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Thread: Japan

  1. #1
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    Default Japan

    Hello, I'm a new member. I'm interested in visiting Japan sometime next year. For anyone who lives in Japan or has been there: any beautiful places to visit?

  2. #2
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    I have been to Tokyo, Japan, and I like it very much and hope to return in 08. Tokyo is clean and very safe. You can

    - Ride their speedy bullet train
    - Take a bath at a hot spring
    - Check out their shops, supermarkets at the subway station
    - Watch young Japanese dress up and dance on Sunday at Harajuku
    - Sleep at a capsule hotel, if you are a guy
    - Eat Ramen and high quality beef

    Watch this video: Tokyo Revealed

    Besides Tokyo, many people like going to Kyoto, where I will go next time.

    For more info about Japan, go to http://www.japan-guide.com

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    Hi! Thanks for your reply. I will be checking out the website you recommended. I hope you have fun in your next visit to Kyoto.

  4. #4
    Senior Member libby96's Avatar
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    i want to go the japan, but my parents have other holidays planned out for the next 4 years, and they don't included visiting japan. i'm going to take japanese in high school, so there is a chance of me going on a exchange trip.

  5. #5
    Senior Member JadeButterfly's Avatar
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    its depend on which city u`re going to visit.....if it is Tokyo i could recommend you many place, coz i live there

    1. Tokyo Disneyland
    2. Asakusa
    3. Tokyo Tower
    4. Odaiba
    5. Akihabara
    6. Ueno Park
    7. Harajuku including Meiji Jingu
    8. Edo Tokyo Museum
    9. Roppongi Hills
    10. etc

    i dont really like those place, kind of bore taking every friends who came to japan to those place ^^;
    buy 1 day ticket for JR ( japan railways ) so you can go everywhere u want, but be careful u need to paid additional fee for using express train and subway metro train. good luck and have a nice trip!
    Last edited by JadeButterfly; 01-02-08 at 06:51 PM.

  6. #6
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    jade,

    What about Shijuku's Kabukicho?

    any restaurant and dish recommendations?

    Anthony Bourdain's A taste of Tokyo

    I'm a little disappointed with Tokyo, a metropolitan, because very few Japaneses speak English. Most restaurants do not an English menu. Foreigners either point at the plastic food displays or pick some unknown items on the menu.

  7. #7
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    hoaaa!! i wont recommend shinjuku kabuki cho, specially for foreigner who never visit japan and not fluent in japanese. unless u like night life and dangerous place XD
    many of Japan’s Yakuza and Chinese Mafia are to be found around there.
    i admit shinjuku is my fav place, i used to stay there, and my fav place is spicey road in Shinjuku I-Land Tower. http://www.shinjuku-i-land.jp/
    they have indian restaurant, indonesia, korean, etc. mostly, maintain by native chef.

    ow yeah, if you go to harajuku, dont go to all you can eat italian restaurant on last part of takeshita street. its cheap ( around 1000yen for 1-2hr ) but the dish so suck!

    or if you going to Disneyland, come to my place, our restaurant right on top of 24floor of Makuhari Techno Garden. its just few minutes by train from Disneyland.
    http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g899500/
    http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g899501/
    we have 2 restourants on the same flour, i am working for the 2nd one.
    our restaurant staff mostly, international language university student. some of them speak English and off course our menu is bilingual...hahahahaha
    but i am going retire soon, just let me know if you coming, i`ll make the reservation and make sure u get some discount
    Last edited by JadeButterfly; 01-02-08 at 06:50 PM.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JadeButterfly View Post
    hoaaa!! i wont recommend shinjuku kabuki cho, specially for foreigner who never visit japan and not fluent in japanese. unless u like night life and dangerous place XD
    many of Japan’s Yakuza and Chinese Mafia are to be found around there.
    i admit shinjuku is my fav place, i used to stay there, and my fav place is spicey road in Shinjuku I-Land Tower. http://www.shinjuku-i-land.jp/
    If you walk around the Kabukicho area alone, some Japaneses that work at adult stores might ask if you want to check out their stores. You can turn them down and continue walking. They are not going follow and force you to go in. Thus, I felt completely safe when roaming the area. Plus, there were literally 5-10 thousand people on the street.

    or if you going to Disneyland, come to my place, our restaurant right on top of 24floor of Makuhari Techno Garden. its just few minutes by train from Disneyland.
    http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g899500/
    http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g899501/
    we have 2 restourants on the same flour, i am working for the 2nd one.
    our restaurant staff mostly, international language university student. some of them speak English and off course our menu is bilingual...hahahahaha
    but i am going retire soon, just let me know if you coming, i`ll make the reservation and make sure u get some discount
    Thanks for the offer. If I am not busy, I might go at the end of this year. But, I definitely won't visit Disneyland because my budget is limited and I hate theme parks.

