Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with travel and japan

Visiting Tokyo over the new year.

aladfar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:27:09 -0800

I'll be visiting Tokyo for the first time over the new year. I arrive on 12/30 and plan to return to the states on 1/06. Looking for suggestions on where to stay and what to do (I understand most shops and attractions will be closed on and around the new year).

Free WiFi in Tokyo and the rest of Japan?

teem — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:39:56 -0800

How widespread is free, open WiFi in Japan (Tokyo especially)? I've had good success using free WiFi in malls and such with my iPod Touch when I'm in unfamiliar major cities. It's great for accessing Google maps, looking up addresses, etc.

Will I be able to do this when I'm in Tokyo next year? What about when I'm in smaller rural cities? Are there any potential technologic or legal worries I need to consider or things I should prepare before going?

Coming to the Kansai

GenjiandProust — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:28:02 -0800

Planning a couple of week visit to the Kansai area in late May, mostly Kyoto and Osaka, but with some side trips, including a longer visit to Hiroshima/Miyajima. Do you have recommendations? I have looked at various Kansi-related AskMe questions, and I have some general ideas of what I want to do, especially for the various attractions that show up in the guidebooks, but are there any small or out of the way places that you would consider must-sees? I am fond of temples and museums, but interesting stores and restaurants are also good. Bonus points for the best okonomiyaki recommendations. Double bonus points if anyone can confirm that Dogen Zenji is buried in Maruyama Koen and can give directions to his grave.

72 Hours in Japan...

Phyltre — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:45:40 -0800

My fiancee will be staying at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo for 2-3 days, with minimal spare time. What shopping options are very close by that she could visit for geek/tech/gaming/unique gifts and souvenirs? As part of a month-long trip to her native Philippines (where she has never been, ironically--her parents having moved months before her birth) my fiancee will be staying in Japan for a short time. While she was born there, her family moved to the US shortly after and so she's never "been there".

What shopping options are nearby the New Otani that she might want to visit for individuals back home (who may or may not have given her money to spend in Japan)? And is there anything nearby, shopping or otherwise, that she absolutely MUST visit, if only for an hour or two?

About a boy, in Japan

Megami — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:55:49 -0800

Travel filter: if you were going to spend 4-6 weeks travelling in Japan with a five year old boy, where would you go and what would you do? I spent six weeks in Japan 97-98 as a single woman. I am hopefully returning to travel with my son - might be doing it as a single parent, my partner may be able to join us for some/all of it.
My son is a bit 'quirky' - rather mature for his age, his reading and logic is supposedly that of a 10 year old. He loves history, but also really digs Studio Ghibli movies, weird pop-culture references, traditional stuff, visiting art galleries and museums (just not too many) and things to do with Buddhism. Oh, and he doesn't mind Japanese food.
I speak a little bit of Japanese and read hiragana (at least phonetically), so going slightly 'off the beaten track' away from tourist areas is not a drama either.

First time in Japan

cgs — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:37:25 -0800

Two weeks in Japan (first time)... suggestions? I'm getting good recommendations from this post, but am also looking for any general tips and advice. Some details:
- I'm traveling with a friend, so nothing romantic.
- We're going the 2nd + 3rd weeks of November, in case there is anything timely.
- We're both pretty adventurous.
- I'm a lazy planner so any suggested itineraries are welcome.
- What should we plan on spending on daily accomodation, ballpark? (I know it is expensive)
- if you've been, what stands out as the highlight and lowpoint of your trip?

I'm counting on the "just go and absorb" strategy for most of it.

Thanks for your help!
-cgs

Cheapest way from Tokyo to Kumamoto?

0bvious — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:09:56 -0800

Last minute Japan travel: after making an error with timing I need to arrange one-way travel from Tokyo to Kumamoto quite quickly. What are the cheapest options? I have looked into flights and trains (for the 17th of August) and both seem expensive (about £200-£250 a ticket). I am in the UK at the moment. Would it be worth waiting until we arrive in Japan? Perhaps trying to get last minute flights at the airport? Information on this site suggests cheap train travel, but has no links to buy: frommers.com

Air travel is looking pricey: farecompare.com or skyscanner.net

Is it possible to book overnight traisn from the UK? what re the other cheap-cheap train options?

