|
Kotohira is ideal for tourists, but I have no experience with hotels there. Shikoku Aquarium is the first place that made like like dolphins. There are both luxury ryokan and hippie hostels in the Oboke/Koboke area along the train line. Iya Valley and Kazurabashi is pretty cool but my favorite is the Oboke river boat tour and the Yokai and Gemstone museum. Yokai House https://maps.app.goo.gl/rmNCpMq7TDNRNEL26 Sunriver Oboke hotel has an outdoor bath with a view of the railroad bridge. Happy Raft has bilingual/international staff. Kochi would be an ideal spot to make friends with locals at an izakaya and get very very drunk.
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 05:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 27, 2024 05:30 |
|
|
Jeza posted:To those who know Shikoku, does that sound reasonable? En route places like Kotohira/near Iya Valley? Kotohira is good. If you don't mind stairs, go all the way to the top. How do you feel about udon? I don't think there's anything to eat there that isn't udon. I think Yashima is also worth a visit if you will be spending time in Takamatsu. If you have the time, I suggest walking down the north side where you can check out the caves where people hid during the Genpei wars and then at the bottom there's Nagasaki no Hana, which I think is the northern-most point in Shikoku and there's a cannon there that the local warlord installed in I think the 1850s but I don't remember what the story was on that. The only problem is that if you don't have a car, you will probably have to walk back up the mountain to catch the bus back to town. If you can be there around sunset, I'm pretty sure the sunset looking west from that point of land over the sea is the most beautiful I've ever seen anywhere.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 05:49
|
|
|
My geography and map memory is awful, but if I remember right that Sunriver Oboke place isn’t crazy far (if you’re driving) from a few destinations like the peeing boy statue, the vine bridges and the town with all the dolls.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 07:56
|
|
|
@Jeza Stop by Go Go Curry for me and get a medium #1, the working office man's curry straight from Kanazawa. gently caress Coco Curry, trash 
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 10:00
|
|
|
I know the entry and visa restriction lifting is fairly recent so maybe this doesn't yet exist, but has anyone seen any accounts of what it's like to actually enter Japan right now? The logistics of proving your travel and accommodations were booked with a legit travel agency feels like it could either be some lengthy drawn out process with an embassy/consulate in your home country pre-flight, or just showing a printout of some booking on official letterhead when you enter customs after landing in JP.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 11:38
|
|
|
AHH F/UGH posted:Stop by Go Go Curry for me and get a medium #1, the working office man's curry straight from Kanazawa.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 12:17
|
|
|
Question Mark Mound posted:My geography and map memory is awful, but if I remember right that Sunriver Oboke place isn’t crazy far (if you’re driving) from a few destinations like the peeing boy statue, the vine bridges and the town with all the dolls. My friend went to doll village recently and said the scarecrows are too spooky
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 12:46
|
|
|
The creepy doll town is actually pretty far from Oboke, I want to say about an hour?, but if you go there you're already halfway to Mt. Tsurugi, which is worth a visit if you have the time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 13:51
|
|
|
Charles 2 of Spain posted:I've got their T-shirt but the curry is terrible. Boo this man Kanazawa curry rules I bet you like corn on pizza too, don't you, you monster
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2022 19:53
|
|
|
AHH F/UGH posted:Boo this man every time i read one of these i giggle to myself at the thought of some corner of 2ch or something where japanese guys are raving about how mind blowing applebees or chili's or something like that was when they visited the US that one time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 06:05
|
|
|
