Japan

[BrotherAtArms]

It's cool As long as you didn't call them up saying, 'FREE TRIP PLEASE!'
Believe me, I'd love a free trip, too... maybe I could become a stowaway >

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

XD Lol!

I want to go to UNO for sure now. Why, you ask?

http://inst.uno.edu/japan/index.cfm

! I absolutely want to go on that trip later in life once I get there. Of course, I'll have to be able to take care of everything I need to and be completely capable of being totally independent, but I have time to be able to do that soon. ^^ I can't waaaait~

 

[soul_biscuit]

I never liked Tokyo that much. I've been there five times, and I was always happy to leave. There's plenty of fun things to do, but the crowds there are intolerable. I remember trying to walk down the sidewalk in Harajuku/Omote Sandou and seeing an unbroken sea of black heads trudging along in front of me.

The most fun I had in Japan was in the town where I lived for two years, Kumamoto. It's a smallish city by Japanese standards, surrounded by countryside and ancient villages, with tiny, centuries-old temples tucked in forests and behind mountains. You could explore forever. The people there are also incredibly friendly and open, much less guarded than more metropolitan Japanese people.

So if you manage to get to Japan, I certainly recommend exploring Tokyo, but get out of the city for a while if at all possible. Go west to Ishikawa, Toyama or Nagano, north to Touhoku or Hokkaido, or south the Kyuushuu (my personal favorite.) Tokyo is not representative of Japan as a whole.

 

[Breetai]

So if you manage to get to Japan, I certainly recommend exploring Tokyo, but get out of the city for a while if at all possible. Go west to Ishikawa, Toyama or Nagano, north to Touhoku or Hokkaido, or south the Kyuushuu (my personal favorite.) Tokyo is not representative of Japan as a whole.

Wow, those are some great places to get to if you have a lot of time. By a lot of time, I mean like a good month! Three weeks at the least, along with a rail pass. I'd recommend if you have less than three weeks, stick to the Kanto (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone) and Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Ise) areas. If you can, get to Hiroshima/Miyajima for a few days. This is unless, of course, you have a specific agenda (ie. skiing, hot springs in Oita for some reason, your cruise ship from Dubai is docking in Nagasaki/Fukuoka, etc.).

Going to Kyushu, Tokoku, Hokkaido, Shikoku, etc. would be like going to Colorado in America, or Scotland in the UK. Definitely worth a visit, but not essential on a general tour.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

I never liked Tokyo that much. I've been there five times, and I was always happy to leave. There's plenty of fun things to do, but the crowds there are intolerable. I remember trying to walk down the sidewalk in Harajuku/Omote Sandou and seeing an unbroken sea of black heads trudging along in front of me.

The most fun I had in Japan was in the town where I lived for two years, Kumamoto. It's a smallish city by Japanese standards, surrounded by countryside and ancient villages, with tiny, centuries-old temples tucked in forests and behind mountains. You could explore forever. The people there are also incredibly friendly and open, much less guarded than more metropolitan Japanese people.

So if you manage to get to Japan, I certainly recommend exploring Tokyo, but get out of the city for a while if at all possible. Go west to Ishikawa, Toyama or Nagano, north to Touhoku or Hokkaido, or south the Kyuushuu (my personal favorite.) Tokyo is not representative of Japan as a whole.

Ahh. Well the program takes us to Kyoto, not Tokyo. So I probably won't get to Tokyo unless I drive all the way there, and I wanted to just explore things within my reach (because you still have classes there, but you get one free day per week, and one scheduled mandatory field trip per week as well). Most of the week I'll have classes, so it won't really be an all out vacation. It is what it is, overseas studies. ^^

When I am able to go for an actual vacation, I will definitely visit Tokyo, but I'll make sure I find some good walking/biking shoes because I know it's going to be hectic...... like New York x999. I saw some pictures that a classmate showed me of Japan, and she visited Tokyo, and I saw the flood myself... it was amazing. Also, I've never thought that Tokyo represented Japan as a whole. I'm not sure how long I intend to stay, because that could change dramatically depending on how much time I actually have in the future.

Wow, those are some great places to get to if you have a lot of time. By a lot of time, I mean like a good month! Three weeks at the least, along with a rail pass. I'd recommend if you have less than three weeks, stick to the Kanto (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone) and Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Ise) areas. If you can, get to Hiroshima/Miyajima for a few days. This is unless, of course, you have a specific agenda (ie. skiing, hot springs in Oita for some reason, your cruise ship from Dubai is docking in Nagasaki/Fukuoka, etc.).

Going to Kyushu, Tokoku, Hokkaido, Shikoku, etc. would be like going to Colorado in America, or Scotland in the UK. Definitely worth a visit, but not essential on a general tour.

