Never been there, but I wish you a good time in Japan =)
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HAHAHA I was the thread OP, and I'm back from the trip!
It was super fun, and now I'm taking Japanese classes, and hoping I'll go there again someday soon!
I don't know about July, it was chilly when I went there last month.
IMHO, 3 days in Tokyo is not enough. Heck I was there 5-days in Tokyo and I feel it is too short!
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dont try "natto"
japan is beautiful! enjoy it.
dont expect anyone to speak englisch! and even if... you might not understand it :)
7 days might be too short.. depending on what you have planned.
if you want to visit specific locations.. make maps at home - japanese suck at mapmaking (they are always objectorientated and never northed, also barely in any scale) imho. - also.. everything is written in japanese - dont expect english waypoints.. not even for touriststuff..
i dont mean to hurt anyones feelings, but that was my experience. but japan is VERY beautiful and the people are nice too.
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Thanks for the helpful tips.
about the 7 days rail pass. we are not sure if 14 days is to much and we don't want to spend so much if we perhaps only use 8 days on the rail.
i wantet to save maps on my mobile and get a data sim with 200 mb per day.
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if you plan carefully then you can ofc optimize the traintimes.
but i would strongly recommend using it for daytrips. there are alot of shrines worth visiting. and with the shinkansen your fast as hell :)
so dont just stick to the cities. imho kyoto and tokio with yokohama were the most impressive ones. also.. if you want to make the trip.. hiroshima is a nice daytrip from kyoto. if you do it.. take a look at the bombingsite and the museum. its kinda 'kitschy' because they have those plasticfigurines in it.. but the letters that are posted there together with originalpictures... trust me.. it get into the bones (dont know if thats correct... ^^ not native englishspeaker)
maps on mobile is a good idea.. but check them first... a collegue thought he could easily google it... welll... nope :D
also.. be prepaired to eat new stuff, as the cheaper restaurants just have japanese menues and you got to order by pictures or try to communicate without language ;) its fun but sometimes you get stuff that... well.. you eat it because your hungry ^^
oh... on that thing a sidenote... you got to try handmade udon (thick noodles). you get them everywhere and they are fresh.. i fell in love with them. also onigiri is a cheap food for daytrips. (filled ricetriangles)
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thats good to know.
I am writhing down everything and hope to don't lose the overview.
Udon was something i got recommended yesterday ^^
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Sorry fürs stalken, aber wenns stimmt solltest du das hier verstehen.
Wenn du möchtest kann ich dir ein 160seitiges pdf zukommen lassen mit allem was wir damals gemacht haben (2010).
Sind Karten, Fakten, Anreisen, Fotos usw dabei. aber eben schon evtl veraltet.
Ist allerdings teilweise sehr auf Stadtplanung/Architektur ausgelegt, aber generell sehr interessant.
Bei Interesse add mich im Steam dann schauma weiter.
lg und falls nicht, trotzdem viel spass ;)
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Wow geil danke!
An architektur bin ich selbst auch sehr interessiert und den rest deiner pdf nehme ich dankend an ^^
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that's a lot of .....
every station have both japanese and english names, waypoints, pointers for exits/tracks etc.
lot of maps with english names. trains 'speak' in neglish ,especially Shinkansens[and with JR Pass you want to use them :) ).
People do speak English, or at least understand it [not always, not everywhere ofc, kinda shy]
personally I kinda like natto, nothing against it. But I understand some do not like it, but untill you try, you never now.
MAny usefull tips in above recomended topic. I've enjoyed Kyushu in this part of the year, but with recent earthquakes in Kumamoto might not be best idea to go to far
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true.. you gotta try ;) but try it with a small portion ^^
and yes.. there are some things in english (maybe now more than when i went).. but as i wrote.. you cant ->expect<- it everywhere :) sometimes theres just no english version/naming and you just have to ask at a koban (small policehut - in most cities every few blocks).
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Japan have amazing street food experience!)
https://youtu.be/F9To5UjWhUA?list=PLCdAjxG5K_BAb3x78hu1N6MXlSntg4sR9
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Why don't you go somewhere else, rather than Japan?
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I know they wana visit Japan, but why Japan in particular? While there are cheaper and better places to go?
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There is no why in these kind of things. If you wanna travel in a particular country, how would another one make up for it?
I for example wanna travel to France. Would going to Italy be the same while it is cheaper?
