Have you been?
Have lots of fun!
You may or may not send me a postcard D:
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darn you should have asked me when I was going I'd sent you one
Hey Nin, it just occured to me that I got a surplus of postcards on my trip to Japan and I checked and indeed I have one leftover I could send your way :)
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I flew in to Sapporo blind once for a few days after settling something in Tokyo, and I got introduced to soup curry by a Japanese I happened to get acquainted with - can't remember if she was local to Sapporo or was a domestic tourist. I hadn't been aware of soup curry prior to the trip but I think it is a dish special to the Sapporo region, so just a suggestion in case you haven't heard of it either!
I did regret choosing the lowest level of hotness/spiciness (I tend not to eat too spicy foods either in my own country and I didn't want to order something I couldn't finish in front of a native I just met but who was so kind), because that even turned out sweet rather than curryish! Feel free to opt for higher levels of spiciness for Japanese curry :D
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Definitely haven't heard of soup curry! I love both soup & curry though so the natural progression would dictate that I'd like it too, I'll check it out XD
And definitely will do with the spice levels! I absolutely LOVE spicy foods, even when eating them induces 10 minute long hiccup sessions both while eating and after... XD
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I live in Japan and one of my tips is to go to restaurants, etc. that have good Westerner reviews.
Japanese people tend to rate everything towards the middle which makes it so you can't really get good information from it. EX: The shirt is high quality, reasonable in cost, and exceeds my expectations. However, my husband doesn't wear it. 2 stars
Japanese people often want to go to places with long lines as well. They even have a word for fake customers who make it seem like a place is popular (sakura)
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Huh! This is on the complete other side of the spectrum from the general consensus (at least from what I've seen online).
I heard that a large amount of westerner reviewed spots (on Google Maps etc.) are usually kind of meh and charge alot. The general consensus / tip I've heard alot is cross referencing Google reviews with Tabelog reviews and hope for the best XD
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Your itenerary looks pretty solid! Sapporo (and Hokkaido in general) is still on my "places to visit list" since I've only been on Honshu - mostly in Tokyo & Osaka. Nara is a gem. That's one thing I'd immediately recommend to anyone going to Osaka since it's a stone's throw away and absolutely worth a visit but you already have it planned so good for you! Remember to bow to the deer ;)
Conbini is your best friend :D Don't forget to try famichiki - it's delicious ;) And most important of all, have fun!
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Sapporo was kind of a last minute thing for me too, I just felt like it wasn't diverse enough. It was either Hokkaido or Okinawa and I felt Okinawa was best kept for a later date since it's kind of more like a "tan on the beach and experience tropical heaven" kind of a place which is perfect but not so much for my plans on this trip XD
Thanks! Will definitely bow to the deer and feed them lots of crackers.
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have fun and enjoy your travel :) :)
and as others have said, try food, all the different kinds in different areas.
and from time to time just get lost walking randomly and see where you end up or discover along the way
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Will do! I should have some free days to wander about and do light shopping around the outskirts of Tokyo and maybe even Osaka or Kyoto.
Thanks for the well wishes!
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Really jealous of you :D Have fun!
The suggestion i would give is learn some basic words and phrases in Japanese, it's like a cheat code for a better treatment and overall vibe.
Also get suica, it's very convenient!
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I've been hitting the books! (so to speak... meaning I learned to read Hiragana and learned a bit of basic Japanese, hopefully that'll be enough XD)
Also definitely getting a Suica, if not for travel then as a souvenir! I like collecting travel cards from all the countries I visit :P
Hope you get to go there too soon :"D Thanks!
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I spent a few days in Yamanashi, and really enjoyed the relaxed, more rural, atmosphere there.
Rode around Lake Kawaguchi, visited some caves and forests, and went to Fuji-Q Amusement Park as well.
I also didn't climb Mt Fuji, and I don't regret it either. (It's very busy and touristy, besides, we have similar, lovely mountains in NZ.)
If you have the time while in Hiroshima, and get good weather, I recommend visiting Miyajima Island. The hike is worth the views.
can't enter giveaways, but take this as a free bump from me
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Miyajima is a good tip! Especially if someone miss the Nara deers, plus the Tori gate in water ;) the ferry is(was) free for JR Pass holders.
