Travel Advice needed: Japan

[dangermousie]

YESSSSS! Husband and I decided that our vacation this year is...Japan. It was between this and India, and we don't have enough time for India. Rajastan will have to wait. It also has the parental seal of approval (as in "Parents loved the place") and I've already been sick in Asia so don't have to worry about the dread dangermousie curse of getting sick on every continent I've been on (so far, I am just missing South America and Antartica and that's because I haven't been to either).

I guess my sudden surge of interest in anime was prescient. Or something. Anyway, we are planning on Japan in the fall. And here is where my lovely, lovely flist comes in. Outside of the standards of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji and Kyoto (or as Futurama refers to it, "anagram lover's Tokyo"), I am not sure what we should see. True, I am reading a heavy, thick guidebook cover to cover, but extra advice is always invaluable. So I thought surely someone on my flist has been to Japan. Or has flown over it. Or heard about it on the radio. So I should ask advice for cool places to see and things to do. Generally I prefer historical stuff over super-modern (temples over newest cell-phone the size of my eyelash).

So, advice? Recommendations? Requests to bring back sushi?

I am in desperate need of guidance here, since watching anime left me with only scanty geographical, historical, and social knowledge, consisting of:

1. Tokyo is a large, modern, and teeming city that periodically gets destroyed by monsters.

2. Samurai were angsty gorgeous warriors with awesome hair, who sometimes preferred their comrades in arms to geishas.

3. If you are a Japanese schoolgirl, no skirt is short enough. And you will get tormented by bullies to such a degree that in the litigious U.S. of A. you'd be set for life with the amount of money your loving parents would get in their lawsuit against the school. Of course, in Japan such concerns are moot as the richest, most arrogant boy in school will undoubtedly become your slave (see point about shortness of skirts).

4. People of Japan have green, blue, purple and white hair. Black hair is really rare, as rare as eyes that don't take up half of your face.

Something tells me these aren't adequate pointers. Just a hunch.

So, advice?

Comments

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Just be careful and don't fall into any mystical items that will take you back to a feudal era.

Actually a friend of mine went on a family trip to Japan when she was in highschool and said it was quite enjoyable though very crowded.

http://www.jal.com/en/guidetojapan/tyo/see/ueno/

I want to go there because there are vending machines everywhere where you can get little anime toys for couple of yen.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link!

Just be careful and don't fall into any mystical items that will take you back to a feudal era.


I like my antibiotics and cars and am in no need of a spouse, having acquired one already so I shall be careful :P I don't think I am in danger since I haven't been in High School for quite a while :P

you can get little anime toys for couple of yen

Sounds cool!

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

I also recommend visiting Hokkaido and Nagoya if you can manage it. One of my close friends is in Japan right not teaching English, so I hear all about her crazy exploits. A major problem when travelling through Japan is that (surprisingly) not that many people know English. So go prepared with a phrase book! And please do go with The Husband to do some classic Japanese kareoke ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

*adds Hokkaido and Nagoya to the list*

Yeah, my parents told me about no English. Trusty phrasebook it is.

do go with The Husband to do some classic Japanese kareoke ;)

I would love to, but I think the Husband would rather die, so the chances are kinda slim :P

[strippedpink.livejournal.com]

What part of Japan are you visiting? I lived in Misawa for three years.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

We haven't decided yet, actually. Is Misawa cool to visit?

[strippedpink.livejournal.com]

Hee...not really. It's extremely cold and in the middle of the boonies. Although, there are some incredible shrines and hot springs within driving distance.

Your best bets will probably be Tokyo and Okinawa. Both are really fun places to visit...just make sure to bring along a LOT of money, because you'll want to buy EVERYTHING and nothing is cheap. Hee.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

*adds Okinawa to the list*

you'll want to buy EVERYTHING and nothing is cheap

Mom told me that. She said she'd constantly go "ooooh, what a cute pair of boots" or "ooooh, what a cute camera" or whatever, and then look at the pice and get sticker shock.

Btw, icon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[syliasyliasylia.livejournal.com]

I went to Japan in 2000 but unfortunately I didn't visit Tokyo :( I spent a month a and a half in a city called Kanazawa doing a summer course :). I also visited Osaka, Himeji, Kobe, Kyoto and did a couple of trips to do some sightseeing around the Noto Peninsula.

Kanazawa is iteresting and has a beautiful garden called Kenrokuen, and a fantastic district that still looks like it did during the Samurai times!!
I can recommend visiting Himeji Castle in Himeji, it was really beautiful
Kyoto is a must! Gion and also the golden pavillion...
Tokyo is another must ... I want to go to Japan again in the future!!
Nara has beautiful shrines.
And in Nikko you van visit the Toshogu Shrine, which was built to honor the memory of Ieyasu Tokugawa, Japan's first Shogun.

