Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
[Travel] Japan - any tips?
- Thread starter Igzilla
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #23
My favourite band. Can't stop this going round in my head:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsbrw9Y6_ng
wardy wonder land
Active member
- Dec 10, 2007
- 792
definatly sort out the JR train pass - i think it is best to sort before you go for tourist rate
in 2 weeks we managed Tokyo - Kyoto - Himeji (Castle) - Hiroshima - Tokyo
Trains & people are ace
ensure you let the locals know you are British and NOT american
in 2 weeks we managed Tokyo - Kyoto - Himeji (Castle) - Hiroshima - Tokyo
Trains & people are ace
ensure you let the locals know you are British and NOT american
TotallyFreaked
Active member
- Jul 2, 2011
- 324
Went to Japan in June for two weeks and it is probably one of the best holidays I have ever had. Japanese people are so friendly and hospitable and everything is really easy to navigate. We got the JR Rail pass that was fantastic value and really allowed us to see more of Japan plus I enjoy the travelling around part. We went to Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara, Osaka and Naoshima and loved the contrast of gentile traditional Japan (Nara) to full on modern mental Japan (Osaka- Dōtonbori bridge). All train stations have luggage hold areas that are reasonably cheap that might help if you decide on the train option. My one bit of advice if you want life to be easy is it get pocket Wi-Fi (you can pick it up at the airport if you book online) Surprisingly Japan Wi-Fi is not that great around most towns and really helped us navigate around and a bit more stress free. Enjoy, it is such a fantastic place, I already want to go back!
This.....
I had a week skiing up in the Sapporo area and that is also amazing.
The rail card covers nigh on all the train journeys,exception being the super non stop bullitt trains.It also covers ferries and some of the underground trains.Sapporo to Tokyo 3.5 hours with a few stops en route.
Kyoto and Hiroshima are also worth a visit for different reasons.Hiroshima and the nuclear destruction are not for the faint hearted,then again they are not meant to be.Have been twice and want to see more of the country which is clean and the people polite and well mannered and always trying to help.
bluenitsuj
Listen to me!!!
Kyoto is amazing. I would recommend a few days as there is so much to see.
Also agree with the advice to get pocket Wi-Fi from the airport. We have done it there and I am currently in Taiwan and picked up Wi-Fi for around £30 for 3 weeks and can connect up to 4 devices to it.
Also agree with the advice to get pocket Wi-Fi from the airport. We have done it there and I am currently in Taiwan and picked up Wi-Fi for around £30 for 3 weeks and can connect up to 4 devices to it.
Last edited:
CliveWalkerWingWizard
Well-known member
Start with tin drum.
Insel affe
HellBilly
The only thing I had against Kyoto is when you come out of the station or arrive and look about it looks very industrial and lots of shops, however a short walk, bus ride or taxi and you can explore so much, even went to a damn cat cafe.... got my feet scratched to holy hell.
Loved walking up the hill to Kiyomizu-dera temple, where they still are active during the day, be warned do not get in their way when they are running from area to area chanting, they have no sympathy and will hit or prod you with their staffs...
Attachments
bluenitsuj
Listen to me!!!
Agree. We are lucky to have Japanese friends in Kyoto who kindly took the time to show us around all the places we wanted to see and others we had not heard of.
- Thread starter
- #31
Not Assemblage?
Lived there for 8 months in 2003/4.
Get the train, it will be easier & quicker than the car even with luggage.
At least 3 days in Kyoto. Peter Macintosh does a brilliant walking tour. Married to an ex geisha & knows everything and everyone. Got us in to a Geisha home bar but I doubt that’ll happen with an 11 year old in tow unfortunately. Link here.
http://kyotosightsandnights.com
Couple of snaps.
In Tokyo check out Daikenyama for cool shopping. Sumo stables also have viewing mornings though you may need a local to arrange.
Eat the food and drink the beer. All of it. Except natto.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Get the train, it will be easier & quicker than the car even with luggage.
At least 3 days in Kyoto. Peter Macintosh does a brilliant walking tour. Married to an ex geisha & knows everything and everyone. Got us in to a Geisha home bar but I doubt that’ll happen with an 11 year old in tow unfortunately. Link here.
http://kyotosightsandnights.com
Couple of snaps.
In Tokyo check out Daikenyama for cool shopping. Sumo stables also have viewing mornings though you may need a local to arrange.
