14 days in Japan land. Budget first timer could use some help.
Aug 15, 2012, 4:03 pm
#16
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OP here. Thanks for all the replies so far everyone. Didn't expect that much to flood in at once! I read through everything.
Unfortunately, we'll only be staying in Shinjuku for the first night. Chuo will be the longterm Tokyo stay. They are not too far apart from what I can tell though?
Fortunately we found a pretty killer deal for a 3 bed hotel in Tokyo (Which I've found is no easy task), we're pretty set on basing in Tokyo.
We might find the cost of commuting back and forth, swing things in favor of staying elsewhere though. Are any of those places mentioned do-able, and/or highly recommended for day trips, or 1 day 1 night trips.
I will look into acquiring that book. Trip is a little over a month away so I have some time to read it I think. I've heard Osaka is a haven for awesome food though. Would that not justify getting lost in a big city, and just eat our way through it?
I'm not too well-versed in google maps, but I think i'll tinker around with it and try to figure it out. If you don't mind, would you be willing to share a sample of your created maps?
Yes. Japan-Guide has been invaluable for me so far as well. Most of this itinerary is straight from there. I wish there was a way to cache the entire website to a phone for on-the-go use.
We're limited on our 7 day rail-pass. This would cut away time from Kyoto/Hiroshima. If we did this, we would have to spring for the 14 day pass which I haven't come to justify yet.
We weren't able to acquire a low-cost enough hotel in Kyoto. We don't mind living in a Hostel either. Going through Europe in Hostels was super fun. I hear Japanese hostels are the cleanest in the world?
Thanks for all the great tips.
Particularly intrigued by the supermarket food idea. Are there any ones that have "better" food. What would I be looking to spend, and do almost all of them discount at the same time?
Since we're going to be Tokyo based for the last 7 days. Would it still make sense to get the 14 day pass? I hear it doesn't do much for you in Tokyo. Would the JR Pass help cover all necessary side trips?
Holy. Talk about an insightful post. I think I'll have to re-read that a few times to digest all the information in it! I'll hit you back with questions for sure.
Thanks again for all the help so far again everyone!
Some preliminary thoughts:
If you're going to Kyoto on Day 2, then I think you're better off staying in Shinagawa the first night, so you'll be close to the bullet train.
I think that two nights in Osaka is definitely overkill.
If you want a true hot spring experience, you need to take a trip to Hakone. This is where having a Shinjuku hotel is handy, as there's a train that goes straight from Shinjuku to Hakone in about an hour and a half.
If you're going to Kyoto on Day 2, then I think you're better off staying in Shinagawa the first night, so you'll be close to the bullet train.
I think that two nights in Osaka is definitely overkill.
If you want a true hot spring experience, you need to take a trip to Hakone. This is where having a Shinjuku hotel is handy, as there's a train that goes straight from Shinjuku to Hakone in about an hour and a half.
I would suggest spending more time away from the big cities. Spending at least some of your time in rural areas - Shikoku, Nagano, the San-in coast etc. etc. - is a great way to experience some of the best of Japan without spending a fortune. For a 14-day budget trip, it's better to do that than to base yourself in Tokyo and take daytrips IMHO.
You'll find lots of tips in the budget travel threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/archive/t-1107062.html
You'll find lots of tips in the budget travel threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/archive/t-1107062.html
We might find the cost of commuting back and forth, swing things in favor of staying elsewhere though. Are any of those places mentioned do-able, and/or highly recommended for day trips, or 1 day 1 night trips.
I'd suggest reading The Rough Guide to Japan (available as an e-book) to get a better idea of what you really want to see. At this point, you seem not to have any specific ideas of what to see.
I agree that two nights in Osaka is overkill. It has its fans, but for a first-timer, it looks like just another big city. Even the castle is a postwar reconstruction, but you can find genuine castles in places like Hikone (not Hakone, Hikone--a brief local train ride out of Kyoto), Fukuyama, and Matsumoto
An overnight trip to Mt. Koya is a good way to get out into the countryside, but...
I agree that two nights in Osaka is overkill. It has its fans, but for a first-timer, it looks like just another big city. Even the castle is a postwar reconstruction, but you can find genuine castles in places like Hikone (not Hakone, Hikone--a brief local train ride out of Kyoto), Fukuyama, and Matsumoto
An overnight trip to Mt. Koya is a good way to get out into the countryside, but...