Ahh. That's really good information, I'll remember it! Thanks!

 

[kangkongking]

japan too has many modern christians you know.

 

[Breetai]

Ahh. Well the program takes us to Kyoto, not Tokyo. So I probably won't get to Tokyo unless I drive all the way there, and I wanted to just explore things within my reach (because you still have classes there, but you get one free day per week, and one scheduled mandatory field trip per week as well). Most of the week I'll have classes, so it won't really be an all out vacation. It is what it is, overseas studies. ^^

I don't think you'd be driving from Tokyo to Kyoto. Most people don't do that! The train, or maybe the bus, is the way to go. Take the bullet train, and you're there in less than two and a half hours. Drive, and it'll take you 7-12 hours depending on traffic plus driving can be stressful here. It's not like America. The price is about the same whether you drive or take the train, not including the rather huge parking fees/drop off fees (if renting). Include that stuff, and the train is much cheaper!

I've hired a car and driven from Fukuoka to Hiroshima before. While fun, I didn't save any money from the train and it took longer.

 

[soul_biscuit]

Wow, those are some great places to get to if you have a lot of time. By a lot of time, I mean like a good month! Three weeks at the least, along with a rail pass. I'd recommend if you have less than three weeks, stick to the Kanto (Tokyo, Yokohama, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone) and Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Ise) areas. If you can, get to Hiroshima/Miyajima for a few days. This is unless, of course, you have a specific agenda (ie. skiing, hot springs in Oita for some reason, your cruise ship from Dubai is docking in Nagasaki/Fukuoka, etc.).

Going to Kyushu, Tokoku, Hokkaido, Shikoku, etc. would be like going to Colorado in America, or Scotland in the UK. Definitely worth a visit, but not essential on a general tour.

I agree, it needs to be a substantial trip to go to places like that. I just think it's a good idea, when you go anywhere, to get out of the city and see what things are like in slower-paced areas. Any one of those places would do in Japan (although it would add significantly to the cost of the trip, and you could find such places closer by. Kanazawa would be a good one. The garden there is breathtaking.)

The rail pass is the greatest thing ever. Makes you feel like a VIP.

 

[Breetai]

The rail pass is the greatest thing ever. Makes you feel like a VIP.

I've never had one. I wish I could, but it's only open to foreign tourists.

 

[Mankin]

Well as a little kid I was always interested in samurias and ninjas.(yes I know my spelling sucks, so sue me. ) Then anime and manga made me become interested in Japanese culture.

Now I just started learning Japanese. It's a tough language but I'm determined to obtain some level of fluency in the near future. I really want to visit Japan.

I'm not sure if I want to visit Tokyo though, maybe I'll start out with a smaller city.

 

[Azureknight 773]

Woah! ho! HO! A Japanese thread that made me inspired to post here. I honestly really want to go there. That is the very country that started both Anime and Tokusatsu. Boy! Really want to be there because I want to go to their tourist spots, eat in their Izakayas or any sushi restaurants, *drools for Sushi and Matcha Shake*buy a lot of Anime and Toku goodies like Gundams, Karas, Code Geass, Super Sentai (commonly known as Power Rangers abroad), Kamen Rider (Translated as Masked Rider), Metal Heroes and lots lots more for my Anime X Tokusatsu collection.

Boy! I want to buy a lot of anime, tokusatsu and Jpop music albums (Mmm... Gackt Kamui, JAM Project, Nanase Aikawa, UnderWorld, L'arc en Ciel, Hinorobu Kageyama, Psychic Lover, Nami Tamaki songs FTW!!!) for the very first time in my life.

EDIT: Also, I want to see Japanese Christians there so that I can have some added friends from that country.

 

[Breetai]

Woah! ho! HO! A Japanese thread that made me inspired to post here. I honestly really want to go there. That is the very country that started both Anime and Tokusatsu. Boy! Really want to be there because I want to go to their tourist spots, eat in their Izakayas or any sushi restaurants, *drools for Sushi and Matcha Shake*buy a lot of Anime and Toku goodies like Gundams, Karas, Code Geass, Super Sentai (commonly known as Power Rangers abroad), Kamen Rider (Translated as Masked Rider), Metal Heroes and lots lots more for my Anime X Tokusatsu collection.

Boy! I want to buy a lot of anime, tokusatsu and Jpop music albums (Mmm... Gackt Kamui, JAM Project, Nanase Aikawa, UnderWorld, L'arc en Ciel, Hinorobu Kageyama, Psychic Lover, Nami Tamaki songs FTW!!!) for the very first time in my life.

Ummm... Do you realize that most Japanese aren't nearly as into this stuff as you are?

