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[Punished Miku]

Not as interesting as another poop thread, but I just wanted to share a few pictures.

Tokyo

I barely got any pictures in Tokyo. Was mostly just gawking at everything because it all looked so cool. I don't think I saw a single dirty building, or even slightly dirty car. Pretty sure everyone literally wipes down their car every morning, and we saw multiple shopkeepers sweeping their sidewalks in the mornings.
There was also a cool festival happening at one of the bigger Shinto shrines we went to. People everywhere in kimonos, some with their asses hanging out, playing drums and marching with shrines up and down a dozen different streets. And right in the middle of a park, surrounded by skyscrapers, they still have 600+ year old castles standing, surrounded by moats.









Mt. Fuji

This was the view from our hotel. Pretty dope.

 

[Punished Miku]

The Golden Pavilion

I didn't even know this existed, but it's a gorgeous spot to visit. Tucked away in a forest surrounded by hills, built on top of a lake to reflect the building in the water lies this striking golden temple.



Kiyomizudera Temple

Totally insane temple hidden in a forest in Kyoto, standing with half of it over a ravine, upheld on a series of poles held together without a single nail. The inside is dark and looks like something straight out of Sekiro. There's also a cemetary right beside it, and a few other smaller pagodas you can walk to, to get a better view of the temple. And yes, we did drive past the Nintendo building in Kyoto but I didn't get a picture of it.

 

[Punished Miku]

Todai-Ji Temple

In a park in the city of Nara. The whole park and most of the surrounding streets are literally filled with deer that live there and eat like kings from all the people feeding them. You may notice the scale that these pictures fail to really capture by seeing how tiny and ant-like the people are when even compared to the front doors of this massive, massive temple with one of the biggest budda statues inside I've ever seen. Also a shot of a hundreds of years old lantern that survived WWII and wasn't destroyed. This temple is supposedly the largest wooden construction in the world, and I have absolutely no difficulty believing that.

 

[Punished Miku]

Osaka

Fun places to shop and eat all over. Outdoor malls for days and days that just keep going.

 

[Punished Miku]

Osaka Castle

Absolutely insane to see in person. Again, the scale is really shown by the people that maybe stand as tall as just the first brick in the base of the staircase of this towering structure. For those of you who watched the movie Shogun, large parts of it were filmed here. Sekiro is real

 

[Punished Miku]

Beijing

Not nearly as cool as Japan, for multiple reasons. But I am still glad I went. From what I hear from our guide, Shanghai is the more fun city that they compare to New York, and Beijing is more like Washington D.C. Good food. The Great Wall and the Forbidden City were dope, and we saw a Kung Fu show that was actually really impressive. And this cat was cute.




The North Gate

See how tiny the cars look in the picture?

 

[Cunth]

Maybe it’s just me but I can’t see a single picture

 

[Punished Miku]

Tian'anmen Square

 

[Punished Miku]

The Forbidden City

It's pretty huge, with residential areas, multiple giant courtyards and buildings for government officials, and a large garden. Apparently the emperor had 700 concubines living here, and every other man in the area they lived had to be a eunich. 700.

 

[Punished Miku]

The Great Wall

Only a tiny portion of it obviously, since it's over 5,000 km long. But yeah, I was under the impression this wall was mostly flat, and I was very mistaken. I would recommend doing a few months of stairmaster to get ready for this if you want to climb far. We made it to tower 5 in 30 minutes and blew past most of our group and were forced to stop to meet up with everyone who was slow as fuck. It's a workout though! Some of the "flat" parts are so steep I could only touch my toes to the ground while going upwards. And all the stairs are irregular lengths and can be quite steep.

 

[Punished Miku]

Maybe it’s just me but I can’t see a single picture

Well fuck it. I can't either. I give up. I'm not uploading all those again, just spent an hour on it.

Delete the thread I guess mods!

