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Speaking of skiing, where's good for spring skiing? I'm looking at going end of March to early April in the Kanto area and I didn't think of it until seeing Horsebanger's (good name) question that maybe I could still ski then.
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Jan 17, 2019 09:34
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Bloodnose posted:Speaking of skiing, where's good for spring skiing? I'm looking at going end of March to early April in the Kanto area and I didn't think of it until seeing Horsebanger's (good name) question that maybe I could still ski then. Dicey, they're forecasting cherry blossoms for Tokyo around March 24th so it's probably going to be a warm spring. By the end of March it might just be Hokkaido and maybe Tohoku that still have snow.
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Jan 17, 2019 09:38
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Horsebanger posted: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: It gets shipped straight to your hotel or you can pick it up at the airport and it comes with a package where you just shove it into a postbox when you're done.
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Jan 17, 2019 11:47
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Japanese SIM cards; Cheapest is klook https://www.klook.com/activity/3613 Or rent hotpot from them. For spring skiiing : spring time isn’t that great, but there is karuizawa or gala yuzawa.
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Jan 17, 2019 11:51
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Karuizawa definitely isn't going to have snow in late March, Yuzawa might but it's gonna be slushy.
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Jan 17, 2019 12:20
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caberham posted:
I mean, I said I was trying to convince her it’s perfectly safe. I’m a drat weeb. I know glorious Nihon is safe. Pththya-lyi, yeah, I’ve got one of those dorky “under the shirt” fanny pack things from when we visited Europe a couple of years ago. We’ll each carry some cash on hand, but I’ll have the rest on me/in the hotel safe. Thanks for the advice, everyone. Nanigans fucked around with this message at 14:15 on Jan 17, 2019 |
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Jan 17, 2019 14:09
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skiing in the spring, someone ignoring future, the global warming
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Jan 17, 2019 14:29
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caberham posted:Or rent hotpot from them. Wifi-nabe kudasai!
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Jan 17, 2019 14:41
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waifu nabe kudasai!!!
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Jan 17, 2019 15:32
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Pththya-lyi posted: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. Be somewhat wary of people in suits trying to get you to patronize their shop, especially if you're not with the wife. They are often hostess bars where you might pay a hundred bucks for an hour or two of innocent fun or you might get charged a couple thousand bucks for an hour or two of innocent fun. That said, there are often legit restaurants that will have someone on the street trying to get patrons (due to sheer number of restaurants, many of them being upstairs, down side streets, etc.) so don't run away any time someone approaches you (often with a menu).
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Jan 17, 2019 17:49
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peanut posted:waifu nabe kudasai!!! I’m almost certain there’s got to be a JAV somewhere with this theme totalnewbie posted:Be somewhat wary of people in suits trying to get you to patronize their shop, especially if you're not with the wife. They are often hostess bars where you might pay a hundred bucks for an hour or two of innocent fun or you might get charged a couple thousand bucks for an hour or two of innocent fun. Uuuh there’s like a .05% percent chance that a normal kyabakura kyacchi is gonna talk up a random foreign tourist and why you would specify this instead of the more realistic African dudes trying to get him completely escapes me
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Jan 17, 2019 18:09
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I was drinking at the sushi bar last weekend and it was basically all regulars and the chef after after like 9pm. Anyway, one of the guys was a Japanese dude who was on a flight back to Japan the next day (who had previously lived in the US and had recently moved back). He told a story about how he used to be a cashier at the Family Mart in Kawasaki. Kawasaki is an area of Tokyo/Yokohama that today holds a really really good selection of restaurants and food, but back in the old days it was distinctly known for being the head of a large Yakuza clan, and was considered a somewhat dangerous place to be. For over a year while he worked there, a very kind, old grandfather would come to the store pretty much daily at about 11PM every night and order about 12-15 servings of onigiri and calmly leave the store. One day, a young 20ish-old person started a fistfight in the store and knocked over a items near the counter. As customary for a cashier in Kawasaki, the former cashier basically pretended the fight didn't exist and then cleaned up after them when they left. At about 11:30pm at night, the person who started the fight was seen walking into the store with his face completely bruised and all covered in blood. Behind him was the old grandfather, who looked really loving angry. When young guy reached the counter, the grandfather slammed his face onto the shop counter, yelling "AYAMARE", with blood pretty much splattering around. The kid then did a Dogeza and apologized, "I'm sorry for causing commotion and damage to the store. Please take this as my apology and I'll never do this again." In his hand was 50k yen. Of course cashier-dude couldn't take the money due to policy so he thanked the kid but declined. Anyway I'm not sure why kyabakura reminded me of this story, although it probably has to do with the fact that I was playing JUDGE EYES the other day.
