Topic: Going to Japan

[paulh]

Grand daughter is. Any advise besides mine-don't go- don't fly Boeing. Not a kid, she's 33

[Libertas]

Depends what part to a certain extent...wonder if Todd has any advice, IIRC I think he's been there.  All I know is Japanese people while modern and perhaps a bit quirky still honor traditional values of politeness and respect...so some humility, respecting others space and perhaps learning some basic phrases to show you are making an effort to communicate in their language would help.

I guess there is something called pocket wifi to help with the latter...and the link below mentions rail transportation can be tricky, which I've heard others say before...

https://embracesomeplace.com/japan-travel-tips/

Tons of other links to explore via websearch...

[patentlymn]

maybe this
There is a similar sub for Russian. people get help on all sort of travel and visa things

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAJapanese/

[ToddF]

My wife usually does the heavy lifting when traveling in Asia.  Figuring out train travel was frustrating as that is a joint private/public thing, subways being government and overland being private and have different ways of paying.  Most don't speak English but at least most signs are dual language.  Eating locally is cheap.  Wanting beef or an American chain every meal though would get very expensive.  As Libertas says, just be nice and people will be nice back.  We went to Osaka for a weekend trip, then took a train to Nara (think a giant petting zoo of deer amidst all the thousand year old shrines and temples) for a day trip. 

[ToddF]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

[patentlymn]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

I think blood clots form in the legs then break lose to the lungs and kill you.

[paulh]

Thanks, all good advise, I think it's a 14 hour flight

[Syzygy]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

I think blood clots form in the legs then break lose to the lungs and kill you.

Deep vein thrombosis --https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis

If it's on the old standby workhorse 747,  which a lot of these long distance Asian flights are,  I wouldn't worry too much about it being Boeing.  If it is and she's able to pre-book her seat,  the two back window seats are the best--two rows of two seats only each on opposite sides of the plane.  Advantages are,  besides not being "crowded,"  you will be among the first to board (after the handicapped),  it's close to a stewardess station,  and close to the bathroom.  Be extra nice to the steward/stewardesses and they will be extra nice to you.   And they won't jump your hump when you get up just to walk around a bit.  That was my experience anyway. 

[Libertas]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

I think blood clots form in the legs then break lose to the lungs and kill you.

Deep vein thrombosis --https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis

If it's on the old standby workhorse 747,  which a lot of these long distance Asian flights are,  I wouldn't worry too much about it being Boeing.  If it is and she's able to pre-book her seat,  the two back window seats are the best--two rows of two seats only each on opposite sides of the plane.  Advantages are,  besides not being "crowded,"  you will be among the first to board (after the handicapped),  it's close to a stewardess station,  and close to the bathroom.  Be extra nice to the steward/stewardesses and they will be extra nice to you.   And they won't jump your hump when you get up just to walk around a bit.  That was my experience anyway.

Could be a 777 if Boeing too, haven't heard any issues with that one...

Japan should be fun for her, lots to see, lots of good food.   

[ToddF]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

I think blood clots form in the legs then break lose to the lungs and kill you.

Deep vein thrombosis --https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis

If it's on the old standby workhorse 747,  which a lot of these long distance Asian flights are,  I wouldn't worry too much about it being Boeing.  If it is and she's able to pre-book her seat,  the two back window seats are the best--two rows of two seats only each on opposite sides of the plane.  Advantages are,  besides not being "crowded,"  you will be among the first to board (after the handicapped),  it's close to a stewardess station,  and close to the bathroom.  Be extra nice to the steward/stewardesses and they will be extra nice to you.   And they won't jump your hump when you get up just to walk around a bit.  That was my experience anyway.

Disadvantage, at least if it's United (I think.)  You're eating vegetarian the whole trip.  Unlike other airlines who on these flights offer a choice between Asian fare and Western fare with United it's a choice between a meat based meal and vegetable based.  And if you're in the back row, you get what the other passengers refused.  The vegetarian crap.  I've never been so pissed on a flight, my whole life.  I was starved.

