oK, planning for my fall trip to Japan!

[Zech Marquis]

I'll be buying my airline ticket from JTB US--they always have great discount prices for trips to Japan. I had looked at September and was quoted for $810 roundtrip. October is bound to be lower.

Second a 14 day Jr Rail Pass :bounce: I'll be staying with my gf near Kyoto. Ialso have an ex classmate in Osaka, an ex teacher in Nagoya, and 3 friends in the Tokyo area--Saitama, Tachikawa, and I presume Kanagawa for one. From what I've read, I can use the bullet train, but not the Nozomi (without paying an extra few coins, so I'd pass on Nozomi.

Havng lived in Japan, the only things I haven''t done are to try out okonomiyaki and beef bowls. And see all the great cultural sites in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kamakura...i'll need several memroy cards for my digital camera. But a keitai...? I don't know..14 days won't be worth the trouble, unless it's a prepaid model (I doubt they have any in Japan). So no Makumarudo for me :evilgrin: ..except for a teriyaki burger or 2.

If I do spend the whole 2 weeks, I might miss the election..should I ask for an absentee ballot soon? Or would I need one?

BTW, being able to plan this all out is so much FUN!!! :toast:

[Catch22Dem]

1. Cool!

Sounds fun. My wife, daughter, and I lived there for 4 years. Actually we lived in Okinawa. Loved every minute of it. Even the typhoons. ;)

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Enjoy!!

I just came back from my first trip to Japan, to see my partner in Kyoto (that's where she's from). Loved it! Also got to go to Osaka and Himeji to see friends, and stopped in Kobe, and a day in Hiroshima. It was wondrous! I love Kyoto. Fell in love with it, in fact. Wish I could live there.

How long did you live in Japan and where?

[Zech Marquis]

3. sending you a pm

so you're just back from the kansai area? Boy do I have questons for YOU :evilgrin:

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Yes, I was kansai

I haven't received any PM from you, though

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Comments

They DO have prepaid keitai in Japan. They're available at convenience stores.

How did you manage to live in Japan without trying okonomiyaki and beef bowls?

There's a chain of budget hotels called Toyoko Inn that has broadband Internet in all the rooms. You may even be able to post pictures to DU!

[Zech Marquis]

5. answers

they do? cool! even if it's a cheap plastic one, at least my gf will be able keep intouch with me if needed :-)

Now I lived on a military base, as a dependent going to a DoDD high school...they didn't serve us any good japanese food for lunc..hell, that's wy we went to Burger King! And as a 16 year old back then, my Japanese skills were NOWHERE close to now.
If I d spens a night in Tokyo, maybe I'll check out the Toyoko hotels.

[Bluebear]

6. Have you checked www.cheaptickets.com?

Excellent source for reserved seats. Have seen some terrific bargains and then some not so hot depending on how high the demand is.

[EstimatedProphet]

7. I envy you

I'd like to do a trip like that. Actually a few years ago I was trying to plan a trip to Japan, then on to pick up the Trans-Siberian Railway and go around the globe. I'd still like to do that sometime.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Have you checked out IACE?

All my Japanese friends use this one

http://www.iace-usa.com/scripts/iace/vb_bridge3.dll?VBPROG=call&IF=LIST&PG=index.xsl&LAN=US&CAT=TOP&OPT=TOP

If that link sends to you to browser hell, just go to

http://www.iace-usa.com/

Damn - they just changed, in the last couple weeks, their website. I haven't seen this new abomination until just now. I prefer their old one.

Anyway, they always have bitchin' cheap flights.

And if the place YOU mentioned is cheaper than IACE, let me know, and I'll drop IACE like a pile of Shrub's gin-induced diarrhea.