Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CPT]

I have a 5 day weekend from May 1-5, and I was thinking about taking a short trip to Tokyo. I started looking into it, and it turns out this is the "golden week" I'd heard about for Japanese travel. Apparently there are a bunch of national holidays bunched together from April 29 to May 5, so it's a very popular time for Japanese people to travel. I hear it can be very busy and hard to get bookings.

It probably sounds like I've made up my mind that it's a bad idea, but I was wondering if anyone has first hand experience visiting Japan, especially Tokyo, during this period.

The only reason I'm even considering it is because there's a big MMA event (Sengoku) taking place in Tokyo that weekend. Last time I went to Japan I went to a live event and it was awesome. I don't get a lot of vacation time, and when I do, it's hard to find a time that coincides with an event.

Anyway, any opinions would be helpful.

If anyone can recommend travel agents, accomodations, etc, that would also be appreciated.

[Robot_Teacher]

Dude, go. NE Asia is said to be very pretty in Spring. If I had time off late April/early May, I'd rock n rolla off. Spring is when we need time off; not Winter.

[candyteacher]

I was told this time last year to avoid golden week at all costs, because prices will be sky high and it generally will be quite difficult in tokyo at this time.

Instead my boyfriend and I went to Beijing. It was the best trip iv taken. the weather was beautiful, and none of the tourist places were too busy. Id definetly recommend it and its much much cheaper than tokyo.

[CPT]

Been to Beijing, and it's a great place, but I really have no desire to go back to China ever again.

Plus, a huge part of the appeal is the MMA event I could go to, as I mentioned.

Thanks for the input though. I'm hoping it's the kind of situation where everyone in Tokyo heads somewhere else, so it's not so busy. Sounds like that might be the case.

I may just stay domestic and go to Jeju. I've never been, and it seems like a good time to go.

[farrepatt]

When I lived in Japan I spent most of my Golden Week holiday in Kyoto. I then took the bullet train to Tokyo and spent a couple of days there before heading back up north to where I lived.

Since then I've been back to Kyoto 3 times and Tokyo a couple. I didn't actually find places any busier than I did in the summer (definitely busier than in the winter months though). Nor did I find it any more expensive.

I suspect Tokyo won't draw the crowds during that week. Most Japanese and visitors want to go see the cherry blossoms and flowers.

You might need to book hotels earlier than normal, but if you want to go to Japan I think the thing stopping you more would be the exchange rate with the Won. I'll probably head back to visit Japan once more before I leave Korea, but might not if the won doesn't regain at least something against the yen.

[bradshaw]

Nah, don't let that scare you off! I used to live in Osaka and was told the same thing: to avoid traveling anywhere within Japan over Golden week. A friend and I ended up taking the bullet train to Tokyo for five days and found it was LESS busy than Osaka. My Japanese friend told me it was quiet in Tokyo over that holiday period because a lot of Tokyo dwellers leave the city to visit their family and friends in the cities they're originally from. We had no problem with lines or prices at major attractions whatsoever. It was business as usual. GO!

[harlowethrombey]

similar to Korea over their thanksgiving time i'd guess.

I would say Tokyo should be fine, but if you want to travel around it might get ridiculously crowded at the beginning and end of Golden Week.