Any help or advice you have would be much appreciated

Passport troubles

Tiresias — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:03:51 -0800

Possible passport problem while catching a connecting flight in Shanghai I am a Canadian citizen currently residing in Japan. Time to go home! My passport is set to expire August 6th, so I booked a flight back to Canada on August 4th. Unfortunately, that flight connects through Shanghai --- and I just realized last night that it may be a problem to connect through China using a passport set to expire in two days.

The Canadian embassy has not been helpful, except to tell me that there is no way they can issue a temporary extension.

So, I have two questions:

1) Can I connect through Shanghai on a passport set to expire in two days? I will be in the airport for less than 24 hours.

2) I am a dual citizen and currently hold an Italian passport. Could I possibly leave Japan on my Canadian passport (I need to, for visa reasons) and then enter China on my Italian passport, which is valid for another few years?

Any information you have will be helpful, because I am utterly, utterly freaking out right now.

I heard something about typhoons, too!

schmoo — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:47:56 -0800

What will the weather be like in Japan at the beginning of September? I have googled and got an idea – warm and rainy! – but have a few specific questions and would welcome personal experience! A few sites have suggested that the temperatures in September will be around 22-26 degrees celsius – is this about right? Will t-shirts be enough in the day times? How cool does it get at night?

How sunny is it? Is it generally warm but overcast or is it sunny enough that I will need to bring sunscreen? Is it generally dreary and cloudy or can we expect some clear skies at least?

How rainy is it usually at the beginning of September? Will I need to carry an umbrella and mac with me at all times, or will the heavy rains of the high summer have let off a bit?

Bonus, slightly unrelated question: I will probably wear pumps or sandals while I am there. I don’t wear socks underneath these, will this be a problem when we go places where you have to take your shoes off? Is it normal to take your shoes off and be barefoot?

I will be in Japan from 1st-14th September and we will be staying in Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto.

Thanks for any help!

Six hours in Narita: but is it enough?

foulowl — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:19:59 -0800

My sister and I are returning from Seoul in mid-August and have a 6 hour layover in Narita. We're not interested in going to Tokyo, since we won't have enough time, but are very keen on exploring the town of Narita. My question is, given the unpredictability of immigration lines, security checkpoints, etc., is 6 hours enough time? We're allowing ourselves 90 minutes to get out of the airport and 90 minutes to get on the plane, and that leaves three hours to kill. I'd rather not be stuck in the airport for three hours, especially since we'll be there from 1:30pm to 7:30pm - prime eating hours. Local cuisine is a big attraction for us, especially since we both have fond memories of ramen shops and snack machines in Japan.

Neither of us speak Japanese, but the internet research I've done seems to indicate that there is just enough familiarity with English that we could get by. I've seen Mike Newman's page, and it's very informative, but I can't get a cut and dry answer to my question. Three hours is definitely too little time, twelve hours definitely a lot: but what about the median? Is it worth it?

Help me Hivemind: spending money and eating veggie in Japan.

Kirn — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:55:40 -0800

How much spending money do I need for 10 days in Japan? And: help me eat vegetarian while I'm there. I'll be visiting Japan for 10 days from the 8th of June. That's 3 days in Tokyo, 4 days in Kyoto (with a day trip to Nara and possibly another one to Osaka, and a few hours spent in Nagoya), 2 days in Hiroshima (with a day trip to Miyajima island) and finally 1 day in Narita.

I'm trying to get an idea of how much spending money I should take. Flights, hotels and JR pass are all booked already, but I'll pay to get around Tokyo for the first 3 days (subway or trains) and from Narita Airport->Tokyo, as the JR pass is only for the last 7 days. I won't be looking to eat anywhere that expensive, though doing so by accident is quite possible. I'll be looking to take some souvenirs home, but I'm not after anything specific (and unlikely to go for expensive electronics etc.) and travelling carry-on only so space is limited. I'm travelling with friends so we'll probably want to go out drinking some nights, but not clubbing. No specific tourist destinations in mind but we'll be going to see temples, maybe a couple of museums etc.

So: how much spending money should I take?

And... I'd like to make an appeal for advice on eating vegetarian in Japan. I get that this will be difficult and that there's fish stock/flakes in everything - I'm ok with the fish stock/flakes but would like to avoid meat/fish flesh/seafood.

