Hey I'm going to Japan and I'll need your help! NOT MONEYWISE THOUGH LULZ

[Hakaru_chan]

whoa... i think my question has gone too far off topic now... hm.. ok!  ;D  lets forget about those visas and stuff because its causing too much drama and i mean, its nice infomation to know about them, but i think i just want to vacation there for now.  :D

i think ill be fine with the cultural aspect of this now. thank guys for the smaller details. im taking classes now in preparation for the talking aspect. also, ill go with you guys' advices and just ask my relatives.  ::)

now that ive probably got the culture aspect out of the way. the true problem i have now is basically the BREAKDOWN of money and HOW MUCH SHOULD I BRING. thanks Pyron and friend (GirlfromIpanema) again for your advice and sorrie i keep making you mad Pyron. > . <

hmm... so i was thinking that airfare itself should be around 1000 dollars or less and that I should save enough for my personal things hm.. about another 1000. all in total the MIMIMUM i have to bring is 2000. does anyone think thats a reasonable amount? the most i might stay is three weeks. two would be fine for me. one is not enough.

i did the math to about 40/50 dollars a day times 21 days (3 weeks). i can cut down on food and housing; its just transportation and extra spending cash that im worried about. im not too much of a person that needs to eat three meals a day. i can probably eat once and still be happy. i don't like shopping. if anything id rather just take pictures and video of myself just enjoying where i am. if i get a fandom urge to buy anything, the most i might spend on it is about 100 dollars.

i won't be going that far away from my relatives place. ill stay in tokyo for the entire time and like what pryon's friend said, azabu is fairly central, even if its not close to any fandom. if thats the case then ill probably just take transportation from azabu to wherever i want to go within tokyo. if anything, the tower is probably the only site i want to see that could be far away from me. (i was thinking that a shrine and maybe that fish market might be too far too)

[GirlfromIpanema]

hmm... so i was thinking that airfare itself should be around 1000 dollars or less and that I should save enough for my personal things hm.. about another 1000. all in total the MIMIMUM i have to bring is 2000. does anyone think thats a reasonable amount? the most i might stay is three weeks. two would be fine for me. one is not enough.

i did the math to about 40/50 dollars a day times 21 days (3 weeks). i can cut down on food and housing; its just transportation and extra spending cash that im worried about. im not too much of a person that needs to eat three meals a day. i can probably eat once and still be happy. i don't like shopping. if anything id rather just take pictures and video of myself just enjoying where i am. if i get a fandom urge to buy anything, the most i might spend on it is about 100 dollars.

i won't be going that far away from my relatives place. ill stay in tokyo for the entire time and like what pryon's friend said, azabu is fairly central, even if its not close to any fandom. if thats the case then ill probably just take transportation from azabu to wherever i want to go within tokyo. if anything, the tower is probably the only site i want to see that could be far away from me. (i was thinking that a shrine and maybe that fish market might be too far too) 

Hi,

Actually, depends on what shrine you want to go to.  If a small one is good enough for you, you can walk to one.  Otherwise, you can take the train for 210 yen from Azabu Juuban to Yoyogi, which has a very large one (Meiji Jingu).  The fish market is only 4 stops away from Azabu Juuban, only 170 yen for the train fare.  Tokyo Tower is only two train stops away for 170 yen.  (Tokyo Tower in addition has an entrance fee which I can't remember the amount of.)  Buses cost 200 yen per ride.   Fandom at Akihabara is farther away (about 30 minutes), but that train ride is also only 190 yen from Roppongi from what I recall. 

If you really don't spend any money and eat cheaply, you probably can live three weeks for $1000.  Average wages for new grads out of college here is about $2000 a month, and many of them have rent to pay as well.  However, you may want to carry extra for things you want to pick up, but that's up to you.  Last I checked though, airfare was more than $1000, due to gas prices. 

Let me know if you need anything else. 
 

