Visiting Japan

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Mystique

Dude, our country's so great that the UK plugs work nowhere else but... the UK. xD
You need an adaptor for the pins. Pick up at airport or boots or somewhere.
Voltage wise, don't be so quick to bring home any Japanese 100v stuff back home without a transformer.
As I learnt happily, 240v will blow up the plug of the JP device and present you with smoke and sparks. xD
Anything you have at home you can plug into Japan with a normal adaptor, the voltage is half, so for things like a hand dryer (as i saw), the power was weak.
But for razors etc, it should be fine ^^

Ho, really? UK plugs work in Singapore and Malaysia too. They're safe and sturdy. I like the feel of UK plugs (my laptop uses UK plug since I bought it at a Singapore PC fair - you don't come across English-speaking laptops often in Japan)

[Vexx]

They sell these marvelous little plug adapter kits for all the bizarre two or three prong combos you're likely to find in Asia or anywhere else. The main thing to discover is the voltage (110-120v or 240v) and the frequency (60Hz or 50Hz). For simple appliances, the frequency isn't a really big deal but for sensitive electronics it can be. Many power supplies for computers and stereo/etc now come with a switch for the two choices.

[milkyc]

I need help. If you were to plan an ultimate otaku trip to Japan where would you go?

Akihabara is of course a must. Inside Akihabara where are the ultimate places for each category:

Electronics, accessories, and oppai mousepad
Games and accessories (classic and new)
Character goods
Dakimakura
PVC Figures
Military hobby models and kits 1/54 or 28mm-32mm

After all the shopping what are the ultimate maid cafe's?

Other places I have heard of is the Ghibli Museum and the Nintendo Museum.

What other Ultimate Otaku places in Japan would you go to?

I've been before, and have seen some of the normal tourist areas, i.e. Nikko, Hakone, Mt Fuji, Himeji Castle, and a few temples. So I'm mostly interested in other places.

Also - I've never been sure about this, is there a 'correct' way to hail a cab in Japan? Or does it pretty much work like anywhere else flailing your arm in the air. I don't know why but when I've hailed cabs before in Japan I've gotten wierd looks from the drivers.

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by milkyc

Also - I've never been sure about this, is there a 'correct' way to hail a cab in Japan? Or does it pretty much work like anywhere else flailing your arm in the air. I don't know why but when I've hailed cabs before in Japan I've gotten wierd looks from the drivers.

Well, I'm not so sure either, but usually, people just put up their hand once, not wave/flail. That's just what I've seen...

[prometheus126]

I worked there for eight months at the Universal in Osaka and I personally dislike the place. The only good thing that happened was I met my wife over there. I told her, I don't mind her going back home to see her family and everything but I ain't going back!

[Kyero Fox]

well I got about 65,000 american dollars saved up for a visit, how much Yen will I have? and will 65.000 be enough?

Please don't ask how I have that much saved up, Lots of Family stuff

[Vexx]

Figure roughly 100yen/$1 ... (there are several real-time exchange websites and/or Vista gadgets you can use to keep track).

[Ryuou]

Originally Posted by Kyero Fox

well I got about 65,000 american dollars saved up for a visit, how much Yen will I have? and will 65.000 be enough?

Be enough? Do you plan on taking a bunch of us with you?

Speaking of which, I got my ticket a week or so ago. I'll be going Aug 12 - Sep 5. The ticket was $756 for a non-stop roundtrip from Chicago. Not a bad price I'd think. I can't wait.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by prometheus126

I worked there for eight months at the Universal in Osaka and I personally dislike the place. The only good thing that happened was I met my wife over there. I told her, I don't mind her going back home to see her family and everything but I ain't going back!

LOL. Still, better than Disney@HK.

[Samari]

Originally Posted by Kyero Fox

well I got about 65,000 american dollars saved up for a visit, how much Yen will I have? and will 65.000 be enough?

Please don't ask how I have that much saved up, Lots of Family stuff

Wow that is so much money you could pay for several people to go with you and still do expensive activities.

[Amon81]

I went in 2006 on a manga tour. It was brillant! It was called a manga tour but we basicly went to loads of places in Tokyo (with the otaku mindset) including the Ghibli Musem and Mt Fuji with bullit train back to tokyo, very impresive SOO fast yet it feels like your not moving.

