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Me and my partner are in japan for about 3 weeks starting late april. Got most of it figured out, as we've both been before, but it will be our first time going to Sapporo. We'll be there for about 4 nights, would like recomended areas to stay in if any of you guys can help? Also cool stuff to see, with a preference for historic temples and modern cultural stuff (resteraunts and bars that aren't super touristy). Neither of us are very weeby but will consider nerdy stuff too.
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Mar 16, 2019 11:13
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| # ¿ May 15, 2024 17:00 |
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Hey thread! Heading back to Japan from Australia with my waifu on the 20th and hitting Kyoto, Hiroshima, Sapporo and Tokyo. Already posted some Sapporo specific stuff but I'm gonna be posting all week leading up to the flight with random requests. Sorry y'all. We've both been before but not with each other. Our main goals are to eat and drink lots of cool stuff. I'd like to know about cool Japanese dishes other than sushi and ramen that we wouldn't have tried in Western Japanese resteraunts. Neither of us are huge on seafood, but enjoy crab and stuff like that more than fish. Last time I went I really enjoyed Izakaya food in particular, tried cool stuff like chicken arteries skewer and beef tataki that you wouldn't get here. I'd love to know more about great Izakayas, the dishes and etiquette for them. I'm big on craft beer, any cool destinations/breweries/brands I should look out for? We'd also like to try some old school Japanese cocktail/jazz/piano/speakeasy kinda bars, any cool recommendations? A friend suggested Little Smith in Ginza? Also, what are dress requirements for these kinda venues? My partner and I are both moderately heavily tattooed, and I was only planning on traveling with a pair of vans. Finally, my partner is not as nerdy as me so I won't be trawling arcades so much this time. Are there any cool kinda barcadey things around? She would probably get in to it if we can drink and ots not just dudes. Otherwise, any really retro arcades? Last time I went to an arcade somewhere in Tokyo where the top level was all old shmups including like raizing/8ing stuff. Anyone know where that was lol? If I only have time to hit one arcade I'd like it to be that one or something similar.
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Apr 13, 2019 10:14
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harperdc posted:
Thanks for the detailed response! My partner is very excited about the okonomiyaki in Hiroshima which she says is excellent, I've never really had it so I will make sure to indulge. Nabe looks great too! I kinda figured that barcades wouldnt be a thing, what with all the actual arcades. Thanks for the brewery names too guys. Keep 'em coming!
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Apr 13, 2019 11:24
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.Z. posted:For Kyoto: Thank you friend!
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Apr 13, 2019 22:24
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Quick question, are dress codes a thing in Japan? IE for temples do I have to wear long pants, does my partner have to cover her shoulders/hair anything like that? We won't be going clubbing or anything but how about higher end bars/resteraunts?
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Apr 17, 2019 01:32
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Tried to visit harajuku today during golden week and it took us over an hour to walk through take a poo poo street. Worse than any concert/festival I've ever been to, rip. Now im very drunk on those cheap 9% chuhai cans shopping in shinjuku. The last two weeks have been excellent japan rules
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May 3, 2019 11:00
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The missus and I are in Japan for a few weeks late February. We've both done Tokyo a few times before, we've stayed in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Asakusa, any other districts you guys could recommend staying in? I feel like Ginza and Roppongi are more places you visit than stay in but I'd love input. Also recs for out of the way places to see, we're gonna check out odaiba because neither of us have done that, but feel like we've exhausted most of the common touristy things and places. Would also love some vague recs for stuff to do in Yokohama. We're mainly looking to relax/eat/drink and soak up some culture.
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Jan 19, 2020 03:17
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harperdc posted:I mean, there's always more to see/explore/do, but if you've done this a few times, don't you have ideas of what you want to do and where you want to stay? Novelty is one thing, but there's nothing wrong with staying in a familiar spot because you liked it. I'd be more than happy staying in any of those places again honestly, just thought I'd suss out any other options! In Yokohama we're doing 2 nights in the park royal right on the waterfront then 2 days somewhere cheaper, thought we'd do something similar in Tokyo and it would make sense to be in different districts. Thanks for the suggestions!
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Jan 19, 2020 04:03
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Thanks for all the input guys, we booked a few nights at the Prince in Shinagawa then we're in East Ginza for the rest of the week. Gonna pester y'all for resteraunt recs closer to the date.
