Japan trip - where to go

[ewwgetoffme]

hi bluzcorner:
ya this thread is very quiet! i am not booking a tour because i'm planning FnE on my own. one place that you should go if you like novelty and cats is Nekobukuro in Ikebukuro district. some pics here: http://www.mediatinker.com/blog/archives/008028.html
you get to see and play with 20+ varieties of cats and all of them are clawless. i'm very excited to see something like this because i like playing with animals. the cats are very well-trained and it's a popular dating spot for youths!

for cheaper shopping, there's a 24-hour discount store in Shinjuku and (various other districts)that practically sells anything you can think of, it's called Don-Quijote. http://www.donki.com/index_en.php?lang=en

these are just some of the places i'm looking forward to go to. i'm going to central tokyo (and making day trips to Yokohama and Nikko) for 7N8D in Nov 2008. (haha plan very early.)

 

[bluzcorner]

Hi Lydia,

Wow...that is really very early to plan for your trip. A honeymoon trip i guess?

The cats are cute!!! Would try to drag my hb there. 24 hour discount store...wa...good news for me, i like 24 hrs shopping haha....

 

[psyduck]

Hi..I am looking to see if anyone can recommend any package tour to other part of Japan other than Tokyo and Osaka area which are standard tour routes (been there 2 yrs ago). Initially wanted to go Hokkiado but as it is winter in Dec, may not have too much things to see. Not too keen on skiing also. Trip will be sometime in early dec.

 

[kkjc0517]

hi lydia,

is the 24-hour discount store in hokkaido also?what things they sell there?can give some examples?TIA!

 

[royndor]

Hi all,

Just wanna check, had any one of u been to Fukuoka??

Planning to go there for a F&E, thus need some updates...

 

[zacey]

very far from tokyo... 7hrs by shinkansen....

went there for a few days.. and slowly proceeded back to tokyo... nice place..

 

[s__h]

new attraction (theme park?) in yokohama ?

http://www.seaparadise.co.jp/english/introduction.html

 

[smurfying]

Can i ask where's gd to shop in Osaka and Tokyo?? I wanna chiong the cosmetics/facial pdts. I'm going during 1st wk Oct, but with a CHINESE tour group cos flying there fr Shanghai. Hopefully it wun b too bad w the china peeps.

 

[gerger37]

hey tansy.. u going to japan ar... me also going... F&E... going end nov.. starting dec...

 

[schnauzie]

tansy - drug stores are EVERYWHERE. u can consider goin to those near ur hotel or near the tourist attraction or just along the shopping stretch. They are really EVERYWHERE.

along the popular shopping stretch, i found shopping in osaka more affordable than tokyo. but if u will explore into the suburban towns in tokyo, their shopping's v affordable too.

 

[smurfying]

schnauzie, thanks!! hohoho, i better budget more for shopping since drug stores are EVERYWHERE. But if i wanna get brands like KOSE facial pdts, are they available in these stores? Or I've to go to big shopping malls?

SunnyDay, u oso going?? kekekeke wat a coincident. I oso wan F&E, air tics quite ex if we jus book tat alone..so can only take their guided CHINESE tour. End nov/dec is getting cold, u better bring ur trench or autumn/winter wear.

 

[gerger37]

tansy: how much is the air tics if u fly frm shanghai?

 

[schnauzie]

tansy - don worry..kose is in every drug store..i bought kose paper mask at 2 - 3 outlets. their shops sell brands we consider upmarket in singapore

 

[smurfying]

Faintz...upmarket brands are selling everywhere in their drug store. Okok thanks so much for the info.

Sunny, mine's a 6D5N, osaka, mt fuji and tokyo guided tour, 8k RMB, about 1.6k sgd lor... inclusive of accomo, flight, and some meals. Shikansen, pass to disneyland not inclusive. Will b a 2.5hrs flight only hehe...

 

[gerger37]

tansy: ic... inclusive of tax?? me will be going f&e... 11d10n... trying v hard to keep my budget at about 2.5K or slightly more... going osaka.. kyoto... tokyo...a few more places.. can rem wat my bf plan....

 

[smurfying]

Sunny, F&E will b good. but 2.5k for everything? meaning accom and airtic and expenses?

Mine include taxes already.

 

[gerger37]

tansy: trying hard to keep within the budget... ya accom and airtic and food plus transport... spending of course does not include inside..

going to stay at those family style hotel.. cheaper...

 

[fifi42]

Hi All,
we are planning our Honeymoon in Japan. Anyone have any comments for Shinjuku Vintage hotel?

