Japan General
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You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
The neverending Japan General. Want to go to Japan? Check in here.
#Please check out the previous thread (as long as it's still around) to see if your question has already been answered.
>>948889
#For the basics, including transportation, hotels, and ideas for things to do, please do give a look at the Japan-related posts in the sticky.
>>609356
>>609358
So how necessary are reservations on the Shinkansen in March? Is there a good chance all the seats will be booked ahead of time or can I just show up and hop on with my JR pass?
If so, is it possible to ride from Tokyo to Aomori without a reservation and visa-versa? I read somewhere that you need a reservation for that route but I'm thinking it may have refereed to a specific train on that route.
>>954118
You can just show up with your JR pass. If I remember from when I used mine you're not entitled to a reserved seat anyway. You just show up 30 minutes or so before your train, go to the JR Ticket office, flash the pass and your passport and they'll give you a ticket. I was there in May so it was a little closer to high season and it was fine.
How does this itinerary sound -
>2+ months. A budget of $7000 in total. Two JR Passes.
>Travelling from town to town in the evening rather than the morning.
>Day 1: Tokyo -> Overnight bus to Aomori
>Day 2-4: Aomori with daytrips to Akita pref. and Shimokita peninsula
>Day 5-7: Sendai with daytrips to Ishinomaki, Zao and Yamadera
>Day 8: Nikko
>Day 9: Saitama
>Day 10: Hachioji in the morning and afternoon, moving on to Matsumoto afterwards
>Day 11: Kurobe/Tateyama Alpine route, starting from the Nagano side
>Day 12: Kanazawa
>Day 13-14: Takayama
>Day 15-16: Nagoya (Day 16 is the last day the JR Pass is valid)
>Day 17-19: Kyoto
>Day 20-21: Nara and Asuka
>Day 22-27: Osaka with a single daytrip to Wakayama and a two-day trip to Mt. Koya
>Day 28-29: Okayama (Leaving Osaka for Okayama in the morning, activating JR pass on day 28)
>Day 30: Takamatsu
>Day 31: Matsuyama
>Day 32-35: Hiroshima with daytrips to Yamaguchi pref., Miyajima and possibly Okunoshima
>Day 36: Yufuin
>Day 37: Beppu
>Day 38-39: Miyazaki
>Day 40-41: Kagoshima
>Day 42-43: Fukuoka
>Day 44-45: Kobe
>Day 46: Shizuoka (or something else)
>Day 47: Takasaki (or something else)
>Day 48: Hiking around Doai Station (or something else) and head back to Tokyo
>Day 49-65: Tokyo with a daytrip to Kamakura and Enoshima
I'm travelling during my summer break and haven't gotten word on when it starts and ends yet. Chances are I'll have at least 3 - 4 extra days to spend. Thinking Hakone for two days, but I'm not sure if it's worth it considering how expensive it is. Also thinking an extra day in Aomori as long as there's room for it.
And how does the budget sound? Flight will be around $800, accom. around $2200 (at the very highest), transport $1000 or so (I'm gonna be walking and avoiding public transport as much as I can so I don't know really). For food I intend to just live off of bentos from the grocery stores and such.
>>954126
I hope you pack light and be prepared to be worn the fuck out. It's doable but you probably will succumb to fatigue by the end of the first week.
>>954129
This is next summer, so as dumb as it sounds, I'll be 'training' for the constant moving around this summer. I also intend to set a few cities up as my base, for example, staying in Saitama for two days and going to Nikko one of those days. I'm also prepared for off days and changes in plans due to the exhaustion.
I have nothing planned for any of the evenings, besides the days where I'll be going to a new city, if that helps. I don't really like partying and I hardly ever drink so I intend to dedicate my evenings into soaking my exhausted body in the bathtub and going to bed early.
Has any of you heard anything about the Genki language schools in Fukuoka/Tokyo? I was looking at those as an option and wondered if it would be a good idea to try out.
>>954118
even if you do not have seat reserved, you can stand.
With exception of Hayabusa (and Hayate), all other shinkansen service has an open seating car (1st come 1st served.). *But all other service does not go until Aomori
Hayabusa on the other hand, may have standing ticket (you still need to go to the ticket counter to get one)
>>954126
AFAIK, you can only get 1 Nationwide JRPAss per visa entry.
However you can get a combination of Nationwide JRPass+ all other regional pass.
JRPass voucher needs to be obtained before you set foot in Japan, but the regional pass you can get them at the office even once you are already in Japan
>>954148
That's the first I've ever heard of that, I know at least 2 friends who went with two passes each and had no problems. (both 7 day nationwide passes x2).
It's not a terribly big deal for me if that is true since the amount of travelling I'll do won't really save me more than a few thousand yen if I do buy a pass, I'm just too lazy to purchase individual tickets anytime I have to go anywhere.
>>954118
when are you going and where? i'm going in march too.
also, i know there is a rabbit island and a fox village, but those are too out of the way for me to go there while im in japan. is there any animal stuff like that near tokyo?
also, how the fuck can i get to mt fuji up close and tour the fuji five lakes area?
>>954126
If this is the way you wish to travel, no one is going to stop you, but to my eye this looks absolutely exhausting and way too fast.
You inted to visit around 43 locations in 65 day and expect to have fun? Or time to even enjoy them for that matter. For one, taking an overnight bus right after you arrive is going to kill you and the following days depending on how hard jetlag hits you. I'd drop the amount of places in half and spend more time in each so you don't have to worry about missing a bus or a train and can actually relax and enjoy being wherever you happen to be.
Actually even half would be too much for me but I guess that's where I'm a bit different from "average". I'm planning my month long trip for the coming summer and at the moment I have about 3 places on the table in addition to Tokyo.
But as I said, no one is stopping you, but I think you should consider dropping some places for a more relaxing pace.