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Jan 20, 2020 20:28
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Just over a week until my trip and I'm getting super stoked. Excited to wander the streets drinking strong zero chuhi again.
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Feb 7, 2020 10:35
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We go to Tokyo tomorrow (we're at Fujikawaguchico, at the moment, drat there are some beautiful landscapes in this country) and I think it'll be fine. Yokohama seemed to be business as usual, noting we went to was closed but they do seem to be sold out of masks, or on a 1 per customer limit, everywhere. I've gotten very drunk and eaten a lot, like a very serious amount, of delicious food.
field balm fucked around with this message at 01:54 on Feb 25, 2020 |
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Feb 25, 2020 01:49
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Bofast posted:Did you try biking around any of the lakes? I was thinking of biking around at least one lake and maybe taking one day at the Fuji-Q Highland park. We walked all the way around lake Kawaguchi and there was plenty of people doing it on rental bikes, definitely a good call. There's some sightseeing busses that goes around a bunch of the lakes and stops at lots of interesting little spots, we went to the wind and ice caves, coming from Australia seeing underground volcanic caves full of ice was pretty cool and novel. We did Fuji-Q too, easily the best roller coasters I've been on but that's not a very long list lol.
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Feb 25, 2020 23:16
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I'm at Odaiba right now and it's kinda quiet but everything is open. I think y'all are overthinking it, japan still rules even if all you do is get drunk and eat food at izakaya and family mart
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Feb 27, 2020 03:29
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Also my testing has found that the blue suntory is the best happoshu if you're being cheap at the combini and don't feel like going nuts on those 9% chuhis. If money is no object then yebisu is your boy. There doesn't seem to be any of the cool seasonal beers out at the mo
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Feb 27, 2020 03:40
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sale on Banksy art posted:I'll be quoting this post again, but next time it's just gonna say "lol" under it. Lol yea it's already gotten noticeably busier. I guess we just got here early lol
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Feb 27, 2020 03:41
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Thanatosian posted:I live in Seattle, and while it's definitely not the same, if I want to get drunk and eat food at an izakaya, I can do it without spending a ton of money on airfare and hotels. This is my first big vacation in three years, so I'd like to make the most of it. It would be really disappointing if all the tourist stuff I'd like to see is closed. I get it. I guess I'm trying to be positive, we've still got a week left and closures haven't affected anything for us yet so fingers crossed for your trip friend
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Feb 27, 2020 04:46
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Just ate a bunch of yakitori and drank some craft beers at a festival in ueno park. Life is good
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Feb 28, 2020 05:15
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If I only have time to hit one fancy cocktail place in Ginza is Bar Benfiddich a good choice? Also gonna get some highballs at Rockfish
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Feb 28, 2020 06:04
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mikeycp posted:Have you heard about this little place called hub Lol this isn't my first rodeo mate
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Feb 28, 2020 09:10
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Currently having a very cool and good night at the yokocho in Ginza. Nikka highball is real, and strong, and my friend
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Feb 29, 2020 14:17
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Yea we went through Harajuku yesterday and it was great. This time last year it took us an hour plus just to waddle through takeshita st because of the crowds.
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Mar 3, 2020 06:36
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Picnic Princess posted:I hit up Ameyoko Market, then KITTE rooftop, then through Ginza, went to Nissan Crossing, then over to Shibuya Sky for sunset, which was kind of busy but not crazily so. Managed to sit on one of the sofas and watch the city change to night. Then over to Harajuku for a crepe and then the Monster Cafe for the show, it was almost empty. It was such a nice day today, it was pretty great to just go where we wanted without crowds and pretty much no wait, just a 15 minute line for Shibuya Sky tickets. Yeah it was beautiful out today. I'm heading home to Australia tomorrow. Out of the 4 trips I've had to Japan this has probably been the best one. Reading this thread kinda makes it feel like the last days of Rome but it's just a beautiful country that's even better when there aren't giant queues/crowds for everything.
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Mar 3, 2020 13:46
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KidDynamite posted:Kyoto is loving rad. It's not really a Kyoto thing but try out soup curry if you get the chance!
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Mar 6, 2020 19:49
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Taito hey in Akihabara has a whole floor of old rear end shmups if that's your thing
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Mar 11, 2020 11:40
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Just bought return tickets for October for under 500au, price was good plus seems like there's a good chance it'll be ok by then. Worst case we get credit for the flights and go another time.
