Trip to Japan, where to go?

[NoSoldat4u]

I am finally going to spend the green and take a trip to Japan for some good site seeing, but I'm not exactly sure where to go. Anyone know the best spots to check out over a weeks worth of time? TIA

[fujyoshi]

AKIHABARA!!!!!!!!!!!

if you just go there and tell me what it's like!!!!

[Yoshio]

you should try to visit kyoto for the shrines, temples, and other historic stuff, then probably just spend the rest of your time in anime shops in tokyo

[Magami No ER]

AKIHABARA!!!!!!!!!!!

if you just go there and tell me what it's like!!!!
Seconded.
http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/2844/anrq6.th.jpg (http://img312.imageshack.us/my.php?image=anrq6.jpg)

Freak'in crowded there however, though much of urban Japan is.^^; Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku( :zomgcosplaylol: ) are the more popular places for the younger crowds.
Like the above poster said, Kyoto's definatly worth it, for a more visual/cultural experience, I myself wish I could've stayed longer. Pretty much easy to navigate the city streets in comparasion to Tokyo.
If you don't mind the second flight within Japan, that is.
Then there's also solem yet beautiful Hiroshima (http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/3747/hironj0.jpg) , and near is the island Miya-jima(reachable via short ferry ride), with many beautiful sights (http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/4938/torisightxi5.jpg) and....er, wild deer (http://img315.imageshack.us/img315/4569/deercopymi4.jpg)
A traval guide book on Japan'll probabally help you appreciate the sights a bit more, certainly did for me. Most signs of importance however are are billingual.
I will say though, that if this is for one week, you may want to just pick one area and stay within it, each place offers so much. Depends on what you want to get out of the experience.

[NoSoldat4u]

Well I was hoping I could stay longer than the one week, but I can't seem to fit the extra time in. I may need to take a second trip sometime again this year and stay a lot longer to be able to exprience all those places you mentioned. Kyoto definately seems like a great cultural experience and a beautiful one to say the least. I'd probably visit this place for most of my time, and then like Yoshio said, spend the last day at anime shops in Tokyo. I'm not looking for any specific experience out of this, just a general view of Japan since this is a short trip. Any other suggestions are welcome! ^_^

[NoSoldat4u]

Here are some shots of Kyoto:
http://sushicam.com/g/albums/28april2006/R0010288.jpg
http://people.csail.mit.edu/manoli/gallery/kyoto/DSCN0254.jpg
http://people.csail.mit.edu/manoli/gallery/kyoto/DSCN0311.jpg

Tokyo shots:
http://ts-pec.web.infoseek.co.jp/wallpaper/yokohama-2_std.jpg
http://www.yakei-kabegami.com/cgi-bin/photo/1765-photo.jpg

Kyoto has that traditional look and feel, while Tokyo reminds me of San Francisco only a lot more clean. I sure would like to visit these two places if I could fit it all in a week.

[Mika-chan]

Tokyo shots:
http://ts-pec.web.infoseek.co.jp/wallpaper/yokohama-2_std.jpg
http://www.yakei-kabegami.com/cgi-bin/photo/1765-photo.jpg
.

The first shot is Yokohama (next to Tokyo). I like Yokohama, but it can wait if your trip is short. The second one looks like a shot from Odaiba which is a pretty cool place (Joypolis is there which is kinda like an indoor amusement park as well as the Fuji TV Station). The Kyoto/Nara area is great if you looking for a more historic look at Japan (and you can find some "Tokyo" style stuff there. I should note that many of the temples close around six and there isn`t that much to do in Kyoto at night (but that depends on you...I didn`t find much to do at night). LOL I think I`m the only person who doesn`t get all excited about Akiba (AKihabara). I guess it`s okay for anime/electronics shopping, but I think it`s a bit overrated. Shibuya offers a more "What the heck!?" feeling because that`s the place you`ll most likely find all the popular styles if you`re interested in that. Harajuku is really on interested in Sundays but it`s the most crowded then. Shinjuku is okay, but not that special if you`re just visiting Japan for a short time. Same with Ikebukuro even though "Otome Road" (Akihabara for women) is there. Ueno is pretty nice too.

Japan Guide (http://japan-guide.com/) has quite a bit of info about different cities in Japan.

