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Both the Suica and Pasmo tourist cards are available at the airport, and I think the Pasmo ones are also available at some of the major stations in Tokyo. You can get them there, and if you need one that lasts more than 28 days, there are other regions have their own cards that are available so you can get an Icoca card in Kyoto or whatever and use it anywhere in Japan.
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Sep 7, 2023 19:26
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Just pay for every ride individually at the station like a true hipster.
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Sep 7, 2023 21:07
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Jump every turnstile and duck every station agent and hope the amount in fines is less than you would have spent otherwise
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Sep 7, 2023 21:10
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DC Murderverse posted:Jump every turnstile and duck every station agent and hope the amount in fines is less than you would have spent otherwise Back in 2020 I NOPE'd through a turnstile in Kyoto after a few drinks at dinner hit a lot harder than I expected and the station I got off at had .. closed? ... one particular exit I was accustomed to taking. I don't know, I was pretty hammered at the time so I won't pretend it made sense. I did try to tap out like a law abiding tourist but the turnstile just gave me some weird error sound and I was like "yeah no thanks" and just kind of shoved through it. I still feel bad about it every now and then, when I remember  e: Japanese authorities reading this thread and rightfully barring me from future entry
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Sep 8, 2023 01:46
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I just love when plans all come together. A month ago I booked two nights in Kakegawa to see the flower and bird park, and what do you know? A typhoon decides that this is the ideal day to land and pass right through Kakegawa.
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Sep 8, 2023 02:10
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Two nights means 3 days, typhoons are fast and everything will be fine.
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Sep 8, 2023 07:13
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Latest seems to be that it's slowing down and possibly just not landing at all. But the weather cleared up a lot around noon here, and I went to that park anyway. I am going to rate Kakegawa Kachouen as not recommended, not from an animal welfare point of view. (Edit: If I somehow ignored all of the below, my rating would have been "only maybe visit if you are in the area anyway.") Going to spoiler this bit for content warning: Most of the large parrots they were keeping were in free-standing cages barely big enough for keeping those birds at a private home, and there was no major indication that they got to spend real free time outside those cages. Owls and hawks were kept in small, featureless enclosures with a single bird in each, and just a pedestal in the middle for them to sit on. In the indoor bird show area they also had several live owls outside cages/enclosures with their legs chained to large tree stumps that served as pedestals for them to be displayed on. While it's true they do have several species of birds flying free in the big halls, those are not in any way going to make up for the large birds being constantly distressed by terrible living conditions. nielsm fucked around with this message at 09:39 on Sep 8, 2023 |
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Sep 8, 2023 08:18
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nielsm posted:Latest seems to be that it's slowing down and possibly just not landing at all. What? Not from a welfare point of view??
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Sep 8, 2023 09:31
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That's a weird way I wrote it yes. If you ignored all the poorly treated animals it'd not be all that interesting, a "maybe if you are in the area anyway" kind of thing. Add in the animal cruelty and it's a clear "avoid".
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Sep 8, 2023 09:37
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I’ve seen chained up monkeys dancing to music in Japan so sadly not surprised.
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Sep 8, 2023 09:55
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Mister Chief posted:I’ve seen chained up monkeys dancing to music in Japan so sadly not surprised. I’ve seen two or three different touring versions of that show posted up near my station on recent summer weekends, looks like a trainer lives with and takes the monkey on the road in a Hiace. Hard to believe that still happens in TYOOL 2023.
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Sep 8, 2023 10:01
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That sucks, I didn't see anything chained to stumps when I was there in 2017. I spent all my time with the free flying birds and the outdoor areas with the emus and pelicans so maybe I missed an area that had that. I don't even like monkeys but I needed to take a rest while going through Shodoshima and stopped at a monkey park on top of a mountain that consisted of putting you in a cage and telling the monkeys over on the hill that you got food. It ended up being an exercise of watching monkeys be mean to each other by fighting for food which wasn't my jam. The Chinese tourists I was with loving loved it though.
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Sep 8, 2023 14:05
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Fwiw I just landed in Haneda and no Suica. Got a non refundable pasmo for 1500. Fine for my 4 day work trip.
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Sep 9, 2023 10:04
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My partner and I are doing a 2 week trip at the end of October/early November. We'll be visiting Tokyo and Kansai mostly. We've got everything mostly planned out but we haven't looked much in to mobile phone coverage yet. I'm pretty sure that I'll be fine because I use Google Fi and Japan is covered under my plan but I'm assuming my partner is going to need something for phone coverage. Is there any general preferences wrt pocket wifi vs a sim card and is this something we should try to arrange before we go? If anyone has any recommendations for websites or stores that provide this sort of thing that would also be appreciated. Also if anyone has suggestions for cool things to do in Osaka, we've got a three day chunk there that I'm not too sure what to do with. We will be going to Universal Studios cause my partner really wants to go but other than that I've only got a few vague ideas. In particular a place with a nice view would be appreciated as would any cool museums that someone who's not very proficient in Japanese would enjoy.
