Backpack or luggage.

[happydart]

Hi guys, I'm going Japan next week for 17 days with 2 other friends.

We are stuck and deciding whether to bring a backpack or a luggage.

Our main concern would be weather the Shinkansen have overhead luggage compartments like Taiwan's HSR and airplanes as well as the regular trains.

We are moving from Tokyo to Osaka and then back again.

Thanks

Also... is $1000 - $1500 (excluding airfare and accommodation) enough?

 

[feryl]

Hi guys, I'm going Japan next week for 17 days with 2 other friends.

We are stuck and deciding whether to bring a backpack or a luggage.

Our main concern would be weather the Shinkansen have overhead luggage compartments like Taiwan's HSR and airplanes as well as the regular trains.

We are moving from Tokyo to Osaka and then back again.

Thanks

Also... is $1000 - $1500 (excluding airfare and accommodation) enough?

SKS has overhead compartments but not meant for heavy luggage, which should be stowed in the luggage area. Regular trains only have overhead compartment, any large luggage wld be kept next to you when sitting down lor (imagine our own MRT, also some local trains have SKS-style seats)

does this budget include ur JR-pass/SKS tickets? (Tokyo - Osaka one way is easily Y14,000, 2-way would be Y28,000, a 7-day JR pass would cost Y28k as well).
Also, where are u going? Some attractions have fees, some areas don't accept JR Pass. What about metro and subway fares - included? Are you going to eat only 500 yen per meal, or are you looking for a fuller japanese food experience?

 

[evilerniex]

Hi guys, I'm going Japan next week for 17 days with 2 other friends.

We are stuck and deciding whether to bring a backpack or a luggage.

Our main concern would be weather the Shinkansen have overhead luggage compartments like Taiwan's HSR and airplanes as well as the regular trains.

We are moving from Tokyo to Osaka and then back again.

Thanks

Also... is $1000 - $1500 (excluding airfare and accommodation) enough?

so far i have been using luggage for all my trips to japan. dun see the need to bring backpack unless planning to change hotel everyday and the hotels are not conveniently located.

cant remember if shinkansen has overhead luggage compartments, but there is space at the front of the carriage for luggage, so not an issue.

 

[deodorant]

We are stuck and deciding whether to bring a backpack or a luggage.

FWIW, my wife and I did 8d Osaka --> Kyoto -(sks)-> Tokyo with two 20kg regular drag luggage and we were OK.

 

[happydart]

SKS has overhead compartments but not meant for heavy luggage, which should be stowed in the luggage area. Regular trains only have overhead compartment, any large luggage wld be kept next to you when sitting down lor (imagine our own MRT, also some local trains have SKS-style seats)

does this budget include ur JR-pass/SKS tickets? (Tokyo - Osaka one way is easily Y14,000, 2-way would be Y28,000, a 7-day JR pass would cost Y28k as well).
Also, where are u going? Some attractions have fees, some areas don't accept JR Pass. What about metro and subway fares - included? Are you going to eat only 500 yen per meal, or are you looking for a fuller japanese food experience?

I've bought my JR Pass already so left with the subway and metro tickets.
My luggage will be < 20kg. Using those cabin crew bags. Packing light.
If we need a backpack, we'll have to go buy one already.

Food wise ... 2000 - 3000 yen a day? Maybe fuller experience once in a while.

 

[happydart]

FWIW, my wife and I did 8d Osaka --> Kyoto -(sks)-> Tokyo with two 20kg regular drag luggage and we were OK.

so far i have been using luggage for all my trips to japan. dun see the need to bring backpack unless planning to change hotel everyday and the hotels are not conveniently located.

cant remember if shinkansen has overhead luggage compartments, but there is space at the front of the carriage for luggage, so not an issue.

Thanks guys! As if not wrong we're moving to 5 or 6 different hotels/hostels, that's why I raised our concern

Probably will stick to luggage then.

 

[FireEmblem]

the obstacle is not getting the luggage to store in the train, it is actually climbing up and down stairs carrying the heavy luggage as alot of stations do not have any lift or escalator. So it is a very fun time if you are rushing and you are really bad with the rail system, then you will rush up and down carrying them haha that was my experience the first time i went to japan, at least for the first day before i got used to the system

 

[lapucelle]

if u guys want can drop off some of ur luggage at my apartment in Tokyo for a token fee, then pick it back up after returning to Tokyo from Osaka. my wife is at home all the time so no worries about arranging a time.

 

[samtcy]

There are overhead compartments for luggages (but not for big luggages).
If there's space, you can try putting your luggage behind the last row of seats in your train compartment.
Also, there's quite a bit of leg room for Shinkansen seats, so you should probably be able to place your luggage infront of you at your seat. But you might not be able to utilise the tray table.

