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hi anyone have any experience driving in the snow? basically what I am asking is if I need to bring chains just in case if I have a car rented that has winter/studless tires.
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Nov 17, 2016 20:29
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They do have ABS. In any case, I checked the rules and winter tires should be enough to get past chain control. The rest is mostly straight forward 
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Nov 18, 2016 20:27
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zmcnulty posted:Having just been to Kanazawa for the first time this past weekend, I'd say don't bother going if you'll be in Kyoto anyway. Unless you're really really into sushi or sake. Everyone there is so depressed too, even for Japanese Legit question, what made it that depressing? Kanazawa is one of the two only major areas of JP I haven't been to (Shikoku being the other) and I'm planning on going there next fall possibly, so I'm legit curious as to why. Also what if I do love sushi and nihonshu?
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Dec 1, 2016 23:39
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I have a valid college student visa to Japan but returned my zairyu card, and every single time I go as a tourist they still have to press a manual override key to bypass and give me a tourist visa. Usually takes them an extra 3 minutes to double check.
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Dec 5, 2016 11:02
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peanut posted:and I wish ntan sempai would post more. hi!!! I got back in October from Hokkaido/Aomori, visiting the eastern side of Hokkaido which I hadn't been to before (along with south and west Hokkaido) on a 1000km or so road trip. Someday when i'm not lazy I'll actually process all of those pictures. PS: If you are going to places like Kanazawa, and even possibly to Kyoto from Tokyo, consider checking the availability of ANA and JAL flights. Both of those airlines offer 10800yen post-tax tickets per flight to any destination from Haneda, and JAL/ANA don't try to screw you over on fees for things like baggage like airlines in the US. A Shinkansen ticket one way is often something like 13000yen (unless you're using a JR pass). Also, the only requirements for these tickets are that you be a nonresident of Japan and have a ticket to/from the country. And, if you're lucky, you can often see flight tickets for even cheaper.
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Dec 7, 2016 09:08
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What days? What type of things are you looking to do? Jan 1-4 are often expensive and booked due to new years. Otherwise, it's perfect for an Onsen stay. Random Recs: Arima Onsen Kobe Himeji Koyasan Stretch: Kiso Valley (warning snow/winter weather) Izu Penninsula Kinosaki (Onsen) Isejima Fuji Goko and Hakone are obvious trips as well, but I don't like these two because they are priced out and very known for foreign tourists now. *edit* Yeah, if you aren't planning on doing Nara and need something to do, definitely go there. I just automatically assumed you were, since everybody who does Tokyo/Kyoto does. Nagoya's a large city with decent food and all, but in all honesty, I think Osaka/Tokyo both overshadow it unless you travel in Japan a lot or have particular food tastes. ntan1 fucked around with this message at 09:47 on Dec 7, 2016 |
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Dec 7, 2016 09:44
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Aredna posted:Nagoya: Ya that planetarium is pretty cool. Same with the Toyota factory.
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Dec 8, 2016 04:02
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Hey peanut, is November a good time to visit shikoku? The weather looks like it's pretty good around then and I'm betting there's good colors. Basically I'm trying to decide between doing shikoku/kyushu or niigata/kanazawa for next November, and the the latter is kind of losing due to poo poo weather around that time. Shikoku and northern Chuubu are the only two areas of Japan I haven't really been to, and I figure it might be time for Shikoku. I wish I could do the Shimanami Kaido but I'd probably be going with my mother who probably cant ride 80km on a bike.
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Dec 13, 2016 20:21
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nominomi
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Dec 14, 2016 07:32
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caberham posted:I'm back from Tokyo and was so sad when the 7-11 clerks are no longer polite I'm super envious of you an the fact that you have 3 hour flights to Japan and have directs to places other than Tokyo, but then I forget that you have to deal with working in China/Hong Kong and that's kinda poo. Eastdrom posted:Just finished 5 nights in Nozawa Onsen and i don't want to go home. The town is cozy as hell and onsens are fabulous. It only took one night before i shook the feeling of being cooked like an egg. Yeah I keep telling people to avoid Kyoto during peak season and to perhaps go to an Onsen for a couple of days and/or go somewhere else, but nobody believes me  . And then they go to Kyoto and say that it was beautiful but too crowded.
ntan1 fucked around with this message at 10:35 on Dec 15, 2016 |
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Dec 15, 2016 10:31
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Phone posted:It looks like I'm going to be back less than 6 weeks after my late March visit next year. Avoid Golden Week. Northwest coast of Japan may not be the best, because there's a lot of rain there. May still has some hanami up in the mountains, like nikko/aizu and maybe nagano.
