#15 Typhoon Afternoon

Once again it may appear as if I was neglecting this poor little blog (and perhaps I was) but I've been working on ideas to make it less crappy. But first for an important weather update! Right outside now a typhoon is whirling around! (that is an exaggeration and I apologise profoundly). It's the first one since I got here in mid August, which I am told is strange. I was unlucky (or lucky!) enough to have experienced a particularly long, hot, humid, Japanese summer. The weather in the past week has gradually gotten colder, wetter, as well as more overcast and windier. I was talking to a friend of mine here and we both agreed that last Thursday was the first night neither of us woke up in a sweat at around 4am, fumbling for the air-con remote.

Anyway, back to the typhoon. For those unsure, a typhoon is a hurricane, it just has a different name in different regions of the world (or something. . .contact a meteorologist if you want to know more?). This is a screen shot of two different pages of the Japan Meteorological Agency. There they have lots of weather warnings and information on storms and earthquakes, and in perfect English too!

As you can see, basically all of Japan is screwed. Especially the Kanto/Tokyo area.

It's now 11pm and the weather's pretty wild out there, although it is dry. I can't imagine what it'll be like when it rains (although I'm sure I'll wake up with the noise). It was a nice bright morning, then around 4pm it became darker and it was getting windy, shortly after there was some heavy rain but it died off to a light rain after a few minutes (I sound like a weather reporter here, I apologise). From pretty much then onwards the wind has just been gradually picking up. I'm still not exactly sure when the worst is going to hit, I think it's anytime from now until tomorrow morning. 

From my knowledge this isn't a particularly big one so I'm not too worried, but every now and then a gust of wind does seem to catch my flimsy Leopalace door. This isn't a new building though so it has withstood previous typhoons and should therefore be nice and safe. . .or so I assume.

UPDATE: It never did rain, and the 'typhoon' was a big disappointment in all. When I woke up the next morning it was the brightest, hottest day its been in awhile. Silly Japanese weather!

#14 A Quick Update from a Tokyo Tourist

So I have visited Tokyo Dome, Akihabara, Tokyo Tower and Shibuya (in that order too). And I have noticed a pattern emerging - they're boring. Well not the attractions, just going by yourself. My plan is to go alone and check it out, and then to go back with a group. While at Tokyo Dome I didn't go on any of the attractions, I didn't go up Tokyo Tower and I didn't buy anything in Akihabara or Shibuya. This has kept costs down while allowing to wander freely around these places without having the annoyance of only doing what the group wants. It means you get more of what you want done, but it also means it can get boring. It's just not as exciting as if there was someone beside you you can share the moment with. Nonetheless, here are some quick updates of what I've been doing:

Tokyo Dome - suprisingly big (Credits: ME!)

I thought Tokyo Dome was just a big concert area, plus a ferris wheel and rollercoaster. When I got to the entrance it said 'Tokyo Dome City' - and by god is it a city! There's a big shopping area, arcade games, children's amusements, a haunted house, an aqua centre, restaurants. . .the place is big, and it is good. The nice part is you can walk around without spending a yen, but then again if you do decide to go on the amusements you could be forking out about 10,000yen per attraction.

Akihabara (aka Electric Town)

The only thing I bought in Akihabara was a little travel  iron for about 1000yen. And it doesn't really work. On another note, the lights at night are great and the people shouting at you to come in and buy something is fantastic. There is a wonderful selection of just about every electrical item ever invented from lighting to fans to cameras to rice cookers. From the cameras I looked at I could tell that most of the models weren't available in Ireland, and these were more advanced. I'm planning on going back so I'll research the prices then - but from what I'm told most items are only up to 10% cheaper than at home, which isn't the massive discounts some people think are available.

Tokyo Tower, like the Eiffel tower except with a temple

I've been to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. And Tokyo Tower is a carbon copy. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic structure and well worth a visit. It is situated in Shiba park, and right behind a massive temple, Zojo-ji. On the evening I went, there were film trucks and crew tidying up after filming there for some upcoming Japanese movie. So you can see it's a pretty cool place. Also around there is a Japanese graveyard (surrounded by cats, it was a little creepy) and, also creepy, were hundreds of statues covered decorated with wool hats and scarves. These Jizo dolls represent all miscarried, aborted and stillborn children in Japan.

