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to visit Tokyo & Hokkaido - enough time? 2007/11/8 03:35
hi, appreciate any help I can get. Never visit Japan befoe with zero knowledge....
1) we have a group of girls of 7, it is possible for us to travel & plan on our own instead of joining a local tour ?

2) plan to stay about 7 days in japan, do we have enough time to see around tokyo and also hokkaido ?

3) can we catch the awesome view of cherry blossom around Mt, Fuji in middle month of April, and would it be still freezing cold in Hokkaido?

tks, guys..
by lian  

trip 2007/11/8 12:16
the first thing to do is to read all the travel pages on Tokyo and Hokkaido on this internet site and look at all the previous pages in the questions sections that talk about Tokyo and Hokkaido (use the search window in the questions section) . Then you have to buy an actual guidebook on Japan and read it from cover to cover. You can also check the average temperature in April anywhere in Japan on this internet guide. You guys have to do a lot more work on your own to prepare for that trip. That way you will appreciate the country a lot more
What I can tell you is that
most travellers to Japan go on their own, even those like me who don't speak Japanese. No need to bother about a tour.
yes you can see Tokyo and Hokkaido in 7 days but you will have to fly from Tokyo to Sapporo and back as it takes too long by train.
.
by Sensei 2 rate this post as useful

I think 2007/11/8 14:01
I will help to answer 1st and 2nd qns.
1) we have a group of girls of 7, it is possible for us to travel & plan on our own instead of joining a local tour ?
Of course you can, I have been to Japan on my own for 3 times.
What you need to do is:
Do research.Plan where to go and see and find out how to get there - by foot, bus or train.Travelling in Japan, especially in Tokyo, train is the most convenient.
So you will need to know which train to take and station to alight in order to get to your destination.

2) plan to stay about 7 days in japan, do we have enough time to see around tokyo and also hokkaido ?
I think whether 7 days is enough depends on where you plan to go and what you want to see. If you want to visit all famous spots, then 7 days for both Tokyo and hokkaido is definitely not enough! For free and easy, what my experience is 7 days in Tokyo are not enough let alone 7 days including Hokkaido! You have to consider the fact that you are exploring on your own and the time spend travelling or finding your destination would definitely be more taxing than having a guide and going around in a bus.



by CL rate this post as useful

to visit Tokyo & Hokkaido - enough time? 2007/11/9 03:38
thank you, guys.. for all info..

i will definitely read up all related sites and do more research as advised. Hopefully my brain will still be functioning after reading up japanese words.

Anyway, the main purpose of our trip is to visit Mt.Fuji, cherry blossom around Tokyo (not much on shopping cause on tight budget) also to experience hot springs.

-- Is it convenient to fly from Tokyo, narita airport over to Hokkaido ?
-- what is the most budget accomodation for 7 girls ?

tks again.

by lian rate this post as useful

one more hint 2007/11/9 04:00
if you are going to travel a lot by train and stuff, think about getting an JR Rail Pass. it is kind off expensive, but it might get more expensive to by every ticket extra. You can get this ticket only OUTSIDE of Japan!!! (Some hotels also give a lower rate by showing this ticket)

have lots of fun and enjoy
by traveler rate this post as useful

A Few Suggestions 2007/11/9 05:21
Well, if I only had 7 days and I was on a budget, I would probably leave out Hokkaido. I believe that the cheapest possible air fares are around 20,000 yen round trip, plus the flights add another layer of complexity to your travel. I would think long and hard about what I wanted to do in Hokkaido and whether it would be worth the tradeoff. There is so much to do in and around Tokyo! I don't know where you're from, but from a U.S. perspective, adding Hokkaido on to Tokyo is sort of like adding Oregon to a vacation in San Francisco. Hokkaido takes time to get to, and it is HUGE.

Personally, rather than spending 20,000 yen or more on a flight to Hokkaido I would be inclined to spend the money on a somewhat better hotel, rather than going with the "most budget" accommodations. Spread out over seven nights, it means you could spend close to 3000 yen more per night on lodging, which can make a lot of difference when you're in the budget price range. Or spend some of that money on transit for a couple of interesting day trips such as Nikko or Kamakura. (A JR Pass is generally not a good buy unless you are making a couple of pretty long trips, like a round-trip to Kyoto, by the way.)

For accommodations, unless you are really on a shoestring I would probably look at business hotels (in the 6000 to 9000 yen per night range for a single; around 8000 to 12000 for a twin). This is where 3000 yen per night can make a huge difference. For example, Toyoko Inn, towards the lower end of the range, doesn't let you go back to the room during the daytime, but Hotel Villa Fontaine, on the upper end, lets you come and go as you please throughout the day, plus the rooms are a little classier.

You might be able to find a place that gives you a weekly rate, or a Japanese style hotel where you can put 3 or 4 people in a room to save money, although these places are harder to find.

As for planning your own trip, I recommend that. You have to be willing to put a lot of time into it, but having done your homework you will enjoy the results better than being spoon-fed some packaged tour that costs way more than you would spend on your own. If you're too busy to plan, though, a tour package is probably better than just showing up in Japan without a clue as to what to do next!

