= Subpages = <> = Preparedness checklist = * (./) Think of some stuff to do and/or an event to centre the trip around * Spring and valentine's day, I guess? * (./) Negotiate a suitable set of dates with your comrades * (./) Check prices for airfares and jiggle the dates until optimal * (./) Work has given approval for leave in advance * (./) Apply for leave from work * Confirm leave approval * (./) Book airfares * (./) Thrash out a rough timeline of where to be on which days * (./) Figure out where you'll be and book accommodation * (./) How much is accommodation going to cost? * (./) How about travel? * {X} JR pass? * Car hire? http://rent.toyota.co.jp/en/index.html * How many yens will you need? Buy some yens = Airflight price comparison = Air Asia - Departure on the 8th and return flight on the 17th * Total days spent in Japan is about 8/9 * Total cost would be $998 * Based on 20kg luggage to Japan, and 25kg for the return flights * Includes: Air Air insurance, 2 meals ($16) and seats chosen * This is the cheaper alternative, but we would need to shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo, which may only give us 8 days tentatively Jetstar - Departure on the 5th and return flight on the 17th * Total days spent in Japan is about 10/11 * Total cost would be $1431.17 * Based on 15kg luggage to Japan, and 25kg for the return flights * Includes: 1 meal at no cost (trip from Narita to Sydney), otherwise it is $28 for the meal from GC to Narita, standard seats and travel insurance * This is more pricey, however you get a flight that goes to Tokyo and have flexibility in how long you can stay for Singapore Airlines - Departure on the 7th and return flight on the 17th * Total days spent in Japan is about 9/10 * Total cost would be 1,275.96 * 8/12/13 - Kat paid $800 for the ticket * According to the website, they have a 30kg allowance for baggage * There were no options for meals, therefore I assume this includes meals. Also include travel insurance * This seems best value with the best dates for travel if we are staying in Tokyo only = Ideas = What stuff do we want to do? * Thigh-highs store in Akiba: http://kotaku.com/the-worlds-first-thigh-high-sock-store-opening-in-to-1509674602 * Kit-Kat specialty store! http://kotaku.com/the-worlds-first-kit-kat-store-is-opening-in-tokyo-1501753395 * Museum of Megane in Ikebukuro, it'll be near where we're staying: https://foursquare.com/v/%E8%80%81%E7%9C%BC%E3%82%81%E3%81%8C%E3%81%AD%E5%8D%9A%E7%89%A9%E9%A4%A8/4ca4109ca73cb60cb2691e78 * Go visit the Garden of Words: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Garden_of_Words * Enoshima: http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Enoshima * Shimane, out Nagoya/Gifu way, for that [[http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E7%94%B0%E8%88%8E&eng=&dict=edict| inaka]] experience * The K-On school is out near Nagoya, Blitz would be happy to guide * All the fashion places for Kat: * Nagoya * Harajuku * Shibuya * etc. * Sundays == Go out and be seen * Butler cafe * Maid cafe * Dem ruins! http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/ruins-gallery/ * Gyoza if we visit Sendai: http://tabelog.com/miyagi/A0401/A040101/4002355/dtlrvwlst/3607143/ * http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/101-things-to-do-in-tokyo * That [[http://newtype.ms/| New Type]] bar in the same building as Cos-Cha and Little BSD * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku_Gyoen * The setting for [[WP:The_Garden_of_Words| Shinkai's newest thing]] * Sakanaya (さかăȘや), a sake place in Ikebukuro. Billboard has the name on in hiragana * Nishi-Ikebukuro 1-35-8, http://goo.gl/maps/1oDz * Alex: "it is my absolute favourite place but their english is about as good as that of a kitten. The boss man knows my name so if you say Mr. Sayle (or Mr. Alex for that matter) sent you, you may get away with murder." * This book has a [[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=fnwVnGviFk8C&pg=PA153&lpg=PA153&dq=Sakanaya+ikebukuro&source=bl&ots=xoykbmtuA0&sig=cIKDwDt-Bvc3AWr1AG2RjXY6HcE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=J-2YUPnBBamXiAfX5YGoDQ&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Sakanaya%20ikebukuro&f=false| glowing review]] * HUB in Shinjuku, a chain, the Japanese version of an Irish pub * http://goo.gl/maps/PKcn * Alex: "the ones in Shinjyuku tend to speak english. They'll seat you like a japanese place and have bar maids which are friendly" * Here's one, nominally the JR Shinjuku Minamiguchi branch: http://www.pub-hub.com/shop/minamiguchi/ * [[http://www.heavensdoortokyo.com/| Heaven's Door Bar]] in Shimokitazawa, run by a British expat, location [[http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/venue/399/Heavens-Door| here]], closes at 26:00 every day * [[http://craftheads.jp/craftheads/Welcome.html| Craftheads]] in Shibuya, looks like a beer and bourbon bar, closed on Mondays