>>954173
I bumbed into this while looking for animal stuff myself:
http://www.machida-risuen.com/
>>954208
Thanks for the input! I don't really travel often, so I've been puzzled at whether or not this could work.
I do everything in a fast pace and still manage to enjoy myself when I do go anywhere, and the amount of things I have planned for each location is pretty small, but will probably narrow the list down a little bit just to be on the safe side.
>>954221
Maybe you could figure out the right schedule by thinking what you would do if didn't have anything planned in advance? What would/will you do when you find you have free time with nothing to fill it? If you can't think of anything then by all means stick to your plan. But if you're anything like me, and can easily enjoy wandering down the little streets looking for something you wouldn't find in a guide or take your time soaking in the sun on top of that mountain you just climbed or grabbing a beer or two at the local izakaya listening to old geezers talk about how swedish women used to be easy, then you should be quite comfortable dropping things.
For me the point of traveling is to get my mind off everyday life — work, schedules, responsibilites — and to see, hear, talk and live all the stuff that's foreign to me. That's probably why I enjoyed those empty days the most, I wasn't in a hurry anywhere and could do and see exactly what I felt like.
My most important tip (which I forgot earlier) would be: Don't skimp on the food. I know it's an easy place to cut costs, but it's definitely the wrong place. Japan is a very food centric country and most socializing is done in a manner where food is all around you. Also food isn't particularly expensive and everything is delicious and you should try it.
>>954113
Thank you, and other who responded.
Had forgotten about pachinko parlors, great idea. Somewhere in the basement I have a pachinko machine my father brought home from a trip to Japan some decades ago, will have to dig that out.
Hey /JP/ , /v/ here,
Some waifufags and I are trying to find this out, perhaps you can help us.
There was this youtube channel of this guy who went to various settings in Japan, and he recorded high quality videos and sound and posted them on the internet. They didn't have a purpose other then to be comfy. They were typically 15-20 minutes long I think.
Some of the settings were
>Tokyo idle chatter and cars
>Tokyo subway idle chatter
>Country side wind and trees
>Japanese dock workings
>Japanese small town wind chimes, cars, a few locals talking
Shit was comfy as fuck, I'd like to listen to it again if I could find it.
>>954226
Problem with me is that when I haven't planned anything in advance, I don't dare seek anything out while I'm there. Every single time I've gone to a new place, on the days where I had nothing planned, I'd do nothing but stay in my hotel room and watch tv. It isn't that I don't want to, more that my motivation seems to disappear when there's nothing on the schedule. Basically I'm just a massive dumb autist.
That said, I have no problem dropping and changing plans when I'm there in case I find that I'd rather walk around in random areas instead of visiting x temple or x castle and so forth. I've got plan Bs and Cs for everything in every day life and when I travel. It's a shit way of living, but it works for me.
Anyway, I've changed the plan a little and it works a little better now. I feel less nervous myself looking at it at least. Should probably mention that I also have the choice to fly to Aomori from my country (with a transfer in Tokyo), pretty much for free (as in, it'll cost the same that it would to fly to Tokyo). I'm honestly annoyed at the thought of flying for 20+ hours, then landing and having to figure out their weird bus-system as the very first thing on the trip, but I might just take the offer anyway, will be more comfy than the highway bus at least.
Also about food, I ran out of words in my original post so had to exclude the details; I absolutely love japanese food and its part of why I'm going in the first place. I haven't completely decided on my food budget yet, but it's grocery store food and restaurant alternatives (so lots of izakayas).
>>954126
I'd add Okinawa
>>954121
>>954147
Thanks! To the second poster, so what you're saying is that I only really need to reserve when going from Tokyo to Hokkaido and back?
>>954173
Gonna be there on the 4th then I'm leaving on the 25th, spending just the last week in Tokyo. I'm planning to hit up the 5 Lakes area as well. Isn't it as simple as taking a bus from Shinjuku to the 5 Lakes area then from there just taking buses around the area?
>>954303
you can always go to the ticket office/counter and check on availability. For shinkansen they sometimes have an LCD screen to show train seats availability ( 'o' '/' 'x' symbol stuff ) or you can just ask at the counter.
im not sure whats your plan. but if you want to get from Tokyo to Hokkaido directly, a LCC plane will be faster (Narita/Haneda -> Sapporo).
However if you are planning to stop at certain cities along the way, yep you can enjoy the trains/shinkansen.
Starting this year, the nigh train from Tokyo to Sapporo will be only run as seasonal. So check your schedule.
As for Lake Kawaguchiko and other four, im not sure what are the bus schedules if any (i didnt really see much bus other than tour busses). i rented a bicycle and its a stupid move (only managed 2 out of 5).. i'd say if you want to ride there, rent an electric bicycle or a motorbike instead as the lakes are so far apart and its hilly lol
>>954310
Thank you. We've got a JR pass so we don't wanna fly. We're going from Niigata to Hakodate so we can make a reservation there, no problem. But then when we're going from Sapporo to Tokyo we want to stop in some random town for the night once we get tired of riding the train.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6905.html
This is what I was looking at that said we could use buses around and two the place
>>954303
I was thinking about doing sometihng like this so I don't have to deal with more planning on my end. Not sure if it's good or not, but people seem to like it
http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/F880KP__/?typecd=TOU&kw=1-Day+Mt.+Fuji+Hakone+Tour+%28Return+by+Motorcoach%29
>>954139
There are two types of schools worth going to
The intensive schools that get you to N1 level Japanese in a year
Volunteer classes that are nearly free that have class about once a week
The Japanese language classes that are setup like the English conversation schools are not worth the money.