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Jan 17, 2019 19:21
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LimburgLimbo posted:Uuuh there’s like a .05% percent chance that a normal kyabakura kyacchi is gonna talk up a random foreign tourist and why you would specify this instead of the more realistic African dudes trying to get him completely escapes me You want to talk about the African dudes, then? I just wanted them (maybe just the wife?) not to freak out when restaurant people try to get them to come eat but also didn't want to just be like "Yeah follow anyone who approaches you, it's Japan, totally safe!"
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Jan 17, 2019 20:12
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totalnewbie posted:You want to talk about the African dudes, then? I just wanted them (maybe just the wife?) not to freak out when restaurant people try to get them to come eat but also didn't want to just be like "Yeah follow anyone who approaches you, it's Japan, totally safe!" What
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Jan 17, 2019 20:18
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Maybe it's because I lived in NYC for 14 years, but isn't it SOP to just say no to/ignore anyone coming up to you and trying to get you into a club/bar/restaurant in any metropolitan area? Speaking of New York, is navigating the subway crowds there any help in dealing with the Tokyo metro, or is it another level of insanity? Not that I'm concerned, just curious. Can't wait to go in the fall.
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Jan 17, 2019 22:06
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It's just a lot of stairs and vast hallways.
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Jan 17, 2019 23:20
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Slow Graffiti posted:Maybe it's because I lived in NYC for 14 years, but isn't it SOP to just say no to/ignore anyone coming up to you and trying to get you into a club/bar/restaurant in any metropolitan area? the thing is what totalnewbie is saying is correct -- there are people (on major streets or near big station exits) who are there to help get people into restaurants or karaoke places nearby, and will even radio up to their shop to say "we've got a group of 10 coming up" and things like that. And then there are people on the streets trying to strike up a conversation and hustle you into a more adult-oriented club which may or may not be a scam to boot. I don't know how much NYC subway experience is going to help, but it will at least prevent you from complete shock at seeing that many people in and out of trains. From the poo poo I've seen posted by friends in New York, though, you're going to be shocked at how calm and normal things are on the trains though. No such thing as dancing in the trains over here. (well, not since they cracked down on the Halloween train parties)
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Jan 17, 2019 23:30
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The smell is less terrible and the seats are usually clean enough to sit on.
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Jan 17, 2019 23:34
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harperdc posted:the thing is what totalnewbie is saying is correct -- there are people (on major streets or near big station exits) who are there to help get people into restaurants or karaoke places nearby, and will even radio up to their shop to say "we've got a group of 10 coming up" and things like that. And then there are people on the streets trying to strike up a conversation and hustle you into a more adult-oriented club which may or may not be a scam to boot. Gotcha. Sounds similar to certain areas of Hong Kong or Bangkok, or NYC for that matter. peanut posted:The smell is less terrible and the seats are usually clean enough to sit on. This and the orderliness harperdc mentioned seem like the things that are going to blow my mind the most when I get there. That and all the amazing food I can’t stop thinking about.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:04
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my colleague just asked me about sakura season in Osaka or Tokyo. isn't it super packed during that time of year? I've only ever done sakura season in somewhat rural Kyushu. it tends to be like late march to early April there. is it more or less the same time all the way up in Tokyo? this article seems kinda good? quote:Asia anyway, am I right in suggesting that for a first trip to Japan, going during sakura season to Tokyo or Kansai is going to be really crowded? or is it doable and am I just making that up?
