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3 Days in Kyoto - JR pass worth it? And food questions.

3 Days in Kyoto - JR pass worth it? And food questions.

Old Apr 23, 2014, 4:36 pm
  #16  
 
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Hmm, I don't know if Japanese cabs take credit cards, since I've never thought of paying that way.

My rare trips within central Tokyo average between ¥2000 and ¥3000. Cabs are by far the most expensive way to travel in Japan.
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Old Apr 23, 2014, 4:43 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by agp423

Also, how do you know what places are restaurants? I am looking for hole-in-wall izakaya and/or sushi places, but from what I've seen online, a lot of Japanese food places are very incognito, and since I don't read Japanese, there's no way for me to tell except to peek in every door I walk past.
Missed your food question the first time around. If you can't tell that a restaurant is a restaurant without reading the kanji, then it's probably expensive. Inexpensive to moderate restaurants have either display windows with plastic models of their menu items or a picture menu posted outside. Department stores, shopping arcades, and large office buildings have restaurant floors, where you can find restaurants specializing in single dishes or families of dishes (different varieties of noodles, for example) or ethnic cuisines (Italian, Indian, Chinese).

Izakaya usually have a red lantern hanging outside, but they rarely have menus in English, just signs on the wall in Japanese.

You will not believe how many restaurants there are in large Japanese cities.
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Old Apr 23, 2014, 5:02 pm
  #18  
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Awesome, I want to avoid expensive places too. I'm hoping to score some good pub food when I'm there. Worse comes to worst I'll just point at what others' are having and say "that".
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Old Apr 23, 2014, 5:22 pm
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Originally Posted by agp423
Awesome, I want to avoid expensive places too. I'm hoping to score some good pub food when I'm there. Worse comes to worst I'll just point at what others' are having and say "that".
Just go for a walk on any side street and you will find places to eat with food displays or pictures and often an English menu that will be filled with "creative spelling." Be sure to try a nice big bowl of ramen at least once.

If all else fails, there are lots of places in or near the stations. Also, don't be afraid of the various convenience stores (7-11, Lawson's, Family Mart, others) for a quick, light meal. Unlike such places here, the "konbinis" in Japan feature fresh, surprisingly tasty meal items and snacks at reasonable prices. Sandwiches, prepared meals and such can be heated at the counter and carried back to your hotel or elsewhere. I wouldn't make a habit of konbini food but it is quick and readily available. I have to confess to an occasional, unhealthy craving for the unlikely looking yakisoba sandwich and my favorite katsu-sando (cutlet sandwich.) Things we can't get at the local 7-11 in the states.

It would be well nigh impossible to go hungry in Japan.

Last edited by abmj-jr; Apr 23, 2014 at 9:17 pm
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Old Apr 23, 2014, 5:32 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by agp423
... Do most Japanese cabs accept US credit cards? If not, what are some common yen denominations I should carry?
I don't think so, at least for US cards. Much of Japan is pretty cash oriented. They may be changing to accept ICOCA or Suica but I have never done that. I always carry a fairly large amount of cash for everything. Credit cards for hotels or major purchases only. Day-to-day expenses are always cash or prepaid (Suica, ICOCA) cards.

For cabs and the ever-present vending machines, I always carry a lot of small bills (1,000/2,000/5,000 JPY) and some pocket change, primarily 100 and 10 yen coins, but change from bills will accumulate in all denominations. For cabs, 1,000 yen bills will be most useful. I usually have a couple of 10,000 yen bills tucked away in my wallet, just in case.
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Old Apr 23, 2014, 8:06 pm
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For a cheap meal, do check out the departmental store food sections, where meals are avail for take away at a very reasonable costs. For even more savings, you can go to these departments approx 30min-1hour before closing and prices for these fresh items are slashed by up to 50%. On several occasions, I've scored a gourmet meal of sashimi for less than 3,000 Yen (prob 6-7 different plates of sashimi) during this period.
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Old Apr 24, 2014, 8:29 am
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Since there's no tipping in Japanese restaurants, and since the consumption tax is rolled into the displayed price, what you see is what you pay.

That's why, for example, some of the inexpensive restaurants can require you to buy a ticket from a vending machine for your choice(s) of food upon entering the establishment, so that you place your order by giving the server your ticket.
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Old Apr 24, 2014, 9:47 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by abmj-jr
I don't think so, at least for US cards. Much of Japan is pretty cash oriented. They may be changing to accept ICOCA or Suica but I have never done that. I always carry a fairly large amount of cash for everything. Credit cards for hotels or major purchases only. Day-to-day expenses are always cash or prepaid (Suica, ICOCA) cards.

For cabs and the ever-present vending machines, I always carry a lot of small bills (1,000/2,000/5,000 JPY) and some pocket change, primarily 100 and 10 yen coins, but change from bills will accumulate in all denominations. For cabs, 1,000 yen bills will be most useful. I usually have a couple of 10,000 yen bills tucked away in my wallet, just in case.
Additionally, I've never gotten any guff for buying something that costs ¥200 or less with a 10K bill. In other words, making change in Japan is mostly carefree.
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