[Yoshio]

i recognize the 2nd and 3rd ones, (kiyomizu dera and some shopping mall in Gion that i cant remember the name of), and the first pic looks like the the neighborhood my relatives lived in in tokyo (i mean, it really looks like it with the building in the background and that closed garage door on the right)

but as you were saying, i definitely felt that kyoto had a more relaxed feel to it, and i felt like i enjoyed it the most out of all of the cities i went to, although while in kyoto you must make a day trip to Nara, it's got a park with a whole bunch of temples and deer that attack you when you have food

[MIKE123]

I'll just be naming places I went to and saw:

Sight-seeing:

Kyoto--the temple of the golden pavilion(kinkakuji), imperial palace, nijo castle
Fukuoka--castle ruins
Hiroshima--museum
Nagoya--castle
Tokyo--Tokyo Tower

Shopping:

Akihabara--electronics stuff, arcades
Shibuya--clothes and babes
Harajuku--cheap clothing stores, cool fashion
Almost forgot, Asakusa--Popular for foreingers. Temple with shops, food, etc.

[Haro!]

Go to Roppongi and shop for Prada, Louis Vuitton and lots of other stuff that is really really nice.

[waitup]

hey dude thats sweet you wanna go.
check out this site

http://www.jnto.go.jp/

some top places are

tokyo
kyoto
mount fugi
hokkaido
osaka
hiroshima
nagoya
kamakura
yokohama
sapporo
nikko
hakone
okinawa
nara
fukuoka

i hope i can go too some day. ur a lucky man.

hope that site helps u

[fujyoshi]

LOL I think I`m the only person who doesn`t get all excited about Akiba (AKihabara). I guess it`s okay for anime/electronics shopping, but I think it`s a bit overrated. Shibuya offers a more "What the heck!?" feeling because that`s the place you`ll most likely find all the popular styles if you`re interested in that. Harajuku is really on interested in Sundays but it`s the most crowded then. Shinjuku is okay, but not that special if you`re just visiting Japan for a short time. Same with Ikebukuro even though "Otome Road" (Akihabara for women) is there. Ueno is pretty nice too.

Japan Guide (http://japan-guide.com/) has quite a bit of info about different cities in Japan.

I heart Ikebukuro <3 ^^

[cris]

For what purpose are you going to Japan for, how long are you saying, what are your intrests and where abouts is your main lodging point at, with realtives or hotel?

[NoSoldat4u]

Thank you all for your input. I've decided to go to Kyoto and stay there for the whole week. I'm going with a friend and we will be staying at the Westin Miyako Hotel for a week. I would love to be able to go to other cities but time just does not allow it. Someday there will be another trip, and it will be longer. ^_^

Our purpose in going is purely vacational, site-seeing, relaxing, and just having a good experience in general with a different culture.

Some shots of the hotel we will be staying at:
http://www.thebigday.com/i/promo/Promotion358.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/167293063_c247b354d4.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/167293062_44717d25a7.jpg

We are thinking about leaving Dec. 16 and returning Dec. 23. Would this be a bad decision?

[Jun_Inohara]

Thank you all for your input. I've decided to go to Kyoto and stay there for the whole week. I'm going with a friend and we will be staying at the Westin Miyako Hotel for a week. I would love to be able to go to other cities but time just does not allow it. Someday there will be another trip, and it will be longer. ^_^

Our purpose in going is purely vacational, site-seeing, relaxing, and just having a good experience in general with a different culture.

Some shots of the hotel we will be staying at:
http://www.thebigday.com/i/promo/Promotion358.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/167293063_c247b354d4.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/167293062_44717d25a7.jpg

We are thinking about leaving Dec. 16 and returning Dec. 23. Would this be a bad decision?

Ah, I've seen that hotel in passing! December is cold, but nothing you probably can't handle. I wear a toggle coat all winter here (I live east of Kyoto in Shiga prefecture, but I go to Kyoto pretty often), plus a hat and gloves. You shouldn't freeze but bear in mind it does get cold. The scenery in Kyoto may not also be at it's seasonal best unless it's snowed, but that doesn't happen very often. Still, you won't lack for things to see, you just won't get the bright greens of summer, the reds/oranges/golds of autumn or the cherry blossoms of spring.

Anyway, as I said, I live near Kyoto (about 40 min by train to Kyoto station) so if you have any questions about how to get around/where to go, I should be able to help.

