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Japan (March 2023)


Ghost of LL

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1 hour ago, Chopper said:

Experienced Japan travelers - Roast this itinerary? Annoys me that there's 1 full day in Osaka but 2 in Kanazawa. Every other stop is 1 day.

image.thumb.png.9dfbaeb89e510b339fb094c9c30a619d.png

 

Well I would have used different colors/indicators for different travel methods on the map. Are you traveling by bus? Ferry? Train? No way of knowing really. 

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3 hours ago, GoneFission said:

Well I would have used different colors/indicators for different travel methods on the map. Are you traveling by bus? Ferry? Train? No way of knowing really. 

It's a ship. I thought the lines in the water provided the answer to your question but perhaps not. It also has predetermined stops over which I have no control.

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this might sound weird, but for me there are only a few places in the world that transcend the-stuff-there-is-to-do-there.  

japan is one of those places for me. 

i've been a handful of times, stayed in rural areas with locals who were friends of friends, been to big cities, etc. 

my advice is: 

1) 2 days minimum in tokyo

2) 3 days minimum in kyoto. 

3) it's not super easy, imo, to get a lot out of the more remote places without someone who speaks japanese

4) most importantly, i would go to just vibe.  i overplan most of my trips, but i would love to just hang out in tokyo and kyoto and just wander and do whatever comes up.  imo, it's not a place i would go with a massive itinerary, like how you might visit paris or rome for the first time.   i would go any season, explore randomly, and do whatever comes up. 

 

i don't mean to reply to chopper.  just saw this thread pop up and wanted to lay down my $.02  

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On 5/14/2024 at 1:23 PM, Chopper said:

Experienced Japan travelers - Roast this itinerary? Annoys me that there's 1 full day in Osaka but 2 in Kanazawa. Every other stop is 1 day.

image.thumb.png.9dfbaeb89e510b339fb094c9c30a619d.png

 

October 1 on the Silver Nova?

Oooooh--fancy.

20 hours ago, alphahydro said:

this might sound weird, but for me there are only a few places in the world that transcend the-stuff-there-is-to-do-there.  

japan is one of those places for me. 

i've been a handful of times, stayed in rural areas with locals who were friends of friends, been to big cities, etc. 

my advice is: 

1) 2 days minimum in tokyo

2) 3 days minimum in kyoto. 

3) it's not super easy, imo, to get a lot out of the more remote places without someone who speaks japanese

4) most importantly, i would go to just vibe.  i overplan most of my trips, but i would love to just hang out in tokyo and kyoto and just wander and do whatever comes up.  imo, it's not a place i would go with a massive itinerary, like how you might visit paris or rome for the first time.   i would go any season, explore randomly, and do whatever comes up. 

 

i don't mean to reply to chopper.  just saw this thread pop up and wanted to lay down my $.02  

This . . . is really sound advice.  I hadn't really thought through the difference between Japan and, say, Rome or Paris.  But your thoughts mirror my own.

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On 3/26/2024 at 2:54 PM, Ghost of LL said:

 

Near Shinjuku, go over to Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley).  It's a two-block area of tiny bars along a very narrow alley.  I can't really explain it beyond that.

 

Good recommendation. Cool spots for yakitori with the salary crowd. 

Last time I was in Tokyo (2019), I took a stroll around Shinjuku and was blown away by the number of tourists. Heck, even Golden Gai.....gaijin everywhere. Tourism has really picked up. Twenty years ago, you'd rarely if ever see a tourist in one of those bars. 

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Posted (edited)

Well there is a "The Japan" thread but this one looks more recent.  

My son is graduating HS and he is turning 18 this summer.  The only place I could get him excited about was Japan because he is really into cars and motorcyles.  well we both are.   July 7-16.  We fly into Osaka and out of HND a week later.  In fact we will be in Japan on his 18th.  He also loves to eat and I have an affinity for Japanese knives.   I own 4 including a Masamoto and Yu Kurosaki. 

Ill read through but anyone have any suggestions for dad and son.  I havent been to Japan in probably 8 years. 

