SA Footy

Have 21 Nights in Japan in a couple of weeks.

Staying with family in tokyo for about half of it, but then also going to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Okinawa

We are also planning on spending a night or two in Hakone but havent booked that part yet.

Anyone have any good recommendations for things to do? Will have a 1 year old with us too

The rail system there is so good, don't be afraid to venture out to any location cause getting there and back will be relatively easy.
Loved Kyoto, was my favourite place.
Hiroshima was eye opening esp. the museum at the bomb detonation site. One lasting memory was an American tourist screaming "WE DID NOT DO THAT! WE DID NOT DO THAT!!!" while pointing at some of the text written under a photo.

MW wrote:The rail system there is so good, don't be afraid to venture out to any location cause getting there and back will be relatively easy.
Loved Kyoto, was my favourite place.
Hiroshima was eye opening esp. the museum at the bomb detonation site. One lasting memory was an American tourist screaming "WE DID NOT DO THAT! WE DID NOT DO THAT!!!" while pointing at some of the text written under a photo.

Encountering American tourists is about the worst part of travelling anywhere in the world (i know i shouldnt stereotype)

On the public transport system, the school kids were quite happy to approach us and ask to practice their English with us.
One of our travelling companions got some strange looks...being a white 6 foot female with short hair! Her along with myself at 6'2" stood out like stupid.

One of the Sturt supporters on here lived there for years mate, he might have some good advice. My ex bro in law went there and loved it. You'll have a ball, very jealous!
I'm considering going there for the next rugby world cup so will be interested in your stories.

MW wrote:The rail system there is so good, don't be afraid to venture out to any location cause getting there and back will be relatively easy.
Loved Kyoto, was my favourite place.
Hiroshima was eye opening esp. the museum at the bomb detonation site. One lasting memory was an American tourist screaming "WE DID NOT DO THAT! WE DID NOT DO THAT!!!" while pointing at some of the text written under a photo.

Must be like the Yasukuni Shrine then

Wedgie wrote:One of the Sturt supporters on here lived there for years mate, he might have some good advice. My ex bro in law went there and loved it. You'll have a ball, very jealous!
I'm considering going there for the next rugby world cup so will be interested in your stories.

First tip I have is get the JR rail pass.

For our trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, Hiroshima and then back to Tokyo, we have saved about $220 each by getting the rail pass. We can't use the fastest express trains, but most of the Shinkansen are still available to use.

Will let you know we go

MW wrote:The rail system there is so good, don't be afraid to venture out to any location cause getting there and back will be relatively easy.
.

Did you reserve seats? If so where did you do it and how long beforehand?

Wife and I visited Japan last year for 2 weeks.

A few thoughts/recollections on Tokyo:

- travelling around Toyko by train was a great experience, mostly used the yamanote JR line. JR pass a must. Reserve seats a few days in advance for your city to city trips.
- Visited most of the touristy regions/sights- Shibuya, Odaiba, Ginza, Mintao, Chiyoda etc
- Caught a ‘Swallows’ baseball game at the smaller of the two ballparks, loved it.
- The national sumo tournament was in Tokyo at the time. worth doing if you get the chance.
- The electronics district is also worth a look. Plenty of video game arcades around. See if you can find a ‘toilet game’ to test your bladder with
- Plenty of gardens/castles/palaces/towers etc to visit- depends what you're into obviously
- Marveled at some of the architect (the asahi beer building was amusing)
- Mount Takao was a nice/easy day trip from Toyko. Also visited Hakone for a day trip. Shame the chairlift was out of action though.
- Loved watching/feeling the bullet trains thunder past the platform. Great way to travel.
- Disney land was more enjoyable than I was expecting it to be
- vending machines everywhere, some amusing items for sale

Only had a few days in Kyoto but it was a welcomed change of pace. Traveled most places on bike. Very cultural city. Nijo Castle was a highlight, as was the fushimi shrine/mountain

The rest of our trip was in Osaka. Also visited Adelaide’s sister city Himeji as part of a day trip.

Accommodation was through Air BnB. I now know what living in a shoebox feels like. All part of the experience though.

MW wrote:On the public transport system, the school kids were quite happy to approach us and ask to practice their English with us.
.

My brother said the same thing when he went to Japan, as soon as they find out you speak english they won't leave you alone because they just want to learn.