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Dec 15, 2016 20:45
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zmcnulty posted:Abashiri and Shiretoko in February, anyone have recommendations? So far we are looking at: Despite winter weather, I'd probably say it's still fine to drive in that area. But you know just as well as I do lol. Otherwise I cant give that much input as we were there in fall instead The area up to Goko is closed in the winter, but I think they have snow shoeing there. Abashiri prison is worth it. Eat as much Hokke as you possibly can. We stayed at the following minshuku while there and both were very solid. お宿来羅玖 あら鷲
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Dec 17, 2016 19:55
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The abashiri prison goes into very big detail about what the new prison looks like and how the conditions are very humane and things. ;_;
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Dec 18, 2016 03:59
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english 6 was already announced. But tbh I don't think they can get the feel of Onomichi right in English. Game was good.
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Dec 18, 2016 08:55
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Hi is there a particular reason to visit Kochi as opposed to the other three prefectures of Shikoku. I'm visiting the other three but Kochi is kind of sad and lonely right now and its mascot is trying to impress me but has downs. 
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Dec 22, 2016 01:18
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Argona posted:Hey guys, I'm planning a Japan trip for the tail end of March into April (3/25 to 4/8) with a buddy of mine. I've gotten some advice from another friend who went last year and I just wanted to make sure what i'm planning isn't missing anything in particular. I know that its the cherry blossom season, so hopefully i'll be able to see that as well. that's really rushed, including the day trips Hakone and Kamakura if you're planning on hiking (without staying a day at each). They are both doable in one day, and I've done both separately before, but doing multiple day trips in a day may become tiring, especially since you are going to Kyoto on the next day right after. Hiroshima: one day is probably not enough to see both at a relaxing pace. One night plus some time the next morning would probably be enough, if those are the only two things you want to see. Arima onsen: if you havent stayed at an onsen before, stay the night there.
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Dec 22, 2016 02:41
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Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen, Shimanami Kaido, Iya Valley, possibly along the coast around Naruto, Kotohira, and Takamatsu. In fall so not as many festivals (because gently caress humid weather). Preference for Onsen, of which we will hit a poo poo ton in Kyushu, and a couple in Shikoku. And yeah, I've been to so many downtowns/castles that yet another one probably isn't special.
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Dec 22, 2016 09:27
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There are a few things left in Motomachi, but a lot of it is no longer there. Yokohama has a lot for people living in Tokyo, and I went there quite a few times and enjoyed it while living in Kanagawa, but Tokyo really does overshadow it for tourists.
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Dec 22, 2016 09:44
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peanut posted:Nagoma on Ohshima, Imabari, Ehime. 1man per person including two huge fantastic meals. You need a car to get there, or they have a shuttle bus that will pick you up from the ferry port. tyty. LyonsLions posted:There's an amazing onsen in the iya valley that's right by the side of a river, I can't remember the name offhand but will look it up. Kochi has a few nice onsen, too, if you do make it there. Kure has Kuroshiohonjin, which overlooks the ocean and is really nice. It's also near Tengu Kogen, a mountain lookout point near the headwaters of the Shimanto river. Actually that whole mountain area is beautiful. There are the two capes, Muroto and Ashizuri, which are really lovely and worth the visit but a lot of driving to get to. In Kagawa there is the Shionoe onsen town in the south of Takamatsu. My favorite "hidden" onsen, Sanuki Onsen, is off the main road a bit but really nice with great outdoor baths. Yeah, I'm trying to find one in Iya, since it looks really nice and isolated. I'll keep the others in mind when I plan. I'm trying to slightly decrease the amount of driving this time (1000km total in Hokkaido/Aomori in October), but then again Shikoku is p small comparably.
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Dec 22, 2016 18:41
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photomikey posted:That oakwood is US $340/night and my spawn would have to sleep on the couch. I may stay there, but I'm checking out other options. How much are you looking to pay? Luxury hotels in Japan in the tier of the Park Hyatt/Mandarin Oriental/Four Seasons are around at least $700-800 per night for two people. Luxury VRBOs are uncommon in Tokyo.