At Tokyo Tower, just in case you  get bored of the amazing view or the fact you're at Tokyo Tower, is an aquarium, wax museum and amusements centre.

Shibuya shopping district

Shibuya is pretty expensive. While it does have massive shops like H&M, Forever 21 and Uni Qlo, you'll find these once again have similar stock and prices to at home. The Shibuya 109 centre is great for a look to see what's going on with Tokyo fashion - but that's all. The little boutiques in there aren't for those on a budget, to say the least. There are lots of little market type shops around the streets selling things such as shoes, but I still found they weren't cheap. If you're interested in fashion it is a great place to go, and if you're not it's still a good way to fill in a day, looking at all the shops and wandering through the winding streets. The famed Shibuya crossing - the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world apparently - isn't that exciting. After being in Tokyo for a few days you get used to the masses of people surrounding you everywhere. So when you're walking across a road with another 800 people it doesn't feel particularly special. However, if you were looking at it from a height it would probably look good. At the train station you can also see the statue of Hachiko, the dog who waited at the station for 9 years after his dead owner failed to return.

Note: I picked what places to go purely out of convenience of location as opposed to real desire - there is so much to see and do in Tokyo it is hard to make a list. I also want to save things that require an entry fee (such as Ueno Zoo and Skytree) for when I have friends with me. 

I happened to be on the train to work when I looked out the window and noticed the top of Tokyo Dome so the next day I decided to get off the train there, the same with Tokyo Tower. Akihabara is a popular place to transfer between train lines, so I was already in the area and decided to stay a while. I was meeting a friend at Shibuya so that's how I ended up there. Other locations such as Shinjuku and Harajuku have their own stations so they are convenient to find on the maps.

#13 Prices in Japan 2012

Whilst it may look like I've been slack at this blog, I have actually been cooking up something quite delicious. In many senses of the word. The one thing (actually that's a lie, there are many, many, many things) that annoys me about the internet is that it's hard to find relevant information. An example of such is the prices for things in Tokyo, or Japan in general for this year. Any ones I found seemed a little outdated, so I have begun compiling a list of the 2012 prices I have seen for food and other items over here, in shops such as 7/11, Lawson, Family Mart, Fuji, Maruetsu, Hac etc.

¥100 Store 

(The most popular one is called Daiso, but others are around. Also in reality everything is ¥105 because of tax)

Noodles, Sweets

Arts and crafts (and I mean lots)

Bathroom and toiletries

Every type of household item (bowls, hangers, dustbins, brushes, lunchboxes, etc etc)

Random items
*There are also some Lawson Store 100 convenience stores around (a version of the regular Lawson store), where nearly all the food is ¥105 or ¥210, and they have milk, meat, vegetables, snacks, bread etc).

Groceries

Generally, fruit is expensive to buy in stores, but cheaper if you get it from stalls (although I think more likely to go off faster). There are lots of fish (the prices can be quite reasonable considering there is so much choice), lots of noodles and not so much meat. Most common is beef and then maybe pork, but it can be difficult/pricey to get chicken or anything like that. Breakfast cereal is expensive, bread is thicker than home and tastes a little sweeter. There are lots of breads available such as croissants, cakes, rolls (like the hotdog buns), cheese slices and pizza slices. These are all well priced, usually no more than ¥150. There are food items available from UK/USA (like ketchup or sauces), but while at first you may be excited to see it, after you catch a glimpse of the price you'll see it's far more expensive.

Sample prices include:
Instant ramen cup ¥185
Small vegetable mix ¥100
Small frozen veg (such as corn) ¥100
900ml Porari Sweat (energy drink) ¥168
1l water ¥168
1l milk ¥198
Breakfast cereal (small box) ¥208
Curry soba noodles 3x pack ¥198
Tomato pasta sauce ¥298
Spaghetti ¥298

Household items (you can probably get some of these at the Daiso)
Dove shower gel ¥258

Hand soap ¥298

Washing detergent ¥198

Dove facial cleanser ¥980

Listerine mouthwash ¥398

Herbal essences conditioner ¥298

Kitchen cleaner ¥98

I got all of these for less than ¥200 at a stall

Ready meals: You can also get ready meals at places like 7/11, and they are fresh, tasty and really cheap. Prices are around ¥398. Apparently they contain lots of additives and stuff, so although great value and super convenient I wouldn't recommend them as a long term option.