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May 6, 2022 11:32
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gay for gacha posted:I've been watching a lot of japanese TV lately and it really makes me want to go so bad. There is this show that just goes to random parts of Japan and shows you a remotely interesting thing or person or random object in that city or town. I do wonder if it's even worth it to go if they open up ths year because I imagine everyone else will be there touristing right away What's the name of the show, out of interest?
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May 6, 2022 21:59
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Sounds like it's still just planned group tours for the foreseeable future though, right?
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May 28, 2022 19:21
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I would assume/I'm hoping that the organised group thing only lasts a month or so, once they 'prove' to the people that are against reopening the borders that it's ok/tourists are vaxxed etc I can't see why they wouldn't want to encourage as much tourism as possible. Well, fingers crossed anyway, I've got tickets booked for October and the last thing I want to do is spend my trip hanging out with other Australians lol.
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May 28, 2022 20:40
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Not getting the Narita hate tbh. Our ritual is arrive at Narita pretty late, smash a couple of strong zeros/highballs and a bowl of ramen then crash out in the tiny APA then get on with Tokyo or whatever the next morning. Maybe it's just the association with it being the beginning of a great holiday.
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Jun 17, 2022 09:13
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My plan was to finish up at my current job before my planned trip in October, I'm reluctant to move it yet because I really don't want to work here longer lol. I think the only promising thing is that these big waves have also coincided with the reopening of the country in every other country that had low rates previously to letting people back in (ie australia). Will probably have to call it by the end of august or so I think.
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Jul 24, 2022 01:47
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Waltzing Along posted:It seems like Japan did a pretty good job keeping their population safe until the start of the year. But since then they seem to be doing about the same as anyone else. I'm not sure how much worse their economy is doing than elsewhere but 135 yen to 1 usd seems, to me, like they could be doing much better. Yeah, I'm from Queensland Australia, and we literally went from a lock down over one case to ahh gently caress it open the floodgates. It sounds bad numbers wise, but the current wave is less deadly and there should be much higher levels of vaccination soon. You have to cop it sometime, the question is just how far do you tank the economy before hand.
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Jul 24, 2022 01:52
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Yeah I'll give it till mid September otherwise I'll begrudgingly go somewhere else lol
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Aug 3, 2022 01:50
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Lol so close. We've got flights for the 19th of October so probably another 3-4 weeks to see if its doable or otherwise book somewhere else. This is really the only time my partner and I can get time off together until next Christmas, so here's hoping something amazing happens soon!
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Aug 28, 2022 03:25
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While i'm also trying to stay positive, I think it's important to parse the 2 sentences of that tweet separately, 'next' doesn't imply any sort of time frame.
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Aug 31, 2022 00:18
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some kinda jackal posted:Their current timetable doesn’t make sense either. Opening it up when cases are record high. This is all in service of fixing the tourism sector, so when they realize people still aren’t flocking in due to having to deal with a travel agent (these still exist??) the they’ll just do the next thing. No toxx, but I’d bet late winter in time for spring. They've already opened up but only in one direction. I live in (arguably) the most popular beach tourism destination in Australia and have talked to 3 families of Japanese tourists just this morning at work. It's not like it's less of a vector for covid than people going there, I'm sure as hell no one is wearing masks or social distancing here.
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Aug 31, 2022 02:03
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Welp, I contacted a tour organiser (insidejapan) and they said there was still no official update on visa and tour booking requirements for the 7th, and that they couldn't help with any "short term" (less than a couple of month away) planning anyway. Seems like another misfire.
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Sep 2, 2022 02:38
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Sounds like all flights and accommodation need to be booked through agencies so I think my late october trip is gonna get canned. I guess there is a small chance they open up fully between now and then but just seems unlikely.
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Sep 3, 2022 21:58
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They're gonna open up to perfectly coincide with my original dates just after I've moved the flights, aren't they
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Sep 12, 2022 02:03
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Weatherman posted:Have you guys considered, y'know, just going somewhere else in the meantime and planning a trip to Yeah I moved my flights to next year and were going to Thailand next month instead. I was honestly getting really stressed out about all of this, pretty dumb.
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Sep 12, 2022 02:42
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GLORIOUS NIPPON
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| # ¿ May 15, 2024 17:00 |
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I dunno about making calls but I just buy a sim with unlimited data from a desk in the airport
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Sep 20, 2022 11:04
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