• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once

SKINNER!

Banned
zAqOaxT.jpg

Got it at the Book Off in Akiba. The guy said that it wasn't tested which is why it was cheap. Came with the power plug but no controllers or av cables. No matter I thought. At that price, my original plan was to salvage the shell and just use it on a PAL Saturn. Interestingly, when I tested it today (now that I'm back home) it works! Boots up and even reads discs. It was simply discounted because nobody bothered to plug it in and use an av cable haha. Thank you Japan!! Also was able to find a cheap copy of Virtua Fighter at the nearby Hard-Off for ¥100 and a perfect condition white memory cartridge at a Trader for around ¥900 (a bit steep but it was in decent condition). Couldn't find any white controllers so I'm just gonna pick up some from ebay.

Well chuffed with my finds during my Tokyo trip. And thank goodness I got my Famicom AV imported from eBay as it was more expensive in Super Potato and Mandarake. Fuck those overpriced places.
 
Got it at the Book Off in Akiba. The guy said that it wasn't tested which is why it was cheap. Came with the power plug but no controllers or av cables. No matter I thought. At that price, my original plan was to salvage the shell and just use it on a PAL Saturn. Interestingly, when I tested it today (now that I'm back home) it works! Boots up and even reads discs. It was simply discounted because nobody bothered to plug it in and use an av cable haha. Thank you Japan!! Also was able to find a cheap copy of Virtua Fighter at the nearby Hard-Off for ¥100 and a perfect condition white memory cartridge at a Trader for around ¥900 (a bit steep but it was in decent condition). Couldn't find any white controllers so I'm just gonna pick up some from ebay.

Well chuffed with my finds during my Tokyo trip. And thank goodness I got my Famicom AV imported from eBay as it was more expensive in Super Potato and Mandarake. Fuck those overpriced places.

My cheap Japanese Saturn won't power on :(
 

TheExodu5

Banned
Are there any essential Japanese foods I need to try before I head back home? I'm in Hiroshima right now and am about to try Hiroshima okonomiyaki. I'll be heading back to Osaka in 2 days so I'll be in the Kansai Area for the rest of my trip.

I've had:

Beef bowls, curry in the cheap 24h diners (love these)
Tonkatsu cutlets in Kyoto (so good)
Conveyor belt sushi
Osaka okonomiyaki
Hiroshima okonomiyaki
Takoyaki
Gyoza
Ramen

I definitely want some tonkotsu...not sure what else I need to try.
 
Kushikatsu - fried....everything
Oden
Mazesoba - had this today at a new shop sooooo good, comfort food.
Soba noodles in general
More ramen seriously, there are so many types and themes for Ramen I recommend you go for more.
Karage -just boneless fried chicken but way good
Tsukune
Random bar skewers of all kinds of animal parts grilled.

Just go in random places and try what they recommend!

Oh yeah I got back from Tokyo the other week. Was an ok trip, but definitely don't think the people in Tokyo are as interesting as Kyushuu, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, and even Osaka. Went for Ultra Music Festival like I said but also went to Tokyo Gameshow just because we had a free Saturday. Ended up drinking and eating in Shinjuku with some of my friends buddies from Canada and one person who is traveling Japan for a few days so it was nice to meet them. Sadly couln't make the GAF meet up though probably walked past them at some point.

Was so happy I got to see the Gundam. We thought we would have to go look for the gundam, then go look for the music festival... The gundam was the entrance to the thing haha. was so funny to see all the tourists and families shopping at the mall wondering wtf all the crazy music and lights were and all the costumes people were wearing.

Also after the after party for the festival me and my friend decided to walk from Shinjuku to our hotel in Ueno... 3 and a half hours (we stopped at mcdonalds around 4am haha) Pretty eventful trip but did not get to go to the Gundam cafe to get my Hakushiki beer mug, or visit the AKB shop. But maybe next time. Definitely want to explore more, maybe do more touristy things next time if I visit to just go, hit up the snack bars and what not.
 

