Tips/Suggestions for Japan Trip
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Originally posted by nightzip:
ah....maybe you can make some time to play the famous pin-ball machines...called...somthing...
The hot springs are also very famous, best time to go would be in the morning, like 8:30am or 9am, it would only take you 1 hour's time at most. And I believe they provide beverage, towels and massage as a package. :)
Are you referring to the pachinko machines? No, thanks. This vacation is already costing me an arm and a leg, and I sure don't want to flush additional money down the drain gambling at the pachinko parlours.
I think we've included a couple of visits to hot springs in our itinerary.
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Originally posted by nightzip:
Oh yah....remember to buy travel/tour insurance, just in case your stuff are stolen or get misplaced or plane delay etc.
And check out with doc if you need to get immunized or flu jabs before you go. :)
Good suggestion, and thanks for making it! As it turns out, I'm automatically covered with travel insurance through one of my credit cards for the trip.
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Good suggestion, and thanks for making it! As it turns out, I'm automatically covered with travel insurance through one of my credit cards for the trip.
Better read the fine prints.I ganna once.....that it only covers death.
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8
More
Days.
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Woo! Hoo!
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5 more days...
Believe it or not, I finished packing for the trip over the weekend. Since I'm only going to be bringing light summer clothing there and plan on hitting a laundromat about halfway through the trip, I managed to pack all my clothes into a 22" carry-on rollaway. My electronic gear (including my netbook PC) will be in a laptop backpack.
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Cool! Remember to bring along some medication, like panadol, handyplast, oilment rub etc.
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Originally posted by nightzip:
Cool! Remember to bring along some medication, like panadol, handyplast, oilment rub etc.
Yup, thanks for the suggestion. I'll be bringing along small quantities of basic medication like aspirin, anti-diarrheal pills, and allergy relief tablets. If there's other stuff I need, I'm sure I can buy it there. After all, this is Japan we're talking about! -
Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Yup, thanks for the suggestion. I'll be bringing along small quantities of basic medication like aspirin, anti-diarrheal pills, and allergy relief tablets. If there's other stuff I need, I'm sure I can buy it there. After all, this is Japan we're talking about!
a bit like thailand......where they dont have english translation of the back of their packaging....so unless you really good in reading japa script.....better safe then..... -
Originally posted by viciouskitty74:
a bit like thailand......where they dont have english translation of the back of their packaging....so unless you really good in reading japa script.....better safe then.....
I'm hoping that my familiarity with katakana and hiragana will prove advantageous while I'm there. -
Hi,
i skip all the posts and jump to this... Dun stay in Japan but been there for 4 times in the last 3 years. Kwik snip:Change your pass at the JR reservation office at B1, you can then use it for the Narita Express as the courteous staff will help you reserve seats on the Marita Express
Most japanese are friendly and will help... write your english request on a piece of paper, they are better at reading then speaking[they are shy as they are afraid of pronouncing wrongly]
in Ueno, there's a shop tt sells lots of snacks at wholesale prices[2 storey full of them] its at a side lane along the main shopping route, you walk down in the south direction from JR Ueno station, its on ur right...
If you hitting Nagoya from Tokyo, there's the Hikari Super Express, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE KODAMA coz it will stop at every stop...You can reserve your seats at the JR stationthe day before departure so that you sit in the reserved coaches and not have people standing in the shinkansen in the non-reserved section.
furthermore Car 3 is a smoking car so if u cant stand the smoke stay away from car 2 & 4, the smole lingers there, if you are in a big group n you have reserved tix, you can rotate the seats so that ll of you face each other, simply use your leg to step on a hingle below the seat...
Hikari Super express departure time from Tokyo station is 0643, 0703, 0723 if i m not wrong miss that n you take the Kodama > super slow...
Tsukiji mkt, do go earli like 5am to queue for the good n fresh sushi never miss it for the world n dun go to the wrong shop, the 2 sushi shops has a queue and is in a row of shop houses facing the fish market where a lot of the trucks are parked... the sushi shop door is made of bamboo n dun mix up the one at the os of the mkt...
if you are os the mkt go to this store that bbq unagi live taste n buy 1 slab WORTH IT...
In Osaka... go to HEP 5 and namba[including underground] where all the shopping is... DO NOT MISS Shinsaibashi shopping area, its noticeable with the remade canal a GIANT Glico electronic poster.