He said he and his mates were teaching them aussie slang

One night in the city tonight before the stupid'o'clock flight tomorrow

I think I'm more disappointed about missing cricket for 3 weeks than I am excited about travelling haha

bennymacca wrote:One night in the city tonight before the stupid'o'clock flight tomorrow

I think I'm more disappointed about missing cricket for 3 weeks than I am excited about travelling haha

Have fun mate. Dont worry about cricket mate, ill step in ans take your place. Cant be too hard ;-)

I think I clicked on this forum a little late. Hope you enjoyed your stay.
I lived in Japan for 13 years Benny. I was mostly in Fukuoka and Oita, far south of where you went.
I went to Tokyo twice in all the years I lived in japan. Once was in 2001 for annual training organised by the company I was working for, i.e. over a hundred Gaijin getting smashed in Roppongi, and getting our company banned for one year from the hotel we were put up in. Did not sleep the final night we stayed there, and my bag sat in a capsule hotel all night while we just about broke the bar at an all night, all you can drink Karaoke place in Shinjuku. Got up the next day on a blurry mission to get to the airport.
The second time was in about 2009 with Mrs Therisingblues. and we went to Disney Sea, which was actually quite brilliant, also caught up with the sister-in-law who lived in Tokyo.
Everyone who goes to Japan goes to Tokyo and Kyoto, so I usually can't help much. I know a lot about Kyushu, and southern Honshu. We also went to Nagoya often for monthly Leader Meetings, but those were usually massive drinking sessions with dudes that we hadn't seen for thirty days. I also did the tourist thing in Okinawa, which is a beautiful place.

How did you get around there? Subway? Shinkansen?

Good post.

Had a JR pass so Shinkansen mostly. Was excellent.

Haven't really posted a trip report. Was much better than I expected really. excellent.

Penni and I are off the Tokyo and Kyoto in early April, travelling with another couple - those who first introduced us.

Psyber wrote:Penni and I are off the Tokyo and Kyoto in early April, travelling with another couple - those who first introduced us.

Hanami season. You'll be right in the thick of it.
Hanami, as I am sure you already know, is the Japanese word for their custom of cherry blossom viewing. But like so many cultural practices is actually a very good excuse for drinking.
At the height of hanami, people will stake out a picnic/BBQ spot beneath the drooping branches of the cherry trees, heavy with pink blossoms, and spend a long lunch drinking sake, or beer and snacking out on picninc food. Ueno park in Tokyo is one of the most popular spots, but very hard to get yourself a good possie. Companies will usually throw hanami parties for their staff, and usually the most junior member has the responisbility to arrive early, and place out the canvas, or picninc rug, and save a spot for the rest of the staff who will turn up much later. I never saw anyone get real messy at these events, that usually happened later at the Izakayas or Karaoke booths where the party would kick on.
If you were anywhere near Fukuoka I'd be able to recommend dozens of places where you'd avoid the rush and still get a good spot.
It might not be your thing, but if you wanted to be Japanese for a couple of hours I fully recommend it. If you wandered over to a neighbouring picnic, wine glass in hand, and offered them a drop of whatever it is you were drinking, they would love it. Gauranteed.

Thanks for the advice offer. We'll be sorting out he details of where and when next week, and then we can check back with you re those details.

Penni lived in Tokyo for 5 years but some time ago in the late 80s/early 90s.
Her then husband was a Japanese she had met while they were both working in TV production in Indonesia.
(I gather he didn't cope with her reverting to her independent ways once they came to Australia to live later on and she stopped behaving like a Japanese wife.)

Sounds as though you'll be in good hands with someone with that much experience as your travel partner, especially being a Tokyo girl.
Let me know if you do end up doing the Hanami thing. Japanese people love the changing of the seasons, that sense sort of rubbed off on me through the years I spent there. The Poms I was with in my first year used to laugh as they quoted me "Flaming flowers on flaming trees!" while I never actually uttered those exact words, I still expressed confusion as to why people would go to so much trouble just to look at a bunch of blossoms on trees. By the end of my time in Japan I was even sitting out drinking sake watching the harvest moon.
I have been away over two and a half years now, and am looking forward to my first holiday there.
Please enjoy.

7.3 magnitude quake just hit near Fukushima, warnings of a 3 metre Tsunami too.