AboutRobert Expertise General questions about tourism/travel and life in Japan, including shopping, visa issues, culture-shock, finding accommodations and employment, proper cultural etiquette, and common problems ex-pats in Japan experience. Bachelors Degree in Japanese Culture and Masters Degree in Marketing.
Expert: Robert Date: 11/26/2007 Subject: travel in japan for not first timers
Question Hi, I'll be in Japan for 12 days starting Jan 1. while my husband and I have visited frequently and been to the majors.Kamakura,kyoto,nara,hiroshima,nikko,yokohama,nagoya,
our 28yr old neice will be with us for the first time, so what areas do you recommend so that we don't repeat everything? we will definitely have a rail pass, are planning Jan 1-2 in Yokohama visiting friends,2 more days in Nagoya shopping.
Answer Hi,
Well, if you have seen everything in those areas already, you could go farther south or north; or to see the five lakes and Mt. Fuji, some famous hot springs in areas like Kusatsu or in Kyushu (Yufuin, Beppu, etc), as well as Nagasaki or Okinawa.
If you have not seen them yet, you might try Himeji Castle (the best surviving castle in the country, in Hyogo-prefecture), Sakurajima in Kagoshima (a live volcano,
like walking on the moon), the Kawasaki-City Japanese House Museum at http://www.city.kawasaki.jp/sisetu_e/minka.htm for a taste of old Japan, or Takamatsu for a leisurely old flavor).... you might look at the Japan National Tourist Org
at www.jnto.go.jp or some good info in Japan such as on the
JAL site of World Heritage sites at http://www.ar.jal.com/world/en/guidetojapan/world_heritage.html
or if you'd like to really go all out, try Hokkaido (Sapporo
or Hakodate; but it will be cold and too early for the Sapporo Snow & Ice Festival). Plus Frommers Guide at http://www.frommers.com/destinations/japan/
and a Japan Photo Gallery at http://japaninfo.esmartweb.com/pics.html
That JR Pass will save a lot of money; and you can also find a Tokyo subway map at http://soli.inav.net/~ceicher/images/TokyoSubways.jpg
and other major city subway maps at http://www.reed.edu/~reyn/transport.html
Tokyo and other cities have a one day subway day pass for
all lines for 1000 yen or less.
The exchange rate is around 110 yen to the US
dollar at the moment, which makes things
cheaper for you compared to a few years ago.
You will find many if not nearly all things there
to be very expensive, but you do not need to sell
your soul to find a good buy here and there. A good
website to look at is
Price Check Tokyo at http://www.pricechecktokyo.com
You can also see what Japanese money looks like at http://www.thejapanfaq.com/japanfaq1c.html
Note that you can not use
1 or 5 yen coins in vending machines and phones.
See http://dmoz.org/Regional/Asia/Japan/ for a lot
of tourist guides and photo galleries. You didn't
mention your preferences, but you can get a wide range
of things you can pick and choose to go and see.
Also see The Japan FAQ at http://www.thejapanfaq.com/
for lots of useful info and good links.