 

[s__h]

Hi jas,

If you are looking for hotel in tokyo (in Ginza area) or Sapporo (novotel hotel), check out my threads

http://www.singaporebrides.com/forumboard/messages/4/436535.html?1190706747

where u can get a room at S$137.50 per room per night

 

[fifi42]

Hi S&H, I'm actually looking at hotels in Shinjuku. So would like to find for comments for Shinjuku Vintage hotel... u have any idea?

 

[s__h]

Hi jaz,

sorry, i have never been there. So no idea...did not even know there is a hotel by that name

 

[s__h]

Hi jaz,

based on some reviewers of this hotel, "...a popular business hotel with the Japanese and tourists from SE Asia. The hotel is north of the red light district (Kabuki Cho) in a semi-residential setting. Which poses some problems:You always have to go through the red light distric..."

source from www.tripadvisor.com

but is is located in the heart of the city's famous Shinjuku district so...

 

[fifi42]

Hi S&H,
thanks for the advice. But too bad, Vintage Shinjuku is already fully booked... =(

 

[fifi42]

trying to get Shinjuku Prince now... fingers cross...

 

[celinetan]

Dear brides to be,

I have a 2 person Chan Brothers holiday package East Hokkiado Romance for 2008 6th Feb to 12th Feb travelling by ANA morning flight.

It has been paid with deposit of 1.6k Each pax is paying $2425, inclusive of airport taxes, package & flight. No other costs to be added. Anyone interested in this package, please do drop me a msg here and I will get bk to u on the details. As my bf & I had some communication breakdown, I cannot bear to see the deposit forfeited for nothing.

So, anyone considering your honey moon in Hokkaido 2008, it will be snowing. Pls do consider.

Thank you

Regards,
Celine Tan

 

[jeslin70]

Any one book from this package:
http://www.fch.com.sg/ with the 8 days Hokkaido Wonderland? This package inculde 1 day at Osaka, 5 days at Hokkaido and last day at Tokyo Disneyland.

Any ideas which agency can I book from? The 4 big agencies - SA, Chan and CTC don't have this package? Pls advice.

 

[jfcy]

Hi Jeslin..u can go to uob , http://www.uobtravelplanners.com

 

[wyy]

Hi Jeslin,

Have you thought of planning a Free and Easy tour and then book local tour to bring you around?? I planned my Jap trip this way wif the help of my agent, Ik Chin, who is also the one planning for my HK trip/korea (which was postponed).

If you interested, you can PM me and I can give you the person you can contact.

For my Jap trip, I have a prob of avoiding all the theme parks if i take up package tour so i take up F&E by flying from Sin to Osaka then travel to Kyoto & Tokyo then back to Sin frm tokyo. Ik Chin is the one who do all the booking and planning/advise for me.

Currently they are helping me to book the hotels for my oct08 trip.

 

[mysotic]

hi YY,

I am interested to know your agent. Can PM me his contact nos?

 

[miyuki_jap]

hi mysotic,

will u be interested in fne? i am looking for another 2persons to purchase flight tixs together cos sq offering 4 to go at $600 (exclu tax).

 

[pinjie8275]

Hi

I will be spending going F&E to Japan in Dec.
My current itinerary is as follows:
USA - Narita (Stay 1N)
Narita - Hakone (Stay 1N)
Hakone - Kyoto (Stay 1N)
Kyoto - Osaka (Stay 2N)
Osaka - Tokyo (Stay 2N)
Tokyo - Narita (Stay 1N)
Narita - SIN

Can someone advise me if it is worth visiting Osaka or should I spend more days in either Kyoto or Tokyo? Should I just forgo Osaka?

My MSN/Email: [email protected]

Thanks a lot! (^_^)

 

[ybur]

read somewhere that the vibe in Kagoshima is like San Francisco - I doubt that, but is it a good place to visit?
I know that Miyazaki is good for surfing, but does it have beaches?
Beppu, from what I've read, is the 'hot springs capital' of Kyushu, but are there better, smaller places (on the train routes) to experience Japanese hot springs?
What are some fun things to do in Fukuoka, or for that matter Kagoshima?
I'm not interested in museums, and I guess would rather not wander off the Fukuoka-Kagoshima path to go to Nagasaki. What is there that pulls people to visit? Anything besides the bomb being dropped there?
Any reason to visit Kita Kyushu (as it is on the route anyway) or can I roll on through?

Here is a basic trip plan without set times:
Arrive Fukuoka via ferry from Korea.
Train from Fukuoka to Kumamoto to see the castle.
If Mt. Aso is open make the trip there and back from Kumamoto.
Train to Kagoshima
Train to Miyazaki and up the coast to Beppu (if Mt. Aso was closed before go visit it now)
Train up to Kita Kyushu and over to Honshu.

Any other suggestions of things that are fun to do on Kyushu? Any schedule critiques, suggestions or answers are very appreciated. Happy travels

PS Is the blue stuff in Mt. Aso really lava?