Have you been?
That sounds brilliant!
I've never been but it's on my bucket list. Maybe some day.
Enjoy your trip and come back with memories!
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I haven't been but the general consensus is that it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, make it happen if you can! ;)
Also thanks a bunch, friend :P
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It's the start of summer, firework season. I think I was chasing firework festival every weekend during the summer, that just from around my local area.
There are also lots of parks and museums. Ueno Park of Tokyo has a lot of museums around. The National Museum of Nature and Science is worth a visit, also the Tokyo National Museum and the Japanese Sword Museum.
If you are visiting shrines and temples, one fun thing to do is collect their stamps (goshuin). Each stamp has a unique design.
I think there's some kind of pass that lets you use public transport unlimited for a period. It's cheaper than paying individually for each commute. Be sure to check them out.
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I checked out some festivals but it seems that the only festival that's not fully in July or even August is the Sanno Matsuri's June celebration, and it seems like it still doesn't have much to do with the parades, being kind of a reception. I think I might still go just to scope things out! :P
I am a big fan of museums so I'll be sure to add the ones that I didn't manage to hear about yet to the list. Also, would you recommend buying tickets for museums beforehand? I've been kind of worried about the "book literally everything in advance" I've been hearing.
Will definitely be doing some temple hopping too, my Kyoto list is chock-full of them and I have some more sprinkled in Tokyo and Osaka.
If you're referring to the cross-country JR pass thing I think it's not worth it to most people since they jacked up the prices a few years ago but I will be checking it out after I finalize my trip plan! I initially thought I'd get it but then decided it'd be wiser and cheaper to just get Shinkansen tickets for long travel and a Suica for the in-city travel.
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The trip to Japan was the best travel of my life. I hope I will come back there.
If you are in Takayama or near there don’t forget to try the Hida Meat.
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Hoping you get to go there again soon!
Will look Hida meat up :)
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If you're doing Kyoto and Osaka you'd be remiss to not include a quick trip to Kobe and try the beef there (Or better yet visit the farms).
Sounds like a great trip.
Remember to be respectful, lots of foreigners have given outsiders a bad reputation in Japan right now.
You'll still be more than fine I'm sure. More about others you might bump into :)
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I second the Kobe beef - I also recommend the Kobe Sake...
I think it was Kobe Shushinkan Brewery that I visited back in 2016. Museum and free sake tasting (might not be free anymore).
Their Plum sake was amazing.
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I've been told there isn't too much to miss apart from the beef which might be totally untrue, but still, I don't want to overload my trip too much with intercity travel. If you think it's worth the day-trip I'll definitely consider it! Any recommendations for Kobe apart from the renowned beef?
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The quick train from Osaka to Kobe in worth it alone. But, judging from everything you've got planned I think you could leave this one out.
There's plenty to see all over and unless you are taking a day off to refind your calm and balance purposefully, this might just be more stress.
I am certain you will have plenty to see and learn already with your schedule :)
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I will give it some thought! If I find I have some place for an off day, a day trip to explore without a schedule and eat some delicious beef might work wonders for me :)
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My husband stayed for a quarter, and always said the sushi there spoiled him for sushi elsewhere. Even the cheapest sushi was fresh and delicious.
I have read that generally there aren't public trash cans in Japan, as there's a culture of packing out your trash and disposing of it at home or whatever is appropriate. So keep that in mind when bringing or buying snacks...? (I imagine stores that sell things have trash cans for customers, as usual, of course.)
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Yes. Can confirm both are true. Sushi there has so much more variety of fishes too, at least compared to where I'm from.
The almost non existent trash cans was a bother tbh. The vending-machines have small trash cans in them but they are generally already full. Konbinis do have trash cans, and I sometimes did go and drop wrappers there, but I would avoid it if possible cause they are meant for customers I would assume. That said the Japanese tend to not tell you anything, they'll just hate you in silence hahaha. So it's hard to understand if something is fine or not. I noticed they are scared to even try and speak english cause they don't wanna get it wrong. I think they see it as a form of disrespect maybe?
