#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Macau Travel Forum >  >  Japan's new SE Asia visa exemptions

## runner

I think it's great that most residents of SE Asia can now visit Japan visa-free. I'll be joined by a Thai there in April after I spend March in Taiwan. It leaves me thinking, if Japan can do it, why not the EU / UK?

Thai tourists to Japan jump last year | Bangkok Post: news




> Thai tourists to Japan set record 
> 
> Thai visitors to Japan almost doubled last year as they continued to take advantage of Tokyo's visa relaxation to promote tourism.  
> 
> Arrivals to Japan jumped by around 3 million year-on-year to a record 13.41 million in 2014, boosted by the weak yen and relaxed visa requirements, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) said on Tuesday.
> 
> The number of arrivals in 2014 surpassed the previous record of 10.36 million in 2013, lifted partly by the easing of visa requirements for visitors from more Southeast Asian countries. 
> 
> About 657,600 travellers from Thailand visited Japan last year, a 45% rise from 2013, according to the JNTO. April was the high season for Thais, with almost 100,000 visitors, followed by October, with with about 80,000. 
> ...


Who in their right mind would spend April or October in Thailand if they can afford to be in Japan.

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## thaimeme

Because they don't find Gaijin with reverence and respect.
Can't imagine why....

 :Smile:

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## BobR

There have already been several reports the Japanese are having problems with Thais overstaying (not leaving at all)  and working without work permits.  Isn't that ironic?

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## terry57

> Who in their right mind would spend April or October in Thailand if they can afford to be in Japan.



I do agree with you that being in Thailand in April is not the best time but October is fine.

The rain is refreshing and I consider it a great time to be here. 

That said,  last October was piss poor in Bangkok, not much rain at all.  :Confused: 

I hope it pisses down this year.

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## rickschoppers

Japan is a little rich for my blòod and I did not really enjoy it all that much the last time I was there. It seems if one can afford Japan, they would be able to afford any country in the world since it is so expensive there. That may have been why I did not like it.

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## terry57

^

Isn't it just that accommodation is expensive ?  once that is sorted costs ain't all that bad EH.

I have a friend who goes every year to Ski, he tells me this. 

Keep away from the Tourist traps where everything is top dollar.

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## rickschoppers

I found the food expensive as well along with the bars (tourist area). The value was just not there even though I did like riding the bullet train, seeing Mt. Fuji and going to a Kabuki show. I will not be going back.

If one is a tourist in Japan, how does one not do tourist things?

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## diverken

AirAsia launches its ASEAN pass
KYLIE MCLAUGHLIN
Last updated 14:31, February 25 2015



Share
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SEE ASIA ON A BUDGET: AirAsia's ASEAN pass opens up southeast Asian travel across 140 of their routes for a mere $213.
Reuters
SEE ASIA ON A BUDGET: AirAsia's ASEAN pass opens up southeast Asian travel across 140 of their routes for a mere $213.

After a six-week postponement, AirAsia have finally launched their ASEAN pass, opening up southeast Asian travel across 140 of their routes for a mere US$160 (NZ$213).

The ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) pass is now available for purchase and will allow you to fly to destinations in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Brunei, Singapore, and Indonesia.

The pass is valid for 30 days, and entitles travellers to ten credits' worth of flights.

Credits value the length of each flight; so a short hop from Bandung to Singapore would be one credit, however, a longer flight from Bangkok to Singapore, for example, would equal three. The base 'promo' or sale fare of a flight such as this, booking two weeks in advance, normally costs around $62.

Longer, 60-day passes will also be available for US$290 (NZ$385) and offer 20 credits' worth of flights.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: AirAsia to launch Southeast Asian air pass

However, booking a last-minute weekend trip to a full-moon party at the beach will not be possible as the pass requires that the purchaser books at least 14 days in advance.

Credits can only be redeemed on the base fare of the flight, so extras such as check-in baggage and meals will be added on to the cost of the flight, as will airport tax (on AirAsia flights, the costs of each of these things tends to be minimal anyway).

The pass was originally intended for sale from January 15, but was postponed in light of the AirAsia Indonesia Flight 8501 crash.

Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said the AirAsia ASEAN Pass will be the "catalyst" for increased air travel within south-east Asia and will also lure foreign tourists.

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AirAsia, which has dominated cheap travel in the region for years, faces rising competition from the proliferation of discounts airlines in

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## terry57

> If one is a tourist in Japan, how does one not do tourist things?



I mean not eating in tourist establishments and not going into tourist related bars like Irish pubs and such.

