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I'm sure there's going to be a lot of feedback, but for starters I think you can skip Kappabashi, unless there's something specific you're looking for. It's basically two or three stores repeated ad nauseum, and I doubt there's much of interest you couldn't get back home. As far as your wife loving cooking, your better bet is to leave more time in your itenerary for eating.
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Jan 15, 2019 09:52
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TheEye posted:- We don't have any hikes in here and I'm wondering if there's a way to change that. It would be great if there was somewhere we could stop along the way and do a hike or two up a small, quiet mountain, maybe one that has some small shrines on it or something? Is a place like that even accessible by train? If so, maybe we could do that instead of the third day in Kyoto. Maybe even make it two days, stay somewhere nice, and replace the night in Hakone also? Kibune to Kurama is a nice half-day hike that's easily doable from Kyoto. It passes by a temple, and ends at a pretty nice onsen. Mount Misen on Miyajima also makes for a decent hike if you skip the ropeway, and has a great view over the inland sea. Near Tokyo, Mt. Takao and Mt. Mitake are two popular day hikes, both have various shrines along the way. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds though. Don't go to Ueno Zoo. cave emperor fucked around with this message at 12:22 on Jan 15, 2019 |
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Jan 15, 2019 10:30
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Tsukiji market moved to Toyosu but the Tsukiji area is still full of restaurants?????
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Jan 15, 2019 11:09
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Araki posted:Don't go to Ueno Zoo. It’s the only zoo I’ve ever seen with shoebills. For me, it was worthwhile just for that.
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Jan 15, 2019 14:20
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Stringent posted:I'm sure there's going to be a lot of feedback, but for starters I think you can skip Kappabashi, unless there's something specific you're looking for. It's basically two or three stores repeated ad nauseum, and I doubt there's much of interest you couldn't get back home. As far as your wife loving cooking, your better bet is to leave more time in your itenerary for eating. Araki posted:Mount Misen on Miyajima also makes for a decent hike if you skip the ropeway, and has a great view over the inland sea. Araki posted:Kibune to Kurama is a nice half-day hike that's easily doable from Kyoto. It passes by a temple, and ends at a pretty nice onsen. Otherwise, are there any options that are more out-of-the-way that become viable if we have both days/nights available? I'm guessing there are a lot of great areas around Takayama/Matsumoto for example, but I don't know, maybe the travel time is too much for a short stay. Anything south of Osaka that's worth looking into? Araki posted:Don't go to Ueno Zoo. peanut posted:Tsukiji market moved to Toyosu but the Tsukiji area is still full of restaurants?????
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Jan 16, 2019 08:46
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TheEye posted:Oh right, we heard about that but are still going to check out the restaurants. There's a good knife shop there if your wife is looking for one https://www.yelp.com/biz/tsukiji-masamoto-%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E5%8C%BA
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Jan 16, 2019 09:05
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TheEye posted:Oh, what's wrong with it? It’s fully concrete and depressing.
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Jan 16, 2019 10:10
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TheEye posted:Oh, what's wrong with it? Tiny barren cages with stressed out animals, mostly. Japanese zoos aren't great with the whole "animal welfare" thing in general, but Ueno's among the worst.
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Jan 16, 2019 11:59
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TheEye posted:Oh, what's wrong with it? Zoos in Asia generally are animal prison camps, if you like animals at all you'll be depressed.
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Jan 16, 2019 13:51
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Finally took the plunge and booked our tickets on United (operated by ANA) for October 4-12th. We fly out of Miami, short layover in Chicago, and then we arrive in Haneda. We won’t land until 8:30 pm on October 5th, but that gives us Sunday-Friday to actually be there until we leave the next Saturday morning. I know it’ll never be enough time to see everything we want, but the wife has limited vacation, and I know I’m going to want to come back regardless. Flying in and out from Haneda, are there any hotels nearby that people have used in the past and would recommend? Ideally within walking distance from the airport and a train station (although having said that, isn’t everywhere within walking distance from a train station?) My wife is concerned about walking around at night in a country we don’t know, and I’m trying to convince her it’s safe enough to not need to take a taxi to the hotel. Aren’t taxis crazy expensive? Is the conversion fee from dollars to yen more expensive here in the states or in Japan itself? What I mean is, should I exchange a bunch of cash before or after I arrive in Tokyo? I know I’ll eventually need to stop by an ATM to take out more, but I wanted to know if I should even bother with going to a currency exchange counter before leaving. With onsen, the wife doesn’t feel comfortable with public nudity, and she’d also be alone as we’re not travelling with another lady, so are the private onsen any good, or are they glorified hot tubs? Are there any private onsen you would recommend?