I just landed in Japan, and the immigration at Narita was quite busier than I expected. Things seem to be picking up. Having said that, does anyone have recommendations on Kyoto? I'll likely be at the Park Hyatt Kyoto but otherwise, open to recommendations. Also torn on flying from Haneda or taking the Shinkansen.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 09:00
|
|
|
i fly airplanes posted:Also torn on flying from Haneda or taking the Shinkansen. Flying... from Tokyo to Kyoto? Absolutely do not do that lmao. Shinkansen is better in every way.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 09:19
|
|
|
peanut posted:My friend went to doll village recently and said the scarecrows are too spooky
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 09:29
|
|
|
i fly airplanes posted:Also torn on flying from Haneda or taking the Shinkansen. You’d have to be landing in Osaka right? So you go by train to Haneda, go through the check-in, wait and fly, get out of the airport, take probably an hour-plus train or bus from there…or take the Shinkansen from Tokyo/Shinagawa, relax and ride, and then get a taxi from Kyoto Station. (Tokyo to Hiroshima or Fukuoka is my personal thoughts on the flying/bullet train break-even on time). some kinda jackal posted:I know the entry and visa restriction lifting is fairly recent so maybe this doesn't yet exist, but has anyone seen any accounts of what it's like to actually enter Japan right now? I wonder how much of this is rolled into the check-in app they have, or if that is now even required due to the PCR test removal now. Will have to ask around.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 10:04
|
|
|
I would even be willing to spend a little more time on the train just because I'm settled in for the entire time and it's way more comfortable, whereas even with the same amount of time, I'd have to do a bunch of moving around and other stuff if I fly. All the way to Fukuoka I could see flying, but even Hiroshima, I think I'd rather take the train. And isn't the Hiroshima airport way out in the middle of nowhere and a pain to get to? Maybe it's either not true or hasn't been that way for a while, but I seem to remember that when I looked into flying to Hiroshima.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 10:48
|
|
|
Grand Fromage posted:Flying... from Tokyo to Kyoto? Absolutely do not do that lmao. Shinkansen is better in every way. nothing wrong with it, if youre going straight from the airport itll probably take about is quick and will likely be cheaper
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 10:52
|
|
|
Thank you all for suggestions, will check out and report soon. Was getting a bit caught up in birthday stuff.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 12:44
|
|
|
totalnewbie posted:And isn't the Hiroshima airport way out in the middle of nowhere and a pain to get to? Maybe it's either not true or hasn't been that way for a while, but I seem to remember that when I looked into flying to Hiroshima. It's like a 40 minute direct bus ride to the city centre, so not as convenient as airports with train connections, but it's not that bad.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 13:58
|
|
|
harperdc posted:(Tokyo to Hiroshima or Fukuoka is my personal thoughts on the flying/bullet train break-even on time). looking at investors fact sheets the shinkansen captures like 2/3 of the market for travel between tokyo-hiroshima against airlines while it captures just 10% of the tokyo-fukuoka market, so the break-even time is probably around hiroshima?
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 14:34
|
|
|
totalnewbie posted:I would even be willing to spend a little more time on the train just because I'm settled in for the entire time and it's way more comfortable, whereas even with the same amount of time, I'd have to do a bunch of moving around and other stuff if I fly. Worldwide I find trains are almost everything I like about flying without almost everything I hate about flying. Train stations are almost always in the middle of town whereas airports are farther away so that extra transit time has to be factored in too; given all that I'll choose a somewhat longer train ride unless time is critical or I get a screaming deal on plane tickets.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 16:29
|
|
|
ive met a few foreigners obsessed with curry and go go curry in particular. they were all weirdo brits
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 17:13
|
|
|
Booked my ticket to Haneda. Now just time to jump through the hoops. Does anyone have a preferred or recommended certified tour operator?
