2 Weeks in Japan?

[sim667]

Yeah, but they are.

Great.

 

[krtek a houby]

Why bother? Just use an old tin or jar with a lid. Place the cloves in the tin and shake it vigorously.

It's time consuming

 

[DrRingDing]

Loads.
When are you going to be in Tokyo?

We haven't set a date yet but it will be in the next 12 months.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Well there are small live houses that I can recommend but it really depends on who is playing.
Shinjuku Jam and Hatagaya Heavy Sick are probably my favorites.

 

[starfish]

Ok, I'm officially excited now. Mother in law has bought tickets for the family to go see Sumo wrestling when we're over.

Theres a Basho on in Tokyo when we are there too. Tickets go on sale from this or next week i think

 

[such and such]

Ok, back in Melbourne. I totes overbudgeted thank goodness! Maybe it's because I live in Australia but I didn't find Japan that expensive at all. Are you over there now sim?

 

[sim667]

Ok, back in Melbourne. I totes overbudgeted thank goodness! Maybe it's because I live in Australia but I didn't find Japan that expensive at all. Are you over there now sim?

I am, day two. Yeah it's no where near as expensive as I thought......

I had tot try and explain to my folks what manga was today

 

[such and such]

I am, day two. Yeah it's no where near as expensive as I thought......

I had tot try and explain to my folks what manga was today

Have you been having fun and saying sumimasen a lot?

LOL Incidentally I went to the manga museum in Kyoto on my last day, wasn't too terrible

 

[sim667]

Have you been having fun and saying sumimasen a lot?

LOL Incidentally I went to the manga museum in Kyoto on my last day, wasn't too terrible

What does sumimasen mean?!

I've said Arigato about 500 times today, and I'm developing super strong muscles in my neck.....

Last night I ate eel, salmon roe and squid without realising it. All things I wouldn't touch with a barge pole at home

 

[such and such]

What does sumimasen mean?!

I've said Arigato about 500 times today, and I'm developing super strong muscles in my neck.....

Last night I ate eel, salmon roe and squid without realising it. All things I wouldn't touch with a barge pole at home

It means sorry/excuse me/a whole bunch of other things I am probably not aware of.

 

[sim667]

It means sorry/excuse me/a whole bunch of other things I am probably not aware of.

I was wondering how to say sorry earlier while trying to get off the tube

 

[sim667]

It means sorry/excuse me/a whole bunch of other things I am probably not aware of.

Such, where do you get the 3G wifi thingies from? The airport?

 

[such and such]

You need to order them online and have them delivered to you, like at your hotel or similar.

 

[sim667]

You need to order them online and have them delivered to you, like at your hotel or similar.

Oh right.

I don't think there's a lot of point now, although I'd have picked one up when I first got here.

 

[starfish]

Thats our Sumo tickets confirmed. So excited.

General question. We're probably not going to leave Tokyo (except trip to Mt Fuji). Is a prepaid Suica IC card the best option for travelling around Tokyo?

 

[sim667]

Thats our Sumo tickets confirmed. So excited.

General question. We're probably not going to leave Tokyo (except trip to Mt Fuji). Is a prepaid Suica IC card the best option for travelling around Tokyo?

I've got a pasmo card which seems to be the one.. It works on the subway but I don't know about buses. It works on the vending machines too.

If you're not going to leave tokyo it may be worth taking the day trip to nikko. I didn't go as I've travelled all over japan but a lot of people say it's stunning.

Also can anyone tell me why Japanese people always pull the victory finger sign when having their photo taken.

I saw first selfie pole today, literally amazing.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Also can anyone tell me why Japanese people always pull the victory finger sign when having their photo taken.

I looked into this after my Japanese tutors all did it. Didn't look very far, mind, but far as I can tell it's just what you do when posing for a photo, like someone saying "say cheese".

I think there were a couple of theories on the cultural heritage of it, but I can't remember them now

 

[sim667]

http://goo.gl/h1zyfQ

For anyone thats interested, I've uploaded all my photos there...... theres about 300 pics

 

[starfish]

http://goo.gl/h1zyfQ

For anyone thats interested, I've uploaded all my photos there...... theres about 300 pics

Havent looked at them all but recognise a few. Have to say we're totally blown away by Tokyo so far. Seem to have crammed in a lot in our first week but still loads more to see & do. Sumo tomorrow.

 

[sim667]

Havent looked at them all but recognise a few. Have to say we're totally blown away by Tokyo so far. Seem to have crammed in a lot in our first week but still loads more to see & do. Sumo tomorrow.

I don't know if you're there over a weekend, but apparently elvis impersonators from the city all gather in a particular park on of the weekend days to swap moves

 

[starfish]

I don't know if you're there over a weekend, but apparently elvis impersonators from the city all gather in a particular park on of the weekend days to swap moves

I think thats in Yoyogi Park. We might go tomorrow but theres a big Shinto procession in Asakusa that we might go to instead. Saw a few Elvis lookey likeys in Shibuya last night.

Sumo was amazing.

 

[spanglechick]

We're going! Middle of August for two weeks. Flights booked.

I think Tokyo, and somewhere else (probably Kyoto), and then somewhere beachy. Any ideas, anyone, for a seaside place that'll be lovely but not too expensive/time consuming to get to?

We are not hostel types (well, I'm not) and plan at least one very good (£££) meal, but that means we can't spend loads of money elsewhere.