[PyronIkari]

whoa... i think my question has gone too far off topic now... hm.. ok!  ;D  lets forget about those visas and stuff because its causing too much drama and i mean, its nice infomation to know about them, but i think i just want to vacation there for now.  :D

i think ill be fine with the cultural aspect of this now. thank guys for the smaller details. im taking classes now in preparation for the talking aspect. also, ill go with you guys' advices and just ask my relatives.  ::)

now that ive probably got the culture aspect out of the way. the true problem i have now is basically the BREAKDOWN of money and HOW MUCH SHOULD I BRING. thanks Pyron and friend (GirlfromIpanema) again for your advice and sorrie i keep making you mad Pyron. > . <

hmm... so i was thinking that airfare itself should be around 1000 dollars or less and that I should save enough for my personal things hm.. about another 1000. all in total the MIMIMUM i have to bring is 2000. does anyone think thats a reasonable amount? the most i might stay is three weeks. two would be fine for me. one is not enough.

i did the math to about 40/50 dollars a day times 21 days (3 weeks). i can cut down on food and housing; its just transportation and extra spending cash that im worried about. im not too much of a person that needs to eat three meals a day. i can probably eat once and still be happy. i don't like shopping. if anything id rather just take pictures and video of myself just enjoying where i am. if i get a fandom urge to buy anything, the most i might spend on it is about 100 dollars.

i won't be going that far away from my relatives place. ill stay in tokyo for the entire time and like what pryon's friend said, azabu is fairly central, even if its not close to any fandom. if thats the case then ill probably just take transportation from azabu to wherever i want to go within tokyo. if anything, the tower is probably the only site i want to see that could be far away from me. (i was thinking that a shrine and maybe that fish market might be too far too)

I was there for two weeks and I spent about 800$. About 40$ of that was on crane games and Street Fighter though. I didn't have to pay for room except for when I was in Kyoto. Also, I cheat, and didn't have to pay for food everyday, because GirlfromIpanema was nice enough to cook for me.

I just realized, about 150$ of that 800$ was towards alcohol too. Man, I really didn't spend that much money while I was there.

Airfare varies according to time. I'm going in December, it's costing 1400 round trip. I can go in May, for about 750 round trip.

Akiba isn't that far, it's just a train ride away.

[XpHoBiaX]

Man, you guys talking about going to Japan makes me wanna go. @_@
*jealous*

[Hakaru_chan]

hmm... so i was thinking that airfare itself should be around 1000 dollars or less and that I should save enough for my personal things hm.. about another 1000. all in total the MIMIMUM i have to bring is 2000. does anyone think thats a reasonable amount? the most i might stay is three weeks. two would be fine for me. one is not enough.

i did the math to about 40/50 dollars a day times 21 days (3 weeks). i can cut down on food and housing; its just transportation and extra spending cash that im worried about. im not too much of a person that needs to eat three meals a day. i can probably eat once and still be happy. i don't like shopping. if anything id rather just take pictures and video of myself just enjoying where i am. if i get a fandom urge to buy anything, the most i might spend on it is about 100 dollars.

i won't be going that far away from my relatives place. ill stay in tokyo for the entire time and like what pryon's friend said, azabu is fairly central, even if its not close to any fandom. if thats the case then ill probably just take transportation from azabu to wherever i want to go within tokyo. if anything, the tower is probably the only site i want to see that could be far away from me. (i was thinking that a shrine and maybe that fish market might be too far too) 

Hi,

Actually, depends on what shrine you want to go to.  If a small one is good enough for you, you can walk to one.  Otherwise, you can take the train for 210 yen from Azabu Juuban to Yoyogi, which has a very large one (Meiji Jingu).  The fish market is only 4 stops away from Azabu Juuban, only 170 yen for the train fare.  Tokyo Tower is only two train stops away for 170 yen.  (Tokyo Tower in addition has an entrance fee which I can't remember the amount of.)  Buses cost 200 yen per ride.   Fandom at Akihabara is farther away (about 30 minutes), but that train ride is also only 190 yen from Roppongi from what I recall. 