At JR NAMBA station, if you need groceries, walk out, see the ACAT building in front of you, head southwards along the small road, you will see Aeon Valu supermarket... good value to be found there...
Go to the west side of Kyoto to see the nature, i walk through the bamboo forest and over the scenic bridge[cant recall the name] you can the the branch line from Kyoto station and look at the posters in the train which tells you which stop has which attraction.
kyoto is more historic...
if you are into shopping[ie buying female clothes] {ps i dunnoe whether u male or female} there's CecilMcBee, Igni, Spiga at HEP 5 n the extension below the railway tracks, 4 floors of good stuff at HEP5, furthermre walk up the main road from takashimaya, on your left there are a lot of quirky boutiques and another shopping centre full of female clothes! -
Originally posted by Acx1688:Hi,
i skip all the posts and jump to this... Dun stay in Japan but been there for 4 times in the last 3 years. Kwik snip:Change your pass at the JR reservation office at B1, you can then use it for the Narita Express as the courteous staff will help you reserve seats on the Marita Express
Most japanese are friendly and will help... write your english request on a piece of paper, they are better at reading then speaking[they are shy as they are afraid of pronouncing wrongly]
in Ueno, there's a shop tt sells lots of snacks at wholesale prices[2 storey full of them] its at a side lane along the main shopping route, you walk down in the south direction from JR Ueno station, its on ur right...
If you hitting Nagoya from Tokyo, there's the Hikari Super Express, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE KODAMA coz it will stop at every stop...You can reserve your seats at the JR stationthe day before departure so that you sit in the reserved coaches and not have people standing in the shinkansen in the non-reserved section.
furthermore Car 3 is a smoking car so if u cant stand the smoke stay away from car 2 & 4, the smole lingers there, if you are in a big group n you have reserved tix, you can rotate the seats so that ll of you face each other, simply use your leg to step on a hingle below the seat...
Hikari Super express departure time from Tokyo station is 0643, 0703, 0723 if i m not wrong miss that n you take the Kodama > super slow...
Tsukiji mkt, do go earli like 5am to queue for the good n fresh sushi never miss it for the world n dun go to the wrong shop, the 2 sushi shops has a queue and is in a row of shop houses facing the fish market where a lot of the trucks are parked... the sushi shop door is made of bamboo n dun mix up the one at the os of the mkt...
if you are os the mkt go to this store that bbq unagi live taste n buy 1 slab WORTH IT...
In Osaka... go to HEP 5 and namba[including underground] where all the shopping is... DO NOT MISS Shinsaibashi shopping area, its noticeable with the remade canal a GIANT Glico electronic poster.
At JR NAMBA station, if you need groceries, walk out, see the ACAT building in front of you, head southwards along the small road, you will see Aeon Valu supermarket... good value to be found there...
Go to the west side of Kyoto to see the nature, i walk through the bamboo forest and over the scenic bridge[cant recall the name] you can the the branch line from Kyoto station and look at the posters in the train which tells you which stop has which attraction.
kyoto is more historic...
if you are into shopping[ie buying female clothes] {ps i dunnoe whether u male or female} there's CecilMcBee, Igni, Spiga at HEP 5 n the extension below the railway tracks, 4 floors of good stuff at HEP5, furthermre walk up the main road from takashimaya, on your left there are a lot of quirky boutiques and another shopping centre full of female clothes!Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for those excellent suggestions, especially the one about which sushi stores to patronize at the Tsukiji Fish Market.
We'll be hitting 6 cities during the 2 weeks that we'll be in Japan, and will consequently be spending a lot of time on the trains. We've printed out the train schedules from Hyperdia.net and have taken note of which Shinkansens to ride to get to our destinations in the shortest amount of time.
Edited to add: 4 more days!
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for those excellent suggestions, especially the one about which sushi stores to patronize at the Tsukiji Fish Market.
We'll be hitting 6 cities during the 2 weeks that we'll be in Japan, and will consequently be spending a lot of time on the trains. We've printed out the train schedules from Hyperdia.net and have taken note of which Shinkansens to ride to get to our destinations in the shortest amount of time.
Edited to add: 4 more days!
further to add... las train from Shin Osaka bac to Tokyo[Hikari] is approx 2000 hrs...
Dun worry abt the train stations, its in English and user friendly... its the exits you need to worry coz there are too many!
In tokyo station, there is shopping at the platforms before you exit...
