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You can't really tour the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as it's the private residence of the royal family, so I wonder if this is a tour of the gardens. Which I recommend, but you're not really gonna see the palace.
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Mar 24, 2023 13:44
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Also don't be nervous, Japan nowadays is an extremely easy place to be a tourist. Especially sticking to the major cities.
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Mar 24, 2023 15:00
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Chekans 3 16 posted:10/16 Head to Tokyo Disney Sea hotel, explore area around it My only suggestion is maybe to find something a little more concrete for this day, the area around Disneysea is just basically some housing and some shipping docks. After being in Japan as long as you have at that point it might seem a little uninteresting to walk around another neighborhood or whatever. Though that's not to say there's *nothing* to see or do but without a car you'll probably not be left with a lot of options (unless you want kind of a rest day, in which case it's fine).
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Mar 24, 2023 17:32
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no need to be anxious, we can work on the big planning stuff, but here’s a list of small stuff: Have SIM card ready, people in the Americas like mobal? But just have a SIM card sent to your home address before you fly. That way when you arrive, there’s instant data Passports, do you guys have passports? Download google translate and google lens, it’s helpful for some menus but just keep on open mind and keep it sharp Suica/IC Card, I would order 2 IC cards so that if you are unfortunate to arrive in NRT, You can go straight through the turnstile and buy your ticket on the platform If you are us resident , Charles Schwab offfers a good international ATM card with 0 fees. Non Americans can look into revolut or wise atm card. Battery pack because you will be out all day Good cardio because you would be hopefully walking 25k steps a day, so stay health and start now!
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Mar 24, 2023 18:09
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AHH F/UGH posted:My only suggestion is maybe to find something a little more concrete for this day, the area around Disneysea is just basically some housing and some shipping docks. After being in Japan as long as you have at that point it might seem a little uninteresting to walk around another neighborhood or whatever. Though that's not to say there's *nothing* to see or do but without a car you'll probably not be left with a lot of options (unless you want kind of a rest day, in which case it's fine). Kasai Rinkai Park is just a stop away and is pretty nice.
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Mar 24, 2023 18:11
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Wonton posted:no need to be anxious, we can work on the big planning stuff, but here’s a list of small stuff: I was debating between a sim card or renting a mobile hot spot. Are SIMs generally better? We're waiting on some name change documents to come in then getting our passports done. Thanks for the other tips. I'm starting walking more now so I'll hopefully be able to keep up. Gabriel Grub posted:You can't really tour the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as it's the private residence of the royal family, so I wonder if this is a tour of the gardens. Which I recommend, but you're not really gonna see the palace. Yeah, it's the tour of the gardens. harperdc posted:One night is fun, but unless there’s a whole town center of hot springs you can walk around (ala Kusatsu, from what I can tell, or Hakone) then that is way too much time stuck in a hotel room with nothing else to do. It has that, centered around a stone staircase lined with shops and restaurants. There's also a ropeway to ride to a local park for hiking and mountain views. Mister Chief posted:You’ll be bored as gently caress after 1 day let alone 3. That'll be fine, I'm going to need the rest days due to wonky feet and we want some time to slow down during the trip.
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Mar 24, 2023 23:11
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Sim 10000%
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Mar 25, 2023 00:39
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Less time tokyo. More time kansai. Trip is a out of balance. Too many amusement parks not enough other stuff.
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Mar 25, 2023 00:43
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US passports are gruesomely backed up at the moment so definitely get the applications in before the end of May. With goog translate download the Japanese dictionary so you have it available if you're somewhere with bad signal. Turn on a PIN on any credit cards you have, if a merchant takes your card at all it will be chip and PIN.
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Mar 25, 2023 01:06
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Waltzing Along posted:Less time tokyo. More time kansai. Trip is a out of balance. Too many amusement parks not enough other stuff. Hotels are mostly booked  I was going off a friend's advice for first time there when plotting out the route. It's only two days at theme parks. The sanrio one is just the store because my wife wants to see it.
