Transportation
Nagano Marathon Q & A:
Transportation, phones, money and post
How do I get to Nagano?
A. Information is on the official marathon website. Most participants flying in from overseas will travel through Tokyo’s Narita airport (Link: Narita airport / Narita Layover page). From Narita, take a train to Tokyo station, then a bullet train to Nagano.
Narita airport is 66 km from central Tokyo, and the rail trip takes from 1 to 2 hrs; cost: Y3,200 to Y1,000 Search JNTO or other websites for current prices. FYI, a taxi from the airport costs about Y30,000!
Tokyo's Narita Airport Nagoya airport Osaka airport Train finder website: Jorudan Train finder: Hyperdia
Nagano city does not have an airport. Rail travel to Nagano is the best option. The nearest airport is in Matsumoto, 1 hr. away. International flights rarely stop here, & domestic flights arrive from few Japanese cities.
How do I get a cheap flight to Japan?
A. If anyone has answers to this question, please send me advice. My tips:
Compare airfares to Tokyo, Osaka & Nagoya - there might be a big difference! In 2005 I flew from the US (Minnesota) & would have paid USD$900. Northwest Airlines had a special promotion to the new airport in Nagoya, & I paid USD$440 roundtrip! And I got a few hundred more miles for flying on to Nagoya, also. Good deal for me!
Try a travel agent, then shop online for fares and see if there is a difference. Go directly to the airline's web sites.
Flying on a Tuesday is sometimes cheaper.
Compare different airlines & airports in your home country.
Which of the 3 airports mentioned is more convenient? Opinions vary. I prefer Nagoya airport because it is smaller (thus having smaller crowds) and is new & beautiful. Nagoya has a nice castle & is representative of Japanese cities. Tokyo is the best choice if you want to do a bit of sightseeing in Japan & see the megacity that Tokyo is - tons of stuff to do! The fastest airport-to-Nagano train connections are from Tokyo, thanks to the Tokyo - Nagano bullet train. Osaka is best if you want to visit Kyoto, famous for its historic temples and gardens; it might be the least expensive if you're flying from other parts of Asia, New Zealand or Australia.
Should I get a Japan Rail pass?
A. Only coming to Nagano & not travelling around Japan: NO
Travelling around Japan before / after the marathon: YES
Round-trip rail transportation from Tokyo’s Narita Airport to Nagano city is about Y22,000. A one-week Japan Rail Pass is about Y28,000 yen. If you’ll be in Japan for less than a week & don’t plan to do much travelling (or only plan to see Nagano & Tokyo), don’t get the rail pass. In Tokyo, the pass will be of little use because it can’t be used on the excellent subway system. If you’re here for a week & want to do some travelling, then get a pass; they’re available for 1, 2 or 3 weeks. First-class rail passes are also available, though regular-class seats on the bullet trains (shinkansen) are far better than economy-class seats on airplanes.
My recommendations for travelling in Japan: Nikko (cedar forests & 3 famous monkeys: hear, see & speak no evil), Tokyo (a megacity with tons of sights), Kyoto (temples & history), Hiroshima (history in the city & nearby Miyajima, with great scenery and incredibly delicious oysters), and Matsumoto (a gorgeous castle conveniently located 1 hr. south of Nagano city). Many more sights I could mention. Link to more rail pass information
Phone calls
How do I call overseas from Japan?
A. Easiest way: with a credit card or prepaid phone card from home (find out how to use it BEFORE you leave for Japan).
Calls can be made from your hotel, though it’s often a hassle & expensive. Front desk staff at the Hotel Kokusai 21 probably have more experience with international calls than the staff at the Hotel Sunroute Nagano.
Standard Japanese telephone cards that slide into pay phones are for domestic calls only; usually they cannot be used to call overseas.
International calling cards can be purchased from Y1,000 and up. Per minute rates are usually good, and some of these cards can be used in other countries. If you just want to make a quick call home to say “Hi,” you probably won’t use up all the minutes on the card.
www.timeanddate.com is a great site to figure out a good time to call between two countries. Go to the Meeting Planner for this function.
Can I rent a cell phone?
A. Yes, though it won't be necessary for most people. More information on this is at the Narita Airport website (if the service is available). Search the airport's web sites for more information on this.