Zoe

Member
Are there any essential Japanese foods I need to try before I head back home? I'm in Hiroshima right now and am about to try Hiroshima okonomiyaki. I'll be heading back to Osaka in 2 days so I'll be in the Kansai Area for the rest of my trip.

I've had:

Beef bowls, curry in the cheap 24h diners (love these)
Tonkatsu cutlets in Kyoto (so good)
Conveyor belt sushi
Osaka okonomiyaki
Hiroshima okonomiyaki
Takoyaki
Gyoza
Ramen

I definitely want some tonkotsu...not sure what else I need to try.

Katsu Curry
Kushikatsu
Hamburg steak (at Denny's for extra wtf)
Cafe du Monde (in Osaka, Kyoto station doesn't have beignets anymore)
Mister Donut (the reason Kyoto station doesn't have beignets anymore)
 

Fritz

Member
My train to Nikko tomorrow (Tobu line) has no reserved seats. At jrthey send me to a travel agency but they also said they cannot sell the tickets. Is it okay to buy the ticket like right before I hop on the train or do I have to go to a Tobu office in asakusa in the morning (trains at 5pm)?
 

TheExodu5

Banned
If anyone needs an Airbnb recommendation for Kyoto we stayed at an amazing place.

10 minute walk to Gion, quiet, comfortable bed, plenty of amenities (even a washing machine) and a lot of nice little touches by the hosts. Somewhere around $50 USD per night. Best Airbnb I've ever stayed at.
 

Tron999

Member
A lot of those things were on my list as well, so let me make a quick review.

Hakuhinkan was fine... a couple of floors with all kinds of toys, with some gimmick/robot stuff on the bottom floor. If you're doing Ginza anyway, it's a nice place to stay. If you do, you can go across the street outside it and find underground lunch places in a tunnel. That said, Sony building was completely lame. They didn't have anything really hot except for a few custom PS4 faceplates. Really. All the phones and cameras were things that were already out. So basically, you could take Ginza off your list if you're in a hurry. If you do go, you must check out the Lindt Chocolat Café. They make an AWESOME milkshake.

Go to Akihabara, to anywhere but Super Potato, and just browse for neat stuff. Akihabara is for selection, rather than price, but you might never find that cool thing again. Mandarake Galaxy and the Trader shop on the main street are well worth your time. If you want fighting or shooting games, look up HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard), Taito's arcade. There is another Taito arcade which was dull - it has to be the real thing. If you want figures, check out Kotobukiya, or some of the shops right near the station.

Shinjuku Gyoen was very nice, we caught it right at the end of the sakura season. It's nice as a breather, especially if you're doing the rest of Shinjuku which can be... overwhelming. I wouldn't recommend Robot Restaurant, it looked obnoxious even from outside. The Capcom bar was rather nice if a little gimmicky. We didn't check out the Square bar. Try to have more courage than us and check out a proper hostess bar, and hope you don't get robbed/murdered by yakuza.

If you only have three days, I wouldn't recommend more than three areas. There's more than enough to spend a day at each. If you want to buy more cool stuff, you could split the Shinjuku day with going to Nakano Broadway. I'd also recommend Odaiba over Ginza, as it feels more modern and cool, rather than just expensive.

Thank you for your notes! I'll see what I can find that's interesting for me in Odaiba.
 

scurker

Member
So my wife and I are planning a trip to Japan for Jan 26 - Feb 4, and are super excited. The only thing is, the amount of things to do or places to see is pretty overwhelming. We definitely want to do some shrines, some general exploring of the cities, and possibility even visit Osaka and/or Kyoto if time permits. Does anyone have any tips/suggestions for first time visitors?
 
So my wife and I are planning a trip to Japan for Jan 26 - Feb 4, and are super excited. The only thing is, the amount of things to do or places to see is pretty overwhelming. We definitely want to do some shrines, some general exploring of the cities, and possibility even visit Osaka and/or Kyoto if time permits. Does anyone have any tips/suggestions for first time visitors?