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See? It's personal opinion and depends on what someone is interested in :)
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Because it's a beautiful country with a rich culture, lots of kind and interesting people and fantastic food?
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Good answer, because most people I know who wants to visit Japan actually want to, because of "anime" only.
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i am not that anime fan
more likely art and culture
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I've liked Japan as a country for so long, even before I knew what an anime is(I understood the term 2 years ago). And now I've lost interest in it, just because some arrogant assholes think Japan is all about anime, and everytime they connect Japan with anime whenever one of the two terms occur.
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If they want to visit Japan because of what they've seen in anime, why not let them? Setting aside the fictional parts, manga and anime do reflect some true parts of everyday life after all. It's one of the better parts of modern Japan, since the country has been gradually losing its own identity under enforced medieval values and terrible political administration.
Source: I lived there for several years.
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I've only been to JP once when I was still very young. My family took me to Hokkaido that time, and we had a really great time even though it lasted about a week.
As others have mentioned, 7 days is probably not enough for you to visit all the fun places.
I've never been to Tokyo, heard there's a Pokemon Center there (I've always wanted to visit the EVA museum too) :O
In any case, hot springs = a must try!
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I don't want to stay 7 days.
The first 4 should be tpky and surrounding (inkcluding nikko) and after that we would go to the south with rail pass
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I went to the Kansai region (Osaka Kyoto Nara Kobe) for 8 days earlier this month,I don't speak any Japanese but surely enjoyed the atmosphere and people there,the cities are tourist friendly with lots of English signs!!
Some recommended places: (I'm on potato network atm so lazy to upload the photos)
Kyoto :
Takase River
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Shijō Kawaramachi
Nijo Castle
Nishiki Market
Philosopher's Path
Maruyama Park
Fushimi Inari-taisha
Byōdō-in Temple
Nara :
Todai-ji temple
Kasuganocho and Nara Park
Kobe :
Koshien Stadium
Kobe beef steak Restaurant's Mouriya
Steakland kobe (if you're on a budget,50 USD for great kobe beef !)
Weathercock House
Kobe Harborland
Osaka :
Osaka Castle
Nishinomaru Garden
Aburiya Japanese Beef
Universal Studios Japan
Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori
Umeda Sky Building
Rinku Premium Outlets
Bonus : Arima Onsen ( hot spring for naked boys and girls,yes,you need to be naked ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )
I have to say 8 days is less than enough ,I'm planning another trip to japan maybe next year,Enjoy !
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Ooo I see you mentioned Weathercock House aka Tousaka Mansion. A great tourist spot, a must visit for anyone who goes to Kobe. I visited the house on my day trip to Kobe and found it very interesting. I was quite moved by the look and atmosphere of the mansion and still remember to this day.
Yea, massive weeb.
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Wow these are some nice pictures :)
Some of the places you mentioned are already on our list, but i will add some of yours for sure!
I know how Onsen work ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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Was someone already in Japan ?
No. It was uninhabited. Moreover, it was enshrouded by darkness.
Then, from the darkness came light. Then sky. Then earth.
Then came the ninja, out of the shadows remaining.
In time, the most noble of them became known as samurai.
However, the Americans and their nukes gave rise to Gojira, and soon other monsters followed.
To combat the new threat of giant radioactive monsters, the Japanese created animu, which gave the samurai and ninja great mystic powers.
However, this came at a cost- the mystic powers perverted the radioactive monsters further, giving rise to The Tentacles.
In time, however, Japan acclimated, and The Tentacles became a simple, acceptable way to say hello in Japan.
However, in secret, the Japanese still work on new, better transforming robots to one day clear out the monster menace for good..
..though I hear now their attention is turned into using them against giant sexless cannibals known as Titans.
You know, a pretty normal national history.
//
That aside, my recommendation is to make a point of figuring out what foods you want to try while you're there. Most other sights aren't going to stimulate you much more than photos of the locations would, but your culinary experiences there will linger with you.
Though, Japan has a ton of gorgeous cultural sites and temples, I'd definitely recommend visiting what you can.
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never been but thinking of ffor next year. hope you have fun there :)
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Akihabara - Maid Cafe is a must <3
edit:
I have never been in Japan but this is what I would have done 1st :D
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lol you would be dissapointed in Japan than, but well...
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You should find some travel tv shows about Japan.)