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Sep 10, 2023 02:46
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October Ghibli tickets are up now
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Sep 10, 2023 02:49
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Snake_in_a_box posted:In particular a place with a nice view would be appreciated Umeda Sky Building if you want to stay local, if you want to travel a bit (it's not that far) then https://koberope.jp/en/ 
Grand Fromage fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Sep 10, 2023 |
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Sep 10, 2023 02:57
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cheese eats mouse posted:October Ghibli tickets are up now
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Sep 10, 2023 03:00
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Snake_in_a_box posted:Is there any general preferences wrt pocket wifi vs a sim card and is this something we should try to arrange before we go? Pocket wifi is dumb. Anywhere you'll want to use a tablet or laptop you'll have free wifi available. Carrying around a pocket wifi only for your phone is only going to be annoying. (Do not be one of those tourists walking around sightseeing spots with an iPad using it as camera.) You can buy prepaid data sim cards in any major electronics store, including at the airport. If it turns out you really need to use a laptop/tablet somewhere you can't get free wifi, then just tether from your phone. The prepaid plans allow that.
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Sep 10, 2023 03:15
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Also anyone who still thinks that Shinjuku or some other station in Tokyo is the worst haven't tried navigating Nagoya station yet. That place is truly hateful. That place feels like the railway companies are actively trying to make life as painful as possible for any passenger who dares want to change to another company's services. I haven't ever had that sense from any of the big stations in Tokyo.
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Sep 10, 2023 03:17
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My last trip I decided Hakata is far and away the worst station in the country. I was trapped in there for so long I stopped for lunch to regroup. Distant second is Ikebukuro, then Shinjuku. Nagoya didn't strike me as particularly bad but I may not have fully experienced it.
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Sep 10, 2023 03:27
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nielsm posted:Pocket wifi is dumb. Anywhere you'll want to use a tablet or laptop you'll have free wifi available. Carrying around a pocket wifi only for your phone is only going to be annoying. (Do not be one of those tourists walking around sightseeing spots with an iPad using it as camera.) I was thinking an advantage to pocket wifi is the ability to utilize wifi calling wherever. That way I can text/use my phone as a phone. Otherwise, yeah an esim makes much more sense.
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Sep 10, 2023 03:36
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I did pocket wifi in February and my biggest issue was not plugging it in at night so it would randomly cut out from no battery. I liked it because we could not find wifi while out places (esp Philosopher's path and Arashiyama in Kyoto), only at Starbucks and our hotels. My Google Fi plan does not include international.
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Sep 10, 2023 03:43
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Snake_in_a_box posted:Also if anyone has suggestions for cool things to do in Osaka, we've got a three day chunk there that I'm not too sure what to do with. We will be going to Universal Studios cause my partner really wants to go but other than that I've only got a few vague ideas. In particular a place with a nice view would be appreciated as would any cool museums that someone who's not very proficient in Japanese would enjoy.
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Sep 10, 2023 04:02
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Snake_in_a_box posted:My partner and I are doing a 2 week trip at the end of October/early November. We'll be visiting Tokyo and Kansai mostly. We've got everything mostly planned out but we haven't looked much in to mobile phone coverage yet. I'm pretty sure that I'll be fine because I use Google Fi and Japan is covered under my plan but I'm assuming my partner is going to need something for phone coverage. Is there any general preferences wrt pocket wifi vs a sim card and is this something we should try to arrange before we go? If anyone has any recommendations for websites or stores that provide this sort of thing that would also be appreciated. Go to Minoo falls. It's on the far north of the city. About a 30-40 minute walk/hike from the station to the falls.
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Sep 10, 2023 05:00
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Kaddish posted:I was thinking an advantage to pocket wifi is the ability to utilize wifi calling wherever. That way I can text/use my phone as a phone. You can still do wifi calls on a sim card. All a wifi call is is a call using the internet rather than the cell/phone/whatever company.
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Sep 10, 2023 05:02
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For things to do in Osaka I recommend Yasaka Jinja and Teamlab botanical garden :https://www.teamlab.art/e/botanical...choCE8QQAvD_BwE . If you don't already have a visit to Nara on your list yet it's an easy day trip from Osaka to see the park and feed the tame deer who will assuredly not bite you.
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Sep 10, 2023 05:14
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If you're into cocktails, Bar Nayuta is the best place I've ever been.
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Sep 10, 2023 05:21
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:I did pocket wifi in February and my biggest issue was not plugging it in at night so it would randomly cut out from no battery. I liked it because we could not find wifi while out places (esp Philosopher's path and Arashiyama in Kyoto), only at Starbucks and our hotels. My Google Fi plan does not include international. I've been able to avoid renting a pocket wifi because I do have international on my Google Fi plan. Well to be fair I was getting charged for going over data and when I switched to unlimited it included international... so bonus. The Airbnb places I've stayed at have all offered a pocket wifi as an amenity but I never took advantage of it. So I guess my advice for those using Airbnb is to see if the host includes one.