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Dec 29, 2016 20:05
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Sefal posted:Could use feedback on this. That's a ridiculous number of days in Tokyo. Tokyo is a pretty cool city for those of you living there, but unless you have a very particular interest in large cities and or really really love to shop, that's quite a long time for a tourist. Recommendations out of Tokyo include: Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone, Kusatsu, Izu Hantou Is there a particular reason you want to be at Takachiho for basically 3 days? I could be satisfied with 1.5 - 2 easily, at a relaxed pace. Yufuin technically has better onsen than Beppu. Kurokawa is better than both if you want peace and quiet with your onsen. You're taking a plane back to Tokyo from Beppu right? How are you getting there from Kyoto?
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Jan 9, 2017 07:41
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zmcnulty posted:Any idea how this came to be? There are laws requiring allergen info to be listed on packaged food, so obviously even some Japanese people are allergic. It would be one thing if like only 1 in 1000 Japanese people had an allergy compared to 1 in 10 gaijins but afaik this isn't the case. Is it? It is, for the ones you are interested in (ie, fish allergy is rarer across most Asians, excluding some regions). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3563019/
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Jan 11, 2017 09:04
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I'm allergic to bad food. Does anybody have any recommendations for Japan?
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Jan 12, 2017 01:24
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Ok my mother is really into onsen and kind of wants to stop by Japan on the way back to the US from Asia. Does anyone have any recs for any hotels/onsens that are somewhat cheap (ie that she could stay for like 4-5 days) that also allow for single person stay? Water quality is kinda important. I haven't really looked into hitoritabi very much . Honestly the kaiseki is optional.
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Jan 16, 2017 21:25
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*EDIT* Oh she abandoned the plan. Anyway thanks for the help. I was hoping that she sort of would because she's old and can't understand Japanese. ntan1 fucked around with this message at 03:59 on Jan 17, 2017 |
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Jan 17, 2017 02:59
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goth smoking cloves posted:Hello thread, I was thinking about visiting Japan for my next vacation and I just had a quick question: Is 10 days long enough? It can be. I usually make mine 2 weeks just because this is personally what I find ideal. Some people have preference for shorter or longer, depending on person.
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Jan 23, 2017 22:08
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no, yes, and it's really hot but not taiwan hot
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Jan 28, 2017 04:17
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Have you tried the Sasebo Burger? Sasebo is the first place where Japanese burger was ever made. In 1950, American soldier at US base in Sasebo, taught Sasebo people how to make Burger. There are many Hamburger shops which open over 50 years. They make the best burgers in Japan because Burger shops in Sasebo have to make the best taste for both Japanese and Americans. Sasebo Burger makes that classic Japanese style burger in Tokyo. Their policy is "making the best burger in the world, and let all people in the world taste their burger which make them one precious moment of happiness.
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Feb 6, 2017 19:32
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photomikey posted:How is Google Fi working in Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, specifically), and should I rent one of those WiFi things as a backup? Google Fi will allow you to get you through the entirety of Japan, and works extremely well. You will be on LTE, with no strict data cap, and no Wifi thing is required as backup. Reports of the 256kbps data cap are from a couple of years back, and you will not be limited on networks. I've used it even in very remote places.
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Feb 27, 2017 18:49
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Qwazes posted:I don't really have a life plan, this is mostly a holding pattern so I can get a feel for research and what I might like to study for a PhD, or if I just want to go into industry. That said, living in another country semi-permanently sounds fun, so I'd definitely consider it if I liked the city. Sorry, this is a very complicated question to answer, and I don't really think any one person here or in any of the Japanese LAN can give you a definite answer. We'd encourage you to take risks, as getting multiple perspectives and living in another country makes you more open to things/people/views in general. At the same time, I definitely faced burnout when studying abroad in Japan and do know that others do as well. However, I still wouldn't take back or have made a different decision reflecting about it. Living abroad made me really think about what my personal values are and what I wanted from my career goals. Just keep in mind that culture shock can be a very real thing and affects everybody differently. Sometimes, you also wont understand or be ready for the culture shock (if you do face it) until you're in the country for a while as well.
