I'm Going To Japan

qilver wrote:fabulous pictures Tu, thank you :woot: :applaud:

i will be going back to Shinjuku, Tokyo area, but i would like, if possible to take some pix in the countryside too of Japan, not sure what areas.
the nightlife pictures of the city, is truly specatular, and everyday is like a Friday-Saturday night in Shinjuku, i remember seeing all the tipsy drunk salarymen and OL's out...lol

i know! you've got me all amped to go again! shiet, my friend is definitely going back in May/June and asked if I wanted to go....dunno if I'll have the funds tho.

Tu_triky wrote:

i know! you've got me all amped to go again! shiet, my friend is definitely going back in May/June and asked if I wanted to go....dunno if I'll have the funds tho.

yea, i am quite excited about going back, probably for 9 or 10 days...
Kyoto and Tokyo..
I would like to visit Nagoya, and Nara. Not sure if i have the time to visit Hiroshima and other areas.
I defintely want to try some okonomiyaki in Osaka.
I would like to visit the countryside of Hokkaiko too, but my main interest again are Kyoto, and Tokyo, and the surrounding areas possibly. Hokkaido would be a bit far, and maybe if i would stay much longer.

qilver wrote:

yea, i am quite excited about going back, probably for 9 or 10 days...
Kyoto and Tokyo..
I would like to visit Nagoya, and Nara. Not sure if i have the time to visit Hiroshima and other areas.
I defintely want to try some okonomiyaki in Osaka.
I would like to visit the countryside of Hokkaiko too, but my main interest again are Kyoto, and Tokyo, and the surrounding areas possibly. Hokkaido would be a bit far, and maybe if i would stay much longer.

yeah i feel you..see some new spots...if you're going to be up and down the main island of honshu hokkaido would be a bit out of the way plus if you go from osaka/kyoto to tokyo to carry on further on to hokkaido by train or plane is going to get tiresome.....ESPECIALLY for 9 or 10 days...hell that would only give you like 3 days in each spot including the day you arrive and leave which are basically lost days for sight-seeing purposes often times.

i spent the whole time in tokyo practically with the exception of two days and I STILL didn't get to see all the shiet i wanted to.

Tu_triky wrote:

yeah i feel you..see some new spots...if you're going to be up and down the main island of honshu hokkaido would be a bit out of the way plus if you go from osaka/kyoto to tokyo to carry on further on to hokkaido by train or plane is going to get tiresome.....ESPECIALLY for 9 or 10 days...hell that would only give you like 3 days in each spot including the day you arrive and leave which are basically lost days for sight-seeing purposes often times.

more than likely, i would fly into Narita again, and visit Tokyo, then Kyoto, back to Tokyo, fly out of Narita. Kansai airport..i think that is the one in Osaka, is an option, but me being the otaku, i have to visit Akiba, and central Tokyo, before seeing the sights of Kyoto, once again.

9 or 10 days, might be a little less considering the travel time, so atleast 8 good days, maybe 4 in each area, Tokyo and Kyoto.

Nagoya, and Nara are possible, and within 1hr from Kyoto by Shinkansen. I may visit Yokohama and Nikko if time permits, but i doubt if i have any time for Saitama or other areas.

I suppose i should do more internet searching as the summertime comes closer. I will probably ask your good recommendations/advice for what areas to stay/visit/eat at in Japan. :bow: :applaud:

qilver wrote:

more than likely, i would fly into Narita again, and visit Tokyo, then Kyoto, back to Tokyo, fly out of Narita. Kansai airport..i think that is the one in Osaka, is an option, but me being the otaku, i have to visit Akiba, and central Tokyo, before seeing the sights of Kyoto, once again.

9 or 10 days, might be a little less considering the travel time, so atleast 8 good days, maybe 4 in each area, Tokyo and Kyoto.

right on that seems very reasonable.

