killertofu
Member
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Japan Travel |OT| One does simply not visit just once
- Thread starter hwalker84
- Start date
cj_iwakura
Member
Is the currency exchange still good there, or should I do it here?
Zoe
Member
You should almost always do it in the country you're going to.
I think I've finally gotten the bf to turn around on depending on cash so much. Over our last trip, we only used cash for about 10% of our spending.
cj_iwakura
Member
Works for me. I figure I'll need it for the mom'n'pop type eateries(if not all of them).
I have an option of changing to a 6AM flight on the day before I go, meaning I can turn a 31 minute layover into 2 hours, but it'll cost me $75. :/
To elaborate, my current itinerary leaves Ft. Lauderdale at 8:35AM and arrives in Houston at 10:21AM, flight to Tokyo is at 10:52AM. There's an earlier flight from FTL at 6AM.
If anyone familiar with IAH is confident that United won't screw me over, I'll stay with what I have. Just really dreading the potential risk of losing a day in Japan... not to mention the hotel.
SiegfriedFM
Member
Quick question. In preparation for going to Osaka on Sunday, what having shops are there and where can I find them?
Next few days are a bit of a rest day to recover but we still need to find a few games (dengeki bunko ignition, steins;gate 0, Digimon next order and the crossbell evo Kiseki games) so might try to find them in Osaka so we don't need to rush our last two days when we return to Tokyo.
In other news, Ueno park was busy today. So many people. The cherry blossoms were lovely.
Also got to buy some Ramune! We were quite happy about that.
Next few days are a bit of a rest day to recover but we still need to find a few games (dengeki bunko ignition, steins;gate 0, Digimon next order and the crossbell evo Kiseki games) so might try to find them in Osaka so we don't need to rush our last two days when we return to Tokyo.
In other news, Ueno park was busy today. So many people. The cherry blossoms were lovely.
Also got to buy some Ramune! We were quite happy about that.
Probably wouldn't be hard to find them in some of the major department stores but Den Den town is a good place to start.
_________________
I've seen three people wearing Love Live capes today... Havent seen that before in the 3 weeks I've been in Japan. Something going on?
Cheetos is Pretty Awesome
Member
Planning to hit up some recycle shops in Tokyo when I go there this April. Mostly hunting some vintage shirts and maybe some broken game consoles/handhelds to use for projects. Any recommendations? Thanks!
Patrick Bateman
Member
We've been to Osaka Castle today when I suddenly got an emergency notice.
My iPhone made a "woop woop woop"-sound, a female voice said something along "Dash in das" and "emergency notice" was written in my home language plus lots of Kanji under it. My current provider, only for mobile and no data is SoftBank.
Has this happened to anyone else before?
My iPhone made a "woop woop woop"-sound, a female voice said something along "Dash in das" and "emergency notice" was written in my home language plus lots of Kanji under it. My current provider, only for mobile and no data is SoftBank.
Has this happened to anyone else before?
You usually got those kinda warnings via text message.
Love Live Final Live was last night and tonight. I am ded because of it. ;_;
killertofu
Member
My friends and I are looking to have one 'fine dining' experience in our trip to Tokyo. Granted we're recent college grads so we're not drowning in money yet but can anyone recommend a place?
MikeHattsu
Member
Back in Norway.
Time to plan the next trip ;p
Patrick Bateman
Member
A Japanese guy we met told us that it was an eartquake warning and you get it automatically.
cj_iwakura
Member
Oh god, if I experience one of those... I'm a Floridian, I only know hurricanes.
JoJo should be easy enough to find just by randomly walk into stores.
Out of my head, the Lammatarra between Don Quijote and Animate usually has JoJo figures.
I don't think there's any Solaire figures though.
Patrick Bateman
Member
I didn't feel anything. I was more perplexed by those unfamiliar sounds coming from my phone.
SiegfriedFM
Member
You can get Jotaro anywhere, but there is a really high-end Medicom figure of him with cloth clothes that could be cool. There's also a completely separate line of posable plastic figures by Medicos (no relation?) which also sells the Stands. These are really nice looking, and they tend to re-release now and then.
MikeHattsu
Member
Just go to the post office and get help there. Try SAL Small Packet or SAL depending on how big stuff is if you want to send it for cheap.
My hand writing sucks though and I doubt the Japanese at the post office will help with that lol
QFT. I'm leaving for home in 3 days and already looking thinking about the awful.
I have one more concert to go to tomorrow evening at Makuhari Messe (TRIDENT) and then that's basically it for the trip. Made it out of Akiba today only spending 400Y on some books, because everything else I ACTUALLY wanted would have put a huge dent on my credit card and I just couldn't bring myself to do it (Hi there 20k+ BD box sets...).
Also stopped by the Kanda Shrine today to celebrate
read: weep over
ThatCrazyGuy
Member
cj_iwakura
Member
Is it worth taking a ride along the Bayshore? Is that even a thing that visitors do?
MikeHattsu
Member
Like what? Pay a cab to drive you or something?
cj_iwakura
Member
I guess unless there's a better way?
You could try, though from my experience post office employees are not very comfortable filling forms for you. When I said I couldn't write Kanji the post office wrote it in romanji on a side paper so I could write it in romanji myself.
I think it's a way to avoid blame when issues occur.
You could take a train
MikeHattsu
Member
So small and uncomfortable6 days here
Sounds like a proper Japanese hotel then ;p
In our second hotel now. It sucks. So small and uncomfortable
Ahahaha. After the first days shock at the size of the apartment I was at in Shibuya, I've kinda gotten used to the ~150sq ft or whatever they are. That said, I can't wait to get back to my actual full sized house in Maryland again. =p
Patrick Bateman
Member
That's the message I recently got on my mobile phone while spending time in Osaka.
