A few preparatory questions for trip to Japan in May

mrcheez

Arriving into Japan just after Golden Week for 3 weeks. Haven't yet fully planned the itinerary although obviously the sumo is high on the list.

- How long in advance do I need to organise the Rail pass before I head in May? The week before ok, or do I need to get something posted to me?

- Do I need to bring something formal to wear beyond the jeans/shirt, for some of the tea ceremonies or eating out etc?

- I have size 12 feet so I should probably bring my own flip-flops for bathroom/onsen baths, or will I be catered for?

- Regarding meds, I'm assuming there will be lots of mozzies in May, so are repellents relatively the same price as here, or should I bring one? Any other meds I should bring that are relatively overpriced over there (Disprin?)

- Lastly, is there anything that's particularly cheaper in Japan than elsewhere? For example all my Canon camera equipment is made in Japan, could I buy a lens there cheaper than here?

Atavan-Halen

mrcheez wrote: »

Arriving into Japan just after Golden Week for 3 weeks. Haven't yet fully planned the itinerary although obviously the sumo is high on the list.

- How long in advance do I need to organise the Rail pass before I head in May? The week before ok, or do I need to get something posted to me?

To get a rail pass you have to order it from outside Japan. Once you order you'll receive an exchange order in the post which is valid for 3 months. You bring the exchange order to one of the exchange offices which are in major train stations and I think there's one in Narita airport. You fill in a form at the office and specify when you want the rail pass to start (has to be within one month), they'll issue you the pass and you're good to go.

- Do I need to bring something formal to wear beyond the jeans/shirt, for some of the tea ceremonies or eating out etc?

May depend on where you're going. I went to a tea ceremony and was dressed casually but it was more of a class where they showed you all about the ceremony. As for eating out in restaurants I don't think it'd be a big problem to dress casually but that'll probably be up to yourself whether you want to dress up to go to a fancy restaurant!

- I have size 12 feet so I should probably bring my own flip-flops for bathroom/onsen baths, or will I be catered for?

Can't answer this one myself as I'm only a 5 :P I'm sure some won't allow you to bring in your own footwear as it's all provided but it'd be no harm to throw a cheap/light pair in your bag just in case.

- Regarding meds, I'm assuming there will be lots of mozzies in May, so are repellents relatively the same price as here, or should I bring one? Any other meds I should bring that are relatively overpriced over there (Disprin?)

Thankfully I didn't have to take meds when I was over there but packed a small few of the basics from home just in case I needed them. Personally I'd bring my own just in case you end up not sure what's what and buy something different, or end up having a reaction to the ingredients or whatever.

- Lastly, is there anything that's particularly cheaper in Japan than elsewhere? For example all my Canon camera equipment is made in Japan, could I buy a lens there cheaper than here?


I didn't notice huge savings on electronics over there if that's what you're shopping for, however as a tourist you can buy items tax free (8% off) if the price is over 10,001 yen. It's mainly the big stores that offer this service like Yodobashi camera and laox. You just need to show your passport when purchasing and they fill in a form which you had in at the airport going back. Customs in Japan may want to inspect the items also. For example I bought a nintendo 3ds over there for about €110 whereas here they're about €180. I'd say keep an eye out for stuff you're looking for, and know what price they are here but don't go expecting massive discounts.

Hopefully that's of some help!

mrcheez

Atavan-Halen wrote: »

Hopefully that's of some help!

Is indeedy, arigatou gozaimasu!

Konata

Order the Rail Pass about 2 weeks beforehand, just to be safe. It delivers super fast though (2-3 days) if you're stuck. You can order it anytime from 3 months beforehand the start date so no need to leave it till the last minute.

Bring your own flip flops but you mightn't be allowed use them. If you can't, just stuff your feet into the slippers provided and stick it out for the short period you'll be wearing them. They're loose so you should be fine.

There won't be many mosquitoes in May luckily. July/August/September is the worst for them. There's a great little rub on liquid/gel you can get there called 'Muhi' that I found great for bites, you can get it in any pharmacy. It's a little white tube like roll on deodorant with blue writing (google muhi mosquito to see what it looks like). Otherwise just bring your own medication. Don't bring Sudafed with you as it contains a dosage of pseudoephedrine that's illegal in Japan. The only other med that can get you into trouble in Japan is Adderall but since that's illegal here too I doubt you have any!

mrcheez

For the Sumo in Tokyo in May should I be booking tickets now?

Konata

mrcheez wrote: »

For the Sumo in Tokyo in May should I be booking tickets now?

Are tickets available yet? If they are then yes. The Japanese are great for booking things well in advance!

shindig-jp

Don't forget to rent a "Mobile WiFi" in advance which can be picked up at the airport on arrival and dropped off on Land side before your return. No post box beyond the security gate. You will find mobile wifi a valuable tool.

mrcheez

shindig-jp wrote: »

Don't forget to rent a "Mobile WiFi" in advance which can be picked up at the airport on arrival and dropped off on Land side before your return. No post box beyond the security gate. You will find mobile wifi a valuable tool.

Wouldn't have thought of that, thanks! I take it I can use this even on Okinawa?

mrcheez

Konata wrote: »

Are tickets available yet? If they are then yes. The Japanese are great for booking things well in advance!

according to:

https://buysumotickets.com/sumo_event_calendar.html

tickets are on sale April 9th but taking pre-orders now so I might be ok to wait until March.

Haven't had time to plan itinerary yet and won't be able to until March.