JR Pass - HUGE PRICE INCREASE! Any advice?

[Heartlander]

Now no need to queue counters to collect JR passes.

[teomingern]

On 4/22/2023 at 5:24 AM, Kxbc said:

I am same like you. A fairly relaxed itinerary. For large prefectures and non big cities, I prefer driving as most of the nicer places take too many transfers of trains and infrequent buses, especially in winter, to reach. 

The driving just provide better flexibility eg stopping at random lookout points. Can still have a light itinerary. 

As it is, I am now driving around in Nihon for a holiday. 

Don't know if it is my luck, but both times I rented a small car, but they just give me a larger one. 

How's it like driving in winter? Not sure if I should... but then again with my sister's family, got to use a van instead... there isn't any car large enough for 8 people, including 2 child seats plus lots of luggage... heh...

[teomingern]

On 4/22/2023 at 5:33 AM, Kxbc said:

I can tell you that you will surely miss 20% of the planned train timings because of unexpected delays. So it will be good to plan when is the next best train and subsequent connections. 

Happened to me when I landed too. The immigration process took way longer than I expected. Replan on the fly. 

Many super noisy Korean tourists now in Japan. Their loud abrasive voices really disrupt the peace and quiet of the smaller Japanese towns. When the PRCs are let loose, I cannot imagine the chaos. 

Goodness.... this winter hopefully still no PRCs then...

[inlinesix]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:11 AM, teomingern said:

How's it like driving in winter? Not sure if I should... but then again with my sister's family, got to use a van instead... there isn't any car large enough for 8 people, including 2 child seats plus lots of luggage... heh...

Not a good idea if you are not familiar.

[Jman888]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:11 AM, teomingern said:

How's it like driving in winter? Not sure if I should... but then again with my sister's family, got to use a van instead... there isn't any car large enough for 8 people, including 2 child seats plus lots of luggage... heh...

just go youtube and type "北海道自駕遊" you will find many video on tips of how to drive in hokkaido and snowy road, also some video provide safety driving tips.

why in Chinese? cos many tourists driving there were from Taiwan and HK in 2022 n 2023.

[Heartlander]

Some good analysis for those not good in japanese.

 

[Heartlander]

The video below shared about good alternatives to JR Passes. From 7min mark it talked about the Keihan pass which is good for Osaka and Kyoto travel.

 

[Jamesc]

On 4/20/2023 at 1:53 PM, Jamesc said:

Put here just don't forget when excited and rushing out of the train

Chope these seats if can, your bags will be very safe

If you do this put above MIL seat for obvious reasons

and never above favourite child's seat.

More tips on Japan and Shinkansen 

 

[Jamesc]

JR Pass calculator to see if the pass is cheaper or not?

 

 

[teomingern]

Got a question about Toyoko Inn... I booked a King Room for my family, 4 pax cos my kids, 4 & 2 won't sleep without the mother.... but one out of the 3 Toyoko Inn (the one in Tokyo) wrote to tell me that cannot have two kids stay free in a room with only 1 bed. I checked the website and noticed the rules in the chain's website but not given on Booking.com. The hotel told me a twin room is ok cos got 2 beds. Anyone managed to stay in this Toyoko Inn chain with 2 kids in a King Room before? Tried messaging all 3 hotels in this chain but no replies at all. Thanks!

[Jamesc]

One bed looks like this and hotel photos always make the bed look very big

but it will be very squeezy. Even if don't mind squeezy since the hotel making a fuss better book twin.

Some hotels in Japan don't even allow non registered guest into the room after 7pm.

So even if husband and wife check in with 1 kids and later smuggled the other kid into the room later they might stop.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Jamesc

[Kxbc]

On 4/22/2023 at 11:11 AM, teomingern said:

How's it like driving in winter? Not sure if I should... but then again with my sister's family, got to use a van instead... there isn't any car large enough for 8 people, including 2 child seats plus lots of luggage... heh...

Never driven in winter before. At most was a super heavy rainy day in hokkaido. Not recommended as rain plus unfamiliar roads add up to more errors. 