So my second question is: are there any common vegetarian dishes (with or without fish flakes but ideally without) that I can look for in restaurants? Something I can learn the name of and be sure (or at least relatively sure) that I'm getting something flesh-free? (What about convenience stores etc.?)

And finally: if I learn phrases for 'do you have anything without meat, fish or seafood?' and 'can you make it without meat/fish/seafood?', what kind of response am I likely to get in typical eateries? Refusal/bewilderment/misunderstanding/annoyance? (I won't be able to carry on a conversation as I only know a few basic words and phrases, though I will occasionally be accompanied by a fluent Japanese speaker.)

Thanks very much in advance everyone, and sorry for the many sprawling questions - I'm trying to get the most out of my weekly questions before I go! For what it's worth, I'm a 24-year old male from the UK, travelling with 2-3 guys and 1 girl of similar ages.

Help me make my Japanese island paradise holiday happen!

doctorpiorno — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:21:01 -0800

Is there any chance I can still find a place to stay in Okinawa during this Golden Week, or is it far too late already? Any advice, suggestions or resources welcome. I have been living in Tokyo for a bit over one year and a half now, but unfortunately all things must come to an end and I'll be going back to Europe in early summer. One of the places I definitely want to visit before leaving for good is Okinawa, which I have inexplicably managed to miss visiting so far, partly because I did not feel like traveling there alone would be much fun.

Good news is, a friend of mine has now expressed an interest in joining me for the trip, but he's only available during the Golden Week long weekend (2nd to 6th May), just when everyone else in Japan will be cramming into every available hotel room in the area. I don't mind the crowds too much, but all the obvious airlines and hotels seem to be booked up to kingdom come or ludicrously expensive (800$ for a JAL round trip ticket from Tokyo!?).

My lack of ability to come up with anything other than the most obvious hotels, airlines and travel agents is clearly not helping. I am pretty sure there are cheaper alternatives a bit off the beaten path, but I will be damned if I can find them with my paltry Japanese Google-Fu skills.

Does anybody in the Hive Mind know of any travel agent that could still make this happen in spite of the short notice? Any recommended hotel somewhere that might have a couple beds (or a broom closet) available? Maybe a nice little ferry service that can take us to Okinawa for a sane amount of money, even if it takes a while? I feel like I am in way over my head in this... Help!

Thanks in advance everyone!

Japan in two weeks for a dedicated gardener

fearnothing — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:25:44 -0800

My aunt's 60th birthday is coming up, and I'm thinking of sending her on the trip she always dreamed of - Japan. Last time she went to the Far East, she didn't have enough money for Japan, but she decided China was a good enough. That was in 1989, and one week into her trip she was evacuated, arriving at the airport less than an hour before it was surrounded by tanks. Help me make this one better!

The details: I want it to be in the region of 10 days to two weeks. Late spring would be the best time of year I think, given the climate. Her languages are not such that she would be able to get by in Japanese - basic phrases possible, conversation not. She is particularly interested in far eastern culture and history, but also a very keen gardener so things that combine the two would be ideal. She is also an experienced foreign traveller, having covered Greece, Italy, Spain, China, Nepal and quite a few others over the course of the past 30 years, almost entirely in the company of her late friend. I only regret that I can't send them both.

That said, I would like your recommendations for destinations and travelling arrangements, keeping in mind that the especially built up areas would be less to her liking than the more rural. Should we get a tour or should we just set her up with some places to go and set her off? Should she visit more than one of the islands? I have a good idea of the price of a flight, it looks to be around £500 return right now, but how much should I budget for on top of that? She'll be travelling from the UK (hence the price in pounds) and considering the cost of the rest of the trip it doesn't really matter which airport she starts from.

Will my spice mix get confiscated by Japanese customs?

teem — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:43:49 -0800

Will I have trouble with customs bringing homemade Indian food spice mixes (made in Australia) into Japan? In a week I'm visiting my girlfriend who's over there, and I was planning to bring her some of the homemade spice mixes I use to make Indian food. They're your typical mixture of spices (cumin, coriander, etc) assembled in Australia from spices bought in Australia.

It'd be a shame to go to the effort only to have them confiscated, so for those who have travelled into Japan, how likely is it that they'll get taken away? Is there anything I can do to minimise the chances of this?

