Travel to Japan

[Sage]

This isn't a fun link or an advertisement, but I don't really consider this a good enough topic for the general forum. Besides, it'll likely be shortlived anyway.

I'll be making a short trip to Japan in May for a couple weeks (roughly 8th-22nd if that helps) with a associate of mine. Hm, I guess I'm advertising my future absence if anything. Anyway, I'm looking for places to visit while I'm there. At the moment, we're planning on being in Tokyo for a while and then go to Kyoto for about an equal amount of time. However, we don't exactly have a list of things we want to do yet.

What I'd like to ask anyone for is any advice on places that we should go see while we're there. Anything within a day's travel of either city that we absolutely must go see? Any places that are really boring and we should avoid? Anything along those lines. Be as specific or vague as you want. Like I said, we don't exactly have a good list going yet.

"It depends on what you're interested in" is not a valid answer, btw. If we knew what we were interested in, we'd have our itinerary done. ;)
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[Vextor]

Go to Akihabara while you are in tokyo. The Otaku mecca of the world.

[fuji]

If you can make it to Osaka, I'd recommend it. It might be a bit far away though, not sure. Lots of things to see, a floating airport that's sinking and may not be floating for much longer. Lots of bars.. high class... not so high class.... shopping if you're into that... the sky building, lots of temples and a historical feeling being that it was the old capital.
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______ "We're still flying"

___ "That's not much"

"It's enough"

[Vextor]

Osaka was never the capital of Japan. You're probably confusing it with Kyoto, possibly because it is only about 40 miles away. Osaka is huge, too. You'd need to know specific places or you can end up in the bad parts.

Also, the Kansai Airport isn't floating. They careated an island and the airport was built on top of it. The island was calculated to sink at a certain rate, and the entire island gets lifted by an immense jack system that lifts the entire island up every now and then.

Anyhow, I'd also recommend Nara, which used to be Japan's capital for 74 years between 710 and 784. It's a relatively small city with touristy places concentrated in one area. They have the largest buddha statue in Japan, and there's a lot of deer wandering around the city. It's about an hour south from Kyoto if you take the Kintetsu train.

[HarmonianHiccup]

Oh my freaking gosh, there are so many great things to see in both places! If you get the chance, go to Kamakura while you're in the Tokyo area.
As for Kyoto--the list doesn't end! Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Horyuuji, Toji, and if you get the chance to go further south, go see himeiji-jyo. Also Heie-san is within bus distance of downtown Kyoto--go find the Kirara zaka and hike up the side! :)

Um...um...um...there are SO many good places! Also Kwaramachi-shijyo is a the best shopping district ever. `^^' You'll find EVERYTHING there--there's also an Animato (the coolest anime shop I found while I was there) in Kawaramachi Shijyo. You've got to do Purikura (the little picture boothes)(("Karen For Lady" are the nicest ones!)) and you've got to have ramunade and you've got to have tempura and curry rice and eat Japanese Macudonarudos!!!

OOOhhhh, NATSUKASHII!!!!!!!

You've got to go to an Omatsuri and stand on a bridge and watch the cranes and you've GOT to go buy cold Gyoza at a Lawson's Station (the EVER-present convenience store in Kyoto...there's seriously one on every corner.) If you were going anywhere near Uji I could tell you where the best used bookstore is. You've gotta pick up the Suikoden III manga in Japanese while you;re there--they're up through book ten there, and eleven is supposed to be the last one...

Seriously, this is making me so homsick for Japan I can hardly stand it! Shutting up now... `^^';;;


If you want specific directions anywhere, pm me and I'll see if I can remember...:)
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Proud Owner and Operator of The Hiccup's Speciality Grassland Atelier, the only place to find Electric Whiffle Bats!

[fuji]

Ahh, for the longest time I thought Osaka was once the capital to ancient Japan with Osaka Castle and all that... but I never was much for history. Haha, didn't know that the airport could be jacked up either... man, I need to get back there. I went before the airport opened.

Have fun Sage... the thing I remember most of my time in Japan was the 100 yen instant noodles you could get like $1 pop out of vending machines. That was awesome.
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______ "We're still flying"

___ "That's not much"

"It's enough"

[Vextor]

You went before the airport opened? You must be rather old then, the airport opened back in 1994 or something.

Himeji castle is not south of Kyoto, but it's about 150 miles west. You'll need to take the bullet train. Animato is located at Shijyo Teramachi (and a bit south from there). Unfortunately, there's no matsuri during May. The big ones mostly happen during mid-summer.

If you're over 20, you might wanna walk around the city with a beer in hand. That was the oddest feeling after living in the USA for god knows how long.

Oh yes, another recommendation is Hiroshima. The peace park is one of the strangest place you can visit. It has a powerful aura, that place. It's about 2 hours west from Kyoto by bullet train.

[HarmonianHiccup]

I went so many different places on so many different bullet trains, I frankly can't keep track of where everything outside the main Kyoto area is...I know where to go once I get there, but I couldn't tell the direction to save my sorry life. `^^' I stand corrected--Himejijyo is WEST. :) Maaaaan, it's been almost three years since I was there...
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Proud Owner and Operator of The Hiccup's Speciality Grassland Atelier, the only place to find Electric Whiffle Bats!

[fuji]

I went when i was 12 or 13 years old as an exchange student.
_________________
______ "We're still flying"

___ "That's not much"

"It's enough"

[Sage]

Well, I am obviously back. Thanks for the suggestions guys. I wrote them down, but forgot to take that list with me (and was too cheap to pay for internet) so I had to play it from memory.
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[Masaya]

I suggest soaking up the nightlife in Shinjuku. Bassically Tokyo on it's own has it's own...fashion and culture..compaired to alot of the other places in japan. And I found a really cool Visual Kei Store when I was there.
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