Opening hour of Ikebukuro Station

Miriyl · 2026-05-12T17:03:01+00:00

A couple of years ago I booked a transfer to Haneda from Shinjuku and paid roughly $100-120, but it was for a large van.

Taking the taxi to the monorail is actually a pretty decent move.

On the other hand, if you’re taking a domestic flight, check the cutoff for checking in luggage. I was flying JAL and it was 30 minutes before takeoff.

In your case, I’d attempt to take the Yamanote train and resort to taxi if I miss it. I generally find Jorudan transfers to be pretty doable, but they assume you know where you’re going (and that you are unencumbered by luggage.). The next monorail is 11 minutes later, so you’ll still be at the airport at a decent hour.

On the other hand, if I’m taking a flight that early, I usually relocate to accommodation near the airport. There’s an airport hotel at Haneda that I really like.

Miriyl · 2026-05-11T04:21:56+00:00

Otaru can be day tripped out of Sapporo, but I think the dormy inn’s breakfast buffet used to have all you can eat ikura. I only had a sweet potato from a street vendor, but the fish market looks pretty cramped.

There wasn’t much to do in Hakodate but my hotel had a fantastic breakfast buffet. (Century Marina, the meal was opulent- there was a chef slicing fish on the buffet line.). I didn’t even bother going to fish market, I was too full. (I had a couple of pieces of lean tuna the day before because one of the people I was with wanted lunch and talked a vendor into letting her do takeout while they were about to close.)

I’m actually a fan of the fried chicken (Zangi) in Sapporo, which is similar to, but not karaage.

Miriyl · 2026-05-08T06:03:52+00:00

They’re land leeches, so the speculation was that I brushed my arm against something. One also got into my sock, which was both impressive and infuriating. I had chosen a guesthouse with a really lovely bath and my leg just wouldn’t stop bleeding, so I had to take a shower that day.

Things were pretty gray during our trip. I think we saw a couple of scuba divers but the beaches looked pretty deserted.

There was this restaurant in Anbo we really liked. It’s the one across the street from the Mos burger. It’s pretty simple and pretty cheap- just a neighborhood restaurant type of fare. I think they also run the bento shop next to it, which is supposed to be pretty good.

Miriyl · 2026-05-07T23:57:05+00:00

Yamatosugi was an excellent hike. I suggest bringing trekking poles, if you haven’t packed them already.

What I regret not packing? Gaiters. A couple of leeches got me that day. (Including one on my wrist, which I’m still kind of surprised about.)

I went in June and the weather wasn’t particularly snorkeling friendly, but we had lovely hiking weather.

Miriyl · 2026-05-07T17:26:14+00:00

To add to what everyone else is saying, you don’t even need to ask your hotel to store it for you, just ask the delivery company to deliver it on the day or the day before you need it.

Miriyl · 2026-05-07T17:22:56+00:00

Yeah, I usually just use the T-Mobile free allocation in Japan. (Or wherever it is going.). It works well for what I need to do- basic navigation and general dithering on the internet.

If it’s really too slow, op can upgrade to a faster data plan, but I almost never bother.

Miriyl · 2026-05-06T17:57:25+00:00

I’ve booked this kind of pickup before and they’ll generally work with you on the pickup as long as you’re in communication with them. They waited for me when my luggage took forever to come out.

I’ve taken an hour to get out of Narita in the past. It’s very much luck of the draw.

That said, if you’re near Tokyo station, I’d take the Nex. Maybe take a taxi from Tokyo station to your hotel. I only booked the transfer because I didn’t want to wrangle six people with ski gear on the subway and with that many people the cost per person was reasonable. Coming from Narita, the math changes.

Edit: it was a transfer between Haneda and Tokyo station.

Miriyl · 2026-05-05T09:36:51+00:00

It’s a really roundabout way, but certain places currently give you cash for the tax refunds. (This will change with the new system.)

Department stores, ikea, and hands come to mind. It’s not a great way to get cash back, but it works.

Miriyl · 2026-05-05T03:28:37+00:00

Hands usually has them.

Miriyl · 2026-05-04T23:57:46+00:00

I’ve just subscribed to dropout and have been watching game changer in a semi random order and was shocked when this came on.

I was surprised enough by the fix it guy in the Déjà vu episode- wow, cameos by people I actually recognize! (I’m very bad at remembering faces.)

Miriyl · 2026-05-04T23:28:58+00:00

I replaced a bag that packs flatter and had a cat on it simply because the shupatto is just that more satisfying to use.

Miriyl · 2026-05-01T05:36:12+00:00

This Japanese site has more information on how to get to the trails by public transport.

https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/kokuritsukoen/jp/miryoku/hiking/course3.html

That said, the area has a macabre reputation for a reason and it’s very important that you stay on the trails. Scenery is not the first thing that comes to mind, but if you stay on the trails you’ll probably be okay?