What are the typical phases of "culture shock?"

filibuster — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:10:15 -0800

What are the typical phases of "culture shock?" I'm a Canadian who's been living in Japan for about four months now, with one of those dime-a-dozen English teacher jobs. And I'm not enjoying myself very much. Recently I feel like I've moved into a compulsive fault-finding phase, in which all I want to do is talk about how much Japan sucks in various ways, and how much I hate my work and regret coming.

Problem is, another part of me feels like I am just going through a phase. Intellectually, I still very much want to complete an entire year in this country, and the idea of leaving early goes against my most base instincts, which are to always finish what you start, and more importantly, promise to complete.

I'm just curious if other "living abroad" veterans have gone through similar phases, and what, if any, turning points snapped them out of their funk period. Or, if I may ask the same question another way- how does one distinguish between what I assume are traditional culture shock related feelings of regret and frustration, and legitimate, appropriate feelings that your move across the world was, in fact, a bad decision.

Help me travel SE Asia as cheaply and amazingly as possible, please

saul wright — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:27:43 -0800

So I'm going to be going over to SE Asia for the first time in a couple weeks and I'd love some advice on where to go and what to do... I've read previous questions here on metafilter but would love some more advice.

I will be spending time in Seoul and around Toyama, Japan to start with. I have friends and family in these places, so they should be able to tell me what's good to do. However, suggestions for things to do around these places are definitely welcome. I will then be traveling with my father and brother for January 22 - February 1st. (Tentatively Shanghai, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam.) I will then go off on my own, traveling by myself for about 2 weeks. I will then be in Seoul for about 10 days before I head home.

Questions:

1. I will have two days in Tokyo, one after I fly in, before I take the overnight bus to Toyama and another, after the bus from Toyama, before I fly out (Fri Jan 9th and Mon Jan 19th.) What to do in Tokyo during the day?

2. Where should I go when traveling on my own? I want to travel as cheaply as possible, so I reckon I will be taking buses. I'm thinking about Laos and Thailand (where to go within Thailand?) but I've heard now might now be a good time to go there. Can anyone tell me if it is a serious bad idea to go to Thailand now or is it just people being paranoid?

3. I will have some free time in Seoul (feb 18th - 21st) after my dad leaves. My brother will be there but he will be working during the day. I will have already done a lot of the main, typical things to do in Seoul with my dad. Any suggestions on what to do in Seoul? I'm not against travelin, but thinking about stickin around Seoul since I'll have a place to stay for free. I'll be in downtown by seoul station and city hall. I've checked out these previous questions.

4. Suggestions on packing? I'm a low maintenance kinda guy and will be taking just one moderately sized backpack. I've read onebag and these threads but those seem to be about the warmer season. I would love any more suggestions. I'm going to try and play it real light, guessing I can get pretty much anything I need when I'm there. Also, is it going to be crazy cold?

5. This will be my first time in Asia and my first time out of North America besides a week in Italy when I was in high school. Also, my first time doing serious traveling alone. I'm not foreseeing any problems but still, any general culture/travel advice?

6. If I am in a place where I can stay somewhere for real cheap, I will get a room. Otherwise, I'm going to try couchsurfing. Any suggestions for ways a broke stranger can say thank you for letting him stay on your couch? I'd love to cook a meal or draw some beautiful picture but I'm not much of a cook or artist.

Caveats:

1. While I won't be quite broke, I won't have very much money so the cheaper, the better. I don't get grossed out or uncomfortable easily.

2. I understand that it's impossible to see everything in just a few weeks but I am leaning more toward staying in each place just a couple days and moving on, to see as much as possible (without going crazy) as opposed to really getting to know one or two areas.

3. Anywhere I go when traveling on my own, I will have to get back the Vietnam-area (most likely Saigon) to fly back to Seoul so I can fly back to the US. Round trip tickets...

Any general travel advice is great too.

Sorry for the many questions and thanks so much in advance!

What can I do for an educational/learning vacation in Japan?

hazyspring — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:29:51 -0800

I'm looking for an interesting "learning" experience on a trip to Japan. I'm going to visit Japan in late March/early April. My brother is there teaching English and I'm planning on staying for about two weeks. He will probably be in Osaka, and I'm thinking about the following possibilities: a short language immersion, cooking school (I am a major foodie), or some kind of spiritual/meditation retreat.