Kawaguchi and surrounding lakes are great for single person trip
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Miyajima...Nice place....
It is only a short distance from Hiroshima.
Ituskushima Shrine Official Website
https://www.itsukushimajinja.jp/en/
Well, if people like those places, they can go from Osaka to Ise...
The round trip takes 4 hours, so maybe a side menu if the Expo is too crowded?
Ise Jingu
https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/
https://www.youtube.com/@ise-jingu9153
In any case, this is a place to head only if you are interested in preserving this atmosphere.β©
Both shrines are places I would like to visit if humanity did not get in the way.πΈβ©π
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The JR pass seems more and more of a feasible option the more I add different locations across Japan...
Will think this over, both Miyajima as well as the JR Pass. Thanks!
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Definitely about the Mt. Fuji thing! I'll be watching it from a distance and hopefully it'll be enough XDD
Will check out Yamanashi and Lake Kawaguchi, thanks for the suggestions! :D
I will have to ask, does a day trip to Hiroshima combined with Miyajima seem reasonable to you? I've been thinking it over and I can't spare 2 days for it and have been told it's kind of a stretch to go to both.
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My hostel for Hiroshima trip was near the ferry terminal to Miyajima so was kind of easy. Also depends how fast you walk/climb and how early you get up. If you are familiar with history of A bomb, that part doesn't take too much of a time. But be careful of pickpocketers
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XD
I'm coming out all the way from Osaka for the day trip.
In general, I'll be staying in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo since I don't really want to lug all my things from hostel to hostel or send them through services and have to pay a lot for it.
And I'm not too familiar with the A-Bomb history, just the general knowledge everyone knows, so I might just pop into Miyajima for a few hours before I head back to Osaka.
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Nope, thatβs a long day.
I spent two days there to do what I wanted.
Just a note some hostels allow you to super your luggage in secure lockers.
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The train tips earlier about JR and the Metro is great. People get confused with that all the time, just looking at the name of the line and not whether it's the Metro or JR. Also, getting a Suica. There was a shortage of physical Suica cards recently, not sure if there still is, it might be safer to get the phone application if you can.
Book Shinkansen and hotels in advance. There has been a massive increase in tourists recently due to the exchange rate, so the tourist areas are very busy. In smaller towns might be difficult to find free accommodation if it's popular with tourists.
Arrange a sim or grab one when you arrive so you can check maps and use translation software on the move. Check the walking distance between places before jumping on a train or bus. If you have time, walking will allow you to notice things off the beaten track and will give you a bit of a break from the crowds. Generally, giving yourself plenty of time will make everything run smoothly and mean you can ask for help and still ame it on time for trains, etc.
In Around Kabukicho in Shinjuku and Roppongi, ignore touts trying to get you into their bars. That's pretty much the only scam I'm aware of. Basically they get you in and drunk then get you to buy very expensive drinks or drug drinks. So long as you are aware of it and don't get too wasted, you'll be fine.
Some restaurants have a list near the door to write your name on if there are people waiting. Always good to check before waiting! If you choose a specific place to eat and don't book, have a couple of alternatives ready just in case it's busy.
Cultural / politeness - take your trash with you to the hotel, don't be loud on trains, give up your seat for old people, line/queue up.
Try new things. Convenience stores have a lot of things unique to Japan, try new things in restaurants, if you get fast food then try something Japanese (Mos Burger, Freshness Burger, Sukiya, Yoshinoya, Matsuya, etc) rather than McDonalds.
If you've got specific questions before you go or have troubles on your trip, feel free to reach out. I live in Tokyo and have been here for 18 years.
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I got scammed around Ueno park by fake Buddhist monk gathering 'donations for peace' ππ tourist tax. At least he gave me bracelet compared to my later hostel mate π
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You can ride JR trains all over Japan as many times as you want!
With a JAPAN RAIL PASS, enjoy your own railroad trip!
