Going to Japan for a week, how much $$?

[ManiacLove]

I'm going to Japan in April-time. I'll be staying in Shibuya. (if it makes any difference.) Not counting Plane Tickets, and Hotel Rooms, how much money would I bring with me for 3 people?

This means budget for food, train, & misc. (I can't decide what "misc" is yet..)

Honestly the tickets are the most expensive thing so far. ($1200.00 a piece round trip)

Now, when it comes to food, I don't want to completely live off ramen, kind of a balance between Ramen, McDonalds & some kind of average priced resturaunt.

um.. Yeah. Help me, damn you!

[hapacheese]

I typically blow through $300-500 in a week in Japan, and that's with having some of my meals paid for by other people.

I would say at least $100/day (10,000 yen) to have any sort of semblance of fun. You figure between 1,500 to 2,000 yen per lunch/dinner on average, about 2,000 yen in train tickets (depending on how much traveling you do), etc. It adds up.

[CuPoNoOdLe]

Sorry, I can't really help you with how much you should bring, but i'll like to point out how jealous i am of you. XD

[truce]

$1200 for round-trip? damn. i always try to go for around $500-600..

[Miao Ying]

Yeah you're getting a bit shafted for 1200 round trip... I got same deal for only $550 last year and spent 2 weeks. Even moreso you're actually bringing money to cover 3 other people? Wow. Got room for a 4th? ;) Since you've already excluded costs for the airfare, etc, the rest all really depends on your taste and what you're willing blow it away on really. You'll probably have to budget a bit for transportation if you plan on using stuff like the subways, but with food it's all laid out for your pickings.

[deepbluevibes]

i'm paying 1,300 for round trip.

10 days, but i got a 5 star hotel booked in shinjuku, along with a bunch of other crap, so that's why.

[ManiacLove]

Yeah you're getting a bit shafted for 1200 round trip... I got same deal for only $550 last year and spent 2 weeks. Even moreso you're actually bringing money to cover 3 other people? Wow. Got room for a 4th? ;) Since you've already excluded costs for the airfare, etc, the rest all really depends on your taste and what you're willing blow it away on really. You'll probably have to budget a bit for transportation if you plan on using stuff like the subways, but with food it's all laid out for your pickings.


(I hate saying this so fucking much.) I'm a model. I almost got a contract but I didn't want it. I got fat, and more into modeling. (An evil plan by god no doubt.) So I've got 20 lbs left to lose and I may have an in at an agency in Shibuya. I'm only going for a week because I went to the Japanese Embassy in hopes of getting information on a work visa, and they said I'd have to sponsor who was already going to hire me there.

Even though I'm 18 and live with my boyfriend, I also live with my mum. =^-^=;; Joe (boyfriend.) Doesn't want me to go alone and doesn't have a job right now. He keeps saying that once he gets one he'll pay for it all, but if I get in I'll have to move there and I'll be uprooting him so I feel bad.
My mom gets to come because she's been supporting me on this like no one else. Taking me to modelling coaching, helping me with Japanese lessons etc. Plus she wants to look out for me.

I really want my Sister (friend, but like a sister) Metaka to go with me because she's awesome & japanese is currently better than mine. =^-^=;


So yeah.. full story.


PS. Next summer I am releasing an online "idol-style" photobook. BUY IT MOTHERFUCKERS. =>.<=

[frojack]

wait a minute...where are you guys finding roundtrip tickets for $500?

[hapacheese]

You have to go off-season, but they're out there. Sometimes only from lesser-known airlines like Varig or something, but on occasion, Singapore or United has some pretty cheap fares.

I'm primarily speaking about LA/San Francisco -> Narita, though. Not sure about costs and such from other places in the US.

And my interest in this thread has mysteriously increased.

[Frankey-eh]

try calling ANA or HIS

[hapacheese]

HIS for teh win!

I just scheduled my plane trip to Japan. I made the reservation two days ago for *next Tuesday*, and my ticket was under $700.

They have a limited selection of tickets, so you may not always get a great deal, but when you do, it's hella cheap.

[deepbluevibes]

Ok.. these reservations are without the hotel, right?

Also, I heard an earthquake screwed up Narita airport..? is this true, untrue?

[hapacheese]

I highly doubt it, as I just made a reservation and nobody mentioned anything, and none of my coworkers in Japan have warned me about it...

[Henjin]

Once I finish this contract I'm working on now, I should have more than enough money for the ~5/6 days I'll be in Kobe... And I had to schedule my trip to coincide w/ a friends, so I was limited in what fares I could take. The best I could get was ~$980... And that's w/ a stop over in Tokyo. The direct to Kansai fares were in the 2-3k range.

