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| Kyoto, Japan - the ancient capital |
"Amber, I have a question please. Just how expensive is traveling in Japan in terms of food, travel, accommodation - if you were to compare it to Singapore for example? I know you can have a range of options: best restaurant in town vs street food, 5 star hotel vs youth hostel etc - but generally, is it on par with Singapore or more expensive? I'm just nervous about hemorrhaging yens left, right and centre everywhere I go in Japan when I do get there ... Arigato!"
And here is Amber's reply - given that this was from a post a while ago, I thought I'd cut & paste it here as I may not be going to Japan after all but I wanted my other readers to benefit from her good advice!
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| Shinjuku - people, people, everywhere. |
Hi LIFT! The average restaurants and eating places are actually quite affordable! It's not all that different from Singapore actually. You can get pretty tasty food for 1000 to 2000 yen (1000 yen = about S$13 with the current rates I think). And if you order udon or ramen in small stores in those back alleys they are usually less than 1000 yen and still very tasty! If you are really on a tight budget there're always beef bowls to help you out. At Yoshinoya, Sukiya and Matsuya you can get a set meal for around 500 yen or less, and they are almost everywhere in Japan so you'll never go hungry!
Or if you want to eat till you drop you can go to those all-you-can-eat restaurants (usually they call them Izakaya) and for about 3000 yen you can order as much as you want for 2 hours. Yakiniku (Japanese-style Korean BBQ) restaurants also have all-you-can-eat menus and you can gorge yourself with all sorts of meat, also about 3000 yen. Osaka is all about food! It's like the kitchen of Japan! For 500 yen, you can get a tasty Japanese set meal in Osaka but the same kind of food will cost twice more in Tokyo! Do come if you have the chance!
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| Plenty of good food in Japan! |
As for travel, JR (Japan Rail) has a lot of passes for different areas, and they are usually sold at a very reasonable price. You can board any trains within a designated area without lining up to buy tickets every time with those passes, but just be careful not lose them because JR is really stingy and doesn't do any refund or replacement!
As for accommodation, business hotels like Toyoko Inn are actually quite affordable, like 6000 yen per night, and it comes with free WiFi and breakfast. Or if you don't mind the squeeze, capsule hotels cost even less but of course, you don't get a room because you only get a bed! Or if you want to experience Korean culture in Japan, there are also Korean-style guesthouses in major cities called Myonbak I think? My Korean friend booked a room for me on my upcoming Tokyo trip and it's only 3500 yen per night! Quite a steal in an expensive city like Tokyo!
IMO, if you are not shopping or going to theme parks, Japan is still an okay place to visit! There are lots of places in Tokyo that don't cost a yen - check out this one http://en.rocketnews24.com/2011/09/25/2346/
With a bit of research, you can enjoy Japan without going broke!
As for accommodation, business hotels like Toyoko Inn are actually quite affordable, like 6000 yen per night, and it comes with free WiFi and breakfast. Or if you don't mind the squeeze, capsule hotels cost even less but of course, you don't get a room because you only get a bed! Or if you want to experience Korean culture in Japan, there are also Korean-style guesthouses in major cities called Myonbak I think? My Korean friend booked a room for me on my upcoming Tokyo trip and it's only 3500 yen per night! Quite a steal in an expensive city like Tokyo!
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| The Imperial Palace in Tokyo |
With a bit of research, you can enjoy Japan without going broke!
So there you go, that is the short piece by Amber in Osaka about the cost of traveling in Japan. Thank you so much for sharing this information Amber, domo-arigato! Japan is definitely one country I want to do properly at some stage - but it's just so darn far from London: it is 11.5 hours direct (expensive), indirect much longer (but probably cheaper). So if and when I go, I want to do Japan justice and spend a few weeks there. Hence it won't be in 2014, but I will revisit Japan one day. I was last in Japan with my family when I was younger and my parents hated all Japanese people so much, it wasn't a great experience with my father spouting toxic racism non-stop about the Japanese...That's his generation for you, don't get me started - he just assumes that everyone from every other country (from France to Japan to America) hates him therefore he will hate them in return: his presumption of mutual hatred is the basis of his racism.
I don't think that the Japanese are necessarily all racist, but there is definitely a perception towards foreigners which tends towards the negative in some cities, such as Nagoya and the smaller ones. For that reason, most foreigners go to the cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Kobe. Anywhere else tends to be very provincial and myopic so to say.