Booking hotels can be overwhelming if you've never been to Japan and don't speak/read Japanese. I recommend Rakuten Travel, Toyoko Inn (although their English web site doesn't always work very well) and Hotel Villa Fontaine. Or spend a lot of time reading posts on this forum, and take notes. (Some of the best deals are available through individual hotels.)

For flights (especially if you decide to go to Hokkaido or if you decide to buy a rail pass), you might want to contact a Japanese travel agency that has branches in your country (such as JTB or IACE does in the U.S.)

Whatever you do, have a splendid time!
by Uma rate this post as useful

... 2007/11/9 05:45
Judging from the questions you asked, it is obvious that you haven't done enough homework. In theory, if you have unlimited financial support, you can visit Tokyo and Hokkaido within 7 days. Even so, you would only slightly taste it without digesting and absorb it. Japan is fun to visit but it takes time. Spending 7 days in Tokyo alone is never enough. Besides, you actually have only 5 days if you minus the arrival and departure days!
by TW rate this post as useful

points taken - plan for Tokyo only 2007/11/13 07:00
tks Uma and other helpful tips posted. You are right ! It is impossible to do both - Tokyo & Hokkaido in 7 days. So, our final decision is to just stay in Tokyo and visit places around it. I read about some good feedback on Toyoko Inn - most likely we will stay there.

- does anybody has info about weekly rate lodging for 7 people ?

- if we get the 7 days JR pass, will it be a convenient and budget way to travel around tokyo ?

tks for feedback
by lian rate this post as useful

Suggestion 2007/11/13 11:28
- does anybody has info about weekly rate lodging for 7 people ?
Pls check up this hotel
- www.superhotel.co.jp
breakfast is included, they have ladies' floor and there are discount if you stay for 7 days

- if we get the 7 days JR pass, will it be a convenient and budget way to travel around tokyo ?
If you were only to travel in Tokyo without using shinkansen and only for 7 days, I will suggest NOT to buy JR pass. Think JR pass is worth the value if you want to use Shinkansen to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka, etc.

I will suggest you compare the amount you will spend your train fare in single ticket for 7 days with the amount of 7 Days JR pass.
by CL rate this post as useful

Kyoto? 2007/11/13 11:50
If you are thinking of getting a 7-day JR pass, then I suggest that you make a trip to Kyoto by shinkansen to make your pass worthwhile. Also, Kyoto is lovely - spend at least 2 nights there.I have done free & easy in Japan many times, Going again next month. It's easy to plan - this website has lots of useful info and hyperdia website provides train info. Btw, where are you from? You sound like from Singapore or Malaysia.
by Geoffrey rate this post as useful

kyoto 2007/11/14 03:17
Tks for the info. I will check the website as recommended.

Geoffrey - any suggestion for places to visit in Kyoto and do you have info for accomodation in Kyoto ? We might spend the last 2 nights in Kyoto or Osaka (have not decided yet, depends on which city is closer to Tokyo).

- Is Mt.Fuji far away from Toyko city? Do I need to get the 7 day JR pass or just buy the single trip ticket?

I am Malaysian.
Tks for help.

by lian rate this post as useful

Tokyo-Kyoto 2007/11/14 04:25
you need a JR pass if you want to go from Tokyo to Kyoto and back. You can also use the pass to use the JR loop line around downtown Tokyo and the one around Osaka. Kyoto is closer from Tokyo than Osaka but Kyoto and Osaka are only 40 minutes apart by regular train. Haven't you looked at a map of Japan yet? you need to look at maps of the whole country, of Tokyo, Kyoto etc. How else can you have an idea of where you are going? check the internet for maps or a good travel and maps bookstore in Malaysia.
by Sensei 2 rate this post as useful

Mt Fuji 2007/11/14 08:00
Kawaguchiko, the stn closest to Mt Fuji on its north side, is not JR, so pass not valid.

JR will get you as far as Otsuki, an hour or so out of Shinjuku on the Chup Line. Then you change to the (non JR) Fujikyu Railway for another hour or so. But it isn't expensive.

If it just LOOKING at Fuji perhaps there are useful JR lines on the south side. You can see Fuji from the Shinkansen, unless the weather is bad.
by Fujiyama Mama rate this post as useful

Kyoto 2007/11/15 22:07
Hi Lian. What to see in Kyoto depends on your interest. I loved the temples esp Nijo. Also took a side trip out to Iga-Ueno to visit ninja museum - wonderful.For accomodation depends on your budget.I like convenience of staying near train station so I don't have to lug bags too much. My favourite in Kyoto is JR Granvia Hotel sited above the station.New Miyako and the lower cost Kyoto Tower Hotel & Annex are just around the station.
I am Singaporean and before going to Japan for holiday with family in Dec, we are taking a short break in KL. Go there at least once a year too! Cheers
by Geoffrey rate this post as useful

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