I'm going to Japan this week and need some tips and advice!

Long story short I'm being paid to go to Osaka, Japan this week. I decided to add a couple extra days on(3 or 4). I've had no time to prepare so I could use a little help. I'll only be in Osaka but maybe a day trip to Kyoto. 
 
I heard Den-Den Town is pretty cool for all electronic stuff, is it worth visiting?
What other cool stuff is there to check out in the day?
What nightlife should I check out too? 
Any must go to food places?
Are rental sim cards the best way to use my phone and internet over there?
How hard is using subways and trains over there? I'm staying at a hotel near Esaka Station.
Will 100,000 yen be enough for that many days?
 
Thanks for any help.

Don't get raped by tentacles.

Don't get raped by tentacles.

@Metal_Mills said:

@Demoskinos said:

Don't get raped by tentacles.

Well, okay but I still hope to be molested on a bus by a school girl.

Don't we all.

If a bunch of women or men entice you to a bar / club at night and then start asking you to buy them a lot of drinks as they start fawning over you, get the hell out of there before they sap you of your 10,000 yen.

Pay close attention to the PA announcing this week's kaiju rampage and sentai robot battle zones as you leave the airport. Traffic in those areas are always better earlier in the week when the area has been evacuated, and terrible for a couple of days after the events have concluded.

@Demoskinos said:

Don't get raped by tentacles.

lol.

Man I wish I could help I'm just really jealous! Not the tentacles, but the robot battles and all that.

No seriously enjoy duder, jealous.

It's been a while since I went, and I only went to Osaka for a couple of days so I can't help too much. I will say when you get to Kyoto take some time to visit the big temples, and spend some time in Kyoto Station.

I think Kyoto might be my favourite place in the world.

@I_Stay_Puft said:

If a bunch of women or men entice you to a bar / club at night and then start asking you to buy them a lot of drinks as they start fawning over you, get the hell out of there before they sap you of your 10,000 yen.

Gangs of Schoolgirls do such things as-well, fawn over a foreigner and lure him into an alley to have sex with. Either doing tricks to steal from you and then copping out of it, or actually having sex with you awhile the others steal.

Keep silent on buses and trains, it is rude to talk, also watch were your hands go, no need to be accused of being a Chikan (Someone's who gropes women)

When someone says "Your Japanese is very good!" they really mean it wasn't at all good.

Slurp while eating, it is considered polite as in your enjoying it so much you cant help but slurp.

Even if you do know a bit or alot of Japanese Learn "I am very sorry." perfectly you will be using it alot.

You will be stared at, and if someone says "Gajian" while it does mean Foreigner it is a rude way of say it nowadays.

Also bow and tip a often. (over ruled by someone who actually lived in Japan)

Basic living of a lot of Japan is expensive, if you were to rent the smallest of apartments, you would be asked to pay 6 months of rent in advanced. 6 months of rent again ontop of that, except this time it goes to the landlord purley as a thank you. If you found it through an agency then you have to pay the same to them as a thank you ONTOP of the actual bill.

So tipping nicely isnt as bad in contrast.

Remake lost in translation.

Definitely eat a bunch of food. That's what Osaka's all about. If you speak Japanese at all, I would also recommend seeing some comedy. Manzai is a lot of fun.

The rental sim cards can be fairly expensive. You might be better off just buying a burner when you get there.

Don't eat fugu fish.

everything i leanerd about japa i learned from yakuza and the biggest lesson the games taught me is a heel to the face fixes every problem

@Metal_Mills said:

Long story short I'm being paid to go to Osaka, Japan this week. I decided to add a couple extra days on(3 or 4). I've had no time to prepare so I could use a little help. I'll only be in Osaka but maybe a day trip to Kyoto. I heard Den-Den Town is pretty cool for all electronic stuff, is it worth visiting?What other cool stuff is there to check out in the day?What nightlife should I check out too? Any must go to food places? Are rental sim cards the best way to use my phone and internet over there? How hard is using subways and trains over there? I'm staying at a hotel near Esaka Station. Will 100,000 yen be enough for that many days? Thanks for any help.

OK, I've lived in Japan for two years, 6 months of which was in Osaka so I'll do my best to answer your questions.

1) Den den town is awesome and I prefer it to Akihabara in tokyo. The prices are cheaper and it's far less touristy. It doesn't have the same glaring neon appeal of the capital's geek hub but you'll find plenty of awesome stuff there.