ReplyDeleteAs for Japanese service, I think that it varies. Sometimes, the Japanese can be immensely fastidious about rules, details and the minor things such that something which can be resolved or done in a few minutes actually gets dragged out to more than half an hour or so. This applies to eating out in some places, as I have experienced, although it is rare. Mostly, the Japanese will do their best to help you, even as a foreigner, even if you do not know any Japanese, and I have survived just fine with the bare minimal of Japanese. Your reader Amber is right about Osaka being cheaper than Tokyo in terms of food prices and sometimes shopping too. But between Osaka and Tokyo, there is a sizeable Korean population, either of native Korean Japanese(zainichis) or Koreans who go to work, study or live in Japan, and these two cities have a notable Koreatown each. In fact, I make an effort to visit both Koreatowns whenever I am in either Tokyo or Osaka.
Your father's dislike of the Japanese is not technically misplaced if he is referring to living there long-term and refusing to downplay one's difference. The Japanese are relatively indifferent towards their own historical atrocities by virtue of their education system, and even their political leaders make the mistake of visiting the national memorial shrine for war criminals (they call them 'war heroes' under the rather controversial Tenno--Emperor of Heaven--ideology which reveres them despite whatever crimes or evils these criminals might have committed, and photo-taking is strictly prohibited as a British colleague told me in a rather disgusted manner.). That said, there are also enlightened Japanese, but they might not be the majority. The point is, there is always a mix of both, and you would do well to remember that.
I have quite a bit to say about the Japanese, both good and bad, as well as some weird ones, after a few years here. Even then, I am still scratching the surface as someone who lived here for a while and worked with both foreigners and Japanese.
Hi Kevin. I have many friends (Brazilians of Japanese descent like me) who lived in Nagoya and the rest of the Aichi prefecture and have complaints of being discriminated there (like entering a shop and hearing an announcement for customers to watch their belongings, or seeing shoplifting warning signs in perfect Brazilian portuguese).
DeleteThe thing of Aichi is that it has a large number of migrant workers (for Japanese standards, of course) due to the industries there. So I definitely believe there is some xenophobia there, but I don't think it's something specifically against Chinese or other group. To be fair, some Japanese-Brazilians contribute to the xenophobia in Aichi, getting involved in fights, drift racing, and making zero effort to learn the language (note: most Japanese-Brazilians can't really speak Japanese...). Yes, I have friends who did pretty nasty things when they lived in Japan. And as you may expect, there will be locals who can distinguish migrant troublemakers and foreigners who try to contribute and integrate into society, and locals who will stereotype both of them as the same. It's hard for me to believe that it's different somewhere else.
Hi Limpeh,
DeleteI will talk about my experience with the "language barrier" in Kyushu (so, outside Tokyo / Kyoto / Osaka, where is easier to get by with English). Japan's rail stations (even the very small ones) have all bilingual signs, but choosing which train to take is confusing (probably even if you can read Japanese), so a route planning website is extremely useful (in fact, even Japanese use them). Larger/tourist cities like Fukuoka, Beppu and Yufuin will typically have a "tourist information center" in the city's main train station, providing free English/Chinese booklets with maps and more information than you will ever need. Very few people can speak English in Kyushu. But since I was a member of Toastmasters International, I could easily meet English-speaking Japanese, who were very friendly and helpful. Well, even if you are not member of Toastmasters, I suppose you can join them as a guest, and they will be quite enthusiastic to have someone to practice their English.
About costs... I found food in Kyushu quite cheap... it was easy to find good okonomiyaki, ramen and udon for about 500 yen. You can find great lunch boxes for ~400 yen at supermarkets (the ones at 7-Eleven aren't so good or cheap). Staying at a ryokan with an open air bath is a must, and in smaller cities/countryside, not expensive at all (I stayed for 900 yen/night in one at Beppu, with the most friendly staff I will ever meet).
Sorry, the ryokan in Beppu was 9000 yen per night, not 900 per night. :)
DeleteFor the most part, I agree with what Edson says. That said, I think that the culture of the Japanese is rather unforgiving on the whole in some aspects. If you make a mistake as a non-white foreigner, such as a Chinese or Korean, you will not really get away with it, while if you are Caucasian, owing to some form of pro-western or pro-American sentiment among the Japanese, you tend to get away with it. That is at least an observation many American friends and I--coming from a Canadian background culturally--have made, and might not always be universal.