Don't try to do too much since you only got 10 days, like visiting Kyoto or Osaka ;p

Go to Hakone (or Nikko) and Kamakura instead if anything.

Oh, and get Ghibli Museum tickets as soon as possible when they open orders for January.
 
Hey MikeHattsu,

Great tip on Mandarake. I hit that place up yesterday on my last day. It had all kinds of great stuff. I had better luck finding obscure stuff there than I did in in 2 separate trips to Akiba.

:)
 

hwalker84

Member
Don't try to do too much since you only got 10 days, like visiting Kyoto or Osaka ;p

Go to Hakone (or Nikko) and Kamakura instead if anything.

Oh, and get Ghibli Museum tickets as soon as possible when they open orders for January.

Pretty much this. 10 days isn't enough to really spread your wings as much as you think. You'll be back.
 

scurker

Member
Don't try to do too much since you only got 10 days, like visiting Kyoto or Osaka ;p

Go to Hakone (or Nikko) and Kamakura instead if anything.

Oh, and get Ghibli Museum tickets as soon as possible when they open orders for January.

Ghibli is definitely on my list. I'll just need to remember to check in December for tickets.

The only thing we were thinking about Osaka or Kyoto was a day trip, as it seems like it would be fun to ride the train and view the Japan country side, we just wasn't sure if it was worth it or just better to save it for another trip.

Any suggestions for places to stay? My wife and I are pretty flexible (Hostels, AirBnB).
 
Yeah, my first week is like constant travel on trains everyday.
I think I have made a mistake..

(and yes, boohoo also, poor Zeo, travelling around Japan)
 

Copons

Member
Ghibli is definitely on my list. I'll just need to remember to check in December for tickets.

The only thing we were thinking about Osaka or Kyoto was a day trip, as it seems like it would be fun to ride the train and view the Japan country side, we just wasn't sure if it was worth it or just better to save it for another trip.

Any suggestions for places to stay? My wife and I are pretty flexible (Hostels, AirBnB).

Oh no no no no.
Osaka and/or Kyoto isn't a day trip at all! You would be tight even on a weeklong trip!

As the thread title correctly says: you're gonna go back there, like inevitably really, in the next couple of years you'll find yourself browsing the flights and you'll know it's all true. :D
So, just take it super easy, explore Tokyo as much as you like and can, and keep a slow pace to sink in that goddamn amazing city, with all its weird stuff going on at every corner.
All in all, imho, what you'll really remember about Japan won't be the crowds, the lights and the temples, but all the small things that are so absurdly different than wherever you come from.


As for the places to stay: it depends on what kind of stuff you wanna do.
Nightlife is basically all on the West side (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi); Akihabara is on the East side, and so on.

Wherever you go, though, just try to be as near the JR Yamanote line as you can.
Even without a JR Pass is definitely one of the most convenient (and IIRC the least expensive) line in Tokyo.
 
Any suggestions for places to stay? My wife and I are pretty flexible (Hostels, AirBnB).

In Tokyo the cheapest would be AirBnB, then hostels, then business hotels and then regular hotels. Some of the lowest end of the first three can be kinda dodgy though, so check reviews, pictures and stuff.
 

hwalker84

Member
Ghibli is definitely on my list. I'll just need to remember to check in December for tickets.

The only thing we were thinking about Osaka or Kyoto was a day trip, as it seems like it would be fun to ride the train and view the Japan country side, we just wasn't sure if it was worth it or just better to save it for another trip.

Any suggestions for places to stay? My wife and I are pretty flexible (Hostels, AirBnB).

I prefer Hostels. Khaosan has been my favorite so far.
 

scurker

Member
Oh no no no no.
Osaka and/or Kyoto isn't a day trip at all! You would be tight even on a weeklong trip!

Good to know! We'd still like to take a train ride to see just see and take in some of the scenery, any other suggestions on somewhere to go?

As for the places to stay: it depends on what kind of stuff you wanna do.
Nightlife is basically all on the West side (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi); Akihabara is on the East side, and so on.

