bundy

ok, so i´m travelling to this beautiful country in December and i am in need of advice on where to go, what to see and do...

obviously i have a few destinations in mind... such as Tokyo, Nara, Kyoto and HIroshima... but i´d really love to hear suggestions.

thanks for your help...

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Ohayo!!!

Doos

One word, mate: Karaoke.

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bundy

LOL!!

thanks Doos, definitely going to get stuck to the Karaoke... thats going to be lots of fun.

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Ohayo!!!

lordjeebus

As a native Tokyoite, I recommend: Akihabara, O-Daiba, Takeshita Street in Harajuku (to see the young people dressed up), the imperial palace, and the Tsukiji fish market (get there really early). At night, Roppongi, Shibuya, and Shinjuku are fun. Chinatown in Yokohama is not very far from Tokyo. Lots of tourists go to the Ginza but I don't see the attraction myself. Tokyo Tower is also probably a waste of our money, though others may disagree.

The best part about Japan is food! Make sure you are constantly eating -- ramen, soba, udon, sushi, sukiyaki, whatever. Go to McDonald's and get a Teriyaki McBurger.

Kyoto and Nara are probably the best places to visit if you're interested in cultural sites (Tokyo is lacking in this department). Hiroshima is also worth a visit.

I strongly recommend attending a local festival. You can google for "Matsuri," or check http://www.japantimes.co.jp/festivals.htm, which is updated monthly. The Japan Times is also useful for finding other events while you're there.

If you ski, there is great skiing in the north, and although you don't need to go as far as Hokkaido, the further up you go the better the snow and the smaller the crowds. Try to find a place with natural hot springs ("onsen").

You've named what are probably the most interesting cities. I'd suggest looking up places like Osaka, Kobe, Kanazawa, Hakone, Kamakura, or Nagoya. If you know Japanese, you could also consider places far off the beaten path.

bundy

wow, thanks lordjeebus, that info is great!

thanks, its just what i was looking for.

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Ohayo!!!

Lunchbox7

I went there years ago on exchange and the best thing I saw was Himeji castle. Dont miss it. Have fun mate.

splck

Bundy you bastard! I've always wanted to go to Japan and now that you're soiling that beautiful country with your presence, I can never go....damn you!
Have fun dude, and make sure you tell us all about your trip.

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nice line eh?

bundy

thanks splck, i can´t wait to go.
promise i won´t ruin it too much.

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Ohayo!!!

bennyb

Ahhhh lucky fcuk... i really want to go.... first i gotta learn japanese though :P

shileno

first, make sure you get that railway pass.
hiroshima,kobe,kyoto are beautiful places.
stay in one of those bath (sauna?) places..they are nice..

have fun!

Eldaire

Man, how I envy you. Three things come to mind for me. Karaoke, Arcades, and anything to do with anime.

thingstodo

i was there a few years ago for work.... i'm glad i wasn't using my cash. man, it is expensive there but very, very nice. learn to eat sushi before you go so you can enjoy at. also, go with a group someplace to eat shabu-shabu (spelling?)

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Spritebox

Shinjuku is great. Harajuku is just plain entertaining.

Hiroshima was my favorite part of the trip, however. I stayed with my japanese teacher in his apartment and he showed me around the whole city for a few days. Good times.

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and it's not day
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floydthebarber

Japan would be so cool. Sushi is god.

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wish you were here

irateplatypus

Can anyone recommend good lodging places? I've been hosteling over in Europe before, but never in Japan. Are the hostels a similar value? If i'm traveling w/a friend, is it better to get a cheap hotel room?

pretty much, i'll stay anywhere that can offer me clean sheets and a shower in the morning.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

bundy

well, i'm not sure if would be cheaper to get a cheap hotel room if you're with a friend. i doubt it. but i can definitely recommend Ryokans.

in Tokyo, head straight for the Kimi Ryokan in Ikebukero. its propbably the most famous travellers place and thus its really easy to meet people, get great advice (ie, for cheap accom around the rest of Japan). its v popular though, you may need to make a booking.
the only prob with ryokans (trad. japanese hostels) is that they have strict curfews... and since there aren't all that many places to party in Ikebukero (i mean, its no Roppongi), and the subway usually shuts down for the night quite early... you may be locked out of the ryokan.

a cheap option is capsule hotels. but in my opinion if you wished to stay any more than one, experimental night in a capsule hotel, then you must have incredible tolerance. its possible... but not wonderful.

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Ohayo!!!

JohnnyRoyale

Damn, I'm drooling just thinking about going...I remember somewhere that there was mention of a really large electronics market (open air type) somewhere around tokyo.?
p.s. don't forget to post the experiences & pics when you get back!