I just got back from Japan and was kind of on a budget, so I can give some advice.
If you are eating out, just get water or tea to drink. Alcohol can end up being just as much (if not more) than your food bill if you drink a lot. Even a couple of Cokes can really add up.
For breakfast and lunch, convenience stores are your friend. I budgeted 2000 yen for breakfast and 2400 for lunch and most days we were way under that with a quick conveinience store trip. Dinner can be had for reasonable prices too, just check the menu out front before going in.
Other things that I found useful (not necessarily budget):
- Hopefully you have a smart phone or one of the people you are traveling with does - use Google maps and the pre-cache feature to your advantage. I setup a custom map with all of our points of interest before going to Japan and it really came in handy. Google recently broke the offline maps feature for Japan with the latest version so make sure you have an earlier version (5.8.1 I think).
- Use japan-guide.com. I found it invaluable on our trip, I just wish there was some sort of an offline version. They give you the open and closing times along with admission fees and what the best way is to get to a place. If you are going to Tokyo Tripadvisor also has a Tokyo city guide app that did a decent job of reccommending restaurants in our location (no data connection required).
If you are eating out, just get water or tea to drink. Alcohol can end up being just as much (if not more) than your food bill if you drink a lot. Even a couple of Cokes can really add up.
For breakfast and lunch, convenience stores are your friend. I budgeted 2000 yen for breakfast and 2400 for lunch and most days we were way under that with a quick conveinience store trip. Dinner can be had for reasonable prices too, just check the menu out front before going in.
Other things that I found useful (not necessarily budget):
- Hopefully you have a smart phone or one of the people you are traveling with does - use Google maps and the pre-cache feature to your advantage. I setup a custom map with all of our points of interest before going to Japan and it really came in handy. Google recently broke the offline maps feature for Japan with the latest version so make sure you have an earlier version (5.8.1 I think).
- Use japan-guide.com. I found it invaluable on our trip, I just wish there was some sort of an offline version. They give you the open and closing times along with admission fees and what the best way is to get to a place. If you are going to Tokyo Tripadvisor also has a Tokyo city guide app that did a decent job of reccommending restaurants in our location (no data connection required).
Yes. Japan-Guide has been invaluable for me so far as well. Most of this itinerary is straight from there. I wish there was a way to cache the entire website to a phone for on-the-go use.
Since Osaka and Kyoto are so close, I'd just skip the Osaka stay and just add a night to Kyoto and another to Hiroshima. Use the rail pass to day trip to Osaka from Kyoto. Other day trip options include Nara and Hikone. With an extra day in Hiroshima, you can use your pass to train and ferry to Miyajima Island for most of a day.
Agree with the above, in many cases, low-cost business hotels offer more value, all things considered, than hostels. Try - http://www.japanhotel.net/ or Rakuten Travel for ideas.
Agree with the above, in many cases, low-cost business hotels offer more value, all things considered, than hostels. Try - http://www.japanhotel.net/ or Rakuten Travel for ideas.
There are many budget hotel chains in Japan (Toyoko Inn, Comfort Inn, Richmond Hotels) - if you look at Rakuten's website you can search for low priced hotels. Be sure to check for a non-smoking room as there are still many hotels that allow smoking. Japan is very safe so don't worry about staying in a "cheap" place. You can eat your main restaurant meal at lunchtime and take advantage of the "set" lunches that are served in most places. You will likely have a fridge in your hotel room so stop in the local supermarket the evening before and get some breakfast things for the morning. There are great supermarkets in the basement of most department stores. If you go after 6pm you will also find that many foods are discounted - look for a red sticker usually showing a percent number i.e. 30% off. You can find lots of great foods to try that way but don't go overboard or you'll spend more than you would in a restaurant. Of course, you should try the ramen places (young males are their natural constituency). If your rail pass is active when you are in Tokyo or Osaka you can use the JR metro lines to get around. You should spend some time people watching - in
Tokyo the best areas to see young people hanging out would be Harajuku and Shibuya. Osaka has a street where the young parade around in their cool clothes. I can't think of the name but it's not too far from Dotonbori. In Kyoto you will have the chance to see junior geisha's (maiko) and maybe some real grown up ones. For geek stuff go to Akihabari and for cheap souvenirs Asakusa. Go to the Time Out Tokyo website for tips on things to do. And if you haven't done so, go to the Japan National Tourist Org (JNTO) website which is full of good information. Have a great trip.