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 18:26
|
|
|
Omerta posted:Booked my ticket to Haneda. Now just time to jump through the hoops. Does anyone have a preferred or recommended certified tour operator? I thought you had to do the tour operator first, and they bought all the tickets, including the flight. Man, this whole thing is a mess.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 18:33
|
|
|
BB2K posted:nothing wrong with it, if youre going straight from the airport itll probably take about is quick and will likely be cheaper The shinkansen goes from downtown to downtown in two hours. There's a train every ten minutes so you don't need to give a moment's thought to scheduling. There's no waiting in lines, no security bullshit, no bag restrictions, all the leg room you could ever need, you just waltz on with your ekiben and a sack full of Strong Zero and chill out. If you fly that short a distance you're a chump deserving of scorn and mockery.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:09
|
|
|
Waltzing Along posted:I thought you had to do the tour operator first, and they bought all the tickets, including the flight. That's the official guidance but it doesn't seem to be being enforced at all. https://www.j-g-a.org/erfs.html is the agency/product that most people seem to be going for, and they just rubber stamp your own bookings. I've seen a few reports of people successfully entering this week using them
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:32
|
|
|
No Mods No Masters posted:That's the official guidance but it doesn't seem to be being enforced at all. $300 per person? hahahahahahah. E: I forgot the borked exchange rate. So like $225 per person.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:36
|
|
|
Yeah the yen situation makes it a little better. In either case that's getting off light compared to booking everything through an agency 99% of the time I would think
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:39
|
|
|
Waltzing Along posted:$300 per person? hahahahahahah. If you just GOTTA BE THERE NOW you're gonna pay for the privilege.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:39
|
|
|
I have to imagine that going through a tour operator will be equally as expensive. They’re going to mark whatever they book for you up enough to make a profit. If this is still in effect in May I’ll easily pay $300 for the convenience of a rubber stamp.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2022 19:47
|
|
|
Shibawanko posted:ive met a few foreigners obsessed with curry and go go curry in particular. they were all weirdo brits That's not fair, considering how 100% of Brits in Japan are verifiable weirdos
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 03:34
|
|
|
Grand Fromage posted:The shinkansen goes from downtown to downtown in two hours. There's a train every ten minutes so you don't need to give a moment's thought to scheduling. There's no waiting in lines, no security bullshit, no bag restrictions, all the leg room you could ever need, you just waltz on with your ekiben and a sack full of Strong Zero and chill out. If you fly that short a distance you're a chump deserving of scorn and mockery. Just for the record, there actually are luggage restrictions now, though it's still more generous than most domestic flights. https://www.jrpass.com/blog/how-much-luggage-can-i-bring-on-the-shinkansen-and-japanese-trains DiscoJ fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Sep 11, 2022 |
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 05:36
|
|
|
I wasn't specific, I meant like bringing liquids and stuff. You don't have to deal with any of that. Don't bring 12 suitcases.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 06:49
|
|
|
If a one-time fee of $300 is deal breaker for a 2-3 week trip, you shouldn't be traveling.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 08:14
|
|
|
Jerry Manderbilt posted:looking at investors fact sheets the shinkansen captures like 2/3 of the market for travel between tokyo-hiroshima against airlines while it captures just 10% of the tokyo-fukuoka market, so the break-even time is probably around hiroshima? That sounds fair, I was thinking more in terms of what I’d want to do. But it’s also based on memory of a friend who visited me from Tokyo out in Kyushu by the slow Shinkansen.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 08:37
|
|
|
Rumor is all the remaining restrictions are going away in October (and these newspaper rumors have usually been correct) so no reason to rush into all the visa and itinerary stuff anyway.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 09:15
|
|
|
If you see a "rumor" in Japan it has already been 100% confirmed. God I hope they let the gaijin in just in time for Shibuya Halloween.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 09:30
|
|
|
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, whoever that is, apparently said something vaguely along those lines on a TV program. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/11/national/japan-tourism/ quote:Japan is reviewing its border control policy of keeping daily entries below 50,000 and will remove it in the “not so distant future,” a government spokesman said Sunday.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 10:48
|
|
|
AHH F/UGH posted:That's not fair, considering how 100% of Brits in Japan are verifiable weirdos See, this is why I hesitate to go. I don't wanna be one of 'em. Embarrass myself enough in my native country as is.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 11:31
|
|
|
WarpedNaba posted:See, this is why I hesitate to go. I don't wanna be one of 'em. If you have this much self awareness you're in no danger of being one of them. You'll be fine.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 15:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 27, 2024 05:30 |
|
|
I'm all the people who've been threatening for months that they won't come and spend their money now excitedly planning out their 2 week tour.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2022 15:46
|
|