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Sep 10, 2023 05:56
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Pocket WiFi is handy over an eSIM imo for when you’re in a group and don’t want to use up too much battery by sharing one phone’s connection for the others to tether to. Just have everyone sharing that one pocket Wi-Fi doodad.
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Sep 10, 2023 09:47
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The only inconveniences with pocket wifi is having to charge it, and you’re gonna have to charge other stuff anyway so what’s one more thing, and if you’re travelling together you’re stuck together unless someone’s happy to go out into the world on their own without any internet access like it was the loving 90s or something. If there’s more than one person who wants data access and you’ll be together the whole trip then the costs aren’t a million miles apart either unless you’re looking to get by on a super miserly 500mb data cap or something.
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Sep 10, 2023 10:02
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Snake_in_a_box posted:
Fyi, you need (at least Aug 1) to register separately for Mario World. It was included with my pass but I didn't understand I had to reserve another entry ticket in the app. We got in but just enough to walk around. All rides were shutting down for the night.
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Sep 10, 2023 17:17
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So I want to buy tickets from T-Pia but I’m pretty sure I need a Japanese phone number to register an account. Is there any weird hacky thing I ought to be doing for this or should I pay a little more for one of those ticket booking services (and if so, any recommendations for trustworthy people who don’t overcharge service fees?)
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Sep 10, 2023 18:09
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No cause it makes you call to verify. If you’re trying to get Ghibli id offer to courier but we are about to leave home base for a few days :/
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Sep 10, 2023 20:29
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Grand Fromage posted:My last trip I decided Hakata is far and away the worst station in the country. I was trapped in there for so long I stopped for lunch to regroup. Distant second is Ikebukuro, then Shinjuku. Nagoya didn't strike me as particularly bad but I may not have fully experienced it. Hakata station rules and I will not have you speak ill of the place that has housed not only the Fukuoka Ramen Stadium but also not one but TWO separate Tokyu Hands  But seriously why the Haterade? The station seems simple enough to get around in and is centrally located, it's clean and new, etc. Shinjuku is far more of an old always-under-construction labyrinth. Kyushu is low key one of the best places to live in Japan if you don't count summertime Sapporo and my wife and I have plans to settle down around Fukuoka at some point
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Sep 11, 2023 00:58
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nielsm posted:Also anyone who still thinks that Shinjuku or some other station in Tokyo is the worst haven't tried navigating Nagoya station yet. That place is truly hateful. That place feels like the railway companies are actively trying to make life as painful as possible for any passenger who dares want to change to another company's services. I haven't ever had that sense from any of the big stations in Tokyo. Yah Nagoya truly bad
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Sep 11, 2023 01:05
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nielsm posted:Pocket wifi is dumb. Anywhere you'll want to use a tablet or laptop you'll have free wifi available. Carrying around a pocket wifi only for your phone is only going to be annoying. (Do not be one of those tourists walking around sightseeing spots with an iPad using it as camera.) Very true, I have been screaming about this I’m the thread for the past few years. I don’t do it anymore.
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Sep 11, 2023 01:07
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Guys, go to kansai if you want a suica Or there’s also Tokyo station where a certain jr central booth sells those ic cards
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Sep 11, 2023 01:08
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I've been in Hakata station 1 time. I was underground and at a literal crossroads. I looked all 4 ways and as far as I could see was people, shops lining the walls, and a corridor going straight forever to an end I could not see. It was pretty cool.
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Sep 11, 2023 01:49
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Grand Fromage posted:My last trip I decided Hakata is far and away the worst station in the country. I was trapped in there for so long I stopped for lunch to regroup. Distant second is Ikebukuro, then Shinjuku. Nagoya didn't strike me as particularly bad but I may not have fully experienced it. What's bad about Ikebukuro? It's just a giant square with the station gates in the middle. As long as you follow the signage you'll end up where you want to go, and if you do go out of the wrong gate you can get anywhere you need while staying inside, worst case scenario you're on the other side of the square and have to walk around it. Compared to other stations where the wrong exit sends you in a completely different area and will require you to go outside and navigate the streets to your intended exit, it's very easy.
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Sep 11, 2023 02:37
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Thanks for the suggestions y'all. The Kobe ropeway sounds like a great place for a side trip, I was already thinking about a trip out to Himeji castle so we might be going out in that direction anyway. Minoo falls also looks like something we'd be in to, especially if we won't be too early to see the fall colors. I think we'll also just get a sim card for my partner after we land, seems like it should be easy enough to do when we're there. Grand Fromage posted:If you're into cocktails, Bar Nayuta is the best place I've ever been. This place looks rad as hell, I'll try to check it out! I'd take any and all bar recommendations in Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto. I love a good drink, especially in smaller places like this one.
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Sep 11, 2023 03:17
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