I want to do something so that I'll have a nice interesting vacation, see my brother, but still be busy. I don't know any Japanese, but probably will try to learn the bare minimum starting in January so I can at least get around by myself.

Any specifics or alternative suggestions are welcomed. While cost will be a factor, I'm interested in any suggestions people have. I haven't decided what my budget will be for the vacation as of yet.

Should I travel to Japan or Thailand in January?

Dasein — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:04:14 -0800

Should I spend two weeks in January in Japan or Thailand? I'll be flying to Australia in January. I have two ticket options, one of which will let me stop in Tokyo, while the other would let me do a side trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok. I would really like to see Japan, but in January it will be freezing in Japan, but warm in Thailand, and I gather than Thailand is easier to travel in because people speak English.

I would appreciate any advice/experience you can share. Where should I spend two weeks en route to Australia, and what factors weigh one way or the other?

Huge multicity Japan tour suggestions

sirion — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 06:44:53 -0800

Massive Japan tour: Suggestions for short blocks of time in: Takamatsu, Kobe, Tokushima, Matsuyama, Fukuoka, Gifu, Kofu, Kyoto, Sapporo, Hakodate, Toyohashi, Tokyo, Narita I'm touring with an opera troupe for 5 weeks in September/October, and am trying to get as many suggestions as I can for the trip. This will be my first time in Japan, and free time is fairly limited, as follows:

Takamatsu: 1 full day, 2 evenings(after 7pm), 2 mornings+early afternoons (~Until 3pm)
Kobe: 2 late evenings (after 9pm), an early morning (until noon)
Tokushima: 1 full day
Matsuyama: 1 full afternoon+evening (after 3pm), 1 morning+early afternoon
Fukuoka: 1 full afternoon+evening, 1 morning, couple hours at night
Gifu: 1 full afternoon+evening, 1 morning+early afternoon
Kofu: 1 long evening(5pm+), 1 morning+early afternoon
Kioto: 1 late evening
Sapporo: 1 morning+early afternoon
Hakodate: 1 full afternoon+evening
Toyohashi: 1 full afternoon+evening, 1 morning (until 1pm)
Tokyo (Nagata-cho district): 1 full day, 2 mornings+early afternoons
Narita: 1 full afternoon+evening

Any city specific suggestions are greatly appreciated, as are Japan-wide suggestions for food/restaurants, shopping, entertainment, experiences etc.

My shopping list currently consists of:
-An unlocked cellphone of some sort
-A digital camera
-As much Miracle Fruit(in freeze-dried pill form) as I can fit in my luggage (anyone know where I should look for this? Picture of a (I think) typical box here
Additions and suggestions on additions or locations to buy these things are muchly appreciated.

Computer Engineering, or Linguistics? Or maybe web design... and how do I fit travel in there?

malapropist — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:50:49 -0800

I'm having a lot of angst about whether to continue with my major, Comp Engineering, or to find something else, such as linguistics or web design. Can you give me some perspective? Hi, I'm having some issues with my college education. Here are the main points:

I went to community college after high school, 5 years ago, with the idea that I would end up working with computers. But life, family problems and depression intervened and I've taken a bunch of gen ed but no actual major prep. So, basically, the major prep for transfering into a comp eng program at a CSU will take me 3 years. From now. The idea of being stuck in community college for ANOTHER 3 years makes me sick. I was under the impression that it would be more like a year and a half, or two, which is much more paletable. Considering that engineering is the most unit-intensive major you can take, I'm looking for another major that is less intense.

Two fields that interest me a lot are web design (an old hobby) and linguistics (a new interest). I've heard that linguistics intersects with computer science, and that there are jobs for linguists in technology companies, but I can't seem to find much more detailed information than that, such as which companies, or what kind of jobs exactly. I have seen some interesting programs, such as UCLAs Linguistics and Computer Science bachelors, which sounds right up my alley, but what is the application of this? What kind of work is it? Depending on what I'm reading, it either seems like there are exciting opportunities for someone with a linguistics degree, or that it's a theoretical degree that is only useful for academia. As far as web design goes, that's a whole another question whether to go with a design degree, a computer science degree, some kind of certification, or just say bollocks to a degree altogether.