I'm planning on buyfagging a shitload of figures, anime blurays, games and stuff and ship them to my home in Canada. Has anyone done this before? Can I just go to a post office and send them simply? My spoken japanese skills are pretty basic
>>954379
friend always did that. no prob
you just buy proper size brown box at post office, dump ur stuff in, and pay the fees
>>954371
Do you know of any schools of the sort for intense learning? I was hoping to stay abroad for 9-12 months to study abroad and any extra advice or information would be amazing
How does this seem? I want to go for about 10 days or so holiday season, maybe longer. I'm worried I won't have enough time to enjoy these places or that I'll be let down by the route.
I want to see classic things associated with Japan, the castles, the cities, local food, local people, the train system, etc.
Speaking of shinkansen, when I was going back from Kyoto to Tokyo, I was looking for a place to smoke inside the train. It was older than the first one I traveled with, so I wasn't sure where to go. I passed through one or two cabins filled with high school kids, probably at least 60 of them, sitting next to their friends. All of them were looking at me as I walked by, I felt anxious as fuck and I'm a pretty normal guy. Autists beware.
>>954402
Can't really help you with the route, but just google the sightseeing spots that are near the places you're planning to visit beforehand, so you'll know exactly what you're up to. I think you might want to stay for more than 10 days, though, if you want to see that many places, else it'll probably be more like a race than a holiday trip.
>>954403
I can't wait to be an outsider.
The only place I ever visited outside North America was Western Europe, so I didn't really "look" out of place.
Are tourists generally common in general in Japan, or is it just in Tokyo?
>>954407
I haven't been to that many places, but even in Tokyo I wouldn't really call them common, because there are just that many Japanese people to outnumber them. The place where I've seen most foreigners at once has to be Asakusa Shrine. Anyways, as long as you behave normally, nobody will pay any attention to you.
>>954402
Updated the map, apologies.
Blue / Purple: Maybe a week or two of vacationing in Japan, doable?
Red: A Summer abroad, in between years or something like that.
>>954379
I shipped some stuff home as I overpacked. My Japanese skills were Genki 1 and nothing more. You just fill out a form (can be in English) about where you want to send it and what the package contains/how much each item costs. They also make you give a Japanese address (I just put hotel, not sure what would have happened if they had to send it all the way back) and an alternative shipping address which I just put as my local post office.
Cost is calculated based on weight and what method of shipping you intent to use - I went with the cheapest option, "land" shipping, meaning a boat, which took about a month to get to my place in Aus.
>>954403
Im not sure if the Tokaido Shinkansen n700 series still have smoking car.
Protip: try not to have eye contact w/ other commuter esp japanese. as long you behaving right(dont annoy ppl like talking loud, play mp3 loud, take lost of seat space etc) in the train, you should be good
>>954417
for blue marks, IMO 14days is doable but u may need to consider night bus to optimize daytime exploring. The distance on train may eat much of your daytime.
*been there done that
i have been to most cities in Japan, but in 6 separate trips. recent one is Tohoku in Winter (Tokyo, Aizu, Sendai, Yamadera, Hiraizumi, Aomori, Hirosaki, Akita, Kakunodate, Niigata, Nagano.
>>954454
So you recommend MINIMUM 14, maybe upwards of 18 days?
How much USD should I save? I'm seeing flight prices ranging from ~900 soon, to ~1.300 around Christmas / New Years.
I'm guessing 3.000USD?
>>954458
I have a Japanese aunt, and some cousins, so I think I have a free place to stay with no issues on being fed.
So I guess we can retract lodging and cut the eating cost.
>>954458
14-18days is good. Try not to jump places every 1/2days. as sometimes shit happens(rain), so you may need to plan a buffer day every 4days where you can push/pull your plans.
3k USD is doable.
are you ok with Hostels and AirBnB? these kind of accommodation may help you on budget savings if you are solo traveler. Group travels may get good deal in private room (depends where you look).
Arrange your destinations in flow, and try to find best combo of transportation (railpass+buspass) etc
I've got the cash to finally take a trip to Japan. I'm pumped, but I want to entertain the option to spend my time there looking for work. I'll have to save up extra cash if I do, but the fuck do I care? I'm going anyway.
The thing is, amongst all the studying I've done on the subject including going to the nearest Japanese embassy there's a fucking ton of gray areas that no one seems to be able to clear up for me. But that's whatever the one thing I need clarified is this scenario:
Here's my issue, let's say I have a skill that Japan wants from a foreigner but my experience in that field isn't quite enough for me to apply for my own visa. My understanding is that I can find an employer who will sponsor me to negate those shortcomings that would prohibit me from getting it by myself. Is that correct?
Look, I've wanted to ask this question for a long time but I didn't want to ask it I didn't actually have the means to transport myself to Japan and waste everyone's time window shopping.
Thanks guys.
>>954466
buffer day
eg
. . .
day3: kyoto (gion, kiyomizudera, fushimi inari)
day4: Kyoto (saga, arashiyama)
day5: buffer (kyoto do indor museum visits, or osaka)
day6: Osaka (USJ, Tennoji)
. . .
let say day4 suddenly rains. you can push day4 plans to day5 buffer day. and pull alternative things you may want/can do indoor stuff to day4 (do laundry, write blog, just chill in lobby with other traveler etc).
if everything go well, you can even pull day 6 to day5 so that you can even insert more stuff spontaniously, or at end of trip you got spare time you want to add some random stuff.
well, thats my definition of buffer. Because most of my trip didnt really go 100%, and i have alteration in between due to weather, or something interesting came up by mouth of other travelers.
>>954471
This may be a dumb question, but how bad is the rain really?
Of course, typhoons may happen and yes, that calls for indoor activities only. I'm going in July or August and I have no problems with rain so long as the weather is still hot.
>>954471
Alright thanks, I got you now.