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Jan 16, 2019 16:13
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Are you guys like 50 year olds or something. If you check a few pages back there’s quite a bit of info
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Jan 16, 2019 18:05
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caberham posted:Are you guys like 50 year olds or something. If you check a few pages back there’s quite a bit of info Fair enough but no, we’re just 30 year old prudes. I’ll check back. Since we’re going in early October, do you think we’ll see any cool Halloween decorations?
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Jan 16, 2019 19:19
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Hi! As a person who has travelled to most prefectures in Japan and who gives a lot of advice on this thread, I have a lot of recommendations for you.Nanigans posted:Ideally within walking distance from the airport and a train station (although having said that, isn’t everywhere within walking distance from a train station?) lol quote:My wife is concerned about walking around at night in a country we don’t know, and I’m trying to convince her it’s safe enough to not need to take a taxi to the hotel. quote:Is the conversion fee from dollars to yen more expensive here in the states or in Japan itself? What I mean is, should I exchange a bunch of cash before or after I arrive in Tokyo? I know I’ll eventually need to stop by an ATM to take out more, but I wanted to know if I should even bother with going to a currency exchange counter before leaving. lol quote:With onsen, the wife doesn’t feel comfortable with public nudity quote:So are the private onsen any good, or are they glorified hot tubs? Are there any private onsen you would recommend?
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Jan 16, 2019 20:34
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ntan1 posted:lol
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Jan 16, 2019 20:38
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You only have to get over it once to learn how much onsen own
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Jan 16, 2019 20:59
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ntan1 posted:Hi! As a person who has travelled to most prefectures in Japan and who gives a lot of advice on this thread, I have a lot of recommendations for you. I get it. The yen conversion one, though? I think that’s a legit question. Also, really any hotel recommendation from you guys would help. I know (and have) looked up online reviews, but I trust you all more.
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Jan 16, 2019 21:16
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Nanigans posted:I get it. The yen conversion one, though? I think that’s a legit question. I worked it out to be basically equivalent when I got caught short on cash in November, but it depends entirely on whether or not your bank gently caress you for a foreign transaction fee and if so how hard.
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Jan 16, 2019 21:21
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Unless you have a mondo lovely bank getting money from the ATM will be generally better. There’s an ATM right outside of the exit from customs in Haneda. Also a train right there that will take you into the city. If you really really don’t want to go far there’s hotels in Hamamatsucho right by the monorail from Haneda, but in general if you’re getting off the plane you should be able to get most places in-city before trains shut down. There’s like, no real *bad* hotels in Japan. Even the cheapest ones will be just okay imo. I usually stay in hostels because for 25 USD a night it’s still perfectly clean and nice and safe as long as you don’t mind a bunkbed, but the only really lovely places in Japan will be places that are not easily available to foreigners anyway. Just do anything that seems okay on booking.com
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Jan 16, 2019 22:09
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Thank you! All useful info. I’m gonna try to convince her about the onsen. I have 9 months to wear her down.
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Jan 16, 2019 22:21
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Its not public. You're in a bathhouse. With other women. Nobody cares about your body. You are not special in any way, good or bad.
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Jan 16, 2019 22:44
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Just whisper this into her ear every night as she falls asleep and you're golden.
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Jan 16, 2019 22:45
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There are *two* train lines that go from Haneda into the city -- and both stop after midnight. Unless there's major delays (there won't be) you're fine arriving at 8:30. Everything is signed in English, you just need to know where you're going.
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Jan 16, 2019 23:17
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A hotel next to the airport only matters if you have super early/late flight times. Stay at Dormy Inn for the mini onsen, then build up courage to visit a bigger facility. I was nervous about public baths the first time, then I got an eyeful of granny cranny at the washing stations. No lives matter, hail Satan.
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Jan 16, 2019 23:28
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peanut posted:I was nervous about public baths the first time, then I got an eyeful of granny cranny at the washing stations. No lives matter, hail Satan. Lonely ojiisans in the mens section randomly striking conversation with you
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Jan 16, 2019 23:44
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you'll maaaaybe get a single look for being foreign and they didn't expect to see a foreigner. but even then. don't nobody give a gently caress
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Jan 16, 2019 23:46
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if you want convenience and to be near the airport then Shinagawa is a really good place to stay because of the mega large business hotels + access to train transportation. If you want to party somewhere else is probably better. Keikyu Ex in the GOOS or Shinagawa Prince are perfectly reasonable. Or you can stay in a Dormy Inn Or you can stay at a Mitsui Or you can stay at a Toyoko Inn Or you can AirBNB Or you can stay at APA but everybody hates them. Or you can stay in a capsule hotel. Or you can stay at a love hotel in Shibuya. Or you can stay at a Manga cafe. Or you can stay at the Aman hotel.