Tokyo the best areas to see young people hanging out would be Harajuku and Shibuya. Osaka has a street where the young parade around in their cool clothes. I can't think of the name but it's not too far from Dotonbori. In Kyoto you will have the chance to see junior geisha's (maiko) and maybe some real grown up ones. For geek stuff go to Akihabari and for cheap souvenirs Asakusa. Go to the Time Out Tokyo website for tips on things to do. And if you haven't done so, go to the Japan National Tourist Org (JNTO) website which is full of good information. Have a great trip.
Particularly intrigued by the supermarket food idea. Are there any ones that have "better" food. What would I be looking to spend, and do almost all of them discount at the same time?
I went in June with a tight budget because I left my job for personal reasons. Fortunately I was staying with a friend, but still managed to spend more than I had budgeted...!
I was going to go down to Hiroshima and Kyoto. I thought that the railpass was a little pricey so I didn't, and I'm now glad for my decision to stay in Tokyo for the full crazy experience. I'll probably have to head back to Japan soon for that of course.
--
On food, my budget was 500 yen for breakfast, 500 yen for lunch and 1000 yen for dinner (excluding drinks and restaurants when I hang out with friends - this is where my money disappeared). Breakfast because I was staying at my friend's.
Breakfast: 100 yen McChicken & 100 yen coffee. I know, McChicken...?! But I love the one in Japan with the wasabi-flavoured mayonnaise. Plus even though I'm Asian, I can't stomach eating rice in the morning.
Lunch: 2 different flavoured onigiri (~220 yen) from convenience stores. Supermarkets attached to departmental stores have the best tasting ones IMO. Pork cutlet sandwiches (katsu sandwich) are pricey and broke my budget, but so worth it!
Dinner: Waiting around supermarkets for the staff to come out and paste 50% stickers on the meal I eyed. Not very cheap, but what an experience waiting around with other Japanese waiting for the same thing. That said, massive discounts rarely found in the touristy area (my friend lives in the "suburb" area 20 minutes from Shinjuku).
Sometimes I "splurge" and go for the enormous 480 yen meal at one of the beef bowl fast-food chain stores for lunch. It will definitely fill you up, and I think it's an experience in itself.
Ichiran is a ramen chain store that you can find near major stations in Tokyo; make your payment using the vending machine and when you're seated, ask for an English ordering form. Surprisingly tasty, and I am not kind on bad ramen!
Gonna assume you like sashimi and sushi (SASHIMI IS THE BEST), so hit up Tsukiji Market in the morning. Lots more information on the web about the FREE tuna auction (which I didn't manage to wake up for) and the numerous sushi restaurants in the area.
I love sashimi and I never made it here, but I have heard that the sashimi in most Japanese restaurants are good so it is mainly the experience of seeing fish being sold and then possibly eating the same school in the next minute? I don't know.
---
Fun spots: Any of the Don Quijote and Daiso outlets, amazing! So much crap you never knew you needed. Akihabara has many gamers sitting outside the station playing on their DS Lites and PSPs, so that might be something interesting?
On Harajuku, I didn't find it that interesting because there are similar stuff in Singapore (of course this is the authentic one). BUT according to my friend, the experience of being in Harajuku is to have crepes! There is Marion Crepes just halfway down the main shopping street (the other one looks good too, but I'm too big a fan of Marion) WHICH YOU MUST HAVE.
There is also Calbee's cafe, where they make fresh potato chips! It might sound boring, but they have so many odd flavours that actually taste good. I love Calbee chips, and being there is great personally.
--
Go up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building (walk from Shinjuku) for views of Tokyo. Absolutely free! If you want a view of Tokyo Tower, apparently Roppongi has good views at night. I never bothered to look out for it, but my friend was insistent there exists the best views of the Tower from the ground.
--
Day-trips: I went to Yokohama because I wanted to go for the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum. It was not a problem communicating with the staff despite not speaking Japanese myself. Go early, get a queue number for making your own cup noodle and explore the city if you have time. There is a Chinatown in this city; I walked all the way to/from the Cup Noodle Museum through the famous park, and it was exhausting.