Rice and some tasty chicken balls

Dining out

Fast food places such as McDonalds are pretty much the same as at home (about ¥600 for a meal), pricewise and menuwise. Generally you can get quite a decent meal in a restaurant for around ¥1000-1500. Sukiya is a ramen place with prices at like ¥500, and is renowned as one of the cheapest places to eat in Japan. If you're in Tokyo I recommend Chikara Meshi, it's really cheap, the food is really tasty, and I basically used to eat there all the time. A lot of restaurants have wax models and prices of the food outside, and inside the menu will likely have pictures, so if your Japanese isn't good you can really just point. Alternatively, there are even more restaurants that just have a vending machine as you walk in, so you press the picture of what you want and put in your money, then you get a voucher and you hand it to the waiter - no speaking involved!

'Ebi fillet-o' or a shrimp burger, one of the menu differences

Some plastic deserts in a cafe window

Vending machines

Unlike in Western countries, vending machines in Japan sell only drinks, no food. There are exceptions, but as you find at least one vending machine per every few steps (no exaggeration, they really are EVERYWHERE) you will notice they will not have food. The main drinks are water, energy drinks and types of tea and coffee in cans (which are hot!!). Some machines are only ¥100, but you will find prices in most are around ¥120-¥160.

#12 Leopalace 21

Leopalace. A place of grandiose! Well. . . .it has a nice name! Who doesn't want to live in a Palace?! For those familiar, you will know that it is affordable and small, but nice accommodation in Japan. And it is where I find myself now.

Table, wardrobe, bed up top with front door in background and bathroom/kitchen on the left

Yeah. . . this is your kitchen now! Hope you like boiling and microwaving

This is the outside of my building. . .I've seen nicer ones around

The loft! It had pretty big built in storage on the left

The microwave and fridge (living room on left, toilet + shower room on right)

the toilet and shower room are different rooms

The doors kinda look like cabins on a boat or something

It comes with a tv, internet, air con, fridge and freezer, microwave, two hobs, and a washing machine. The 'kitchen' is tiny, although the floor space in the living room is substantial as you sleep in the loft and the table can be folded away. I have a wooden floor all through my apartment, although everyone else I know has a carpet in their living area and I know of others who have tatami. 

View from the sliding doors

There's also a toilet and wet room with sink/shower. You can hang your clothes up in here and put on a heat setting which will dry them, or you can leave them outside (not advised if you live on the ground floor, although I imagine this is largely based on rumours and they are highly unlikely to get stolen). The shower/bath is very good quality, and the toilet has a little sink on top that runs every time you flush (oh Japan!). 

While on the outside it looks a bit grubby, it is a nice, clean apartment (some of my friends apartments looks nicer on the outside, but the inside is the same). I found it was perfect for the 4 months I spent in Japan, and could have lived in it for longer. 

The air con is great - it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It also has a handy remote so you can turn it on from the loft when you're sleeping. 

There is plenty of storage space, 2 large wardrobes as well as space on top of them, as well as the loft (you can put your mattress on the living room floor if you want and use the loft for extra storage). The loft is pretty big too, the standardised Leopalace mattress only takes up 2/3 or less of the space, and I am quite tall and I could sit with my head just barely touching the ceiling. There's also a light and a small window at the other end so it's not claustrophobic or anything. There's a built in space in the wall beside it (big enough for a television even) so you can put your things in there while you sleep.

You have your own door to your apartment so it is quite separate to everyone else. There is also a mini camera outside your door with a little tv monitor in the living room, so you can see (and hear) who is at the door before you open it (there's also a peephole on the door itself). So it's pretty safe! 

There are also sliding doors in the living room with frosted glass and an insect net on the outside for during the summer. This for me opened out into a little carpark and then the side of the road (so I never really opened it), but my friend on the third floor of his building had the "world's tiniest balcony" that he could just about stand on.

View from the living room door

Of course this is just my particular Leopalace, I have seen other ones that have a built in bed and no loft, and I'm sure there are other little differences too, but this type is very common. As for pricing I don't know (luckily the company arranged and paid for it on my behalf), I assume it varies on how new it is and the location. From what I understand, it's cheaper to go on the ground floor than on the second or third floor though. So there you have it! 

