Attention : School Trip to Japan, Need HELP!

Alright, after about four months of planning, i've submitted a paper in which has plans for a trip to either, China, Korea, or Japan. My teacher loves traveling, and has already went to China and Korea, so guess where he wants to go? JAPAN!
(and yes i've strategically done that :) ) But anyway, he's a video productions teacher, and teachers for the Regional Occupation Program. So since we're in video, we do things like what reporters and stuff do. However he's seeking the right people for a grant. Though he's more than positive we can go, but a thing thats hindering an instantaneous "OK" for our trip is one thing.

They get the view that Japan is expensive.

I know i've read a lot of threads and how to live cheap, but there is little relevance to what specifications I must abide by.

Right now i'm doing the average pricing for our stay. I don't know what our budget is on the trip but heres the current information :

1)ten to fifteen students will be going, along with two to four shauffers

2)Accomidations must be hotel, preferablly two to three rooms, for ONE WEEK. More than likely there will be more boys than girls, and obviously the boys have their own room, and so do the girls. Along with the staff going.

However, since we are after all American, we can only anticipate that the people going would like that some of the familiarities of "home" go with them, ie Toilet, Shower, etc.

3)Food. This really is in a black zone, as I'm sure we'd like to eat out and get a taste of japan, no pun intended. Also again, it'd be safe to say that the people going would like to eat occaisonally the stuff they're used to here.

I really hate to ask you all to basically do my work for me, but I really don't know much about the pricing of the stuff mentioned before.

Right now I will be calculating budget and some of the expenses that are REQUIRED for the trip.

Also i'm trying to get into contact with two Japanese High Schools.

;)

Should this be passed by the school district, and it actually goes down, I'd LOVE to post the video here :)

However keep in mind that I do reside in California, and education has recieved a lot of budget cuts, not to mention I live in much smaller town. (But already has gone to China because of a music trip)

-Jonathan.

Thank you JREF people!

P.S. I'll be editing this post to update anything.

Sorry to see your trip was cancelled. Our school might take us to japan in the Graphics and Art Department. i bet it will be expensive but well worth it! Japan is Cool! I will be Learning japanese soon and may even spend my gap year there!!!:-)

(I just found this forum when searching for info on going so thanks for the info all)

Since so many people are travelling, you might want to see if you can get a group discount with your local travel agency, which can make airfare and hotel cheaper.
With 3 people a room, it's pretty packed, but for cheap, would be about $70 a night. Hostels are A LOT cheaper with so many people, but you said it has to be a hotel...
Food... do you mean fast foods? McDonalds, KFC, etc.? Price of those are probably more than you local fast foods. There are small places even in large cities that have places to eat cheap, like noodles, udon, etc. Less than $5 worth. Not them American food though. But expect for cheap eats, expect $5-$10 worth per meal.

Keiichi

:blush:

I figure each meal must at least cost $30.00 USD, and of course three meals a day, for 6 days comes to $540 a person.

Even a hog like myself would have trouble spending more than about ten bucks per meal, unless splurging at a good restaurant on a special occasion or something.

I had some people come visit me last year. I took them around a bit. (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Himeji.) They stayed about 2 weeks, and spent about $1,000.00 each. I'm not sure if that's a high estimate or a low one. We stayed at dirt cheap accomadations, but they spent a heck of alot of money drinking.

:?

Well, none of us can drink, haha. Even so, I doubt the teachers/staff would be drinking either.

I figure each meal must at least cost $30.00 USD, and of course three meals a day, for 6 days comes to $540 a person.

What are the prices of the Western type fast-food restauraunts? Like McDonalds, and such.

Also what are the prices of restauraunts generally around Narita? I'm currently seeking accomidations in Garden Hotel Narita.

If we can get $5-$10 USD like udon, and other noodles like Keiichi said, that'd be great. :)

Can't tell you about Narita, but...

The prices for McDonalds are roughly the same as in the U.S. There's also Yoshinoya. Their prices are around $6.00. Believe it or not, there is also Denny's in Tokyo. I ate at one 4 years ago in Shibuya and saw one in Asakusa. Again, their prices are roughly the same as in the U.S.

If you want to do the hotel route vs. hostels, business hotels are generally cheaper. I paid about $47/night in a business hotel in Ueno last month. The rooms were small, but who's really going to stay in a room the whole time when there's things to see? It was Western-style with a private bath. PM me if you want more details.

Oh-oh, I just saw that your trip was cancelled. Man, I sympathize. Maybe you can talk the district to dump the France trip and go with Japan.

Well, none of us can drink, haha. Even so, I doubt the teachers/staff would be drinking either.

Haha I don't believe that for a second.

Meals don't cost $30 each unless you're really eating two large platters of sushi or a buffet each meal at a restaurant. I'd say a good and cheap meal is around $13-20 a meal, and about $7 to $10 at smaller restuarants.
Maybe consider a splurge and spending $50+ on one meal while you're there. ;)

Keiichi

:blush:

Sorry for the LONG wait for maybe those who wanted an update. Unfortunately our district DECLINED the offer, even though we're PAYING like 90% of it our selves. Stupid district. They did declined because we already have two "Big Fieldtrips" ; One going to New York, and one going to China. Darn, tough luck huh? The really dumb thing is that China went the prevous year, and they're goin' again.

Edit :

In spite of our trip having been cancelled, the trip to France has also been under scrutiny because of the riots, Yay! We're not alone on this. Adv. French will have to stay hahah

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7 January 2009 | cameltoepants.com | edit