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    I have been to tokyo. My suggestion:
    (1) Visit the Sunshine Hotel Aquarium if you like fishes. It's small but interesting. One part of the aquarium is like a big and long drain. The fishes (e.g. dragon fish) are huge, some are from Amazon. You feel like touching them. There is also a tank of tuna [it looks scary indeed]. Seeing the big Hokkaido crabs moving around is quite interesting too.
    (2) Visit the supermarket after 6pm. "Fresh" products like sushi go at half-price
    (3) Visit the outlying shrines. It is quite eerie indeed.
    (4) Go with open mind. Japanese tend to be shy - tend to ignore you when they do not understand. They are not rude. For directions, try the convenience shops. Most of them can speak a few words of Mandarin/English.

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    with the australian media focusing on japanese whale hunt, im curious to try out whale meat. who have tried whale meat? what are they like?

  11. #11
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    Whale meat has a very distinctive flavor and it is not a taste that everyone can enjoy. It tastes very oily, almost as if you are eating fat blubber. I once had it raw and almost threw up after swallowing it. Though, the meat contains high protein, so the best way to enjoy it is to consume it raw. Besides the Japanese, Eskimos people also highly value whale meat in their daily diet. They even use whale fats to make ice cream. This I have never tried, and don’t really have any desire to try either.

    Quote Originally Posted by JadeButterfly View Post
    but i am going retire soon, just let me know if you coming, i`ll make the reservation and make sure u get some discount
    Well, when exactly is “soon”? I will be traveling to Japan in June. Is that too late to attend your retirement party? Anyhow, what kind of restaurant is this to require advance reservation?

    How friendly is the transportation system there? My only concern is not being fluent in the language, so I don't want to get lost by accidentally getting on the wrong bus or subway, etc....

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by bellamia View Post
    How friendly is the transportation system there? My only concern is not being fluent in the language, so I don't want to get lost by accidentally getting on the wrong bus or subway, etc....
    The subway is indeed not friendly. it is in japanese. you need a subway map. indeed, japanese themselves carry maps too because it is confusing.
    another aspect to remember - there are express trains, that is, they do not stop at certain stations. my advice is to ask the train station officer/passengers for help if you are not sure. Especially in situations that you are travelling for some distance.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by bellamia View Post

    Well, when exactly is “soon”? I will be traveling to Japan in June. Is that too late to attend your retirement party? Anyhow, what kind of restaurant is this to require advance reservation?

    How friendly is the transportation system there? My only concern is not being fluent in the language, so I don't want to get lost by accidentally getting on the wrong bus or subway, etc....
    maybe next march. just an ordinary restaurant but usually use by couple or people for party. so advance reservation is best solution unless it will full booked.

    i`ve never lost or get the wrong train. they maintain good traffic direction so we could go everywhere easily, but if you not sure better ask someone before lost your way.
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    kyoto is a beautiful city while tokyo is very modern.
    if you're looking for city, go to tokyo
    if you want beautiful scenery, then kyoto.
    osaka, kobe, and nara are good places too.

  15. #15
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    Been to Tokyo and Kyoto. Both are great. I actually like Kyoto more because of its rich history (lots of monuments and historic sites to visit), plus you can still do some modern shopping there (I find things a bit cheaper in Kyoto). They also carry cute Japanese crafts that you don't see in Tokyo.

    With some preparation, I find it easy to go places with Tokyo's subway. Be sure to print out the metro map (preferably in colour) beforehand. I remember the JR (Shan-Shou) line being the most useful (it goes in a loop). Although it's probably easier if you know Chinese since many Japanese characters are similar to Chinese characters, they do announce the station name in English pinyin for English-speakers.

    Kyoto is not a big city, and the train/subway is not as useful. Bus + taxi is the way to go.
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