>>954473
http://www.weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,Tokyo,Japan
June is the rainiest month of the year, but those two are pretty wet too. The thing about Japan is it's like the midwest in summer from what I hear. It's humid as fuck and rather hot.
>>954250
Maybe it was Egawauemon? http://youtu.be/tcw1YbXRAXU Nigga has great comfy videos!
>>954469
>I can find an employer who will sponsor me
It's possible, yes. But some companies don't sponsor visas just because it's a hassle dealing with all the paperwork.
>>954371
>The intensive schools that get you to N1 level Japanese in a year
how much would one of those cost for a full year? what kind of visa do you need and could you work part time while studying?
>>954126
Wow dude, that is both expensive as heck and difficult to even contemplate. If I were you, I'd consider dialing back the itinerary in order to allo yourself a more open schedule to explore these different areas more fully. When I have spent considerable periods of time in far flung places it was always worth it to spend multiple days exploring a city or area morning to night. You get to take in a city or a region as it changes throughout the course of a day or days.
Also, look into something like AirBNB if you're in Japan. You can score some CHEAP places to stay while experiencing some unique things you'd never see at a hotel. Like you could spent a night or two staying at an old Japanese lady's house (who might have had an interesting life filled with crazy sky diving adventures in the Australian outback for example) or a room being rented out by a Japanese family who'll cook you meals every day... or just some dude who rents out a room because he wants to meet foreigners and hang out and show people around his city.
>>954261
Okinawa is wayyyyy south, but it is beautiful and worth if if you love sunshine and the ocean and the beach.... just be prepared for a different kind of people... They are sorta like Florida rednecks in a way. In the sense that many people will be on "Island time" and they are largely not going to go about things the diligent ways they will on the mainland island of Honshu.
>>954246
Bring ear plugs to use while in the pachinko parlors.
>>954530
not him, but how exactly does one get to stay with another family like that?
>>954552
airbnb.
you see their description, and read other traveler feedbacks
Is a JR pass needed for a 10 day trip?
Will probably not be leaving Honshu.
>>954591
>Honshu
it depends on where to where in Honshu
because there are some places that night bus is a better option (you explore during day, travel during night, eps if both places far apart)
>>954451
I always wondered about that. Is it suoer rude to look strangers in the eyes? Or are japanese people just get emberessed really easy?
What about if youre talking to someone or asking them a question? Ive heard you shouldnt make eye contact when bowing or talking to older/more important people, that true?
>>954608
its not about rude.. its more like 'please mind your own business' interaction.
so if you make eyecontect, they may misunderstood that you are staring at them over something.
my experience
1.
>a sararyman sit opposite
>his shoelace came off.
>tried simple waving and look at him to signal his shoe,
>obviously intentionally avoid eyecontact and ignored me.
2.
> old hag standing opposite facing the train window pane, fixing face (thru window reflection)
> i so happen fixing my hair, coincidentally facing the same window (and have dslr on lap)
> got accused chikan
> folks around just stared at the floor/ignoring whats happening.
well, if you are talking directly to someone, its ok to face them. it would be rude if you are talking/listening and facing somewhere else
>>954613
you will find out the japs do not talk/smile/face each other on the trains, unless they are friends.
i always chat w/ strangers, at bus/train stations etc. these 2 experience are bad, but i have so much good encounters w/ locals
>>954407
the least I felt as a foreigner was in Kyoto, mostly because all tourists were concentrated in a very small area. Even met a lot of people I just met at sights a few hours before
Any recommendations for picture translation apps that have Japanese?
>>954469
As far as I know, you're basically never going to get a visa without a sponsor unless you're an investor or entertainer.
>>954591
The one week JR pass is completely paid for by doing one single round trip to Kyoto from Tokyo. The JR pass is only not worth it if you don't plan on visiting a new city once a week.
>>954611
I don't believe your second story. Either you left out details and were actually doing some chikan shit or it was made up. The old people tend to be assholes but nothing that extreme.
I want to go back to Japan so bad. But unfortunately I'd have to hoof it alone. Dang
Pocari sweat is nectar of the gods
>>954738
I like it, but it's not really a unique taste or anything.
>>954738
THIS is the true nectar of the gods.
Imagine exporting this stuff to a Western country - teenage girls would get absolutely destroyed.
>>954766
UUUUGHHHH fuck yeah! When I was in Osaka, I got absolutely smashed on this shit. 9% and 150¥ a can? Fill yer boots, bud!!
>>954766
Actually I think I fohnd some "strong" that was over 9%. Damn...
>>954771
>getting kids size
Adult size is 207 yen a can.
They have melon soda flavor now too, but lately I've been preferring Dry without any flavoring.
My boyfriend and I have booked our flights and hotels for a trip to Japan later this year.
We will be in the country from late July until early August.
It's his fourth time being there, and it will be my second. (I am, of course, thrilled and excited.) The one other time I was in Japan, it was in November.
Unfortunately, the weather was APPALLING on my last visit. Cold, wet, dark, rain, wind, you name it. I had a great time regardless, but weather like that will suck some joy out of pretty much anything.
For those of you who have traveled to Japan frequently, or those of you ITT who live there/work there/teach there, what can you tell me about the weather in July/August? Will we see a lot of sunshine? Will it be warm? Hot? Humid? What is the rainfall like that time of year? Are we likely to have favourable, summerlike conditions? Thanks very much!
Hey guys, I get to stop in Tokyo for three days from march 5-8. What are must-do's in Tokyo? I want a mix of otaku stuff, good food, and like legit temples and palaces and stuff.
On the 6th I am going to Kyoto for one day via bullet train so I only get two whole days to look around Tokyo. What do boys?
>>954796
Hot like a... I can't even describe how hot it'll be. do your vagina fungus a favor and go in spring or autumn instead. Me and my buddies usually go in march/april and it's almost bearably hot then.
