Photo Trip Report: Japan in a Van

[buksida]

I’d been mulling a camera upgrade since prices in Japan were much cheaper than in Thailand and tourists get a tax discount. On return to Osaka that wet afternoon I pulled the trigger on a Nikon Z50 mirrorless to replace my heavy and ageing but very reliable D7200. The saving was a considerable 30% less than the identical kit in Thailand.

Probably a silly/naive question, but should you have declared your purchase on return to Thailand?

If yes, and you were stopped by Customs, would it have worked out more expensive?

Since I'd opened the box and had been using the camera, no. But technically, if it was still boxed and sealed, I may be liable for duty bringing it into Thailand if I was naive enough to declare it. Yes, it would have been much more expensive, that same camera in Thailand is about 14,000 baht more than I paid - it just shows you how much we get fleeced on duties here, a lot of Nikon gear is actually made in Thailand.

[Dannie Boy]

And yet some items are much cheaper - I’ve just bought a new iPad (some might say shame on me) which is the equivalent of £120 less than what Amazon charge in the UK.

Sorry for slightly off-topic comment!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buksida]

Nearly everything we found in electronics stores in Japan was cheaper than in Thailand - I guess it all depends on how much duty is applied to different commodity categories. Thailand treats pretty much everything as a 'luxury' not a 'necessity' so the hefty taxes are slapped on top.

[buksida]

Our final day in Japan was dedicated to shopping so we headed over to the Don Qui supermarket to get lost in the warren of tiny aisles where everything from designer handbags to four-litre bottles of whisky to wasabi paste was for sale. We were looking for some spirits to take back since airport duty-free is a rip-off, and liquor in Japan is a third of the price compared to Thailand.

We also loaded up on Japanese curry pastes, spices, and chocolates which were also considerably cheaper. After lunch, we headed back to Dotonbori to visit the giant electronics stores in search of a decent power bank, a memory card for the new camera, and other bits that we could claim our tourist tax discount on.

Then it was over to the riverfront to test drive the Z50 as the afternoon turned into evening along the bustling promenades. We fancied some Ramen for our final meal but the queues were over an hour at the popular places so we jumped on the subway back to Ebisucho to find a restaurant out of the tourist trap for our final meal in the country.

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I will miss Japan, its stunning natural beauty, courteous people, superb food, refreshing efficiency, and general quirkiness, but the road beckoned and we had another country to sample, this road trip wasn’t over yet.


To follow: observations and comparisons

[Big Boy]

Don't get me wrong, I love all of the haphazard colour, but outside of maybe China Towns, I very much doubt they'd be allowed to get away with it in the UK or many Western cities. I don't know why, it looks so vibrant. Even the sky often tries to get in on the act.

[buksida]

Yep, Japanese cities are very flamboyant and colourful places, UK/European ones are rather drab in comparison!

[buksida]

That is the end of the photos from Japan, thanks for reading.

I'll follow up with my usual set of observations and comparisons to Thailand and a lighthearted tally for the two.

Driving and transport
Driving in Japan is a breeze compared to Thailand. Everyone obeys the rules of the road and is courteous to other road users, it is the total antithesis to Thailand where nobody obeys the rules of the road and treats every other driver with contempt.

Moreover, traffic volumes in Japan are very low and roads are relatively empty. Even driving in downtown Tokyo wasn’t as bad as Hua Hin on a long weekend.

Fuel is pretty much the same price per liter in both countries.

Japan’s rail network is fantastic, you can get from anywhere to anywhere else precisely on time for very little cost. We spent a lot of time train hopping using the pre-paid Pasmo cards and it was very cheap to do so. You have more chance of winning the lottery than having a train arrive on time in Thailand.

However, navigating the labyrinthine train stations was a challenge, to say the least. Each one has multiple exits and several levels and we often came out at the wrong place lengthening the walk to where we wanted to go.

Big +1 to Japan for this category.

People, culture, hospitality, language
Japanese people are extremely courteous and polite, however, there is a language barrier and very little English is spoken. Nevertheless, you’re made to feel welcome there and the staff go out of their way to try to help you wherever you go. In Japan, good service is expected. In Thailand, good service is rare and rewarded - tipping is not a thing in Japan.

Speaking of phones, there are signs and notices to keep them on silent mode in restaurants and on public transport so as not to disturb others.
Japanese culture is very respectful of others whereas Thai culture involves making as much noise as you possibly can when and wherever you like with no regard for others.

Another +1 for Japan

Food and beverage, costs
Japanese food is world class (as is Thai food) but it was nowhere near as expensive as we expected and grocery and supermarket shopping actually worked out slightly cheaper than in Thailand for the equivalent items.

The 7-Elevens and minimarts were far superior in terms of food and meal variety and there were many to choose from unlike in Thailand where one food cartel monopoly controls everything.

Servings in restaurants are much larger and I often had leftovers (which is another cultural taboo). One thing I didn’t like was the queuing for popular places and the odd opening times. Restaurants in cities are tiny, only seating a handful of people and the Japanese live life in the fast lane so eating is done quickly – I like to take my time.

Drinking is much cheaper in Japan. There are no heavy duties on imported wine and spirits, no sales restrictions, no geographic restrictions, no transport restrictions, and no advertising restrictions. Wine and spirits were around a third of the cost of Thai prices and beer was about the same but with a much larger selection. However, prices increased substantially in higher-end bars and restaurants (as they do in Thailand).

Another +1 for Japan due to the costs and superb minimarts (despite the restaurant queuing). It is nowhere near as expensive as its made out to be.

More to follow ...

