2 Weeks in Japan?

[Part 2]

I must say I've never seen so much to look at or read on the internet about any other place I've been to. Don't know how many 25 Things to do in Tokyo's I've seen and they all seem to have different stuff.

I'm not known for getting excited but I'm counting the days

 

[mwgdrwg]

I need to get a list together tbh, Ghibli museum will be on there. Ramen museum sounds fun too. Teen will want to shop for clothes, probably vintage markets, he's a big film fan too so a trip to the pictures. We saw an ace Japanese film the other week called Harmonium which he loved. Probably go up some tall building or other.

I've been looking at this site... Tokyo Cheapo aswell as watching a load of Youtube videos.

The thing I'm not sure of how to fit in at the moment is the bullet train.

Ghibli museum tickets will need to be booked months and months in advance, just a heads up.

 

[Part 2]

Oh, bugger....sold out

 

[mwgdrwg]

Oh, bugger....sold out

This happened to me on my last trip. Absolutely gutted, as I wanted to take my family there. I have been there on a previous solo-trip, and it's an amazing place.

When you're in Japan you can always try and get a ticket from the ATM machine within 'Lawson' shops. I did try this last time, but couldn't find 4 free ones for my family. Maybe you will have some luck if you just need 1 or 2 tickets instead.

There's a PDF on how to use the ATM floating about, will have a look in my Evernote for it...

e2a: Found it. Not a PDF but a link - For english｜ローソン

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Oh, bugger....sold out

Bad luck. I've been lucky enough to go four times now (first was just for me, then I took my brother when he came over for my wedding, then one for my kid and family . . . ah maybe only three).
Haven't been for about seven years according to this video.

My daughter is now 10 and the other girl is a crazy boozy 22 year old.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Oh and this park in se is nicer to visit on a better day than this.

 

[starfish]

View attachment 107748

Have stayed in that hotel & drunk in that tea house.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I really want to go back to Japan I'd go either north or west this time.

Tbh, coming from London, Tokyo was different but not that different to visit. I needed to go there but now I have I don't really want to go back. What I enjoyed was the places I went through when travelling: overcast ferry ports, high streets in the suburbs, pine trees around mountain bus stops, tiny shrines that no tourist would be arsed with, art galleries in the middle of nowhere, shit rainy platforms while waiting for the JR.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Coming back this time has so far been odd due to the fact that it doesn't seem in anyway odd at all. I guess I need to travel further than Tokyo.
My daughter is watching all the cartoons she already watches at home.
Nice to have affordable fags but I'm already missing English milk.
And it's fucking hot.
Got graves to visit today and tomorrow. Potentially depressing. Not sure how I am going to react.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Just bumped into someone I know from croydon. Small world.

 

[ash]

.

 

[ash]

ATOMIC SUPLEX
gaijingirl

Do you have any tips for vegetarians in Tokyo ideally Japanese food in places that also serve meat. Or names of dishes - I've got a feeling it will be limited to say the least??!

 

[krtek a houby]

10 vegetarian foods you can order at almost any Japanese restaurant

Tokyo’s top vegetarian restaurants

 

[mwgdrwg]

Despite the title, there is only a short segment in this, but it has a useful tip about seaweed broth:

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX
gaijingirl

Do you have any tips for vegetarians in Tokyo ideally Japanese food in places that also serve meat. Or names of dishes - I've got a feeling it will be limited to say the least??!

I'm not a vegetarian, so I have not paid a huge amount of attention to the issue, however I can imagine it's going to be tricky if you want to be 100% veggie. Even non meat dishes use a lot of stock or shavings that derive from fish etc. For instance, you can order vegetarian okonomiayaki but I wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't dump some katsuobushi on top.

 

[krtek a houby]

If you find yourself in a fast food situation; you can get soy burgers at Mos Burger. Quite tasty.

 

[ash]

I'm not a vegetarian, so I have not paid a huge amount of attention to the issue, however I can imagine it's going to be tricky if you want to be 100% veggie. Even non meat dishes use a lot of stock or shavings that derive from fish etc. For instance, you can order vegetarian okonomiayaki but I wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't dump some katsuobushi on top.

Thanks - that's what I thought. I'm not morally opposed to eating meat and fish it's more the taste and texture as I've been veggie for so long. I sometimes will have fresh fish but cant stomach anything too fishy which I imagine some of the dried stuff would be.

