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SpedEd · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 143 Location: Shanghai

Hello people:

I'm a budget-minded traveller heading for Japan, of all places! I currently reside in Ulsan, Korea and would like some suggestions for the cheapest methods to depart from here (short of swimming the Korea Strait) and travel within Japan.
I know a lot of you are seasoned travellers, and if you can offer advice or point me to some useful websites that can assist with travel into and around Japan it would be much appreciated!

Later

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

How long are you going for and where do you want to travel to and what do you want to do??

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Have heard of folks thumbing around Japan, sharing expenses with people they meet. Also could cycle. And I have heard of one character who travels great distances using local trains for the price of a minimum ticket, has to sneak out of the stations. Other than that I believe you will find it very expensive to travel here.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

wintersweet · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:09 am Post subject:

Yes, the JR pass includes many shinkansen, but a few lines are excluded. Any guidebook will explain which are which. It's a great way to travel if you're going to be moving around enough to really make use of it.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

PrinceofZibo · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:54 pm Post subject:

There's also the 18 kippu tickets that you can get only in july and august and which costs around 1500 YEN... with them, you can ride regular JR trains for 24 hours anywhere you want around japan... I know one could get from Tokyo to Sapporo or Fukuoka on one single ticket (though it would probably be your worst trip ever) but it can be done....

madeira · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 182 Location: Oppama

I used one of the cheap tickets to go from Hiroshima to Fukuoka, just after I arrived in Japan.

Eight hours.

I could have killed my friend, who had only told me 'we're going to visit a cute little island today'. I thought he was talking about Miyajima.

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

jr passes really are only worth it if you want to spend every second of every day jumping on and off trains. which can get quite tedious and annoying.

hitch-hiking is possible but do make sure that the person giving you a lift has all of their finger-joints. the problem with hitching a lift with the yakuza is not so much that they drive like maniacs (which they do -- amphetamines will do that to you) as that they only drive on back-roads and it takes forever.

junk'n · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 12

PrinceofZibo · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:48 pm Post subject:

Just checked out... its 11500 YEN for 5 tickets (5 days) that you don't have to use all at once or can sell...

So I was a little wrong, they're 2300 Yen each but still a great deal. Its just too bad they aren't year long.

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

just be careful. if you take a night-train your ticket gets clicked again at midnight. counts as two days travel.

SpedEd · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 143 Location: Shanghai

Thanks for the posts. I'm just curious if any of you know of some deep discount airlines that travel among the major Asian airports. I know of one that offers rates that can compete with the ferry service rates (depending on departure date) but its flight originate from Japan rather than to.

Khyron · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Tokyo Metro City

Bro, I've done the ferry trip from Busan to Fukuoka 4 times. It's much easier and less stressful than taking a plane. Ask any of the regulars at Tombstone(Mark, Jeff, Andy, Wolfgang, etc.) or Benchwarmers(Troy, etc.), and they'll tell you all about it. If you haven't been to these places yet, then you need to go. Those guys have been in Ulsan for a long time, so they're an awesome source of info. You'd be better off asking them, than coming here and asking the same questions.

The ferry to Fukuoka is cheap, at only about 170,000 won for a return trip. If you go through http://kangsantravel.com/, they have some pretty good deals that include a hotel room. If you want to go to Japan, and not spend too much money, this is the best way.

Fukuoka is definitely a cool city to go to. If you have a few days, it's easy to check out Nagasaki as well. Just make sure you bring enough cash, and change to yen before you leave Korea. It makes things much easier. If you have a few days, and an int'l license, you could rent a car in Fukuoka and drive to Hiroshima. Nippon Rent-a-Car in Tenjin, not far from Tenjin Station, has good deals( It would help to know some Japanese, or have a friend that does). It's only a few hours away, and has lots to see (the Peace Park, Miyajima, etc.). Driving around Kyushu would also be fun. Cars are actually a good deal, at around 40-50,000 won/day. That's a better deal than any train you'll ever take. Gas is cheaper than in Korea, too. Since you're budgeting, you can skip the hotel and showers, and sleep in the car. I've done it, right in the middle of Hiroshima.