 

[Riddik7]

heheh i wan't to take some of my friends there so i can watch the faces of the locals as my friends go nuts over all the otaku stuff....

in any case i can't lie the path that lead me to loving Japan was influenced by anime as when i was a little kid i was obsesed with it... it then dropped out of my life for a long time until a conversation i had with a friend resparked my interest in things Japanese and i went and began researching everything i could about Japan... of course after a while i began getting into anime again.... ya i know it's considered a kids thing in Japan and whatnot but then i always have considere dmyself a kid at heart (IMHO anyone who isn't must have a boring life) though i still can't see myself going all nuts over everything otaku like my friends do lol... but i do love the Japanese culture for what it is... Japan has an amazing and very rich history, i can't wait to go to Japan so i can see what it's realy like so i can fall in love with Japan all over again...

 

[Breetai]

heheh i wan't to take some of my friends there so i can watch the faces of the locals as my friends go nuts over all the otaku stuff....

But, but, but... the locals in places like Akihabara are pretty used to foreigners geeking out there. In fact, they happily take advantage of it.

i can't wait to go to Japan so i can see what it's realy like so i can fall in love with Japan all over again...

IMO, you can't see what it's really like with just a trip there. You'll just see a bit of the icing on the cake. The icing is wonderful and tasty. The cake however... you'd have to decide that after a few years of being here!

 

[Riddik7]

yes true it would take a few years to truly know japan... if i had my way i could move there.... but i can't so in which case when i do visit i will be glad that i am a traveler not a tourist.... travelers explore every aspect to try and get to realy know a place... a tourist just see's the surface that's put up for tourism.

 

[Lonely_Sailor]

I've only been in Japan for a few months and I love it here. I'm not really into the Otaku stuff that you mentioned above, but there is a lot of culture here to explore and so many things to do.

 

[Mankin]

Just find some otakus in Japan. We're a world wide community after all XD

 

[Azureknight 773]

Ummm... Do you realize that most Japanese aren't nearly as into this stuff as you are?

Well, not until you gave me that info. But how come they aren't? Afterall, they started all of them.

heheh i wan't to take some of my friends there so i can watch the faces of the locals as my friends go nuts over all the otaku stuff....

in any case i can't lie the path that lead me to loving Japan was influenced by anime as when i was a little kid i was obsesed with it... it then dropped out of my life for a long time until a conversation i had with a friend resparked my interest in things Japanese and i went and began researching everything i could about Japan... of course after a while i began getting into anime again.... ya i know it's considered a kids thing in Japan and whatnot but then i always have considere dmyself a kid at heart (IMHO anyone who isn't must have a boring life) though i still can't see myself going all nuts over everything otaku like my friends do lol... but i do love the Japanese culture for what it is... Japan has an amazing and very rich history, i can't wait to go to Japan so i can see what it's realy like so i can fall in love with Japan all over again...

Well, thank goodness that someone here has the same vibe as I do

But, but, but... the locals in places like Akihabara are pretty used to foreigners geeking out there. In fact, they happily take advantage of it.

Akihabara for the win! I heard a lot of goodies are on store there, I really hope I can buy all my fave Anime and Tokusatsu stuffs from there and bring them all back to the Philippines where I belong.

IMO, you can't see what it's really like with just a trip there. You'll just see a bit of the icing on the cake. The icing is wonderful and tasty. The cake however... you'd have to decide that after a few years of being here!

Mmm... That made me drool with those goodies you mentioned

Just find some otakus in Japan. We're a world wide community after all XD

And never forget to mention, find those Vocaloid fanclubs there too. They might be all over the roads there like a flood. Man! I love the songs of those virtual singers. They really have very nice compositions and I wanna buy some Vocaloid CDs.

 

[Breetai]

Well, not until you gave me that info. But how come they aren't? Afterall, they started all of them.

Which constitues what... 0.01% of the population? Okay, okay... Mario and Gundam are lot more pop culture here than in most other countries, but it's still a vast minority of the population as a whole.

BTW, I think Mario is awesome and I'd love to pilot a real Gundam, but I'm just being realistic here. I'm as nerdy as the next guy. Heck, I've got over 30 video game consoles and I'm very happy to go to Akihabara to add to my collection.

 

[Azureknight 773]

Which constitues what... 0.01% of the population? Okay, okay... Mario and Gundam are lot more pop culture here than in most other countries, but it's still a vast minority of the population as a whole.

BTW, I think Mario is awesome and I'd love to pilot a real Gundam, but I'm just being realistic here. I'm as nerdy as the next guy. Heck, I've got over 30 video game consoles and I'm very happy to go to Akihabara to add to my collection.

What? Oh man! That's quite a surprise. I really thought that these people really crave for them that much. My expectation was around 25 % of that country really are onto that but I guess I am wrong.