Last edit by: pudgym29
List of Events
Thursday 6 April 7pm - Meet and Greet Drinks - Mikkeller Kanda (see post #67)
Friday 7 April - Walking tour of Ueno Park, Kappabashi shopping street and Asakusa with an optional water bus trip down the Sumida River (see post #76)
Friday 7 April 7-9pm - Official Do Dinner - Kakoiya, 7-9-20 Ginza, Tokyo (see post #73)
Saturday 8 April - Day trip to Okutama (mountainous area of western Tokyo), a short hike along Hatonosu Gorge and a cablecar ride up Mt Mitake (929m) (see post #75)
Sunday 9 April - Explore Shibamata in northeastern Tokyo (see post #106)
* * * * * * * * * *
Do Dinner Attendees - No further changes please
A table has been booked for the 9 people listed below for the Do Dinner on Friday 7 April. Details in post #73. Late cancellations and no shows will be charged in full.
NewbieRunner
ClaudiSTR
cocobird
chrisflyer66
nomadic.relief
TravelKane
elliott44k
firstglobal
pudgym29
* * * * * * * * * *
Attendees:
cocobird - Comfort Hotel Kanda (8 days Wed to Thur)
NewbieRunner - Remm Hibiya
beckoa (arrive Fri pm)
beckoa+1 (arrive Fri pm)
nomadic.relief - Comfort Hotel Kanda
TravelKane - Westin
ClaudiSTR - Friday evening to Sunday noon, Courtyard Tokyo Station
ChrisFlyer66 - Hilton Shinjuku Wed-Sat, Comfort Hotel Kanda Sat-Monday
tuchop
BigRedBears - Comfort Hotel Kanda
lowjhg (part of the DO)
Flier John - local
elliott44k (Thurs & Fri evening)
svimonoff - local
firstglobal - Courtyard Ginza
pudgym29 - Shimbashi
bpe - local-ish (Thursday evening)
Thursday 6 April 7pm - Meet and Greet Drinks - Mikkeller Kanda (see post #67)
Friday 7 April - Walking tour of Ueno Park, Kappabashi shopping street and Asakusa with an optional water bus trip down the Sumida River (see post #76)
Friday 7 April 7-9pm - Official Do Dinner - Kakoiya, 7-9-20 Ginza, Tokyo (see post #73)
Saturday 8 April - Day trip to Okutama (mountainous area of western Tokyo), a short hike along Hatonosu Gorge and a cablecar ride up Mt Mitake (929m) (see post #75)
Sunday 9 April - Explore Shibamata in northeastern Tokyo (see post #106)
* * * * * * * * * *
Do Dinner Attendees - No further changes please
A table has been booked for the 9 people listed below for the Do Dinner on Friday 7 April. Details in post #73. Late cancellations and no shows will be charged in full.
NewbieRunner
ClaudiSTR
cocobird
chrisflyer66
nomadic.relief
TravelKane
elliott44k
firstglobal
pudgym29
* * * * * * * * * *
Attendees:
cocobird - Comfort Hotel Kanda (8 days Wed to Thur)
NewbieRunner - Remm Hibiya
beckoa (arrive Fri pm)
beckoa+1 (arrive Fri pm)
nomadic.relief - Comfort Hotel Kanda
TravelKane - Westin
ClaudiSTR - Friday evening to Sunday noon, Courtyard Tokyo Station
ChrisFlyer66 - Hilton Shinjuku Wed-Sat, Comfort Hotel Kanda Sat-Monday
tuchop
BigRedBears - Comfort Hotel Kanda
lowjhg (part of the DO)
Flier John - local
elliott44k (Thurs & Fri evening)
svimonoff - local
firstglobal - Courtyard Ginza
pudgym29 - Shimbashi
bpe - local-ish (Thursday evening)
Japan Do 2023 - Tokyo - 6-9 April 2023
#76
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,510
Walking tour of Ueno Park, Kappabashi and Asakusa - Friday 7 April
Walking tour of Ueno Park, Kappabashi shopping street and Asakusa - Friday 7 April 2023
Meeting time and place: 10am at JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
This is a new exit on the upper level towards Uguisudani and Nippori (towards the front of the train if coming from Tokyo or Kanda) and across a street from Ueno Park.
JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
Ueno Park is famous for several museums and home to Ueno Zoo, Japan’s first zoological garden. Ueno Park is also one of Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom spots with more than 1,000 cherry trees though we will be too late this year unfortunately.