Thinking

2 nights Osaka

3 nights Kyoto

3 nights Tokyo

 

Edited by midtown
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5 hours ago, midtown said:

Well there is a "The Japan" thread but this one looks more recent.  

My son is graduating HS and he is turning 18 this summer.  The only place I could get him excited about was Japan because he is really into cars and motorcyles.  well we both are.   July 7-16.  We fly into Osaka and out of HND a week later.  In fact we will be in Japan on his 18th.  He also loves to eat and I have an affinity for Japanese knives.   I own 4 including a Masamoto and Yu Kurosaki. 

Ill read through but anyone have any suggestions for dad and son.  I havent been to Japan in probably 8 years. 

Thinking

2 nights Osaka

3 nights Kyoto

3 nights Tokyo

 

Check out the sub Reddit /japantravel. I posted my itinerary and got some good feedback. Sounds like a good plan from the current looks of it…you will get good feedback on things to do with an 18-year old in those cities.

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Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, midtown said:

Well there is a "The Japan" thread but this one looks more recent.  

My son is graduating HS and he is turning 18 this summer.  The only place I could get him excited about was Japan because he is really into cars and motorcyles.  well we both are.   July 7-16.  We fly into Osaka and out of HND a week later.  In fact we will be in Japan on his 18th.  He also loves to eat and I have an affinity for Japanese knives.   I own 4 including a Masamoto and Yu Kurosaki. 

Ill read through but anyone have any suggestions for dad and son.  I havent been to Japan in probably 8 years. 

Thinking

2 nights Osaka

3 nights Kyoto

3 nights Tokyo

 

idk anything about cars/motorcycles in Japan, but I'm sure there's some great stuff. 

on the food side, i'm sure you can get lots of good recs.  here are some more generic thoughts-just stuff that stands out in my memory. 

  1. each town (every town(?), most towns(?), idk, tbh) has a special food or snack they are famous for.  i would definitely give it a shot in every town you visit.  i wanna say it was hamamatsu - has a lake that is supposed to be perfect for freshwater eel.  had some fresh, simply grilled unagi there that was insane.  haven't had unagi since that even comes close.   it's really cool (imo) to sample the snack each town is famous for, and different places are, for example, known for different types of udon (or ramen or whatever).  i would definitely sample the specialty in each town/prefecture/hood.
  2. your favorite fish fresh from the fish market
  3. spicy ramen shop in tokyo
  4. tbh i've had mixed luck with kobe beef in japan.  i've had great stuff at random places and been let down at places supposedly known for it.
  5. if you see a dessert that looks tasty, just buy it, imo.  one of the best desserts of my life was some random cream puff sold by a vendor outside of a zoo in tokyo.
  6. i think these places are a trip.  sensory overload, which is part of the experience. lots of options. easy way to sample wagashi. https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/best-depachika-food-halls-in-tokyo prolly sounds dumb but this is like the tokyo version of a parisian cafe for me.  heh.
  7. one the one hand, part of what makes eating in japan cool is the novelty.  like a major fast food burger joint has burgers where the bun is like sticky rice (https://www.mos.jp/menu/pdf/global_regular_menu.pdf) and there are all kinds of snacks and treats that seem exotic.  and those a great to sample.  so, imo, if you have a choice between the equivalent of the regular burger and the rice burger, get the rice burger, imo.  that's part of what makes it cool to visit japan.  the other thing that makes japanese food great is - if you go to a restaurant that the locals consider a nice place and order like a traditional fish soup - man, the flavors can be amazing.  so clean, pure, well balanced.  the craft that goes into traditional japanese broths is amazing. 

have fun!  

my daughter is 18 and her and her friend are going this summer also.  i'm very jealous. 

for dad and son, idk off hand, but i would prolly try to check out a baseball game and a sumo match. 

 

Edited by alphahydro
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a father-son activity that occurred tome in kyoto. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijō_Castle

this is a castle in kyoto with floors called nightingale floors.  basically the floors creek/chirp when you walk on them.  teh guide explained that it was basically an alarm system for ninjas who would sneak attack at night ---the floors would alert the samurai bodyguards who would then pop out of hidden chambers in the walls and defend the inhabitants against ninjas. 

i remember how, upon hearing this, i imagined ninjas fighting samurai and was instantly transported to childhood. 

also, if you guys watch the show shogun before you go, no spoilers, but the castle is definitely related to a main character in teh show.  