Eat the food and drink the beer. All of it. Except natto.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mr Bridger
Sound of the suburbs
We had a McDonald’s in Tokyo whilst on the way to see England v Argentina in Sapporo 2002 and amazed to see the burgers there. The bun bit of the burger was starched rice with the burger in the middle. What’s that about!
Also £6 a pint back in 2002 so dread to think what it is now.
Brian Parsons
New member
Back in '89 it was a standard run of the mill MacDonalds. Only exception in my case I presume the burger itself was off. My companion also suffered. We were declared unfit to fly. So an extra two days in Japan.
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
- Thread starter
- #35
Lived there for 8 months in 2003/4.
Get the train, it will be easier & quicker than the car even with luggage.
At least 3 days in Kyoto. Peter Macintosh does a brilliant walking tour. Married to an ex geisha & knows everything and everyone. Got us in to a Geisha home bar but I doubt that’ll happen with an 11 year old in tow unfortunately. Link here.
http://kyotosightsandnights.com
Couple of snaps.
In Tokyo check out Daikenyama for cool shopping. Sumo stables also have viewing mornings though you may need a local to arrange.
Eat the food and drink the beer. All of it. Except natto.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Website looks great and a custom 1 day tour/ itinerary for approx £68, sounds like a bargain to me!
£5 for an hour of all-you-can-drink pints of gin and tonic in 2003. IF you don’t mind being in a private karaoke booth in Naka Meguro. Right [MENTION=97]Toronto Seagull[/MENTION] ?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lindfield by the Pond
Well-known member
Been twice over the years but only a couple of days in Tokyo. Kyoto is the best. Couple of things I did that at the time were uniquely Japanese were 1) Stayed in a capsule hotel for the night and 2) Go to some natural hot springs. You can get many "Artificial" hot springs which are very relaxing, but natural are best. Go to a Karaoke hut as well if you can. Great fun. Best country I have visited. People are so friendly, Scenery out in the mountains (Nagano prefecture) is spectacular. Have a ride on the bullet train. Always remember a Clive James in Japan documentary where he got on the bullet train in Tokyo, and said after 2 hours on the fastest train in the world, we reached the outskirts of Tokyo!
Vankleek Hill Seagull
Well-known member
£5 for an hour of all-you-can-drink pints of gin and tonic in 2003. IF you don’t mind being in a private karaoke booth in Naka Meguro. Right [MENTION=97]Toronto Seagull[/MENTION] ?
Those were the days. And after that we headed back to Mistral Bleu in Roppongi to continue drinking until the sun came up. Couldn't do that nowadays.
As for McDonald's, I thought the Teriyaki McBurger was rather good. A local twist to a classic food.
Lindfield by the Pond
Well-known member
Kyoto was deliberately spared bombing in WWII so has all of its temples etc intact. Most of the other big cities had large parts were burned as they were mainly wooden building - this is the best reason for going there.
seagullsslimjim
New member
- Sep 26, 2003
- 701
Stayed a week in Japan on the back of a recent holiday in May
Flew into and stayed in Osaka which is great. Got a JR pass for a week and £190.00
Did Kyoto for a day (45 mins in train from Osaka) but you may get temple fatique
Did Hiroshima for the day and very moving seeing the A Dome and then looking up to the heavens (Museum is a must)
Nara for a day and great seeing the wild deer in the park and the temples there too. - very relaxing time
I then travelled up on a bullet train to Tokyo, and made sure i had the window seat on the left hand side to see Mount Fuji
Lovely country and the people are very humble. We could learn a lot from their culture and always happy to help if you get a bit lost.
The trains are so spacious that luggage storage is not a problem and proper seats too (rather than our back breakers over here). I wouldnt even consider a car to be honest as the transport really is on a different level. The Tokyo tube is all colour coded and announcements in English etc
Flew into and stayed in Osaka which is great. Got a JR pass for a week and £190.00
Did Kyoto for a day (45 mins in train from Osaka) but you may get temple fatique
Did Hiroshima for the day and very moving seeing the A Dome and then looking up to the heavens (Museum is a must)
Nara for a day and great seeing the wild deer in the park and the temples there too. - very relaxing time
I then travelled up on a bullet train to Tokyo, and made sure i had the window seat on the left hand side to see Mount Fuji
Lovely country and the people are very humble. We could learn a lot from their culture and always happy to help if you get a bit lost.
The trains are so spacious that luggage storage is not a problem and proper seats too (rather than our back breakers over here). I wouldnt even consider a car to be honest as the transport really is on a different level. The Tokyo tube is all colour coded and announcements in English etc