Also, there are luggage courier services, where you can send your luggage from 1 hotel to another hotel for a fee. It usually takes more than 1 overnight for this service (depends on the distance), so you might have to pack a small overnight bag for you to bring along on your journey as well.

I paid about 1200yen for this luggague courier to send my luggage from Nagano to Tokyo, and about 1300yen to send it from hotel at Shinjuku to hotel at Minami-Senju (within Tokyo), and about 2000yen for Minami-Senju (within Tokyo) to Narita Airport.

 

[feryl]

I paid about 1200yen for this luggague courier to send my luggage from Nagano to Tokyo, and about 1300yen to send it from hotel at Shinjuku to hotel at Minami-Senju (within Tokyo), and about 2000yen for Minami-Senju (within Tokyo) to Narita Airport.

Haha, how come it's so much more expensive from Minami Senju to Narita, but so cheap from Nagano to Tokyo?? the distance is so much greater in the latter

 

[feryl]

the obstacle is not getting the luggage to store in the train, it is actually climbing up and down stairs carrying the heavy luggage as alot of stations do not have any lift or escalator. So it is a very fun time if you are rushing and you are really bad with the rail system, then you will rush up and down carrying them haha that was my experience the first time i went to japan, at least for the first day before i got used to the system

Actually, every station in the main cities would have elevators, you just have to find it (granted, sometimes it's very far away from the gates). Japan is very big on disabled accessibility so it's a no-no if they only have stairs.

 

[feryl]

I've bought my JR Pass already so left with the subway and metro tickets.
My luggage will be < 20kg. Using those cabin crew bags. Packing light.
If we need a backpack, we'll have to go buy one already.

Food wise ... 2000 - 3000 yen a day? Maybe fuller experience once in a while.

Luggage bags are prob better in Japan, not much rough terrain, unless you are going to mountain/village areas to stay. It is also easy to move them ard inside crowded trains. Giant backpacks are not as welcomed, since you might accidentally swing it ard blindly hitting someone in the train, drawing disapproving stares from the passengers.

I think you might able to get more advice on budgeting if you can provide an itinerary, but from the surface, it's usually more than enough to budget 5000 - 8000 yen a day per person to cover intra-city transport, food and some small purchases. So for 17 days that would be $1000 (85k yen) to $1700 (136k yen)

 

[happydart]

Luggage bags are prob better in Japan, not much rough terrain, unless you are going to mountain/village areas to stay. It is also easy to move them ard inside crowded trains. Giant backpacks are not as welcomed, since you might accidentally swing it ard blindly hitting someone in the train, drawing disapproving stares from the passengers.

I think you might able to get more advice on budgeting if you can provide an itinerary, but from the surface, it's usually more than enough to budget 5000 - 8000 yen a day per person to cover intra-city transport, food and some small purchases. So for 17 days that would be $1000 (85k yen) to $1700 (136k yen)

I'll post it or PM it to you once I get it off my friend. I intend to get some japanese collectibles there too. Thinking if I need to add a bit more to my budget now...

 

[samtcy]

Haha, how come it's so much more expensive from Minami Senju to Narita, but so cheap from Nagano to Tokyo?? the distance is so much greater in the latter

Yeah, no idea why. Maybe it's a different brand of courier?

 

[DouBleB]

Hi guys, I'm going Japan next week for 17 days with 2 other friends.

We are stuck and deciding whether to bring a backpack or a luggage.

Our main concern would be weather the Shinkansen have overhead luggage compartments like Taiwan's HSR and airplanes as well as the regular trains.

We are moving from Tokyo to Osaka and then back again.

Thanks

Also... is $1000 - $1500 (excluding airfare and accommodation) enough?

Cfm not enough I going 13 days also intend to change 2.5k may not be enough too..

 

[happydart]

Cfm not enough I going 13 days also intend to change 2.5k may not be enough too..

You intend to eat wagyu everyday?

 

[mynameisjon]

Cfm not enough I going 13 days also intend to change 2.5k may not be enough too..

Meh. I survived on JPY30000 (SGD 480 at 1.6 rate) for 9 days thanks to a screw up by DBS (allowing double charging of my debit card for the air ticket).

Breakfast - Random Soba/Udon shops JPY400 max
Lunch - Any Kaiten Sushi and budget for JPY1000
Dinner - Whatever you have left over from your daily budget

You don't even really need to penny pinch.

 

[cancer81]

if u doing major hoots of Burberry blue/black label and maybe a whole case of cosmetics...

half a million yen also wun be enough

 

[DouBleB]

2.5 k includes hostel oops haha you think enough Bo?

 

[evilerniex]

2.5 k includes hostel oops haha you think enough Bo?

how much for hostel? how much left for meals, transport etc? and for how many days