 

[krtek a houby]

If you can bear to try meat (just for the holiday) try heading to Tateishi in Tokyo's east end. Some great little food joints/standing bars near the station. A great area, authentic, friendly locals and now sadly targetted to come under redevelopment soon.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Thanks - that's what I thought. I'm not morally opposed to eating meat and fish it's more the taste and texture as I've been veggie for so long. I sometimes will have fresh fish but cant stomach anything too fishy which I imagine some of the dried stuff would be.

Then I think you will be fine. Unless you actually are eating a fish dish, nothing actually tastes all that fishy, it's just that there may be non vegetarian traces in the preparation. I don't really like fish, but I do love sashimi! Well salmon.

I think you will have plenty of options almost everywhere.

 

[ash]

Then I think you will be fine. Unless you actually are eating a fish dish, nothing actually tastes all that fishy, it's just that there may be non vegetarian traces in the preparation. I don't really like fish, but I do love sashimi! Well salmon.

I think you will have plenty of options almost everywhere.

Sounds good -thanks

 

[sim667]

So reviving my old thread as my partner and I are thinking about going for our honeymoon, she's desperate to go. I think we're looking to go via Hong Kong to visit family..... but we need suggestions for accommodations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka if anyone has any?

 

[Saunders]

No advice re places to stay, other than be aware that lots of airbnbs are a few floors up, so if either of you aren’t keen on heights, it’s something worth checking
And you’ve probably already planned what you’d like to see but I really recommend Shiretoko national park on Hokkaido if you have the time and, ideally, a car to drive round for a few days

 

[trashpony]

My sister has just come back from a 3 week trip if you’d like me to ask her sim667?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So reviving my old thread as my partner and I are thinking about going for our honeymoon, she's desperate to go. I think we're looking to go via Hong Kong to visit family..... but we need suggestions for accommodations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka if anyone has any?

Are you looking for something cheap? What things are you interested in? What places would you prefer to be near?

 

[Winot]

So reviving my old thread as my partner and I are thinking about going for our honeymoon, she's desperate to go. I think we're looking to go via Hong Kong to visit family..... but we need suggestions for accommodations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka if anyone has any?

Went this July. The Blossom Hotel in Kyoto was excellent.

Stayed in The Square Ginza in Tokyo. Good location but average hotel.

Was only in Osaka for one night. Stayed in a ryokan which was fine.

Would highly recommend trip to Koyasan if you have time.

 

[sim667]

My sister has just come back from a 3 week trip if you’d like me to ask her sim667?

Yes please. Obviously I’ve been but that was 10 years ago.

Are you looking for something cheap? What things are you interested in? What places would you prefer to be near?

Not the cheapest of the cheap, but we can’t go too spenny either, I guess we’d like to be conveniently placed. I think last time in Tokyo i stayed in Shibuya, but I’ve read Asakusa is cheaper for accommodation

Went this July. The Blossom Hotel in Kyoto was excellent.

Stayed in The Square Ginza in Tokyo. Good location but average hotel.

Was only in Osaka for one night. Stayed in a ryokan which was fine.

Would highly recommend trip to Koyasan if you have time.

I’d not heard of Koyasan but will google it

 

[krtek a houby]

So reviving my old thread as my partner and I are thinking about going for our honeymoon, she's desperate to go. I think we're looking to go via Hong Kong to visit family..... but we need suggestions for accommodations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka if anyone has any?

As usual I recommend the business hotels, they are cheap but not nasty and there's thousands of the damn things around.

When are you thinking of going?

There's a big Star Wars event on April 18-20 next year, so hotels around the event will be booked out soon, although the venue is in next door Chiba, there's going to be an overflow of fans in Tokyo.

The biggest annual holiday - Golden Week - takes place nationwide April 29 - May 5 and a lot of people will be on the move, so I'd not really recommend that time of year.

 

[Ted Striker]

Another vote for Koya San, but you can't go wrong hitting the high notes of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto

 

[Winot]

Yes please. Obviously I’ve been but that was 10 years ago.

Not the cheapest of the cheap, but we can’t go too spenny either, I guess we’d like to be conveniently placed. I think last time in Tokyo i stayed in Shibuya, but I’ve read Asakusa is cheaper for accommodation

I’d not heard of Koyasan but will google it

Buddhist hill town with 100+ monasteries that you can stay in. Amazing vegan food. Great walks.

 

[Idaho]

Stayed in a monastery on Koya-san for new year 1999-2000. Woken up at 6 for prayers and offerings on new year's day. A room open to the elements. Snow on the ground outside. Fortunately we got a full breakfast after including hot sake.