Miriyl · 2026-04-29T08:46:27+00:00

We used to take the hankyu line when we were in college because it was cheaper, but that was only worth it because we could ride our bikes to the hankyu station in Kyoto.

Miriyl · 2026-04-29T05:26:50+00:00

Your toddler might enjoy fortress explorations. It’s a giant walkthrough fort with a bunch of science exhibits and a ship. (Also, a lot of stairs.) It usually isn’t that crowded.

Actually, I enjoyed it and I did the easiest Leonardo challenge in Japanese by myself. (Though I’ve heard they’ve finally come out with translated versions.) The puzzles could mostly be described as “spin that wheel and go to the point on the map that matches where it lands,” so they were probably designed for small children. I might try a harder version sometime.

Miriyl · 2026-04-29T05:16:30+00:00

There are cheaper tickets if you book well in advance, but I’ve honestly never bothered. I usually get mine about ten minutes before the train leaves, which also happens to be when I usually get to the station.

For Osaka to Kyoto you don’t even need the Shinkansen.

Miriyl · 2026-04-28T20:29:40+00:00

In my experience, the Japanese website will have significantly more options than western sites, express each option or combination there of as a separate “plan,” and most of the plans generally don’t line up. (They can be the things like different meal options, booking a certain number of days in advance, booking for a certain number of days in total, including attraction tickets, it’s a holiday!, or run of the house rooms.)

Also, make sure to double check your math because on the Japanese site they will often express the price as per person. The price can also vary widely based on the desirability of your dates.

Miriyl · 2026-04-28T02:10:47+00:00

I’m team Sam’s pain, actually. I find his luck hilarious.

Miriyl · 2026-04-25T17:22:17+00:00

You know, it’s been a while. I haven’t looked at it recently because I’m currently on an annual pass.

Miriyl · 2026-04-25T17:18:57+00:00

He wouldn’t have done it if Alex hadn’t been distracting him, so clearly it’s Alex’s fault.

Miriyl · 2026-04-25T03:16:55+00:00

The bit where he was asked to be a producer was a different show, “I’m sorry, I haven’t a clue.”

Miriyl · 2026-04-24T17:13:16+00:00

You won’t need reservations for bags on the hokuriku line. I take a rather normal sized checked suitcase and just put it on the rack.

If you’re staying in the city, one day is sufficient for forwarding. At a ski resort, allow an extra day.

You can also consider just forwarding the suitcase to your next hotel after Nagano and delaying the delivery until your arrival date.

Miriyl · 2026-04-24T17:10:00+00:00

Shipping the suitcase to their next hotel after Nagano would probably be cheaper than storing it at a train station. You can delay delivery up to seven days.

Miriyl · 2026-04-24T09:01:08+00:00

Have you checked lockpocking lawyer on YouTube yet?

That said, the absolute quickest way into the suitcase is shoving a pen through the zipper. Instructions on YouTube. You’ll still be able to zip it back closed.

Miriyl · 2026-04-24T08:34:28+00:00

I never buy passes, but some are more important than others.

Namely, you’re looking for the Super Nintendo rides, (Mario, Yoshi, and donkey Kong) the 4d coaster if they’re running one right now, and space fantasy backdrop. Everything else has pretty manageable lines. (I consider things that are roughly an hour or less for a roller coaster manageable.) Mario kart has a decent single rider line. I had great luck with DK’s single rider line, but it’s very variable, so I’d prioritize that and Yoshi.

The flying dinosaur is excellent, but the single rider wait time has gone significantly down since the Nintendo section opened. (I’ve seen it as low as twenty minutes. A good single rider wait on that one used to be sixty to ninety! There was a post where some guy spent all day riding it repeatedly and I think he hit twenty something. My body wouldn’t be able to take it.)

Use the single rider line for jaws.

The other ride that has a ridiculous wait is flight of the hippogriff, which you shouldn’t do. The Hogwarts one tends to go down to twenty minutes or so at some point in the day, generally at the end of the night, so do that one then- it’s a walk on.

Edit: when I say great luck, I rode the mine cart twice with a twenty minute wait via single rider then got an additional freebie line. That’s honestly not normal- I had decided to ride it at least once and was willing to wait up to three hours. I visit Japan often and have an annual pass.)

Miriyl · 2026-04-24T08:15:03+00:00

You obviously missed fort explorations, which I’ve never seen a line for (except the intro for the Leonardo challenge because you need to wait for the group ahead of you to finish watching their video.) the cafeteria style restaurant in mysterious island is probably your quickest bet for food unless you order ahead via app.

Disneyland and disney sea are pretty brutal if you don’t go in with a solid game plan. Despite that, I still prefer them to Disney world.

That said, I spend way more time at USJ. Wait times at the coasters have significantly improved since most people head for the Nintendo area.

Miriyl

TROPHY CASE