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Mar 25, 2023 01:22
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October means festival season in Ehime! Most areas have something but don't publish their info online for tourists. These are the three biggest that will have clear schedules. Matsuyama Oct 5-7 https://shikoku-tourism.com/event/12852 Saijo Oct 14-16 https://shikoku-tourism.com/event/10019 Niihama Oct 16-18 https://shikoku-tourism.com/event/13085 Note that Saijo, Hiroshima usually has their sake festival around this same week.
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Mar 25, 2023 01:25
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Could also download the maps of area you're planning to visit in Google Maps before you head to the airport, so you can save on data 
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Mar 25, 2023 01:26
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Chekans 3 16 posted:
I'm guessing that you are planning to take a highway bus to Ikaho, so the only value you'd get from the rail pass is between tokyo and Osaka and even round trip that won't pay for the pass. Since you have a free day in Tokyo I recommend Teamlab Planets, order the tickets from their website so you don't need to wait in line as long. There is also a ramen shop there that you can eat inside an art exhibit. In Ikaho I recommend you look up a few sites on Google maps and how to get there and have a plan for at least one thing to go to each day. I can't offer specific recommendations because I haven't been there.
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Mar 25, 2023 04:38
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The main thing near Tokyo Disney* is this sort of big mall thing unless they built some damnable thing since I was in the area. There is a train stop I believe. Look for the Disney cosplayers.
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Mar 25, 2023 07:16
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I do not recommend teamlab planets. There are only 7 exhibits and was a big let down after doing borderless. It felt unfinished.
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Mar 25, 2023 07:21
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Wonton posted:Have SIM card ready, people in the Americas like mobal? But just have a SIM card sent to your home address before you fly. That way when you arrive, there’s instant data Throwing in from my recent experience - if your phones support eSIM, get Ubigi in your home country right before you leave and set it up in your phone. That way you can just do a few taps and have data as soon as you get off the plane. It purports 5G support but my Pixel 6a has been showing LTE everywhere. Fast LTE, though. We used Mobal for my wife's non-eSIM phone. We ordered the day before taking off and picked up at Haneda with no trouble at all. It was a bit of a trick to get it working, took a few restarts and redos of their directions, but it worked in the end. Bring a SIM ejector pin, they don't give you one. I don't know if you can order Suica cards in advance. We bought our Pasmo card at Haneda and filled it on the spot. You need cash to do so, but ATMs are everywhere. Google Translate + downloading the Japanese language pack + a lifetime of osmosizing Japanese pop culture = success. It's come extremely in handy and led to some dynamite finds. I was just offhandedly browsing through the J-pop and anime sheet music books at Yamaha's flagship store and came across a whole-rear end book of city pop for guitar. I think I may be the first English language speaker to find it. Then I found even MORE for other instruments. It's OK to do the Translate Hover. Future trip planners, take note: we were heading to the Tokyo National Museum and apparently when it's cherry blossom season, it's food stall season. There was a whole-rear end array of stalls in front of the museum, and also at the Buddhist temple on the way, selling everything from monjayaki to long-rear end French fries to skewered fish grilled over binchotan charcoal, which were delicious. The weather sucked but it was in full swing and booze was flowing wonderfully. I wish it was kosher to take photos of crowds, words don't describe the breadth of fun-rear end food. Midjack posted:Turn on a PIN on any credit cards you have, if a merchant takes your card at all it will be chip and PIN. Also, call your credit card and ATM card issuers in advance to let them know you'll be overseas. Dealing with a fraud alert may not be a fun thing on a vacation. MJP fucked around with this message at 09:53 on Mar 25, 2023 |
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Mar 25, 2023 09:51
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That reminded me to check and it looks like Bank of America, at least, doesn’t do travel notices anymore. They just alert you on “unusual” activity. Aite I’m outies. cya @ kix Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 10:54 on Mar 25, 2023 |
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Mar 25, 2023 10:45
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MJP posted:I wish it was kosher to take photos of crowds, words don't describe the breadth of fun-rear end food. ? You can absolutely take photos like the 500 people around you who had their phones out doing it.