DeleteOn the whole, Japan is a good experience for visiting, and as for working there, I still have reservations from a western, North American perspective. But at least I can say that I have experienced it. Not many former Singaporeans (or even Singaporeans) or westerners would actually want to pack their bags and fly off to Japan to work for a while, not knowing their cultural perks and differences well, and risking a lot such as distance from their family or friends and immediate comfort zone just to obtain experience and some money.
One other thing, LIFT, Japan is actually INDEED cheaper than Singapore, although Singaporeans disbelieve me. The food is generally affordable if you do not go for those exorbitant restaurants, and even supermarket food is actually very fresh and well-made. If I have occasional cravings for stuff like omu rice, bento sets, sashimi and sushi at the revolving sushi bar, I find that I pay around 1000 to 1500Yen(around 11 to 16 USD) and that works out just fine even as an occasional splurge. Buffets--they call it 'ta-be ho-dai'(you will see the mixture of kanji and katakana in the characters)--cost around 1900 to 3000, depending on where you are at. I paid 1890 Yen for a buffet which last around 90 minutes(standard Japanese protocol time for such buffets) in Sapporo, and it is considered cheap.
As for your dad's racism, uhhh, he reminds me of my f.o.b brother-in-law who has to eat Chinese food everywhere he goes. The whole family(siblings, their kids and me) is going along for a spring trip to Seoul this April, and seriously, I did my best to dissuade him from going since he dislikes Koreans so much. Why go to a place in the first instance if you do not like the people there? You will only find what you dislike to confirm your dislikes. Your father probably found what he disliked to confirm it when there in Japan....I thought that I could not stand some Japanese, but even then, I could find some good things and people there as someone of a westernized background. That said, there is little to no Chinese cultural presence in South Korea compared to Japan, and even Chinese food in Korea is not real Chinese food, so no Chinese food for him LOL. Phew....seriously, I doubt that I can ever stick around fobs.....
I understand that Japanese words have a honorific and humble form, but are they very particular about the proper usage of these if they know you are a foreigner, or are they going to be equally harsh on you if you do not use it properly?
DeleteRonald, I do not think that the Japanese are very harsh towards foreigners who try to speak their language with mistakes. Normally, the assumption is that Japanese is too difficult for foreigners and most foreigners in Japan are seen as unskilled in Japanese(unless you actually marry a Japanese spouse, and then, are expected to be good at the language for certain reasons especially if you live and work in Japan long-term). I spoke the bare minimum and got away with it as a foreigner, when shopping and eating and buying stuff there for daily living. Of course, knowing more Japanese allows you to enjoy Japan without the quirks of being alienated, but even then, the Japanese try their best to help you even if they are unskilled in English. I think that this standard of service is definitely way better than that given by the majority of Singaporeans and even especially foreign workers employed in Singaporean businesses who refuse to serve someone if they do not know what the person is saying, or if the person is not 100% committed to buying the product or service.
DeleteAllow me to compare this to the situation in continental Europe - I don't think that the Europeans are very harsh to foreigners who are obviously trying to speak French and do not have a very good command of the language. The very fact that you are making a genuine effort is reason enough for them to be kind and forgiving to you, because you've already won their goodwill by making that effort. If you were to go in there and make zero effort and speak only in English, then chances are they may not respond kindly to that. This was very much the case in Poland when I was there where the locals were very reluctant to speak any English with me, but were more than happy to serve me and be helpful with me in Polish and were very intrigued by this Chinese-looking Asian guy struggling on in a mixture of Polish, Russian, Czech and Slovak. Certainly, the knowledge of the local language would allow you to do everyday tasks with ease - things like asking for directions, ordering a meal in a restaurant, buying a ticket at the train station etc - so it definitely makes sense to make an effort. As for a standard of service... well, that depends and varies and really, I say the golden rule is that you MUST make an effort with the local language and allow them to offer to switch to English, do not be the first to ask if they speak English and for crying out aloud, NEVER EVER use English in the first instance. I'd never do that - even in places like Finland and Sweden where the vast majority of people speak English totally fluently.
DeleteIn most European languages, yes there is a more formal form of address: vous/tu, usted/tu, sie/du, chi/ti, vy/ty, etc - but again, if you get this wrong as a foreigner, no one is going to get offended because you are clearly a foreigner struggling with the language.
Ah I see! Thanks for pointing this out to me, Kevin and Limpeh!
DeleteWhat are your experiences traveling in Japan?
ReplyDeleteThe trains are very punctual and fast with dense coverage. They even apologise when they are a few seconds late, which never happens in Singapore. But it's very expensive and 1-2 stops on the JR could set you back around 300-400 yen for a regular ticket and would drain your pocket fast. So best to get a JR rail pass which would allow unlimited travel during your several weeks there.
