I'm Going To Japan

bmwracer wrote:^ The girl is scarier than the giant eye. :beaten:

Without a doubt.

Japan will offer 10,000 foreigners free plane trips to the country next year to try to kick-start the tourism industry.

The country's tourism agency announced the plan to counter the slump in visitor numbers since the March tsunami and nuclear disasters.

In the three months since the disasters, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has crashed by more than 50 per cent.

The sharp drop began to ease somewhat in the summer.

In June and July, tourist figures were down 36 per cent from a year ago, easing to 32 per cent in August as the country worked to reassure foreign tourism markets.

Japan's Yomiuri newspaper says the tourism agency will ask would-be travellers to submit online applications, with hopes the successful applicants will write positive reports about their experiences in Japan which will be published online.

Tourism authorities hope positive reports from travellers about their experiences in Japan will help ease international worries about visiting the country, the newspaper said.

The program, which will require travellers to cover other costs such as accommodation, is expected to start from April, subject to government budgetary approval.

The government has said Japan is safe except for the immediate vicinity of the crippled plant, where work crews are still trying to bring the facility to a cold shutdown.

^ Excellent I sent this to all my friends in hope to make them come over!
I think this stunt is better then the current Arashi one, which I saw also being played in Brussels:
http://youtu.be/qxD7YVPwP_o
They may attract some fangirls but no other Europeans/Westerners know them.

EstherM wrote:^ Excellent I sent this to all my friends in hope to make them come over!
I think this stunt is better then the current Arashi one, which I saw also being played in Brussels:
http://youtu.be/qxD7YVPwP_o
They may attract some fangirls but no other Europeans/Westerners know them.

And don't want to know them. :beaten:

xploring wrote:Japan will offer 10,000 foreigners free plane trips to the country next year to try to kick-start the tourism industry.

The country's tourism agency announced the plan to counter the slump in visitor numbers since the March tsunami and nuclear disasters.

In the three months since the disasters, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has crashed by more than 50 per cent.

The sharp drop began to ease somewhat in the summer.

In June and July, tourist figures were down 36 per cent from a year ago, easing to 32 per cent in August as the country worked to reassure foreign tourism markets.

Japan's Yomiuri newspaper says the tourism agency will ask would-be travellers to submit online applications, with hopes the successful applicants will write positive reports about their experiences in Japan which will be published online.

Tourism authorities hope positive reports from travellers about their experiences in Japan will help ease international worries about visiting the country, the newspaper said.

The program, which will require travellers to cover other costs such as accommodation, is expected to start from April, subject to government budgetary approval.

The government has said Japan is safe except for the immediate vicinity of the crippled plant, where work crews are still trying to bring the facility to a cold shutdown.

IKITAI!

Itazura ichiban wrote:

IKITAI!

I would go only if they agree to pay for my cosplay wardrobe.

Toto toilet hybrid bike runs on crap.

[image]
[image]

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2011/09/30/toto-toilet-motorcycle-neo-biogas/

Tu_triky wrote:

I would go only if they agree to pay for my cosplay wardrobe.

I would happily subsist on ramen for the duration. OK, one day of sushi.
And sleep in a hostel.
= http://www.hosteljapan.com/

Itazura ichiban wrote:

I would happily subsist on ramen for the duration. OK, one day of sushi.
And sleep in a hostel.
= http://www.hosteljapan.com/

Well if it's ramen from an actual restaurant as opposed to cup ramen I don't think you would be that down & out. :)

I'll pass on the hostel. Luckily after much time & treasure, I have enough points to stay here for free.

http://conradhotels1.hilton.com/en/ch/hotels/index.do?ctyhocn=TYOCICI

But heck, if I had to huff it, I would stay in hostel....except I feel I'm too old for that ish now.

Tu_triky wrote:Toto toilet hybrid bike runs on crap.

It should be standard issue for all those chumps in the Senate and the House.

bmwracer wrote:
It should be standard issue for all those chumps in the Senate and the House.

Don't make me blush. Recognize that the legislators will not accommodate the nation's best interest because it doesn't serve them financially. I hate to sound cynical but America is failing.

Tu_triky wrote:I hate to sound cynical but America is failing.

Big time. :grumble:

Not sure if this has been posted here already but it looks like the Japanese government is giving away free tickets to Japan (well, more like the return ticket).
:woot:

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26284/Free+tickets+to+Japan+from+the+Japanese+government.html

ah, iw asnt reading, looks like its already posted afe entries before my post, lol

arnel98 wrote:Not sure if this has been posted here already but it looks like the Japanese government is giving away free tickets to Japan (well, more like the return ticket).
:woot:

http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26284/Free+tickets+to+Japan+from+the+Japanese+government.html

ah, iw asnt reading, looks like its already posted afe entries before my post, lol

Guess this recent development has a lot of people excited.

arnel98 wrote:Not sure if this has been posted here already but it looks like the Japanese government is giving away free tickets to Japan (well, more like the return ticket).

Top of the page. :P

Tu_triky wrote:
But heck, if I had to huff it, I would stay in hostel....except I feel I'm too old for that ish now.

Yeah, I might say I am too old for a youth hostel, too, but it's great to meet the enthusiastic young travelers there. But only when I am traveling "stag"... if I have a lady with me, then we get the four stars treatment. :applaud:

I really should apply for this; I can give them quite a sob story. :puppydog:

Kyoto crowned best Asian city in U.S. magazine poll

[image]

NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Kyoto has been crowned the best Asian city for the first time by readers, the U.S. magazine Conde Nast Traveler said Tuesday.

The western Japanese city was followed by Bangkok and Hong Kong at second and third respectively, while Tokyo came seventh, it said. Charleston in South Carolina ranked first among U.S. cities and Florence in Italy took the top spot for Europe, it said.

Welcoming the outcome for Kyoto, the New York office of the Japan National Tourism Organization said in a statement, "This accomplishment proves the time-honored cultural richness and the city's efforts to maintain the beauty of the cityscape and sustain the culture into the 21st century."

Kyoto has been the highest ranked Japanese city and in the top 10 among Asian cities for six consecutive years. It was the second highest ranked Asian city in 2010.

In the survey begun in 1988, readers cast their ballot in various categories, including cities, islands, hotels and resorts for different regions. A record number of readers -- about 29,000 -- took part in this year's poll, according to the magazine.

Among the best foreign airlines chosen by readers, All Nippon Airways ranked ninth and Japan Airlines 10th, while Singapore Airlines earned the top spot.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/travel/archive/news/2011/20111012p2g00m0dm079000c.html

^ Congrats to Kyoto.

I'm surprised Bangkok and Hong Kong are second and third, respectively: I've always had this image that they are sorta dirty and third-world-ish... :sweat:

I guess I need to update my mental image of those cities. :ashamed:

bmwracer wrote:^ Congrats to Kyoto.

I'm surprised Bangkok and Hong Kong are second and third, respectively: I've always had this image that they are sorta dirty and third-world-ish... :sweat:

I guess I need to update my mental image of those cities. :ashamed:

Can't say, as I've never been....but yeah parts of Kyoto are definitely postcard material...especially the geisha <geiko/maiko> districts...of course. Plus the six zillion temples that populate the city.

Tu_triky wrote:Can't say, as I've never been

It goes without saying that I've never been... :sweat:

Just a media-inspired perception.