#11 Arrival in Japan

And so I have arrived in Japan. My suitcase was bang on 30kg, which was absolutely fabulous! The flight to Dubai was good. The airport wasn't great, you have to walk a long way around it and there are very few seats for the amount of people. On the flight from Dubai to Narita there was no one in the two seats beside me so I could lie out which was nice. Going through security at Narita took a long time, partially because a lot of travellers didn't seem to have any of their documents in order. However the Japanese were very efficient (as expected) and moved as fast as they could.

I am in an airport hotel and haven't left since I got here last night. I'm in work training until Saturday when I'll be moving into my apartment. The weather is nice and bright but very hot and humid, luckily there is air-conditioning all over the hotel and on the buses.

#10 Tomorrow, tomorrow

In less than 12 hours time I will be on the plane to Narita, Tokyo. My suitcase is packed (weighed in around 28-30kg), I've checked in online and got my boarding pass (not to mention a window seat for both flights, whoop whoop) and I will check in soon with all my news. Until then, さよなら!

#9 Seven Days

I collected my work visa from the Japanese embassy in Ireland today, it took exactly seven days to process, which isn't bad.

I ordered my Yen (and some Emirati Dirham for my few hours in Dubai!) last Wednesday, and it will be ready for collection tomorrow! Roughly, the exchange rate is €1 equal to ¥100. Therefore I was a little disappointed that the day I went in the rate was down to only €0.94. I wish I had gotten it earlier, so I could have gotten a higher rate, but it's not so bad.

Me and whoever this guy is will get to know one another very well indeed

Today I also got a proper suitcase weighing scales, as well as a strap/belt thingy to put around the suitcase to make sure it doesn't burst open. My suitcase is absolutely massive so I reckon everything should fit fine, it's just the weight could be an issue (I'm allowed a max 30kg).

#8 Two Weeks

This time 14 days time I will be on my way to Tokyo. My Certificate of Eligibility has arrived and I am going to the Japanese embassy in Dublin tomorrow to get it processed so I can get my working visa. Rahoo!

While in Dublin I'll also be getting some Irish souvenirs, such as a leprechaun toy.

I shall call him Seamus O' Murphy (credits: Carroll's Irish Gifts)

I also plan on taking some pictures of Ireland to take with me (I find the ones on the interent aren't the most realistic). I took some pictures of around where I live, it was quite strange taking pictures of something I find so familiar. Some of the highlights included: 

Hook Lighthouse - The oldest lighthouse in the world

Loftus Hall - Apparently it's haunted

I hope to get some good ones of Dublin city while I'm there. 

Dublin's fair city. . . (credits: Tourism Resources)

#7 Flight Plan

Today did not start well. I was awoken rather rudely at approximately 7.30am by a phone call, which had stopped by the time I fumbled to find my phone and forced my weary eyes open to see an unknown, foreign number. I called it back, and was directed to the company HQ in Japan. After being put on hold for quite some time I was put through to someone who told me that my Certificate of Eligibility, which I bring to the Embassy in Ireland to get my Japanese visa, will be sent out shortly. So things were looking up.

For such a simple form it causes mucho stress

I went back to sleep and around 11am I woke up again and checked my emails, to see that my flights have now been booked. By some miracle, I have been put on the flight I wanted - Emirates Dublin to Dubai, and from there to Tokyo. I am now a very happy camper.

I will depart Dublin in the afternoon of the 20th August, and after a 7 and a half hour flight I will get in to Dubai shortly after midnight on the 21st. I will proceed to wander aimlessly around the airport for about 3 hours until my next flight, nearly 10 hours to Tokyo. All going well I should be in Narita International Airport in Tokyo by 6pm on the 21st of August. Splendid!

Oh, and I will be leaving from terminal 2 in Dublin. A very important but admittedly very petty detail which had been bothering me.

Dublin Airport Terminal Two. . .the place of dreams!

I was on the Emirates website and I was able to look up the planes I'll be on and their facilities, although I am travelling economy and not first class it still looks pretty swish. For the slightly longer journey from Dubai to Tokyo I'll be travelling on the A380, the largest passenger plane in the world (apparently it can fit 555 people). It has two levels - the first being for first and business class, while the lower deck is for the plebs in economy. The economy layout is three seats - aisle - four seats - aisle - three seats. If you follow. More chance of an aisle seat, but less chance of being seated at the window. I'll try survive though!