Nagoya, and Nara are possible, and within 1hr from Kyoto by Shinkansen. I may visit Yokohama and Nikko if time permits, but i doubt if i have any time for Saitama or other areas.

dood you're going to have to pick your battles! you COULD go to all those places via train from tokyo but you'll be spending some time on the train bro. i find when you try to do too much you feel rushed and then don't really feel like your on a "vacation"

I suppose i should do more internet searching as the summertime comes closer. I will probably ask your good recommendations/advice for what areas to stay/visit/eat at in Japan. :bow: :applaud:

sure thing...i can point you to some resources that are much more well informed than myself but yeah i can tell you about the spots i ate at, stayed at and kicked at.

Tu_triky wrote:

sure thing...i can point you to some resources that are much more well informed than myself but yeah i can tell you about the spots i ate at, stayed at and kicked at.

thanks, i am sure i will have questions and need some recommendation in the coming months or so, before summer...

the last time in Japan, i felt a bit rushed, as 8 days in Japan is not enough...6 days in Tokyo, and 2 in Kyoto, but just enough to get a taste of it, but 3 weeks would be even more better...

I think Nikko could be a part day thing, and Yokohama could be a few hour visit, but i am not sure if i would sacrifice central Tokyo's time, to visit the outer surrounding areas. I don't want to feel rushed, but at the same time, i want to maximize my visit while in Japan, but still have time to relax and enjoy the vacation. Did you get a chance to see any outer surrounding areas, like Nikko, Yokohama, Saitama? Nara? Nagoya?

qilver wrote:

thanks, i am sure i will have questions and need some recommendation in the coming months or so, before summer...

the last time in Japan, i felt a bit rushed, as 8 days in Japan is not enough...6 days in Tokyo, and 2 in Kyoto, but just enough to get a taste of it, but 3 weeks would be even more better...

yeah 8 days is short especially cuz the first day is really lost in travel and making up for the jet lag.

I think Nikko could be a part day thing, and Yokohama could be a few hour visit, but i am not sure if i would sacrifice central Tokyo's time, to visit the outer surrounding areas. I don't want to feel rushed, but at the same time, i want to maximize my visit while in Japan, but still have time to relax and enjoy the vacation. Did you get a chance to see any outer surrounding areas, like Nikko, Yokohama, Saitama? Nara? Nagoya?

I stayed in Hakone for 2 days and 1 night where we stayed at a ryokan that had an onsen. and we also spent a few hours in Yokohama because we went to go visit the Ramen Museum in Shin Yokohama.

http://www.bento.com/phgal3.html
http://www.raumen.co.jp/home/index.html

Man, if an 8 solid day trip plus 2 travel days could be planned for a Summer trip....

Fly into Narita
1 day in Tokyo (just to pick the essential merchandise)
2 day tour in Akita
2 day tour Shizuoka/Atami
2 day tour Kyoto (one day temples and one day rafting/caves)
1 day Osaka to see MM (venue is small)
Depart from Kansai Kuko

If it was in the Spring or early Fall, all 8 days in Okayama for fishing and partying every night.

Tu_triky wrote:

I stayed in Hakone for 2 days and 1 night where we stayed at a ryokan that had an onsen. and we also spent a few hours in Yokohama because we went to go visit the Ramen Museum in Shin Yokohama.

http://www.bento.com/phgal3.html
http://www.raumen.co.jp/home/index.html

I am thinking of staying in a Ryokan, but not sure yet....but the idea sounds nice.
Yokohama, is there a lot to see there? ramen museum, do they give you a bowl of ramen for lunch? lol but sounds cool, i am sure there is a lot to see there.

Yea, stayed in Hakone too, i think in a town called Miyanoshita, something like that, can't quite remember, but it was scenic and nice, i hope to revisit Hakone someday, not sure this summertime....
maybe next time i will actually see Mt. Fuji, cause the last two times, it was cloudy and i didn't see, even from lake ashii, which is very closeby.

thanks for the links...:thumbsup:

Hanzo21 wrote:Man, if an 8 solid day trip plus 2 travel days could be planned for a Summer trip....

