As a kid Japan was the country I most wanted to visit. I took Japanese in High School (I don't remember shit). Now before I settle down and start popping out some kids I want to get my most wanted trip off my plate.
I was thinking 2-3 weeks at the end of August early September. Can you help me with suggestions?
Where to stay?
Should I take one of those tours? If so which one?
How would I travel to different cities if I don't take a tour?
Etc?
Thanks GAFer's!!
Where to stay:
http://www.hotelniwa.jp/english/<---Niwa Hotel l was pretty cool, Awesome service, very clean and nice hotel, and it was very close to the train station which you not only want to use and but learn well. (taxis are ridiculously expensive in Japan, especially in the evenings). When I plan to goto tokyo again I will probably stay there again.
I feel like those tours are a rip everywhere you go, as you can pretty much figure out what the tour is and do it yourself for alot cheaper. If you are a super lazy person, then yea I can see the tour being great, but if you don't mind putting in the research time, then imo, it's just more beneficial to just do the tour yourself.
Travel to different cities: I just pretty much stayed in Tokyo. And traveling in tokyo, like many have said and like I have said, use the train system. It's so cheap and affordable.
Places to go (here is where to go in tokyo, don't know shit about outside of it but I will one day): Roppongi - check this place out for sure as it is American friendly and I am assuming you are american. watch out for the nigerians.
Shibuya - gotta go just to experience the amount of people crossing the street at the main intersection.
Akihabara - Nerd central (i mean, there's a gundam cafe), but they got alot of cool electronic stores here...large scale ones and then the little boutique shops that have cool ass gadgets you will never find anywhere else in the world. You might also find weird ass anime shops with floors dedicated to crazy anime porn. Girls dressed in different outfits asking you to do whatever weird services they offer, etc.
Harajuku - crazy anime cosplay chicks pose near the train station. and then there are just alot of shopping opportunities here. also a cool little temple or whatever.
that's all right now, I'm tired.