:)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you thank you for the list.

*is getting excited about her trip*

I can't wait! And yes, I want to see castles....

[weissman.livejournal.com]

Well if you were going to Hong Kong I could help since I have been there four times, plus my wife has relatives and friends there. Japan,we have only been in the airport and then it was done at a sprint.
I think you will have a wonderful time.
Bob

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Always wanted to go to HK.

[weissman.livejournal.com]

Its one of my favorate places, I juts love the excitment
Bob

[antiqueskies.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say that it is really funny that you've been sick on every continent you've been to. That is definitely something that not everyone can claim!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That is definitely something that not everyone can claim!

I'd rather not be able to be claim it either :)

Well, I've lived on 3 for a length of time (Asia, Europe and NA) so that's not too surprising I got sick on those

And I did get sick on both my month-long trip to Australia AND on my honeymoon (!!!) in Africa (you don't know misery until you are lying in a tent, sick as a dog, and when you ask whether the rangers can take you to the nearest hospital, they tell you that you don't want to go there, unless you are in a coma).

[antiqueskies.livejournal.com]

That's...not comforting.

Sick on your honeymoon? Wow, that SUCKS.

You don't have much luck with this traveling healthy thing, do you?

(Don't go to Antartica. The penguins might try to steal your boat. ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Sick on your honeymoon? Wow, that SUCKS.


Well, I wasn't sick for most of it, and it makes for great stories. Not to mention that you know there is no way for it to go but up after that...

I am actually not a sickly person :P but I do travel a lot so :)

[amykay73.livejournal.com]

I went to Japan about fifteen years ago. My aunt spent a year working there, and I was lucky enough to spend two weeks visiting her.

As mentioned above, Tokyo and Kyoto are a must. I also recommend visiting Hiroshima. Yes, the Hiroshima museum dedicated to the nuclear bomb explosion is depressing, but what I saw there stuck with me for a very long time.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I am really looking forward to Kyoto most of all.

I don't think I have enough courage to go to Hiroshima.

[danceswithwords.livejournal.com]

I think you'll get the most bang for your time in Kyoto; it was the ancient capital of Japan and unlike Tokyo was not firebombed during World War II, so although modern city has overgrown most of the area, there are still a large number of beautiful old temples and buildings, including Kiyomizudera (which is a very lovely hillside temple), Kinkakuji (the famous golden temple), the Fushimi Inari Shrine (which has a famous string of torii gates), and Nijo Castle, and an imperial palace. Nara, which is quite close by, is the even more ancient capital of Japan and has some really beautiful shrines; Osaka Castle in Osaka is a classic example of feudal Japanese castle architecture. Or, if you're looking for a truly futuristic experience, the electronics district in Tokyo, Akihabara, is a really remarkable place to stroll through.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you thank you for the list of places. And yes, I really want to see castles and temples, so this is great.

[danceswithwords.livejournal.com]

Oh! One thing I forgot to mention. I don't know if this is still the case, but when I was traveling there as a student, you could get week-long Japan Rail passes at quite a discount--but only from outside Japan, so you had to purchase them in advance. If you think you'll be doing much traveling by train, it's worth looking into. I can't remember if bullet travel was included (I know it wasn't completely covered by the pass, but can't remember whether I had to purchase full-fare tickets or could buy an upgrade).

Yay for you!

[ayn-rand-fan-13.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I take Japanese at school! Which is totally relevant!
I'm so excited for you!

Advice...I've never been, but my dad used to go all the time on business trips, and has told some things about it.
You've probably already heard that it's very easy to get lost, so carry around your hotel thingy that says where it is.
Recommendations...Well, I know nothing about it, so can't help you there. My Japanese teacher says that Japanese people really like it when others make an effort to learn the language, but she might have said that to encourage us to order sushi in Japanese. Then I found out that the guys that work at my town's Japanese resturaunt are all Korean. akward.
Oh, apparantly it's impolite to eat udan noodles without slurping them.
I'm so excited for you!
And, actually, all of my Japanese friends have in some way died their hair blue or green.
Also, I find that the monsters don't really attack as much if you're in places without dramatic irony. Just a tip.

Re: Yay for you!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Then I found out that the guys that work at my town's Japanese resturaunt are all Korean. akward.


ROFL! :)

[katranna.livejournal.com]

I still think it's funny that you're going to Japan and Anna and I are going to India.