If you really don't spend any money and eat cheaply, you probably can live three weeks for $1000.  Average wages for new grads out of college here is about $2000 a month, and many of them have rent to pay as well.  However, you may want to carry extra for things you want to pick up, but that's up to you.  Last I checked though, airfare was more than $1000, due to gas prices. 

Let me know if you need anything else. 
 

thank you guys again for the info.

wait so the bus fare costs more than the trainfare? and when you mean trainfare... is it like those subway kind of trains (or aboveground kind of trains)?

i think i want to leave about late march to the beginning of april or sometime in between the month of april. i want to get there at just about the right time the cherry blossoms bloom. also i need to get back before fanime happens.  ::)

[GirlfromIpanema]

wait so the bus fare costs more than the trainfare? and when you mean trainfare... is it like those subway kind of trains (or aboveground kind of trains)?

i think i want to leave about late march to the beginning of april or sometime in between the month of april. i want to get there at just about the right time the cherry blossoms bloom. also i need to get back before fanime happens.  ::)

In Azabu, we only have subways.  You have your choice of three lines in the area though.  (Namboku, Ooedo and Hibiya.)  And yes, the bus costs more.  Less people ride the bus and there are less buses per hour, as opposed to millions of people riding the train system everyday.  The bus however is more convenient for certain stops.  For example, there is no direct train to shibuya, and rather than change trains, you can just take the Shibuya direct train from Roppongi Hills and be at Shibuya in about 10 minutes. 

There is an area in Roppongi Hills where the entire street is a row of cherry blossoms.  The ones here bloom at the end of March.  Due to global warming, the cherry blossoms have been blooming earlier and earlier, they say.  There are more popular areas to see cherry blossoms, but many people literally camp out for spots for their cherry blossom viewing (hanami) parties at these parks. 

[Hakaru_chan]

sorrie i had to bring this back from the dead... but now my question is... (for anyone that would have any info on this)

HOW CAN I GET INTO A TOKYO GAMESHOW?  ;D

and where is Keneda? i dunno (friend can't spell, and i don't know the city but its something like that)

[PyronIkari]

sorrie i had to bring this back from the dead... but now my question is... (for anyone that would have any info on this)

HOW CAN I GET INTO A TOKYO GAMESHOW?  ;D

and where is Keneda? i dunno (friend can't spell, and i don't know the city but its something like that)

Tokyo game show is open to the public... you go there, you register, you pay them money, you get a badge, you walk in.

To be honest, if you're not press/industry, they'll frown upon you being there though. TGS is a professional game show where they are pushing their products for business reasons. It's not for people to run around and act stupid and play games. This is the reason why E3 no longer has a show floor, and is restricted to show rooms now.

Learn how to spell the city before you ask where it is... ... ...

[otakuapprentice]

I don't think they mean TGS.....

[PyronIkari]

I don't think they mean TGS.....

uhr I reread it...


...

...

Now... that's just even stupider.

[JTchinoy]

this thread it still here?

[Kazuko]

LOL looking for airfare under 1000 that isnt really possible try 1200 and up close to 2000 since Dec till May is peak season so prices are up up up if Im correct.

Good luck especially for someone who wants to NOT spend on stuff people get temptations and 100 dollars will be more than that

someone needs more money

[Hakaru_chan]

I don't think they mean TGS.....

yea sorrie i meant, any kind of tokyo/japanese game show. i don't care what kind, i just want to get into one at least free or even with payment. something opened to the public...

I don't think they mean TGS.....

uhr I reread it...


...

...

Now... that's just even stupider.

sorrie for the confusion pyron  :'(

LOL looking for airfare under 1000 that isnt really possible try 1200 and up close to 2000 since Dec till May is peak season so prices are up up up if Im correct.

Good luck especially for someone who wants to NOT spend on stuff people get temptations and 100 dollars will be more than that

someone needs more money

yea i saw airfare for 600 on this website and that was back and forth, ill keep researching stuff tho. thanks for the heads up.  ;D

[GirlfromIpanema]

yea i saw airfare for 600 on this website and that was back and forth, ill keep researching stuff tho. thanks for the heads up.  ;D

A lot of websites list fares BEFORE gas surcharges and taxes.  Gas surcharges are currently about $800, meaning that fare is probably closer to $1500 in reality.  A $600 fare isn't possible right now.

