[Travel] First Time in Japan. Tips?

[Insel affe]

One of our best trips ever.

Bullet Train to Kyoto is a must and visit the temples in the hills, so cool.

Tokyo is just amazing

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Just remembered, if you are in Tokyo on a Sunday then go to Harajuku and have a walk round the Meiji shrine. If you come back out in the afternoon you'll see the Harajuku girls - outrageous goths, fancy dress and cosplay.

Those girls are long gone sadly and Harajuku is the worse for it.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Those girls are long gone sadly and Harajuku is the worse for it.

Blimey, half the things I had down as 'must do' have disappeared in 20 years!

Did Covid kill it or is it just not a 'thing' any more?

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Get along to the Tokyo Dome for a Yomiuri Giants baseball game. I believe they're playing the Dragons at home the next two days, so you may get tickets.
The Japanese LOVE their baseball and its worth experiencing at least once....defo on my bucket list.

This is a good read about what to expect at a game:

A Baseball Game in Tokyo

Do you ever overlook the obvious? The first time I watched Japanese baseball was 30 years ago—with my brother and my parents—in our living room. It was the Little League World Series in South Willi…

travelingwherever.com

 

[Vicar!]

Add

Tokyo
https://www.70beersontap.com/en/our_story :
Salarymen hit the craft beer scene. Don't refuse the free food at happy hour. Cook gets stressed.

Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Visit the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, located in suburban Tokyo. Experience the maze-like building, the fun of animation and discover the many fascinating and beautiful treasures created by Studio Ghibli.

www.ghibli-museum.jp

Be sure to get tickets in advance

Kyoto

Philosopher's Path

About Walk of Philosophy, a pleasant cherry tree lined path in Kyoto.

www.japan-guide.com

Beautiful walk any time of year. Look out for the Teddy Bear cafe where all the bears appear to be on a monster hangover.


If you see a Geisha or a Maiko (trainee) do not photograph. Very bad form.

Anywhere

Pachinko parlours in Japan: That game with small silver balls

You'll see a lot of pachinko parlours in Japan but it's a confusing game for outsiders. For the Japanese economy, though, it's a huge earner!

www.timetravelturtle.com

Japanese at play

Cheap eats at any Ramen bar, but you leave as soon as you have finished your meal, they are busy and don't appreciate gaijin blocking their tables with smalltalk. Don't be surprised if refused access to some dining establishments, they simply do not welcome foreigners. It's their country.

Get a Bento box for the train, available anywhere at a station. Be aware, snail can look like chicken if you are in a rush.

If you choose to wear a Mitoma shirt you will get mobbed. We had a daft evening in Sapporo and had to end up autographing the walls before we were finally allowed to leave.

Sumo Event Schedule/Calendar | BuySumoTickets

Schedule/Calendar of the dates of upcoming sumo events in Japan. Includes 15-day Grand Sumo Tournaments and 1-day Special Events.

www.buysumotickets.com

Check for the big sport in Japan, dates above. English guides and radio commentary are available to help. Very helpful staff.

Matsumoto is a lovely mountain town not far from Tokyo.

Enjoy.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Blimey, half the things I had down as 'must do' have disappeared in 20 years!

Did Covid kill it or is it just not a 'thing' any more?

It was already going before covid. Cosplay is still going strong, they just don't gather at Harajuku anymore. It's a shame as those guys were pretty cool to see and gave Harajuku some extra character.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm not in my 20s anymore but the whole of Harajuku feels a long way off what it once was. It just seems to lack the creative spark/difference that it used to have. It just feels a bit samey nowadays.


It probably is because I'm no longer a young guy about town anymore and have just lost touch with everything.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Get along to the Tokyo Dome for a Yomiuri Giants baseball game. I believe they're playing the Dragons at home the next two days, so you may get tickets.
The Japanese LOVE their baseball and its worth experiencing at least once....defo on my bucket list.

This is a good read about what to expect at a game:

A Baseball Game in Tokyo

Do you ever overlook the obvious? The first time I watched Japanese baseball was 30 years ago—with my brother and my parents—in our living room. It was the Little League World Series in South Willi…

travelingwherever.com

Noooooo!!!!!


Don't go see those man utd of Japan pricks!

Go to the open air jingu stadium and watch tokyo's real team,the mighty yakult swallows fall to yet another defeat.

It's a much better experience and more suited to an Albion fan.