 

[Wings 嫩翼翻せ]

Aw. Well I read all of your stories, and it seems like it was an unforgettable trip. I don't know if you are into either of their languages, but it would be cool if you were able to talk to some of the locals while you were there. I'm sure they would have loved to hear how cool they were.

看來所有的照片大概太大，而且無法顯示 很討厭呢！

 

[Punished Miku]

Aw. Well I read all of your stories, and it seems like it was an unforgettable trip. I don't know if you are into either of their languages, but it would be cool if you were able to talk to some of the locals while you were there. I'm sure they would have loved to hear how cool they were.

看來所有的照片大概太大，而且無法顯示 很討厭呢！

Unfortunately I was not able to speak either language at all save for a handful of basic words. Just sightseeing, shopping, and trying out tons of food. Everyone was pretty nice. Crossing the street in Beijing though is completely nuts and I felt close to death every time lol. Roaming gangs of cyclists that don't follow any traffic laws.

 

[Wings 嫩翼翻せ]

Unfortunately I was not able to speak either language at all save for a handful of basic words. Just sightseeing, shopping, and trying out tons of food. Everyone was pretty nice. Crossing the street in Beijing though is completely nuts and I felt close to death every time lol. Roaming gangs of cyclists that don't follow any traffic laws.

Cool stuff. I can't help but feel a little jealous that you (all) are having such a blast touring these places in Asia, but I know it will be my turn one day.

I'm happy you decided to share.

 

[Punished Miku]

Cool stuff. I can't help but feel a little jealous that you (all) are having such a blast touring these places in Asia, but I know it will be my turn one day.

I'm happy you decided to share.

I'm a complete travel novice. It can be done more cheaply now than ever before. Did a guided tour and it included everything. Hotels, several meals, guide, travel throughout the city, and admittance to all the temples and sites we visted. I was intimidated at first, but it's totally doable. I'd recommend it to anyone that has wanted to go and see these places.

 

[Rentahamster]

Not as interesting as another poop thread, but I just wanted to share a few pictures.

Tokyo

I barely got any pictures in Tokyo. Was mostly just gawking at everything because it all looked so cool. I don't think I saw a single dirty building, or even slightly dirty car. Pretty sure everyone literally wipes down their car every morning, and we saw multiple shopkeepers sweeping their sidewalks in the mornings.
There was also a cool festival happening at one of the bigger Shinto shrines we went to. People everywhere in kimonos, some with their asses hanging out, playing drums and marching with shrines up and down a dozen different streets. And right in the middle of a park, surrounded by skyscrapers, they still have 600+ year old castles standing, surrounded by moats.

Mt. Fuji

This was the view from our hotel. Pretty dope.

I can't see your pics in the thread, but I can see them when I quote your post, lol

 

[Rentahamster]

OP, I think you need to edit your posts and take out the url tags.

Just use the img tags.

 

[Bullet Club]

Not as interesting as another poop thread

Did you take any pictures of Japanese &/or Chinese toilets?

 

[Punished Miku]

OP, I think you need to edit your posts and take out the url tags.

Just use the img tags.

I'll try it. Oddly enough, all the pictures are now showing up for me without doing anything? I am so confused.

Did you take any pictures of Japanese &/or Chinese toilets?

Honestly I wish I did! The Japanese toilets are a so god damned nice. I want to install one at home. You sit on it and it releases deodorizing spray automatically, has heated seats, and of course has the water up your ass thing. My first time trying it, but it's honestly just so much cleaner it's hard to go back.

Chinese toilets were a mix. Some were like the Japanese ones, like in the nice hotels. Some were like basic western ones. A LOT were literally just holes in the ground, and they also never had toilet paper in any public bathrooms. We were warned to take a ton of wet wipes with us from Japan and we were glad we did.

 

[Cato]

Oh, the Tokyo region is very clean. No garbage or scraps anywhere on the roads, sidewalks etc.
There are also NO garbage bins on the streets. You are basically supposed to keep a plastic bag with you and keep "empty drink bottles", "paper containers", "that paper bag ice-creams come in" with you and dump it in the garbage bin when you get home.