In Tokyo, take train alite at Harajuku to walk down to Omotesando[dun bother to the the subway line] walk in around the small lanes, nt the main road, you will find all sorts of unique shops
Yurakucho station has a new shopping complex and near there, there are name yakitori shops...
if you have time go to Odaiba Bay...
You need electronics, go to Yodabashi at either Osaka or Akihabara...
Underneath JR Osaka, there is a long underground shopping for you to venture...
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I wanna get Ayumi CDs!!!!
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hey you got buy some Michael Jackson gift momentors to bring over or not!!!.....when u make new friends you can give them the momentors or bring a Los Angeles Lakers T shirt.
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I can never understand the celebration of MJ's death....
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Originally posted by viciouskitty74:
I wanna get Ayumi CDs!!!!
Who buys CDs nowadays when you can easily download the mp3 versions of her albums?
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Originally posted by Arapahoe:
hey you got buy some Michael Jackson gift momentors to bring over or not!!!.....when u make new friends you can give them the momentors or bring a Los Angeles Lakers T shirt.
Sorry, I am not a fan of Whacko Jacko.
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Who buys CDs nowadays when you can easily download the mp3 versions of her albums?
Ok ok....I go back Sg then do downloads. Been having trouble doing downloads in Thailand. -
MG, just a suggestion.. one cheap way of dining would be to get takeouts from supermarket dining counters. Saves lots of dosh and food's not too bad.
As far as I can remember, in certain parts of Tokyo, especially the entertainment/nightclub districts in Roppongi, it's not a good idea to wander into the back alleys at night alone. That was what I experienced a few years back though..
Have a great trip!
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Originally posted by LazerLordz:
MG, just a suggestion.. one cheap way of dining would be to get takeouts from supermarket dining counters. Saves lots of dosh and food's not too bad.
As far as I can remember, in certain parts of Tokyo, especially the entertainment/nightclub districts in Roppongi, it's not a good idea to wander into the back alleys at night alone. That was what I experienced a few years back though..
Have a great trip!
LL,Hey, long time no hear from you, dude. Hope all is well!
Thanks for the suggestion on how to eat on the cheap in Japan. Our rather hectic schedule there would probably require us to do just what you've suggested, in the interest of expediency; we'll probably also be hitting the konbinis on more than a few occasions for quick and inexpensive meals on the go. However, this trip is as much about sampling Japanese cuisine as taking in the sights, so we've budgeted time and money for some slightly more elaborate meals.
Roppongi isn't on our list of places to visit in Tokyo, as we're not really into the nightclub scene. We'll probably be spending quite a bit of time in Akihabara, and from what I gather, you do want to wander into the back alleys there as they are crowded with street vendors hawking all manner of electronic gear!
Somehow, I don't think I'll come across any gunstores in Japan...
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
LL,Hey, long time no hear from you, dude. Hope all is well!
Thanks for the suggestion on how to eat on the cheap in Japan. Our rather hectic schedule there would probably require us to do just what you've suggested, in the interest of expediency; we'll probably also be hitting the konbinis on more than a few occasions for quick and inexpensive meals on the go. However, this trip is as much about sampling Japanese cuisine as taking in the sights, so we've budgeted time and money for some slightly more elaborate meals.
Roppongi isn't on our list of places to visit in Tokyo, as we're not really into the nightclub scene. We'll probably be spending quite a bit of time in Akihabara, and from what I gather, you do want to wander into the back alleys there as they are crowded with street vendors hawking all manner of electronic gear!
Somehow, I don't think I'll come across any gunstores in Japan...
I'm good. :)
Yeah, Akihabara is the complete opposite, in which back alleys has more goodies than the main street itself.
If you have the time, you might want to check out Odaiba too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaiba
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Originally posted by LazerLordz:
If you have the time, you might want to check out Odaiba too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odaiba
Sigh... we did have Odaiba in our original itinerary, but decided to cut that out due to the lack of time. I'm a bit of an architectural buff and had suggested going there, but given our hectic schedule... -
Three more days, baybeeeeee!!!!
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Three more days, baybeeeeee!!!!
Just came back from a Singapore/ Tokyo trip a day ago...
An update on the weather. It's supposed to be summer, but it's only in the 70s in Tokyo, and it rains ALOT. Don't forget to bring an umbrella.
BTW, Ropponggi Hills and Midtown is a nice area to visit in Tokyo, and there's a building there that overlooks the Tokyo Tower.