pi's japan travel intelligence

Japan is expensive but when the powers of LYu, XY and Pi combine, the costs look quite manageable now :)

I must say that I'm really pleased with the little 'truimphs' we score at keeping our essential expenses on air tix ($697) and accomodation to a total of under $1,300for our 10-day Japan Fantasy trip. Resourceful heh?

Let me share a few tips to help you budding Japan-Fantasy tripsters do your sums and planning.

Accommodation in Tokyo

Room rates - the room rates usually go by per head count, instead of per room per night. For those on budget, it's good to look out for guesthouses or even apartments. The guesthouses look really decent, clean and cosy I tell ya. And some are very near to the subway, which makes travelling around easy.

The Yamanote line - the train and subway lines in Tokyo are so plentiful that mere looking at the map gives me severe giddiness. BUT ~~~ there's one line you need to know for convenient getting around in the city and its name is YAMANOTE. Narita Express (the train from airport to town) stops along the circular line and staying near one of the stops on the Yamanote guarantees you easy access in and out of Tokyo.

Budget - It's good to be prepared to pay an average cost of $80.00 (per person per nite) in Tokyo's budget-style lodging. We got ours at a rate of about $55/person/nite. Yoohoo!

The Traditional Japanese Inn

Ryokan - what's a Japan trip without a taste of the traditional Japanese style of lodging? Try a night at the Ryokan though it's more expensive than your budget hotels. Prices range from $100/person/nite to $600/person/nite (or even more)! But a lot of the ryokans are really nice and some rooms come with private hotspring bath. This is luxurious living. And that's why we're 'doing' it only for a nite, at a price of under $150/person, amid the beautiful Hakone with Lake Ashi and the magnificent Mount Fuji as our backdrop.

Links to Japan Research

There are tonnes and tonnes of information available on Japan travel. The challenge is sieving through them, making the connections between pieces of inputs on the same thing and then deciding what's applicable for you.

I like using a country's official travel/tourism bureau websites (especially tourist-friendly nations like Taiwan, Thailand and Japan) to jumpstart my research. For Japan, you can visit:

• Visit Japan Campaign http://www.visitjapan.jp/
• Japan National Tourist Organisation http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
• Japan National Tourist Organisation (Singapore) http://www.jnto.org.sg/

Next up: Accommodation in Osaka and Kyoto, itinerary planning, more links to good info resource, reviews and photos (when we are back!).

Marry me under the starry skies

Following our recent discussions on wedding receptions (and after attending yet another boring wedding dinner), I set out to name you my very own preferred venues for wedding receptions, right here in Sing-a-pore! My dearest sistas, in case my future husband-to-be ever secretly consults you for suggestions, please refer him here. Thanks.

(1) Greens in the gardens
If you love the lush soft grass and the rustle of the leaves when the breeze blows by, consider these:


a) Botanic Gardens - just be careful not to scare Vanda Miss Joaquim with the crowd


b) Fort Canning - throw in a spooky ghost tales trail for your guests. Woohoo! Alternative! I like!


c) Shangri-la Hotel's garden - I heard it's nice, haven't been there though.

d) Your house garden - why not, if you stay in a big big landed property?

The cons: watch out for the occasional mozzies, factor in bad weather contingency + be prepared for budget bust though I'm not too concerned over this. My husband and I gonna be rich :p

(2) A dash of architectural elegance
If indoors still sound best and you don't wish for the same old hotel or restaurant options, how about:


a) Singapore Arts Museum - free entrance for your guests to see the galleries too. Oooh, how cultured!


b) Giraffe @ Istana Park - I'm afraid you won't be greeted by the president, tho it says the "Istana Park".


c) Asian Civilisations Museum - infuse the peranakan style to your wedding and tie your knots with your better half as bibik and baba.


d) Red Dot Design Museum - An all-red building facade for a red letter day. How appropriate!


e) National Museum of Singapore - I think you can even request for the screening of "The Singapore Story" and feel truly patriotic at your wedding.


g) The Fullerton Waterboat House - great place for the sea-sick; get on the boat without getting rocked off.


h) Chijmes - what better place to sound the wedding chimes than at chijmes?

The cons: limited capacity not ideal for those with lots of guests.

Oh goodness, as I write on, I realise there are really a lot more alternative locations. Engage me as your wedding planner! I've got loads of ideas up my head. ;)

For those who are regrettably to be left on the shelves, don't despair! You've got friends who can go those places with you! And for those without friends...aren't you one sorry ass?

Heads-up on Taiwan-Okinawa Tour

Beautiful Okinawa

Looks like it's gonna cost me a bomb to travel from Taiwan to Okinawa but it's still cheaper than flying straight to Okinawa from Singapore. Here are some findings after a whole morning of googling:

1) Okinawa is accessible via Taipei by air. Seems like China Airlines is the only carrier to Naha, Okinawa. A round trip (about 1.5 hour flight) will set me back around S$500. Lodging isn't exactly cheap in Okinawa but there are always decent hostels at lower prices.

2) A cheaper alternative to Okinawa is via Kaohsiung or Keelung by ferry. Considering the time wasted (about 16 - 19 hours), it might not be worth it. However, being in the middle of the sea overnight is an experience I welcome!

The Arimura Sangyo Company is the only ferry line that operates between Keelung Port and Naha Port. The ferry departs from Keelung at 10pm and arrives next day at Naha, 3pm. Usually departs from Taiwan on Mon / Tue; departs from Naha on Thu / Fri. Fare costs approximately S$250 from Naha to Keelung. I haven't gotten my hands on info if this is a round-trip fare or just one way.

Arimura can be contacted via email adachi_arimuraline@nifty.com. Think I'll drop them a note soon. They apparently has rep offices in Taipei and Kaohsiung (Tel. + 886 (0)7 330 9811).

3) If travelling out of Taiwan looks too expensive, we can also consider Xiao Liuqiu*, a Taiwanese island off the southwestern coast of Taiwan.

*Xiao Liuqiu = 小琉球, literally translates to Mini Okinawa; Okinawa was an independent kingdom and was known as RyuKyu before it was annexed by Japan during the Meiji Restoration period in 1879.

For more information on Okinawa, visit:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Okinawa
http://www.okinawa.com/

For more information on Taiwan, visit: http://www.taiwan.net.tw/lan/cht/index/index.asp

My fellow PTCs, according to my estimation, we need to set aside $1,500/person for transport + lodging alone to realise our Taiwan-Okinawa tour. More updates soon!

The Traveller's Checklist

While travelling excites me greatly, the packing sure doesn't. But here's a checklist to the rescue! Doesn't take away the painful chore but it's easier when you are organised.



Click to see bigger image.