JAPAN RAIL PASS
https://japanrailpass.net/en/
Model courses | JAPAN RAIL PASS
https://japanrailpass.net/en/model_courses/
Purchase online | JAPAN RAIL PASS
https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase/online/
https://japanrailpass.net/en/purchase/price/
How to pick up the JAPAN RAIL PASS - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08XEDNj5Y7Y
These services are not publicized in Japan because they do not apply to Japanese nationals.π
There is potential for savings in people's wallets if well integrated into their schedules.
And there is the trap of not being able to use these services if you live in Japan.XD
π
Japanese regular train tickets
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_001.html
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Afaik, the Suica/Passmo apps only work on Japanese market phones cause they require a special NFC license by Sony and phone brands aren't paying for the license for phones sold abroad. All modern iPhones (don't remember when onwards), regardless of sale region, should be able to use the apps without issue though.
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Will definitely reach out if I have troubles, thanks smythe!
Great tips for safety and convenience :)
I read that the Suica cards are apparently back in circulation since March(?) ish and should be in May as well. As I don't have the correct chipset for Suica (I'm on a non-japanese Samsung) I can't use it on my phone :( Hoping for the best.
Hotels are fully booked and I'll be doing the Shinkansens today or tomorrow.
I'll definitely try to plan my days in a way where walking is optional, since always being on the metro is a great way to miss things you wouldn't have otherwise.
About fast food, I definitely see what you mean. Last year (around the same dates) I had a visit to South Korea and because I was visiting with picky eaters we almost exclusively ate western foods in western restaurants (Shake Shack, McD, Burger King etc.) which is the thing I regret probably the absolute most about that trip. I ate some local foods when we had solo travel days but those were few and far between. Super upsetting! I'll probably try to stay far away from fast-food if I can help it, maybe here and there for convenience sake or if it's been an exhausting day.
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Sounds like a fun trip. Have fun and good luck finding the treasures you're looking for! :)
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Will be looking far and wide for many-a-treasures to bring back >:D
Some would say the memories made will be worth more than any treasure, but I think they haven't gotten to try a gachapon machine... XD
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Many great stuff already been said. Google maps and any picture translator is your friend if you are not familiar with Japanese . Moderate politeness is key ;) if it's first time, you will be confused. That's not a problem π Ghibli Museum in Tokyo is great. I wish the Ghibli theme park in Nagoya was ready during my time there. As Kappa said, any tips depends on whats your preference π
Also, if on a budget and want to feel like a local, most supermarkets will have sale of ready meals/sashimi/sushi starting around 6pm (20%/30%/ει‘ -half price)
Strong ZERO is an enemy, not a friend
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I've been looking forward to trying Strong ZERO and I've heard nothing but good things... I mean praise... I mean...
I've heard they're both a blessing and a curse, been wanting to know what that's all about.
About Ghibli, I'm in the very small minority that thinks the large majority of Ghibli movies are beautiful both thematically and visually but are kind of eh in any other department.
OOOH CONTROVERSIAL!
So I probably won't be going out of my way to see anything Ghibli related.
Unrelated, but won't be going for any of the popular amusement parks either, meaning DisneyLand, DisneySea and Universal (which is somewhat regrettable but I can't bother as a solo-traveler to wait in these absurd lines...)
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If thematically you mean plot, and visual is visual, what's left out there? Hahaha well west Tokyo have doraemon museum ( and others by the authors) and sanrio puro lando (hell-O-kitty land) π yeah Disney land meh universal also meh unless u are hardcore harry potter fan (but but marioooo) . And Legoland is again expensive asf. I guess Kyushu is out of scope, but Sakurajima is very nice option to get volcano ash on face π plus easy access to Yakushima.
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It's a whole thing for me, but I think the classic, most well known Hayao Miyazaki movies (Spirited Away, Howl, Totoro and I think also Princess Mononoke since I didn't like it much but I last saw it years ago) have major pacing issues when comparing the beginning and the end and even without those the story just lacks cohesion, is extremely confusing and feels like the plot just skips over a lot of stuff way too quickly without letting things play out.
What I mean by that is that there isn't a natural progression of things. After the very beginning of the movies which usually starts out perfectly, very calmly and slowly, the plot sharply and suddenly shifts and starts developing into absurdity and sweeps you off balance. To most, this probably feels like they were swept into a dream, walking on clouds and dancing in the moonlit sky or something of the sorts, while for me it just feels like I got my legs kicked from under me and on the way down I hit my head on the corner of a table.