>>954807
Its the exact same weather as the east coast. Its hot but its overblown
>>954784
Depends where you buy it. At supermarkets they are 150-160 yen for 0.5
>>954810
oh kay
I'm from scandinavia so maybe that explains our differing oh pinions.
>>954796
the bad: hot n rain (hokkaido may not get affected much)
the good: end of august tends to have lots of natsumatsuri
I'll+be+going+to+Tokyo+from+late+March+to+mod+April%2c+I+have+10+Days+planned+out+of+21%2c+should+I+krave+Tokyo+at+sine+point+or+just+stat+around+the+city%3f%0aAnd+do+you+guys+recommend+any+reasonable+priced+bars+for+non-japanese+speakers%2c+I+only+know+of+one+in+Otsuka+%22Speak+Easy%22
>>954807
>>954886
Hot is good, hot is definitely good. We like hot, we like warm, we like sunshine.
I'm a bit put off by your mention of rain, though. Is it going to be very wet? Like, consistently? How often does it rain? Is it particularly bad, like downpour or typhoon levels?
We're going from July 23/24 till August 8.
>>954911
By the end of July the rainy season should be over for the most part so no worries. And even the rainy season isn't that bad: "Tokyo registers only an average of 12 rainy days in June, while 120 hours of sunshine are recorded. As for the amount of rainfall, it varies from days with intensive downpours to other days with occasional sprinkles." But as I said the rainy season should be over by then and you should have plenty of sunshine.
>>954903
何
>>954796
I went to Tokyo in mid August, it was unbearable heat and humidity, especially when the gf got her period.
Fuckkkk that was a tense almost murder filled holiday and I shudder to think of it.
>>954930
My phone fucked this up pretty bad.
Let's try again, I'll be going to Tokyo in Late March/Early April, and have 7 days unplanned out of 14, should I strive to visit Kyoto, or just stay around Tokyo?
Also, Do you guys have any first hand experience with Reasonably priced, english friendly bars in Tokyo, so far I only have one recommendation, that being "Speak Easy" in Otsuka
I'm gonna be in japan from the 8th to the 17th of march? Who wants to meet up for food or just hanging out and walking around?
>>954922
Brilliant, thanks a lot!
I'm sorry to be asking so many questions! of course I have been doing my own research as well, but there's just something to be said to hear firsthand accounts from real people with real experiences. There's only so much you can glean from Googling.
So what would you suggest as weather-appropriate dress? I'm guessing shorts, t-shirts, that kind of thing?
Are there any good work abroad programs in Japan?
>>954911
I got to Tokyo on July 25, 2013.
It rained the 26th and then maybe once or twice in the next few weeks. Not a problem at all.
Can you take a JR line to the Mt Fuji area? I have a pass, and I figure I could save money and time if i used a shinkansen and explored myself instead of booking a bus tour. How hard is it to explore the area? Another person above said something about bike rental and exploring that way but said that was tough. Any other options?
>>955208
ALT aside. If you have no degree.or a.profession thats in demend in japan you can either do WWO (opinions on it are all over the place) Or get a working holiday visa program (which is pretty much only available if youre a commonwealth citizen, maybe a few others. Not US though).
Other than that, if youre a student you can qn exchange program for a semester, or do your masters program in a japanese university (which is surprisingly cheap if youre from US/canada). Both of these allow you to work part time in japan.
>>954936
I don't even know what you mean by English friendly, but maybe try BrewDog or Hobgoblin in Roppongi.
Is it worth going out of my way to be in Tokyo for St. Patrick's Day?
>>955412
Oh definitely. So worth it that you should fly from the far side of the world just to see it. St. Patty's Day in Tokyo is one of those world events that NEEDS to be seen at least once in your life before you die, just like Rio's Carnival and mass at St. Peter's Basilica.
There is a HUGE Irish population in Japan and probably about 1/4 of all Japanese have some Irish blood. In fact I'd guess that St. Patty's is bigger there than it is in Ireland.
>pic related: they even dye Tokyo's Weeaboo River green for the event
>>955415
I highly doubt a lot of what you are saying there.
I agree Japan (like every nation on earth) has a large Irish population, but a 1/4 is just a bullshit statistic.
>>955433
It's more like 1/10th, actually, but the Irish minority is huge in Japan, largely centred around Sapporo. Check out Irishtown next time you're up there. It's the large Irish population that has resulted in Japan having such a thriving whisky culture.
>pic related, Irish-Japanese celebrate Colm Meaney Day
>>955444
Lol, my grandpa opened japans first Irish pub in Tokyo in 1902; and also fought in the 2nd Irish regiment for Japan in ww2
>>955449
I-is the second part serious?
>>955415
St. Patties isnt particularly big in Ireland to be honest. Its more of an American thing. Anything they do is for the American tourists visiting.
>>955444
>the Irish minority is huge in Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_people_in_Japan
>>955483
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_people_in_Japan
>There is a small community of Irish people in Japan, estimated to constitute 1,000,000-2,000,000 people.[3][4]
Wow.
I couldn't find anything in the sticky about learning Japanese in Japan. Has anyone done this?
>>955485
Hahaha did you just write that article?
>>955415
>Weeaboo River
kek
>>955415
just for anyone who hasn't figured this out yet: this is in Chicago
Anyone nesr shinjuku?
The gf is asleep and im bored out of my fucking mind. Thinking about hitting a bar or pachinko. wouldnt mind a few games st club sega or something either.
>>955612
go play Pachinko, it's fun.
>>955613
I keep thinking this. But it also looks like a massive money drainer too...
