As foreigners we are always being watched.
Quite a few earthquakes this morning.
-
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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
- Start date
As foreigners we are always being watched.
Quite a few earthquakes this morning.
I felt one, I'm waiting today for all process we as foreigners we need to pass.
Renew my visa.
MikeHattsu
Member
Hehe. You guys felt the earthquake too, eh?
At Narita airport now going home.
At Narita airport now going home.
Fattony12000
Member
The weird thing I came back to was London buses now display the time on LED panels.
MikeHattsu
Member
I'm back home now sorting the pictures I took. Took about 14 000 pics, so it'll take a while. Lots of doubles and pics from different angles since I like to do that though 
Here's some food pics though:
I took pics of everything I ate except some sandwiches from Family Mart and the one time I ate a Big Mac at McDonalds, so all the pics are here if you're interested:
http://imgur.com/a/bvoq8
Here's some food pics though:
I took pics of everything I ate except some sandwiches from Family Mart and the one time I ate a Big Mac at McDonalds, so all the pics are here if you're interested:
http://imgur.com/a/bvoq8
I'm back home now sorting the pictures I took. Took about 14 000 pics, so it'll take a while. Lots of doubles and pics from different angles since I like to do that though
Here's some food pics though:
I took pics of everything I ate except some sandwiches from Family Mart and the one time I ate a Big Mac at McDonalds, so all the pics are here if you're interested:
http://imgur.com/a/bvoq8
Mind if I put this in the OP?
MikeHattsu
Member
Nope. Go ahead.
Nexus Zero
Member
Yeah I literally just noticed this 20 minutes ago. Can't leave the place for three weeks...
Definitely getting japan withdrawals though. Can't just walk into a corner shop and emerge with amazing food.
To include to the OP:
For cheap hotel borderline hostel, I recommend Sakura Hotel:
http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/
Ikebukero Sakura hotel is the best one to stay in as it is closer to everything (shibuya, shinjuku, etc), and Ikebukero is more interesting to hang around it as Sunshine city is only a 20mins walk away:
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=s...=1513#q=sunshine+city+japan&safe=off&tbm=isch
Remember, only treat this hotel as a place to sleep. Don't treat it as something to hang around in as it's not that luxurious. For luxurious hotels, it is best to go to Ginza or Harajuku, but be warned, they are expensive.
For cheap hotel borderline hostel, I recommend Sakura Hotel:
http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/
Ikebukero Sakura hotel is the best one to stay in as it is closer to everything (shibuya, shinjuku, etc), and Ikebukero is more interesting to hang around it as Sunshine city is only a 20mins walk away:
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=s...=1513#q=sunshine+city+japan&safe=off&tbm=isch
Remember, only treat this hotel as a place to sleep. Don't treat it as something to hang around in as it's not that luxurious. For luxurious hotels, it is best to go to Ginza or Harajuku, but be warned, they are expensive.
+1
I got a wicked deal on my onsen hotel in Hakone from that site, I think 1/3rd the regular price. Hotels.com didn't have anything listed for it.
ThreePiMatt
Member
I had checked Agoda, but the rate for the Tokyo Dome Hotel was more expensive than booking through the hotel's website.
MikeHattsu
Member
Damn. Bad luck. Had sun each day except for the day I was going home myself.
I would love to do what these guys did:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz_XUT_oqSE
a trip around mt. fuji to see all the lakes.
Fattony12000
Member
We had just two days of rain between the 6th and 18th of April, the day we went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the afternoon we left the country.
Saw Mount Fuji multiple times, from multiple angles and on multiple days. Even from the plane as we came in to land!
Saw lots and lots of sakura, from up at Nikko down to Hiroshima.
We were so, so lucky.
A geiko, with her white face makeup removed, outside of Ichiriki Chaya. Gion district, Kyoto.
The hypocenter of the 1945 explosion above Hiroshima, as displayed in the Peace Memorial Museum.
Saw Mount Fuji multiple times, from multiple angles and on multiple days. Even from the plane as we came in to land!
Saw lots and lots of sakura, from up at Nikko down to Hiroshima.
We were so, so lucky.
A geiko, with her white face makeup removed, outside of Ichiriki Chaya. Gion district, Kyoto.