Jokes aside, I feel they're very unfocused, the "plot" if you could call it that serves only to drive home the "moral of the story" or to further the allegorical themes shown and that could be excused somewhat if it followed a somewhat linear plot that I could grasp but the progression is so sudden, violent and confusing that I found myself thrown out of immersion in each and every one of these movies.
I used to like Spirited Away when I was younger, but I could still only get about half-way through until it stopped making sense completely and I got sucked out and bored enough to quit, now I just can't get into it from the get-go.
I thought about it and described it to a friend who likes Ghibli like this: Yes, your Ferrari is beautiful, I absolutely adore the way that it looks visually, but without wheels and an engine (good, coherent, understandable plot and pacing), it's not going anywhere. I'd rather have a 2004 Shitbox (a not so much visually appealing movie) if it does the job well, rather than a beautiful car that acts more like a trophy than anything.
A movie which I feel captures the vibe of Ghibli films but does everything I feel is missing from them perfectly is Fantastic Mr. Fox. I put off watching it for MANY years and a few months ago a friend recommended it and I finally made the effort to squeeze it into my list. After watching it twice already, it's one of my favorite movies to date. If Ghibli movies focused a bit more on having a concise plot or at least one I could follow I think some of them might also make it to my favorites but sadly they didn't ;(
I've yet to watch any of the newer movies and I probably won't for a while since my backlog is huge :,(
Sorry for the massive response! XD got carried away.
Will check those out!
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using air b&b was the best experience i've had, since the hosts took me out to interview me and told me what to check out. Considerably cheaper than hotels too.
In kyoto, be sure to visit arashiyama (bamboo forest seen on MS windows desktops) and near the peak are the monkeys.
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I checked and compared prices and it seems that AirBnB prices are a higher than hotel prices, sometimes by a bit and sometimes a stupid amount. This is more-so for my needs as a solo traveler, as I don't need a large apartment since I'll probably be exploring 85-90% of the day. AirBNBs seem generally cheaper for groups of 2+ though.
Arashiyama is on my list! I've been debating whether I should head deeper into the area and I think it should be good since I assume most of the tourists come only for the bamboo forest and head back pretty quickly.
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I was actually planning to go to Japan in May this year, but then my finances didn't allow it. So, you go instead of me xD
Have a great tip!
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My trip almost got cancelled, twice!
Hoping you get to experience it some day soon, hopefully you win the lottery ;D
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I hope you enjoy your trip. I always thought it would be nice to visit for a while. I suppose if I were to go for it, I might try for a work visa and find a position so I could visit longer.
Don't forget to leave some π₯π₯ for Kappa. ;)
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[Eating]'ΞΈ'o)))γ£π₯ yum yum..βͺ
Come to think of it, programs such as this one, which seem to be a conspiracy by travel agencies, are sometimes aired in Japan.
This page is the English version of them.
[NSFW]
Why Did You Come To Japan? : TV Tokyo
The program itself is still running, but this website itself doesn't seem to be updated for more than a few years.π
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Kamakura is worth an entire day. A lot of people come here and try to do a half day, it's absolutely worth your time.
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Will try to fit it into the plan! Anything special you liked there I should check out?
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Hello SG friends, I am doing a solo trip to Japan in the middle of May and will return near the end of June!
I'll be visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka (obviously) and Sapporo as well as doing some day trips for Hiroshima, Otaru, Nara, Mt. Fuji, Jigokudani Monkey Park and Kamakura. I will be trying to have a healthy blend of city life and and nature exploration and also trying out as many types of food I can :D
For any users familiar with Japan through their own experience, whether local or from your own trips, feel more than free to leave any tips, suggestions or even warnings and things to avoid you can think of XD
As I'll be abroad, I probably won't have much time (if at all) to make giveaways or honestly do anything else on here but will be back relatively soon, I'll make my group giveaways beforehand to end near when I get back and also leave you with a pretty easy nonogram followed by a few more carts and a more difficult nono before the final carts, enjoy :P
Edit: Holy crap, thanks all for the well wishes and the tips / recs!
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