For those that have been to Japan

[Brettster]

I'm planning a little trip to Tokyo, Having never flown before I'm Jumping in at the deep end!!

Flights seem reasonably priced but Hotels seem quite expensive

I'll be going in December and going to Tokyo so I can visit Akihabara and all the great arcades and retro game shops

anyone have experience with Japan and recommend somewhere to stay?

Not sure I'd be suited to a capsule lol

 

[jimmerd]

You are certainly jumping in at the deep end, but that's what life is for right!

After a long haul flight, you will probably be tired and want to get some rest to adjust the time zone, so my advice would be to arrange everything before you travel so you can get safely to the hotel without having to think about it.

1. mobile WIFI/Sim dongle. This gives your phone unlimited data, you will need it to navigate around and translate the titles of those obscure games or using the Tokyo Trains application. The trains are simple, frequent and on time, but sometimes finding the correct entrance/exit is not. Street view is very useful due to the ways buildings are numbered/signed.

2. buy a pre-loaded travel card for the trains (also works on vending machines!). This is not always easy to do when you are there and you can top-it up as needed. note trains stop running at about 12AM am at night.

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There are some reasonable business hotels (eg APA) a few train stops away (10 minutes) from Akihabara, these are generally small rooms but 3-4 stars quality and with everything you could need.

Don't do a capsule, sleep and comfort are worth the price when you are not in a familiar place, unless you generally into that kind of thing.

 

[Brettster]

Thanks for the info, very helpful

I'll maybe try a capsule for one night just to experience it if I travel to mt fuji or somewhere further away from Tokyo

the mobile wifi sounds like a plan! I'll be lost without google!!

 

[virtvic]

Make sure you go to the decks complex on Odaiba.

 

[trev1976]

I went to japan akihabara and I loved it , was really easy to travel around on the tubes and I just ate at McDonald's lol.

Also liked going a bit further field and taking a long walk.

Stayed in the Washington hotel , small but nice.

trev19762018-09-17 18:31:24

 

[Brettster]

Is that pretty close to electric town?

Ooh thanks Vic, decks mall looks interesting indeed

 

[trev1976]

Yes very close

 

[swisstoni]

Hi Brettster I also stayed in the the Akihabara Washington hotel back in May its right on the edge of Electric Town perfect place to stay and theres also a subway station right over the road from the hotel and a Hard Off/Book Off store if your shopping for second hand games/consoles. I can highly recommend the Gray Line Mount Fuji tour (link below) its a good two and a half hours outside Tokyo and a full day trip and well worth it make sure you go for the bullet train return (its only 30 minutes back by train to Tokyo). Also if you can do it and your interested in game/console shopping try and get an internal flight to Osaka you will find the prices are a lot cheaper there than in Tokyo don't expect any bargains at all in Tokyo unless you go off the beaten track into the countryside areas.

https://www.jgl.co.jp/inbound/contents/fuji.html

Also if your visiting arcades make sure you visit Taito Hey in Akihabara its got a retro floor with games in candy cabs, also Super Potato has an arcade on its top floor, the video below is a good watch its a walking tour from Akihabara station showing you all the locations of all the good game stores :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcd2Sd8Js5Y

Also mobile wifi is a must you don't want to be using mobile data its costs a fortune! Rent a portable wifi hotspot from the airport the one I used was Ninja Wifi (link below) pickup when you get off the plane then you don't have to worry about mobile charges very handy for getting around using Google Maps and for train times.

https://ninjawifi.com/

swisstoni2018-09-18 10:12:34

 

[Brettster]

Thanks Swiss thats great info

looks like I'll try for the Washington then, is it the Shinjuku Washington Hotel?

Brettster2018-09-18 12:40:04

 

[swisstoni]

No worries mate its the Akihabara Washington Hotel (website link below). Hope you have a great time its a great place to visit.

https://akihabara.washington-hotels.jp/swisstoni2018-09-18 16:04:01