Three destinations is the limit. I find getting to places fairly stressful and exhausting.

I want to go to an onsen, I think. Would that be best in Kyoto?

Then... I'd really like to go to a karaoke place but grinder would rather stab himself in the face repeatedly with a fork. Are they the sort if place ppl go on their own?

Also, is it a country where there's lots of things other than beer to drink in bars? Might sound like an odd concern but I'm fed up of going sober cos I don't like beer.

 

[tim]

Also can anyone tell me why Japanese people always pull the victory finger sign when having their photo taken.

This is not a purely Japanese phenomena

 

[gaijingirl]

We're going! Middle of August for two weeks. Flights booked.

I think Tokyo, and somewhere else (probably Kyoto), and then somewhere beachy. Any ideas, anyone, for a seaside place that'll be lovely but not too expensive/time consuming to get to?

We are not hostel types (well, I'm not) and plan at least one very good (£££) meal, but that means we can't spend loads of money elsewhere.

Three destinations is the limit. I find getting to places fairly stressful and exhausting.

I want to go to an onsen, I think. Would that be best in Kyoto?

Then... I'd really like to go to a karaoke place but grinder would rather stab himself in the face repeatedly with a fork. Are they the sort if place ppl go on their own?

Also, is it a country where there's lots of things other than beer to drink in bars? Might sound like an odd concern but I'm fed up of going sober cos I don't like beer.

one of my favourite places ever is the Seto naikai (inland sea) which is a magical magical place. Lots of islands, beautiful wilderness. One island has been turned into an art gallery - the whole island. But it is a bit of a trek I think from Tokyo. I had one of the happiest months there once - completely alone island hopping, swimming, cycling etc...

this might be useful?

http://travel.cnn.com/tokyo/play/five-most-picturesque-beaches-within-day-trip-tokyo-739306

Otherwise I can ask Tokyo friends.

You don't normally go alone to a karaoke place. They're not usually bars like here but a "box" - ie a private room. There is bound to be somewhere in Tokyo that will cater for you though.

I don't drink beer either and I had no problems.. you will want chuhai.. shochu based cocktails.. they're like alcopops basically - come in a million different flavours. Also sake (but that's an acquired taste).

 

[such and such]

We're going! Middle of August for two weeks. Flights booked.

I think Tokyo, and somewhere else (probably Kyoto), and then somewhere beachy. Any ideas, anyone, for a seaside place that'll be lovely but not too expensive/time consuming to get to?

We are not hostel types (well, I'm not) and plan at least one very good (£££) meal, but that means we can't spend loads of money elsewhere.

Three destinations is the limit. I find getting to places fairly stressful and exhausting.

I want to go to an onsen, I think. Would that be best in Kyoto?

Then... I'd really like to go to a karaoke place but grinder would rather stab himself in the face repeatedly with a fork. Are they the sort if place ppl go on their own?

Also, is it a country where there's lots of things other than beer to drink in bars? Might sound like an odd concern but I'm fed up of going sober cos I don't like beer.

I can't answer most your questions but Kamarkura just over an hour out or so out of Tokyo is really lovely. I can't vouch for how good the beaches are but the town itself is really lovely.

I found looking on Tripadvisor for the dates you are going to be helpful as they give you the cheapest rates for the hotels list from searching on Agoda and the like. I really liked Hotel Niwa when I went to Tokyo about a month ago and got a great rate through one of those third party discount hotel sites. Sorry I can't be more informative I'm pretty there are places in Tokyo where you can even book a booth to sing kareoke by yourself if you want.

 

[sim667]

We're going! Middle of August for two weeks. Flights booked.

I think Tokyo, and somewhere else (probably Kyoto), and then somewhere beachy. Any ideas, anyone, for a seaside place that'll be lovely but not too expensive/time consuming to get to?

We are not hostel types (well, I'm not) and plan at least one very good (£££) meal, but that means we can't spend loads of money elsewhere.

Three destinations is the limit. I find getting to places fairly stressful and exhausting.

I want to go to an onsen, I think. Would that be best in Kyoto?

Then... I'd really like to go to a karaoke place but grinder would rather stab himself in the face repeatedly with a fork. Are they the sort if place ppl go on their own?

Also, is it a country where there's lots of things other than beer to drink in bars? Might sound like an odd concern but I'm fed up of going sober cos I don't like beer.

Miyijima was beautiful, its an inland sea, not properly beachy..... I don't know how much stuff there is to do generally, we just went for the day.... its only 40 mins on the train from kyoto.

 

[seventh bullet]

Miyijima was beautiful, its an inland sea, not properly beachy..... I don't know how much stuff there is to do generally, we just went for the day.... its only 40 mins on the train from kyoto.

Did you see the deer? Should've gone into Hiroshima. I spent most of my time there and another nearby city when not further east in Osaka.

 

[sim667]

Did you see the deer? Should've gone into Hiroshima. I spent most of my time there and another nearby city when not further east in Osaka.

Yes I did

And yes I went to Hiroshima, only 2 nights though

 

[starfish]

Well im glad we went to Asakusa today, it was magical. If youre ever in Tokyo over the 3rd weekend in May then you must go.

 

[such and such]

I like beer and didn't drink much in bars but lots of places sell Chu Hi I think. Depends where you go I guess.