Wherever you go, though, just try to be as near the JR Yamanote line as you can.
Even without a JR Pass is definitely one of the most convenient (and IIRC the least expensive) line in Tokyo.

I'm trying to get a feel for the layout of the city, but we definitely try to plan to stay close to the Yamanote line as we can. We're not super big night life people but I imagine we'll want to stay out late at least a couple of nights, so we'll have to keep an eye out on how late the trains run wherever we stay.

I prefer Hostels. Khaosan has been my favorite so far.

I looked at Khaosan, and my wife is a little more hesitant to do a room with a group (gotta ease her into things) so was hoping to find one with a smaller private room. We found a couple, but they were unfortunately all in Kyoto.
 

Fritz

Member
I looked at Khaosan, and my wife is a little more hesitant to do a room with a group (gotta ease her into things) so was hoping to find one with a smaller private room. We found a couple, but they were unfortunately all in Kyoto.

Try Nui in Kuramae and Kaisu in Akasaka. Both have double rooms and are fantastic and a bit more sophisticated than Khaosan. Shared bathrooms are spotless. Staff at Kaisu is incredible. I am staying there right now. I don't know where they get these people.
 

woodland

Member
Debating going to Hokkaido with a few friends for the snow festival in Feb. Anyone been to Hokkaido/Sapporo? Trying to see what else there would be there for some recent grads that are teachers or have spent some money recently and want to limit the trip to around $3k (1.4k will probably be flights/hotels).

Thanks!

Also - especially interested in good, not crowded onsens anyone knows about up there. Went to Kurama went I studied in Osaka and that was amazing - can't imagine how great it would be in an even snowier one in Hokkaido.
 

Tron999

Member
Does anyone know how to find approximate prices for retro games before I go over there? I don't want to get ripped off. Japanese ebay?
 
Nice. Hope ya find some of that stuff you were looking for.

I did. Thanks again.

Lotteria has a special burger on in some locations...seems like a sausage burger of some kind. It's soooo good.

I had that burger and the prawn burger. I thought it was meh. Teriyaki Burger @ McDonald's was just ok too. Fast food in Japan was bleh, except the KFC with the sauce on top. That was great.
 

Copons

Member
I'm trying to get a feel for the layout of the city, but we definitely try to plan to stay close to the Yamanote line as we can. We're not super big night life people but I imagine we'll want to stay out late at least a couple of nights, so we'll have to keep an eye out on how late the trains run wherever we stay.

Last trains usually depart from their first stations at around midnight during weekdays, so as a rule of thumb, try to get to any station some minutes before midnight and you should be good.
Google Maps has a handy "last train" option, but it's always better to check Hyperdia (or, if you're on Android, this app, which uses the same data of Hyperdia but it's free and a bit easier to use) for the most convenient options.
 

AllenShrz

Member
Debating going to Hokkaido with a few friends for the snow festival in Feb. Anyone been to Hokkaido/Sapporo? Trying to see what else there would be there for some recent grads that are teachers or have spent some money recently and want to limit the trip to around $3k (1.4k will probably be flights/hotels).

Thanks!

Also - especially interested in good, not crowded onsens anyone knows about up there. Went to Kurama went I studied in Osaka and that was amazing - can't imagine how great it would be in an even snowier one in Hokkaido.

Go to Hokkaido but dont go to the "snow festival", is a ripoff.

Hokkaido is BIG, full of nature and on those dates what you should do if you come to Japan is leave sapporo as soon as you arrive and travel around Hokkaido, do snowboarding and stay in ryokans, that's the best.

The snow festival is just a bunch of blocs that feature snow sculptures of cup noodle, au, shinkansen, the city of Macao and so on, is an ads festival!, if thats not all, is full of tourists that do not how to behave. By far the most disappointing sightseeing trip Ive done in Japan, avoid at all cost.
 