After Ueno Park we may catch a 100-yen bus (may use Suica, Pasmo, etc.) for a short ride to Kappabashi Street which is lined with stores selling everything needed by restaurant operators with the exception of fresh food! There are stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, as well as those selling plastic and wax food samples which you see outside many restaurants in Japan. Lunch will hopefully be monjayaki, a type of okonomiyaki.
Food samples in a Kappabashi store - far more expensive than the real thing
Monjayaki
After lunch we will walk though Asakusa Nakamise street, visit Sensō-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate.
Sensō-ji Tempke
Those interested will walk down to the river to board a water bus to Hamarikyu Garden or Hinode Pier depending on timing. It will take 35-40 mins and cost 1,040 yen to Hamarikyu (including entrance to the garden) or 860-1,200 yen to Hinode Pier (depending on the type of boat). Hinode Pier is close to Hinode Yurikamome Light Rail station and about 15 minutes walk to JR Hamamatsuchō Station. For anyone leaving the group in Asakusa, Metro Asakusa and Ginza Line Asakusa Stations are nearby.
Sumida River water bus
Meeting time and place: 10am at JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
This is a new exit on the upper level towards Uguisudani and Nippori (towards the front of the train if coming from Tokyo or Kanda) and across a street from Ueno Park.
JR Ueno Station Park Exit (公園口)
Ueno Park is famous for several museums and home to Ueno Zoo, Japan’s first zoological garden. Ueno Park is also one of Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom spots with more than 1,000 cherry trees though we will be too late this year unfortunately.
After Ueno Park we may catch a 100-yen bus (may use Suica, Pasmo, etc.) for a short ride to Kappabashi Street which is lined with stores selling everything needed by restaurant operators with the exception of fresh food! There are stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, as well as those selling plastic and wax food samples which you see outside many restaurants in Japan. Lunch will hopefully be monjayaki, a type of okonomiyaki.
Food samples in a Kappabashi store - far more expensive than the real thing
Monjayaki
After lunch we will walk though Asakusa Nakamise street, visit Sensō-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate.
Sensō-ji Tempke
Those interested will walk down to the river to board a water bus to Hamarikyu Garden or Hinode Pier depending on timing. It will take 35-40 mins and cost 1,040 yen to Hamarikyu (including entrance to the garden) or 860-1,200 yen to Hinode Pier (depending on the type of boat). Hinode Pier is close to Hinode Yurikamome Light Rail station and about 15 minutes walk to JR Hamamatsuchō Station. For anyone leaving the group in Asakusa, Metro Asakusa and Ginza Line Asakusa Stations are nearby.
Sumida River water bus
#77
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan, Flying Blue Gold, Accor Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 662
Sadly, I couldn’t change my plans to try to join you all, rather than going this May. (Someone at work already had Easter week booked up). I will try my best to join next year’s DO. While next years location isn’t decided yet (Nagoya?) I may book flights at least to Tokyo as early as the end of the month (a year before next Easter) since Aeroplan availability is so scarce nowadays.
Have fun, looks like amazing activities planned. I will watch this thread for inspirational ideas for my visit to Tokyo in mid May.
Have fun, looks like amazing activities planned. I will watch this thread for inspirational ideas for my visit to Tokyo in mid May.
#78
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,510
Sadly, I couldn’t change my plans to try to join you all, rather than going this May. (Someone at work already had Easter week booked up). I will try my best to join next year’s DO. While next years location isn’t decided yet (Nagoya?) I may book flights at least to Tokyo as early as the end of the month (a year before next Easter) since Aeroplan availability is so scarce nowadays.
Have fun, looks like amazing activities planned. I will watch this thread for inspirational ideas for my visit to Tokyo in mid May.
Have fun, looks like amazing activities planned. I will watch this thread for inspirational ideas for my visit to Tokyo in mid May.
#79
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Dinner looks exciting.
Will be heading from HND with luggage; hope this is not a huge issue, as our flight is scheduled to arrive at 5:25 PM (JL 15) unless this is too tight. Looks like its about a 30 minute ride to the restaurant.
Will be heading from HND with luggage; hope this is not a huge issue, as our flight is scheduled to arrive at 5:25 PM (JL 15) unless this is too tight. Looks like its about a 30 minute ride to the restaurant.
#80
#81
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,510
Nothing “official”. I’m travelling to Kyoto on Monday for a couple of nights before hiking in Kii Peninsula but I believe some people are staying on around Tokyo for a few days after the Do.
