qilver wrote:

^ its a thought, in Osaka, but i'd have to look thru some Japan travel books on what places to visit. I also thought of the country-side of Takayama, but i might opt'd for Fukoka, Kohara-Tenjin instead, not exactly sure, i have a lot of studying-Japanese, and travel books to read in the next few months. Thanks for your info/pix, and your advice/suggestion is always appreciated. What can you tell me of Sendai, Niigata areas, in the Tohoku region? have you seen it much or have any info? Miyagi, Akita, and Yamagata areas might see a bit north to travel to, from Hiroshima, Osaka areas, but Sendai is a possiblity, just a thought though.

Haha! The only thing known about Sendai is from the C-ute DVD they made for the Rakuten Eagles.

But... maybe 10 years ago we took a week long tour through Tohoku. That was the best trip of all the trips taken. Akita is remembered the most. Every single girl seen in Akita was a beauty. For real. The waitressess, the gas station attendants, and even the girls that held the Stop/Slow signs at the road construction sites. K-chan told me why Akita is loaded with pretty girls. The hotel we stayed at was another semi-government run. It had an Observatory attached to it with a big telescope and staffed with an astronomer.

So man, Tohoku is a great choice.

Hanzo21 wrote:

Haha! The only thing known about Sendai is from the C-ute DVD they made for the Rakuten Eagles. But... maybe 10 years ago we took a week long tour through Tohoku. That was the best trip of all the trips taken. Akita is remembered the most. Every single girl seen in Akita was a beauty. For real. The waitressess, the gas station attendants, and even the girls that held the Stop/Slow signs at the road construction sites. K-chan told me why Akita is loaded with pretty girls. The hotel we stayed at was another semi-government run. It had an Observatory attached to it with a big telescope and staffed with an astronomer. So man, Tohoku is a great choice.

well that is an extra incentive to visit Akita, and the surrounding areas of Tohoku region, north-east areas. It might be a long shinkasen ride, and would it still be good within the 7day rail pass, i intend to get, not sure if i will get the 14 day, since a week of my trip will just be in Tokyo.

I am interested in seeing the countryside, and Hokkaido might be far-fetched, as in Okinawa, since distance, extra costs, but they are good places to check out too. My main interests are in Fukuoka, and as far as Sendai, i am not sure how long the trip would take on the Hikari, i know Tokyo-Hiroshima was about 5 to 6 hours depending, on Nozomi or Hikari line. Probably other, say hour or so westward from Hiroshima to Fukuoka?, Fukuoka to Tokyo is like what, 8hrs by Shinkansen, and then another 2 to 3 to Sendai from Tokyo?, Sendai to Akita, would probably take another 3 hours. And i am not even sure the JR-pass would cover the east section of Japan, or is the pass all good throughout, thanks for answering and reading all my question/posts, i am sure i will post a lot more on here in the coming weeks.
I thought the girls in Tokyo and Kyoto are mostly beauties, i've seen them all over Japan.

Q, if you purchase the JR Railpass, it is good throughout Japan on JR lines, except for the Nozomi Shinkansen. You have to use the Kodama or Hikari trains between Tokyo and Fukuoka.

If you intend to spend one week in Tokyo only, I would get the 7-day pass and use the Shinkansen as much as possible.


For all Southern California J-dramaholics, I just saw that IACE is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the West LA branch on 1/31. If you sign up at their site for the promotion you could get:

Gold: RT to Tokyo for $39 Fuel and Tax included
Silver: RT to Tokyo for $390 Fuel and Tax included
Bronze: RT to many Asian cities for $590 Fuel and Tax included

dochira wrote:

Q, if you purchase the JR Railpass, it is good throughout Japan on JR lines, except for the Nozomi Shinkansen. You have to use the Kodama or Hikari trains between Tokyo and Fukuoka. If you intend to spend one week in Tokyo only, I would get the 7-day pass and use the Shinkansen as much as possible. For all Southern California J-dramaholics, I just saw that IACE is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the West LA branch on 1/31. If you sign up at their site for the promotion you could get: Gold: RT to Tokyo for $39 Fuel and Tax included Silver: RT to Tokyo for $390 Fuel and Tax included Bronze: RT to many Asian cities for $590 Fuel and Tax included

Hey Dochira,

thanks for the info...
i did price around for the JR Railpass, and the yen - dollar is roughly 89Y-$1, and i am looking at the 14day rail pass and it is just over $500 for it. It will take me from Fukuoka to Sendai and back to Tokyo, that is my hope.

Not entirely shocking:

Number of foreign tourists visiting Japan plunges 24.1% in Dec

http://www.japantoday.com/category/travel/view/number-of-foreign-tourists-visiting-japan-plunges-241-in-dec

Thank goodness: a new page.

bmwracer wrote:

Thank goodness: a new page.

To be honest, I think the fact the Travel to Japan thread fell to the second page is a reflection at the difficulty it is to travel abroad in our current economic climate.

dochira wrote:

To be honest, I think the fact the Travel to Japan thread fell to the second page is a reflection at the difficulty it is to travel abroad in our current economic climate.

I agree, but I was really referring to a new page for this thread...

bmwracer wrote:

Thank goodness: a new page.

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I'm planning to go to Japan on 2010 or 2011 summer, if I have enough courage, 'cause I am very shy and don't speak English very well--
But I guess that would be cool to visit there
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I plan on going to Japan next year since I will have two weeks off from my job I really have not looked but I'm sure some good deals are going on now? How likely would that be extending into next year?

sucks for me I'm on vacation now but during winter.

It's hard to say.

There's a global recession so no one is travelling. With that, the price of oil has gone down, so there's little to no fuel surcharge at the moment.

But with no one flying, airlines are cutting back flights, so the price of the ticket could go upwards.

Japan wants more tourists to visit so there could be specials. However the current exchange rate isn't so hot (1USD = 89JPY), so it makes things in Japan more expensive.

But who knows if things will improve by next year.

well I hope it will improve.. I just did not think about the less passengers flying the more the airline would make up for the less people in price.

Just booked my tickets!! Visiting in end of March!

Funky thing is... I haven't planned on where to go yet.
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That's awesome! Let us know if you have any questions.

Genma wrote:

Just booked my tickets!! Visiting in end of March! Funky thing is... I haven't planned on where to go yet.

HI Genma! I was just asking how you were earlier

Less than five more weeks for me.

I got my flight itinerary, and get this: I touch down in TO Sunday at 11:54pm... and then I have to work on Monday.
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Wynter wrote:

Less than five more weeks for me.

Sweet. I wish we could have gone, but now is not the time for us.

Wynter wrote:

I got my flight itinerary, and get this: I touch down in TO Sunday at 11:54pm... and then I have to work on Monday.

You'll be feeling good in the morning. I once slept for 13 hours after flying back from Asia. And you're three hours ahead of me.

dochira wrote:

You'll be feeling good in the morning. I once slept for 13 hours after flying back from Asia. And you're three hours ahead of me.

I dunno, I was pretty brain dead when I came back from China and had to work the next day. I think it's because my job requires interaction with teenagers on a continuous basis.
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Wanna trade? My Drama List (UPDATED: July, 2013)

Wynter wrote:

I think it's because my job requires interaction with teenagers on a continuous basis.