Yappy 0 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Howdie all! Got our accommodation booked for Hakuba now, which is a bonus. We’ve got 3 nights in Tokyo after Hakuba and not a scoob about the place – any of you fine folks got anything to warn me about, or rave about of course?? Also, if you any of you guys have any suggestions about areas, that’d be sweet. We’d be looking for somewhere with lots of fun to be had, malls, restaurants, and clubs (of the Techno variety, not the karaoke kind!!!), anything you have to add would be brilliant. Ta muckle!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Tokyo is huge and there are bars and clubs of every variety all over the place. The train system is so easy to use that you don't really need to worry about where the hotel is as you can access everything easily. I would say though if you are planning on partying a lot then get a hotel in a party district such as Shibuya or Shinjuku. This means that after dark when the trains go off, it will only be a short stagger home or a short taxi ride. You don't want to be racking up the taxi bill with a drunken after fare across Tokyo. harajuku is a big shopping area, Odaiba has 3 or 4 shopping Malls and at almost every station there are a million giant department stores within a 5 minute walk. I'd stay away from Roppongi, total sleazefest foreign tourist hangout. Everything is so expensive and its like spot the local.....full of US-Navy boys swaggering about playing "Who's got the dodgiest 'tache" If you are looking for a big club then Ageha in eastern tokyo is huge and has something going on most nights...google them and you should get their website Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Japan has the worst cash machines in pretty much any developed country (probably worse than many undeveloped countries too)- dont expect to use your cash card in most machines. Most likely place to accept will be post office machines. Also, the machines close after a certain time - if you are going out clubbing, make sure you have the cash you need during the day. Credit cards aren't used so much in Japan, and many places wont take foreign ones. Switch/cirrus/meastro doesnt exist (afaik). Your British mobile phone most likely wont work here - you can hire one at the airport. Tokyo clubs on the other hand are fantastic! Try Womb, in Shibuya - top techno club - check listings, smaller but still very good are air and unit, both in Daikanyama, or you could go to the HUGE Ageha, bit out of the way in Shinkiba, but theres a bus from Shibuya - dont go there on fridays unless you like rather cheesy "hip-hop and Rnb". Tokyo clubs are friendly, contain essentially zero chavs, have a good atmosphere, and almost no trouble/fights. Unless you go to Roppongi. Hakuba is also ace - you will have a great time! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 actually now your mobile phone from home should be fine as long as it has the International Roaming function, my brother and friends have been over this year and their phones worked fine. ATM's are a bit of a nightmare at times, but the Post Office is most definitely your friend and so is 7/11. These shops are everywhere and now usually accept your UK ATM card. Sunday's are still dicey with ATM's and Public holidays, the ATM's close at 9pm....even the ones in all night convienience stores won't let you take out money after 9pm on a Sunday Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Walton 0 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Hello Tubby Beaver, i'll look this up anyway, i'll be in Hakuba for the season, 3/4 months in Japan all in all, i'll want a mobile, is my best bet renting a phone and sim ? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I guess, TBH I don't know any details about pay as you go over here, I have heard that the phones are crap but I guess for only a short amount of time all you want is to make and receive calls and sms's right? Someone has said on here that you can get them from the airport, again don't know for sure. It costs a fortune to use your UK phone abroad so 3/4 months of phone calls would be extortionate I'd guess Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Walton 0 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Cheers, i'll have a proper look on here when i've got more time. Good to see Hakuba getting covered in the white stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Can you use foreign phones in Japan now? I never knew - a couple of years ago, my friends visited - their phones worked fine in every country they visited, including Vietnam, Thailand, Colombia, Syria, Russia and China, but were useless in Japan! Even my Japanese bank card wont work in most of the machines here - I spent an hour and half in Nagano last year dragging gear around looking for an ATM - I tried about 10 before I found one that worked - I think it was 7-11. Mine wont work after 9pm on Sat, Sun, or after 11 during the week. When I asked my bank if I could use it abroad, they just looked at me as though I was asking them them about the secret of eternal youth. Link to post Share on other sites
.co.jp 0 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Which phone you have? Link to post Share on other sites
