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Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

Vox Nihili posted:

We've got one full day left in Sapporo.

Any recommendations for things to do? I believe it will also be "Culture Day" fwiw.

Already did: Nijo Market, Sapporo Beer Garden, Hokkaido University Botanical Garden, Yoichi Distillery, Otaru, Sapporo Clock Tower + Odori Park + general downtown stuff.

mount moiwa or perhaps maruyama zoo

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Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

ginza is a nice place

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

i booked a flight for 2 weeks in january, visiting family and friends mostly. 2 weeks feels too short but its all i could get this time

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

MJP posted:

This might be a pretty heavy question and answers may come with strong opinions - that's a good thing for this case, I'd love to get all range of input.

If I'm not bringing a sport coat/blazer/suit in my luggage (slacks, dressy shoes, button-down shirt at most), what's the single most amazing dinner in terms of the food served that should be the One Big Tokyo Splurge Dinner? I'm gunning for things that can't be found in the NYC metro area, because I'm a spoiled jaded food nerd. I'll definitely be making time to try basashi, whale (if available), fugu (if I can muster up the courage and ensure my life insurance policy is OK with it), chicken or shrimp sashimi, etc.

We're arriving in late March so we have enough time to ask the hotel or my friend in Tokyo to attempt to book at Jiro, but Tadenoha seems absolutely amazing - I don't think I've ever heard of a place that has a shot at serving bear. Even if it's not in season and thus unavailable, it seems like a heck of a menu.

It doesn't have to be sushi, or even Japanese. Doesn't have to have a view or a famous name. I just don't want to have to pack a suit, nor does my wife want to pack a cocktail dress or similar. Doesn't have to have Michelin stars, doesn't even have to be within Tokyo proper - I'd much rather be able to try, I dunno, artisanal Uzbek cuisine (and yes I did see the Uzbek place on the goon food map, that is 100% on my radar) that's simply outstanding and happens to be out in Chiba or Saitama or elsewhere.

Something really memorable, in the "price is no object but I'd like to keep it at $500 per person before beverages" range. I want to be able to look at my wife when we're in our 80s and be all "hey, you remember our dinner at X in Tokyo? Good stuff"

you can wear what you want to a restaurant as long as it's not too ridiculous, and even then it's unlikely anyone will point it out. you can have really good or even expensive food and as long as you're not wearing shorts or something

here's a japanese source talking about it: https://ichizen.online/niigataclip-blog/923/ basically as long as you look clean it's fine to wear pretty casual stuff even in a fancy sushi place. the idea that you should dress up in a suit for a restaurant is mostly a western (american) idea

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

eating out in japan is mostly cheap as hell

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

super potato is a free videogame museum where they put price tags on the exhibits for some reason

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

tokyo is the greatest city on earth

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

cycling in tokyo is easy imo but how are the rules strict? i always cycled to work and thought people treated cycling like mechanical walking, and just went wherever with no regard for road rules

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

harperdc posted:

The police are starting to crack down on things like “riding against traffic” and “riding fast on the sidewalk, whether it’s more than PR bluster or not we’ll see. And I know a few places (certainly Kanagawa prefecture) are requiring cyclists to have cycling insurance in case said riding on the sidewalk leads to injury or worse.

Again, rules/application and all is still a caveat, but at least on paper that’s how things are shifting.
i always hated the sidewalk cycling tbh. everyone told me to do it but i just went on the road as per the actual traffic rules and was always fine

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

kill the snoring guy then you only need room for 5

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

i rented a bike on okinawa

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

i cycled up to nakagusuku castle, which is further than that. i wouldn't recommend it though because of all the hills

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

i really enjoyed yakushima

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

MJP posted:

I guess if you take it as "thanks for at least trying" it's not as bad as "oh you sweet gaijin dumbass, look at how inferior you are to our ancient culture" or otherwise. I'm awful at languages and just getting Duolingo in has been something of a miracle - at least I have a shot at reading what something is before whipping out Google Translate and/or a lifetime of subbed anime, which is absolutely linguistically correct, of course

nobody thinks any of this when they say that

Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

every train and infoor space is too hot

i got back from a 2 week visit the other day and the fresh cool outside air and normal indoor heating of my own country are just about the only thing i looked forward to going back to

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Shibawanko
Feb 13, 2013

my itinerary on my first visit was like:

2 weeks tokyo, do whatever
1 week kansai, do whatever
1 week kyushu, do whatever
1 week okinawa, do whatever
1 week hokkaido, do whatever

this worked out well in the end. i'd hate to have my itinerary be so granular and lacking in free time to encounter the unexpected but i guess it's a matter of preference

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