So maybe it would be useful for those who are looking for ideas on how to prepare for a trip to Japan, because believes me, you will get so much out of it when you have things organized. Sure, you'll still have fun if you just pop over and see what the city throws at you without an itinerary in hand...but being an organizational freak that I am, these prepping stages are massive fun >=)
I first started using the excel pages in Drive to create my itineraries and lists so that I can open them anywhere anytime. I did this for the Korea trip few years back so that was very handy. Having booked our flight tickets and knowing the dates, we started jotting down the places we wanted to go to. We were going to visit the major attraction sites, so no brainer, Tokyo would be our major stop, followed by Osaka, Kyoto, and a stop in Hakone for the hot springs.
Main Initial goal: Cherry Blossoms
We knew roughly how long we were going to stay in each city, based on the attractions we were visiting. Our main goal for the trip was to catch the blossoming of the cherry blossoms, and since we will be arriving near the middle/ end of the season, it feels like a race to catch the flowering in at least Tokyo and in Osaka/Kyoto before they disappear. There's a blossom forecast online - https://www.kyuhoshi.com/japan-cherry-blossom-forecast/ - that I recommend when planning a trip during this season. They estimate the average blooms based on the forecast from previous years, and it's different in each city. Blooming starts from the south end in Kyushu and goes up towards Hokkaido.
If you want to check out the best places for cherry blossom viewing, simply just do some google work. I personally found this site useful - http://www.seejapan.co.uk/jnto_consumer/experience/outdoor/enjoying-japans-seasons/where-to-see-cherry-blossoms
Accomodation
OK, next step was the accommodation. Roughly we knew we wanted to stay in Osaka/Kyoto for about a week. Plus we needed to figure out the transport between there and Tokyo and within the cities, but that's a whole entire section in the next phase.
Obviously accommodation is personal preference, so we wanted a place to fit the following criteria:
1. Good location - safe, close to public transport
2. Decently priced - not 5 star 'Hilton' price, but we weren't interested in hostels 24/7
3. Clean
4. Good reviews
5. One place where we can experience the traditional Japanese feel - places like Ryokans or simply just a room with tatami mats and futons.
We used a range of sites until we could find the ones we wanted, such as Agoda, Expedia, Booking.com...and the great thing about these sites is that most of them allow a 0 cancellation fee up until a week or 2 before your stay. So my tip is, especially if you're going during peak season (in this case Cherry Blossom season), just book a place early but still keep searching for hotels. If you find a better one, cancel the previous hotel you booked then make a new booking before the cancellation period.
Airbnb is also another great place to find cheap accommodation. Particularly for Kyoto or Osaka, I was able to find cheaper places with nice 'traditional-style' homes compared to Tokyo. Prices in Tokyo are slightly cheaper, or roughly the same as the hostels or sometimes hotels. The rooms are also smaller, and gets more expensive the further they were towards the city.
Cheaptickets.com was the only place where we couldn't get the free cancellation fee, but we knew the hotel was good based on location and reviews. If you're lucky you can find a cheaper price there.
Other sources I looked at were Lonely Planet guides and the Japanese Tourist Organization Site.
Transport
Transport...is a bitch to research for. Once you get the hang of it it's not so bad, but there's so much to read about in order to get the most out of it. When you first look at the subway map for Tokyo, its like looking in a bowel of Allen's Snakes...or a deformed squashed rainbow - Colorful lines. Everywhere. If you're used to catching subways in Asia, then it's not much of a hit.
The annoying bit about the subway lines is that they're owned by more than one company. So if you happen to have a pass that gives you free unlimited use of one particular train line, once you hop onto another line you'll have to pay. Sometimes you can avoid it, but you might end up wasting time trying to switch at multiple stations in order to get to your destination.
In between cities
Many tourists would know about the JR Pass. It comes in either 7 days, 14 days, or 21 days passes. They give you unlimited rides to anywhere on trains, bullets trains, local buses, ferries and the monorail across Japan provided they are:
1. JR line
2. Shinkansen bullet trains (except Nozomi and Mizuho service, limited express trains, express trains and rapid or local trains)
3. JR bus company local lines (JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokal Bus, West Japan JR Bus, Chugoku JR Bus, JR Kyushu Bus)
4. JR Miyajima ferry
5. Tokyo Monorail
Usually you can purchase this beforehand online, and exchange the coupon with the pass once you're in Japan.
But do we really need one? Well it depends. The price isn't cheap, so we had to calculate ourselves if the trips between Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka, and Hakone warrant the JR pass. Say if you're only going to use the bullet train to and from Tokyo and Kyoto once, and nothing else on the list above, then no you definitely don't need the JR pass. There is a good site where you can put in your trips and it will calculate for you whether it's worth it to get the pass or not - http://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
Because of our itinerary, we found that it was better to get the JR Pass. So not only can we use this when we travel between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, we can use this locally within the cities provided that the transportation is owned by JR (eg JR subway line).
Tokyo
The best way to navigate through Tokyo is by their famous complicated looking BUT efficient subway system. Those trains arrive at the station ON THE DOT (compared to our railway system in Melbourne...).