2) Osaka is filled with stuff worth visiting but I'd have to suggest that you absolutely keep two days free to go to both Kyoto and Nara. Kyoto is stunning - just go to the centre and you can walk around and visit a bunch of temples over the day. Nara is a lot smaller but the Todaiji temple is unmissable as are the hundreds of deer that roam the grounds which you can feed and play with during the day.

3) For a relaxed afternoon of shopping and eating, I'd recommend checking out the Hep-5 mall in Osaka. The mall has a giant ferris wheel on it's ceiling which gives stunning views of Osaka at nighttime. Plus it has a killer arcade on the top floor with machine versions of Rhythm Heaven, Taiko Drum Master and a bunch of fighters/light-gun games. Also, in the side street next to the shopping mall is an all you can eat buffet place call Sweets Paradise (look it up on google maps) where you'll pay around 1,000 Yen for 90 minutes of all you can eat goodness. There's a whole food section on the second last floor of the Hep-5 building with one decent buffet place (it's at the end of the food hall next to the toilets) but I'd pick Sweets Paradise over it, it tends to close at around 8 or 9 though so be sure to get there for 6 or 7. However, Hep-5 is filled with amazing Ice Cream and dessert bars in case you haven't had your fill.

4) Osaka also has the single best Mexican restaurant I've ever been to (I shit you not). It's called El Pancho and it feels like you've just taken a trip across the border once you enter the doors: http://www.bento.com/kansai/rev/8072.html

5) The best conveyer belt sushi for cheap is a place called Sushiro - it's 100 Yen per plate and my favourite fast food place by far. I'd recommend hunting one down.

6) You will never find any free Wi-Fi in Japan (well, that's a lie but it's not as prevalent as in Korea) so don't expect to be able to check e-mails too easily without paying. I'd just recommend living without a mobile for a while if you can, especially if you're not there long. Sim cards are kinda a hassle.

7) Subways are super easy to use as all the machines have english translations if you don't speak Japanese. It's a little expensive these days due to the over inflated Yen but absolutely worth it.

8) No-one tips in Japan so don't bother leaving extra money for good service at restaurants, they'll just find it weird.

EDIT: Some things I forgot to mention:

9) Go visit Himeji castle. It was closed for refurbishment, not sure if it's open now but it's pretty incredible if you can get a chance to see it.

10) For night life, absolutely go check out Dotonbori. It's one of the busiest roads in Osaka and is gorgeous at night with bright neon signs everywhere. There's plenty of night clubs around also if you're into that although they're very stringent when it comes to ID checks so make sure to have something on you.

When crossing the street: traffic drives on the left.

Watch out for Gundams 

@Akyho said:

@I_Stay_Puft said:

If a bunch of women or men entice you to a bar / club at night and then start asking you to buy them a lot of drinks as they start fawning over you, get the hell out of there before they sap you of your 10,000 yen.

Gangs of Schoolgirls do such things as-well, fawn over a foreigner and lure him into an alley to have sex with. Either doing tricks to steal from you and then copping out of it, or actually having sex with you awhile the others steal.

Maybe he'll just be walking around town & some gal will unzip

his pants & give him a blow? Japanese porn makes a great

reference on what to expect when visiting Japan.

A day trip to Kyoto or Nara is recommended. Temples and shrines galore! Kyoto is filled to the brink with old Japanese culture to digest. Just walk about randomly and aimlessly and you will get your fill easily. Or get yourself to the Kinkaku-ji and Nijo Castle. In Nara it's the Todai-ji and its deer company you have to visit. I have never been to Osaka, so I can't really be of any help there, sorry.

I did eat chicken sashimi (toriwasa) in Kyoto also. I kid you not. It probably exists in a lot of cities though, but there was a chain of restaurants in Kyoto that served it. It might not be the tastiest thing ever, though it is pretty good, but it's worth eating just because.

Also, do not tip. They will come running after you when they realize you gave them too much money. It's just not something you do in Japan.

Den Den Town is worth a visit to check out the shops, but if you actually want to do some shopping I suggest going to the huge Yodobashi Camera in Umeda, Den Den has a lot of niche and second hand shops and prices can vary wildly. In Umeda you can also find the Umeda Sky Building which has a very nice observation deck at the top.

Take a walk around Osaka Castle Park the castle itself is not the the original but it's still nice looking and the surrounding areas are nice to walk through, while there visit Osaka International Peace Center on the southern edge, unlike many museums in Japan it does a good job on portraying the horrors committed by the Imperial Japanese Army too.

The subway in Osaka is easy to use and English is well used, Esaka station is on the midosuji line which is the main line in the Osaka subway system and will take you to most of the "big" places. Osaka is also served by a easy to use loop line.