We have some, but they only on russian language.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDKQoo-7ugA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH9UlrLumsE
I was very like Kioto - old Capital of Japan. Here is real cultural Capital of Japan.) It's just must have to visit!)
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Nothing much to add to everybody's comments, excepting you should get ready to spend tons on drink vending machines because the summer is nothing like France (if that is where you are from, looking at your 'merci'). Pro tip: start getting accustomed to the heat by spending some time in a car parked outside on sunny days with the doors and windows closed.
If you can afford the traveling time and the area hasn't been struck by some other disaster, Kyushu, especially the area around Kagoshima, is quite a lovely place - with some of the best quality of food you can get around the country. The moody live volcano with its fumes and explosions is also a plus - add to that the awesome feeling you can die every second, and this is a place you'll never forget :D
The railpass sadly doesn't give you access to super express Shinkansen, which means traveling this far will be most likely very taxing on your schedule. Speaking of Shinkansen, make absolutely sure you don't board an omnibus one or the 3 hours trip could well take half your day.
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This looks awesome, but unfortunately this is to far for us :/
ps: i life in austria and i am learning french and like to say merci :D
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Ah, sorry! Though I guess my remark on the weather still mostly stands.
In all honesty, Kyoto alone is worth all the time you can give it ;)
My personal absolute recommandation there is the Kamigamo shrine. It is a bit remote (northern edge of the city) and will take about 40 minutes of bus or taxi travel from the 4-jo area to get there, but is absolutely worth it. While you are up there, there are a few temples a bit further to west, some with lovely sights over the city and surrounding moutains, like the Koetsuji.
The awesome part about Kyoto for foreigners is it being actually incredibly strongly laid-out (thank you China copycatting capital of yore!) and it's even got named main avenues - an absolute luxury in Japan. It makes it very hard - dare I say, impossible - to get lost.
If your legs and water reserves in summer can support it, walking along the Kamogawa river from the center of the city up to the Kamigamo is a nice trip as well (and you might get to meet some Japanese homeless if... oops, those aren't real, of course ;)
In Kyoto, as a visitor you'll also experience the exact nature of the hidden schism between Shintoism and Buddhism: shrines are free to play while temples are triple-A.
If you happen to be tall, watch your head inside Buddhist constructs!
Finally, I'd suggest to beware of the trip back to Tokyo from Kyoto: if you aren't into consumerism, electronic toys, and making fun of "those wacky Japanese", more often than not in my experience, visitors experience regrets spending so much time in the actual capital of Japan while the historical one is so much more... of everything ;) It, of course, depends on your reasons for visiting Japan, but if you don't consider the country merely as a funky supermarket with oversexualized vendors, please keep that remark in mind.
I also hope you like insects, because the term 'urban jungle' gets a new meaning in Japan :D
Trust the random ranting stranger from the interweb!
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And another gread, thanks!
Kamigamo looks realy nice and i guess we will try to walk up there as you recommended.
Unfortunately we have to go back to Tokyo from Koyoto for the last night (we fly from tokyo back). We aren't that shopping or anime touristis. We lioke and love to see art and kulture and perhaps just relaxe some time ^^
Insects ? i did know this island isn't perfect !
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Airbnb is good. I stayed at two locations during my trip last year. The location wasn't great but the price was incomparable. Just make sure you research where you want to stay and plan ahead.
Try to get a data sim for your internet. That's always really useful and will save you from a lot of trouble.
Really just try to enjoy yourself. Cheers.
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Thanks for your tip. I'll orda a 15 day data sim with 200mb per day
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Might actually be better to buy one after you get there as it'll probably be cheaper but if you find a cheap sim deal beforehand then go ahead.
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Do you know where to buy it in Tokyo and how much it is there ?
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You can probably pick one up in whichever airport you land in or you can pick them up in some electronics shopping centres like Yodobashi Camera. See link for more details.
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When I was in Japan in October, I stayed in Tokyo in this hotel: http://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/mystays-ochanomizu-akihabara.it.html
It was very good and it is in a central position, close to Akihabara and to some metro stations.
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Thanks for the tip. Did you use booking.com or did you book the hotel direkt ?
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Jatan (a user here ) went to Japan and posted pics and things about the visit. Can't find the thread now, I'll ask him/her.