[KuroiKenshi]

I went to school for a semester near the westin... its a beautiful area! have fun

[cris]

Oh, you didn't pick a place to go yet =-P

Yeah, Kyoto is definately a good place to go. You see lots of Japan around there and the onsens are not that far away from Kyoto either. I think Kyoto had an Akiba-like town or a big shopping center or something as well, but I'm not too positive on that.

[NoSoldat4u]

Thanks everyone. ^_^

I will make sure to bring extra warm clothing, hehe. I wasn't sure how cold it got there, but you say snow so that's cold enough. ;)
The reason for going in December is because I love winter and especially Christmas time, so combining that with staying somewhere I've always wanted to travel to would be a great experience.

Only thing I am worrying about is the ease of getting around with no knowledge of the language. Would you say that it is not something to worry about? Or should I hurry and study some basics?

Thanks everyone for you help! :)

[Jun_Inohara]

Thanks everyone. ^_^

I will make sure to bring extra warm clothing, hehe. I wasn't sure how cold it got there, but you say snow so that's cold enough. ;)
The reason for going in December is because I love winter and especially Christmas time, so combining that with staying somewhere I've always wanted to travel to would be a great experience.

Only thing I am worrying about is the ease of getting around with no knowledge of the language. Would you say that it is not something to worry about? Or should I hurry and study some basics?

Thanks everyone for you help! :)

If you're going to be staying around Kyoto, you shouldn't have any trouble. The buses have both English and Japanese on them, as well as the subway (in fact, the subway now employs a number system as well as a voice in English announcing each stop. The latter it had before, but the number system wasn't in use, as far as I remember, the first time I went to Kyoto [back in 98]). You can find tons of info on the bus routes/subway and how close they run to popular tourist points in Kyoto online, of course, but there's a tourist information center in Kyoto station itself which can help you out. Granted, when my friends and I tooled around Kyoto back during my study abroad days, we were here to study the language, but that wasn't what got us around the city :P Just the tourist bus map was really all we needed (you'll need the subway too, though, I imagine. We were only there two days).

[madpierrot]

If you're going to kyoto my favorite places there were:
1) Sanjusangendo Temple (1,001 statues of Kannon, truely awesome!)
2) Silver Palace (well known land mark, has an incredible garden in it also it's right by the Philosopher's path so you can see both easily)
3) Tojo Temple (the largest pagoda in Japan is also there as well as a few other buildings that act as mini museums)
4) Heian Shrine did have my favorite garden out of all the ones I saw, but don't know how that will be in december, i'm still going to say nice, haha

As said before Kyoto like Tokyo has a lot of English. Oh and watch out for "The Cube" (i think that was it), it's this big shoppig complex by the train station. I know this will sound dumb, but it took me forever to get out of it, haha, just make sure you remember the way out.

[Jun_Inohara]

As said before Kyoto like Tokyo has a lot of English. Oh and watch out for "The Cube" (i think that was it), it's this big shoppig complex by the train station. I know this will sound dumb, but it took me forever to get out of it, haha, just make sure you remember the way out.

Even having been down there many times, I still manage to get turned around pretty often! Only recently have I figured out exactly where the Subway (as in the restaurant) and the foreign food store is without having to really think it through, so I know what you mean :P

[Starchild]

I'm curious that no one seems to have recommended the Emperor's Palace.
http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e17/ed17-03.html

[KuroiKenshi]

I'm curious that no one seems to have recommended the Emperor's Palace.
http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e17/ed17-03.html


well, ill tell you why i didnt(ok, i understand that you may have meant it rhetorically, but i cant resist an opportunity to voice my opinions).

its my understanding the imperial palace in tokyo is generally not open to visitors unless they make an application at least a day in advance, which is more of a hassle than i personally think should be necessary for a tourist spot. as for where i have indeed been all around the area of the palace, i felt like "whats the point?" the places that i saw around the palace were certainly nice, but they definitely weren't the most exciting things that i saw in tokyo, and i feel like they arent really worth recommending to someone, especially when that someone has only one week in japan in total.