 

[The Wookiee]

We left early December on trip of a lifetime. Had 3 months in Australia, 7 weeks in New Zealand and just at end of a week in Fiji.

Flying out to Tokyo today so time to move out of the comfort zone! Have 6:days in Tokyo (Asakusa), then 4 in Kyoto and 4 in Osaka. It's first time in Japan so any tips would be appreciated.

I'll have to see if I can catch Bournemouth game as Man city one will be 4 am local time. I have my Albion t shirts and hoping that mentioning Mitoma will help us if we get stuck,

Cheers in advance.........

Am assuming you didn’t need our help and tips for your stays in Australia, New Zealand or Fiji ?

Enjoy

 

[Randy McNob]

Go to a Maid Cafe and don't forget your mieow mieow ears

 

[JOLovegrove]

Eat.

Eat as much as you can. Try as much as you can. The food is incredible.

If you have never have had sushi/sashimi, please try it.

And then bathe in ramen, it is incredible.

I wish I could go back there and properly visit.

 

[Insel affe]

Am i right in remembering you order your Ramen from a cigarette kinda machine and give the ticket to the counter in some establishments ?

The food is amazing, oh and it is, or was rude to eat on the go, folks stopped by or around the corner of a shop to eat and ice cream or sandwich/those bun things.

 

[North of Robertsbridge]

A couple of tips

• Taxi doors close automatically - don't try to close them yourself or you will upset your wihte-gloved driver
• If you win large numbers of ball-bearings at Pachinko. you take them to the counter and get a crappy gift like a ball-point pen. You then take that to a kiosk next door and exchange it for your winnings in cash
• Don't leave your chopsticks sticking into your rice, that's a funeral thing. Don't cross them either - and if you're picking from a communal plate, use the reverse end
  
  I'll probably think of more

 

[East London Exile]

We had a great time in Japan in 2016. When in Osaka we had day trips to Nara (watch out for the over friendly deer in the park) and Himeji castle. At the castle they had free English speaking volunteer guides. We were fortunate and our guide was a lawyer who did the guiding in his spare time and was very informative.
Japanese service is exemplary. On the day were were moving from our hotel in Kyoto to Osaka we went shopping before taking the train. The shopkeeper offered to send the goods (not a very big or expensive package) to our hotel free of charge. When we said we would take them as we were moving on to Osaka the answer was that it was not a problem and they would send them to our new hotel. We arrived that evening at the hotel in Osaka and the package was already there!

 

[Klaas]

Just a few rules and local customs, only cross the road on a green man light, don't drop litter, or eat while walking or on public transport.

This made me laugh because the last two days I've seen 3 foreign tourists stride out in to the road when the light was red, not even glancing to see if anything was coming. Weren't even small side roads where I'd probably cross too, but fairly busy areas.
Twats.

 

[dazzer6666]

I went to a Sumo event - great fun and not what I expected…….

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Oh, and don’t forget to buy some used knickers from a vending machine.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Japan has always been top of the list of places I want to visit. Even more so now after reading through this thread (minus buying used knickers from a vending machine!)

 

[Derbyshire Seagull]

Thanks to everyone for all the replies and advice.
We arrived today and it was raining but supposed to be sunny tomorrow so getting the train to Hakone then planning to use the mountain railway and hopefully see Mt Fuji.

We have tickets for Team Labs on Friday and will try and look at some of the places mentioned.

Got the bullet train arranged to Kyoto and will certainly try to get to Hiroshima.

Really appreciate all the tips. Cheers.

 

[middletoenail]

I go to Japan at least twice a year, usually Tokyo/Osaka for the food and Niseko for skiing. It truly is (in my opinion) one of the most fascinating countries to visit. Its so fecking weird, but in a wonderful way!

 

[Robinjakarta]

Another vote for Nara and easy to get to from Kyoto. It's just got a lovely atmosphere. Buy some rice crackers handily available to feed a few of the hundreds (thousands?) of deer.
Stay in a hotel with an onsen or go to an onsen for a real Japanese tradition.
Enjoy Fuji perhaps also from Fujikuchiko. Magical.
Try a bar deal with everything you can drink in two hours and get out of your head like so many Japanese workers do on Friday nights.
Try the cans labelled STRONG in slot machines everywhere for a quick alcohol fix.

ENJOY. How can you not enjoy Japan? Delightful country, people, food, everything.