 Poster: A snowHead
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Am off to Hakuba Japan in about 3 weeks (lucky me!). It's our second time; this year visiting the daughter of a friend who is instructing out there (last season it was my stepson). Last year we took a shared taxi transfer from Narita airport out and the train back at the end. It all worked very well, especially on the way out to the resort as there was a terrible snow storm and our driver battled on through, getting us there in 11 hours rather then the scheduled 4hrs 30. Upon our arrival we heard that all trains had been cancelled and many travellers never made it through the storm.
This time we are flying into Tokyo Haneda airport. Mr P and I were quite happy to take the taxi transfer option or the train. Our friend thinks hiring a car would be better. To be fair, it would be handy at the other end as we can travel to satellite resorts to Happo without using a bus or taxi. We would still have to drive back the night before to get our morning flight home, so would need to navigate to a handy airport hotel, or drop the car off and get the train to the hotel for the night and then the airport.
Let's just assume for one moment that there is no snow storm to contend with and the hire car has sat nav, and we can programme it to English, or use googlemaps on a mobile phone...
Has anyone had experience of hiring cars in Japan, driving from Tokyo airports, navigating around/through the city and beyond...?
You may have the impression that I think it's a totally daft idea-you would be right...my stress levels are already rising....
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 9-02-15 20:06; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would take the train and use the taxi for local transport to other resorts in Nagano. http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
You can hire cars with english nav, but japanese adress system is quite different, never tried them in english. However it can be a bit complicated and you have to pay on the expressway, often it is only ATC payments. You have to get to the other side of Tokyo to find the expressway towards Matsumoto.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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don't forget the Japanese invented fax machine so they could fax those impossibly complicated directions to their guest!
(that's the story I heard anyway)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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shep, Much as I admire your sense of adventure, the reality is more likely to result in my arrest for homicide. Our friend is not relishing the concept of walking with skis and bag through stations (and he broke his thumb last week, so he has good reason not to want to carry bags more than necessary).
Mr P has to mediate, but tends to favour his mate's view over my common sense approach. I favour taxi transfer up to the resort, and bus/ train back so we can stay the night in central Tokyo before we leave.
Hyst, I completely agree! We have 6 nights only in Hakuba. The train is sooooo easy. I can carry his ski bag...but I doubt he will see it that way. As i understand it, you can't just pick up a car at the airport, but need to get a 15-20 min shuttle to the car park (and find your way back on the way home), a hotel for the night before we get our morning flight home (so more navigation and bag carting about required) you need an international driving permit, and in order to use the motorway, you need a car and yourself registered for the ATC.
Am hoping to work on Mr P over a tasty shepherds pie this evening! 
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 9-02-15 20:09; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
I can carry his ski bag
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@Perty, hiring a car and driving probably isn't that bad. Getting out of Tokyo would be the worst bit, but they drive on the 'right' side in Japan and I'd guess you'd be able to sort out the satnav (thebongolian hired a car on Hokkaido, and he didn't seem to have a problem with the satnav). On the other hand, the trains in Japan are indeed soooo easy and are generally very reliable - I can't really think why you'd want to bother driving when the train journey is straightforward. The only slight pain is that Haneda isn't so well linked by train...you might actually find it easiest to get the bus to Shin Yokohama and get the train from there.
You could also look into takkyubin services. If you've not used them before, these are the awesome Japanese baggage delivery services - you drop your bag(s) with them when you get through customs at the airport, and they deliver the bags to your accommodation. Usually this takes a little time (24-48hrs?), so may not suit your purposes, but if it fits then it's well worth using.
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I'd recommend using the taxi service again if you've got boot and ski bags - recently got back from first excellent ski trip to Myoko, we used Chuo taxi.
I'd very, very highly expect any hire car with GPS to have that GPS system in Japanese... with an English option buried and impossible to find by a non Japanese reader (!) but the hire place would probably be ok to set it up...
BUT check out a smartphone app called 'Pocket Earth' - great thing is no need for a local sim card or data service, you download the maps you need to your phone/ipad and it will then use GPS when in country wihtout needing any data connection ( just note to calculate routing etc you need wi-fi or data etc, and then save the route ).
Oh, i'd ask for a Subaru for guranteed 4 wheel drive - not sure i'd drive to ski resorts in a Prius like we were taken in 
ps here's a thought re the delivery service (Black Cat?), apparently excellent and means no dragging gear around trains and buses etc... but arrives the day later at resort obviously.
Maybe if you're in that area and considering a day not skiing but going to visit the snow monkeys for example, you could do that the day after you arrive and come back in the afternoonish to your resort to find your gear delivered and waiting.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| ChrisWo wrote: |
| Quote: |
I can carry his ski bag
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@PertyThe only slight pain is that Haneda isn't so well linked by train...you might actually find it easiest to get the bus to Shin Yokohama and get the train from there. |
Eh? Haneda is linked to central Tokyo by monorail. It's a far more convenient for getting in and out of Tokyo and getting connections.
For trains look at Hyperdia. Alternatively, there are highway buses go from Tokyo to Hakuba.
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Your hire car would have English sat nav and once you're outside Tokyo, driving would be pretty stress free. I'd say go for it. You'll have a lot more flexibility, and petrol is cheap. Tolls add up, but the Yen is weak at the moment!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Regarding bags, you should just take more than your share of your OH's luggage, so he can take the ski bag of his mate's! No insult to Mr.P's manhood.
| Quote: |
here's a thought re the delivery service (Black Cat?), apparently excellent and means no dragging gear around trains and buses etc... but arrives the day later at resort obviously.
Maybe if you're in that area and considering a day not skiing but going to visit the snow monkeys for example, you could do that the day after you arrive and come back in the afternoonish to your resort to find your gear delivered and waiting.
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Or maybe, take your boot bag with you and drop off the ski bag. You travel much easier. Just hire ski the first day.
OK, it's double the cost, the delivery service and the hire fee. But you get to travel light!
Last but not least, tell Mr. P you will NOT help with navigation!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If you do go for the car hire remember to get an IDP (International Drivers Permit) before you go otherwise you won't be allowed to drive the vehicle. I would go for car hire.. friend and myself managed to figure out the Japanese GPS.. A lot of them let you put your destination in via phone number.
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FAQ
. Just don't be in a hurry to get to where you want to go 
. I drove all over Honshu in the 90's, what an adventure! 
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Ah well, under the circumstances I rest my case! Good luck with the shepherds pie gambit! 