>>955614
well it depends on how much you go in with
I played it twice while I was over there: the first time I won around 100$, the second time I lost around 20-30$. If you just go in with 20-30$ and then walk away, no problem
>>955615
Hahaha yeah.... id be playing with a lot less than that at the moment. At the end of my holiday and all ive got left is 1, 5, and 10 yen coins. I have 'maybe' $15AUD worth?
How bad will the weather be in early september?
We'll stay in Tokyo and Osaka for most of the time.
>>955622
pretty good. Was there from the beginning of septemer (around 10th) until the beginning of October and it only rained one day (and that was in the mountains). Other than that, temperatures were around 25+ degrees, but not as humid as they normally are in August or July. Pretty much still summer
>>955628
Thanks, I'm used to hot summers but all the stuff I read about humidity made me a bit uncomfortable.
Stay away from the fat Nigerian with the lazy eye and his friends in Kabukicho. Fuck those guys
>>955433
Good one Sherlock
>>955612
Pachinko sucks. Come to Big Time Bar, it's near by. Cheap drinks and it's means to be bumpin tonight. I was there until 4am last night
>>955632
>Stay away from the Africans in Japan.
A tip for life.
>>955652
First time my friend and i (australian) were here we got hammered at a little bar in golden gai. It was an australian themed bar and we were buying everyone that walked in a drink. Drank the place dry and had it at max capacity by the end of the night with a whole bunch of bros. The owners were amazing. While the wife cooked us all meatballs the husband/bar man was drinking with us and getting everyone proper smashed.
Anyway closing time rolls around and im having a really hard time standing let alone walking back to the hotel. But still being polite. We get out of golden gai and i turn around and my mate is pinned in this corner with this massive black dude trying to drag him down this alley. He is timid and was trying to politely say no and keep walking. Im not a big dude. 6 ft 3" and thin. But by this point i think im bullet proof. I 80 and bail back to my mate, put my arm around him and proclaim as loud as possible "MATE I THOUGHT I LOST YOU FOR A MINUTE THERE WHO'S THIS NIGGER AND WHERE ARE WE GOING BECAUSE OUR MATES WITH THOSE BOSS SLEEVES ARE WAITING IN THE SUPRAS AROUND THE CORNER." This black dude turned pale and bailed quicker than id seen anyone his size move. It was hilarious.
Looking back on it i probably should have got a punch in the mouth but the 3 dqy hangover was enough...
Moral of the story?
>>around blacks never relax
>>955661
>Moral of the story?
>>>Australians, not even once
>>955639
Just got back to the hotel. Missus woke up and now 'doesnt want to go out'. Fucking missed my only shot.
>>955662
For buying drinks for everyone? Paying for everything, for everyone? Getting photos with the hosts and even after going back home, being invitied back via email any time we wanted to go back? having a couple offer to take me and my mate around the imperial gardens?
You seem like a piece of shit, prejudice, biggot homo. Thanks for your input though!
If any of you follow any japanese on Twitter... what does it mean when they most a ton of w's.
Like "wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww^^"
>>955672
its short for warauwarau, LOL in japanese...
just like 888 for pachipachi clap
>>955685
ありがとう,笑笑
>>955686
i guess you meant ありがと
Let's take a dude
>22 years old
>no real interest in anime
>interested in architecture, nature, food, and religious stuff
If he were to go to Japan for about two weeks, where would you recommend he stop?
Are there some bars/clubs in Tokyo that play otaku themed music, like touhou covers, vocaloid and anime mix?
>>954126
"Travel is best done without a watch or calendar"
-Anonymous
Heared Line app is great for making japanese friends but it only adds my contact book. Where do I find some friends to add?
>>955665
Ah it's all good mate. Fun times. I'm on acid. Didn't pull. But had a lot of fun , chattin a lot of shit. there was this 10/10 Norwegian chick at the bar hol my god. Now a wank and sleep. Next time Japan
>>955732
Where are you from? I'm a city boy, so when I travel I like to get away from the if cities. But Tokyo and Hiroshima are the best two places I've visited. Of I were you I would fly to Tokyo and just cruise on down south with a JR pass and just stop where you please. It doesn't really matter because everything here is lovely
>>955769
line cafe
>>955781
Isn't it dead since 2014? Also, I have apple phone and found it only for android.
Holy shit it's hard to find a 3 bed hotel in Central Tokyo for a good price. I have a decent spot reserved but around 40 min away (by train) from most of where we plan to go
And all of the decent Airbnb spots are booked.
>>955661
The moral of this story is Australians often live up to their awful bogan stereotype. The black guy was in the wrong, but you two were both embarrassments in your own way. Learn to hold your liquor for god's sake.
>>955732
Similar situation, I have about 1600 euros to spend on the whole thing (travel included), most likely going there alone, I would like to spend 10-14 days in Japan (looking at prices - plane travel is about 600 euro total for tickets both ways from where I live, hotels should be about 25 euros per night so I guess I would be able to travel around Japan and stay alive on shitty food if I keep things low profile with the rest of my cash). I'm a little worried about the month of my trip (early August most likely and I'm not sure if it's worth visiting Japan during summer). Mostly looking forward to seeing Tokyo, Japanese architecture and nature (in that order), also not into anime, but I might check out Ghilbi museum (Princess Mononoke was great as far as I'm concerned).
It's kind of disappointing to hear that local food isn't good.
>>955789
Also, are there any cultural events worth attending (Tokyo or some other place in Japan, my route is not planed yet)? Like classical music concerts/operas in Vienna, London/Broadway musicals? Not necessarily aimed at tourists but something that I could enjoy without knowing the language. I actually love things like this.
Hello everyone!
I'm wondering what your thoughts on stealth camping in Japan and places where they'd suggest to go. Camping, thru-hiking, rural places to see (focused in central-western Japan, but I'll be willing to hitchhike around as well).