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Mar 25, 2023 12:38
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Grand Fromage posted:? You can absolutely take photos like the 500 people around you who had their phones out doing it.
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Mar 25, 2023 18:12
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I'm probably looking at things through very rose-colored glasses, but the service employees in Japan seem much happier than the service employees in the US. I've also been making jokes about the "Japanese full employment program," because there are a ton of little things, like the large number of docents at the museums, people employed in the larger train stations just to help people buy tickets, people in the airport just to direct foot traffic, etc., in addition to all the usual service employee stuff seeming much better staffed (I don't think I've seen a single convenience store staffed by fewer than two people, even in the middle of the night). I looked up the unemployment rate here, and it's crazy low. Is there a good primer somewhere about how life is for the bottom 50% of earners in Japan? Are my observations wildly off-base, and there's just a lot more social pressure to act like you like your job here, things suck just as much here as they do in the US, and I'm just not picking up on it?
Ham Equity fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Mar 26, 2023 |
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Mar 26, 2023 02:26
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The minimum wage night shift conbini worker is being polite to you because they would get fired for being rude. They don't actually like you nor are they super stoked about selling Pocari Sweat to drunk people.
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Mar 26, 2023 02:43
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Grand Fromage posted:The minimum wage night shift conbini worker is being polite to you because they would get fired for being rude. They don't actually like you nor are they super stoked about selling Pocari Sweat to drunk people. Pocari Sweat is the closest thing to magic in this world. Never fails to prevent a hangover.
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Mar 26, 2023 02:49
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I sometimes volunteer here with an organisation who help out the working poor and homeless. There's people who hate their lovely jobs with long hours and low pay, just like there is in any other country. They come back every day to their one room apartment that can barely fit a bed. Half of these people are over 50 so they'll be doing this until they die. Despite that, there's things that they still enjoy doing: public baths, cheap izakayas, etc. that work if they have friends to do those things with. I find that there's others who struggle but it's moreso from loneliness than poverty per se, but I can only speak for my experience in the city, not suburban areas.
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Mar 26, 2023 02:52
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Ham Equity posted:I'm probably looking at things through very rose-colored glasses, but the service employees in Japan seem much happier than the service employees in the US. I've also been making jokes about the "Japanese full employment program," because there are a ton of little things, like the large number of docents at the museums, people employed in the larger train stations just to help people buy tickets, people in the airport just to direct foot traffic, etc., in addition to all the usual service employee stuff seeming much better staffed (I don't think I've seen a single convenience store staffed by fewer than two people, even in the middle of the night). I looked up the unemployment rate here, and it's crazy low. Is there a good primer somewhere about how life is for the bottom 50% of earners in Japan? Are my observations wildly off-base, and there's just a lot more social pressure to act like you like your job here, things suck just as much here as they do in the US, and I'm just not picking up on it? They're just better at pretending.
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Mar 26, 2023 03:07
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I think the part where it contributes to total employment rates is legit though. I remember reading about this level of inefficient-distribution-as-employment-project decades ago, and it sounds like it hasn't yet changed.
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Mar 26, 2023 06:37
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It's easier to live life in Japan when you're a low income earner when compared to the US. Being poor in the US is very expensive. In Japan rent is affordable, public infrastructure is great, food is relatively affordable and healthy, public safety nets are a lot more strong, universal health care is available, more options for being social and close to your friends etc. All these things add up to the general well being and happiness of people.
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Mar 26, 2023 07:59
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Why do you hate our freedom?!
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Mar 26, 2023 08:56
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Yeah I'd rather be a poor worker in Japan than the US, no question. I'm just seeing a lot of posts like "wow this waitress at Hooters really likes me!" because conbini workers are required to be polite and chuckling about it.
