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Japan! Tokyo!

Here's a tip, don't waste precious yen on the Sky Tree Tower for views of Tokyo. Go to the Tokyo Municipal Government Building where you can see the expanse of the metropolis for free.
 
Scared to click on it.

Following a news story about a foreign couple over here, who married on a beach front with permission. It didn't stop local Karens from reporting them to the police, of course.

Anyway, wanted a link but couldn't find any and every since googling am getting ads for Vietnamese and Filipino dating services. Not impressed.
 
Here's a tip, don't waste precious yen on the Sky Tree Tower for views of Tokyo. Go to the Tokyo Municipal Government Building where you can see the expanse of the metropolis for free.
Been there done that (a few times). Not incredibly glamorous though. I also don't remember being super impressed with the view. Probably just me being an arse though.
I don't think i'd ever feel the need to cough up for the sky tree though.

In other news, it seems a bit easier to get into Japan again now for foreigners. My wife did say something about lone tourists having to travel everywhere with a guide though. I need to double check that I guess. It won't apply to me to get in, but I don't want police hassle just because I am travelling alone (like you get on bikes)
I have a ticket booked for Christmas and new year. Fingers crossed it's less problematic than the experience with flights my wife and daughter had over Easter earlier this year.
 
Been there done that (a few times). Not incredibly glamorous though. I also don't remember being super impressed with the view. Probably just me being an arse though.
I don't think i'd ever feel the need to cough up for the sky tree though.

In other news, it seems a bit easier to get into Japan again now for foreigners. My wife did say something about lone tourists having to travel everywhere with a guide though. I need to double check that I guess. It won't apply to me to get in, but I don't want police hassle just because I am travelling alone (like you get on bikes)
I have a ticket booked for Christmas and new year. Fingers crossed it's less problematic than the experience with flights my wife and daughter had over Easter earlier this year.

Only package tours with guide are allowed at the moment.
 
Only package tours with guide are allowed at the moment.

I was reading about that. You get given a set seat at the restaurant, no talking, masks 100% of the time, even outside in the Summer, hand sanitiser as you go on the bus etc.

Sounds fucking grim :(
 
Been there done that (a few times). Not incredibly glamorous though. I also don't remember being super impressed with the view. Probably just me being an arse though.
I don't think i'd ever feel the need to cough up for the sky tree though.

In other news, it seems a bit easier to get into Japan again now for foreigners. My wife did say something about lone tourists having to travel everywhere with a guide though. I need to double check that I guess. It won't apply to me to get in, but I don't want police hassle just because I am travelling alone (like you get on bikes)
I have a ticket booked for Christmas and new year. Fingers crossed it's less problematic than the experience with flights my wife and daughter had over Easter earlier this year.

Get your documents ready, you're going to require a visa.

 
I was reading about that. You get given a set seat at the restaurant, no talking, masks 100% of the time, even outside in the Summer, hand sanitiser as you go on the bus etc.

Sounds fucking grim :(

Tbf, most of us wear masks outdoors, if nobody is about, we slip them down. It's not mandatory to wear them, but most do. Only folks not wearing them tend to be fellow foreigners. Not all.
 
Tbf, most of us wear masks outdoors, if nobody is about, we slip them down. It's not mandatory to wear them, but most do. Only folks not wearing them tend to be fellow foreigners. Not all.

Can't be pleasant or healthy during a Japanese summer. I thought the Japanese Governemnt were actually trying to dissuade the public from wearing them outside now?
 
Anyway, I have no issue with mask wearing and I seem to be in the 10% of people still doing it at UK supermarkets.

I am hoping Japan opens up after the election next month, if not I wil be applying for a visa myself at the beginning of August. Kinda shitting myself at that prospect.
 
I was reading about that. You get given a set seat at the restaurant, no talking, masks 100% of the time, even outside in the Summer, hand sanitiser as you go on the bus etc.

Sounds fucking grim :(
Set seat and no talking sounds grim but the rest sounds fine. No problem with masks and sanitiser. I'll only be going to restaurants with my wife and daughter anyway. Can't imagine the live houses and izakaiyas I go to will give me any shit.
 
Yep, I am well aware. Not much more of a ball ache than what my wife has to do as we need to go to the embassy anyway.

I have not applied for a visa before, is it easy to get an appointment? The website is not very good as it's not showing any available appointments for the next two months.
 
I have not applied for a visa before, is it easy to get an appointment? The website is not very good as it's not showing any available appointments for the next two months.
No idea. Can't remember. I don't think I've had to apply for a visa, but I have had to go to the japanese emabssy a couple of times and it hasn't been difficult. Probably for some marriage and birth stuff.

Wife had to go in Easter, which was probably just to rubber stamp the vax card.
 
No idea. Can't remember. I don't think I've had to apply for a visa, but I have had to go to the japanese emabssy a couple of times and it hasn't been difficult. Probably for some marriage and birth stuff.

Wife had to go in Easter, which was probably just to rubber stamp the vax card.
It's a bit difficult for me as I have to go down to London, which is a pain in itself.

I'm just hoping I won't have to bother come August/September. But I'm going to begin gathering the documents required for a visa soon after the election, if there is no easing at the borders.
 
It's a bit difficult for me as I have to go down to London, which is a pain in itself.

I'm just hoping I won't have to bother come August/September. But I'm going to begin gathering the documents required for a visa soon after the election, if there is no easing at the borders.
Oh right. Yeah, not being in London makes it a bit of a bitch for sure.
 
Can't be pleasant or healthy during a Japanese summer. I thought the Japanese Governemnt were actually trying to dissuade the public from wearing them outside now?

They have said that we don't have to, but people generally tend to wear them. But yeah, it's not great when the weather is all hot and humid... this month the rainy season has ended early and the temperatures have shot up.
 
Oh dear, it seems like the visa process is a massive pain in the arse.
A bit unnecessarily complicated.
I have to be invited in an official document, but I also have to travel with my wife who has to jump through extra hoops because of this. She has to get her original birth certificate for Edogawa and submit forms in Japan and in the Japanese embassy in the UK. I really hope these restrictions are lifted a little bit before I have to go. We will have to have to start getting ready a couple of months in advance just because of the post.
 
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