[Kxbc]

On 4/23/2023 at 5:16 PM, teomingern said:

Got a question about Toyoko Inn... I booked a King Room for my family, 4 pax cos my kids, 4 & 2 won't sleep without the mother.... but one out of the 3 Toyoko Inn (the one in Tokyo) wrote to tell me that cannot have two kids stay free in a room with only 1 bed. I checked the website and noticed the rules in the chain's website but not given on Booking.com. The hotel told me a twin room is ok cos got 2 beds. Anyone managed to stay in this Toyoko Inn chain with 2 kids in a King Room before? Tried messaging all 3 hotels in this chain but no replies at all. Thanks!

Stayed in 2 different toyoko inns over the years. Both are tight fit even for 2 adults with luggage. Cannot imagine add 2 kids and 1 mth worth of luggage. 

This chain caters to their domestic business travelers for a night or 2 so for them, space is not often considered as important. 

Plus side is generally more competitive prices and can be located close to the train station. But if you search hard and add a couple more 10s of dollars, might be able to find a bigger room. 

[teomingern]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:13 PM, Kxbc said:

Stayed in 2 different toyoko inns over the years. Both are tight fit even for 2 adults with luggage. Cannot imagine add 2 kids and 1 mth worth of luggage. 

This chain caters to their domestic business travelers for a night or 2 so for them, space is not often considered as important. 

Plus side is generally more competitive prices and can be located close to the train station. But if you search hard and add a couple more 10s of dollars, might be able to find a bigger room. 

Thanks... I looked at a Live Japan website and it says the single room beds are 1.5 m by 2.03 m... so I guess 1.5 m is really quite wide already since our super singles are simply 1.20 m while queen size is about 1.5 m... not sure the website accurate or not... but if those are the same beds in a twin room then I'm good... anyway super single is ok lar... just got to make do...

https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0001458/

[Jman888]

On 4/25/2023 at 8:32 AM, teomingern said:

Thanks... I looked at a Live Japan website and it says the single room beds are 1.5 m by 2.03 m... so I guess 1.5 m is really quite wide already since our super singles are simply 1.20 m while queen size is about 1.5 m... not sure the website accurate or not... but if those are the same beds in a twin room then I'm good... anyway super single is ok lar... just got to make do...

https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0001458/

more important is the room size, if less than 180sf then will have problem open your luggage

 

[teomingern]

On 4/25/2023 at 8:48 AM, Jman888 said:

more important is the room size, if less than 180sf then will have problem open your luggage

 

Oh... we'll just have to live with it lor... anyway meant to sleep in only... we do have larger rooms in other places... 

Fukuoka - Deluxe Studio 36 sq m

Hiroshima - King Room 25 sq m

Osaka - whole apartment with 3 bedrooms + 3 toilets (with my sister's family) 100 sq m

Nagano - Triple Room 24 sq m

Tokyo - Twin Room (?)

Yanagata - Twin Room (?)

Aomori - Twin Room 21 sq m

Sapporo - Twin Room 20 sq m

Hakodate - Family Room 29 sq m

Tokyo - Twin Room 15 sq m

Fukuoka - Twin Room 15 sq m

So I think just have to suffer the space constraints for the 4 places with undeclared room size (?) & with 15 sq m...

We've managed before I guess... we will have 2 luggage 2 strollers... ha ha... will give field report how we coped...

[teomingern]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:09 PM, Kxbc said:

Never driven in winter before. At most was a super heavy rainy day in hokkaido. Not recommended as rain plus unfamiliar roads add up to more errors. 

Yeah I also scared... I saw a video of this family with a Subaru XV 4WD driving in snowing conditions... when they drove to the Abashiri Prison Museum in Hokkaido, the roads were clear... but later after their visit, the snow started up and everything including their car buried in snow... not for me I think...

[teomingern]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:13 PM, Kxbc said:

Stayed in 2 different toyoko inns over the years. Both are tight fit even for 2 adults with luggage. Cannot imagine add 2 kids and 1 mth worth of luggage. 

This chain caters to their domestic business travelers for a night or 2 so for them, space is not often considered as important. 

Plus side is generally more competitive prices and can be located close to the train station. But if you search hard and add a couple more 10s of dollars, might be able to find a bigger room. 

Definitely... trying to keep to my budget me $100 per night... in vain... most places are above $120 per night... some even $180 cos the cheaper places are all booked out for my dates...