I'd say one place anyone who visits this forum should go is Akihabara (or as I like to call it heaven on earth). I spent loads there, although I did plan to. I bought a laptop a month before I went, turns out in Akihabara I could of got one with triple the spec for less! Not one of the SWEET sony laptops I saw in the Sony shop though, I've not seen thm outside Japan, 10" screen and could run anything under the sun, even now.

The food is much better and cheaper than I thought it would be, if you like me arn't a big fish fan, but like pork and chiken you'll be fine.

I didn't get to go anywhere other than Tokyo and Mt Fuji but worth every penny.

One thing that did help alot was I went with a tour group so they sorted out transportation, tickets and the like. We have evening to wonder around and drink which leads to singing.

That leads me onto doormen, big black men mainly. You need to be polite but firm with them as they don't listen too well, also some clubs charge as you leave, not good if you just spend all you cash.

The trains are amazing, bang on time all the time! plus when moving about in big train stations all the signs are in kanji (or one type of Japanese) and English so its easy to find where to go.

I only knew very little Japanese when I went, but as I found if you try to speak there lingo the are happy to help you. One site I found about a week after I got back was japanesepod101.com there podcasts are relly good and I know know a hell of alot more.

One thing I would highly recomend you take is an umbarella (be like all the other otaku and keep it in your backpack). I tends to rain out of nowhere, much like England.

I'll be going back again as soon as I get the funds! I spend about £4000. £1250 on the holiday package and the rest buying stuff while there.

One last thing I'd take a good camera with you, I took a good 400 photos. I could of taken ALOT more but I wanted to see more stuff than just photo it.

Oh, yes Japanese women are very hot too!

[Mueti]

I'll be finally going to Japan this summer. And when I say this summer, I mean this saturday. I'm pretty damn exited; it'll not only be the first time I'll be visiting Japan, I'll also be living alone for the first time in my life. And I'll be staying for a whole year. My first two months I'll live in Tokyo/Katsushika-ku/Shibamata; in a comfy apartment of about 6m².
I can't wait to see everything I've read about for myself, meet people and finally actually use the language I fell in love with over the last two years. May my preconceptions be shattered!

[Amon81]

Lucky you! I'd love to spend a few months just touring the country.

I forgot to add in mine it was the first time on a plane, 12 hour flight, a good way to ease yourself in.

[428]

Originally Posted by Amon81

Lucky you! I'd love to spend a few months just touring the country.

I forgot to add in mine it was the first time on a plane, 12 hour flight, a good way to ease yourself in.

I think the best thing to do is to buy yourself a Japan Rail Pass before you fly.

It's the best thing you could do for yourself. Or at the very least, a regional pass like this.

They're the most useful things you could get your hands on as a tourist. Personally, I don't believe in the Seishun-18 because it's only useful for students with lots of time. I don't.

[shoya]

I'm visiting Tokyo (a few more days left till I go back home), and dying to go to karaoke and sing/listen to anime songs... Warning: I suck at singing! But I will mostly listen ^^

My favorite songs are God Knows and Listen to My Music from Haruhi, several songs from the OST of "The World Ends with You" (DS game, same as すばらしきこのせかい), op/ed from Azumanga, Ode to Laharl from Disgaea (PS2 game), theme song from セーラー服と機関銃 (ever since I heard Kagami sing it in Lucky Star^^). Of course, I like lots of other stuff too.

If anyone up to hanging out in Tokyo and stopping by karaoke sometime between now and Monday, message me or post here! (I'll be out of town Friday till Sunday afternoon though.)

Oh and btw, this is my first post even though I joined years ago. So I guess this is my introduction ^^

Ahh, almost forgot. I'm learning Japanese, but I am as bad at Japanese as I am at singing...

よろしくお願いします!

[oompa loompa]

I'm going to be visiting Tokyo ( yayy finally!) for about 4-5 days on my way to the states, and I guess I could look through the rest of this thread.. but its rather large so, I'll go ahead and ask again.