Kamakura was another one. I am not a fan of temples especially since I have been to numerous since I was a kid, but there are some amazing temples for those who are interested in their architecture. Enormous and hilly, with a beautiful view along the coast of the Pacific Ocean when you take the train down.
Meiji Temple in the heart of Tokyo (Harajuku station) is probably a good introduction to temples in Japan. But the naturally hilly parts of Kamakura is something a little different from that of Meiji.
--
For travel, as usual, plan most of major travels within 7 days of rail pass validity. Get the Suica card for transport within Tokyo, and use Hyperdia.com to map out cheapest/fastest route because I didn't in my first 2 days and my top-ups were crazy!
I got myself a Data Sim Card (1gb b-Mobile) from one of the electronic stores at Shinjuku because I was meeting a friend there. Ask the staff to activate the card for you using their mobile phones, because otherwise you would have to hunt one down for activation.
I actually spent 10 days in Tokyo with 2 day-trips outside of the city, and it was a bit of an overkill in terms of tourist sights, but there is so much to see and do in the city (exploring Shinjuku, Shibuya... Shibuya 101 is crazy even for girls; guys will be shocked by the frilliness) that I could not bear to leave.
--
Hope the above helps somewhat? Have fun!
I was going to go down to Hiroshima and Kyoto. I thought that the railpass was a little pricey so I didn't, and I'm now glad for my decision to stay in Tokyo for the full crazy experience. I'll probably have to head back to Japan soon for that of course.
--
On food, my budget was 500 yen for breakfast, 500 yen for lunch and 1000 yen for dinner (excluding drinks and restaurants when I hang out with friends - this is where my money disappeared). Breakfast because I was staying at my friend's.
Breakfast: 100 yen McChicken & 100 yen coffee. I know, McChicken...?! But I love the one in Japan with the wasabi-flavoured mayonnaise. Plus even though I'm Asian, I can't stomach eating rice in the morning.
Lunch: 2 different flavoured onigiri (~220 yen) from convenience stores. Supermarkets attached to departmental stores have the best tasting ones IMO. Pork cutlet sandwiches (katsu sandwich) are pricey and broke my budget, but so worth it!
Dinner: Waiting around supermarkets for the staff to come out and paste 50% stickers on the meal I eyed. Not very cheap, but what an experience waiting around with other Japanese waiting for the same thing. That said, massive discounts rarely found in the touristy area (my friend lives in the "suburb" area 20 minutes from Shinjuku).
Sometimes I "splurge" and go for the enormous 480 yen meal at one of the beef bowl fast-food chain stores for lunch. It will definitely fill you up, and I think it's an experience in itself.
Ichiran is a ramen chain store that you can find near major stations in Tokyo; make your payment using the vending machine and when you're seated, ask for an English ordering form. Surprisingly tasty, and I am not kind on bad ramen!
Gonna assume you like sashimi and sushi (SASHIMI IS THE BEST), so hit up Tsukiji Market in the morning. Lots more information on the web about the FREE tuna auction (which I didn't manage to wake up for) and the numerous sushi restaurants in the area.
I love sashimi and I never made it here, but I have heard that the sashimi in most Japanese restaurants are good so it is mainly the experience of seeing fish being sold and then possibly eating the same school in the next minute? I don't know.
---
Fun spots: Any of the Don Quijote and Daiso outlets, amazing! So much crap you never knew you needed. Akihabara has many gamers sitting outside the station playing on their DS Lites and PSPs, so that might be something interesting?
On Harajuku, I didn't find it that interesting because there are similar stuff in Singapore (of course this is the authentic one). BUT according to my friend, the experience of being in Harajuku is to have crepes! There is Marion Crepes just halfway down the main shopping street (the other one looks good too, but I'm too big a fan of Marion) WHICH YOU MUST HAVE.
There is also Calbee's cafe, where they make fresh potato chips! It might sound boring, but they have so many odd flavours that actually taste good. I love Calbee chips, and being there is great personally.
--
Go up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building (walk from Shinjuku) for views of Tokyo. Absolutely free! If you want a view of Tokyo Tower, apparently Roppongi has good views at night. I never bothered to look out for it, but my friend was insistent there exists the best views of the Tower from the ground.