Rental sim cards is a problem I think if you want to use your phone for calling too, but there are lots of options for rental sim cards / hotspots with data only I can't recommend any however since I've always used internet cafes / hotel wifi/cable for my needs.

For me 100,000 yen would be more than enough, for you I have no idea. You can lift money from seven bank in almost every 7-11 today in Japan with foreign credit cards, my visa electron even worked to lift money and there were no extra charges last summer (this will depend on your bank ofcourse).

Thanks everyone! Some great help here, definitely reassured me. I was a bit worried I'd be a fish out of water there seeing as I'm leaving so suddenly and have no clue what to do. I found a place that has pocket wifi rentals, maybe I'll use that than the rented sim card.  Thank god the subways are easy that instantly makes it 1000 times better already.
 
I forgot one thing: Are there be any good night places to meet other overseas travelers too? It would be good meet others from around the world.

@SmilingPig said:

Don't eat fugu fish.

Do it. Don't be a pussy. Osaka's known for having some of the best food in Japan. Go nuts.

Navigating the Osaka train system is wonderful, it's much more easier than Tokyo's. If you have a problem with anything, ask a station attendant, they're good at helping.

I guess I'd ask what it is you want to do in Den Den Town. If you're into retro games, toys, or just bumming around the arcades for an afternoon, it's definitely worth it. Geo-Front has one of the most comprehensive selection of PS2 games I know of, and their other retro game selection is pretty nice too. You might as well check out the Super Potato, but their selection is a lot smaller than the one in Tokyo. If that sound like your bag, go for it.

Of course, Den Den Town is within walking distance of the Namba station, so there's a lot of other places you can wander around that are less nerdy. As mentioned above, Dotonbori a great, lively place to walk around, especially at night time when all the neon is lit up. A lot of famous imagery associated with Osaka runs along this canal.

I think it's worth checking out the Shinsekai district too, which is where Tsuutenkaku broadcasting tower is, another famous landmark from this region. The neighborhood still has a very mid century feel to it (according to Wikipedia, it received very little reconstruction after the war and is still quite poor), and the atmosphere is quite unique (it's Japan though, so I guess the atmosphere's gonna be unique everywhere you go). It's also really easy to get to. Just take the JR line from Namba to Shin-Imamiya, it's only two stops away. Speaking of unique, it's too bad it's not baseball season yet, or I'd tell you to go see a Tigers game.

Universal Studios Japan is close by too, but I think that's more interesting if you have any connection to either of the Universal Studios in the US (It's the only place left where you can still find the Back to the Future ride).

100,000 for a week and a half may or may not be enough, especially if you like to spend money, but as Orionw said, ATMs are in easy supply. They won't all take international cards, so it's probably best to stick the ones inside 7-11's to be sure. Have fun!

Hey @Pepsiman!

I'll echo other's suggestion to spend a day in Kyoto and Nara. Kyoto in particular has a ridiculous amount of touristy things to do and see.

If you're into aquariums, the Osaka Aquarium is world class. They have a whale shark. It's exactly as cool as it sounds.

Food: Find a place that does Okonomiyaki. Eat Okonomiyaki. You're welcome.

You may encounter a man with a small food cart/truck at random, high traffic locations. It's almost always a good idea to buy whatever he's selling.

In general, any food place that looks humble will be both cheap and delicious.

When you start off there will be a bit of grinding, so loop the first couple of blocks for a few hours.

If your Japanese pilot is wearing a headband, take the next flight.

If you meet sumo wrestler, tell him that you think that he is really fat. He will take that as a great complement.

Old people are masters and can teach you things like karate or ninjitsu. However before that, they will ask you to do various things like to stand bare chested while he hits you with bamboo sticks, wax his car or just to watch him as he catches flies with his eating sticks. This is normal - unless somebody is videotaping it. If that is the case you might have ended up into weird Japanese porn video.

@GorillaMoPena:

There are so many dumb comments in this thread, but this is fantastic.

Once you've packed your suitcase put it in a bigger empty suitcase. Once over there fill that second bigger suitcase with used turbografx games.

@Akyho: I'm just saying from personal experience. When I went to Japan a couple of years ago, me and a friend got roped into a bar by some women standing outside. It wasn't shady or anything, we were walking from Tokyo Tower to the subway stations. Sooner or later we were inside talking to them and they kept ordering drinks for themselves. Naturally we just met them so we thought they were ordering their drinks, before another round was ordered my friend figured out they were probably hostess (not prostitutes just hostesses) and the drinks were being charged to us. We paid for their drinks cause we didn't want to cause an issue, thanked them and walked out. Just be careful a lot of foreigners don't understand and will get scammed out of a lot of money, They naturally seek out the tourists. The scary part would be if you got scammed, you couldn't pay, and the bar just so happened to be owned by the local Yakuza.