I very much want to join the Japan English Teaching program after college, regardless of what degree I get, and perhaps teach English in Korea as well. This is one thing that makes me doubt pursuing a comp eng degree, because it feels like if I get that degree and turn around and become an English teacher for a couple of years, I'll let my engineering degree and skills go stale. It seems like if I follow that course of actions, when I return stateside I would be unhirable. How true is this?

After school, I would like to spend a few years either way, living in foreign countries or in a city outside of southern California, where I live. It seems like comp engineering would be a good option for this, because there is technology everywhere. Linguistics also seems like it would be a good idea, though depending on what languages I specialize in, it could be actually more limiting than CE. What do you think? I'm considering, if I do go through with linguistics, specializing in Japanese and an Indo-European language, probably French. Which of these two degrees would help me get a job and live in a wide variety of societies?

Anyway, I have spent so so so much time thinking about all this stuff, and it seems the longer I spend the further away it all gets. I'm feeling very demoralized. I'll be visiting the counseling department next week, as well as the career planning center and the transfer center around the beginning of term, but to be honest they haven't been very helpful in the past. I want to be as knowledgeble as I can so I can ask precise questions. I feel like there is a lot I don't know about simply researching careers and majors and colleges and programs and this and that and the other.

I know there are plenty of people here on Askme who have gone on to have amazing careers and/or travel a lot. Can you confer upon me your wisdom? Please. Give me an outside perspective. I feel so trapped in my head about all this. I search online, I go to the library, I talk to the counselors, but in the end it can't help me figure out what will happen 4 or 5 years from now with too much accuracy. Thanks for your time.

Highlighting Tokyo

gnutron — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:10:55 -0800

Tokyo for a week in mid-September. What must I see and/or do? Staying with friends in Arakawa-ku and meeting another friend in Nagoya for a day.

Paying homage to the sushi gods at Tsujiki is really the only priority on my list right now. What are some other can't-miss places, restaurants and experiences?

Yes, I know it will be hot.

Early Reservations on Japan Rail

brett — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:34:59 -0800

I'm taking a trip to Japan from August 13 to 26, right in the midst of the Obon travel season. I already have an exchange order for a Japan Rail Pass. Can I make reservations for specific trains before I get there? One Japanese colleague has already told me that the trains will be "crowded," which I take to mean "ridonkulous." So it'd give me some peace of mind if I could reserve seats (very) early, so I don't have to worry about whether or not I'll be able to make my hotel check-in time in the next city.

Is there a way I can do this? If not, what's the best way to prepare? If you want the real nitty-gritty, my schedule has me going from NRT to Tokyo on the 14th, then to Koyasan on the 17th, Hiroshima on the 19th, Kyoto on the 21st, and back to Tokyo on the 24th. I have a friend coming with me, too.

If I should be worrying less, feel free to say that too. :) Thanks in advance.

Place to stay in Kyoto and must see sights?

mhaw — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:29:24 -0800

Planning a trip to Tokyo/Kyoto towards the end of May and I'm looking for suggestions for great places to stay for two nights in Kyoto (inexpensive to moderately priced) as well as don't miss sights/restaurants in Tokyo and Kyoto. We will be there for about two weeks.

Konichiwa

Wanderlust88 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:50:17 -0800

Cheap way to get to Japan? How can I attend a wedding in Japan without spending a ridiculous amount of money. I am a student in the US and I really want to go. The means by which I get there are REALLY up in the air.

-Spend a week on a fishing boat? Will do
-Curl up for 12 hours in between cargo boxes on a plane? As long as I have oxygen.

And of course any other ideas you have, please any ideas... I would really go to great, cheap, measures in order to get there.

Cell phone for Japan/HK?

j1950 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:14:00 -0800

I need a cell phone for travel in Japan and Hong Kong. Any advice on where I can get one as inexpensively as possible? I am traveling to Japan and Hong Kong for two weeks in late March/early April. Because of some ongoing family issues in the US, I need a number where I can be reached as well as the ability to call freely back to the US. I don't expect to make a huge number of calls...I just want the option.

Anyone have any advice on where I can get a phone that will be reliable but relatively inexpensive for these two countries? I realize that this probably won't be cheap, but anyway I can save would be nice.