The hypocenter of the 1945 explosion above Hiroshima, as displayed in the Peace Memorial Museum.
i've been to japan twice (2008 & 2009) and am planning on going back again this year. however, this time around i plan to be going in late sep/early october as opposed to hanami season – this shouldn't be too awful right?! please alleviate my fears haha.
how far in advance do i have to buy the JR pass?
thankfully i have a couple of friends that i should be able to stay with for most of my time tokyo, but does anyone have experience with airbnb in other cities? i haven't really been outside tokyo before, so this time i figure i'd do 1 week in tokyo and 1.5-2 weeks across osaka/kyoto/hiroshima.
time to see if my suica is still around...
how far in advance do i have to buy the JR pass?
thankfully i have a couple of friends that i should be able to stay with for most of my time tokyo, but does anyone have experience with airbnb in other cities? i haven't really been outside tokyo before, so this time i figure i'd do 1 week in tokyo and 1.5-2 weeks across osaka/kyoto/hiroshima.
time to see if my suica is still around...
RapidCancel
Member
As long as you have it before you leave, you should be ok. The earlier the better, of course. I would give probably about a week for you to receive it.
Both times, it took about 1 - 2 buisness days to process. I picked it up in person, but I'm assuming shipping would about another 3 days or so.
You are wwaaayyyy more prepared than I was. Hell, I'd plan where to go the day before and looked up directions on the morning of. You'll be fine.
BronsonLee
Member
I'm now less than a week away! I leave April 27th.
I am so unprepared.* Jesus take the wheeeeeeeeel
*I have my Icoca + Haruka ordered, I know where to get my Osaka Amazing Pass + Kyoto Bus Pass, I've kind of planned out my first two days in Osaka, my day in Kyoto, and my day in Nara. I've got guidebooks and maps downloaded to my phone, hyperdia on there, etc etc etc.
I still feel unprepared.
I am so unprepared.* Jesus take the wheeeeeeeeel
*I have my Icoca + Haruka ordered, I know where to get my Osaka Amazing Pass + Kyoto Bus Pass, I've kind of planned out my first two days in Osaka, my day in Kyoto, and my day in Nara. I've got guidebooks and maps downloaded to my phone, hyperdia on there, etc etc etc.
I still feel unprepared.
BronsonLee
Member
You are wwaaayyyy more prepared than I was. Hell, I'd plan where to go the day before and looked up directions on the morning of. You'll be fine.
Thanks bud. If I know something is coming in advance (like this), I tend to really dread it. But once I get there it's smooth sailing. I expect this to happen here too!
Can't wait! Gonna take all the pictures!
I'll be doing airbnb in Kyoto and the place seems super nice and convenient for the price of a hostel. It's a guy who rents out a little guesthouse in his parent's backyard. Perfect English. Screams "money" if you ask me. Great reviews as well.
Saw an amazing place in the Gifu prefecture between Nagoya and Takayama but it wasn't available unfortunately. I'll let you guys know how the place in Kyoto was for sure.
distantmantra
Member
While in Osaka, my wife and I rented a studio apartment a couple blocks from Den Den Town via AirBNB earlier this month. Great location, nice balcony view and very affordable. I can look up the info for it if you'd like.
Hey guys, I really need some help with my itinerary. So far it's:
June 17-22 : Tokyo [booked]
June 23 : spend the night in Hakone
June 24-25 : Stay two nights at a b&b in the countryside around Shizuoka
June 26 - July 2: Stay in Kyoto, with trips to Nara (2 Days?) <--- need lots of help here
July 3: Spend the night at Koya-san
July 4-7: Back in Tokyo
July 8: Fly out in the early AM
I feel like I have way too much time in Kyoto, but I'm not really sure. I kinda want to be there for the start of Gion Matsuri (on the 1st), but don't know if that's worth it.
I don't care much about seeing Osaka as I'm not really into nightlife, and will be spending a good deal of time in Tokyo anyway. I'm planning on probably taking a day trip to Kamakura on one of the Tokyo legs of the trip.
Any input is greatly appreciated, I'm having a lot of trouble, having never planned a trip like this before. I can hardly plan out a weekend, so I don't know why I thought I'd be able to figure out 3 weeks.
June 17-22 : Tokyo [booked]
June 23 : spend the night in Hakone
June 24-25 : Stay two nights at a b&b in the countryside around Shizuoka
June 26 - July 2: Stay in Kyoto, with trips to Nara (2 Days?) <--- need lots of help here
July 3: Spend the night at Koya-san
July 4-7: Back in Tokyo
July 8: Fly out in the early AM
I feel like I have way too much time in Kyoto, but I'm not really sure. I kinda want to be there for the start of Gion Matsuri (on the 1st), but don't know if that's worth it.