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lordjeebus

I recommend looking into the Hotel New Koyo: http://www.newkoyo.jp/

It's less than $25 per person and has no curfew. It's close to Akihabara (that's what you're thinking of JohnnyRoyale) and on the same subway line as Roppongi. It's also not that far from Ueno, which is on the Yamanote Line which runs a bit later than other train lines.

irateplatypus

thanks a lot for the newkoyo reccomendation, that looks like the best option i've found so far. good ol' tfp'ers... come through everytime.

yeah, i bought a canon a80 this winter... so i'm definitely gonna put something together as far as pictures and travel stories together. TFP will be the first to know. Keep the suggestions coming.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

diddagirl

ohhhh I am so jealous. I would love to go to Japan.

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matteo101

I am most likely going to Japan this summer for six weeks. I can't wait, it' going to be awesome. Is there any way to keep a low food budget, while still enjoying traditional cuisine?

lordjeebus

It is certainly possible.

Lunch in Japan is cheap nearly anywhere. Your best bet is to observe where the businessmen go to eat -- set lunches can be had for 6 to 9 dollars depending on where you go. Places where you buy tickets for your food tend to be cheaper. Noodle places with no seats (you stand at a counter) are really cheap, with the cheapest items going for $2.

Cheap, tasty cooked foods can also be found at supermarkets (called "suupaa") and convenience stores (which are everywhere). This is a good way to find cheap sushi as well -- and it's pretty good.

There are a number of chains that cater to people seeking affordable meals. Commit the following logos to memory:

for sushi

for various things served on rice

is also good

is another good one

is my favorite soba noodle place, there are many of them with the same sign

is a good place for Japanese curry

In black is the Japanese word for ramen, which is always good and cheap. (Ignore the red)

if you are brave.

Department store basements give away lots of free gourmet samples.

Conveyor belt sushi is not that expensive -- some places charge a little over a dollar for two pieces.

matteo101

Thanks alot lordjeebus, great advice, thanks for doing that. Ile print those out and put them in my wallet for safe keeping. I am probably going to be spending time in a family's home, my Japanese friends here in Canada are hooking me up with some of there friends and family for me to stay with. I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about the etiquette while living with a Japanese family?

irateplatypus

yeah, thanks again lordjeebus. i'll be sure to keep those in memory for my trip later this summer.

food is one of my biggest budgetary concerns for my upcoming trip. being the frugal backpacker that i am, i'm sure i'll be eating at those places you mentioned quite often.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

Mr.Deflok

I too am planning a trip to Nippon in the near future, Kyoto is the number 1 place I want to go to there mainly due to the untainted natural beauty of the place. Also, seeing as how my ideal life would involve living in a simple Minka in a misty forest, from what I've seen of Kyoto it is very reminiscent of that ideal.

I'll be checking back on this thread regularly (thanks everyone for your input, especially lordjeebus!)

lordjeebus

Remember to take off your shoes.
Wash *before* getting into the bathtub. Don't empty the tub when you're done.
Don't wear the toilet slippers outside the toilet room.
Bring a gift.

Googling for "Japanese etiquette" will help but they probably won't hold it against you if you make some minor breach.

Back on the topic of food, I should emphasize that following businessmen to their favorite establishments will often get you really good food (the chains are fine but some family-run places are amazing). Some small places are more expensive than they should be but prices should be posted in front.

matteo101

Thanks alot again Lordjeebus, for the etiquette advice, and the food advice. I have actually been doing some research myself and I stumbled apon this messageboard, called "Gaijin in Japan". http://pub26.ezboard.com/brealdiscussionboard, and after reading it for a while I heard from many posts that Japanese people discriminate against foreigners alot, and that they don't treat them very well, and look down apon them. Does discrimination happen frequently, or is it just people posting who had one or two bad experiences?

lordjeebus

There are a few mean people and a lot of nice ones.

If you're living in Japan there are some things that can be a pain in the ass.

If you're just visiting, it probably won't be a problem.

The problem is worse outside of large cities, and it is more common for older people to discriminate.

Another factor is what country you're from. If you're from Korea, China, or Africa, you're going to experience a lot more than if you're from America or West Europe.

I do recommend not doing things that could get you arrested, the police aren't nice if they think you've done something. (But are very nice otherwise)

matteo101

Thanks, I will definetly try not to get arrested. I am from Canada, and there for six weeks, so I don't expect anything like that to be a major problem. Though I will be not surprised if I get a dirty look, or something like that.

Mr.Deflok

What about being Indianese?

lordjeebus

That would also be not so hot.

But like I said, most discrimination is of the type that causes trouble for people trying to live in Japan, not tourists.

