| Hello folks I am planning to spend the last two weeks of November (2012) sightseeing in Japan. Though I have no reading skills at all, I can speak/understand just enough Japanese to be dangerous. (I understand since many Japanese know enough English that it is possible to get around without knowing Japanese, but I'm going to try to use what I know as much as possible - It should be quite amusing.) Anyway, I don't know anybody personally who has traveled there so I'm researching from scratch how to go about it. As of right now I only have a general idea of where I want to go - in and around Kanazawa, Osaka, and Kyoto. Beyond that I don't yet have any specific places to go or things to do. There are a LOT of on-line and book resources of places to go and things to do, and since it will be just me I can play loose with my schedule, so I don't think that will be a problem. In this post I'm much more interested in the HOW, not where. Anyway... First, I'm looking at the schedule of flights USA<-->Japan (via kayak.com) and it seems all such flights (at least, those that don't cost two arms and a leg) stop in Tokyo regardless of final destination. How easy is it to get around the Tokyo airport to get to the next connecting flight? Would I be better off taking a train out of Tokyo? Has anybody taken advantage of this Foreign Traveler Train Pass? If so, what was your experience like both getting it and using it? Outside of a smartphone, I'm not taking any electronics with me. However, I have Sleep Apnea and use a CPAP. has anybody else taken one into the country and were there any issues getting through customs with it? (I have a couple of medications, but they are controlled substances and I REALLY don't want to jump through the hoops it seems would be needed to take any with me, if it were even possible, and I can do without them for 10 or 12 days, so I'm not taking them with me.) Oh, yes. I do LOVE food and am willing to try most anything (though I will NOT eat uncooked meat). However...I am Gluten Intolerant (though not Celiac, fortunately), which is a hassle under good conditions. Anybody out there with the same problem that can share their experiences? In particular, how do you make sure your host/vendor understands? I have a major credit card, but I understand many places prefer or only take cash. About how much cash should I take with me? How much can I leave as dollars, and how much should I convert to Yen? Is it better to convert to Yen before or after I get there? Or should I plan to heavily use Traver's Checks? As for lodging, anything folks can share about finding such and making reservations? In particular, I really want to try the Ryokan if at all possible. Oh, and given the region I'm currently looking at, what's the weather like in late November? |
CratexJul 27, 2012 6:55 PM
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| It's so quiet in here, you can hear a Magical Girl's hairpin drop. |
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| No idea if anybody is watching this or not, but whatever. I've booked a round trip flight - arrive in Nagoya Monday November 19 and leave Nagoya Saturday December 1. |
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| I've reserved a hotel room for the first night there, but I'm still trying to work out details of where I want to go and do and see. I have a little more to work with now, however. I do know that besides a couple of places in Nagoya (particularly Atsuta Jingu), I want to visit Kyoto for several days, see Ise-shima National Park (and the Ise Shima Grand Shrines), spend a couple of days in Kanazawa, and maybe several days in the "Japanese Alps" (I'm going to try to stay at a 'bread and breakfast" in Takayam, for instance). I want to hit some of the shrines and castles for sure, maybe a temple or two (I know the difference between shrines and temples), do a little hiking if the weather permits, and just in general wander. I don't want to spend much time in the cities or the "main" tourist spots. I've not spent the last year learning the language just to see the store front. If I end up asking a farmer for directions and buying something from him to eat in the process, I'll consider my trip a success! |
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Cratex said: Oh, and given the region I'm currently looking at, what's the weather like in late November? Winter in Kansai is very cold (even though I've never been in Japan on November, or been too long since I was there at that time, my recent experience in Kansai was January 2010). So far I can answer that question. |
tsubasaloverSep 26, 2012 8:00 AM
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
tsubasalover said: Thanks. Hopefully it won't be *very* cold in November, but I can easily deal with moderately cold - I live in central Ohio where the temperatures in January are usually below freezing. But, it does tell me I should take a heavy jacket, hat and gloves - also, it won't be a problem if I have to buy a sweater or two while I'm there :)Winter in Kansai is very cold (even though I never been in Japan on November, or been too long since I was there at that time, my recent experience in Kansai was January 2010). |
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| Yes, you should be prepared even if it might not be useful after all. |
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
| Over the weekend I finally reserved hotel/ryokan stays. November 19: Nagoya (my flight into Nagoya arrives late that day) November 20, 21, 22: Kyoto (will try to include a day trip to Ise-Shima National park) November 23: Osaka November 24, 25: Takayama November 26, 27: Matsumoto November 28, 29: Kanazawa November 30: Nagoya Return Flight leaves afternoon of December 1 Now to figure out train and bus routes between those places. |
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| JR Pass. |
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
| Rail Pass has been purchased. Somehow it was about twice as much as I was expecting. Pretty much the only thing left to do now is getting "directions". |
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| This is awesome Cratex, I didn't realize you were trying to do this, best of luck for sure, unfortunately I can't offer you any advice but I DO know that Japan is similar weather to Ohio, by the by, I'm from Toledo originally, you? |
Bans said: eastern Ohio, somewhere along the river between Wheeling WVA and Stuenbenville Ohio.I'm from Toledo originally, you? |
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Cratex said: That's too far north of my real of 'expertise', I know about the whole top half of Ohio, and Columbus, but anything south (not Columbus) is out of my scope haha.Bans said: eastern Ohio, somewhere along the river between Wheeling WVA and Stuenbenville Ohio.I'm from Toledo originally, you? |
| Speaking of the weather (and, the weather is THE topic in the eastern US right now)...I have a knee length coat I intend to take with me since I expect to spend a fair amount of time walking around outside. Any savvy travelers any thoughts on whether I should carry it onto the plane (economy seat), or pack it in a checked bag? |