I don't care much about seeing Osaka as I'm not really into nightlife, and will be spending a good deal of time in Tokyo anyway. I'm planning on probably taking a day trip to Kamakura on one of the Tokyo legs of the trip.
Any input is greatly appreciated, I'm having a lot of trouble, having never planned a trip like this before. I can hardly plan out a weekend, so I don't know why I thought I'd be able to figure out 3 weeks.
You don' have too much time for Kyoto. A Japanese acquaintance told me that if you really want to sightsee Kyoto even a week isn't enough (does not include surrounding area). I agreed after spending barely 2 days in Kyoto and a week in Tokyo. Hell I spent an entire day walking through the shopping street near my hostel and there is just so much history in Kyoto. I remember when we were walking back and crossed Nijo castle which had a line in front of it which was odd since it was around 21.00. We casually joined the lined and got rewarded with a lit castle and lit cherry trees, just beautiful.
MikeHattsu
Member
It's only 15 minutes by train to Osaka so why not check it out? I visited Osaka castle and Den Den Town there. Even if you're spending time in Akihabara it's still worth checking out if you like videogames and/or anime.
Kyoto got tons of temples and shrines so you like those you can sightsee forever. There's also the monkey park in Arashiyama. I went there and it was worth the visit.
If you got the JR pass you could of course also take day trips to Kobe and eat Kobe beef in Kobe or visit Hiroshima.
Wow, where to begin. I loved this trip through Japan. We had beautiful sunny days almost every day of the trip except for the last few days in Nara, which were more cloudy and had a few drizzles. I actually got quite a tan on my face and arms from being in the sun all the time. We got a lot of things done, saw tons of temples and other interesting sites, tried so much food that I think I gained a few pounds too. My shoes are so worn now from all the walking too, but it was totally worth it.
Tokyo: 9 until 14 April
Kyoto: 14 until 18 April
Nara: 18 until 21 April
Our accommodation:
Tokyo - Khaosan Kabuki Tokyo
Very recommended. We had the room with 2 bunkbeds, so we shared with two other people. Bed and bathroom facilities were clean and fine. The hostel is in a great location, close to many restaurants and walking distance to Sensoji Temple, which looks awesome at night. There is also a 24-hour department store called Don Quixote (I think the local people call it Donkey) near there which is cool to explore. Subway Ginza line is in walking distance as well and provides easy access to Ueno and transfer to a JR line. 7-Elevens are near there too, for ATM usage.
Kyoto - Super Hotel Shijo Kawaramachi
We wanted to stay in a hostel, but everything was booked for our dates so we settled for a hotel for this part of our trip. And it wasnt bad at all. Its a budget hotel located in the center of Kawaramachi. And in contrast to many other hotels, this one actually provides a free breakfast so that was quite nice. Its a simple breakfast of fresh bread, rice, salad, and some other stuff. Perfect to get some energy to start the day. The location of the hotel was excellent, about 2 minutes from Nishiki market and the Teramachi shopping district is less than 1 minute on foot. Its also quite convenient to walk from the hotel to the Gion district and see the geishas and temples there. Also so many restaurants, bars and cafes in walking distance. The one downside is that the hotel is a bit hard to find the first time, the directions of the hotel aren't clear and we walked around for about 2 hours trying to find (unfortunately we were given wrong directions too).
Nara - Yuzan Guesthouse
For Nara we stayed in Yuzan Guesthouse. We had the private room, so cant really comment on how the dorms were, but the private room was pretty cool. We slept on tatami mats and those were really comfortable. Theres a common room but not as lively as the Khaosan in Tokyo. Location is about 5 minutes walk from the JR Nara station. Its also very easy to find the Nara park from here as you just have to walk straight ahead along the main road. Service was pretty good as well. The place is clean and well-maintained.
Random unorganised thoughts:
About some places we visited:
Hmm, I think I forgot to mention some things...
Ill post some pics once Im done with transferring and organizing them.