the imperial palace in kyoto? again, considering that you have to put the effort into applying for a visiting spot, i just found it not worth it. there are so many other beautiful spots in kyoto, why waste your time applying for a spot just to see one of them? of course, ive never been there, so i cant say its a comeplete waste of time, but then again ive never been there so i certainly cant say that it is worth going to see, because that would be beyond my (admittedly limited) knowledge of tourist spots in kyoto. personally, i feel that if one were to spend a week in kyoto, that week would be best spent seeing as many sites as possible without restriction, and if possible seeing a sake factory or two along the way (and if possible the suntory whisky factory and the suita-mura [osaka pref.] asahi beer factory... two of the happiest places on earth!).

as for the other imperial palaces around the kyoto area, you need at least four people to go to see them. i dont understand why this is necessary, nor (again) do i think that it is worth the hassle considering that this person has only a certain, very limited amount of time in japan.

i should add that now that i live here, and have a lot more time in japan that i ever really expected to have, these are all sites that i would like to go to, but when i was but a poor, lowly tourist, they just werent worth the effort to me, especially considering that i had more than enough to see in very limited time I had in japan.

i hope that was enough to sate your curiosity. please remember that my (and others') not recommending the imperial palaces did not necessarily have anything to do with negativity towars the imperial family (and nor does my capitalization of anything, seeing as how i have been hitting the sobajouchuu tonight).

[Starchild]

Why not? It's very simple.


Guide to Visiting the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (Free of charge) 　　


Visiting the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (Approximate time required: 75 minutes)

Tours will take place every day from Monday to Friday
Except for national holidays, from 28 December to 4 January and in circumstances due to court functions and other occasions.
Tour Times: 10:00am, 1:30pm
The tour will be conducted in Japanese, and to foreign visitors, office distributes brochure explained in English, Chinese and Korean, and office has the Audio Guide in English.

Reservations for tour of the Imperial Palace can be made by telephone and applications should be processed a day prior to the date of the tour.
Tel: 03-3213-1111 (Ext. 3485, 3486) Imperial Palace Tour office
Applications are accepted from Monday to Friday, from 8:45 a.m. to noon, and from 1:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.
(Office is closed on Saturday, Sunday, national holidays, and from 29 December to 3 January)

Applicants should enter the Palace through the Sakashitamon Gate with passport or a form of identification.

[Ageha]

I have to say that I really have to agree with Kenshi. If you have time, certainly it's worth it, if not in the least because-for me at least-anything historical=worth seeing (I've been to the one Kyouto). But if you're here with a limited amount of time, it's not worth the hassle.

Other places worth seeing:Fushimi Inari Taisha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi_Inari-taisha) and Nijo Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijo_Castle) (although it's not a castle in the way that Himeji or Osaka is...oh whoops, someone already mentioned this....^^;)...also, you should take a walk through the geisha districts of Gion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gion) and Pontocho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontocho)...the former for it's wide(wide for here, anyway! ;p), feeling of being back in time in a way, picturesque streets and the latter because it's extremely narrow (http://myolympus.org/files/0562/Pontocho_Street.jpg) and surprisingly small for what you might expect out of such a district.
There's also the Arashiyama area, which has Tenryuuji (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3913.html) and right next to it a really stunning bamboo grove. Yeah, yeah, you can see plenty of bamboo here, but the grove is really nice. Moreover, it leads to a train station where you can catch the Torokko (http://www.city.kameoka.kyoto.jp/english/Torokko%20Train%20Schedule.html) , a scenic train you can take for 600 yen that lasts for about half an hour. A bit pricey, but if you come on a day with good weather, the view is spectacular. I'd suggest what my sister (Jun up there) and I did-we took the regular train to Torokko station down the line and got off at the station near Arashiyama...then you can wind your way down through the bamboo grove, check out the small Nonomiya Shrine (http://www.taleofgenji.org/nonomiya.html), which was mentioned in The Tale of Genji, and then continue further until you get to Tenryuuji.

Ooohkay, well that's enough outta me. There are tons and tons of other places worth seeing in Kyoto, though (like Enryakuji (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3911.html)....which I haven't actually been to yet, but which will be rectified this weekend. ;p My sister has, but she's nice enough to go again so I can see it)!

Hope you have the time of your life while you're here! Lots of people love Tokyo or Osaka...but of the big cities, Kyoto will always be my favorite. It's the perfect blend (to me) of big city, without feeling overwhelming.

[Starchild]

Errr, Maiko is different from Geisha. I was confused a bit when I saw The Last Samurai because Maiko girls walked in Yokohama, not Kyoto.