What does it say?
And another thing:
What is it with French people in Japan? It felt like 70% of all Caucasian we came across spoke French. 20% speak English and the rest is a tie between Italian, Spanish and German.
Subpar Scrub
Banned
Hey guys, I was wanting some advice on places to travel to while I'm on holiday.
I'm going to be there for about two weeks, and here's some of the places I'm thinking of going:
Tokyo:
Akihabara
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Tokyo Skytree/Sumida Aquarium
Sensoji Temple (Asakusa)
Ikebukuro Station
Meiji Jingu Park/Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Shibuya Station/District
Meiji Shrine
Nakano Broadway
Tokyo Tower
Shinjuku
Roppongi
Osaka:
Aquarium Kaiyukan/Tempozan Wheel
Universal Studios Japan
Osaka Castle
Minami (Namba) Downtown
Kyoto:
Nijo Castle
Kyoto Tower
Kiyomizudera Temple
Ginkakuji Temple
Kinkakuji (Golden Paviliion
Southern Kyoto:
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine/Tofukuji Temple
Daigoji Temple
Nara:
Todaiji Temple
Nara Parklands
I'm into temples and shrines but thinking of cutting some of them out (seems I've added a lot of them), I'm into games and anime like a lot of Gaf as well.
Any feedback or advice? It would be appreciated.
Also was thinking about going to an onsen, maybe near kyoto, but I have no idea what's good. I'd prefer one with private baths though.
Cheers in advance for anyone who has been and can provide info I haven't been able to decide on any arcades, so any personal feedback on that is appreciated too.
I'm going to be there for about two weeks, and here's some of the places I'm thinking of going:
Tokyo:
Akihabara
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Tokyo Skytree/Sumida Aquarium
Sensoji Temple (Asakusa)
Ikebukuro Station
Meiji Jingu Park/Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Shibuya Station/District
Meiji Shrine
Nakano Broadway
Tokyo Tower
Shinjuku
Roppongi
Osaka:
Aquarium Kaiyukan/Tempozan Wheel
Universal Studios Japan
Osaka Castle
Minami (Namba) Downtown
Kyoto:
Nijo Castle
Kyoto Tower
Kiyomizudera Temple
Ginkakuji Temple
Kinkakuji (Golden Paviliion
Southern Kyoto:
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine/Tofukuji Temple
Daigoji Temple
Nara:
Todaiji Temple
Nara Parklands
I'm into temples and shrines but thinking of cutting some of them out (seems I've added a lot of them), I'm into games and anime like a lot of Gaf as well.
Any feedback or advice? It would be appreciated.
Also was thinking about going to an onsen, maybe near kyoto, but I have no idea what's good. I'd prefer one with private baths though.
Cheers in advance for anyone who has been and can provide info
I haven't been able to decide on any arcades, so any personal feedback on that is appreciated too.SiegfriedFM
Member
Osaka Castle is not worth the effort. Also, cut some places off your list or you will be completely stressed out.
As for me, my trip starts tomorrow. So excited!
Subpar Scrub
Banned
Anyone under 40 here in France grew up watching Japanese cartoons, be it "real" ones straight from Japan and just (badly) translated or French/Japanese coproduction like Mysterious cities of Gold and many others. They were far more popular here than the more Americanized that would blatantly try to sell you toys.
This made many of us (me included) very much interested with the Japanese culture
I've been fascinated with Japan for as long as I remember knowing about this far away country, and I'm far from the only one around me. Most of my friends dream about visiting Japan one day.
Well your sample is probably not very representative but, as stated above, from a cultural point of view kids from the 80-90's were much more influenced by japanese culture in France than in any other countries, and it's not only about cartoons but also video games and all the tech things (Sony, Sharp, Nintendo, Sega etc.)
Said kids didn't grew into psychopaths or serial killers (despite the best efforts from some politics to make us think they would) and are probably wealthy enough to make the trip now.
There are most likely various others reasons, Asia as a whole is more fantasized than America which look close enough to us, and Japan, while being part of Asia, always sounds like the most "stable" country for a trip, having your own country fantasized by Japan also help a bit etc.
MikeHattsu
Member
Eh, it's decent enough if you're not going to Himeji.
SiegfriedFM
Member
I was terribly disappointed that it was a standard modern museum inside that classic (rebuilt) facade. Of course, I doubt that anything old was left standing in Tokyo or Osaka.
In hindsight, sparing Kyoto even in the heat of war was a heroic decision.
Exactly my thoughts on Osaka Castle.
During my first trip Japan in 2009 we had to decide between Osaka and Himeji Castle. Sadly we chose Osaka. During my later trips Himeji was under construction so I had no urge to visit it. But I was able to see it this December, now that the constructions are done.
Was only disappointed about how crowded it was.
Waiting for my flight right now! So excited. Quick q: are they going to ask about our accommodations specifically? We have an airbnb in Kyoto but I know it's a gray area, so I'm not sure that we should say "yeah we're renting a room" if they ask. I know we only need to list the first address and we're starting in Shinjuku for 4 days at a normal hotel so that worry is fine.
You'll receive a form to fill out. You have to put in the name and address of your first accommodation. But I think they never bothered to look at it. They always glanced over the form and just made sure you are not bringing any dangerous goods.
You probably will be fine if you just give them the address of your airbnb. But I've never used airbnb before.
MikeHattsu
Member
Nah. They'll just need the first accommodation. If it's a well known hotel you just need to write down the name of the hotel. Oh, and you'll need the phone number for the hotel as well so you can write it on the form.
Don't think I even bothered with that before.
MikeHattsu
Member
Depends on the customs person. The one I got last time didn't accept mine without a proper Japanese phone number on it. The other person I were travelling with were in a different queue and got through with the same info without problems.