trip to japan?

Question

i thought about going on a trip to japan. i really didnt want to go to tokyo becase it is severly crowded, and everyone goes there. but then again, the kansi dialect of osaka or kobe might make it even harder to converse with the populace. also, would it be cheaper to go with a small group (2-3 people) or a larger one (6-8), and about how much money would you suggest be brought for food? any advice is greatly apreciated.

Answer 1

Yokosuka!! You can see the harbor, and it is not too crowded, lovely place, you should check it out

Answer 2

I recently visited the Shiga prefecture, which is really rural but still within the kansai area. To me, it has everything you need like the grocery stores,
drug stores and all that. It has some sightseeing
places such as Lake Biwa (and the Michigan cruise).
It isnt far from Kyoto or Osaka, which offer ample
amounts of sightseeing. Kyoto is peaceful but it can also be a bit crowded sometimes, along with Osaka. I really recommend the Kansai area for getting a lot of the culture PLUS the less crowded-ness.

Answer 3

Osaka is ten times better than Tokyo. Like Tokyo though it is really expensive. Both are in the top 10 of the most expensive cities in the world. My business expenses for a week in Tokyo usually run about 2500 not including airfare.

Answer 4

The Kansai area is definitely more accessible than Tokyo. Some parts of Osaka are quite crowded, but still not as bad as Tokyo. People in the Kansai area do of course understand hyoujungo (standard Japanese) so they will be able to understand you just fine. Osakaites in particular are proud of their Kansai heritage and will speak rather quickly, but they will be open to you.

In Japan, hotels typically charge by the person, not by the room, so the number of people going with you won't really be a factor.

The price of food varies wildly depending on your food choices. If your Japanese reading abilities are not up to par and you are forced to eat in expensive hotel restaurants or tourist spots that have English menus, expect to pay at least 4,000 yen for breakfast, at least 5,000 yen for lunch, and at least 6,000 yen for dinner. If you can go to the little hole-in-the-wall joints or the little 赤提灯(akachouchin) places, you'll be able to eat a nice hot bowl of ramen for under 1,000 for sure.

If you love food, when in Osaka, be sure to visit Kuidaore （食い倒れ）in Osaka on the Midosuji subway line just north of the Namba station. For several city blocks in each direction, every restaurant imagineable waits for you.

Food in Osaka is also cheaper than Tokyo.

For a fun time, just window shop around the Namba station and walk north towards the Shinsaibashi station. You could spend a whole day just doing that.

Be sure to have a few days to spend in Kyoto and Nara as well!

Answer 5

I stayed in a bit of a "rural" area in Japan and really enjoyed it. I only visited Tokyo once, but there were lots of people. If you like the hustle and bustle, Tokyo may be for you, but it all depends on your preferences.

If you are interested about the cost of living in Tokyo, visit: http://www.pricechecktokyo.com/