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just buy something and ask the cashier nicely where the bin is..
it's even easier if you bundle up your other trash with the wrapper of the item you just bought from the konbini
take a plastic bag and a backpack outside all the time, easy trash management
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Nah,at konbini they "can't be bothered" /don't care. Locals do that too, even without buying. Of course doing in moderate, not like full garbage bag from picnic etc. It's fairly clean here (maybe not as much as some media paints it, but quite nice).
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Looking forward to that aspect but also dreading it all the same XD
I'll be returning with a full belly and cheerful disposition which I feel both will be a bit soured by my return to my home-country :,)
Still so, so totally worth it.
Also yes, I heard the cleanliness is a whole thing, will try my best to manage my wrappers well haha
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Going to Japan is one of my biggest dreams. Have fun!
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best tip i can give you is to understand the difference between jr, private railways, and the shinkansen, and understand the train types a bit...
LIMITED EXPRESS cost extra to ride on the jr, but it's not always the case for private railways... a dedicated train route app is preferable to just using gmaps
food is generally pretty good in japan, you probably won't encounter too many stinkers just entering whatever restaurant that catches your eye, but i tend to cross reference gmaps reviews with tabelog, which is the most popular restaurant rating service in the country
note that in tabelog they rate places a little differently... 3.5 stars means it's very good, and the number of establishments with 4 stars and above is only in the triple digits....
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I didn't know there's a price difference for the different trains. I just got a passmo (a prepaid card mainly used for travel, but not only) and kept recharging it. I think it was my highest recurring expense, so it would've been nice to know.
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I think shandyseggs got confused. The fare is calculated by the station you get on and off, not by train type, assuming we are using the same line. Local, express, and limited express of the same line have the same fare, they just skip some stations for the express train.
Trains like Narita Express are expensive, but they are fast. You could also pay extra to reserve a seat (green car).
If you miss a shinkansen, you could always hop on the next train. The ticket is valid for a day. If the train is empty, you could take the seat.
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I got on a limited express by accident when I was travelling to Ishikawa, and then when I got back on to go the other way, I couldn't get back on, and they charged me separately. That was an embarrassing experience.
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That's an exclusive limited express line, which has no local version of it (which stops at every station). There are local trains on the same route, but they have different names and colors.
What I'm referring to is the normal commute (non-tourist) train. For example, in this timetable, you could see the Nambu line which ran by JR East. It has the local train, the rapid train (stops about every two stations), and the limited express train (stops about every four stations). They share the same fare and color.
https://www.jreast-timetable.jp/en/2505/timetable/tt0958/0958041.html
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lol
what are you talking about?
there are only two limited express trains in the timetable you listed, neither are commute trains, they are 臨時特急 heading to kamakura and itsukaichi only running on the four Sundays of June......
and yes, you definitely need to pay extra for a reserved seat on one of those
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there is an extra charge for riding limited express for JR on top of the base fare. however for some operators like hankyu, limited express is (usually) free of charge
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i think you are the one that's confused. JR local and rapid service (and special rapid service in west japan) don't incur any additional charge, any faster and you need to pay for a reserved seat or the limited express charge
also, the shinkansen thing only applies if you buy a non-reserved seat ticket. you really don't want to realize you were sitting on someone else's seat mid-journey
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Good thing to know about the Shinkansens, thanks!
Most of my intercity travels are early in the AMs so I might need that if I manage to miss a train :P
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Another tip I would give is do try out small restaurants. They might be a bit hidden cause they don't really have clear and obvious signs, and also a bit of a gamble cause u don't know what you are gonna get but I was generally pleasantly surprised.
There are a lot of chain businesses which is imo pretty sad. You start seeing the same bunch of shops and restaurants everywhere.