Assuming everything goes well (no international incidents), I'm thinking of saving up again to go next year... W/ nothing constraining my plans, I can wait till I get a cheap rate... And it'd be even better if I could meet some friends on this trip and stay w/ them. So while it kinda sucks that I'll only be in the country for less than a week this time, it's kind of a trial run. Heh.

EDIT: Well if Narita is screwed up, they better have it cleaned w/in the week. :p

[Frankey-eh]

about your daily cost though... I have an interesting story...

a couple fresh off the plane from china decided to go to shinjuku... with just 1000yen. it seemed like a lot for chinese. but that day, they spent 300 just on the train, and in order to have enough to return home, they bought nothing, ate bread and water for 160. but even then, for some reason, they ran out of money in the end and had to walk home. to make matters worse, they got lost and had to look for a policeman.

moral of the story? 1000 won't nearly be enough.

[Henjin]

Am I missing the joke? How do you walk home to China?

[Frankey-eh]

Am I missing the joke? How do you walk home to China?

they didn't walk home to China... to their apartment. They were Chinese immigrants.

[Henjin]

Oh. lol

You said 'fresh off the plane.' That said tourist to me, not immigrant.

[Frankey-eh]

Oh. lol

You said 'fresh off the plane.' That said tourist to me, not immigrant.

^_^ Sorry for the confusion. I was trying to convey "fresh off the boat", but then I thought "fresh off the plane" would make more sense.

[Henjin]

I get it now... I thought it was a joke...

"And they had to walk back!"
*rimshot*

[ManiacLove]

You have to go off-season, but they're out there. Sometimes only from lesser-known airlines like Varig or something, but on occasion, Singapore or United has some pretty cheap fares.

I'm primarily speaking about LA/San Francisco -> Narita, though. Not sure about costs and such from other places in the US.

And my interest in this thread has mysteriously increased.

I'm flying from Detroit. I'm assuming it'd fly from Detroit to LA, then to Narita.

Also, about the lesser known airlines.. Joe is deathly afraid of flying. If I give him tickets from an airport he's never heard of, I think he'd faint. (Or at least need some valium!)

[frojack]

HIS for teh win!

I just scheduled my plane trip to Japan. I made the reservation two days ago for *next Tuesday*, and my ticket was under $700.

They have a limited selection of tickets, so you may not always get a great deal, but when you do, it's hella cheap.

What are ANA and HIS? And when is the off season?

[Frankey-eh]

What are ANA and HIS? And when is the off season?

ANA=All-Nippon Airways
HIS=a Japanese travel company
Off season=not summer, not christmas/new years

[Rogue_7]

yeah, I flew United fare sale in Feb-March (way off season!) and got round trip tix for $700 something. I booked a one way fare through HIS for the low low price of $677 to Nagoya Airport, only $1000 off the sticker price on united.com. So yeah, 1200 round trip? Rip city!

[Stormhammer]

I guess it depends on how much fun you want to have there, as well as what kind. You'll be seeing a lot of sights in Shibuya. FYI: it's a small walk up a large hill to a place called Harajuku if you leave Shibuya station by the most popular route. If you see a statue of a dog in a small park-like area with a huge TV screen across the street, right area. I'd say at least 120 US per day should cover you for the maximum spending there. In addition to Shibuya and Harajuku, I'd suggest Yokohama and Akihabara as places to drop in on. If you like night life, but aren't quite ready to mingle with the Japanese, go to Roppongi. It's pretty much the Americanized part of Tokyo where a lot of the sailors and other American visitors hang out. If you don't give a damn and you're ready to hang with the Japanese, Get over to Shinjuku. Two clubs called the Code and Liquid Room will not let you down. Not for several hours anyway. :P Hope this helps.

*EDIT* Oh yeah. Good luck with modeling. Take a pic wearing a gaijin smash T-shirt for us. :D

-Stormhammer-

[ManiacLove]

*EDIT* Oh yeah. Good luck with modeling. Take a pic wearing a gaijin smash T-shirt for us. :D

-Stormhammer-

Send me one, and I will! I will of course have to find Maniac Love and go there. I love that dog statue! I can't remember it's name, but I know the story, and why everyone meets there.

[Marblehead]

PS. Next summer I am releasing an online "idol-style" photobook. BUY IT MOTHERFUCKERS. =>.<=

That is soooo becoming my signature!

Yeah, I'd say about a hundred buck a person per day if you want to have fun. However $50 a day is fine so long as you budget what you do. There are lot of cheap eats around Shibuya. McDonald's and Wendy's are pretty much everywhere. If you like curry or ramen, you can find plenty of cheap shops. I can't remember the name of it but there's a great ramen shop on the corner of the road that leads to all the big dance clubs( and love hotels) in Shibuya.

