I've lived in Japan and have been back nine times. Ask me anything!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

I'm especially good at advising wary Americans about how to travel in Japan inexpensively.

[babylonsister]

1. Japan and inexpensive-oxymoronic? I've landed there

numerous times en route to other places but never had the desire to visit, and here's why. We were en route to Thailand and got bumped for the night. It cost as much for one night in a hotel near Narita, and breakfast, as it did for a week in Hua Hin, Thailand, with laundry service and a bar tab! :crazy:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Narita Airport hotels are very expensive (notoriously so)

but in most of Japan, you can travel for no more than it costs to travel in the United States, sometimes less.

For example, on my last trip, I paid $80 a night for a small but clean and safe room with an ample breakfast buffet (in Kobe) and then $60 a night for a small but clean and safe room in Kyoto. I never paid more than $15 for a meal.

Japan's reputation for outrageous expense comes from three sources:

1) Business travelers who insist on luxury.

2) People who have just come from Southeast Asia and are comparing Third World countries with First World countries. From everything I've heard, you can travel safely and comfortably for less in Japan than in most of Western Europe.

3) "Gee whiz" stories by reporters who go to Japan and do things in the most expensive way possible, such as taking a cab the forty miles from Narita Airport to central Tokyo for $200 instead of taking the train for $15. Or ordering a room service Western style breakfast at a luxury hotel and marveling that it costs $25.

I'm not rich by any means. I wouldn't go to Japan if it were as unaffordable as everyone says.

[onager]

3. Hey! I don't insist on luxury!

:hi:

Just kidding. I tend to agree with you, but I've only been to Japan 3 times--all on business trips.

As for hotels, I had to stay where the company told me. Which, fortunately, was the Capitol-Tokyu. That was near the customer we were visiting. And happily, also near the Imperial Palace, which made for great walks in the morning. (And near The World's Ugliest Building, the Parliament...) "Little Korea" was almost right across the street, for cheap good food.

$200 cab rides? Ack! We always took a bus from Narita to TCAT (Tokyo Central Air Terminal, for potential visitors). Then it was easy to get a relatively cheap cab to the hotel.

Fortunately that hotel was also right beside a main subway stop. IIRC, the Ginza was only 3 stops away, for the incredible (and free!) entertainment of sight-seeing and window-shopping.

I spent a lot of time roaming around Shinjuku, which fascinated me. I thought it looked like something out of a sci-fi movie with all the big, futuristic buildings...and I live in Los Angeles!

[MasonJar]

4. Why do they kill whales? My daughter was an exchange student

there 20 years ago and she was wonderfully treated and had marvelous experiences. However, being a monumental animal lover, I cannot understand the continuous whaling for profit or for so-called science.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I don't know

The nearest I can think is that there are some people who still have a taste for it from the old days and they're willing to pay big money for it. :shrug:

I've seen it on a menu only once, and that was 21 years ago.

[Cuauhtla]

6. Japan

Now this is an interesting group!

Lydia, I lived in Japan for about a year also, and adore so much about the land and the culture.

If anyone is interested in tortuously tedious travelogues, I wrote a few for my family at the time. I've also lived in Iceland and Bretagne, and have some travelogues from the latter.

[TransitJohn]

7. Hey! I've been thinking of going to Iceland

What can you tell me about it? Is it easy getting around using English? Are the people friendly towards Americans? I was thinking of taking my camping gear and mountain bike for like a one to two week solo adventure w/ a couple nights in Rejkyavik....I'm from Wyoming, so the cold of summer shouldn't be too outrageous for me ;) ..... Thanks!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. That sounds like it needs to be a new thread

:-)

[Duppers]

9. do prescription meds need to be packed in their original bottles?

This is for a one week visit. Leaving in the morning!

thanks, Lyndia.

-d

[raccoon]

10. That's a question I wonder about myself. Does anybody know the skinny on that? nt

[Glassunion]

11. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? nt

[chillspike]

12. Is there cheap land in Japan's countryside?

How much does an acre or two of private land in the Japan countryside cost?