[paulh]

It's a 777, American

[Syzygy]

It's a 777, American

Looks like a similar seating arrangement,  except there are 4 - 2 seat sections on either side,  and the middle section has 4 across instead of 5 across--still sardine like.

[Syzygy]

And if that's her first trip across the world, get up and walk the aisle every hour or so.  There's some kind of condition you can get if you keep mashed into a seat too long.

I think blood clots form in the legs then break lose to the lungs and kill you.

Deep vein thrombosis --https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis

If it's on the old standby workhorse 747,  which a lot of these long distance Asian flights are,  I wouldn't worry too much about it being Boeing.  If it is and she's able to pre-book her seat,  the two back window seats are the best--two rows of two seats only each on opposite sides of the plane.  Advantages are,  besides not being "crowded,"  you will be among the first to board (after the handicapped),  it's close to a stewardess station,  and close to the bathroom.  Be extra nice to the steward/stewardesses and they will be extra nice to you.   And they won't jump your hump when you get up just to walk around a bit.  That was my experience anyway.

Disadvantage, at least if it's United (I think.)  You're eating vegetarian the whole trip.  Unlike other airlines who on these flights offer a choice between Asian fare and Western fare with United it's a choice between a meat based meal and vegetable based.  And if you're in the back row, you get what the other passengers refused.  The vegetarian crap.  I've never been so pissed on a flight, my whole life.  I was starved.

Mine was a Northwestern flight,  shortly before Delta bought them out.  Was given a choice between meat and meatless,  Asian or American--there will definitely be a lot of Asians on the flight (green tea or coffee).
And it seemed like every time I turned around they were bringing some snack around to nosh on between meals,  sandwiches and the like.
NW Airlines was having a lot of financial problems at the time and was subject to a lot of bad reviews but all-in-all it was a fairly enjoyable flight for me.  And this one stewardess really took a liking to me--kept checking to see if I wanted something to drink or a blanket etc.
They took the route Lindbergh pioneered (over the Earth instead of around it) and the views of the great white north were fascinating. I'd never seen anything like it.  Just a vast expanse of snow and ice with no signs of modernity.  I kept thinking should the plane crash there,  I hoped I'd die in the crash 'cuz there's no way to survive for long in that place. 

[ToddF]

From Minnesota, obviously, all my flights were Delta.  Direct to Tokyo.  Flying to Iowa my choices are between American and United.  The only problem I had with Delta is one flight where we were stranded on the runway because someone didn't file the flight paperwork.  People were starting to have to go to the bathroom and the flight crew were becoming total b**ches yelling at the passengers to stay seated.  Contrast to the American/Japan Air experience where the nice Japanese guy stated that yes you can go to the bathroom but please be prepared to hurry back to the seat if the plane starts moving.  And with Delta the choice was always between Asian fare and Western fare for meals.  You could do a special request for vegetarian when you checked in, if that's what you wanted.

[Syzygy]

Todd,

Do you remember the length of time for your flight(s)?
I went from Detroit to Nagoya,  Japan--16 hours (on a 747).

Paul says it is expected to be 14 hrs. 
The 777 may be be faster.  I wonder.

Either way,  it takes longer going than it does coming back because in going the plane is flying into the prevailing winds/jetstream. 

[ToddF]

13-14 hours if I remember right.  That was from Minneapolis.  That might be longer if you live in Dallas.

Mostly I think of the whole trip and trying to keep it under 24 hours.

[paulh]

What a wacky flight pattern. Way up N over Canada to Alaska then down to Tokyo. American 8495

[ToddF]

Yep.  One of my flights didn't make it as far north as Alaska, one made it as far north as the Arctic Ocean.

[paulh]

Then what happened?

[Libertas]

Earth is a sphere, dontchya know?