There are a number of passes we can buy, but again it depends on how many stations we will stop at and whether it's worth all the trips. Or if we just want to hop on and not have to deal with the ticket machines, then the passes would be the good way to go.
Go grab a Tokyo subway map online and you'll see the different subway lines on the lower right hand corner. The main ones we'll be using will be the Tokyo Metro Line, Toei Line, and maybe the JR Line if our pass is still valid. Otherwise the first 2 will suffice for most of our stops. The information outlined below are based on the Tokyo Metro Guide brochure my dad brought back from Tokyo, so its a simplified basic version. Otherwise you can visit this site for more info and includes more discounts and combo passes - http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/
Tokyo Subway Ticket
They come in 24 hour (Y800/Y400), 48 hour(Y1200/Y600), and 72 hour (Y1500/Y750) tickets (adult/kid price). You can hop on either the Tokyo Metro Lines AND the Toei Subway Lines.We will purchase these tickets likely at the airport when we arrive, but apparently they can be found in stores like Major Bic Camera, Laox and some H.I.S Tourist Centers.
Keisei Airport and all day Metro Pass combo
This pass was great for us based on our schedule and hotel location. There's another train that runs from the airport straight to Tokyo station, but the Keisei Skyliner goes straight to Nippon and Ueno which was better for us. They say its takes 41 minutes to get to Ueno station. Also as a bonus, there's a package they offer where we can purchase a return ticket and add on a Tokyo Metro Ticket, the same ones as mentioned above, so we don't need to worry about purchasing a subway ticket when we arrive in Tokyo. And it's cost effective. Win! They can also be purchased online prior to the trip.
Check it out here: http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/value_ticket/subway.php
Ordinary Fares
There may be an off chance where we will have to purchase individual tickets at the stations. The fares depend on the station we're traveling to, so I assume it increases by distance of travel. It's slightly cheaper if we use an IC card, otherwise they range from Y170 upwards.
Other passes that we're not using but can be useful
-IC cards (Pasmo or Suica) : reloadable cards, convenient, especially if you go back to Japan constantly
-One Day Open Tickets: Comes in either Tokyo Metro & Toei subway pass, Tokyo Metro only, or Combination with Tokyo Metro, Toei, Toden Arakawa lines, Toei buses, Nippori-Toneri Liner lines and JR lines within metropolitan district.
Kyoto
Not as complicated as Tokyo, but still has a couple of special passes for visitors that we needed to consider. They do have subway and bus passes - http://www.insidekyoto.com/special-kyoto-bus-train-subway-passes
The pass we're planning to get is the 2 day pass which allows unlimited usage of buses and subways for Y2000. They can be purchased at a store near Kyoto Tower. Even though initially we calculated that it was slightly cheaper not to get a pass and pay upfront, however we reckon it's worth it out of convenience. There are change machines on buses up to Y1000 in case you don't have exact amount, but in case we get lost or if we wanted to go to another area on the day, at least we don't have to worry about transport cost.
The only transport that we have to pay for would be the Randen, a tram like system, which we need when we go hiking at the Bamboo forest at Arashiyama and towards the Kinkakuji Temple. It costs Y210 per trip.
Nara
Nara is already covered with our JR Pass. But there are many passes available that allows travel to and from Nara at a discounted rate, as mentioned in this site - http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4107.html
Osaka
We discovered the Osaka Amazing Pass which indeed, sounded amazing. Not only does it provide unlimited usage of the subway line within Osaka, they provide free access to various big tourist attractions including the Osaka Palace, Umeda Sky Building, and HEP Five Ferris Wheel. They also have coupons for shops and restaurants across Osaka. It's Y2300 for one day, Y3000 for 2 days.
Hakone
We're able to reach Hakone as we bullet train towards Tokyo. The town is quite small, so we just needed to hop onto the local subway and shuttle to reach our hotel.
Pocket Wifi
Very handy to have around, especially navigating. Google Maps will be our best friend.
The company I'm renting from is Global Advanced Comm, which was highly recommended by a friend.
http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/pocketwifi.html
Disney Sea
Last time I went to Japan I went to the original Disneyland, which was very much similar to the one in LA. So I'm very much looking forward to visiting this one. Getting there is simple via the subway. Tickets can be purchased online or at the counter. There are cheaper tickets sold in small ticket stores where they offer roughly 5-10% off, but due to the language barrier and the time spent going there...I'll pass for another time. I was told to make a strategic plan when visiting DisneySea, thanks to the long lines and huge crowds. The period we're going in isn't going to be a public holiday, but it doesn't stop tourists or school excursions (yes, Japanese kids take excursions to Disneyland) from going. Fast Passes which are given to anybody will be a huge deal. So we shall see how that goes.
Other things worth mentioning?
We're both trying to learn the language too, me being the slow beginner is only grasping the alphabet so by the time we get there, hopefully I can read the hiragana and katakana. I can at least guess some of the kanji. Yes there's a language barrier, but I hear that body language (and a bit of interpretive dancing) works well too. Unfortunately we missed out on the Ghibli museum because the tickets got sold out so quick. Oh well, another reason for me to make another visit back. Now it's just counting down the days until we hop on that plane and jet off!
