodles soup: 5-8€
    - sushi in Sushi bar: 1.5-3€ per each plate
    - beer: 5-7€
    - tempura: 8-10€

    JR pass, 7 days in 2nd class: 280€ pp, http:///japan_rail_pass

    Entrance to the temples: 3-5€ each (consider 3 temples per day).

    Naoshima: entrance to Museum: 40€!

    Renting a bike for one day: 7€



  • Trains (JR Pass)

    Our 7 days JR pass


    Lef:
    the JR Pass front page


    Right:
    the JR pass with the validity:
    - 24 is the year (2012) (they count years since the last Emperor (Akhihito) settlement 1989)
    -1 is the month (Jan)
    - the rightmost simbol is the day (6)


The efficiency of the train network in Japan is amazing, but I'm sure you already know it.

A great website to check all the schedules is
: http://japan train schedule

However don't be too concerned on schedules since trains are so frequent that if you are not interested in reserved seats and most of the times you won't, you can just wait on the platform and jump on the first train. You won't wait likely more than 30min for Shinkansen (high speed train) or 1h for any other train.
For a detailed report about Japanese train check: http://japan-train


JR PASS:
What's a JR pass?
It's a ticket letting you to travel almost without any limit throughout the train network of Japan for 7, 14 or 21 days
You have to buy the JR pass abroad!! (I took at H.I.S. travel agency that is the official Japansed travel agency)

This is steps to do:

1) Buy the JR pass online : http:///japan_rail_pass
Costs:
Type GREEN (1st class) GREEN (1st class) ORDINARY(2nd class) ORDINARY (2nd class)
  Adult Kid Adult Kid
7 days 390€ 195€ 292€ 146€
14 days 631€ 315€ 465€ 232€
21 days 821€ 410€ 595€ 297€


2) Get the Exchange Order from the agency abroad (they can deliver to you via courrier or you can pick it up)

3) Change your Exchange Order in JR pass once you are in Japan (at the main stations)


NOTES::
- You can take all the Shinkansen except the Nozomi (the very fast ones but it'll not limit your travel at all)
- With JR Pass you can jump on the non-reserved cars or booked a seat on the reserved ones without extra!
- To travel in couchette you have to pay an extra
- With Nozomi train you have to pay the full amount
- The activating day will be communicated by you at the moment you get the JR Pass from the 'Exchange Order' in Japan
- You cannot use the Urban Network as the Metro or the trains even if they belong to JR company
- Watch out that in Japan there are several private railway company and you cannot use JR on them
- JR pass is valid on the ferry to Miyajima island (near Hiroshima)
- If you are staying in Japan few days and you are wondering if the JR pass it's worth take into consideration that one way ticket Tokyo- Kyoto is >120€!!, hence in most of the cases buying the JR pass is worth





 
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