[Ageha]

Errr, Maiko is different from Geisha. I was confused a bit when I saw The Last Samurai because Maiko girls walked in Yokohama, not Kyoto.

I'm afraid I don't understand your point. I didn't say anything about maiko...maiko are indeed a part of the geisha "culture" in Kyoto (where geisha are called 'geiko'). They exist as well in the Tokyo (ok, so it's not Yokohama...it's close...er? ;p) hanamachi, but were/are called "hangyoku" (which I think might be the term that's more widely used. Hot springs geisha in Nagano were also called hangyoku as apprentices in Masuda Sayo's 'Autobiography of a Geisha')
Anyway, I still say the OP should take the time to walk through both Gion and Pontocho as they're well worth seeing.

[Jun_Inohara]

Anyway, I still say the OP should take the time to walk through both Gion and Pontocho as they're well worth seeing.

Important to note that if one choose to walk through Gion, doing so near evening is the best time, as that's when you're most likely to see them.

[Starchild]

I'm afraid I don't understand your point. I didn't say anything about maiko...maiko are indeed a part of the geisha "culture" in Kyoto (where geisha are called 'geiko').
I mean, you wrote "through the geisha districts of Gion and Pontocho." I'm not sure if Gion should be called geisha district or not, because it is usually called Geiko in Kyoto. As you know, the term 'Geisha' is heard around Tokyo.

They exist as well in the Tokyo (ok, so it's not Yokohama...it's close...er? ;p) hanamachi, but were/are called "hangyoku"
Are you mentioning 'Oshaku'? It is an equivalent of Maiko, but strictly speaking, not Maiko itself. _The Last Samurai_ puzzled me a bit because Maiko-like girls appeared in Kyoto style (having sash hung on the back) while the story was set in Tokyo or Yokohama.

[Ageha]

I mean, you wrote "through the geisha districts of Gion and Pontocho." I'm not sure if Gion should be called geisha district or not, because it is usually called Geiko in Kyoto. As you know, the term 'Geisha' is heard around Tokyo.

You're being too literal, I think. Geiko and geisha are the same thing, but just about everyone-even those who've never learned a thing about geisha-know the word "geisha", not "geiko", which is why I went with more broadly used term. Perhaps I just should have said "the hanamachi of...." instead, but those unfamiliar with the subject would have little idea what I meant.

Are you mentioning 'Oshaku'? It is an equivalent of Maiko, but strictly speaking, not Maiko itself. _The Last Samurai_ puzzled me a bit because Maiko-like girls appeared in Kyoto style (having sash hung on the back) while the story was set in Tokyo or Yokohama.

Is that the term used for apprentice geisha elsewhere in Japan, outside of Tokyo and Kyoto? Masuda Sayo, who was a hot springs geisha in Nagano, also used the word "hangyoku" in her book, but I have to admit to otherwise knowing little about geisha/geiko outside of Kyoto (even though they were at one time plentiful all over the country). I imagine the movie used maiko simply because they're so striking, while the hagyoku, it seems, were less flamboyantly attired.

[Starchild]

You may be right. But I mean, Kimono styles of Geisha/Geiko/Hangyoku are different from one another between Tokyo and Kyoto.

[NoSoldat4u]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will do my best to visit most of the places you all have mentioned, minus the imperial palace but with all due respect.

Places in mind:
Sanjusangendo Temple
Silver Palace
Tojo Temple
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Gion
Pontocho
Arashiyama
Enryakuji on Hieizan

This will be a very exciting trip no doubt. ^_^

[Yoshio]

^ dont forget to leave room for a day trip to Nara and the park full of temples there

also, as well as all that you noted, you need to visit Kiyomizu Dera

[Ageha]

^ dont forget to leave room for a day trip to Nara and the park full of temples there

also, as well as all that you noted, you need to visit Kiyomizu Dera

Wah, good call! It's kind of incredible that nobody mentioned it. I'm a little shocked with myself as my sister and I are taking a friend there this weekend. ;p I strongly agree with going to Nara, if the OP can. It does require a day trip, but there's more than enough worth seeing to keep you occupied

[Amuro]

Personally, I rely on Fodor's guides for all my sightseeing needs, although it's vital to read them (and perhaps even mark them up) ahead of time because, if you try to glance at them and quickly find somewhere to go after you arrive, you'll probably end up not using your time efficiently.