Tokyo: 9 until 14 April
Kyoto: 14 until 18 April
Nara: 18 until 21 April
Our accommodation:
Tokyo - Khaosan Kabuki Tokyo
Very recommended. We had the room with 2 bunkbeds, so we shared with two other people. Bed and bathroom facilities were clean and fine. The hostel is in a great location, close to many restaurants and walking distance to Sensoji Temple, which looks awesome at night. There is also a 24-hour department store called Don Quixote (I think the local people call it Donkey) near there which is cool to explore. Subway Ginza line is in walking distance as well and provides easy access to Ueno and transfer to a JR line. 7-Elevens are near there too, for ATM usage.
Kyoto - Super Hotel Shijo Kawaramachi
We wanted to stay in a hostel, but everything was booked for our dates so we settled for a hotel for this part of our trip. And it wasnt bad at all. Its a budget hotel located in the center of Kawaramachi. And in contrast to many other hotels, this one actually provides a free breakfast so that was quite nice. Its a simple breakfast of fresh bread, rice, salad, and some other stuff. Perfect to get some energy to start the day. The location of the hotel was excellent, about 2 minutes from Nishiki market and the Teramachi shopping district is less than 1 minute on foot. Its also quite convenient to walk from the hotel to the Gion district and see the geishas and temples there. Also so many restaurants, bars and cafes in walking distance. The one downside is that the hotel is a bit hard to find the first time, the directions of the hotel aren't clear and we walked around for about 2 hours trying to find (unfortunately we were given wrong directions too).
Nara - Yuzan Guesthouse
For Nara we stayed in Yuzan Guesthouse. We had the private room, so cant really comment on how the dorms were, but the private room was pretty cool. We slept on tatami mats and those were really comfortable. Theres a common room but not as lively as the Khaosan in Tokyo. Location is about 5 minutes walk from the JR Nara station. Its also very easy to find the Nara park from here as you just have to walk straight ahead along the main road. Service was pretty good as well. The place is clean and well-maintained.
Random unorganised thoughts:
- We arrived late at Haneda airport and crashing at the airport for the night was no problem. We went down to the lower floor and tried to get some rest on the benches there. Theres a 24-hour Lawson that serves food and drinks so it was convenient.
- At Haneda, you can also buy JR Shinkansen tickets at Tourism Travel Desk besides at the JR East office. The Tourism office opens earlier than the JR East one, so we just bought them there.
- Everywhere we went people in Japan were so friendly and helpful to us. We met some very nice people in the most unusual palces.
- Tokyo is still one of my favorite cities Ive visited. Love the diversity, the parks, the shopping, the layout, and also the transportation system.
- Kyotos transportation system somewhat sucks compared to Tokyos. It was a bit confusing for me to read the subway maps and the bus system.
- We got templed out after a while in Kyoto. There are just too many too see. Luckily Kyoto is varied enough with plenty other stuff to do. At times we loved the parks surrounding the temples more than the temples itself. Its a good idea to add some variety to your trip instead of going all out on temples imo.
- The Sumiya onsen in Kameoka is highly recommended. Hot, but an amazing experience all in all. Best part of the onsen experience was getting out of the bath and chilling in the cool weather with a warm body. We got the private bath, which is maybe not as traditional, but it was great. Silent, quiet enjoyment of the hot spring and the area.
- Food was less expensive than I thought. You can find a decent meal for under 1000 yen. The food was great overall, we didnt have a bad meal there.
- Language barrier was not a problem.
- Travelling by Nozomi Shinkansen was amazing. We didnt get to see Mt. Fuji, but it was still a hell of an experience. So fast and convenient.
- As far as prices went: Tokyo > Kyoto > Nara
- Japan is freaking beautiful even if we only saw some of the late late cherry blossoms.
About some places we visited:
- Akihabara was a bit boring to me, maybe because Im not much into that culture. It was fun for a while, but I wouldnt spend there too long. Exploring the backroads of that place was fun though and I think we stumbled upon a little black market in one of the parking garages over there. They were selling all kinds of equipment for very cheap including an awesome powerback for 200 yen. Nice deal.
- Studio Ghibli Museum was fun but less impressive the second time around. There wasnt much newness to it for me. Still nice to visit though and the weather was great. Thanks to Scarlet for helping with tickets too!
- Harajuku is awesome. I dont mean the main roads but the little back streets filled with boutique stores which are also less crowded in general.
- We loved the parks in Japan. Perfect for strolling, relaxing and having a great time. We visited many: Ueno, Meiji, Imperial Palace, Sumida, a bunch in Kyoto, and of course the parks in Nara.