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3 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

I went to the Toyota museum outside of Tokyo.   Meh.

My son toured the Tundra plant in San Antonio when he was in 5th grade.  They have a mini museum.  We're covered there 😁

Bummer.  My son and I wanted to do the mario cart go carts in Tokyo but you have to have an international drivevrs license and turns 18 half way through the trip.

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21 minutes ago, midtown said:

My son toured the Tundra plant in San Antonio when he was in 5th grade.  They have a mini museum.  We're covered there 😁

Bummer.  My son and I wanted to do the mario cart go carts in Tokyo but you have to have an international drivevrs license and turns 18 half way through the trip.

The international driver's license has an "effective date", which must be within 6 months of the "application date".  I'd call AAA, and ask them if they can issue one and make the effective date his 18th birthday. 

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Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

The international driver's license has an "effective date", which must be within 6 months of the "application date".  I'd call AAA, and ask them if they can issue one and make the effective date his 18th birthday. 

Ill call and ask but everything is pretty specific that you can only apply if you are 18

 

Edited by midtown
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  • 2 weeks later...

We went in March. It's a TERRIBLE time to visit since everyone wants to see the cherry blossoms and there are a million tourists everywhere.

We did Tokyo for 2 days, Kyoto for 2 days, Osaka for a day, and back to Tokyo. We planned too much and it was tiring. Take the bullet train if you're going between cities, so much better than taking a flight.

 

In Tokyo, we visited the Tsujiki market which was over-crowded for a Monday nut worth the experience, teamLab Planets which was pretty cool but not a must see, the Gundam statue which apparently is gone now. Shinjuku IMO is a must, but prepare for crowds and sensory overload.

In Kyoto, we rented kimonos and took photos at most of the famous temples and the bamboo forest. We stayed at a traditional ryokan - Kyoto Inn Hokkaikan Ohanabo the close to the train station, and the experience was awesome. The owner was so friendly and full of energy. If I ever go back to Kyoto, I would definitely stay there again.

Our 24 hours in Osaka was also really rushed. We went to Dontonburi at night which had a lot of restaurants and shops, also went to Osaka castle to meet with my wife's coworker who she's never seen in person, just on Teams calls. We didn't get to see the inside of Osaka Castle, but the outside was pretty amazing

 

Overall I loved Japan, and had a fantastic but tiring trip. After you go there, you will be browsing the Bidet Meta Thread and never go back to wiping your ass with toilet paper.

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2 hours ago, Chopper said:

Has anyone stayed at the Tokyo Conrad, or nearby? If so I'd appreciate some restaurant recommendations.

Stayed at the Conrad for a couple of nights a few years ago, at the end of a Tokyo / Kyoto / Tokyo trip.  Had dinner at Sushi Arai and Seizan.  Both were amazing, though I've heard Arai has become a difficult table.  That said, if you can get in it's a pretty short walk from the Conrad.

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2 hours ago, Superhero said:

We went in March. It's a TERRIBLE time to visit since everyone wants to see the cherry blossoms and there are a million tourists everywhere.

We did Tokyo for 2 days, Kyoto for 2 days, Osaka for a day, and back to Tokyo. We planned too much and it was tiring. Take the bullet train if you're going between cities, so much better than taking a flight.

 

In Tokyo, we visited the Tsujiki market which was over-crowded for a Monday nut worth the experience, teamLab Planets which was pretty cool but not a must see, the Gundam statue which apparently is gone now. Shinjuku IMO is a must, but prepare for crowds and sensory overload.

In Kyoto, we rented kimonos and took photos at most of the famous temples and the bamboo forest. We stayed at a traditional ryokan - Kyoto Inn Hokkaikan Ohanabo the close to the train station, and the experience was awesome. The owner was so friendly and full of energy. If I ever go back to Kyoto, I would definitely stay there again.