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Mar 26, 2023 11:35
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Grand Fromage posted:Yeah I'd rather be a poor worker in Japan than the US, no question. I'm just seeing a lot of posts like "wow this waitress at Hooters really likes me!" because conbini workers are required to be polite and chuckling about it. Staffing levels really do seem much higher, though, which seems like it would offer a higher quality of life, even if the job and pay still suck. Charles 2 of Spain posted:I sometimes volunteer here with an organisation who help out the working poor and homeless. There's people who hate their lovely jobs with long hours and low pay, just like there is in any other country. They come back every day to their one room apartment that can barely fit a bed. Half of these people are over 50 so they'll be doing this until they die. Despite that, there's things that they still enjoy doing: public baths, cheap izakayas, etc. that work if they have friends to do those things with. I find that there's others who struggle but it's moreso from loneliness than poverty per se, but I can only speak for my experience in the city, not suburban areas. I really appreciate the insight, thank you.
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Mar 26, 2023 12:21
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One other thing about service: my friend works in customer relations for USJ. He told me one time he had to travel all the way to Yokohama to personally apologise to a high-roller customer because they had a bad time at the park. On the other hand he's also one of the friendliest humans on the planet so maybe that job just really suits him.
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Mar 26, 2023 12:59
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If you’re touring the area and have any mastery of the language, even being able to read or say just a little, then I highly recommend going through some example canned phrases for things like “I have a (hotel) reservation” and “I would like to buy a ticket to ___”. You’re going to be absolutely flavor blasted after long flights and trains and having to cobble together a sentence on demand is a serious pain, so practice that poo poo in advance. God, I’m tired. But so far so good!
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Mar 27, 2023 03:41
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Japanese service is like a boomer's dream come true. Staff have to be polite and pretend to be friendly because Japanese customers expect that high level of service and even just saying something using incorrect formality phrases might set the wrong customer off and then they have to deeply apologize and endure a rough talkdown by an abusive manager. All without having to worry about tipping! If you read online reviews of places here by Japanese people, almost every negative review is about the service and not about the quality of the product itself, and often it's a very petty complaint.
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Mar 27, 2023 06:16
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It's probably a lot easier to fake being nice to people when you don't have to worry that the guy who shoots you to steal your cash register money is going to bankrupt you with medical debt like we do in the US. I say this as someone who has had a gun pointed at me when my bank branch got robbed back in the day when worked as a teller
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Mar 27, 2023 06:51
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Speaking of online reviews, for people who have never traveled to Japan should put a lot less weight on Google Reviews than they probably do back home. Even a restaurant with a 3.5 could have amazing food and like what the poster said above, a lot of the negative reviews are due to service.
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Mar 27, 2023 08:01
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3.5/5 is actually a decent score because not everything has to be 1/5 or 5/5
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Mar 27, 2023 08:23
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Original_Z posted:If you read online reviews of places here by Japanese people, almost every negative review is about the service and not about the quality of the product itself, and often it's a very petty complaint. I fuckin love reading one star reviews here. They're incredibly petty, it's great. "Best food I've ever had in my life but the lady at the counter screamed welcome at 65 decibels instead of the proper 70, 1/5"
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Mar 27, 2023 09:25
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What's something one can do in Tokyo that involves being off your feet for a long period of time and isn't in a hotel room? Even our "let's take it easy" day turned into an endurance walk fest. Don't make my mistake, people, hydrate more than you think you need getting around.
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Mar 27, 2023 11:49
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Some type of show perhaps - baseball / basketball game, sumo, Kabuki show etc
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Mar 27, 2023 11:53
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MJP posted:What's something one can do in Tokyo that involves being off your feet for a long period of time and isn't in a hotel room? Even our "let's take it easy" day turned into an endurance walk fest. Don't make my mistake, people, hydrate more than you think you need getting around. go get a bunch of beers/chuhai/snacks from a conbini and chill at yoyogi
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Mar 27, 2023 11:59
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| # ? May 11, 2024 11:46 |
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Original_Z posted:even just saying something using incorrect formality phrase The more helpful a Japanese person is trying to be, the less likely I am to know what they're telling me.
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Mar 27, 2023 12:16
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