- Kyoto was just a blast. Loved the Nishiki market, the food (burnt ramen, ippudo ramen, and some small boutique restaurants), walking around Gion, going up the temple gardens, visiting Arashiyama, the whole onsen experience in Kameoka, and the bars/cafe area in Kawaramachi.
- Nara was quite interesting too. Of course we visited the park and played with deers. We went to the temples, walked up the hills and ate ate ate so much. Our guesthouse had some nice recommendations for local restaurants so we tried those too.
- In Nara we organized a tour with the Nara Student Guide organization. It was really fun and I would recommend it heartily. We were guided by Kaede, fresh graduate from Nara Tourism University, and she showed us around some temples, explained their histories, brought us to the old part of town, got us into a sake testing shop (500 yen for 6 glasses of sake, plus you can keep the little glass afterwards), and some old houses. We had a lot of fun and it was free, we just needed to buy her lunch and transportation costs.
Hmm, I think I forgot to mention some things...
Ill post some pics once Im done with transferring and organizing them.
Wow, where to begin. I loved this trip through Japan. We had beautiful sunny days almost every day of the trip except for the last few days in Nara, which were more cloudy and had a few drizzles. I actually got quite a tan on my face and arms from being in the sun all the time. We got a lot of things done, saw tons of temples and other interesting sites, tried so much food that I think I gained a few pounds too. My shoes are so worn now from all the walking too, but it was totally worth it.
Tokyo: 9 until 14 April
Kyoto: 14 until 18 April
Nara: 18 until 21 April
Our accommodation:
Tokyo - Khaosan Kabuki Tokyo
Very recommended. We had the room with 2 bunkbeds, so we shared with two other people. Bed and bathroom facilities were clean and fine. The hostel is in a great location, close to many restaurants and walking distance to Sensoji Temple, which looks awesome at night. There is also a 24-hour department store called Don Quixote (I think the local people call it Donkey) near there which is cool to explore. Subway Ginza line is in walking distance as well and provides easy access to Ueno and transfer to a JR line. 7-Elevens are near there too, for ATM usage.
Kyoto - Super Hotel Shijo Kawaramachi
We wanted to stay in a hostel, but everything was booked for our dates so we settled for a hotel for this part of our trip. And it wasnt bad at all. Its a budget hotel located in the center of Kawaramachi. And in contrast to many other hotels, this one actually provides a free breakfast so that was quite nice. Its a simple breakfast of fresh bread, rice, salad, and some other stuff. Perfect to get some energy to start the day. The location of the hotel was excellent, about 2 minutes from Nishiki market and the Teramachi shopping district is less than 1 minute on foot. Its also quite convenient to walk from the hotel to the Gion district and see the geishas and temples there. Also so many restaurants, bars and cafes in walking distance. The one downside is that the hotel is a bit hard to find the first time, the directions of the hotel aren't clear and we walked around for about 2 hours trying to find (unfortunately we were given wrong directions too).
Nara - Yuzan Guesthouse
For Nara we stayed in Yuzan Guesthouse. We had the private room, so cant really comment on how the dorms were, but the private room was pretty cool. We slept on tatami mats and those were really comfortable. Theres a common room but not as lively as the Khaosan in Tokyo. Location is about 5 minutes walk from the JR Nara station. Its also very easy to find the Nara park from here as you just have to walk straight ahead along the main road. Service was pretty good as well. The place is clean and well-maintained.
Random unorganised thoughts:
- We arrived late at Haneda airport and crashing at the airport for the night was no problem. We went down to the lower floor and tried to get some rest on the benches there. Theres a 24-hour Lawson that serves food and drinks so it was convenient.
- At Haneda, you can also buy JR Shinkansen tickets at Tourism Travel Desk besides at the JR East office. The Tourism office opens earlier than the JR East one, so we just bought them there.
- Everywhere we went people in Japan were so friendly and helpful to us. We met some very nice people in the most unusual palces.
- Tokyo is still one of my favorite cities Ive visited. Love the diversity, the parks, the shopping, the layout, and also the transportation system.
- Kyotos transportation system somewhat sucks compared to Tokyos. It was a bit confusing for me to read the subway maps and the bus system.
- We got templed out after a while in Kyoto. There are just too many too see. Luckily Kyoto is varied enough with plenty other stuff to do. At times we loved the parks surrounding the temples more than the temples itself. Its a good idea to add some variety to your trip instead of going all out on temples imo.