Eating with the locals and keeping out of pubs and such. 

I will take your word on it though, it always has been an expensive place.

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## rickschoppers

Very expensive Terry, but everyone should see it once.

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## Bobcock

I've just been, I was surprised how cheap it was......

Japanese food far cheaper in Tokyo than in Bangkok......

I had a top class sushi meal for 5 including beer and sake and it cost me 92 GBP., less than 1000 THB a head.....

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## runner

I'll be meeting up with local friends there, in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, which should help with sticking to the prices the locals pay.

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## terry57

^ 

Anychance of actually doing a pic thread on it.

Show us the local food and the prices.

also your Digs and prices.

Ta

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## rickschoppers

> I've just been, I was surprised how cheap it was......
> 
> Japanese food far cheaper in Tokyo than in Bangkok......
> 
> I had a top class sushi meal for 5 including beer and sake and it cost me 92 GBP., less than 1000 THB a head.....


Wow, have things really changed that much since I was there last? Bobcock, I would like to be proven wrong, so if you have more details on cost, please inform us.

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## terry57

^

Some pics of the food and the costs would be nice.  My mate has told me that the street food is quite OK price wise.

Those Noodle thingo's they eat in their noodle shops and the Machines that dispense beer and soft drinks he recons are OK price wise.

I dunno.

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## runner

> ^ 
> 
> Anychance of actually doing a pic thread on it.
> 
> Show us the local food and the prices.
> 
> also your Digs and prices.
> 
> Ta


Will do. Will do one for Taiwan first, next month, which is cheaper than Japan but just as fascinating. Thais need a visa though.

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## terry57

^

Brilliant.

Ta

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## Bobcock

Huge bowls of noodles for lunch or  decent sized curry....800Yen or there and there abouts, my son bought new Under Armour boots cheaper than they would be here and certainly cheaper than the UK....

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## Norton

Butters trip to Japan.

https://teakdoor.com/china-korea-japa...hita-dori.html

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## ltnt

^That was a great thread, but out of date for current Japan don't ya think?  Good news yen at 119/$1...now.

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## robuzo

> Huge bowls of noodles for lunch or  decent sized curry....800Yen or there and there abouts, my son bought new Under Armour boots cheaper than they would be here and certainly cheaper than the UK....


All sorts of bargains with the yen so low, and tourists can easily get VAT refunds.

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## rickschoppers

Looking at many sites listing the most expensive countries in the world, Japan consistantly seems to be in the top 10. I hate this type of site since it would all seem to depend on a person's lifestyle.

Terry is the type of individual who looks for better deals and this can obviously save money. Others have said they also found Japan reasonable in price. I must have done everything wrong while visiting Japan since I found it expensive. I had just come from Hong Kong and before that, Thailand.

I think one can tour on a budget as long as the person looks for bargains and stays in less expensive accomodation. Local food seems to be the best bet which has been stated on this site many times.

Thailand is still one of the better places to tour on a budget, IMO and I just need to quit comparing all other countries to the bargains we find here.

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## cnx37

> Looking at many sites listing the most expensive countries in the world, Japan consistantly seems to be in the top 10. I hate this type of site since it would all seem to depend on a person's lifestyle.
> 
> Thailand still seems to be one of the better places to tour on a budget, IMO and I just need to quit comparing all other countries to the bargains we find here.


Thailand - there ain't no better. Food, accommodation, women.

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## rickschoppers

^
All things considered, I would have to agree with you. I also would like to see some other countires in the region, buget permitting.

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## runner

But why obsess over cost? Isn't there more to international travel than telling yourself "wow isn't this hotel room cheap".

Thailand gives more bang (excuse the pun) for your buck than Japan, but variety is the spice of life.

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## rickschoppers

I have to think about cost partially because I have to pay for my son's school (about 30,000 baht every 5 months). Also need enough cash on hand for running a house of five. This is all self inflicted, but now that I am on a monthly pension, I have to consider the cost of any holiday.

If I were single and had no financial responsibilities, I would not be so concerned about cost but it should always be considered when going on holiday don't you think?

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## runner

Fair enough

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## robuzo

> Looking at many sites listing the most expensive countries in the world, Japan consistantly seems to be in the top 10. I hate this type of site since it would all seem to depend on a person's lifestyle.
> 
> Terry is the type of individual who looks for better deals and this can obviously save money. Others have said they also found Japan reasonable in price. I must have done everything wrong while visiting Japan since I found it expensive. I had just come from Hong Kong and before that, Thailand.