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Mar 7, 2017 00:42
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Don't go to skytree go to the tokyo metropolitan on a weekday instead. If you plan on sleeping normally at like 12am or 1am anywhere is fine (within yamanote and near a train station) if you plan on partying 24/7 then you want to be near shibuya. or roppongi if youre that sort of person or kabukicho if you're that sort of person
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Mar 9, 2017 18:51
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spending extra money for a ridiculous amount of space in Tokyo isnt worth it imho and I'd just honestly do a business hotel or whatever cheap hotel that meets your criteria. Just get an extra room or something if you need to.
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Mar 13, 2017 03:53
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peanut posted:We book for two adults. Futons are easiest, but if it's two beds, my husband gets his own bed, I share with our 6 yo, and the 1 yo sleeps on extra blankets on the floor. yeah this too. At this point, it sounds like you'll be happy with an expensive western hotel. Go ahead with whatever you want, if that will give you ease of mind. PS: you're not making the tuna auctions if you get there at 5AM. You're going to have to get there before 2AM. Also, the Tuna auctions are not worth it.
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Mar 13, 2017 18:00
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Piano Maniac posted:Also what's the deal with smoking? I thought everybody smoked like chimneys here in Japan, but instead it's like that one episode from Black Books where smokers are being huddled into small cramped smoking areas instead. I just wanna vape, drat it, not reek like ciggy smoke all the time! That was 5 years ago. Welcome to the modern age. Have you considered not smoking/vaping at all?
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Mar 14, 2017 02:07
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I'm a big onsen nerd and strongly prefer onsen that are 源泉掛け流し (Gensen kakenagashi). This guarantees: 1) no chlorine 2) spring water comes directly from the source, through flow 3) spring water is not heated or boiled, and other normal water is not added. Basically, chlorine is the absolute killer and I very strongly would not want to stay at a place with baths that have chlorine. The other two are preferences. Also, sometimes I personally like spring water that certain types of minerals (and not simple springs). Both of the places zmcnulty suggested are not gensen. But keep in mind that most people do not give any fucks about the quality of their water, at long as there isn't chlorine. PS: In my experience private onsen connected to your room are absolutely not worth it for the price tag. Usually it's like at least 5000 yen extra per person, and the private baths tend to be somewhat small. Private rental onsen can be worth it, but really only if you are with somebody of the opposite sex. Japanese people tend to be pretty quiet when using the onsen (especially on the mens side, where everybody just wants to soak and relax) and most people dont really talk that much. If they do, it's usually pretty quiet. However, certain cultures of foreigners are legitimately the worst. Specifically, foreigners who are loud/dont clean/talk in the baths/insert towels into water/spit/etc. The tour groups are the most terrible, and I hate staying in places with large foreign tour groups from other countries. ntan1 fucked around with this message at 00:51 on Mar 15, 2017 |
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Mar 15, 2017 00:45
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zmcnulty posted:Yeah you'll notice none of that unless you too are an onsen nerd. Being anal about gensen kakenagashi drastically reduces your options, it's fairly rare even within onsen towns. There are surprisingly a ridiculous number of them, although the large ones less so because they need to pump so much water. quote:Also "certain cultures of foreigners," lol just say Chinese hey sometimes Koreans can be annoying too.
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Mar 16, 2017 00:17
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Stringent posted:The best thing to see in Osaka is the shinkansen to Tokyo pulling in. pinging caberham
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Mar 16, 2017 07:25
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Traditional kaiseki in general is better in Kyoto (since thats the founding region for it). Tokyo has some very good modern kaiseki, but you typically have to spend for it. I actually like the Tokyo ones better, just because modern chefs are super experimental and cool that way, but I'm sure some obaasan would adamantly say i'm wrong. Personally, I've been to so many ryokans and had various levels of kaiseki that at this point I will tell you that main thing that's cool about kaiseki is that you get a variety of flavors, similar to a tasting menu. Most ryokans have decent kaiseki, but every once in a while I get a place that blows me away.
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Mar 22, 2017 08:37
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hi coming in to just say that Den in Tokyo is currently my favorite restaurant i've ever been to thank you. also the lady at zanmai kind of stared at me when I ordered 13 plates of the 5-piece bluefin tuna set for my table of like 4.
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Mar 25, 2017 02:47
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for people in japan jr pass is often not worth it as well. just grab an unreserved seat on a shinkansen. If you're lazy, you can do it at a JR station. There are also some discounts in random travel shops throughout tokyo. (as long as you arent doing this on golden week)
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Mar 26, 2017 02:18
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