- The Sumiya onsen in Kameoka is highly recommended. Hot, but an amazing experience all in all. Best part of the onsen experience was getting out of the bath and chilling in the cool weather with a warm body. We got the private bath, which is maybe not as traditional, but it was great. Silent, quiet enjoyment of the hot spring and the area.
- Food was less expensive than I thought. You can find a decent meal for under 1000 yen. The food was great overall, we didnt have a bad meal there.
- Language barrier was not a problem.
- Travelling by Nozomi Shinkansen was amazing. We didnt get to see Mt. Fuji, but it was still a hell of an experience. So fast and convenient.
- As far as prices went: Tokyo > Kyoto > Nara
- Japan is freaking beautiful even if we only saw some of the late late cherry blossoms.
About some places we visited:
- Akihabara was a bit boring to me, maybe because Im not much into that culture. It was fun for a while, but I wouldnt spend there too long. Exploring the backroads of that place was fun though and I think we stumbled upon a little black market in one of the parking garages over there. They were selling all kinds of equipment for very cheap including an awesome powerback for 200 yen. Nice deal.
- Studio Ghibli Museum was fun but less impressive the second time around. There wasnt much newness to it for me. Still nice to visit though and the weather was great. Thanks to Scarlet for helping with tickets too!
- Harajuku is awesome. I dont mean the main roads but the little back streets filled with boutique stores which are also less crowded in general.
- We loved the parks in Japan. Perfect for strolling, relaxing and having a great time. We visited many: Ueno, Meiji, Imperial Palace, Sumida, a bunch in Kyoto, and of course the parks in Nara.
- Kyoto was just a blast. Loved the Nishiki market, the food (burnt ramen, ippudo ramen, and some small boutique restaurants), walking around Gion, going up the temple gardens, visiting Arashiyama, the whole onsen experience in Kameoka, and the bars/cafe area in Kawaramachi.
- Nara was quite interesting too. Of course we visited the park and played with deers. We went to the temples, walked up the hills and ate ate ate so much. Our guesthouse had some nice recommendations for local restaurants so we tried those too.
- In Nara we organized a tour with the Nara Student Guide organization. It was really fun and I would recommend it heartily. We were guided by Kaede, fresh graduate from Nara Tourism University, and she showed us around some temples, explained their histories, brought us to the old part of town, got us into a sake testing shop (500 yen for 6 glasses of sake, plus you can keep the little glass afterwards), and some old houses. We had a lot of fun and it was free, we just needed to buy her lunch and transportation costs.
Hmm, I think I forgot to mention some things...
Ill post some pics once Im done with transferring and organizing them.
Glad you enjoyed it and stayed in two places I recommended.
Did you see my terrible towel still up at Khaosan?
The people at Yuzan were amazing. I was really sick one day and just rested. Was feeling really bad and had a fever so they went out and got food for me. Did you take advantage of the free tours they're affiliated with?
Yeah, thanks again for that! Really awesome places with friendly people. Khaosan was a bit more lively than Yuzan though, but that was ok. Next time I go to Japan I will definitely stay at Khaosan again.
What towel are you referring to? Is it hanging somewhere?
I did the Nara Student Guide tour which was awesome. Like a private tour with a Japanese student and she was so nice and fun. Great experience.
Selection of some photos from Tokyo.
Full album link: http://imgur.com/a/WFGYs
Full album link: http://imgur.com/a/WFGYs
Sumida Park, Asakusa
Last of the cherry blossoms, Asakusa
Asakusa
Shiba conference, Asakusa
Sensoji Temple, Asakusa
Don Quijote, Asakusa (great place to pick up souvenirs, drinks, and snacks)
Studio Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
Meiji Shrine Park
People enjoying the last blossoms in Ueno Park
Ueno Park
Tokyo Imperial Palace area
Line for a new cafe, Harajuku
A to Z cafe, Omotesando
Shibuya
Tokyo Sky Tree, Asakusa
Sectorseven
Member
Anyone stayed at or familiar with TenTen Guest House?
http://www.tokyo-guesthouse.com/index.html
http://www.tokyo-guesthouse.com/index.html
Wow, where to begin. I loved this trip through Japan. We had beautiful sunny days almost every day of the trip except for the last few days in Nara, which were more cloudy and had a few drizzles. I actually got quite a tan on my face and arms from being in the sun all the time. We got a lot of things done, saw tons of temples and other interesting sites, tried so much food that I think I gained a few pounds too. My shoes are so worn now from all the walking too, but it was totally worth it.
