Hello! I’m planning a trip to Japan with my brother and his boyfriend around May or so. I’m wanting to accomplish a few things while I’m there:
* I want to explore Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagoya. They all sound amazing and I want to see what they have to offer.
* Around these locations I want to visit some shrines and nature places. I REALLY want to see Mt Fuji, as good a view/close as I can.
* Some of the countryside would be awesome as well, as I love the setting and scenery.
I’ve got a 2 week limit, and based on my monthly bills and how much I can contribute toward a budget for the trip, I’m looking at most likely around $5200-6000 before I do anything, plane tickets and all that. With this all in mind I had a few questions.
1. Is 2 weeks too small to pack in the sights of all these places/goals? I’m afraid I’m not giving myself enough time, or maybe should try another trip the following year or something.
2. Is my savings too small for a trip to properly enjoy things? I’m mainly worried about lodging and food when going to all these places.
3. Are tours highly recommended? I’m told they can be a bit pricey, and even if they weren’t, I’d rather be able to leisurely explore somewhere than be shoved along on a schedule with a bunch of other people.
4. Are there any places/destinations that you would personally recommend? I’ve been looking up some pretty places in Nagoya and Yokohama, but other than getting some video/photos, I’m not sure what all I might want to do. I don’t drink alcohol and other than experiencing one in Japan, I’m not a huge club person.
5. I’ve seen people buying sake sets and other things to take home as souvenirs, I suppose it’s recommended to make room in your luggage to fly it back? Is it just as simple as making sure it’s good and packed before putting it through the airport? Any tips on that I guess?
I’m sure I’ll think of more as answers come in, I appreciate any advice people have. ♥
2 comments
I can personally recommend going to Hakone for a day trip from Tokyo for onsen, nice seafood , and nice museums if you are into it ❤️
Also tokyo hop on bus is nice, and it’s a good idea to do to get a better idea about different areas in the first few days
>1. Is 2 weeks too small to pack in the sights of all these places/goals? I’m afraid I’m not giving myself enough time, or maybe should try another trip the following year or something.
You of course won’t be able to see the entirety of all those cities in 2 weeks. But you can definitely get quality visits of all the locations in that time. You just have to select what you’re most interested in, especially in Tokyo, but also Kyoto and Osaka to some extent.
>1. Is my savings too small for a trip to properly enjoy things? I’m mainly worried about lodging and food when going to all these places.
If this is for 1 person, it’s no problems at all. It could even work for 2 people, but you need to select the cheaper hotels and food. Not sure about flight prices from your location. Food should average around 1000-2000 yen per meal (but you can find cheaper if you need). Lodging about 5000-10000 per person, you can go cheaper for the bulk of the days, and slightly more for a couple of nights at a Ryokan.
>1. Are tours highly recommended? I’m told they can be a bit pricey, and even if they weren’t, I’d rather be able to leisurely explore somewhere than be shoved along on a schedule with a bunch of other people.
I’ve never used a tour. But they are probably good. There are free guides sometimes as well.
>1. I’ve seen people buying sake sets and other things to take home as souvenirs, I suppose it’s recommended to make room in your luggage to fly it back? Is it just as simple as making sure it’s good and packed before putting it through the airport? Any tips on that I guess?
Many people who expect to buy a lot will either bring empty bags to fill up.
You could just pack a bag not super full, and the rest will be souvenir space.