Our 24 hours in Osaka was also really rushed. We went to Dontonburi at night which had a lot of restaurants and shops, also went to Osaka castle to meet with my wife's coworker who she's never seen in person, just on Teams calls. We didn't get to see the inside of Osaka Castle, but the outside was pretty amazing

 

Overall I loved Japan, and had a fantastic but tiring trip. After you go there, you will be browsing the Bidet Meta Thread and never go back to wiping your ass with toilet paper.

We flew out of NRT, and more than one passenger had a Toto bidet seat as a carry on.  They sold them right in the terminal.

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c477b93b3d48e0ae1fe576783c29dbee.jpg
ec6a154faa24c37bb2f44d87c2d5bfb1.jpeg



Incredible country. We had an awesome time in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

There is no bad or average food anywhere…at least we didn’t find any. Sushi mania…melts like butter everywhere we went.

Tips after going:

1. Schedule a Geisha show in Kyoto if you go there. Truly a cultural experience you won’t forget. There is an interpreter there for Q&A after the show.

2. Schedule a formal tea ceremony in Kyoto also. Do the one wearing a kimono they provide.

3. Grab a goshui-cho (accordion style book) at the first temple or shrine you visit and can get one. Collecting goshuin at each temple and shrine we visited was a lot of fun and very cool. You can only receive the hand drawn goshuin with these books. Great souvenir and something you’ll bring back on your next visit to keep collecting.

4. In Tokyo, Shibuya Sky is very cool on the rooftop. Try and reserve a few weeks out.

5. Do a street food tour in Osaka. A lot of fun and a lot of great drinks along the way as well.

6. Edited to ad stay at least one night in a ryokan. It’s been mentioned in this thread. A Japanese “hotel/house” where you are immersed in the culture. Breakfast and dinner are included and fantastic.

Will hit more rural areas on our next trip but can’t say enough great things about the people, the culture and all the incredible food we had. Happy to have been able to go and experience it with my youngest.

Edited by Tailgate
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On 5/26/2024 at 12:56 PM, alphahydro said:

a father-son activity that occurred tome in kyoto. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijō_Castle

this is a castle in kyoto with floors called nightingale floors.  basically the floors creek/chirp when you walk on them.  teh guide explained that it was basically an alarm system for ninjas who would sneak attack at night ---the floors would alert the samurai bodyguards who would then pop out of hidden chambers in the walls and defend the inhabitants against ninjas. 

i remember how, upon hearing this, i imagined ninjas fighting samurai and was instantly transported to childhood. 

also, if you guys watch the show shogun before you go, no spoilers, but the castle is definitely related to a main character in teh show.  

Yeah….was unreal…felt, heard and experienced it in a few temples and saw the engineering diagram behind one. Smart people. No one getting in unless they are climbing on walls or ceilings.

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3 hours ago, Tailgate said:

c477b93b3d48e0ae1fe576783c29dbee.jpg
ec6a154faa24c37bb2f44d87c2d5bfb1.jpeg



Incredible country. We had an awesome time in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

There is no bad or average food anywhere…at least we didn’t find any. Sushi mania…melts like butter everywhere we went.

Tips after going:

1. Schedule a Geisha show in Kyoto if you go there. Truly a cultural experience you won’t forget. There is an interpreter there for Q&A after the show.

2. Schedule a formal tea ceremony in Kyoto also. Do the one wearing a kimono they provide.

3. Grab a goshui-cho (accordion style book) at the first temple or shrine you visit and can get one. Collecting goshuin at each temple and shrine we visited was a lot of fun and very cool. You can only receive the hand drawn goshuin with these books. Great souvenir and something you’ll bring back on your next visit to keep collecting.

4. In Tokyo, Shibuya Sky is very cool on the rooftop. Try and reserve a few weeks out.

5. Do a street food tour in Osaka. A lot of fun and a lot of great drinks along the way as well.

6. Edited to ad stay at least one night in a ryokan. It’s been mentioned in this thread. A Japanese “hotel/house” where you are immersed in the culture. Breakfast and dinner are included and fantastic.

Will hit more rural areas on our next trip but can’t say enough great things about the people, the culture and all the incredible food we had. Happy to have been able to go and experience it with my youngest.

Which food tour did you do in Osaka?

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