Tokyo: 9 until 14 April
Kyoto: 14 until 18 April
Nara: 18 until 21 April
Our accommodation:
Tokyo - Khaosan Kabuki Tokyo
Very recommended. We had the room with 2 bunkbeds, so we shared with two other people. Bed and bathroom facilities were clean and fine. The hostel is in a great location, close to many restaurants and walking distance to Sensoji Temple, which looks awesome at night. There is also a 24-hour department store called Don Quixote (I think the local people call it Donkey) near there which is cool to explore. Subway Ginza line is in walking distance as well and provides easy access to Ueno and transfer to a JR line. 7-Elevens are near there too, for ATM usage.
Kyoto - Super Hotel Shijo Kawaramachi
We wanted to stay in a hostel, but everything was booked for our dates so we settled for a hotel for this part of our trip. And it wasnt bad at all. Its a budget hotel located in the center of Kawaramachi. And in contrast to many other hotels, this one actually provides a free breakfast so that was quite nice. Its a simple breakfast of fresh bread, rice, salad, and some other stuff. Perfect to get some energy to start the day. The location of the hotel was excellent, about 2 minutes from Nishiki market and the Teramachi shopping district is less than 1 minute on foot. Its also quite convenient to walk from the hotel to the Gion district and see the geishas and temples there. Also so many restaurants, bars and cafes in walking distance. The one downside is that the hotel is a bit hard to find the first time, the directions of the hotel aren't clear and we walked around for about 2 hours trying to find (unfortunately we were given wrong directions too).
Nara - Yuzan Guesthouse
For Nara we stayed in Yuzan Guesthouse. We had the private room, so cant really comment on how the dorms were, but the private room was pretty cool. We slept on tatami mats and those were really comfortable. Theres a common room but not as lively as the Khaosan in Tokyo. Location is about 5 minutes walk from the JR Nara station. Its also very easy to find the Nara park from here as you just have to walk straight ahead along the main road. Service was pretty good as well. The place is clean and well-maintained.
Random unorganised thoughts:
- We arrived late at Haneda airport and crashing at the airport for the night was no problem. We went down to the lower floor and tried to get some rest on the benches there. Theres a 24-hour Lawson that serves food and drinks so it was convenient.
- At Haneda, you can also buy JR Shinkansen tickets at Tourism Travel Desk besides at the JR East office. The Tourism office opens earlier than the JR East one, so we just bought them there.
- Everywhere we went people in Japan were so friendly and helpful to us. We met some very nice people in the most unusual palces.
- Tokyo is still one of my favorite cities Ive visited. Love the diversity, the parks, the shopping, the layout, and also the transportation system.
- Kyotos transportation system somewhat sucks compared to Tokyos. It was a bit confusing for me to read the subway maps and the bus system.
- We got templed out after a while in Kyoto. There are just too many too see. Luckily Kyoto is varied enough with plenty other stuff to do. At times we loved the parks surrounding the temples more than the temples itself. Its a good idea to add some variety to your trip instead of going all out on temples imo.
- The Sumiya onsen in Kameoka is highly recommended. Hot, but an amazing experience all in all. Best part of the onsen experience was getting out of the bath and chilling in the cool weather with a warm body. We got the private bath, which is maybe not as traditional, but it was great. Silent, quiet enjoyment of the hot spring and the area.
- Food was less expensive than I thought. You can find a decent meal for under 1000 yen. The food was great overall, we didnt have a bad meal there.
- Language barrier was not a problem.
- Travelling by Nozomi Shinkansen was amazing. We didnt get to see Mt. Fuji, but it was still a hell of an experience. So fast and convenient.
- As far as prices went: Tokyo > Kyoto > Nara
- Japan is freaking beautiful even if we only saw some of the late late cherry blossoms.
About some places we visited:
- Akihabara was a bit boring to me, maybe because Im not much into that culture. It was fun for a while, but I wouldnt spend there too long. Exploring the backroads of that place was fun though and I think we stumbled upon a little black market in one of the parking garages over there. They were selling all kinds of equipment for very cheap including an awesome powerback for 200 yen. Nice deal.