Bring a plastic bag with you for this purpose.

Also, you are not supposed to walk around on the streets and eat, drink or consume snack, ice cream, food, etc etc.
Only barbarians do that and spill on the ground and mess things up.
At every area with a a lot of food stalls there is also a small hut/building/shelter/... where people go to eat their snacks.

You do that too. It is seriously not cool to walk around on the street and eat your treats and pollute and mess up for everyone else.
Just look around. You will find the place. Not hard to spot.

I.e. you buy the ice-cream, red-bean cake shaped as a fish/ ... Go to the designated eatery area and eat it there. Not when you walk the street.
Then when finished, put the packaging and napkins in the plastic bag you brought and keep it until you return to the hotel so you can dispose of it.

 

[Punished Miku]

Oh, the Tokyo region is very clean. No garbage or scraps anywhere on the roads, sidewalks etc.
There are also NO garbage bins on the streets. You are basically supposed to keep a plastic bag with you and keep "empty drink bottles", "paper containers", "that paper bag ice-creams come in" with you and dump it in the garbage bin when you get home.

Bring a plastic bag with you for this purpose.

Also, you are not supposed to walk around on the streets and eat, drink or consume snack, ice cream, food, etc etc.
Only barbarians do that and spill on the ground and mess things up.
At every area with a a lot of food stalls there is also a small hut/building/shelter/... where people go to eat their snacks.

You do that too. It is seriously not cool to walk around on the street and eat your treats and pollute and mess up for everyone else.


I.e. you buy the ice-cream, red-bean cake shaped as a fish/ ... Go to the designated eatery area and eat it there. Not when you walk the street.
Then when finished, put the packaging and napkins in the plastic bag you brought and keep it until you return to the hotel so you can dispose of it.

Yeah, I read that before I went as well and it is completely true. I had a backpack with me and kept my stuff in there and threw stuff away at stops every few hours.

There were some exceptions to the people walking and eating thing though. At the festival we went to there were about 70 different food stands with snacks for just a couple bucks and all delicious. And everyone pretty much walked around with it because it was so crowded and there was nowhere to sit. But most of the time, you are correct.

I still got my coffee and walked with it if I wanted though. I don't care. No one gave us dirty looks, and I kept the cup in my bag when I was done with it.

 

[JimiNutz]

Thanks for the awesome pictures.
I hope to visit Japan next year. I love the aesthetic of their architecture, especially the traditional stuff.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

That's amazing dude, I'm green with envy.

I wish I could have already visited Japan by now, it's certainly item number 1 on my bucket list.

 

[CyberPanda]

Nice pictures and thanks for sharing. I am glad you had a nice visit.

 

[Stitch]

The Great Wall

But yeah, I was under the impression this wall was mostly flat, and I was very mistaken.

lol that's what I thought too and then I was standing in front of these huge, steep stairs.
Imagine having to go up and down these things in the rain during nightwatch

 

[CyberPanda]

lol that's what I thought too and then I was standing in front of these huge, steep stairs.
Imagine having to go up and down these things in the rain during nightwatch

Joan Rivers did it and regretted it lol

 

[Stitch]

Holy crap she's wearing high heels

 

[Punished Miku]

Holy crap she's wearing high heels

Someone in our group showed up in flip flops and one of those dresses where you have to tape your nipples to the dress or it will fall off.

She didn't make it very far up the wall lol.

 

[TheShadowLord]

Did you saw the inflatable tank and tankman at Tian'anmen Square?

 

[Punished Miku]

Did you saw the inflatable tank and tankman at Tian'anmen Square?

I sure didn't! But our guide made sure to warn everyone how sensitive of an area it was and to not "do anything political." There's a large museum called the National Museum of China right there also, and supposedly it's just all about the communist party so we skipped that. And like everywhere else we went to, you have to show your passport to even get in, and it's covered in cameras and police.

It's actually kinda boring, if not for the huge historical significance of the place. Just a large cement square with a couple statues and surrounding buildings.

