^^ I have this battery bank.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Have it with me with the last few times I been to China and not once I use it. So I might not even bring one with me this time. Is pretty heavy carrying it in my bag. If I do need it I can just buy one in Japan.

Jesus people, every couple of pages in this thread someone asks about pocket wifi. There's wifi everywhere in Japan. Plus you're on vacation...in Japan. Just get off your damn phone and enjoy yourself ffs.

IMO, there actually isn't wi-fi everywhere, atleast not easily accessible without jumping through hoops.

I have done Japan both with and without data and can appreciate both. The transit there is definitely daunting and the help that a phone can provide when navigating the multitude of train lines is very much re-assuring.

Well I need to WiFi for Google maps and google translate. Think i will be lost in their subway system and if I get I can't speak Japanese and most Japanese don't speak English so is better to have internet access.

No there's not. Believe me I tried.

My #1 tip to travelers to Japan (at least Tokyo) is that you can NOT count on public wifi AT ALL.

I even subscribed to a service and it was a little better but still crappy and unreliable (and you can rarely use it outside the venue that hosts it)

Besides it's not like people want wifi to be able to use facebook while at restaurants or shit like that. It is SO helpful to have easy access to maps and information, and translation services.

I've been a regular visitor to Japan for 10 years now, so when I started wifi and mobile internet was rare. I used to have to write down directions and shit at the hotel and hope it was accurate and easy to follow when I was out and about. What a difference it made to be able to access information anywhere.

Wandering aimlessly is fun too, but most people don't want to do that exclusively when traveling. Especially when in cities where there are specific things you want to see.

has anyone tried Dragon Trip tours of japan?

i didn't trust relying on public wifi at all.
i only used my phone for maps, translating and spamming pictures at friends/family lol.

google maps was invaluable for navigating the trains as a first time visitor.

You're right, there isn't as many public wifi spots as there would be even in Canada, but I still found it in private establishments such as cafes and hotels when I needed it. "Needing" being at the end of the day when I messaged people back home.

I guess count me in as one of those old school travellers who can still read a paper map and tries to learn some of the language before I visit a place.

oh i can speak a bit of the language, but a paper map isn't going to tell you that when you get off the N'EX on floor 2 (i think) of Tokyo station, you need to go to the other side of the station and several floors down to get to the Marunouchi subway line lol.

LOL only you could admit to being wrong while at the same time talk about how you're better than everyone else EleGiggle

Are there not signs in the train station? How did people find these things before the internet? :confused:

sure there are signs, but i can't read Kanji.
I just asked at the staffed booth when i first got to tokyo station as i just wanted to get to my room and put all my bags down haha.

:awwyeah: they dont

anyone tried this yet?

[MariCAR] Real Life SuperHero Go-Karting / Street Go-Kart Tokyo Tour

My friend and I are planning on doing this when we go in april.
I just want to hear everyone's experience

Was trying to figure out the 2 different price points, couldn't quite do it. :pokerface:

lol i think it just means if you give them a review or share on social media or something they'll give a discount?
:pokerface:

^ few of my friends have done it. no regrets. If you did it in Vancouver, u might think it's gay; in Japan being on vacation ,both of my friends who went thought it was really cool.

when i saw it in-person i didn't know it was a touristy thing...wish I did it because now Nintendo is suing them.

Damn, japan trips back up to 800 ish and up.

got an email this morning from tripadvisor, flights to tokyo <700 in june.

Is up and down. I just use google flights and I can set a remainder.

those june flights, not a fan of longish layovers

Haneda international airport in Tokyo actually have a ton of stuff to see/buy. Defentity going to spend sometime there on my flight back lol

^ Can confirm, was there last week. Need to go back to Japan, so much to see, eat and do!

Anything good or must see/eat in Tokyo. How's the weather?