[PyronIkari]

yea sorrie i meant, any kind of tokyo/japanese game show. i don't care what kind, i just want to get into one at least free or even with payment. something opened to the public...

yea i saw airfare for 600 on this website and that was back and forth, ill keep researching stuff tho. thanks for the heads up.  ;D

600$? Where and when? In May you can get tickets for about 850. In Summer a 1000. Winter is 1200-1400 if you're lucky. More realistically it'll be about 1560 or so.

I got an EXTREMELY GOOD deal on my tickets, and they were 1300 for Dec. 15th.

[PyronIkari]

yea sorrie i meant, any kind of tokyo/japanese game show. i don't care what kind, i just want to get into one at least free or even with payment. something opened to the public...
yea i saw airfare for 600 on this website and that was back and forth, ill keep researching stuff tho. thanks for the heads up.  ;D

600$? Where and when? In May you can get tickets for about 850. In Summer a 1000. Winter is 1200-1400 if you're lucky. More realistically it'll be about 1560 or so.

I got an EXTREMELY GOOD deal on my tickets, and they were 1300 for Dec. 15th.

[Hakaru_chan]

yea sorrie i meant, any kind of tokyo/japanese game show. i don't care what kind, i just want to get into one at least free or even with payment. something opened to the public...
yea i saw airfare for 600 on this website and that was back and forth, ill keep researching stuff tho. thanks for the heads up.  ;D

600$? Where and when? In May you can get tickets for about 850. In Summer a 1000. Winter is 1200-1400 if you're lucky. More realistically it'll be about 1560 or so.

I got an EXTREMELY GOOD deal on my tickets, and they were 1300 for Dec. 15th.

ok i think i got a link. i duno if it would should show the most recent information that i got today but here goes.

http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-japan/oakland/

maybe umm its cause im leaving from oakland airport?

[Kazuko]

 680 is like one way but you gotta pick the returning flight as well so add both 680 for leaving and returning flights plus add the super awesome taxes and you get usually something arround 1200 to 1500 sometimes 2000 Round Trip depending on what airline you are using and airport you will be departing from

[Rei-Rei]

ok i think i got a link. i duno if it would should show the most recent information that i got today but here goes.

http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-japan/oakland/

maybe umm its cause im leaving from oakland airport?

You've got your logic mixed up somehow, I've flown on many airlines, and I believe most of them do not fly to Oakland, it's either Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles in the west coast. This means you would have to take a flight (or drive) to the other major international airports such as the ones in San Francisco or Los Angeles. 

Or perhaps you may of checked fares from another country.  To my knowledge, prices of the tickets change according to where you bought your ticket, and it's highly not possible that you could buy them for that price.

The three major airlines that I'm most familiar that fly non-stop to the west coast is Thai, All Nippon Air, and Japan Airlines. I know Thai only flies into LA via Japan, and the other two flies to both destinations, and all of the fares for these are over $1000 for economy class, discount price. I got my fares for rather cheap because I bought them outside the country. There is no way you could get a ticket for $600, not even on China Air.  >.>;

Edit: When did you check the fares? I believe it was during some time in the summer, prices on all airlines soared way up, some airlines that I checked raised their prices by up to 500 dollars..

[GirlfromIpanema]

ok i think i got a link. i duno if it would should show the most recent information that i got today but here goes.

http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-japan/oakland/

maybe umm its cause im leaving from oakland airport?

There are no direct flights from Oakland airport.  They're probably including a few transfers in there, likely through LA or Seattle, or sometimes worse, farther than you started.  If you haven't noticed, all of the cheap flights on this page say "EXCLUDING TAX."    The gas surchages and taxes will make them match the more expensive fares on the page.  This is why you absolutely have to look at the fare AFTER taxes.