Japan in May 2010!

[syn3rgetic]

I went this year from Hong Kong as a gift from my relatives there. It was really fun however, it was a tour so we visited stuff i didn't really care about. (Amusement parks, blah)

SO, this year me and friends are planning a round 2, but directly from Canada.

I went to the usual travel sites, expedia/travelocity...and the dates I got (flexible) usually amount to $1200 CDN.

Are there anyways to get it cheaper? I was hoping to go for around $900 tax in.

(two weeks in Japan Tokyo..any two weeks. preferably 13-27 something like that. Anyway, gurus of the travel section, enlighten me!

EDIT: don't mind changing planes! Students on a budget! cheep cheep cheep!

[Jay1234]

I went this year from Hong Kong as a gift from my relatives there. It was really fun however, it was a tour so we visited stuff i didn't really care about. (Amusement parks, blah)

SO, this year me and friends are planning a round 2, but directly from Canada.

I went to the usual travel sites, expedia/travelocity...and the dates I got (flexible) usually amount to $1200 CDN.

Are there anyways to get it cheaper? I was hoping to go for around $900 tax in.

(two weeks in Japan Tokyo..any two weeks. preferably 13-27 something like that. Anyway, gurus of the travel section, enlighten me!

EDIT: don't mind changing planes! Students on a budget! cheep cheep cheep!


From Past Experience, April is cheaper then may to visit japan. if you are good at timing you could even see the cherry blossoms in April.

Must warn you know, Tokyo is a very expensive city!

[mkjr]

it would help to know which city in Canada you are flying out of...[edit...i am assuming YYZ]

you can often check ORD-YYZ-NRT-YYZ and drop the ORD portion at the end and pick up a one way on Porter...not sure why, but AC's fares out of ORD are better than out of YYZ directly. same for SEA last I checked.

this may they had sales to NRT for 485 a/i but that was around the time they dropped the fuel charge for this route and i have not seen it lower again....

hard to know what fares will be like this far out and given we do not know what the economy will be like in the spring...

[mkjr]

one more thing, check travel cuts if you have a student card. i have found they typically get good advance rates.

[vj0000]

also try travel companies that specialize in travel to asia as sometimes they buy "buckets" of tickets which they can sell off more cheaply. i have used toureast before (www.toureast.com).

also, keep checking the air canada sites as they often have seat sales (and fly from YYZ to NRT directly). i went recently on an air canada seat sale for $880 taxes in.

[YongeIrish]

Make sure you avoid travelling on Golden week!

[cmyden]

This spring there were flights from Calgary/Vancouver/Seattle for $340, including taxes. One of the best deals of the year for sure.

[IceBlueShoes12]

Just wondering, when is the "dead" travel season to Japan?
I prefer going in non-peak season in order to save $$$.
Why pay more to see/do the same stuff?

Thanks!

[cmyden]

Just wondering, when is the "dead" travel season to Japan?
I prefer going in non-peak season in order to save $$$.
Why pay more to see/do the same stuff?

Thanks!

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ttp/sg/01-WhyJapan/MediumIndex/05-Off-Season.html

Although spring, the summer vacation (July 20 through August), and autumn are Japan's most popular travel times, there are plenty of reasons for choosing the off-season to visit Japan, especially during the winter months from December through February. Except for the extreme north, winter is generally comfortable, with clear skies, and is especially mild in its southern, subtropical regions like Kyushu and Okinawa. Traveling in the off season brings other bonuses as well, including cheaper airfare on some routes, less crowded trains, fewer tourists at major attractions, and cheaper rates for hotels in resort and tourist destinations.

[IceBlueShoes12]

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ttp/sg/01-WhyJapan/MediumIndex/05-Off-Season.html

Although spring, the summer vacation (July 20 through August), and autumn are Japan's most popular travel times, there are plenty of reasons for choosing the off-season to visit Japan, especially during the winter months from December through February. Except for the extreme north, winter is generally comfortable, with clear skies, and is especially mild in its southern, subtropical regions like Kyushu and Okinawa. Traveling in the off season brings other bonuses as well, including cheaper airfare on some routes, less crowded trains, fewer tourists at major attractions, and cheaper rates for hotels in resort and tourist destinations.

But aren't Dec-Feb higher airfare during the holiday season? Or you mean excluding Christmas and New Years?

I'd be more then content with fall temperatures. I've been sort of planning on going for a few years now and plan on visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Yokohama (day trip) over 10 (12max) days.