Now, before everyone gets their panties caught up in a bunch, I'm going to be very respectful of the land and the possible owners. I'll hide myself well, leave no garbage or trails, and not cause any harm to anything--as well as camp a good distance from habitable areas (no urban camping). If I come across a camp ground, I'll camp there (if they allow for hammocks).
I'm currently planning on a week in Tokyo to get my bearings in hostels, then take a few days to go up through Saitama, Kumagawa, and exit out Takasaki (couchsurfing the way) before hitting the Nakasendo trail and follow that to Kyoto and then to Osaka (couchsurfing, hostels, ryokan, ect to stay in cities). I also have the Tokaido trail and the Shikoku pilgrimage in my sights, but I'm not going to plan to do those. I'd like to keep my schedule and thoughts open.
Any suggestions, tips, thoughts? Any good blogs out there?
Thanks in advance. Pic isn't mine, but similar to my hammock setup.
>>955781
So am I missing something? official site sais it's dead too.
>>955795
Yea I don't actually have a clue. Saw it mentioned somewhere earlier today but I guess it was out of date stuff. Sorry man.
>>955801
No problem, thanks for answer! May be some other anon will tell me altenative app or site.
I'm planning to climb mount fuji and get to the top to see the sunrise however I'm pretty unfit. Has anyone here climbed fuji and if so how long did it take you to recover?
>Sorry we Australians are too confident to put up with your back-alley rape & robbery shenanigans.
>we Australians
>too confident.
Are we both talking about the story of the friend timidly going into an alley with the guy?
>>955810
Get your /pol/ shit off this board
>>955769
Japan-guide.com has a "make friends" section. That's what I used.
>>955769
Its great for making Japanese friends in the sense that if you don't have Line you most likely will be unable to keep in contact with anyone to form friendships. Calls in between networks cost money (who talks on the phone outside of businesses anyway?), the messaging system is a weird mishmash of email and mms, and although fb is becoming more popular the only people that consistently have it are people who have a lot of foreign friends. Line is the defacto way everyone under 50 communicates.
Its popular also because its very privacy conscious (annoyingly so in my opinion). I've never heard of anyone exchanging line messages with a real person that they didn't originally meet in real life.
>>955788
Im certain the dragging him down the alley was bullshit. Those guys have visas dependent on getting people into their clubs, but they all hate the job and if you just politely tell them you're uninterested most of them will just leave you alone and move on to the next. Obviously the other guy was a shitfaced bitch who couldn't hold his liquor and was just being convinced to go to the I assume hostess bar.
>>955833
nonono you can't put it like that. That way makes it seem like he's a guy who embellished a story to make himself seem cool to internet strangers.
No one's that pathetic.
>>955732
>>955789
>>955792
it depends when you want to go and what specific stuff you want to see.
For nature i would recommend Nagoya Kamikochi, Shirakawago, Furano+Biei for flowers in summer . Sakura blossom in March and Autumn in Nov-Dec practically everywhere(see callendar),
Fur culture, theres a lot, but Kyoto is popular. However by September, there would be lots of Summer festivals(natsu matsuri). Theres a lot of specific cultural event by region.
Onsen hot spring, popular ones would be Hakone, Yufuin Fukuoka, Toyako Hokkaido.
I would suggest check out celendar at http://www.japan-guide.com/
>local food isnt good.
i think you ment to say dioesnt suit your taste bud.
they are fine with me
>>955661
Holy shit kill yourself
>>955820
yeah I climbed it on the last climbing day last season. It was pretty damn exhausting, for once because I wasn't fit and for second because there was a guy in our group who was walking fucking fast and it was very hard to keep up with him. Made the climb a lot faster though
Shouldn't take you more than one day to recover though, but you won't be able to do much the day after
If you have any other questions feel free to ask
I'm looking for a blog that was posted here a while ago, easily 4-5 months ago. It showed a guys travels in Japan, each day was documented by what he did. It had a lot of neat pictures and had information about the amount of money he spent. I know this is vague but I'm hoping to try and find it again. Perhaps other blogs are available that go in detail about someones holiday, any help would be appreciated.
>>956063
Anyone have an answer for this i heard it;s difficult to get into the trans/newhalf scene in Japan if you don't know someone or speak Japanese.
not the op btw but his thread is garbage so I'm asking here
>>956181
http://15daysinjapan.com/
Here ýou go anon-san
>>956195
Oh man this is it, I love you so much anon.
>>956197
Thank you for reminding me of it, by far one of the best travel blogs i've come across.
Quick question here. Is a JR Pass worth it if I am planning on going to places like Akihabara, Mt. Fuji, Shinjuku and Odaiba?
I'm concerned about my tattoos, as long as I always have a long sleeve shirt I should be fine but is it as bad as I've heard in regards to their perception of them?
>>956230
As long as you keep them hidden you should be good. Wrap bandages around them if you go to an Onsen though.
>>956226
if its only in Tokyo, no..
look for combo passes for Tokyo Metro+toei instead
when i land in Narita in Dec, theres a combo of bus+3day metro+toei pass for 2500yen.. super bargain.. the remaining days just use the suica or get a 1 day metro+toei pass if you go places alot.
For Fuji/Hakone, look for the special roundtrip pass by Odakyu
>>956230
luck varies when you expose it in public
at public bath, ask politely at the counter.. sometimes they allow it, and advice when you enter the ofuro and onsen, sit at corner w/ ur tattoo facing the wall
how good is the rate of english speaking people working at hotels, restaurants and touristic attractions in Japan? I'm not a native speaker of the language (it's spanish if you're curious) and I've started learning the language, but I'd like to be able to understand what I'm being told outside of those places, also on the transportation matter, I've been told that using the train is the fastest and cheapest way of travelling around, how big is the train network exactly? and do they let people carry bikes inside the trains?
