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Japan Travel Thread

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Sr. Member
Jan 31, 2007
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MoonDoggy wrote: Did the Yamazaki came back in stock? Last time I was there, called around like 5-10 stores and no one have them available. You couldn't buy at the distillery but they had some for samples.
Just got back from Japan, a lot of stores in the Tokyo Station (Yaesu underground) area had Yamazaki/Hibiki 17+ yrs in stock. Not at what I would consider reasonable prices for whiskey, but it's available.
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Oct 3, 2011
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MoonDoggy wrote: Did the Yamazaki came back in stock? Last time I was there, called around like 5-10 stores and no one have them available. You couldn't buy at the distillery but they had some for samples.
You have to hit the stores when the shipments come in I think. The distillery had nothing to purchase except the lower end reserves they recently introduced. I think Toki and one other one.

I actually ended up with 2 bottles of yamazaki 12, one was purchased in hong kong in sham shui po for about 300$ CAD after exchange. They had a selection of all suntory products and some others. The second bottle I ended up with was from osaka, some little liquor supply store on the north side of the canal of dotonbori. I kind of wandered in at around midnight and they had a suntory catalog book on the counter, so I asked if they had any 12s, they said they had the whole age range in stock along with hibiki and hakushu and when I asked for the yamazaki they asked me how many I wanted, so I assume they had a reasonable amount of stock. Price was also around 300 CAD the 2nd bottle was for a friend who asked me to keep an eye out for it if possible.

I went to about 5 different shops in hong kong and I basically tripped over the store in osaka wandering around. The 2 places where I bought from were the first store that had it when I walked in. I got some good intel from the other stores in hong kong about the pricing, what you see listed in the stores when you see it is pretty much what it goes for give or take a few bucks.

The exception will be those really out of the way stores that don't advertise they sell alcohol. The 17s and 21s are way outside of what I'd be willing to spend, even at 300 I had to think about it for a while, but considering none of the age marked bottles are available in canada which is why I decided to buy it. Any one of the age marked bottles is worth 300, whether or not they're worth the higher price tiers for the 17 or 21? I personally said no. 300 was the max I was willing to go for 1 bottle of any of them.

Hibiki 12 is no longer available.
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Nov 19, 2006
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Temujin1 wrote: Just got back from Japan, a lot of stores in the Tokyo Station (Yaesu underground) area had Yamazaki/Hibiki 17+ yrs in stock. Not at what I would consider reasonable prices for whiskey, but it's available.
lurkknight wrote: You have to hit the stores when the shipments come in I think. The distillery had nothing to purchase except the lower end reserves they recently introduced. I think Toki and one other one.

I actually ended up with 2 bottles of yamazaki 12, one was purchased in hong kong in sham shui po for about 300$ CAD after exchange. They had a selection of all suntory products and some others. The second bottle I ended up with was from osaka, some little liquor supply store on the north side of the canal of dotonbori. I kind of wandered in at around midnight and they had a suntory catalog book on the counter, so I asked if they had any 12s, they said they had the whole age range in stock along with hibiki and hakushu and when I asked for the yamazaki they asked me how many I wanted, so I assume they had a reasonable amount of stock. Price was also around 300 CAD the 2nd bottle was for a friend who asked me to keep an eye out for it if possible.

I went to about 5 different shops in hong kong and I basically tripped over the store in osaka wandering around. The 2 places where I bought from were the first store that had it when I walked in. I got some good intel from the other stores in hong kong about the pricing, what you see listed in the stores when you see it is pretty much what it goes for give or take a few bucks.

The exception will be those really out of the way stores that don't advertise they sell alcohol. The 17s and 21s are way outside of what I'd be willing to spend, even at 300 I had to think about it for a while, but considering none of the age marked bottles are available in canada which is why I decided to buy it. Any one of the age marked bottles is worth 300, whether or not they're worth the higher price tiers for the 17 or 21? I personally said no. 300 was the max I was willing to go for 1 bottle of any of them.

Hibiki 12 is no longer available.
Thanks for the info. I am going there a couple times later this year so i'll keep browsing. I am really hoping to stock up on them everytime i come back lol
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Oct 3, 2011
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since there's no monopoly on alcohol it's actually hard to find something specific over there. lol Not only is there no universal stock system, there's also so many independent stores that can sell alcohol from convenience store all the way to department store. I think you have better odds stumbling into an indy store and finding a better price than you would in a store in a train station complex. Maybe the one I wandered into in osaka was just far enough off the beaten tourist path that all the chinese tourists couldn't find it. I know enough japanese to tell that the phone conversation one of them was having was with a restaurant setting up a delivery, so I don't think their primary sales came from joe public.
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Aug 21, 2007
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The Canterbury Tail wrote: Wow. 4 years ago my bottle of 12 was only about $120 CAD.
It was 89 at the LCBO years before that just as Nikka 18 yoichi was cheap and so many others...in fact, so many nikka were discounted at the LCBO. That was some serious scores for my wife and I. Some of us were ahead of the curve...I recall 4 bottles of hibiki 12 from Astor in NYC for 42US. And some of the special editions of 300ml bottles sold at W whiskey shop in oskaka at the base of the suntory offices. Damn, I miss those. Ah the days before the bandwagoners.
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lurkknight wrote: yamazaki 12 has never been available at lcbo
Stay in school my friend.