If you go on the JTB website you can usually find the best deals for airfare and other things.

http://www.jtbusa.com/enhome/tickettop.asp

[Rupugus]

uh, I'm in florida. $1200 seemed like a deal to me. I've seen "deals" for tickets in the 1400+ range, usually it's over 2k. when I go(next summer most likely, school keeps pushing this trip back) me and my friends are gonna road trip to california and take a flight from there. ^_^; MUCH cheaper.

[Miao Ying]

they didn't walk home to China... to their apartment. They were Chinese immigrants.

How could they afford an apartment with only 1000 yen to go on. If I recall correctly that's less than 10 american dollars.

[Miao Ying]

uh, I'm in florida. $1200 seemed like a deal to me. I've seen "deals" for tickets in the 1400+ range, usually it's over 2k. when I go(next summer most likely, school keeps pushing this trip back) me and my friends are gonna road trip to california and take a flight from there. ^_^; MUCH cheaper.

You've got the right idea kinda. I'm from Florida also. The trick is to not fly directly from here straight to Japan. Don't road trip. Here to Cali? Have you seen gas prices lately? In my case I set myself up with a japanese travel agency (Amnet Los Angeles on airline VARIG Brazil) to take a flight from Los Angeles to Narita, and then find myself a very cheap fare to LA and back. It doesn't have to necessarily be from LA either, that's just what I did because it made sense since I was heading that way anyway. Might want to try that.

[BluZytrix]

If any of you are students at a University. Sta Travel has some ridiculous deals. I got a ticket from SeaTac(Seattle,WA) for $550. Had to give it back though so the Japanese governement could by me a $1400 ticket out of SeaTac! Exactly two weeks and one day until takeoff.

[Stormhammer]

Send me one, and I will! I will of course have to find Maniac Love and go there. I love that dog statue! I can't remember it's name, but I know the story, and why everyone meets there.

Send me a plane ticket and I will bring you a Gaijin smash shirt myself, as well as help you put it on. ;)


BTW: the dog's name is hachiko.

-Stormhammer-

[Ardo Zubairu]

I read somewhere else, Japnanese are very prudent in their expending.

[Henjin]

BTW: the dog's name is hachiko.

-Stormhammer-

T'was an Akita that followed its master to the train station every day and met him coming back. Then one day his owner died at work and the dog hung around the station waiting for him. The people who worked/lived around there fed him and took care of him till he died. They erected a statue, but it was melted down during the war. Later they recast (or recreated, not sure) a new one, which is still there.

That's AFAIK.

[Stormhammer]

T'was an Akita that followed its master to the train station every day and met him coming back. Then one day his owner died at work and the dog hung around the station waiting for him. The people who worked/lived around there fed him and took care of him till he died. They erected a statue, but it was melted down during the war. Later they recast (or recreated, not sure) a new one, which is still there.

That's AFAIK.

It could be two. My friend (japanese chick ) told me about the hachiko one and later on when I looked it up, that's the name that came up as well. all of this is from 1999-2001, so if your story is older than that, then that might be where the differences are.

-Stormhammer-

[Henjin]

What differences? The dog's name was Hachiko. The breed was 'Akita.'

[Stormhammer]

What differences? The dog's name was Hachiko. The breed was 'Akita.'

My mistake. I was under the impression that you were saying the dog's name was akita.

-Stormhammer-

[Thespi]

Another little detail....
Have your money in cash or traveler's checks! Japan and "plastic" don't mix much!
Yeah, the big, major stores may take it, but for every day kind of shopping they only take cash/yen!
And finding a bank (that is open) is not always easy....

I hope you have a wonderful time! (I had a great time when I went last year with a Sister City program)
***Wishing now to go again....sigh...***

[Stormhammer]

Another little detail....
Have your money in cash or traveler's checks! Japan and "plastic" don't mix much!
Yeah, the big, major stores may take it, but for every day kind of shopping they only take cash/yen!
And finding a bank (that is open) is not always easy....

I hope you have a wonderful time! (I had a great time when I went last year with a Sister City program)
***Wishing now to go again....sigh...***

LMAO!! You're right about the plastic. I quickly learned where all the ATMs were because of that. they usually have at least one within a few blocks of a major shopping area, but Harajuku didn't seem to have any at all when I was there. Hopefully, that has changed. I'm hoping to hit the place again in the next year or so and I'd like to have an easier time getting to cash this time around.

-Stormhammer-