>>956271
disregard the train part, already answered it with the helpful links post
>>956271
It's probably even worse than you think. Very few people there know any words other than "Yes" and "No". The only person I met who spoke conversational English was a woman who worked at/owned the hotel we stayed at. Her husband also understood most of the things we asked, but tried to avoid having to speak English. Don't expect any Japanese person who works at a store/restaurant/shrine/etc. to understand anything you ask them. You may get lucky sometimes, but really not as often as you'd hope.
For your own convenience, you could look for restaurants that say "English menu available". This, however, does not mean "English speaking staff available". It helps you to pick out food, but you might still have to show them and point at it.
What you will want to know is when you're buying a bentou (or anything else that can be heated up) at a konbini, the store clerk will ask you "Atatamemasu ka", which, as you might already know, means something like "Would you like this heated up?". You most likely will want it to be heated up, so respond "Onegai shimasu", "Hai" or just nod politely. Another question you might hear is "Fukuro wa irimasu ka", which means "Do you need a bag?". Though they'll most likely put your stuff in a bag without asking first.
Basically, you don't really have to speak the language to have a nice trip, and you can still do most things without too much trouble. But interactions like ordering food or whatever might be awkward sometimes.
>>956294
So how does one order on a menu without speaking Japanese? I know fast food chains just have you point to what you want but is it the same for sit down restaurants, pictures and all?
>>956323
they understand numbers.. ie one, two three (follows with hand sign language)..
its not bad actually.. it would help if you know some basic phrases.
But if you are in touristy area, most of them understands english(even if they cant speak back).
your challenge will start when you head rural areas
>>956323
I definitely wouldn't count on pictures. Been places with none, or with pictures with no context. That said, if you have some basic phrases down and have an idea what kind of food is available, you can probably get something close to what you want using broken japanese.
But definitely don't think you're going to sit there and translate a menu, japanese dictionaries are hard to use, even the online tools, so you're going to spend an awkward amount of time deciding if you go in completely blind.
>>955515
>learning japanese in japan
bump
>>954807
>do your vagina fungus a favor
top kek
>>956230
Only problems you'll have could be at baths. It's more likely you'll get positive attention because of your tattoos (ie. people getting interested in you and probably poking your tats because they haven't seen one ever). Just keep your shirt on and don't show them off. If someone sees them and gets interested just act natural.
>>956332
"Volunteer Japanese classes in (Tokyo)"
"Japanese schools in (Tokyo)"
Figure out what to do with those words
Is Hokkaido (specifically Hakodate, Sapporo, and Asahikawa) best to visit in the summer, or winter?
Has anyone been to Rebun or Rishiri Island? Getting there seems like a pain, but they look neat to visit.
What is the club scene like in Japan? How do people dance? I literally can't find an answer to this anywhere.
>>956403
>How do people dance?
Everyone swings their arms really fast in big haymaker style circles, it's brutal.
>>956403
Depends on the music
>Rock
girls and guys don't ever look at anything but the stage and jump up and down
>Techno
girls come in groups, stay in groups, and leave in groups, occasionally dancing in between smoke breaks. Some times engage in conversation
>Rap/Pop
girls stand around and occasionally grind
>>956397
Been to Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate, Toyako, Asahikawa, Furano, Biei, Wakkanai last June.. To early for flowers late July would be great.
Hokkaido wont be affected much by the rain. And even in summer, its not so hot. You can consider cycling around too.
How's the gay scene in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka? What are nice places to go? How can I make friends?
>>956450
Source for image:
http://crazyontv.com/5-rangers-episode-8/
Check out the rest of the episodes too, they're hilarious and exactly what you should expect from everyday life in Japan. You won't be safe even in your hotel room.
A very stupid question but is it legal to stream anime in japan?
>>955974
Did you climb during the night for the sunrise? If so, what kind of clothing did you take and did you book accommodation for the night? Also how long did the entire ascent/descent take?
Apparently there is some huge thing going on at Mt. Koya in April, leaving the whole area booked out. Anyone have other suggestions for cool temple lodging anywhere between Tokyo and Nagasaki? I don't mind having to walk an hour or two.
>>956524
yes it was during the night to see the sunrise, but tbh if I'd do it again, I would probably go during the day as I find that the sunrise wasn't really worth it that much (the starry nightsky was though)
Clothing wise I had just normal long pants, a tshirts, pullover, a hoodie and a wind jacket as well as some climbing boots (would go for lighter shoes though). Don't forget gloves and maybe some pocket warmers and if you climb at night a headlight as it can get pretty cold (was around -8° at the top when we reached it).
I met with some people from couchsurfing and one of the guys booked the accommodation for us. Was something like 8000 Yen but mostly because it was the last day of climbing, pretty sure it's cheaper otherwise.
I think we started at around 5:30 PM and went up to the 8th station by around 8:30PM, where we stayed until 3AM and we arrived at the top around 2 1/2 hours later, but mostly because there were so many people towards the top that you couldn't advance fast enough
Down it took us maybe 3-4 hours I believe (follow the paths and don't try to slide down the mountain. It' not faster I tried it)
>>956526
>muh real climber
go fuck yourself
>>956553
Thanks for the detailed post.
I'm pretty bummed that I'm flying in for a week next week and the weather forecast is pretty much just rain/clouds. Does anyone have any good suggestions for a light yet warm jacket that isn't too hard to pack?
>>956796
Can you just pick a jacket out of your closet and pack it ffs? This isnt DRC for a month, this is weeaboo land for a week
>>955734
a few I found with google
http://alchemi.jp/top.html
http://cafe.animax.co.jp/
not really clubs, sorry.
I searched for a video on youtube where I saw a club where djs mixed music from animus, couldn't find it tho, sry.
>>956796
Buy one at uniqlo when you land. The down jackets shrink down no nothing.