Japan can be deadly expensive, for sure. The bullet train generally costs more than flying, and even transport on regular trains can be dear. Avoid taxis. At the same time, I think one can have more fun on a budget trip to Tokyo than to Singapore or Honkers- there are OK cheap hotels in Tokyo that cost what a guesthouse will run you in Singapore- but it involves a few tricks. Here's one- have your main meal at lunch, when nearly all the restaurants run lunch specials that are a bargain compared to dinner. Buy your beers at the convenience store (microbrews are available at some) and do your drinking while people watching from benches outside the station or in a park- it's perfectly legal (although pints at decent beer in many Tokyo pubs are no more, and in many cases considerably less, than gaijin-oriented pubs in Bangkok).

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## terry57

Today I visited Queen Sirikit convention Centre in Bangkok. It has the annual travel show on and its fookin huge.

Holding centre stage is everything Japanese. They are selling discounted Jap rail passes, cheap flights and tours and everything else related to Japan.  

The Thais were all over it with lots of credit cards being flashed around.

A lot of lot to do with April's cherry blossom festival, a chance for cashed up Thais to get away from Songcran. 

The Indian booth and Iran booth had no customers at all.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Seems like Japan is on every bodies bucket list now the Yen is down the shitter. 

I'd really like to do Japan with someone who had been before and Knew the Go, Tokyo just seems so massive and daunting considering one don't speak the lingo.

Smegly has the right Idea meeting up with friends. Only way to go for the Newbie.

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## runner

Even better that they all have their own pads so I don't need to bother thinking about hotel prices.

I guess the popularity of Japan for Thais in April, in addition to seeing cherry blossom instead of the usual water pistol stupidity, is that 18 celcius is so much nicer for sightseeing than 38 celcius is if they were to stay here for their summer hols.

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## terry57

^

Big business being done today at the travel show.

Plenty of cashed up Thais floating around, some crackin lookin bints as well.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

I must say I'm rather jealous of you, its going to be a brilliant trip,

Enjoy it mate.

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## runner

Don't be. Get your arse over there yourself with your woman. She will love you longtime for it lol. Like you said, April ain't a good time to be hanging around here. 

Or give Taiwan a try - cheaper, closer, and warmer, but not horribly hot like here. Taipei will be mid 20s celcius. Kaohsiung, 90 minutes south by bullet train at the other end of the island, my favourite city in Asia, will be high 20s.

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## ltnt

You don't have to stay in Tokyo.  Less than 20% of the Japanese live in the rural areas.  The country is really beautiful so why stay in some shitty city that pretty much like all cities everywhere just Japanese style?  Rental cars are also available at discounts.

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## terry57

^
I'm interested in Tokyo because I enjoy large cities. Drop me in the middle of Manhattan and I'd be right at home. 

Saying that I think when I eventually get to Japan I'll just go to one of the smaller cities in the South to get a handle on the place. 

Maybe leave Tokyo for when I'm a bit tuned in might be a better plan.

Heaps of cheap flights from Bangkok these days. 

The Japanese Technology is quite incredible not to mention some of their bints. 

Whats up with the shitty Teeth though.  :Confused:

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## ltnt

^Bad dentist historically.  My mom had dental work there in the 40's and all the fillings fell out after a couple years she said.  

Could be related to British and their NHO?

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## Norton

> Saying that I think when I eventually get to Japan I'll just go to one of the smaller cities in the South to get a handle on the place.


Sasebo in the south and Niigata on the west coast interesting. I enjoyed them. Not much English spoken however.

I have a friend (Northwest Air pilot) who was into Yabusame (archery from horseback). Visited him in Kamakura for the annual contest. Think it is in Sep or Oct. Big saki festival at the same time.

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## Cujo

> I think it's great that most residents of SE Asia can now visit Japan visa-free. I'll be joined by a Thai there in April


Will that be your wife.  :sexy: 
 :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:

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## Neverna

edit...

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## Gazza

> I must have done everything wrong while visiting Japan since I found it expensive.


I've been a few times in mid-late '90's and found it expensive too. Stayed with friends so accommodation was free. After a few days when checking my money, couldn't help but think ''Shit! where's most of my money gone?''. Thought back to what I'd paid out for and it seemed to tally up more or less. Nothing seemed to stand out as exorbitantly expensive, it was just that _everything_ was expensive when added altogether.




> Huge bowls of noodles for lunch or decent sized curry....800Yen or there and there abouts,


800Y = 215 baht.

Coming from a western country that might seem like a fair price but when visiting Japan from living in Thailand for X amount of years? For noodles?
 :Smile:

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