[apax]

Hey here's a tip. Book your hotel online at bestwestern dot com. There was a really cheap rate for a
standard room in Tokyo at the bw shinjuku. Then call the hotel directly in japan and
ask to upgrade you. We got the 2 nd best room of the hotel for close to 140/night. Just FYI

[mkjr]

anyone else miffed you have to use online translators to get the japan deals via travelzoo....oh well, just one extra step.

[Fx45]

anyone else miffed you have to use online translators to get the japan deals via travelzoo....oh well, just one extra step.

Hotels are best booked DIRECT using the japanese version of the websites, I found them 10-20% cheaper than the english versions of the websites or thru 3rd party resellers. Just need to use the google translator (I thought it was extra fun). I never booked a single night over $100 CAD (except for the onsen)

Back to the OP - 2 weeks is quite a bit of time. Depends on what experience you're looking for. 3 years ago, I did 2 weeks this itinerary:

- 3 days Tokyo
- Train to Hiroshima
- Spend a morning in Hiroshima, afternoon in Miyajima
- Off a small medieval town called Kurashiki for a more traditional setting
- Try the overly priced steak at Kobe
- Shopping at Osaka
- Stayed at an Onsen at Kyoto
- Back to Tokyo to wrap up for 2 more days and fill my wife's luggage with clothes

All in 2 weeks. Didn't stay at a single western-named hotel, all booked via the approach above and never felt unsafe. The only thing is that the train stations in Japan have very few elevators and very many levels. Carrying luggage up and down escalators suck.

And you do get tired of going to too many Japanese garden temples.

[Panzergrenadier]

Dude, I went this August with a buddy, got a ~$870 tax inc. deal from expedia, 2-3 weeks before departure: toronto>chicago>tokyo, and direct flight back on air canada. Beware though, that deal was elusive on the site, I had to hunt it and gun it, thought it was gone for good when it disappeared one night and appeared a few nights later. Even if you dont find a deal as cheap, it shouldnt be hard to find one around $1000. Rooms we stayed at averaged ~$50 per night, but only good enough for 2 people, some had nice lcd tv's and some included hot springs.

[Balduno]

From Past Experience, April is cheaper then may to visit japan. if you are good at timing you could even see the cherry blossoms in April.

Must warn you know, Tokyo is a very expensive city!

Tokyo is not that expensive if you know where to go.

[Balduno]

What someone posted about booking hotels in Japan is true. If you have a friend in Japan, get him or her to book your hotel rooms. The rates are cheaper within Japan as opposed to booking outside of Japan.

[hoon]

The only thing is that the train stations in Japan have very few elevators and very many levels. Carrying luggage up and down escalators suck.

Google Takyubin. It's basically a door to door delivery service that's relatively cheap and quick (2000Yen and delivers in 24 hrs). Read up on it.

[mintchoco]

I'm also looking to go to JP, does anyone thing fares will go as low as it did last summer down to $650 taxes in?

[mkjr]

I'm also looking to go to JP, does anyone thing fares will go as low as it did last summer down to $650 taxes in? given the turn in the economy, i highly doubt it...even the calgary to NRT sale is 299 each way plus tax but only goes until the end of may....i mean a month ago, it cost me $662 from YYZ to YVR....

[crazydreams]

Tokyo is not that expensive if you know where to go.
True, but you have to plan things really carefully, depending on your interests. There are certainly good deals but it is a city that invites you to spend -shops everywhere and lots of interesting stuff that you don't find anywhere else.

Someone suggested Takkyubin, but I'm not sure if they deliver to hotels without a room number (never tried that myself...). If you're going to central hotels and want to avoid going up and down stairs at train stations, take the limousine bus. They will put your luggage (one piece per person) in the bus compartment .
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/timetable/txt_narita.html

Here you can find other general info on places to visit and some deals:
http://www.japan-guide.com/

[crashcourse]

Tokyo is not that expensive if you know where to go.

I agree! Meals are cheap if you stay away from the American chains.. eat local e.g. noodles, onigiri, conveyor sushi. Souvenir shopping - head to the 100 yen (dollar) shops like Daiso and Cando.. you won't believe what you can find at these shops!

[mrbeng]

Been to Japan twice and always stayed at Toyoko Inn. It's a business hotel that charges $55-$70 a night depending which hotel location you stay at. They are a chain like Holiday Inn and have tons of locations all over Tokyo and Japan. They have a free breakfast in the morning and free internet access in each room if you bring your laptop and 3-4 computers you can use in the lobby.
http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

And make sure to buy a train JR Rail Pass in Canada before going there. It's the cheapest way to travel by rail and train there. It will save you tons of money if you plan to go to Osaka or other places.

[syn3rgetic]

thanks for all the advice guys.

all the deals im seeing nowadays are like 1200 tax in...i want to be around 900 if possible