Japan 101

They say Japan is one of the most expensive places to visit. I partially agree. Japan has one of the most expensive transportation systems in the world. But food and accommodation expenses are surprisingly reasonable.

Going There

You have many airline options to go to Japan from Manila, there’s Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, ANA and JAL (if budget is not your primary concern). Regular fare to Japan is from P18,000 to P30,000 round-trip. Osaka has been my entry point for both trips since Cebu Pacific only flies to Osaka (in Japan).  And I got really good deals from 5J, P1700 (round-trip 1 in July 2010 booked in Nov 2009) and P1,600 (round trip 2 in Nov 2011 booked in Dec 2010). So better plan for your trip early to avail of good discounts in airfare.   

Getting Around

If you’re planning a trip to Japan that will be at least 7 days in duration and you plan to hop from one city to another, then you can consider getting the JR Rail Pass.  I got the 7-day JR Rail Pass which allowed me to use any JR train within Japan (most trains are owned by JR). Though this pass is worth 28,000 yen or about P17,000 or $400, if you plan to go in different far-off cities, then this is a good deal already. It is definitely worth it if you’ll be maximizing all your bullet train rides from one city to another. A one-way bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo is about 13,550 yen or P7,500.  Here’s the website for the JR pass: http://www.japanrailpass.net/

Accommodation

In Osaka, a travel buddy’s bank has a branch there so we stayed with her officemate who had an extra room in his mansion (that’s they call condos). In other cities, we stayed in assortment of accommodations (guesthouses, friends and Couchsurfing hosts). And I’d recommend all of the guesthouses we stayed at.

1.       Tokyo – Koenji Guesthouse (email: koenjitokyo@gmail.com) – $25/night

2.       Lake Kawaguchiko, Fujikawaguchiko (Near Mt Fuji) – K’s House

       http://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/index.html  - $25/night

             Note: This is the cleanest and most organized guesthouse I have ever stayed at.

      3.       Shirakawa-go, Gifu- (email: info@shirakawa-go.gr.jp) –

             This is the email address of the tourism office in Shirakawa-go and they can arrange your

             stay in a traditional Japanese farmhouse (Gassho-Zukuri or Minshuku) - $100/night
             http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/shirakawago/kanja.htm

Places to go to
Japan has a lot to offer so recommending where to go is quite a challenge but if I have to pick a few, here are my top places:

1.       Shirakawa-go- a picturesque village nestled in a valley in  Central Japan – going here is an adventure in itself (a very scenic train ride and a bus ride that will take you to so many tunnels; some of which 10km long but with phone lines and exits every 200 meters)

2.       Mt Fuji lake Towns- the iconic landmark of Japan is this towering mountain so if you have time, go to one of the lakes at the base of Fuji-San

3.       Kyoto – for a taste of old Japan (Geisha culture is still alive in this part of Japan)

4.       Tokyo- of course, this bustling cosmopolitan will introduce you to modern Japan

5.       Hiroshima- if you have a JR pass, might as well, zoom to Hiroshima and acquaint yourself with the realities of war and the consequences of nuclear weapons

One more thing, plan but don’t plan for everything, get lost in the side streets and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your discoveries.  To plan your itinerary, here are some very helpful sites:

      1.       http://www.hyperdia.com/ - train schedules and routes
      2.       http://www.japan-guide.com/ - comprehensive guide on Japan

Eating

Japanese food in Japan will surprise you (or maybe not). Some dishes, you would say you have tasted already but still there will be a lot of surprises, if you allow yourself to be surprised. And it really depends on what you prefer to eat, I like eating Unigiri from convenience stores (cheap and delicious). And one of my discovery is from a grocery deli, a sandwich with spaghetti as the filling. Interesting combination.

Osaka, they say is the gastronomic capital of Japan. In the city, you can explore Dotonburi for what Osaka has to offer. I like Takoyaki (octopus balls) and Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes). In Kyoto, try any Kaiseki  meal ( a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner). But the best Kaiseki  I had was in Kanja, our Gassho in Shirakawa-go (with Hida beef!).

You know you're home

Home for the holidays means taking a plane to a newly renovated Iloilo airport---an airport of international standards but no international flights---not yet anyway.

Taking a van to Jaro Plaza when upon getting off, you'll be swarmed by eager cab drivers.

Then stopping at a local mall to buy stuff for home.

Then taking a bus in a crazy terminal with no system but is able to move thousands of passengers everyday.

The bus to our small town Ajuy, will pass through scenic landscape of ricefields, mountains, cliffs along the seaside for two hours.    

You know you're home...

When people freely laugh together at a joke in a movie being shown on the bus

When you hear someone shout "Hopya, mani, kropek!" when you pass by the regular stopovers.

When you're washing the dishes on a sink which faces a field of bananas and whole lot of other trees and dense grass and weeds.

When you hear the chickens moving about the house trying to ask for food.

When everybody on your street knows when somebody has arrived.

When everybody on your street knows you and what's been happening in your life.

When the main mode of transportation is a pedicab which takes you anywhere in town for only P10 or less.

When your neighbors bring you food they just cooked.

When people go to your house to use the landline.

When your sleep is not disturbed by the busy street.

When videoke sessions start at 8am.

When people hang out in front of their house talking about the latest neighborhood news.

When a mobile bakery, ice cream vendor, and hordes of fishermen regularly pass by selling their goods and wares at really affordable prices.

You know you're home when it feels like home. 

Memorable Movie Lines

1. Adventure is out there. – Up
2. Authority must be derived from the consent of the governed not from the threat of force.-  Toy Story 3
3. No owners mean no heartbreaks. - Toy Story 3
4. There’s always time for a bow. – Arthur Christmas
5. Assumption is the mother of all f**k-ups. – Under Siege 2