Check out this badboy! [credits: Emirates]

The next step was to look up luggage requirements, which is thankfully 30kg and not the 23kg I expected. Although the first 30kg is free, I am only allowed an additional 2kg (which will cost €100) so I spent a few hours today doing a trial run on the weight of my suitcase. It looks like I will be needing to cut back a little, but generally you will fit a lot in with the 30kg.


And finally, I will be doing the same trip home on the 21st of December. It will take me a total 16.8 hours flying time to get from Dublin to Tokyo, but strangely enough it will take me 20.2 hours in a plane to get from Tokyo to Dublin.


It seems after months and weeks of waiting things are starting to move very fast, before I know it I will be there and back, and on to Sweden.

Soon. . .

#6 Twenty-Five Days

Yesterday morning I received confirmation that on the 20th August 2012 I will be getting a flight to Japan. That is roughly 25 days time. I have been given a list of things (teaching materials) to bring with me, to add on top of the things I already have. My suitcase has been semi-packed for the past few weeks, but it's time to check I have everything I need in there and buy whatever's left. I have also been given a lot of materials to read over, as well as some questions to fill out, which will keep me busy up until I go.

I have also received confirmation that I will be not be teaching full time, but rather working in an office, helping out with examinations and occasionally subbing in schools. I will also be staying around Tokyo, which I am definitely happy about, especially on my first visit to Japan. This may change, but for now this is what I can expect.

View from Tokyo tower, with the streets laid out to look like Tokyo Tower.

#5 I Am Not Rich

I have a concern that anyone reading this thinks I'm super rich and can easily afford all the associated costs with going to live in Japan and Sweden, especially consecutively. This is definitely not the case; there are a variety of factors that allow me to do this at a relatively low cost. In Japan I will be working as an assistant English teacher so I will be earning while I'm there. In Sweden I will be attending college and it is unlikely I will get a job, but as part of the programme each student gets a grant to help.

The Japan facts:

• To start off with the most important bit, the company pays for my flights to and from Japan. This is a HUGE factor as they would have cost me around €1,000.
• Another big factor, my accommodation is arranged on my behalf and is paid out of my gross salary, which brings me on to my third major factor: I earn about €600 a month, basically just for food and other living costs.
• The company also provides the following: free orientation and teaching materials as well as a hotel stay and transport from the airport on arrival in Tokyo, free health insurance cover, free transport within Japan from Tokyo to wherever I will be placed, and from my accommodation to the schools I’ll work in.

So as you can see, this is much cheaper than a holiday in which I would have to pay for flights, insurance and accommodation and the rest myself.

The Sweden Facts

• These are a lot less clear at the moment, but I do know that I will be receiving a grant of up to €1,500, which will go a long way.
• Flights with luggage etc will set me back about €150 return, it sounds like a lot but it costs €26 return on a bus to college from my house – so that would equal about 6 trips home if I were in Ireland (and I would go home more than that).
• As for accommodation, it’s looking like €400 a month, which is roughly the cost of my accommodation at home anyway – although I have to buy things such as bedding and stuff which I would have normally just have brought up from my house. I’ll also have to fork out for travel to college (I'm told a 3month travel card for the bus, train and metro will set me back about €135) while in Ireland I was in walking distance from college.
• As for things like food, there are shops like Lidl (which is quite low cost for anyone who doesn't know) which I would often shop in Ireland too.

I still believe that going to college in Sweden won’t cost me too much extra than at home – although I will probably not realise the extent until I return home this time next year.

I see this in my future (credits: World Of Stock)

So while I have outlined that my trips are not as expensive as they may seem, I have had to fork out for things such as more climate-appropriate clothes, plus a few expensive extras such as a video camera.

#4 Sweden on the Horizon

It is now July, and while I sit staring at my emails hoping to hear about my impending trip to Japan, I have also realised that it is just over 6 months to go until I travel to Sweden (and it's capital Stockholm, to be more precise).
I anticipate I will be home from Japan around Christmas Eve, and from the little information I can get about the college in Sweden at this early stage, I believe accommodation will be ready Saturday 19th January, with the orientation week beginning the following week. This will give me about three weeks to get my life sorted before I am uprooted again to a different climate and culture. Seeing this as a challenge, I've decided to start thinking ahead about what needs to be done:

The Swedish flag.

• Insurance: I have just applied for my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), a free initiative in the EU that allows me to get free hospital care (or something to that effect. . .more research will be done closer to the time) in any European country. [EDIT: Received my card, took about 3 weeks or so.]