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Jan 18, 2019 00:17
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it's fine but sometimes crowded. just tell them to go and say that it's fun. I stopped trying to convince people who are boring.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:21
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It’ll be crowded, and if you go there on Saturday but it rained on Friday, you’ll also be greatly disappointed.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:26
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^^^ truthposting. It always rains hard the Friday before max bloom weekend.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:47
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Slow Graffiti posted:Speaking of New York, is navigating the subway crowds there any help in dealing with the Tokyo metro, or is it another level of insanity? Not that I'm concerned, just curious. Can't wait to go in the fall. You'll be used to crowds but train stations in Japan have absolutely awful, infuriating signage and you'll get lost a lot, especially if you end up in a ninth circle of hell station like Ikebukuro. Just be prepared for this and take it in stride.
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Jan 18, 2019 00:56
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Grand Fromage posted:You'll be used to crowds but train stations in Japan have absolutely awful, infuriating signage and you'll get lost a lot, especially if you end up in a ninth circle of hell station like Ikebukuro. Just be prepared for this and take it in stride. On the topic of signage, Japan generally orients maps with the direction you are facing at the top vs having North being oriented to the top. Something to keep in mind when you invariably look at a map in the subway to figure out where to get out.
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Jan 18, 2019 01:27
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.Z. posted:On the topic of signage, Japan generally orients maps with the direction you are facing at the top vs having North being oriented to the top. Good to know. Out of curiosity the other day I took a look at the Shinjuku station website and was trying to figure out why on earth they had the south entrance at the top of their map.
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Jan 18, 2019 01:35
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Slow Graffiti posted:Good to know. Out of curiosity the other day I took a look at the Shinjuku station website and was trying to figure out why on earth they had the south entrance at the top of their map. Oh maps will never help you in Shinjuku station. Just accept that it is a maze from which you will never escape.
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Jan 18, 2019 02:31
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.Z. posted:Oh maps will never help you in Shinjuku station. Just accept that it is a maze from which you will never escape. Yeah make sure you have a good tent and at least a day's worth of food and water before entering Shinjuku station.
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Jan 18, 2019 02:43
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Navigating Shinjuku station is easy. Go up stairs until you are out of it, then walk to your destination.
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Jan 18, 2019 03:00
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The breadcrumb trail of signage often breaks which is why people get lost in unfamiliar stations, even residents. But my favorite thing is in Tokyo all the private lines have signs pointing in the direction of the specific platform for the specific line. Not JR. JR signs are just a generic "JR lines this way." Which means loving nothing to a tourist trying to find the Joetsu Line or whatever.
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Jan 18, 2019 03:05
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Been using Shinjuku station for the past six months for work. Still don't know my way around it. Like, at all
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Jan 18, 2019 03:06
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ntan1 posted:Navigating Shinjuku station is easy.
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Jan 18, 2019 03:57
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Navigating Shinjuku station is easy. Ride a train and exit at another location.
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Jan 18, 2019 04:34
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Bloodnose posted:Speaking of skiing, where's good for spring skiing? I'm looking at going end of March to early April in the Kanto area and I didn't think of it until seeing Horsebanger's (good name) question that maybe I could still ski then. From my local resorts, Kagura in Naeba, Seki Onsen in Myoko, Hakuba area resorts, and Hiuchi Charmant out on the coast will probably have great skiing around then.
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Jan 18, 2019 04:36
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peanut posted:Navigating Shinjuku station is easy. Big time mood. gently caress that station.
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Jan 18, 2019 06:29
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Nanigans posted: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. Christ, is this what I’m like?
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Jan 18, 2019 11:51
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Pollyanna posted:Christ, is this what I’m like?  Can I expect cool Halloween decorations around shops in Tokyo when I go in early October?
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Jan 18, 2019 14:34
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Pollyanna posted:Christ, is this what I’m like? Pretty much. Of all the travel threads and my experiences of meeting goons. Japan just attracts the gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooniest or newbie travel people. At least they dont' go to South East Asia and end up dead. Rest in peace duckfart or some other goon who died in SEA
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Jan 18, 2019 14:42
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Pollyanna posted:Christ, is this what I’m like? Being self-aware is good.
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Jan 18, 2019 16:43
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caberham posted:Of all the travel threads and my experiences of meeting goons. Japan just attracts the gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooniest Enough about you.
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Jan 18, 2019 18:28
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