--
Day-trips: I went to Yokohama because I wanted to go for the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum. It was not a problem communicating with the staff despite not speaking Japanese myself. Go early, get a queue number for making your own cup noodle and explore the city if you have time. There is a Chinatown in this city; I walked all the way to/from the Cup Noodle Museum through the famous park, and it was exhausting.
Kamakura was another one. I am not a fan of temples especially since I have been to numerous since I was a kid, but there are some amazing temples for those who are interested in their architecture. Enormous and hilly, with a beautiful view along the coast of the Pacific Ocean when you take the train down.
Meiji Temple in the heart of Tokyo (Harajuku station) is probably a good introduction to temples in Japan. But the naturally hilly parts of Kamakura is something a little different from that of Meiji.
--
For travel, as usual, plan most of major travels within 7 days of rail pass validity. Get the Suica card for transport within Tokyo, and use Hyperdia.com to map out cheapest/fastest route because I didn't in my first 2 days and my top-ups were crazy!
I got myself a Data Sim Card (1gb b-Mobile) from one of the electronic stores at Shinjuku because I was meeting a friend there. Ask the staff to activate the card for you using their mobile phones, because otherwise you would have to hunt one down for activation.
I actually spent 10 days in Tokyo with 2 day-trips outside of the city, and it was a bit of an overkill in terms of tourist sights, but there is so much to see and do in the city (exploring Shinjuku, Shibuya... Shibuya 101 is crazy even for girls; guys will be shocked by the frilliness) that I could not bear to leave.
--
Hope the above helps somewhat? Have fun!
Thanks again for all the help so far again everyone!
Aug 15, 2012, 7:09 pm
#17
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I agree that there's nothing wrong with doing two or three days in Osaka. It isn't chock full of tourist attractions the way that Kyoto or Tokyo is, but it has a unique big-city vibe and you can have lots of fun just wandering around. If you do get bored, you have a lot of other options within day or half-day trip distance (Kobe, Nara, more Kyoto, go up to Minoo Park and see the monkeys).
Not right now, because it's under renovation and covered by a giant tent. But ordinarily, yes.
Aug 15, 2012, 7:26 pm
#18
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Not right now, because it's under renovation and covered by a giant tent. But ordinarily, yes.
Aug 15, 2012, 7:30 pm
#19
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Aug 15, 2012, 8:14 pm
#20
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To the OP, if you have found a cheap hostel you like in Osaka, my advice would work in reverse. Stay in Osaka and use the Pass to day trip to Kyoto. It is less than 1/2 hour on the shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station or less than an hour on locals from Osaka or Namba Station. The point is to avoid changing hotels for such a short distance and using up time better spent actually seeing and doing things. Some day trips, like Nara, are actually easier from Osaka.
The reason for suggesting Kyoto over Osaka is that you are already planning 7 days in Tokyo. Osaka will pretty much be more of the same - big city, night life, noise and hustle-bustle. For 3 young guys looking for action that could be great but 3 guys with no money, not so much.
Aug 16, 2012, 12:19 pm
#22
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Osaka, Shenzhen, NYC
Posts: 77
Not right now, because it's under renovation and covered by a giant tent. But ordinarily, yes.
The reason for suggesting Kyoto over Osaka is that you are already planning 7 days in Tokyo. Osaka will pretty much be more of the same - big city, night life, noise and hustle-bustle. For 3 young guys looking for action that could be great but 3 guys with no money, not so much.
Last edited by aceofangel; Aug 16, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Aug 16, 2012, 1:14 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: UA, Hilton
Posts: 92
This could be because, Kyoto has many old temples and may be
on the next to Tokyo in the travel guide. While Osaka has
many cultural differences than Tokyo, that may not be visible
to those who are the first timers to Japan.
14 days are long enough to enjoy the visit to (not only Japan) any country.
I believe you can do more than sampling the chapter titles of travel
guide books for Japan. My suggestion is to stay at least 3 days
in one place.
But if you're interested in sampling major cities, this could be an option:
http://www.hatobus.com/en/
Aug 16, 2012, 2:49 pm
#24
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Crazy. I went to the one in Ikeda (north of Osaka) back in May and didn't realise there is one in Yokohama. Looks to be really similar, except newer and bigger.