- Studio Ghibli Museum was fun but less impressive the second time around. There wasnt much newness to it for me. Still nice to visit though and the weather was great. Thanks to Scarlet for helping with tickets too!
- Harajuku is awesome. I dont mean the main roads but the little back streets filled with boutique stores which are also less crowded in general.
- We loved the parks in Japan. Perfect for strolling, relaxing and having a great time. We visited many: Ueno, Meiji, Imperial Palace, Sumida, a bunch in Kyoto, and of course the parks in Nara.
- Kyoto was just a blast. Loved the Nishiki market, the food (burnt ramen, ippudo ramen, and some small boutique restaurants), walking around Gion, going up the temple gardens, visiting Arashiyama, the whole onsen experience in Kameoka, and the bars/cafe area in Kawaramachi.
- Nara was quite interesting too. Of course we visited the park and played with deers. We went to the temples, walked up the hills and ate ate ate so much. Our guesthouse had some nice recommendations for local restaurants so we tried those too.
- In Nara we organized a tour with the Nara Student Guide organization. It was really fun and I would recommend it heartily. We were guided by Kaede, fresh graduate from Nara Tourism University, and she showed us around some temples, explained their histories, brought us to the old part of town, got us into a sake testing shop (500 yen for 6 glasses of sake, plus you can keep the little glass afterwards), and some old houses. We had a lot of fun and it was free, we just needed to buy her lunch and transportation costs.
Hmm, I think I forgot to mention some things...
Ill post some pics once Im done with transferring and organizing them.
Welcome back!
That's your towel? I actually saw it, it was still there haha
Khaosan World (in asakusa) was on Tokyo eye on NHK world this week. I recognised it from when we were looking for a family room for a one night stay near there. Looked really nice on TV. Used to be a love hotel apparently
For the rooms I prefer them, but for location I prefer Kabuki
MikeHattsu
Member
There was a Shiba conference? Damn.
Nice pics!
Need to share some soon too. Don't think I'll be ready until next week though, back at work now
Loved Khaosan Kabuki. It was definitely the most lively Hostel I stayed in.
This is the famous Pittsburgh Steelers Terrible Towel which I bestowed upon Khaosan
BronsonLee
Member
3 Days! Lalalalalalala
I went and got a cash passport card from Travelex (I would've gotten cash, but 1; they didn't have any, 2; I have a supremely long layover in Doha airport, and I'm worried about theft + my ability to lose everything not stapled to my body), so that's covered.
I'm reading that Seven Bank (the 7-11 ATMs) won't accept Debit Mastercards (like mine?) Is that right?
I know I can (and probably will) just withdraw it all when I get to the airport from the Citibank ATM, but I just wanted to make sure this was right so I could scope out the Post Office ATMs near my hotel.
Feel kinda silly now, but at least I have a battle plan vs just going there and trying to withdraw money with my bank card
I went and got a cash passport card from Travelex (I would've gotten cash, but 1; they didn't have any, 2; I have a supremely long layover in Doha airport, and I'm worried about theft + my ability to lose everything not stapled to my body), so that's covered.
I'm reading that Seven Bank (the 7-11 ATMs) won't accept Debit Mastercards (like mine?) Is that right?
I know I can (and probably will) just withdraw it all when I get to the airport from the Citibank ATM, but I just wanted to make sure this was right so I could scope out the Post Office ATMs near my hotel.
Feel kinda silly now, but at least I have a battle plan vs just going there and trying to withdraw money with my bank card
MikeHattsu
Member
There were problems last year with Mastercards. This seems to be fixed now:
http://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/card2.html
If you got a Maestro card with a chip there's still problems though:
http://www.mastercard.co.jp/personal/atm-notification.html
BronsonLee
Member
Nice! Thanks Hattsu, you're supremely helpful.
Since I can only withdraw it at the airport through them, I'll just withdraw everything at the Citibank/Post Office/Seven Bank ATMs in the airport and then make it rain with my pittance the entire train ride
MikeHattsu
Member
Nice! Thanks Hattsu, you're supremely helpful.
Since I can only withdraw it at the airport through them, I'll just withdraw everything at the Citibank/Post Office/Seven Bank ATMs in the airport and then make it rain with my pittance the entire train ride
So you have a Maestro branded card with an IC chip? All other Mastercards and Maestro cards without an IC chip should work fine.