For instance hotels aren't going to turn you away. Finding an apartment could be a hassle and you'd probably get ripped off.

Mr.Deflok

Thanks for that, was just reading about the 'discrimination', apparently Black people and Blonde people suffer the most... quite unfortunate, it's not like Indians have ever posed ill to the Japanese, we gave them Buddha! There's even a The Cultural Agreement act signed by both countries (not too sure of the specifics though).

irateplatypus

hey, i've got 2 months before i leave for japan...

i know some kana and am still learning fairly rapidly on that front, but i know little to no kanji.

when i look at all the "learn kanji" sort of books, they are divided into different grades. while i'm sure that learning them in that order is best for mastering the written language over time, i doubt it would be most effective for someone just spending a month over there.

question: is learning kanji worthwhile for such a trip, or would that time be better spent augmenting my verbal vocabulary? also, if there are kanji that are essential to my experience... which are the ones i would find the most helpful?

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

lordjeebus

I can think of few scenarios in which not knowing kanji is going to be a big problem. I think verbal vocabulary would be more helpful.

Knowing kana, however, could be more useful. I would also recommend knowing what the kanji for the names of places you will go to look like (or bring a cheat sheet)

If you have access to a kanji dictionary you could bring that. Place names sometimes have nonconventional readings so this is no substitute for the cheat sheet.

Where are you going to go? The more rural you go, the more important language will be.

irateplatypus

as i'm getting all my ducks in a row for this coming trip.... i've run into some logistical complications.

i'm planning on spending a couple thousand dollars (ouch!) over the weeks i'm there. my credit card company charges an additional 3% for international purchases because of exchange rate. in addition to that, i've read that merchants taking credit/debit cards and compatible atm machines aren't exactly ubiquitous.

so here is my question... what is the best way to carry money throughout my trip? i know japan is relatively safe for foreigners carrying a decent amount of cash... but all things being equal (which i doubt they will be) i'd rather pay-as-i-go with my credit debit cards.

ok... hopefully i've described my question well enough. If you'd like more information about my plans let me know... any help would be appreciated.

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

Cbot-X

Hey dude,

I went to Japan for 2 months by myself last winter, I was 19 at the time. As for credit cards, if you stick to major cities and go to the big malls surrounding the train stations, all the stores within those malls will accept visa/Diners club.. I didnt see much mastercard. Its pretty rough finding places that take credit in smaller cities though.. even in Nagasaki, which is moderately big, I was hard up to find a machine outside the station. Your best bet is to use visa around central stations(shinkanen stations) and to withdraw and carry cash elsewhere.

Dont worry about getting mugged... your more likely to just lose it!

Oh, and if you need any info on the cheapest places to stay or eat, gimme a shout! I was pretty much living on a shoestring budget while I was there.

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Jackebear

With respect to money...credit cards are fine for big purchases and in big stores but cash still rules in Japan. It is amazing...I never carried more than 50 bucks in my pocket until I came here. Now I always have a couple hundred in my wallet. I would recommend your credit card, change $500 or so into Yen at your bank at home before you come and get the rest in Traveller's Checks. Then just walk into any bank (9am to 3pm) and show the check, your passport and just say "Yen, on igeye she mas' (literal translation). No problem. Not every ATM will work and some do not have screens with English.

To Mr. Deflok...Kyoto is definately nice...but not as pristine as you think it is. It's a big city with lots of people and 40 MILLION tourists a year...very busy. But still very nice. I would recommend going on one of the tour buses to see the cool temples. The six or seven great ones are far apart and if you go by bus...it will take forever. I went last year on a group tour bus and it cost about 50 bucks for six hours. Definately better than the last time I did it by bus. There are tons of different packages...morning/afternoon/evening/all day/2day Kyoto&Nara (recommend) - you wont regret it. These tour places are right outside the main doors when you leave Kyoto Station...which alone is a couple hour visit (very beautiful station).

I have been here for 5 years. If you have any questions...just ask.

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Date the Banana

I highly recommend going up to Hokkaido if you'll be here in the summer. It's not as hot as the rest of the islands, and it's stunning. For best results, take a ferry from Nagoya or Osaka, I think. You can see the coastline for a day and relax on board. Accomodations vary wildly depending on your budget, but it can make for a very interesting trip.
If you go to Sendai (largest city in the Tohoku region) pm me, there's 2 TFPers here that are always interested in karaoke and assorted hijinx!

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Sun Tzu

Tokyo is one of the best places I've been to. One word could sum up some of the best times in my life-


Roppongi


You dont want to miss this area; trust me.

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To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking

bundy

TRUST HIM!!!
and me...

Roppongi is great.

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Ohayo!!!