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Jan 16, 2019 23:49
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Buses are the preferred way to get in/out of Haneda. They run roughly hourly to most every major station in Tokyo. https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/areas/detail/nrt/haneda Don't stay next to Haneda, there's literally nothing there and the train access sucks. Apparently there's an onsen in Shinjuku (http://thermae-yu.jp/). I still haven't been, but I'm curious to go. There's also Oedo onsen (https://daiba.ooedoonsen.jp) which is allegedly fun, but don't even think about going on a weekend?
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Jan 16, 2019 23:58
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Oedo Onsen's onsens are crap due to chlorine. Thermae-yu looks ok, but the one that I'd rec is Saya no Yudokoro
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Jan 17, 2019 00:05
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ntan1 posted:Oedo Onsen's onsens are crap due to chlorine. Alternatively, I'm not sure I'd want to go in there if they weren't chlorinated.
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Jan 17, 2019 00:07
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fair
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Jan 17, 2019 00:33
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1. If you want privacy for onsen, you can actually go to a fancier ryokan and reserve a private family bath in advance. Yes you can even have sex in it because staff will clean up the water. 2. Like what others said, ATMs are helpful enough, it won’t hurt to have like 10,000 yen on hand but yeah use an ATM 3. Hotel, echoing peanut, you guys aren’t coming in late at night, plenty of time to take the train to the city. But ya, pick somewhere, dormy inn is good. If you want somewhere super close to the train station to haneda, mistui garden hotel rocks. I stayed near haneda once for a next day transfer flight, I picked a random japan air lines airport and it was fine. 4. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL you guys sound like fish out of water - “don’t feel safe at night at a foreign country????” Of all places you guys are worried about Japan? As a couple? Even Mormon missionaries have more street smarts than you guys. peanut posted:A hotel next to the airport only matters if you have super early/late flight times. Stay at Dormy Inn for the mini onsen, then build up courage to visit a bigger facility. Dormy inn is great.
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Jan 17, 2019 05:46
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peanut posted:Tsukiji market moved to Toyosu but the Tsukiji area is still full of restaurants????? I finished team lab planets and walked to the toyosu fish market and it’s pretty much the same as the inner market. I guess if you went early morning you can sign up for the tours but the restaurants all moved there and are open all day. Not really worth going unless you have a morning tour read, and the food is so so. But hey, there’s yachiyo and the seafood tempura is legit!! Thanks stringent for the recommendation
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Jan 17, 2019 05:50
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Tsukiji is a pretty lovely market in quality of fish compared to the rest of Japan. The best strat there if you really want sushi is honestly to go to Zanmai and order their tuna only sets and a soup and that's it. Yachiyo is really good though yeah.
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Jan 17, 2019 05:55
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My anecdotal experience with ATMs in Japan was that they were fairly picky. Post office ATMs straight up refused to work with my debit card, and only a handful of Lawson’s ATMs were able to cash me out. Not saying that’s the norm, but don’t instantly panic if you get there and one location doesn’t work for you. I never did figure out why, but I did end up making more sizeable withdrawals from those small sets of ATMs on the regular when I needed money.
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Jan 17, 2019 05:55
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what loving lovely rear end debit card do you have that isn't on the cirrus or plus network? who's your bank?>
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Jan 17, 2019 06:05
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TD Bank our of Canada. It’s a Plus card, I’m just saying anecdotally that it didn’t work with some Plus advertised machines.
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Jan 17, 2019 06:22
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711 has taken anything i've thrown at it apart from the card that somehow got demagnetized
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Jan 17, 2019 06:33
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Nanigans, the biggest dangers for tourists in Japan are from pickpockets and con artists. Just keep an eye on your money and get out of any situation that seems fishy. Basically, practice the same kind of common-sense safety measures you should be practicing at home. It doesn't hurt to keep the address of your home country's embassy or consulate handy, either.
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Jan 17, 2019 07:01
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mikeycp posted:711 has taken anything i've thrown at it apart from the card that somehow got demagnetized Echoing 7-11
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Jan 17, 2019 07:10
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Hey guys, I'm heading to Niseko for Ski Season, but coming down to Tokyo for a couple of days in April so I have a couple of questions: Whats a good mobile/sim provider for the 2 weeks I'll be there, is there any deal/thing I should specifically get or ask for? Roaming is expensive. How easy is it to take a drain and a day trip to Kyoto? I have an old friend there I'd like to surprise and visit.
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Jan 17, 2019 09:23
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