alexeiw123 2 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 according to my service provider my australian nokia N95 will work in japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 Their bank machine's close???!! In THE land of technology I didn’t think anything would close!!!! And they don’t take Maestro – eek!!!! We knew cash is king in Japan, and are happy to carry great wads about cause we hear it’s a very safe place, but I was only panning taking out what I’d need for the next day or two. Anyone know if anywhere, machines or banks, in Hakuba takes Maestro??? The mobile thing might be a problem though. I’ve got epilepsy so can’t really be without it. I’ll call O2 and check it out – so thanks for that info. Cheers for the clubbing/area advice too. Pretty sure I’ve heard the Shinjuku name before. Can’t wait to hit some techno clubs over there, woohoo!!! Not much in the way of decent Techno in Aberdeen these days, proper cheesy clubs galore, it’s not good. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 An Australian NextG phone will work so long as you get international roaming on and change the network frequency it searches for. Otherwise, the thing will spend ages looking for telstra before starting to search for the Japanese network. (I had mine last season and it worked too well! a contract I had told about the holiday didn't bother to check and rang me to ask if I could do a job the next day. And here was I on the slope at Furano - had to refuse, damned hard choice, though! N O T !! Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 Just called O2 and they have a roaming agreement with a Japanese company called DoComo, so as long as my phone can pick up that network I should be ok – it’s not cheap though!!! Probably best getting a Japanese pay as you talk sim card while I’m out there. Don’t suppose anyone knows anything about DoComo, like the reception in Hakuba?? Called my bank too, they said that Maestro is accepted in Japan – they can’t tell me where though. For all we know its 1 cash machine in a totally random place in Hokkaido!! Haha. Going to do some digging though. Hopefully I’ll find a hotel in Hakuba that’ll take Maestro, if not I’ll just have to feel like a millionaire and take out all my available cash when we arrive in Narita and make sure I don’t loose it!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Yappy, the mobby will be no probs now. It used to be a prob, not now. Like I posted earlier the Post Office ATM's will accept Maestro cards and there are PO ATM's everywhere. If in doubt though most 7/11 ATM's will also take foreign cards. Don't know about hotels though. I'm not sure about the "Switch" function in Japan, from what I have seen, NOBODY does it. I would come over with a wad, then take money out from the PO or 7-11 as you need it, I wouldn't come relying on paying everything by "Switching" (Maestro) it Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 Tubby Beaver - you're a star – thanks for your info, it’s been a great help. Turns out Docomo have coverage pretty much everywhere so phone reception, like you say, shouldn’t be a problem. Is it Feb yet????? Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 It's November 19th. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Maybe you can bring your phone, see if it works when you get to the airport, and if not, just get one of the hire ones at the airport - I dont think they're so expensive. As Tubby said, you'll probably be able to use your card at post office machines - just dont forget, they close early! Other than that, I wouldnt rely on a card to pay for anything - Japanese use cash for pretty much everything. If you book an international holiday for a family of five at a travel agent, you are expected to turn up with a big, fat wadfull of cash to pay for it - your cards, Japanese or otherwise, most likely will be of no use. Forget all about switch, and such everyday conveniences as "cash back", you have to have cash, for pretty much everything. Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 2pintsmate - thanks for that reality check! Cheers Gary, and everyone else, your advice will make our trip go much more smoothly. No switch is a pain, but cash is King there and their economy’s not in the state ours is (through any fault of their own) so I’ll not argue about it!! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Originally Posted By: Yappy Tubby Beaver - you're a star – thanks for your info, it’s been a great help. couldn't let a fellow Scot just hang...even although you are from Aberdeen!! Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 Aye, cause Dundee rocks huh?? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 You better believe it Yappy!!! Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Citibank, Post Office ATMs (they are everywhere) and 7-11s. In all honesty, you're never far from cash in Tokyo, even with an overseas cash card. The reason it seems like there aren't many is because to the untrained eye it's sometimes a challenge to find them. My suggestion is to bring loads of cash in the first place as you are FAR less likely to get robbed in Japan than anywhere else. In Tokyo, my favourite areas for going out are Shinjuku, Ginza, Aoyama-Harajuku, Ebisu (especially good for restaurants) and Kagurazaka. For shopping, obviously Jimbocho (ski & outdoor shops) and Akihabara (electronics) are the places to go. Google and check Metropolis for club / DJ listings in Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
Yappy 0 Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Cheers skidaisuki - I'm not the most observant of peeps so this game of ‘hunt the auto teller’ will add another twist to our fortnight of fun!!!! Shinjuku was suggested by another mate who was there just a few weeks ago so I think we're gonna try and get a hotel there for the Thur & Fri night. Planning to move to a hotel near Narita on the Sat night, make sure we don't miss our flight!!! Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Shinjuku's pretty central, and a city in itself, with easy transport connections to everywhere else in Tokyo. I'm rather biased, though, because it's my home! If you like pubs and live music (as well as DJs) Richard Branson owns a large pub in Narita City - called The Barge Inn. If you stay at one of the many hotels in Narita City (rather than by the airport) then you can stagger back from there rather than taxi it, and you'll still only be under 10 minutes train ride from the airport in the morning. The Barge is only a few minutes' walk down the road from JR Narita and Keisei Narita stations. Always enjoy going there, much more fun than a hotel bar, anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Shinjuku. My place of choice every Tokyo visit. Link to post Share on other sites
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