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Cratex said: tsubasalover said: Thanks! I was about to start looking into where and how to get one of those things, but you pointed me right at it.JR Pass. No prob. Cratex said: Speaking of the weather (and, the weather is THE topic in the eastern US right now)...I have a knee length coat I intend to take with me since I expect to spend a fair amount of time walking around outside. Any savvy travelers any thoughts on whether I should carry it onto the plane (economy seat), or pack it in a checked bag? If walking a lot, then backpack like backpackers? If you want to bring suitcase, you should have a chance to go to where you stay to put it before walking. |
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
tsubasalover said: Somebody else also told me that most places would let me drop off my stuff before checkin. Unfortunately, the days when I could live out of a backback are LONG gone (age requires certain additional things).If walking a lot, then backpack like backpackers? If you want to bring suitcase, you should have a chance to go to where you stay to put it before walking. On the other hand, I've been watching the long term forecasts for places like Matsumoto and it's actually warmer there right now than it is here in Ohio - most days next week or so are projected to be in the high 50sF! I may end up not taking a winter coat after all. |
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| I think I'm ready...plane leaves in 33 hours, 57 minutes |
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| Ready or not, here I go. |
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| So far, so good. I had some difficulty getting the rail pass, but once that was resolved suddenly almost anywhere i want to go is 'free'. Im also doing better with basic communicating than i had worried i might - i occationally get surprised looks when i talk to people to get directions and such. This is FUN! |
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| I'm glad. |
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
| I have returned. It was AWESOME! I'll try to post a few pictures tomorrow. Right now I'm waiting for the caffeine to wear off so I can go to bed. |
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Osaka castle (that's me sitting on the wall) The tower in Osaka (the one that attacked the girls in recent episode of Smile PreCure)  Spotted this poster of Hatsune Miku outside an arcade in downtown Osaka  |
CratexDec 4, 2012 3:24 PM
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| I'm just going to occasionally throw out some random thoughts on my experience. I'll start with the one mistake I made on my planning and my lack of knowing exactly what the JR Rail Pass gave me. First, for whatever reason it never was clear to me exactly what the JR Rail Pass did. Turns out it allows you to ride *almost* any JR Rail Line train and bus for free. None of what I had read actually said that. Now, I never got a chance to use it for a bus, but every city I wanted to travel to was connected via JR Rail lines. (note, for limited express, express and shinkansen trains, you STILL go to a ticket counter window and get a reservation ticket, though some limited express trains also apparently had unreserved seats. It was never clear to me how they distinguished between such things) Now, getting the JR Rail Pass meant I had to actually get to a JR Rail Line station. There is NOT a JR Rail Line station at Chūbu Centrair International Airport (Centrair). There is a PRIVATE rail line from Centrair to Nagoya, and there IS a JR Rail Line station at Nagoya. Since I took a flight from the US to Tokyo Narita airport and then another flight to Centrair, I had to pay for that train ticket from Centrair to Nagoya. What I *should* have done was stopped at Narita and gotten my JR Rail Pass there, then either that night or the next morning taken a shinkansen from Narita to Kyoto. Whatever, I got my money's worth out of the JR Rail Pass since I was on a JR Rail Line train many times, particularly around Kyoto - I was actually staying at a ryokan in Uji south of Kyoto and those two are connected by a JR Rail line with both local and express service. Besides, riding the train was fun :) |
CratexDec 4, 2012 5:16 AM
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Friday night (11-30) in Nagoya I was looking for a place to have dinner. I spotted a building with these signs out front... I picked one and followed it to the door  The girls didn't want me taking a picture of them, but I did get a picture of the inside - I was their first customer that evening as they had just opened up  Even though I knew it was going to make me sick the next day, I was already there, I was enjoying the "atmosphere" immensely, and I just wanted to try one anyway. Their menu was in kanji only with no pictures, and after 10 minutes of us trying to figure out how to tell me what the items were on the menu I finally told the one girl to just surprise me. This was the result:  It was delicious. I had fun, and it looked like they did as well, chatting for an hour and a half before the place started to fill up and I decided I was starting to be a bother. |
CratexDec 4, 2012 4:18 PM
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I get a kick when I'm watching a show and I recognize a place I visited. I'm currently watching Lovely★Complex. In episode three they go to a shrine for new years. I didn't realize the show was set in Osaka, but as soon as I saw them approaching the this bridge in front of the shrine I knew exactly where they were -> Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine. Here is a picture of the building they were praying in front of, and that you can see in the background when they talk to Ootani's ex-girl friend Kanzaki:  (There were several weddings happening there that day - you can see one going on inside that building here) Me standing on the bridge:  (it may not look like it, but I AM smiling, I think) |
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| It's been a long time, but wow nice photos! |
I ♥ Two Syaorans from Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and TRC!!! |
tsubasalover said: Thank you.It's been a long time, but wow nice photos! |
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| Nice pics! I'm new to the club, later I will read your other posts about the journey, just wanted to say that. :) |
„Without the hope that things will get better, that our inheriters will know a world that is fuller and richer than our own, life is pointless, and evolution is vastly overrated.” |
ryuk7poc said: Thanks!Nice pics! I'm new to the club, later I will read your other posts about the journey, just wanted to say that. :) As far as I can tell, the 'club' is all but inactive. Doesn't matter. I love talking about my trip, so feel free to ask. I want to go again, but it's been hard saving up the time off from work. |
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| Beautiful pics and beatiful locations! Just joined the club and i have to say that its one of my dreams to visit japan one day , so can i spam you with questions? :D |
Peterlour said: Oh, sorry! I just now saw this. Sure! I'd be happy to answer any questions, if I can :)Beautiful pics and beatiful locations! Just joined the club and i have to say that its one of my dreams to visit japan one day , so can i spam you with questions? :D |
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