#82
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
JAL seems to have an arrangement for pre-bookable taxis but I can only find information in Japanese and am not sure if they are any cheaper than ordinary taxis. According to a couple of sites I checked a taxi will cost between 6,800-7,200 yen and takes 25-30 minutes.
Google Maps indicates its a direct shot plus a short walk
Ok. we were thinking of spending Sunday and Monday in Tokyo, then heading for Osaka on Tuesday by rail. Kyoto would be fun too. Then hop over to OKA for the weekend. Already have a flight back for two more nights in TYO for some "edible souvenir" shopping
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Mar 19, 2023 at 4:00 pm Reason: Fixed broken quote tags
#83
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,510
Make sure you complete Visit Japan Web as it is supposed to speed things up on arrival. Someone I know recently arrived in Japan without knowing anything about it. I don’t know how she got on but it was her first visit to Japan so there was nothing to compare her experience with. Another friend who had visited Japan a few times before didn’t think anything was necessary because if you go to Visit Japan Web (previously called MySOS for some reason!) the first thing you see on their website is:
“No longer required to register your passport and answer the questions on the web for the Quarantine process (Fast Track) from Dec. 28, 2022. Due to these updates, QR code for Quarantine will not be shown any longer.”
A very badly designed system and instructions (which I had to read in both English and Japanese and still couldn’t understand) are confusing but it replaces landing and customs forms you used to have to complete on paper and allows you to upload Covid vaccination records (3 needed) online. Once you receive your QR codes and a blue screen “Pre-registration for quarantine procedures” take a screenshot of each so you can show them without having to connect to the Internet.
I’m not sure how long immigration will take but arriving at 17:25 and getting on a 18:05 train sounds over-optimistic. I’ve never flown on JL F but when I arrived on LH F you not only leave the aircraft before anyone else your luggage should come out first as well and when I came through passport control there was someone waiting for me with my bag.
Only Keikyū trains which run through service to Toei Metro Asakusa Line will take you directly to Higashi Ginza, which is about 7 blocks away from Ginza Lion Building. The destination of the trains should be either Inzai-makinohara (印西牧の原) or Inba Nihon Idai (印旛日本医大) and they leave HND T3 at18:05, 18:15, 18:25, 18:35, and 18:55 taking 34-37 minutes to Higashi-Ginza. Third carriage from the back is closest to the exit. Look out for A1 exit which has an elevator.
Although Keikyū/Metro is probably the most straightforward public transportation option it is not the fastest. Monorail (every 5-6 minutes) to Hamamatsuchō (in 19 minutes) and taxi from there (1.2km so not expensive) might be the quickest. Slightly more expensive but I suggest monorail + taxi. Let’s hope your flight arrives on time or early.
#84
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,059
Make sure you complete Visit Japan Web as it is supposed to speed things up on arrival. Someone I know recently arrived in Japan without knowing anything about it. I don’t know how she got on but it was her first visit to Japan so there was nothing to compare her experience with. Another friend who had visited Japan a few times before didn’t think anything was necessary...
I can't speak for passport control or customs itself if you didn't use VJW, but with VJW they are doing some facial recognition thing at customs now at both NRT and HND. The paper customs form appeared to get more scrutiny and a manual inspection from the handful of people I saw going that route. With VJW you just walked out while passing through the facial recognition.
#86
#87
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Northern California
Programs: AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Aeroplan 25K, UA Silver
Posts: 492
I'd keep checking back regarding the availability, based on comments from the others, availability that wasn't showing has randomly appeared. And for size, I've certainly had smaller rooms, even a single suitcase (not biggest size) and small back pack should be ok. (Plus I believe there are laundry machines to allow for lighter packing, though who wants to do laundry on holidays!)
#89
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Northern California
Programs: AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Aeroplan 25K, UA Silver
Posts: 492
When traveling from the airport to the hotel, I wondered whether it is okay to travel with my luggage (a rolling carryon) on the public transportation system? Something I read indicated that is unacceptable and that luggage should be forwarded from the airport using takkyubin unless one takes a taxi, which is very expensive from Narita. Has that been the experience of those of you who have previously visited Japan?
#90
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 1,575
When traveling from the airport to the hotel, I wondered whether it is okay to travel with my luggage (a rolling carryon) on the public transportation system? Something I read indicated that is unacceptable and that luggage should be forwarded from the airport using takkyubin unless one takes a taxi, which is very expensive from Narita. Has that been the experience of those of you who have previously visited Japan?