Will my cell phone work in Japan?
A. Most phones used in Europe, North America and Australia will not work in Japan. Check with your service provider to see if your phone can be used in Japan BEFORE coming here.
Money
Money
Exchange your cash / travelers checks in Japan, preferrably at the airport. The transaction fees are low, and the exchange rate is competitive. Banks in airports charge the same low fees as banks in downtown. Quite the opposite of the US, where bank fees are ridiculously high and the exchange rate is bad, especially at airports. Currency exchange converter
Currency exchange counters at the airports are much faster than banks in cities, simply because that is the only thing they do. These counters are numerous and easy to find at the International airports, and they are often small branches of major banks downtown. Employees here often speak English and may speak other languages, too. In any city, finding a bank to exchange money will take a bit of time, English-speaking staff are rare and service can be veeerrrryyy slooooow (20 minutes to cash a simple traveler's check is what I've encountered on rare occasions).
Travelers checks GET THEM!
Best to exchange these for cash. Travelers checks are accepted at department stores and some hotels (midrange and up) but are rarely accepted at small businesses. Checks in US dollars are preferred; other major currencies are acceptable. Airports are the best places to exchange currency - see notes above.
Credit cards Virtually useless in Japan
Credit cards are rarely used in Japan; cash is still the most common form of payment. Luxury hotels and expensive restaurants & department stores are some of the few places that readily accept non-Japanese credit cards. ATMs accepting overseas credit cards are tough to find. Getting a cash advance on a credit card is usually a hassle. Contact your credit card company to find out more on using your card overseas.
Credit card advice from Ralf in France:
- Contact your credit card company back home and find out where their office & ATM locations are in Japan, if any. Write down the phone numbers for these offices in Japan, also. If you are having problems with your PIN or other issues with your card, at least you'll know where to go or who to call for help.
Note: Offices for your credit card company might be in Tokyo & Osaka only. Nagano is unlikely to have an office for your credit card company. Thanks for the advice, Ralf!
Citibank Japan I haven't found good websites about using Visa, MasterCard or American Express cards in Japan. If anyone knows of good websites on using credit cards in Japan, please contact me Thanks!
Cash
Bring travelers checks to Japan & exchange for yen at the airport. The exchange rate is always better on travelers checks than on cash. For everything you pay for in Japan (hotels, train tickets, souvenirs, food, clothing, etc.) cash is often the only option. Carrying around large amounts of cash is quite common and very safe. Pickpocketing & purse snatchings are extremely rare in Japan. You are far more likely to forget your bag/purse on a train than have it stolen. Once I forgot a bag on a train; it was turned in to the lost & found office with everything in it. Exception: designer handbags are prized in Japan and might not be returned to you if forgotten on the train.
Here's my lost wallet story (hope this doesn't happen to you): I accidentally misplaced my wallet in a small Japanese city once. It was found in a park by a little boy, who turned it in to the police. Trekking way over to the police station was a bit of a hassle, but the police checked to confirm that it was my wallet and promptly returned it to me. All my cash, credit cards & ID cards were in it, much to my relief. The kid received a big reward from me soon after. Moral of the story: you stand a good chance of getting your wallet back if it is lost.
Postal money orders
Use these to transfer money only if you are familiar with them in Japan, otherwise they can create a lot of hassles. For most travelers to Japan, Travelers Checks are the best option. People who have lived in Japan for some time & have sent money to/from home (students, English teachers, etc.) have often used these.
Post Offices
Easy to find - one is close to Mister Donut in front of the train station, and the city's main post office is a block or 2 from the Hotel Kokusai 21. Clearly write the address & country destination of your letter/post card/parcel in English, and the staff can help you easily. You might have to filll out a small custom's form for packages or envelopes with a lot of stuff inside.
Stamp collectors: go to the Central post office (near the Hotel Kokusai 21) for the best selection of Japanese stamps - lots of cool designs to choose from. You may be able to buy a sheet of snow monkey stamps - cute! This post office has a selection of other Nagano souvenirs, also - post cards, snacks, handicrafts, etc.
Please consult a guidebook, tourist information or other websites for more information on these topics.