@Metal_Mills said:

Thanks everyone! Some great help here, definitely reassured me. I was a bit worried I'd be a fish out of water there seeing as I'm leaving so suddenly and have no clue what to do. I found a place that has pocket wifi rentals, maybe I'll use that than the rented sim card. Thank god the subways are easy that instantly makes it 1000 times better already. I forgot one thing: Are there be any good night places to meet other overseas travelers too? It would be good meet others from around the world.

Man if they are there, then that is a small number of folks! Just for fun, I was looking at what it would be like to teach English in Japan. Well first thing that popped up is that you can only teach there for one year (at least for this one thing I was reading). Afterwards, it stated that you could not re-apply to teach in their country again until 3 years had passed! Which is very strange, considering that if you teach English in China, they tend to lock you into 2 year contracts. I still recall reading a report on how they were kicking out the Japanese/Brazilian ethnic group from the country. Also be careful not to end up in jail or a police office for any reason. Maybe a step up from Mexico, but not by much.

@Akyho said:

@I_Stay_Puft said:

If a bunch of women or men entice you to a bar / club at night and then start asking you to buy them a lot of drinks as they start fawning over you, get the hell out of there before they sap you of your 10,000 yen.

Gangs of Schoolgirls do such things as-well, fawn over a foreigner and lure him into an alley to have sex with. Either doing tricks to steal from you and then copping out of it, or actually having sex with you awhile the others steal.

Keep silent on buses and trains, it is rude to talk, also watch were your hands go, no need to be accused of being a Chikan (Someone's who gropes women)

When someone says "Your Japanese is very good!" they really mean it wasn't at all good.

Slurp while eating, it is considered polite as in your enjoying it so much you cant help but slurp.

Even if you do know a bit or alot of Japanese Learn "I am very sorry." perfectly you will be using it alot.

You will be stared at, and if someone says "Gajian" while it does mean Foreigner it is a rude way of say it nowadays.

Also bow and tip a often. (over ruled by someone who actually lived in Japan)

Basic living of a lot of Japan is expensive, if you were to rent the smallest of apartments, you would be asked to pay 6 months of rent in advanced. 6 months of rent again ontop of that, except this time it goes to the landlord purley as a thank you. If you found it through an agency then you have to pay the same to them as a thank you ONTOP of the actual bill.

So tipping nicely isnt as bad in contrast.

Don't talk to people on buses but slurp your food as loud as you can LOL

You're only visiting for a few days, don't have to give in to their crazy customs, just have fun.

@Metal_Mills: I live in Tokyo, let me know if you want to talk more and need info about Japan

It's considered a sign of respect to touch ladies on public transport. Also never take off your shoes. You'll see Japanese people change into all manner of crazy footwear but this is just done to confuse you. Don't be fooled.

Definitely get a day in Kyoto, whilst you're there check out Nijo castle and try get to Gion by early evening to see the Geishas going to work.

If you have some spare time in Osaka have a stroll down Shinsaibashi, its easy to get to and offers loads of places to buy gifts for people and experience the city. Maybe visit the Taito arcade there and play some jubeat?

I lived in Japan for a while but out of Kyoto, Osaka and Nara I only visited Kyoto. If you're only in Kyoto for a day, just make sure you visit Kiyomizu temple. Not because it's mindblowing (because what tourist trap is?) but because it just feels like 'Kyoto', which is to say it feels essentially Japanese, which is true also of the immediate neighbourhood of Higashiyama, with its old style streets and shops. Same goes for the downtown Gion district and Pontocho in the late evening. Geisha spotting.

In fact that Japan-guide site I linked is good overall for hacking together an itinerary. Check through what it says about temples (because Kyoto is all about seeing temples) and pick out a few of the most appealing ones, and you can't go wrong. It goes without saying that if it's only a day trip, you will miss a ton but that's the nature of holidays. As for Nara, I never went, but from everything I hear it comes down to 'play with the deer' and 'see the giant Buddha'.

Saw this this morning.

If a burly Italian guy tries to sell you mushrooms, buy them!

Pick up the handbag?

Since I've been re-watching the Persona ER, stay away from the capsule machines or you will lose an entire day turing the knob to get a capsule.