Did you have a good time?
Yes of course I really enjoyed Tokyo which is modern and lively with convenience at every corner. But I do very typical city stuff like singing karaoke (cheap and clean) eating sushi, watching the newest anime, etc.
What are the more interesting aspects of your time in Japan?
I dropped something at one metro station and went back 5mins later and it was lying on the ground untouched, everyone is just so honest there. Also I'm surprised at the large number of people sleeping outside in public areas like I saw people sleeping on benches, outside metro stations, basically anywhere there is a place to sit. Also managed to attend 1 Japanese wedding and everyone is early/punctual and very well dressed. So although Tokyo is extremely crowded it's very liveable because of the people.
Was there a serious language barrier (for the non-Japanese speakers)?
Would like to say yes but then i speak fluent Japanese and most hotels and airport staff speak English so you'll be fine.
What time of the year did you visit and how was the weather?
Went during all 4 seasons and Tokyo seldom snows in winter so you'll be ok. Avoid summer unless you want to catch the latest movie or anime releases, it's too hot and air-con is very scarce and minimal. Definitely visit during spring for hanami or autumn for bearable temperatures.
Did you enjoy the food?
Apart from the people the food is my 2nd fave. From the best kurobuta set meals, stand and eat ramen stores to the very delicious sashimi or the freshest sushi at Tsukiji. If you're going for budget then just wander around any Seibu or Aeon supermarket and have the free samplers.
What were the highlights of your visit to Japan?
Too many to list but it would depend on what rocks your boat. I didn't visit Kabukicho so manage to view the soap houses and other seedy nightlife. But I'm a game and gadget freak so I went to Aikihabara to check out all the computer and electronic stuff. There is even an 8 storey adult shop there which is worth a look see.
And was my dad paranoid about the racism towards the Chinese or are do the Japanese really dislike the Chinese?
Even if the more conservative elderly are racist they don't show it due to Japanese culture. They only present the nicer (hence polite) aspects to strangers especially foreigners.
Ask away if you have any questions, I might not be the best Japanese tour guide having only been to Japan about 5-6x and only Tokyo, Yokohama, Saitama and Himeji but I'm well versed in Japanese culture especially corporate culture.
The younger folks will know some basic English if you need help. Just ask with a smile. Train stations and police kobans (post for 1-2 policemen) will also have someone who speaks in English. Some atas establishments may not have obvious displays in the windows, especially in Kyoto, but in Osaka and Tokyo, you can either,
ReplyDelete1) find vending machines that sell the tickets to the type of food you want (got pictures) - just press the order you want, select the size and pay up. a ticket will be issued and just pass it to the person taking orders.
2) display window full of gorgeous samples - take the waiter outside, point, smile and say "ko-re o-ne-gai"
Don't be surprised if you are spoken to in Mandarin, especially at some tourist spots. There are many PRC and Taiwanese students in Japan and a lot of them work part time. You can't pick them apart from local population from the way they dress, but they will know you are not a local for the same reason. When I was in Hakone, lots of Japanese shop keepers converse in Mandarin too due to the high volume of PRC travelers as well.
You will find a lot of shops that do not accept credit cards or if they do, only accept the local banks' or JCB's. Only larger shops will take VISA and Masters. Japanese adults carry quite a bit of cash on them according to my colleagues working in the Tokyo office.
Thank you so much for your insightful and helpful tips!!
DeleteAs for highlights of my trip, in Tokyo it would be the Cherry Blossoms in Nakameguro, and Shinjuku during the night with all the amazing neon lights. Visiting a Maid Cafe in Akihabara is also pretty damn funny, and contrary to popular belief, it is not an "otaku-only" thing: you can see couples and families having lunch there!
ReplyDeleteIn Kyushu I really enjoyed Yufuin (a very picturesque town much like historical towns in Europe), and Fukuoka and Kagoshima which are simply beautiful cities with lots of see and to do. But I think the "highlight" of Kyushu was the warmth of people, especially compared to Tokyo where people are very polite but feel cold and impersonal. As I said very few people can speak English in Kyushu, but those who do will be eager to practice their English talking to a foreigner, and in fact, I found myself chatting with strangers quite a couple of times when I was there.
I hate Japanese corporate culture but that doesn't stop me from liking other aspects like the food, manga, games, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf your father hates the Japanese people, why did he even decide to travel there in the first place?
