JAPAN

I'll be in Japan from 6/19 to 7/9. In Tokyo, I'll be staying at the hostel K's House, and I think I'll try to hit hostels, minshuku, and shukubo around the country.

I think it will be an awesome trip. I hope I meet some cool people to party with at hostels, and wherever I go. I should probably do the first few days in Tokyo and the last few.

I'd love any advice!

Japan this summer

I'm planning to go to Japan for about three weeks this summer. I have a year of Japanese which isn't much for a true American with no other foreign language experience.

So I'll probably spend a couple of days in Tokyo, where there a good number of English speakers. Try to get my brain working in Japanese.

Then I'll head around the country on a J-Rail pass. See as much as I can, and spend the last 5 days or so in Tokyo.

My budget is about:

$1000-1200 for Air fair

$560 for rail pass (which is actually a bargain)

$65-100 a day for lodging and food

• $20-45 for hostel, capsule, cheap accomodations
• $30 for food

I think I'll also budget $500-750 for gadgets that you can't get outside Japan.

So $3425-4750 max. I can swing it. I'm kind of hoping to hook up with some rich Yakuza and have them buy me food and drinks, but you can't plan on that. Maybe some of the locals will offer me lodging. Dunno.

I haven't really had a full summer off in a decade, and yeah, no one is entitled to that, but I'm going to take advantage.

Still working on the plan. I'll go to Mitsuwa some time, they have a travel agency, and they might offer cheaper flights.