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Relevant albums:
http://imgur.com/a/biQvj
http://imgur.com/a/cRdiI
http://imgur.com/a/pF5CN
http://imgur.com/a/sndFr
http://imgur.com/a/rZn0S
http://imgur.com/a/1g6W2
http://imgur.com/a/GiwdK
http://imgur.com/a/w4SSS
http://imgur.com/a/RvhIb
http://imgur.com/a/XzHd4
http://imgur.com/a/ZQYGK
http://imgur.com/a/6Dv3C
http://imgur.com/a/nFpj0
http://imgur.com/a/opfMf
http://imgur.com/a/O8I4C
http://imgur.com/a/AZqNS
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A bit busy today, so I'll keep it short for now. I'll type up some more later.
I highly recommend using http://www.japan-guide.com/ for looking up potential spots to visit.
I'd recommend staying in Tokyo for that long, unless you like big cities and shopping a lot. We ended up going to Tokyo for 3 days, then Nara for 1 day, Kyoto for 3 days, then back to Tokyo for the last 2 and we definitely regretted spending over half our trip there. For a 12 day trip, probably stay a max of 5 days.
Definitely go with Airbnb. You can find places much, much cheaper than most hotels. For example, we rented an entire 3 bedroom house in Kyoto for only $107 a night + cleaning and service fee (total was $136/night, but will be cheaper the longer you stay). Similarly, we rented a 2 bedroom apartment in Tokyo during the last 2 days for $111 a night including fees. It was about a 5 min walk to one of the train stations in Shinjuku, so definitely very convenient.
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Yeah i see, most people pointed out that Kyoto is awesome and we should try to get more time in that area.
Nice to see someone who realy was with Airbnb in Japan. The prices you mentioned where about the same we want to spent. Now i only have to seach some nice places. ^^
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+1 for japan-guide, epic website and the best.
What most people do is spend a week in Tokyo + neighbouring (some squeeze Nikko in) and the other week in Kyoto/Osaka/Nara + Hiroshima/Miyajima, moving quickly using the "JR Pass". 2 weeks is tight but enough, 3 weeks is more comfortable I'd say.
I wouldn't underestimate Tokyo depending on what you're interested into. The city is gigantic and full of hidden spots, but you might not want to spend too much time in if you're not a "urban" traveller.
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try to visit an original castle. most of the castles were destroyed and rebuilt. the original ones are special and national treasures.
original castles you get to see a real old castle inside and out. Osaka-jyo was completely rebuilt and the interior is a museum.
http://www.jcastle.info/castle/browse/condition/Original
remember to take your shoes off. many places, not just homes you have to take your shoes off. if you see shoes sitting at the entrance, leave your shoes there.
if cigarette smoke bothers you, look up before you go restaurants that are non-smoking. when I went years ago I go choked out every time I went to a restaurant. Starbucks bans smoking in all their stores. nonsmoking sections don't help. also check the places you stay, see if they do anything to clean the smoke stench. some places can be really bad. here is a link, but there is probably better info elsewhere.
http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/01/how-to-find-non-smoking-restaurant-in.html
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Nice tip!
I guess we woun't have that big problem with the cigarette smoke as everyone who does, can wait untill we are at "fresh air" to start smoking.
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Never do this(Little shocking stunt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSHxFSaOV-o
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That has to be the single most disrespectful thing you can do in front of a sushi chef... he must have been boiling with rage.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8-vje-bq9c this is everything you need to know
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Hahahah somehow I knew it'd be him before clicking ;D
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Thanks every one for the help :)
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/PjWND/arcane-sorcery
M8WDP-BE4KZ-ZLJ28
D0Q9K-QVKCN-428HZ
HY3MN-ZH76H-3HQGX
6A634-RV3L3-KPNPX
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Was someone of you already in japan and can tell me what is a must do or must see ? what is top and what is flop?
I'm planing a trip to Japan with my family for 12 days in july.
We land in Tokyo and fly away from there.
At first we want to stay 3 days in Tokyo and than with the JR Pass down to Osaka and Kyoto. (is a 7 day pass enough?)
Would you recommend Air bnb ? My parents woun't go in a capsule Hotel
Please give us some tips to make the trip to the time of our life. :)
obligatory giveaway
EDIT:
Thank you so much!! You got some realy helpful and nice tips and tricks :)
I'll try to think at everything, visit all places you mentioned and make it to an unforgettable experience.
For every helpful tip i'll drink a cup of sake for you guys :D
When it is possible i want to make some giveaways for you as soon as possible!
EDIT2:
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/PjWND/arcane-sorcery
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