Philippo

Member
So, what's a cool place to hang out for a beer in Tokyo after dinner and get to chat with some local youngsters (lol)?
Finally i've stopped running around the country like a madman, might as well try to push over my fear of speaking with foreigners (especially the japanese).
of course women are preferred lol)
 
You got those busts? I am at Nakano Broadway and every little shop is so overwhelming. I gave up and just settled for the murakami cafe.

Mandarake is all you should focus on there...I agree, the rest is SUPER overwhelming. The map of Manadrake is extremely handy too. 😊

Holy shit you found those obscure busts?! Lol

Naw, the busts continued to elude me. 😠
I did, however, find some of the other stuff I had on my list like some Macross books and other last minutes finds for friends and family.

I am back in the states and away from Boss coffee and authentic Japanese food. :(

Hope you had a good trip, and safe flight back.
This goes for all the people at last weeks meetup, but I wouldn't mind hanging out again!

Likewise to all of this. :)

Safe journey home to all of you guys! 😊
 
Guess you might see me on NHK? Was eating at a ramen place when they came and started filming



Had my back turned all the time anyway ;p

If this shows up on Youtube, I'll keep an eye out for the most kawaii, Scandinavian anime character in the crowd. I was interviewed by the crew for Game Center CX the first time I was there but I'm pretty sure it didn't air.
 
I was interviewed in 2014 by some woman in Shinjuku. She had a clipboard and looked somewhat official, like she was from the train station. No cameras.
 

Fireblend

Banned
So I'm planning to do:

Tokyo -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Osaka -> Kyoto (twice, at least)
Kyoto -> Nara -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Himeji Castle -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Hiroshima
Hiroshima -> Miyajima -> Hiroshima
Hiroshima -> Tokyo

Worth it to buy a 14 day JR Pass, correct? I did some calculations and I'm pretty sure it's cost effective but I wanted some opinions/confirmation, since it's $800 for both me and my gf.
 
So I'm planning to do:

Tokyo -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Osaka -> Kyoto (twice, at least)
Kyoto -> Nara -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Himeji Castle -> Kyoto
Kyoto -> Hiroshima
Hiroshima -> Miyajima -> Hiroshima
Hiroshima -> Tokyo

Worth it to buy a 14 day JR Pass, correct? I did some calculations and I'm pretty sure it's cost effective but I wanted some opinions/confirmation, since it's $800 for both me and my gf.

If you're back in Tokyo within 7 days then it would be better to get a 7 day pass if possible, but it seems you've planned to be in Kyoto / Hiroshima for at least 8? So, 14 day pass then, yeah.
 

Fireblend

Banned
If you're back in Tokyo within 7 days then it would be better to get a 7 day pass if possible, but it seems you've planned to be in Kyoto / Hiroshima for at least 8? So, 14 day pass then, yeah.

Yeah, It's definitely taking longer than 7 days. My stay in Kyoto will be 9 days alone (I'll be using it as base of operations to visit Nara and Osaka at least. Thanks!
 
Yeah, It's definitely taking longer than 7 days. My stay in Kyoto will be 9 days alone (I'll be using it as base of operations to visit Nara and Osaka at least. Thanks!

I don't want to ruin it but I always found that Osaka had more to offer than Kyoto.
9 days sounds quite long for Kyoto.
 

AllenShrz

Member
I don't want to ruin it but I always found that Osaka had more to offer than Kyoto.
9 days sounds quite long for Kyoto.

If you like beautiful gardens, temples, peace so so on, 9 days in Kyoto is absolutely fine, Ive done it 4 times already and still want to go back.

On the contrary, the times Ive been on Osaka I feel like I run out of things to do quickly and want to go back to Tokyo.

To Fireblend, I would suggest switch Hiroshima to Nagasaki, is much more picturesque and has more things to do.
 

Fireblend

Banned
I don't want to ruin it but I always found that Osaka had more to offer than Kyoto.
9 days sounds quite long for Kyoto.

Well, it's not 9 days in Kyoto, it's 9 nights. We can travel to Osaka or other nearby cities at leisure if we find ourselves without much to do in Kyoto. I'm sure we'll be fine :p
 
Top Bottom