Singapore Expats

To people who has travelled to Japan, your input will be of great help. We are planning to go there on cherry blossoms season, dunno which months are they though. Thanks!

My parents are also thinking of touring Japan next year.

But the thing we are afraid is the communication breakdown. I heard there are many beautiful sceneries in Japan, but in which city?

Can anyone share about their experience in Japan and what is nice in these cities?

1)Tokyo
2)Hokkaido
3)Osaka

Thanks!

Cherry Blossom season is over for this year...usually March/April

As for attractions...there are too many to name...
Tokyo: Kaminarimon temple (Asakusa), Disneyland, Disneysea (only 1 inthe world), Tokyo tower, Ueno Park, shopping: Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku,Akihabara

Osaka: Shinsaibashi, Universal studios Osaka

HOkkaido: Sapporo, Otaru canel, clock tower...mainly Hokkaido snow festival at the end of the year

Hope this helps

When to go: http://wikitravel.org/en/Japan#Climate

Some suggestions: http://wikitravel.org/en/Off_the_beaten_track_in_Japan

Tokyo has to be visited, you can spend a lifetime exploring it and never see half. Osaka is less accessible and has less in the way of sights. Kyoto/Nara are the big cultural/historical centers, but I personally prefer Kanazawa. What are you interested in? Tea ceremony, tentacle porn, Hello Kitty...?

My friend went to Japan end of March, just in time for the Cherry Blossom season. I saw her pictures and they were beautiful. Apparently she went to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and she found Kyoto most beautiful.

I recently went to Japan - April 13 to 24, just at the tail end of the cherry blossom season... Weather was a bit variable, but most days up to 22 degrees (although a couple of days in Tokyo were about 12 and very wet!). I went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima. Depending on how much travelling around you will do, you should seriously consider buying a Japan Rail Pass - they are not available in Japan, only to tourists travelling there. You can save a fair bit on train fares depending on how much travel you do. I saved about S$200 using the rail pass compared to buying tickets individually. An "Exchange Order" has to be purchased before you arrive in Japan, then you exchange it for the rail pass at a Japan Rail station when you arrive. You can get them at many places in Singapore (including JTB agents).

My Japanese extends only to "good morning" "hello" "good evening" "thank you" and "beer" and I had no trouble!! When you go to restaurants you can point at the plastic food in the window, and all the rail stations have signs in English.

Kyoto is beautiful (especially the Golden Pagoda) and Nara is great with all the deer wandering around the city park.

hi guys, it's me again! so we finally decided to go to Japan on February. I haven't experienced snowfall yet so I think this is the best month to experience it.

we will go to tokyo though, but i wonder if there are ski places near tokyo? like a day trip or something? we would like to go to tokyo and ski at the same time. we know that hokkaido is the place to go for skiing but this place is kinda far considering if we take 1 week trip.

if you know ski places near tokyo please let me know so i could take a look at it and book it early.

many thanks!

During March/April of October/early November is the best time to visit Japan.

Must visit

Tokyo (Kamakura, Asakusa, Ginza for seeing Japan / Roppongi & Shinjuku for party / Shibuya for the latest trends), Kyoto (see the whole city - it is breathtaking), Kyushu (Kumamoto, sashmi horse/beef), Shikoku (fantastic drives), Hokkaido (spring flower and winter ski, plus bear hunting)

Best time is March/April, Sep/Oct.

Bring your smile & wallet

July

Went there last January, weather was just nice..
Try to stay a night in one of the Ryukan near Fuji Mntn. worth a try.
I used a book called Timeout as my guide. very helpful.