who's been to japan?
- Thread starter skikes
- Start date
Best advice - the Japanese Post Offices are the most convenient way to take out money when you're over there. Most banks don't deal with international accounts even with their ATMs and those which do can be tricky to find in some places. Post office ATMs have English-language screen text and are everywhere 
It's a bit hard to give advice on everything but if you have any specific queries I'm sure we lurkers can lend a hand. The cities are very tourist-friendly and there's lots of good public transport so it's not as scary as a lot of places.
R
It's a bit hard to give advice on everything but if you have any specific queries I'm sure we lurkers can lend a hand. The cities are very tourist-friendly and there's lots of good public transport so it's not as scary as a lot of places.
R
ilmaestro
State Alchemist
One reliable bank, btw, for being able to withdraw monies is Citibank (and also HSBC, but I'm not sure if you need to be with HSBC to use them. If you are with HSBC, there's one right opposite Ikebukuro station, if you're near there - and you should be at some point, to visit the main Animate store amongst others), you'll be able to find their ATMs easily enough in some major parts of Tokyo (certainly Shibuya and Shinjuku), but a lot of places the PO ATMs will be easier to find. You can also use the ATMs in the Seven Eleven convenience stores that have them these days, which is a major bonus (if you go to Akihabara and blow all your cash - not that I've <i>ever</i> done that myself ^^; - this would probably be your easiest option).
If you are planning to withdraw money while you're out there (and remember that things cost <i>**** loads</i> of money now that the pound has died), make sure to tell your bank before you go in case they need to authorize overseas withdrawals on your account.
Other than that, I agree with Rui - Tokyo especially (I've never been to Kyoto) is very tourist friendly, there's tons of English on signs and train stations etc, and you can't <i>really</i> go too far wrong.
Make sure to try as much of a variety of food as possible! It's all great. And go to as many different parts of the city as possible, a lot of them look very similar but you'll find tons of different things. There's really no need (unless you do actually have a specific need) to go to the same place twice in the space of ten days, and if you have the chance to take a day trip to Nikko or Hakone, then take it!
If you are planning to withdraw money while you're out there (and remember that things cost <i>**** loads</i> of money now that the pound has died), make sure to tell your bank before you go in case they need to authorize overseas withdrawals on your account.
Other than that, I agree with Rui - Tokyo especially (I've never been to Kyoto) is very tourist friendly, there's tons of English on signs and train stations etc, and you can't <i>really</i> go too far wrong.
Make sure to try as much of a variety of food as possible! It's all great. And go to as many different parts of the city as possible, a lot of them look very similar but you'll find tons of different things. There's really no need (unless you do actually have a specific need) to go to the same place twice in the space of ten days, and if you have the chance to take a day trip to Nikko or Hakone, then take it!
Aion
Time-Traveller
I'd imagine the best thing about going to Japan and not speaking Japanese would be the ability to put together chat-up lines from translation books and say them without the fear of understanding what the girls say when they reject you. Ignorance is bliss.
The most vital piece of information to attain before going to Japan would be if you can be arrested for sleeping with a girl under 16 in Japan. It isn't against the law in Japan but is in England, so I'd be unsure. I would leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth before going.
The most vital piece of information to attain before going to Japan would be if you can be arrested for sleeping with a girl under 16 in Japan. It isn't against the law in Japan but is in England, so I'd be unsure. I would leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth before going.
Will-O'-The-Wisp
Cardcaptor
ayase said:
...And after a few rounds of the infamous Sake, a shirt/Loose tie and blazer over your shoulders and you'll fit right in. Into cosplaying as Spike Speagal that is!
Archaic Sage
Brigade Leader
Have fun. I went last year in July, and it was boiling.
Tokyo is very tourist friendly. Tokyo Tower is easy to find, as are most of the major tourist attractions but be careful with the Imperial Palace as most Japanese people only know it in Japanese. If you're in central Toyko and ask for it in English they'll take you to a hotel. I learnt that one the hard way.
Asakusa is interesting, although really full of tourists. The temples in Narita are similar to Asakusa, but less touristy and more native. Which is also a good thing.
If you're going to go anywhere by train be aware that the further from Tokyo you get, the less romanji appears, so even if you could just about decipher the English meaning from the romanji, that disappears even when you're just 30 minutes from places like Shinjuku or Harajuku.
Tokyo is very tourist friendly. Tokyo Tower is easy to find, as are most of the major tourist attractions but be careful with the Imperial Palace as most Japanese people only know it in Japanese. If you're in central Toyko and ask for it in English they'll take you to a hotel. I learnt that one the hard way.
Asakusa is interesting, although really full of tourists. The temples in Narita are similar to Asakusa, but less touristy and more native. Which is also a good thing.
If you're going to go anywhere by train be aware that the further from Tokyo you get, the less romanji appears, so even if you could just about decipher the English meaning from the romanji, that disappears even when you're just 30 minutes from places like Shinjuku or Harajuku.
xxXXmoomooXXxx
School Idol
I need to go D:
CitizenGeek
Guild Member
skikes said:
From what I know, the Japanese themselves smoke an awful lot. So it shouldn't be a problem. I don't think smoking is culturally problematic anywhere in the world, to be honest.