• College: I apply to Sodertorns Hogskola in September and travel over in mid-January. When I apply I pick where to live and the subjects I want to study. I don't need a visa because I'm a European citizen and it's being organised in partnership with my home university in Ireland.

• Flights: I thought the Dublin - Tokyo flights were a bit of a headache, so it's a relief that the Dublin - Stockholm route appears to be much easier. Glancing at the Aer Lingus website, I can see there's a flight for €51 on Sunday the 20th January, while Ryanair have a flight on the same day for €90. However there are midweek prices that cost €46 (Aer Lingus) and €49 (Ryanair). I assume bags etc cost more, so when I go to book the tickets this will have to be looked at. Also prices are going to go up closer to the time, so I'll be looking out for the usual Autumn sale for a better deal.

• Money: Sweden uses the Krona, not the Euro. How inconvenient of them I must say! But anyway, apparently Sweden is expensive. Especially Stockholm. But you know what? I live in Ireland, which is also said to be expensive. And I'll be going to Tokyo, which apparently has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the world. So I will accept this challenge! Really my biggest problem will be trying to sort out the exchange rate (at the moment, €1 = 8.7Kr) as I hate numbers, this will be quite a mountain to conquer!

• Accommodation: This is something I have looked up! I have a choice of two college-arranged apartment blocks, or I can face the Stockholm housing market, which we are strongly advised to avoid. The two on offer are quite similar in terms of size and rent, with the only problem of distance to the college. Neither are close - both are more than an hour away and require the usage of public transport such as buses, trains and the underground. My final decision will likely be down to the other guys from Ireland and where they want to live. 

• EUROVISION: Ah yes, the European Song Contest. An annual event since 1956, if I am correct. For those of you watching the 2012 competition, you will already know that Ireland came 19th out of 26 on 46 points, while the winners were Sweden, with a massive 372 points! This means that in 318 days, on May 18th, the contest final will be held in Sweden, and with any luck Stockholm! Although I am looking forward to it, the ticket prices for this year's Azerbaijan final fetched up to €240, and I imagine next year will see no improvement. [EDIT: It has now announced that it will take place in Malmo, which is really far from where I will be in Stockholm. You can get a bus, train or flight. If we still choose to go I reckon we would take the train which is cheaper than a plane but is slightly faster than a bus (just over 4 hours on the fast train). That is definitely problematic.)

Euphoria: Sweden's Eurovision 2012 Winner Loreen (credits: Eurovision)

#3 Trip Planning

Because my company book my flights, I do not yet know when I will be leaving, only that it will be "late August". This leaves me with roughly two months to go, and I think it could be nigh time to start a to-do list so I can be as prepared as possible before I go. So in traditional Irish fashion I will essentially make a list and think about it, instead of actually doing it. Huzzah!

To-do:

• Perfect Japanese (Yes I speak Japanese, but not very well or very frequently...)
• Stock up on appropriate clothing/footwear
• Sort out bank account - currency issues
• Find out about voltage, plugs etc.
• Learn to use chopsticks proficiently

This meal may prove challenging with my current chopping/sticking skills

#2 Japan Flight Assumptions

Although I do not book my own flights to Japan (the company books them for me), I have spoken to a friend who works with the same company and I can assume that I could be travelling BMI from Dublin to London Heathrow, and then Virgin Atlantic to Tokyo Narita. This arrangement means I would have to depart from terminal one in Dublin Airport, instead of terminal two. This upsets me greatly as I was looking forward to heading to the new terminal, where so many of my peers have tagged themselves before they leave to go on a wild J1 to America, or to find a job in Australia. For me, terminal one is for cheap family holidays to Gran Canaria or cheap drinking holidays for the students to Santa Ponza. But we'll see. Maybe I can leave Terminal two for my flights to Stockholm. Maybe.

I had originally thought I had to arrange my own flights, so I was checking online and the cheapest flights I could find were around €535 (one way) which was Dublin to either Abu Dabi or Dubai, and from there to Tokyo. These were operated by Etihad Airways and Emirates. I was looking at the Virgin website and the flight I was quoted was £1,022 one way! That is way more expensive than most of the ones I had found online. The prices will be going up the closer it gets to when I leave, so I am happy I won't have to worry about that.

Like this except better