Add, the fact that you did not know this only evidences your recent adoption of Japanese whiskey. Sorry, it does.
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I will also add that Yamazaki 12 was all over PA in the PA liquor store for years. It was only around last year that people noticed and then it managed to disappear but it was $89.99...for several years. Or am I a going to get told this "never" happened either.
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Sr. Member
Oct 3, 2011
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mkjr wrote: I will also add that Yamazaki 12 was all over PA in the PA liquor store for years. It was only around last year that people noticed and then it managed to disappear but it was $89.99...for several years. Or am I a going to get told this "never" happened either.
get stuffed dude. I've never seen it. I'm glad your patronizing and condescending tone makes you feel more secure in your manhood.
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People may want to check this before they buy something they have not heard of before.

https://www.nomunication.jp/2018/07/06/ ... l-or-fake/

I've seen some apparently know it all people get excited about stuff at the LCBO but almost all of it's fake and there is even more fake crap in Japan that sucks in those who think they know it all.
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Jan 31, 2007
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is there going to be another Japan deal for fall/winter coming up soon? Usually every year there is 2-3 of these?
One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure
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Oct 3, 2011
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Aznkid2000 wrote: is there going to be another Japan deal for fall/winter coming up soon? Usually every year there is 2-3 of these?
I recall a seat sale for the fall came up from united like last month... and I recall a JAL deal sometime ago as well. You might have missed it.
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Nov 19, 2006
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anyone have experience with JR sim card or japan wifi buddy? I usually go with pocket wifi when i visit but love to try out the sim card so i have less to carry and charge. JapanWifiBuddy seems to have a very high airport delivery rate ($14 USD to Haneda). I am also curious about the JR sim card as it's unlimited and quite cheap.
Member
Dec 1, 2013
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I'm debating if I should buy the JR pass for my trip in December for 13 days (including arrival which is in the evening).

My itinerary is as follows:
Narita airport -> Tokyo
Tokyo -> Hakone
Hakone -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Nara (roundtrip)
Kyoto -> Osaka (potentially, also roundtrip)
Kyoto -> Tokyo -> Narita airport (same day)

It seems like I would have to purchase the 14 day JR pass but according to https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/ it seems far from paying off.
Imagehttps://imgur.com/a/oWRRQnd

Any insight on the best way to travel for my itinerary?
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Krytical wrote: I'm debating if I should buy the JR pass for my trip in December for 13 days (including arrival which is in the evening).

My itinerary is as follows:
Narita airport -> Tokyo
Tokyo -> Hakone
Hakone -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Nara (roundtrip)
Kyoto -> Osaka (potentially, also roundtrip)
Kyoto -> Tokyo -> Narita airport (same day)

It seems like I would have to purchase the 14 day JR pass but according to https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/ it seems far from paying off.
Imagehttps://imgur.com/a/oWRRQnd

Any insight on the best way to travel for my itinerary?
Use Hyperdia.com and map out the bullet train itinerary and see what the total cost would be. If it's more than the cost of a 14 day JR pass, then it makes sense to get one. But you can't use JR pass for the train into & out of Hakone because that line is operated by another rail company (Tozan railway). If you're spending time in Hakone, I recommend you get a Hakone Free Pass which is a 2 or 3 day pass that allows you to use all the public transportation in the Hakone area including the cable car at Gora, the Ropeway up to Owakudani and down to Lake Ashi, the Sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashi, and all the surrounding local buses.

https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/
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Dec 1, 2013
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rvs007 wrote: Use Hyperdia.com and map out the bullet train itinerary and see what the total cost would be. If it's more than the cost of a 14 day JR pass, then it makes sense to get one. But you can't use JR pass for the train into & out of Hakone because that line is operated by another rail company (Tozan railway). If you're spending time in Hakone, I recommend you get a Hakone Free Pass which is a 2 or 3 day pass that allows you to use all the public transportation in the Hakone area including the cable car at Gora, the Ropeway up to Owakudani and down to Lake Ashi, the Sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashi, and all the surrounding local buses.

https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/
Thank you so much for the info! I didn't know that you couldn't use JR pass to go into and out of Hakone, that changes things. I'll look into which one is a better deal.

Do you have any extra tips for travelling to Japan?
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Nov 19, 2006
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Krytical wrote: Thank you so much for the info! I didn't know that you couldn't use JR pass to go into and out of Hakone, that changes things. I'll look into which one is a better deal.

Do you have any extra tips for travelling to Japan?
what sort of tips are you looking for? plus it's better to add more details itinerary as it would be easier to comment on it.

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