No, it's what tiebreaker posted. It's not crunchy. If I could figure out what sauce they use, or make it, I could of course supply my own garlic cloves :-)
Awesome!Ah, gotcha. I've never tasted that but I Googled real quick and found this, if this is helpful....
家でもココイチ。やみつき「旨辛にんにく風」再現レシピ - macaroni
ココイチ風旨辛にんにくの再現レシピを紹介します。クセになる味わいのココイチの旨辛にんにくは、無性に食べたくなりますよね。にんにくとラー油のスタミナトッピングはどの料理とも相性バツグン。紹介するレシピは家にある材料で気軽に再現できますよ。家で再現するコツとポイントも要チェックです。macaro-ni.jp
I use Google Flights and set up email alerts whenever there's any price movement for a flight I'd consider taking
San Diego area, thanks!My daughter really, really wants to get a kimono in Japan... any thoughts on where to get a 7-year old a nice kimono?
I get emails from Going. Where abouts are you located? If Zip-air flies to you that's your best bet.
Sweeeeet. Thnx tons!!
Should be able to come up to LA for cheap, and then fly out from there. Might be cheaper than from San Diego, but I'm not sure what prices you're looking at there.
How are those days counted? Do they reset in January or are they counted from the day of your arrival date?
Personally, I think once you've done all the temple stuff, Kyoto's kind of boring and sleepy except for one or two areas. Could be I just didn't discover all the fun stuff though.
Jigokudani Monkey Park. Is it even worth it going in march? I would love to see the monkeys, but not sure if they are still much visible in that time.
Didn't see a response. From the link below, looks like the scenario wouldn't be a total loss, no catastrophe. I could just get on the next train, without a reserved seat.
https://jw-webmagazine.com/what-to-do-if-you-miss-the-shinkansen/
Hoping someone here can confirm as well.
My daughter really, really wants to get a kimono in Japan... any thoughts on where to get a 7-year old a nice kimono?
At the March 1 start of the Koya town assembly session, [Mayor Yoshiya] Hirano said he would contemplate charging visitors a special tax from fiscal 2028.
He said discussions would begin with central government officials as well as other interested parties regarding who to target for the new entrance fee and how to collect it.
Revenues from the new tax would go to pay to maintain and repair roads and public toilets in Mount Koyasan, support rescue work and improve the environment around the temple complex.
The Osaka prefectural government is considering imposing a levy on foreign tourists to finance measures against overtourism and related expenses, Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said on March 6.
The governor emphasized the need to combat overcrowding and to implement more beautification projects throughout the prefecture since tourism demand has recovered with the COVID-19 pandemic subsiding.
To cover these expenses, Yoshimura said a levy system separate from an accommodation tax already in place should be introduced targeting inbound tourism. The prefectural government is aiming to begin collecting the tax in April 2025, when the Osaka Kansai Expo opens.
The city government [in Urayasu] has announced it will start considering concrete plans to introduce a lodging tax for guests staying overnight in the city, home to the Tokyo Disney Resort. There are many hotels in the city, particularly around Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
"I think it will take at least one year to introduce (the tax)," said Urayasu Mayor Etsushi Uchida.
The municipality intends to use revenues from the tax to improve tourism-related infrastructure. Infrastructure improvements are required for the area surrounding JR Maihama Station, the gateway to the Disney parks, while emergency services for guests also need to be updated.
From the day of your arrival. It's up to whatever immigration officer you get at that point if you're allowed in, get a bunch of extra questions before getting in, or if they don't allow you in at all. If you stay more than 183 days total though, then you might also get some issues with taxes and/or pensions if you got a job. You have to check the rules for both the country you're from and Japan.
It's pretty much dead at night, unlike Osaka yeah.
Probably too late to reply now, but yeah. They're there most of the year, only some weeks to avoid is during mating season around October/November.
Some of the information on that page is misleading or incorrect, but for your specific case it should be fine to get on the next train and sit in an unreserved seat.
Like a proper expensive kimono or tourist stuff?
Cherry blossoms in central Tokyo are expected to bloom from March 21 and reach their peak a week later, according to the latest forecast by the Japan Weather Association (JWA). It also predicts the flowers will bloom earlier than the average date of March 24.
Cherry blossoms are also expected to flower on March 20 in Nagoya and Fukuoka, with the flowers at their best on March 29 and 30, respectively. The forecast also expects the flowers to blossom on March 23 in Osaka, with a March 31 full bloom, and to bud on March 31 in Sendai, with the blossoms peaking on April 3. In each case, bloom dates fall earlier than or around the average.
Cherry blossoms forecast to flower in Tokyo from March 21, peak 1 week later - The Mainichi
Click here to read this in easy English TOKYO -- Cherry blossoms in central Tokyo are expected to bloom from March 21 and reach their peak a week latemainichi.jp
Cherry Blossom and Full Bloom Forecast for 2024 (Part 2) <br>Blossoming earlier than usual in northern and eastern Japan with Tokyo Expected to start on the 21st | EN-NEWS | Japan Weather Association
This is the official website of Japan Weather Association (JWA). Introducing our business which is used in various industries.www.jwa.or.jp
I realize we're a bit past peak but if I'm in Tokyo and Kyoto areas from April 3-12 will it still be noticeable?
Over 50% of car drivers in Japan do not stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, and Niigata Prefecture ranked the worst by prefecture, according to a survey by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF).