Btw, I've only been to Tokyo. Other cities might be totally different.
Oh, and you are probably gonna check them out anyway, but izakayas (basically pubs) were my go to for food in a pinch. The food is generally really good, and I almost preferred going to them for the kind of food you get there. The dishes are smaller to complement the drinks but they are really nice and you can get a whole bunch of different things. Also, I think it's the only place I've heard Japanese people be loud haha.
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this. some of the best meals I had in Japan were in some unassuming little restaurant with no signs hidden in some backalley :D
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Yep, gamble, some are run like pop'n mom's style and are hit or miss ;) one local ramen shop in Nagoya was run by old guy, who when you spent gave out coupons for gyoza (dumplings) with expiry date /when i die/ ;) even if food won't be great, it's kind of safe gamble ;)
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As a solo traveler I'm kinda anxious of going to an Izakaya alone. I think I'll gather up the courage because it's a whole experience but it's still a bit of a scary thing for me as a person who's a bit socially anxious XD
Will do also! I've saved lots of spots for eats but I feel they're generally more expensive / tourist heavy and perhaps even a bit less authentic than small mom-and-pop shops. Will try this for sure!
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Will do! I've been having Japanese cuisine all my life, trying it from the source will be an amazing experience I feel.
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🤔…Hard...
For all Mt. Fuji climbers for 2025
https://fujisan-climb.jp/en/for-every-climber.html
First, the rules for Mt. Fuji are being revised due to too many reckless climbing accidents caused by over-tourism.
If you do not meet these rules, you will not be able to return alive or pass through the trailhead.
Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Nara are in western Japan, so it is important to remember that the seasoning of noodle dishes is much different from that of eastern Japan.🍜ramen..udon.soba.. etc...
Well, if you want to eat something strange in western Japan, poisonous fugu (blowfish) or yuba (bean curd) with its mysterious texture are not bad.
It is said that the west prefers light flavors and the east strong flavors, but this is not necessarily true from region to region, and it is a good idea to explore the food culture as if one river or mountain over is another country.
Otaru probably doesn't have the weirdest sushi✨🍣✨, and it's probably easier than Tokyo.💸
Sapporo...I'm concerned about the tourist prices because they are outstanding.💸💸
Well, in Sapporo, you won't find any big hassles when it comes to agricultural products and food...
Keep in mind that if the tour company from overseas is Chinese, you will be guided to only the most subtle restaurants, even if the restaurants are in Japan.
If it is Hiroshima, it should be A-bomb related.... If you want to visit Nara or Kyoto, you may want to visit temples and shrines...?
However, be sure to check the information and the map, as there are some suspicious buildings of new religions among the historic shrines and temples.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng
Notes on May and June events in Kyoto
https://souda-kyoto.jp/event/05.html
However, even if you are planning to go to the Osaka area for the Expo, do not overdo it if your advance planning schedule is likely to take a long time, as you may encounter various problems and time issues.
In addition, luggage should only be left at your lodging, as it will be very difficult to bring it there.
(Prices for storage lockers nearby are crazy, and even rest areas charge various amounts of money. Seems to be rated nowhere near as good as a typical event facility.)
What kind of things do you want to see on a regular basis?
If you want to see a castle or a specialized cultural facility that specializes in a particular technology, you may be able to find it because there are many strange facilities in Japan.
まぼろし博覧会 - Wikipedia📝
There seems to be a mysterious place that even people from that country hesitate to approach. (I need a dice roll to check my sanity.)
Frankly, this is about as much as I can write at a reasonable level. I won't even be able to tell you the minimum.
I think the first question is what you are coming for.🙄
ヾﾉ'Θ'o)Oh, don't ask for me, okay? If a human finds me, I am in trouble!
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💻ノ´Θ)ノ🕹 🤖💻<Domo arigato Mr.Robot
What do you want me to say?😁I'm not a robot.
