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Old January 16th, 2005, 03:27 AM
Chris Kuan
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"koneko" wrote on Sun 16 Jan 2005 01:02:19p

I will be in Tokyo and Kyoto in early April. I only have a limited
time, and since this is part of a tour package, part of the itinerary
is planned.


Best way to change currency, find ATM machines? I am a "Credit card"
person, and I know cash is the way to go in Japan.


I'd say change at the airport as soon as you land (or, at your bank before
you leave). It'll only take a few minutes and probably there'll be a bit of
milling around waiting for the entire tour group to coalesce. As you're on
a tour, I don't think the tiny foreign exchange fluctuations during your
trip will affect whether you really want to spend precious tour time and
energy looking for somewhere to change money. It's very safe to carry a
heap of cash on your person (I've carried JPY100000, and heard of people
carying more), where you're going.


Tokyo: I have a half day tour which involves Tokyo Tower, Imperial
Palace Plaza, and the Asakusa Kannon Temple. We will end up in the
Nakamise Arcade, and are free for the afternoon. I am trying to figure
out the best way to use the afternoon. I really want to go to a great
shopping district... is this feasible with the time frame? Is it the
Shinjuku or Shibuya region? Will the stores close soon? What's the
best way from Nakamise Aracde to reach this area (also least
expensive).


I assume the arcade is over near the temple, on the eastern side of the
city. The efficient train service means you could get to either Shibuya or
Shinjuku within about 30 minutes, probably quicker by subway. These suburbs
are actually on the western edge of the main city of Toyko. I'd say for
fashion shopping and general vibe, Shibuya would be much better. Shinjuku
is nice for electronics and maybe a visit to the Takashimaya Times Square
shopping complex (It also has a Kinokuniya bookstore with an English-
language section, so I was happy to find some bilingual manga at domestic
prices). Don't forget to visit Hachiko outside the Shibuya JR station, and
marvel at the tsunami of humanity washing across the intersection in front
of the Starbucks.


Kyoto: Is the Kyoto Handicraft Centre really a "tourist trap?"


I think you could say so. The souveneirs are actually quite nice, but are
also fairly pricey. But if your tour has lunch upstairs, there's no harm in
looking (and not much else to do in the immediate vicinity).


--
Chris
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