 

[interactivemonodrama]

I am so jelly OP, was it really expensive journey?

 

[Punished Miku]

I am so jelly OP, was it really expensive journey?

10 days for roughly $2,200, including all hotels and flights from Los Angeles. We also took spending money on top of that, but you don't need a ton. All the hotels had breakfast, and then we pretty much ate ramen every day in Japan and they have these giant Asahi beers for like $5 only. We spent less eating out there than in the states. Same with China. It was nice to have some spare cash for souvenirs and other random things, got some shirts and stuff.

I had to save for a while, but it's not impossible like it once was. And that goes for most places now. We got it through a travel company on groupon. There's cheaper versions of that for Europe and most everywhere else too.

 

[Stitch]

Looks like Tian'anmen Square didn't change much in the last 7 years.



It's not that interesting and I'm sure that's what the Government wants. If they wouldn't do their Military March there every year they would've probably already turned it into a Mall lol

 

[Mista]

Thanks for sharing OP, enjoyed all the posts. I want to visit Japan, the Osaka pictures were so nice. Especially the castle, gave me Yakuza vibes and I’m about to go take down everyone there till I reach the boss.

 

[Chairman Tickles]

Nice pics. Ben there, dan that. I went off the beaten track, those seem like the touristy sections of wall. We went to the part where French and German hikers fall off and die annually.

Similarly, Japan has really nice countryside. Those big cities are so-so.

 

[Insane Metal]

As someone living in Brazil, Japan looks like some sort of otherworldy stuff. Amazing.

 

[Kamina]

Punished Miku
What was the name of the hotel from which you could see Fuji so nicely, and what did the room cost per night.?

 

[Celcius]

Looks like it was an awesome trip! I'd love to visit Japan some day.

 

[just_some_nut]

nice pictures. I love the architecture of the older buildings, especially the rooftops

 

[Punished Miku]

Punished Miku
What was the name of the hotel from which you could see Fuji so nicely, and what did the room cost per night.?

I'll see if my girlfriend still has the trip itinerary. I can't remember that one, it was a smaller hotel. That whole lake was just lined with hotels.

We stayed at Sunshine City Hotel in Tokyo, and I think Miyako Hotel somewhere else, but I don't think that's it.

We didn't get hotel rates per night, since it was all included in a package deal with everything which probably made it much cheaper since we all purchased together.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Where are your Miku figurines though?

 

[Porcile]

Nice little beginner trip. Now the real Asia adventure starts; Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand await. Even places in Japan and China will test you if you have guts. The important point as a westerner in Asia is to struggle and face challenges.

 

[Punished Miku]

Nice little beginner trip. Now the real Asia adventure starts; Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand await. Even places in Japan and China will test you if you have guts. The important point as a westerner in Asia is to struggle and face challenges.

Yeah, for sure. I purposely started with a guided trip because I had no clue what to do. I'm very glad I did. I've heard Thailand is great from a few people.

Where are your Miku figurines though?

I've already had those for a while lol.

 

[TheShadowLord]

I sure didn't! But our guide made sure to warn everyone how sensitive of an area it was and to not "do anything political." There's a large museum called the National Museum of China right there also, and supposedly it's just all about the communist party so we skipped that. And like everywhere else we went to, you have to show your passport to even get in, and it's covered in cameras and police.

It's actually kinda boring, if not for the huge historical significance of the place. Just a large cement square with a couple statues and surrounding buildings.

It was in Taiwan anyways. Silly me.

 

[Punished Miku]

It was in Taiwan anyways. Silly me.

Pretty sure it was in Beijing? I just know what I read in the news though.

China still gets annoyed with images showing the famous Tiananmen Square 'Tank Man,' 30 years after he became a symbol of the government's brutality

Chinese troops killed hundreds of protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. Today, it still tries to erase those memories.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[My Big D]

i hope to visit japan one day. i just love Japanese culture, im actually an expert but no shame here

i wouldnt go to CHina even if they paid me to go there tho