Anyway, while in Tokyo, try to visit Harajuku on a Sunday, to actually see Japanese schoolgirls with short skirts and rainbow hair.



http://lphe1dell1.epfl.ch/~lhinz/japon/tokyo/harajuku/photos/cd11_fh020005b.jpg

http://lphe1dell1.epfl.ch/~lhinz/japon/tokyo/harajuku/photos/cd11_fh020011b.jpg

http://lphe1dell1.epfl.ch/~lhinz/japon/tokyo/harajuku/photos/cd11_fh020010b.jpg

http://www.flyingczechman.org/gallery/harajuku/00%20-%20Harajuku%20fashion%20(gas%20mask).jpg

And yes, slurping noodles is polite, but since you're a white foreigner, I doubt they'll expect you to be polite by their rules anyway.

You'll get stared at a lot.

The Japanese WILL get very excited if you try to speak any Japanese at all. I can loan you my phrasebook. They'll also tell you how good your Japanese is (jouzu desu ne!) even if all you can say is "thanks," "excuse me" and "oh, no thank you."

Kyoto should be fun. :-) Really, I think your guidebook should be enough... unless you want to try and experience any specific subculture of visit a specific place, I doubt we can help you much.

Oh! You might try to visit an onsen (hot springs resort)--big part of Japanese culture, and supposedly quite relaxing, so long as you don't mind being naked with a bunch of other people. While you're at it, maybe you'll want to book a night's stay at a Ryokan (Japanese inn).

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/about/ryokan/index.htm

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'll promise to bring you ___ (insert Japanese person of your choice) if you bring back Shahrukh Khan!

[catdecember.livejournal.com]

if you can see me now, you'd see a girl with glasses, lying on her stomach in bed, green in envy! LOL

i wish i knew what to recommend, the places to go but i've only been in japan for a stop over. so it doesnt even count as a trip LOL.

anyways, visit the temples and the onsen! :D and eat yakiniku (japanese bbq, similar to korean bbq) and go to kaiten sushi bars (revolving sushi).

one of the couples i admire, kozyndan are great illustrators/artists. kozy is japanese and dan is american. their LJ has a lot of stories of their japanese travels, so go check 'em out. they also have www.kozyndan.com to see their art work. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link. I'll definitely check it out...

[catdecember.livejournal.com]

i'll probably remember more places, like that Studio Ghibli museum ...lol....

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Yay! You are going to japan! Wonderful!

If you are a Japanese schoolgirl, no skirt is short enough. You made me giggle with this .. ;) This is exactly what i thougth after "Battle Royale" .. Remember ! If you don't behave they will put you on an ireland with crazy weapons!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Remember ! If you don't behave they will put you on an ireland with crazy weapons!

Heeee!

[shadowserenity.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am quite envious! Japan is at the top of my list for vacations. What an excellent choice! And hey, at least you can wander through Tokyo at 4AM and have little fear of being robbed.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yup. I want to go to the early morning fishmarket, so the 4am thing is a good thing :)

[fallenbelle.livejournal.com]

Umm, I'm here via kate98 as I am one of those flisters who live in Japan. I live in Yokohama (2nd biggest city after Tokyo) which is really just the port of Tokyo. I recommend Yokohama because I think it has more history than Tokyo, which is constantly reinventing itself.

It was the port of Yokohama where the Americans sailed 150 years ago and opened Japan to the modern world. It has held onto that past and the bayside of Yokohama has a strange mix of foreign/pre-modern Japan to it. Don't get me wrong, it's modern too. If Tokyo is like New York, Yokohama is like Los Angeles-more space, more trees, etc.

I'm sure you're planning a trip to Shibuya (mecca home of the schoolgirl in the miniskirt)and scene of much craziness (which shouldn't be missed), so it's also only 27 mins from Shibuya station to Yokohama station, so it's close as well.


Also, just a couple of hours from Tokyo is Nikko, ancient burial site of shoguns and VERY Japanese. I highly recommend a visit to Nikko-in fact if you don't have time to fit in a visit to Kyoto, a visit to Nikko will substitute quite nicely. It's also in a forest-like setting and it feels so ancient-you feel like you've been transported back in time.


One hour from Tokyo (30 mins from Yokohama) is Kamakura, the ancient capital of Japan (older than Kyoto). It has lots of temples and the world's biggest bronze buddha (which you can go into for 10 yen). It's on the coast and is very nice, and while not quite as much as with Nikko, you can forget what year it is and go back in time. I guess I like these cities a little better than Kyoto because Kyoto can be quite snobby and is mostly a modern city, while these other two cities have remained frozen in time yet living.

Of course, I didn't look all that hard, but here are some photos that a guy took in 1966 of his visit to Nikko and Kamakura. Out of the sites I looked at, I thought these photos did the best job of showing Nikko (i.e. the forest setting around the temples). Don't let the date (40 years ago) freak you-it's a UNESCO world heritage site and has changed little-if any- since then. The same could be said for Kamakura.

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/kamakura_japan.htm

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/nikko_japan.htm



Ask away if you have questions. I hope this was of some help.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

That was of immense help, thank you. Nikko sounds amazing.