[STEVE G]

Yep, Japanese cities are very flamboyant and colourful places, UK/European ones are rather drab in comparison!

I've enjoyed your photos but I have to say that Japanese cities look way too bright and garish for my tastes, I'd rather have the classic old buildings of a historic European city than all that neon.
The mountains looked interesting though, I would definitely visit Japan for the countryside.

[Bamboo Grove]

So many things seem to be cheaper than in Thailand but I assume the living costs; rent, electricity, water etc. must be more expensive with the limited space they have. Do you have any idea how much the rentals are, for example for one bedroom apartment in the cities you visited?

[pharvey]

Yep, Japanese cities are very flamboyant and colourful places, UK/European ones are rather drab in comparison!

I've enjoyed your photos but I have to say that Japanese cities look way too bright and garish for my tastes, I'd rather have the classic old buildings of a historic European city than all that neon.
The mountains looked interesting though, I would definitely visit Japan for the countryside.

Have to agree - whilst I think the "Neon" sights and areas to visit in the cities are wonderful, I certainly wouldn't want to live in them. Way more for the countryside with access to decent utilities and necessities - a trip to the "Neon" on occasion though!!

......assume the living costs; rent, electricity, water etc. must be more expensive with the limited space they have. Do you have any idea how much the rentals are, for example for one bedroom apartment in the cities you visited?

Doubtful things have changed dramatically since I was in the likes of Tokyo, apartments were tiny (10-15m2) and expensive regardless, but the more central or nearer a major Rail hub/station, the more you would pay. Of course utilities were on top of that. Trains and busses were packed constantly, but life made considerably easier with the attitude of the Japanese using the services - European/UK cities don't compete, let alone those in the likes of China or dare I say "The Big Smoke" in Thailand!

[pharvey]

As usual, a cracking report with some wonderful photo's buks. This report in particular has held a great deal of interest for me, reminiscing, thoughts of another visit, new ideas and of course thinking of ways to afford it!!
Travelling from the UK, we'll have to include a few other stops in SE Asia, so I think I'll have to look at combining various trips and recommendations from the numerous reports from "On The Road"!! from several members!!

The thoughts of potential Airmiles are great - the thoughts of the LHG driving a Camper Van not so much!!

Keep the trips going and the reports coming!!

[buksida]

So many things seem to be cheaper than in Thailand but I assume the living costs; rent, electricity, water etc. must be more expensive with the limited space they have. Do you have any idea how much the rentals are, for example for one bedroom apartment in the cities you visited?

I didn't look into utility bills but would imagine they're slightly more than in Thailand. Accommodation is a sting, especially in the cities. We looked in some property shops in Osaka and found studio and one-bedroom apartments for around $600-$800 per month so yes, not cheap if you want to live smack in the middle of a city, but not London prices.

Accommodation
Hotels in Japan are very expensive. We paid on average around 3,000-4,000 baht a night for tiny box rooms in Tokyo and Osaka, prices skyrocket on public holidays and hotels fill up fast.

Check-in and out times are also very early/late so you’re not actually getting much time in the hotel for your money (less than 18 hours in some cases if only staying for one night.) This also messes up transit days as you’re waiting around to check-in though you can leave baggage at the reception.

Rooms are not cleaned and water/coffee not replenished unless requested but I’ve noticed this is also the case in Thailand now.

A +1 for Thailand here

Tourism and attractions
There is no dual pricing in Japan and many attractions are free to enter. Thailand is the opposite, trying to milk every baht out of tourists for every waterfall, lake, or scenic area.

Japan gets a LOT of tourists, more than Thailand I would imagine judging by the volumes we saw, the likes of which I’ve never seen here. The system is geared up for tourism, however, there was very little English available outside of the major cities so we had to rely on the Google Translate app.

Both countries have plenty to see and do so a +1 for each here.

Environment
Japan is pristine, spotless, and very well taken care of. There is no trash anywhere and no piles of smoldering plastic despite there being very few bins around.

There were no packs of feral dogs or plagues of screeching roosters. No massive holes in the sidewalks and the roads and pavements all look like they’ve just been built - everything works exactly how it should. There are public toilets everywhere and the toilets themselves are fantastic works of technological comfort making you want to remain seated!

Japan is also very quiet whereas Thailand is the noisiest country I’ve ever been in. You only notice this volume when spending time away from it in other countries that have limits on excessive and unnecessary noise (even in the major cities) – or maybe it is just something that I’m more sensitive to.

Japan is an example of how things should work in a developed first-world country, Thailand still has its baby wheels on.

+1 for Japan

Final score: Japan 5 – 2 Thailand

[buksida]

Concluding ... Could I live there?
In short, definitely, but not in the cities. The biggest expense and issue would be accommodation as everything else seemed easier and often cheaper than the equivalent in Thailand (though I didn’t look into utility bills or medical costs).

The language barrier would also be a problem at first until some were learned. Another major issue was booking things online and using local websites which simply did not function on Western or English language browsers. For internet, we used an AIS travel/roaming package which worked well, but there are plenty of local ones available.

It was also nice having more variable weather than just hot or wet and I enjoyed the cooler climes and change in seasonal light.

Japan is an outdoors country and there is a lot to do for those that are active and nature lovers. Being cooler, it is also easy to walk everywhere, something not done in Thailand due to the heat, lack of footpaths, and lunatic motorists trying to kill you.

Didn’t investigate long-term visas but doubt they would be as much of an ever-increasing ballache with the ever-shifting sands that they are here.

Final words - I'll be back!

Thanks for reading, let me know if there are any questions and stay tuned for the road trip to continue ...

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