Japan Japan! (Prep)

Konnichiwa!

Diver City Tokyo

TICKET

After I applied our visa, we booked our ticket last August 15 via Cebu Pacific.


Manila to Nagoya

Base fare of 499php, we got our ticket for a total of 6,952.32php or 3476.16php each departing from Manila to Nagoya, with 30 kilos check in baggage (shared).  

Osaka to Manila

For our return flight, we got our ticket for a total of 17,678 JPY, with basefare of 1499 JPY(no check in baggage).

WILLER BUS EXPRESS

Nagoya is our port of disembarkation, we need to travel again to reach Tokyo and Osaka. We choose to travel by higway bus via Willer Bus Express. Though Shinkansen or bullet train is the fastest way to reach prefectures in Japan, like traveling from Nagoya to Tokyo will only take 100 minutes via shinkansen and 6 hours by highway bus.  It would really save you time but shinkansen is too expensive, the regular one way fare is 10,360 JPY for non reserved seat and around 11,000 JPY for reserved seat while highway bus fare starts from 3,000 JPY, cheap right?

Of course this is a budget trip, so we choose to take the Willer Bus Express,  we didn't only save fare for transportation but also for accommodation :)

Our ticket cost:

Nagoya to Tokyo
13,680 JPY for 2 pax

Tokyo to Osaka
11,800 JPY for 2 pax




MONEY MATTERS

I exchanged my peso at Sanry's Money Changer (Robinsons Forum branch), exchange rate is 0.4290 JPY to 1 PHP.

ACCOMMODATION

TOKYO

BEST WESTERN
Tokyo Nishikasai

6-17-9 Nishikasai, Edogawa-Ku
Tokyo, 134-0088, JP
Phone: +81 3 3675 8900
Fax: +81 3 3675 9208
Check In 3PM (15:00)
Check Out 10AM (10:00)

Best Western website: click here

OSAKA

TOYOKO INN OSAKA

Senba Higashi

Address: 2-4-29, Nounin-bashi Chuo-ku Osaka-city, Osaka   Postal Code: 540-0011

Tel: +81-(0)6-4790-1045     Fax: +81-(0)6-4791-1046

Toyoko Inn Osaka (Senba Higashi) website: click here

VISA

Filipinos still need visa to enter Japan, luckily this year it was announced that getting Japan Visa for Filipino will be relaxed.

How to to apply Japan Visa: click here

Single Entry Visa

ITINERARY

October 18 - Arrival: Nagoya

Take overnight Willer Bus Express to Tokyo in Nagoya Station

October 19 - Arrival: Tokyo

Check-in: Best Western

Diver City Tokyo (Daiba)

Shibuya Crossing (Hachiko)

Mugiwara Store (One Piece Shop)

October 20

Glimpse of Tokyo Disneyland

Asakusa (Sensoji Temple)

Akihabara

Shibuya

Take overnight Willer Bus Express to Osaka in Shinjuku

October 21 - Arrival: Osaka

Check-in: Toyoko Inn

Osaka Castle

Dotonbori

October 22

Universal Studios Japan

October 23

Kyoto

Inari Shrine

Departure: Kansai Airport

Japan - Tokyo Day 1

Tokyo! Tokyo!

I must have been very very verrryyyy tired, I was asleep the whole time of travel from Nagoya to Tokyo :)

The bus stopped at Shinjuku area.

Willer Bus Express

Key Map along the street of Shinjuku area

Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai

We looked for the nearest metro station, we bought PASMO card assisted by metro staff located at the subway. The amount charged into PASMO and the initial 500 yen deposit is returned, we had ours for 1000 JYP.

PASMO

A PASMO card is a convenient prepaid transportation card that contains an integrated-circuit (IC) chip, allowing the user to enter the subway by simply placing the card over a PASMO reader located on the ticket gates. The card is rechargeable and can be used over and over. 

From Shinjuku-nishiguchi, we get off to Iidabashi to transfer to Tozai line and get off to Nishi-Kasai station.

inside Tokyo Metro

From Nishikasai station, Best Western is only 2 to 3 minutes walk.

Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai

DIVER CITY TOKYO PLAZA

This is also known as Gundam Front Tokyo, one of the famous tourist spot in Tokyo. This shopping mall features 18meters size model of a Gundam RX78 just round the corner of the mall and a small gundam themed cafe which sells light bites and drinks. 

How to get here:

Odaiba Map

Gundam!

Gundam Cafe

Gundam Store

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Rainbow Bridge connects Tokyo to outside area, one of the famous tourist spot in Odaiba and just few walks from  Tokyo Diver City.

SHIBUYA

One of the famous ward in Tokyo is Shibuya, and consider to be the shopping capital of Tokyo. Shibuya's prominent landmark is the large intersection in front of Hachiko Station.

How to get here:

Get off to Shibuya Station (Tokyo's busiest station)

Hachicko Statue

Located outside Shibuya station is the famous Hachiko Statue of the loyal dog named Hachiko. According to a famous story, the dog waited for his master every day in front of Shibuya Station, and continued to do so for years even after his master had passed away. It is one of Tokyo's most popular meeting points.

Hachiko

Shibuya Crossing

One of the iconic landmark in Tokyo, and also known for busiest pedestrian around the world. It was so cool to witness how many people would cross to this pedestrian, it was fun! The Fast and the Furious:Tokyo Drift" was filmed here.

Mugiwara Store (One Piece)

Located at the 6th floor of  PARCO Mall.

The official "One Piece" shop dedicated to all fans of the series!

Mugiwara means "straw hat" in Japanese, yes it is Luffy's straw hat ^^ 

Thegoods offered at the store include T-shirts, mugs, postcards, plastic files, towels, toys and candies.

In addition, duplicated original manga illustrations and rare anime production materials for the series are also on display at the store.

chopper's hat ^^