Question:
I plan on going to Japan for R&R as a small vacation (currently deployed in the Middle East) in a couple months and I have no idea what to do.
-I read that I wasn't gonna need a VISA if I stayed for 14 days, is this true ?
-Do they speak English over there ? Can I get by w/o speaking Japanese ?
-How's the nightlife ? What kind of music they got at the clubs ? Price for other entertainment ?
-How much are usually hotels ? Food ?
-Anything I should know ? What to avoid ?
Answer:
If you're American or from nearly any western country you don't need a visa and you'll get a landing permit on arrival - of course you'll need a round trip ticket. Few speak English with ease. But you'll find lots of alphabetized names in Japan such as in train and subway stations, and many ticket machines and post office ATMs also have English. Some family restaurants have menus in English in bigger cities with more tourists, and many eateries have plastic models of their food next to their front doors, so if you can't read the menu, just take the waiter or waitress outside and point at what you want. Few speak English fluently, but if you get lost or something, find someone young, write out your question in simple words and they can probably help you. For clubs there is every kind kind of music you could think of in the bigger cities. Just do a search for Tokyo night clubs or wherever, and you can see a sample; or else after you arrive get one of the ex-pat magazines and look at their ads - they will have places where English is spoken. And Osaka is definitely *not* a "small, quiet city".
For food you can look at www.bento.com - there is cheap fast food and everything else on up. The yen is extremely strong now though, you will be in for some sticker shock. You might want to see some typical Japanese prices, such as on www.tokyopriceguide.com
For cheaper places to stay, try
www.newkoyo.com
www.sakura-hotel.co.jp
www.shrek-watta-house.com
www.tamaryokan.com
www.tokyoryokan.com
www.jyh.or.jp/english/
www2.dango.ne.jp/kimi/ryokan.html
www.libertyhouse.gr.jp
www.juyoh.co.jp/
www.palace-japan.com/english/
www.palacesidehotel.co.jp
www.o-e-h.com
www.kyotojp.com
www.guesthouse-bon.com/
ton-bo.boo.jp/index_e.html
kyonoen.com/index.html
www.hotel-toyo.jp/
www5.ocn.ne.jp/~innkawa/page007.html
www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/
www.superhoteljapan.com/en/
http://www.kid97.co.jp/~jeh-group/jeh-gr…
You also might look at staying in a Japanese inn (ryokan) for at least a night. They are a truly Japanese experience which you should enjoy if you are coming to Japan.
You can get a Tokyo or other city subway day pass for about 1000 yen and go wherever you want.
For good info as well as what to see, try looking at
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo
http://www.jnto.go.jp
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/FAQ-Manners.h…
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623b.html
http://www.japanrailpass.net
If it's your first time in Japan, it would be well worth seeing Tokyo, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, and Himeji Castle. With a full JR Rail Pass you can go all over though, and see Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki as well.
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