Let's talk about Japan!

allin-king

Just wondering if anyone has any good info they would like to share.
I'm heading there next week (For about 6 weeks) from Thailand and would be interested in hearing about Tokyo and other major places / cities to visit, also I'm looking into the possibility of going skiing while there, can any one shed some light on that?

All and any info appreciated as I haven't even picked up a lonely planet yet so have very little to go on. Thanks!!

Arathorn

I was there just for a few days. I went to a place just outside tokyo called Nikko, it ha lots of shrines etc very popular tourist attraction with the Japanese. I think I was the only westener there that day. Its just an hour on a train. Worth a day trip if you are staying in Tokyo.

killbillvol2

A few observations (and some useful links below):

You're going to find it expensive compared to Thailand especially as the Yen has been very strong of late. (Gained 30% against € since August).

You'll probably need to travel by train unless you have some other cunning plan. You'll need a Japan Rail Pass which can't be purchased in Japan so you'll need to get an exchange voucher before you leave Thailand. The pass might seem expensive but trust me it's cheap compared to normal train fares.

There's so much to do there I couldn't begin to tell you where to start. Definitely Tokyo (you could spend 6 weeks there alone), Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara, Mount Fuji, the Kiso Valley, Miyajima and a quick stop in Himeji for the castle. Either go north to Hokkaido or south to Kyushu for some volcanic activity. Get a good guide book and use the JNTO website for more. There's plenty of skiing but I haven't been there in winter so can't help. You'll cover a lot in 6 weeks.

The people are polite, food is wonderful, there's a major language barrier but you'll manage, there's almost no crime, taxi drivers are honest, trains run to the second, it's steeped in history and it's full of surprises.

I'm back there in April and I'm drooling already. Enjoy.

Here's a couple of useful links.

Japan National Tourist Organization (really useful and up to date).

Train Info

Japan Rail Pass

jimbobjones40

Watch lost in translation!

I was there for two weeks (without the above mentioned rail ticket but thats my style to risk it and see what happens). For normal people fore planning is essential especially if your on a tight budget. For me an average of about €75 per day was about the best I could do. But then again the first two days I stayed in a "love hotel" (do I need to explain? ) and a capsule hotel . . . both of which I'd recommend just for the culture shock of it alone.

I could talk about Japan for hours but for me the Japanese name for the Bullet train was the only issue I had. Its called the Shinkansen. After that its fairly simple to get around. The people are very interesting from the office men and women drinking in karaoke bars on till its a last wo/man standing situation etc etc etc It really is a great place to people watch.

alitoast

jimbobjones40 wrote: »

It really is a great place to people watch.

Couldnt agree more, a fascinatingly different world to our own, i have been to Osaka twice and to be honest there isnt too much to it, althogh its Japans 2nd city, Nagoya is nice, but Tokyo is the must.