ReplyDeleteIt was part of an epic holiday where we went to 6 countries - surprise surprise, my dad managed to hate them ALL. That was a shame as I had a great time and I was so glad we did that trip as a family together as it's one of those things I can look back upon as an adult and say, hey remember that epic holiday we took together as a family?
DeleteMaybe I am somewhat harsh on my dad lah, after all, I am better educated, I speak many languages and started traveling as a child whilst my dad was a grown man before he had his first ride on a plane (and he still hates flying). He's in his mid-70s, so I just accept that he's of a different generation lah. Just look at all the great advice given by my readers here - clearly we're of the generation who are quite apt when it comes to venturing into a country like Japan and figuring out how things work and take care of ourselves there. My dad just doesn't have those skills - people of his generation don't.
I refer you to Kevin Jang's story above as well about his brother-in-law going to Korea - people who are paranoid about traveling will simply find examples to confirm their bias. I will give you an example. When we were in Japan all those years ago, my dad wanted to buy some food from kiosk (I stress, this was a tiny booth, not a big shop) and the woman at the counter spoke to him only in Japanese and she didn't take his money. My dad was struggling on in broken English and didn't understand her Japanese, so he stormed off, cursing that woman for being racist and refusing to serve him.
I witnessed the incident. I concluded the following from my observations: we had just arrived in Japan, fresh from the money changer at the airport and we had big notes. My dad wanted to buy a very cheap item (a small bag of candy) and it was not that the woman refused to serve him, it was most probable that she didn't have enough change or the right change for such a big note. For all you know, she may have been very polite and apologetic in Japanese but my dad didn't understand Japanese. Certainly, her body language didn't seem hostile nor did the tone of her voice. Secondly, she may be totally incapable of speaking English since not all Japanese people speak English confidently - we were in their country and my dad expected her to speak English for him? After all, she was just a middle aged woman working at a kiosk selling snacks, she was not some high flying CEO at a big company - I wouldn't expect someone like that to speak English in Japan (correct me if I am wrong). Anyway, it could've been so many things but my dad assumed the worst, interpreted the incident as an example of Japanese people hating Chinese people and he allowed it to make him miserable in Japan. You get the idea.
I could write more about my dad's attitude towards foreigners... but I have to get back to work. But believe you me, my dad isn't racist per se lah, he is insecure and sometimes he projects this onto the people around him. If you don't say to him "I LIKE YOU, I RESPECT YOU, YOU ARE GREAT" then he will assume that you hate him and he will hate you as a preemptive strike on this assumption of mutual hostility.
On the subject of holidays, I will be making a trip to UK on 9th Mar, not a holiday per se but more of a working trip. Anyways i will be free the whole of that day and also abit on 15th Mar. If you have some spare time maybe we can meetup for a cup of coffee?
DeleteYeah sure, I think that the Sat might work a bit better than the Sunday. But I need to confirm with you closer to the time - I think both are fine, where are you staying big bro?
DeleteWow that really does sound quite an epic holiday, would like to try it sometime! But yeah, most people in Japan do not speak English, even university graduates, so people who do not understand Japanese will have a tough time there. I believe the woman really was being polite to your father, they are really particular about this sort of things
DeleteWell, let's put it this way, the woman clearly didn't speak English and I would have given her the benefit of the doubt since we couldn't understand her - but my dad just believed what he wanted to believe, which was a shame really. Why go all the way to Japan, assuming that you will have a miserable time and that the Japanese would hate you? That's my dad for you, but that is the generation gap for you.
DeleteI'll be at Basingstoke Holiday Inn.
ReplyDeleteHi LIFT! So glad to see this overwhelming response! All of your readers gave very insightful advice and covered lots of topics that I didn't manage to. It's a pity that your dad didn't enjoy his time in Japan! A little middle-aged lady at a kiosk is most likely not able to speak English! That's definitely not racism as most service staff in Japan have this 'customer is GOD' mentality and would never be rude to anybody, regardless of their customers' ethnicity or nationality or their own ability to speak English! Sure, racism and discrimination is prevalent in Japan, but it is unlikely in the service industry!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Hi Amber, thanks for your comment. Yeah I can see that - but convincing my dad is going to be quite a different matter i'm afraid. I am so glad we've managed to stimulate a great discussion here and I hope that others headed to Japan this year will find this page useful :)
DeleteBelow is the link of a British who is now staying in Japan. Anything related to Japan is post in his website.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dannychoo.com/
Overall, Japan is a very nice country. If you want cheap hotel in Tokyo, I suggest you book Sakura Hotel.