Aug 16, 2012, 4:41 pm
#25
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Aug 16, 2012, 5:38 pm
#26
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Aug 16, 2012, 6:17 pm
#27
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Kyoto Hostels and a Tokyo suggestion
Kyoto has most of the hostels in the Kansai area. Try these; I've stayed at them before and they were very clean and civilized:
Tour Club
K's House
J-Hoppers
Tour Club and K's House are very international and have lots of resources for international visitors. J-Hoppers (when I went) had a lot of Japanese and Chinese visitors. The guy who opened J-Hoppers rode a motorcycle around the world and had a lot of photos up on the wall. Way cool.
Also, if you need a place in Tokyo to crash, I'm partial to Ace-Inn. Unlike most budget lodgings way out in Taito or near Minami-Senju, Ace-Inn is in the eastern part of Shinjuku, right off the Toei Shinjuku line (Akebonobashi). Choose the luxury floor; it's not as packed and there's more room for baggage and stuff. You also get a locker too. ^
Tour Club
K's House
J-Hoppers
Tour Club and K's House are very international and have lots of resources for international visitors. J-Hoppers (when I went) had a lot of Japanese and Chinese visitors. The guy who opened J-Hoppers rode a motorcycle around the world and had a lot of photos up on the wall. Way cool.
Also, if you need a place in Tokyo to crash, I'm partial to Ace-Inn. Unlike most budget lodgings way out in Taito or near Minami-Senju, Ace-Inn is in the eastern part of Shinjuku, right off the Toei Shinjuku line (Akebonobashi). Choose the luxury floor; it's not as packed and there's more room for baggage and stuff. You also get a locker too. ^
Aug 16, 2012, 6:32 pm
#28
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OP here. Thanks for all the replies so far everyone. Didn't expect that much to flood in at once! I read through everything.
We weren't able to acquire a low-cost enough hotel in Kyoto. We don't mind living in a Hostel either. Going through Europe in Hostels was super fun. I hear Japanese hostels are the cleanest in the world?
Since we're going to be Tokyo based for the last 7 days. Would it still make sense to get the 14 day pass? I hear it doesn't do much for you in Tokyo. Would the JR Pass help cover all necessary side trips?
We weren't able to acquire a low-cost enough hotel in Kyoto. We don't mind living in a Hostel either. Going through Europe in Hostels was super fun. I hear Japanese hostels are the cleanest in the world?
Since we're going to be Tokyo based for the last 7 days. Would it still make sense to get the 14 day pass? I hear it doesn't do much for you in Tokyo. Would the JR Pass help cover all necessary side trips?
Regarding the JR Pass; If you're going afield, use it. The JR Pass isn't really that helpful in Tokyo proper. Once you're in Tokyo, get yourself a SUICA card and put Y3000 on it. That should be worth a few day's worth of puttering.
Keep in mind that there are two separate subways (Toei and Tokyo Metro) as well as several major railroads (JR, Keisei, Keikyu, Keio, Tokyu) operating above ground in Tokyo. They all accept the SUICA and in some cases, you get a discount when transferring to different lines.
Aug 16, 2012, 10:49 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Singapore
Posts: 324
Both look the same in terms of offerings though. I "designed" my own cup noodles and chose my own toppings. Can I say that it tastes better than the ones I buy?
Aug 16, 2012, 10:52 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Singapore
Posts: 324
Once you're in Tokyo, get yourself a SUICA card and put Y3000 on it. That should be worth a few day's worth of puttering.
Keep in mind that there are two separate subways (Toei and Tokyo Metro) as well as several major railroads (JR, Keisei, Keikyu, Keio, Tokyu) operating above ground in Tokyo. They all accept the SUICA and in some cases, you get a discount when transferring to different lines.
Keep in mind that there are two separate subways (Toei and Tokyo Metro) as well as several major railroads (JR, Keisei, Keikyu, Keio, Tokyu) operating above ground in Tokyo. They all accept the SUICA and in some cases, you get a discount when transferring to different lines.
JR Lines are not too pricey but very busy because it covers a lot of suburb areas; I stayed in Mitaka and tried to avoid peak hour rush as much as possible.