Tokyo tourists?

[4drfocus]

I've been absent from the site for almost 3 months, I know, I know :spank:, been BUSY with work, holidays, work, racecar, work, Akira (FZ6) 1/2 torn apart, 1/2 damaged, buried in a 2ft. snow drift, did I mention work?

Anyways all that overtime created nice stack of cash and vacation hours, so I'm going to Tokyo :cheer:, I'm leaving the first week in April, my dad may or may be traveling with me, his army schooling is tenatively scheduled for early April, my aunt in Houston, Tx is a travel agent, she's helping me with the tickets and customs rules, I'll be staying in Tokyo for a week, which should be plenty of time to trek across the city, my boss went last year and covered all of Japan in two weeks, I'll board a plane in Wichita, Ks @ (ICT) bound for Houston, Tx (IAH), then fly from (IAH) to Narita, Japan (NRT) aka: New Tokyo Int,I've got 4 hotels lined up in case they get booked, I'm only taking a carry-on bag (kansas is infamous for lost luggage between flights), Continental Air Lines carry-on restrictions are 22x14x9, I just bought an Oakley backpack with dimensions 21x13x9, bring some clothes, mp3 player, digital camera(8mp, 420mm zoom lens, two 1900 Mah batteries and charger) I'll bring about $400(44,300 Yen) in spending money(food, drinks, rail costs, camera acc.), I'll stay in Asakusa, just hop off the airport train at Asakusa station, then a 15 minute walk to Sakura Hoteru(cherry blossom hotel), it's right across the street from Hanayashiki amusement park!!:rockon:.

Now that you know my plans, if you guy or gals have been to Tokyo, what are good places to explore, which should I avoid, what was your favorite place, any advice and comments welcome, thanks.

 

[brico]

I do not think you will last more than a day on $400 of spending money. that place is not cheap,but hope and wish you enjoy it

 

[4drfocus]

It's actually cheaper in Japan than most of Asia or Europe, the biggest myth about Japan is what you just said, Expensive, the Japanese economy is suffering like the U.S. economy, there actually at a 20 year all time low, so right now is the time to go, the current conversion is $1 U.S.- 120 Yen, the average meal is $8, train ticket $10, vending machine drink $1.20, map $7, single travler/backpacker hotel $22-35 a night, as low as $15-23 a night for weekly rates, bicycle rental $20 a week, if you want to eat or live like a westerner it WILL cost about twice as much, most of the place to tour are free or less than $8 to get in, heck you can even sign up for a vollunteer tour guide if one's avalible during your vist, trust me I've been reseaching this for 3 months, plus my boss went to Japan last year, so I've been talking with him about it. $400 is more than plenty for me, it's not like I'm going to every I see.:thumbup:

 

[Tailgate]

4drfocus is right! This is a big surprise. I did a little research and a good indicator of how expensive a country might be is the price of a McDonald's Big Mac. It's very reasonable in Japan.