In any case, “What are you interested in?” means that what I recommend will vary greatly, too. There's still time to get started.
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Full agree, depending on preferences of other person, different recommendations are needed ;) robot was a simple joke ;)
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I did some reading about Maboroshi Hakurankai and I found it all very funny and intriguing, I'll consider making the trip out there if I have some leftover days in Tokyo when I finish my trip plan! XD
As for the question: I'm coming from genuine curiosity and a want to experience Japan as much as I can.
Half of me gravitates to the weirder and more unique side of Japan that I won't be able to experience anywhere else (not necessarily life changing or bizarre in a way that might become ingrained in my mind but just things worth experiencing) and the other half is the casual tourist that wants to experience things boring tourists want to do in Japan like exploring in the tourist-heavy regions in Tokyo and going to see popular landmarks. I'm into basically anything, meaning Japanese historical sites, museums unique to the area, foods, beautiful places, strange and interesting attractions alike.
I'm going to see lots of Shrines/Temples, nature sites and generally doing some exploration of my own but also I'll be doing retro-game hunting in HARD-OFFs, shopping in the more touristy areas in Tokyo and visiting the more touristy places in all the major cities.
What I'm saying is that I have no real laser-focus on anything particular since I'm a very diverse person and like to do and see lots of different stuff. I just want to take in as much of the country as I can, whether ordinary or strange, as it's my first trip to Japan and I won't be returning for at least a few years. If you have any personal recommendations of must-see things feel free to give them out in detail (if you have the time:D) and I'll pick and try to squeeze in as many of them as I can! :P
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museums unique to the area
Japan Manga and Anime Museum Map
https://sam.or.jp/map/
HARD-OFF has become so famous abroad that what is available will be biased already.
BEEP Akihabara
https://www.akihabara-beep.com/
Surugaya
https://www.suruga-ya.jp/feature/shoplist/index.html
However, when purchasing and returning, please store or play with it in a place clearly marked that it was purchased in Japan and has antique value.
There seems to be a constant stream of people who purchase truckloads of items only to have them scrapped by customs or disposed of by their families, breaking their hearts.
Be careful not to let that happen.😈🙄
There are apparently people out there trying to turn old video game cartridges into gold nuggets, and there are indications that these trades are being carefully monitored.👮♀🚓🚨
If you want to avoid problems, we recommend an appropriate amount to take home.🎒
National Museum of Nature and Science,Tokyo
https://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/
Experience at Home! Kahaku VR -National Museum of Nature and Science-
https://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/VR/
Pokemon Fossil Museum?
🙄Well, it's good to check the atmosphere before doing something like this, right?
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Great recommendations, thanks!
I will say, I'm a huge science nerd and I love animals (both fictional animals ⚡🐿️ and real ones), so anything science-y is a hard yes! (Especially anything to do with animals and biology)
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I would prefer book off bazaar over hard off (btw book off and hard off is diff company, which was surprise to me).
From museums I would also add miraikan in odaiba, which OP might visit while going to some event happening in Tokyo big sight
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Gl, have fun, and please buy something from one of their NUMEROUS vending machines. I've been informed "Boss Coffee" which is supposedly sold mostly canned, is wonderful.
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There's kind of a "vending machine museum" which is kind of a strange tourist attraction which I plan to visit so there will be much of that XD
Thanks!
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I hope you have a great time!!
I'm eager to visit Japan as soon as I can save some money :)
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Hoping you get to it soon :P
Good luck and thanks for the well wishes!
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been to japan with a small guided group from hiroshima over kyto to tyko with pultiple stops here and there (like a monastry), for 2 weeks in 2018.
we travelled by public transportation, always had some info given by the guide and had some free time to explore.
it was fun but also exhausting if youre a couch potato through and through. at some point i wished to cut of my feet. x_x
learned a lot and saw a lot and ate original foods.
at some point we thought to go there again maybe when our child is already grown up.
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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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