I have a place to stay, and I guess some meals with that too, so what do you think is a good budget to go by ( in dollars ). I dont plan on doing any heavy spending ( being an impoverished college student ), though I have saved up a bit for this trip. Still, I'd like to know what you guys would think a good budget, and/or a minimum budget would be. I'm trying not to spend more than say 300-350$ but I think I may be being rather unrealistic .

Also, any particular places you guys recommend a visit to? That includes regular day things as well as night life.

Any help would really be appreciated!

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by oompa loompa

I'm going to be visiting Tokyo ( yayy finally!) for about 4-5 days on my way to the states, and I guess I could look through the rest of this thread.. but its rather large so, I'll go ahead and ask again.

I have a place to stay, and I guess some meals with that too, so what do you think is a good budget to go by ( in dollars ). I dont plan on doing any heavy spending ( being an impoverished college student ), though I have saved up a bit for this trip. Still, I'd like to know what you guys would think a good budget, and/or a minimum budget would be. I'm trying not to spend more than say 300-350$ but I think I may be being rather unrealistic .

Also, any particular places you guys recommend a visit to? That includes regular day things as well as night life.

Any help would really be appreciated!

You've got to go to Shibuya! Tons of great shops and it's seriously one of the busiest and funnest areas in Tokyo. Shinjuku's also cool. If you'd like to go somewhere anime-related, try Animate in Ikebukuro... Great place. Or Akihabara... Also Roppongi and Azabu-juban are some nice areas too. Try going to Roppongi Hills, or the Azabu-juban shopping district.

Eh, I wouldn't really know what your intrests are... I'm probably too young, but those were the places I liked. You don't need to pay too much attention to me...

[HayashiTakara]

To answer the original question, I use to visit family in Osaka over the summers when I was a kid. But it's been several years since I last visited. It's not that amazing or anything, sure it was fun hanging out with my cousins, and I miss the food, but its not like some super amazing dream land.

Well that goes without saying, people always admire the other side of the fence. While the west admires the east, the east admires the west.

If you do plan on visiting, its actually quite friendly towards english speaking tourists, well depending on where you go that is. Since American tourism is quite large in Japan, on top of exchange student programs and such.

[martino]

Originally Posted by Haladflire65

You've got to go to Shibuya! Tons of great shops and it's seriously one of the busiest and funnest areas in Tokyo.

If you're a girl you'll love it... if you're a boy... you'll find it freaky I guess (I did anyway :P).

I'll just add to what Haladflire65 suggested; Marunouchi is worth a look. It's just where Tokyo Station is (which is currently under reconstruction, sadly enough, so you can't see much of its architecture), but the district is very nice for a small walk, not forgetting the Imperial Palace and its huge grounds.

Take a look in Ginza too if you'd like to see many brand name shops packed in one district... Yeah, don't imagine yourself buying anything unless you have lots of cash to spend, but it's worth a look. (Also very conveniently located on the cheap Ginza line.)

Tokyo Tower in Shiodome (a commercial district with many nice skyscrapers) is nice too, with a couple of shrines around it, if that interests you.

And maybe my favourite... Ameyoko near Ueno Station. Used to go there nearly every day during my stay in Tokyo just to grab some cheap sashimi and enjoy its busy atmosphere. A market street, really packed with people, but lots of bargains if you want to buy yourself (or others) something and you're on a tight budget. Although don't expect a lot of traditional stuff there. It's mostly clothes, food, some electronics... well, your general market . Very cheap food too.

Not sure what kind of nightlife you meant, but on general Shinjuku shouldn't be a miss for that.

[LynnieS]

US$300-500 should be enough for a budget meant for 4-5 days - provided that you don't go overboard with your spending. Meals can be pretty cheap but filling - even in Tokyo - with ramen shops, Soupstock, Ootoya and etc. around various neighborhoods. If you go to Roppongi, though, watch out that you don't get too far behind on your bar tab, buy something for which you don't know the price, or something similar.

Like martino said, Shibuya isn't really meant for guys. Unless you're out to hunt for girls, but depending on different things, you might find yourself getting shot down fast. Aside from the various places already mentioned, you might also try Asakusa (where the Kaminarimon is) for the general "Old Japan" feel. If you're going with girls, they might like Aoyama or Harajuku.

If you got the cash and time, a day trip out to Nikko or Atami (for the beaches or onsen) could be fun also.