Fly into Narita
1 day in Tokyo (just to pick the essential merchandise)
2 day tour in Akita
2 day tour Shizuoka/Atami
2 day tour Kyoto (one day temples and one day rafting/caves)
1 day Osaka to see MM (venue is small)
Depart from Kansai Kuko

If it was in the Spring or early Fall, all 8 days in Okayama for fishing and partying every night.

wow, what an itnenary, but not sure if i will get a chance to see a MM venue, but will definitely visit the H!P store in Tokyo. I haven't heard of the places, Atami, Akita, are they nice areas? I will probably depart from Narita, the same place i will be arriving in too.

qilver wrote:

I am thinking of staying in a Ryokan, but not sure yet....but the idea sounds nice.
Yokohama, is there a lot to see there? ramen museum, do they give you a bowl of ramen for lunch?

the admission fare is cheap the food is extra though.

lol but sounds cool, i am sure there is a lot to see there.

actually it's not that big which lends itself well to a rather quick visit...there are several ramen shops so you can choose which style of ramen you like even if it originally hails from a place far from Tokyo.

Yea, stayed in Hakone too, i think in a town called Miyanoshita, something like that, can't quite remember, but it was scenic and nice, i hope to revisit Hakone someday, not sure this summertime....
maybe next time i will actually see Mt. Fuji, cause the last two times, it was cloudy and i didn't see, even from lake ashii, which is very closeby.

yeah that town rings a bell. yeah it was similarly cloud for me as well...i could barely make out the moutain outside the glass window of the romance car train as we headed down to Hakone from Tokyo.

thanks for the links...:thumbsup:

sure. ain't no thing.

qilver wrote:

wow, what an itnenary, but not sure if i will get a chance to see a MM venue, but will definitely visit the H!P store in Tokyo. I haven't heard of the places, Atami, Akita, are they nice areas? I will probably depart from Narita, the same place i will be arriving in too.

You can do it all by bus tour. It's tough, but fun. Akita and Atami are the nicest places (for different reasons). Once you see Atami... you'll want to spend the rest of your life there. After you go around Akita Prefecture, you'll never want to leave.

We'll see how my friends and relatives do in getting tickets for the Spring Tour. If they do a good job, we'll look at the Summer schedule and enlist their help again in getting you tickets to an MM venue for a show.

Hanzo21 wrote:

You can do it all by bus tour. It's tough, but fun. Akita and Atami are the nicest places (for different reasons). Once you see Atami... you'll want to spend the rest of your life there. After you go around Akita Prefecture, you'll never want to leave.

We'll see how my friends and relatives do in getting tickets for the Spring Tour. If they do a good job, we'll look at the Summer schedule and enlist their help again in getting you tickets to an MM venue for a show.

bus tour eh.....sounds like a long tour...
i was thinking taking the trains there, and walking around town, but since i might be alone at that time, and lacking Japanese language skills, it might be even tougher...
Akita, Atami, i will look into it, never heard of those place before, sounds interesting. got any pictures of the areas?

MM venue eh? not sure if i will be able to catch one of those, i am going the first week/second week of July, that's the plan hopefully. :bonk:

Cool HDR shot of Tokyo taken atop the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills
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it's been great reading about the plans for visiting japan. i miss the place. can't wait to go back. :mrgreen:

yeah seeing these pics of roppongi hills makes me want to go back


[image]

kenjilina wrote:it's been great reading about the plans for visiting japan. i miss the place. can't wait to go back. :mrgreen:

Tu_triky wrote:Cool HDR shot of Tokyo taken atop the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills
[image]

SUGOI! I think I'm gonna try to paint that. I need to practice my mind and hand a bit.

I'm actually thinking of planning a tour to Japan for my students next year. I'm looking at this package right now: TOUR

But I don't know if I can get the kids to pay that much.

Wynter wrote:
I'm looking at this package right now: TOUR

the package looks good. a friend of mine is sending their son on a school trip to japan on what looks like a similar tour. i don't know what the cost is though.

kenjilina wrote:

the package looks good. a friend of mine is sending their son on a school trip to japan on what looks like a similar tour. i don't know what the cost is though.

The cost plays the biggest factor, because it's what will win kids, or lose kids, no matter where you go. If I can get a trip to Japan for under $2800, then I could probably sell enough seats.

Wynter wrote:

The cost plays the biggest factor, because it's what will win kids, or lose kids, no matter where you go. If I can get a trip to Japan for under $2800, then I could probably sell enough seats.

i wonder if the tour company will do a discount on group tours. might be worth a try.