JAF has conducted a nationwide survey of pedestrian crossings since 2016, and the 2023 study was conducted in August and September at a total of 94 locations in 47 prefectures.
JAF employees investigated the reactions of vehicles as they attempted to cross a crosswalk with no traffic signals installed on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on a road with one lane in each direction.Of a total of 7,087 vehicles, only 3,193, or 45.1%, of drivers stopped.
While there is a traffic rule that requires cars to stop before going through a crosswalk if a pedestrian or bicyclist is about to cross, whether this is followed varies widely from region to region. The lowest stop rate by prefecture was 23.2% in Niigata, followed by 26.2% in Saga, 26.7% in Osaka and Fukui, respectively, and 27.6% in Ibaraki. On the other hand, Nagano had the highest stop rate at 84.4%, followed by Ishikawa at 76.4% and Tochigi at 74.8%.
The national average for such stop rates was only 7.6% in 2016, when the survey began. The number of vehicles obeying traffic rules has been increasing every year, and the 2023 result was 5.3 percentage points higher than the previous year (39.8%), but more than half of the vehicles still pass through without stopping.
Last year we visited the Hamarikyu gardens in Tokyo on April 5th. They don't have an overwhelming volume of cherry trees, but the ones they have are later-blooming variants that have some really gorgeous and interesting blossoms, like these tiger tail cherry blossoms:Depends on how windy and rainy it is :p
Should most likely be ok in the first half of that period though, second half is more iffy.
But as always, there's other types of sakura trees than Somei Yoshino, and if you go to one of the big parks you'll probably at least have a couple of another type that blooms later on.
Last year we visited the Hamarikyu gardens in Tokyo on April 5th.
Cherry blossoms forecast to flower in Tokyo from March 21, peak 1 week later - The Mainichi
Click here to read this in easy English TOKYO -- Cherry blossoms in central Tokyo are expected to bloom from March 21 and reach their peak a week latemainichi.jp
Cherry Blossom and Full Bloom Forecast for 2024 (Part 2) <br>Blossoming earlier than usual in northern and eastern Japan with Tokyo Expected to start on the 21st | EN-NEWS | Japan Weather Association
This is the official website of Japan Weather Association (JWA). Introducing our business which is used in various industries.www.jwa.or.jp
I'm arriving in the afternoon on the 22nd in Tokyo, so we managed to pick the right date 6 months ago when we booked. Hope the weather will be nice for that week as well.
Remember that 21st is the starting to bloom date, but I guess you'll be there on the 28th anyway when it's supposed to be full bloom if the forecast is correct.
First time trying this out
View: https://www.threads.net/@mikehattsu/post/C4mJSO2v2wi
Less than 2500 JPY for 6 hours
Hope you're having a good time Mike!Aircon and a private space to lay down, so it was ok. Too much noise with people opening and closing doors outside a lot to get any sleep though.
Conveyor-belt sushi chains are facing an existential crisis.
Although the automated, rotating serving system has been on a decreasing trend for several years, chain operators were confronted with a tough decision in 2023 following the COVID-19 pandemic and a spate of malicious pranks by attention-seeking customers.
Choushimaru Co. operates about 80 Sushi Choushimaru outlets in the Tokyo metropolitan area. But its renovated outlet in Nerima Ward that opened in October last year contains no conveyor belts.
Looking around the interior of the Tokyo outlet with no conveyor belts, the official added, "I'm not sure whether there should be a genre for rotating sushi."
In spring last year, Choushimaru said through its social media account that it would move away from conveyor-belt sushi. It subsequently decided to stop serving dishes on rotating belts at all outlets in phases.
Operators of the Hama-Sushi and Kappa Sushi chains quickly changed their serving systems to deliver plates specifically ordered by customers on a straight-line conveyor belt.
In recent years, the sushi chains have allowed customers to order freshly prepared sushi using touch panels and other devices. Thanks to the increasingly mechanized systems, sushi chain operators can handle many customers without putting dishes on the rotating belt, thus reducing food waste.
The COVID-19 pandemic made consumers more wary about germs spreading on exposed food.
Among the five major conveyor-belt sushi chain operators, Kura Sushi Inc. is now the only one that still serves dishes on the rotating belt, including those not ordered by customers.
The company has been using antibacterial covers to protect the sushi plates from dust and saliva droplets.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan rose 89.0 percent in February from a year earlier to about 2.79 million as it continued to rebound from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Tuesday, although visitors from mainland China only showed a limited recovery.
The figure represents a 7.1 percent rise from the same month in 2019 when there was no impact from the pandemic, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
The largest number of travelers came from South Korea at 818,500, up 14.3 percent from pre-pandemic levels, followed by those from Taiwan at 502,200, up 25.6 percent.
Mainland China placed third with 459,400 visitors, down 36.5 percent, despite having observed the week-long Lunar New Year holiday last month. Even compared with January, the result only marked a slight increase as the number of flights from the country to Japan has yet to fully restart after the pandemic.
[
What attractions do you want to go to?
Teamlabs can just be booked any time in advance and should be booked now if you want to go. The Ghibli Museum is hairy, you will have to be up at an odd hour and ready to claim your tickets on a very crash prone website. (If your whole visit is March, be ready for the tickets to drop on Feb 10am 10th JST, which is evening on the 9th in most of the US.) I think the Kirby Cafe is another popular one that drops at a specific time, and there are certain historical sites associated with the Imperial Household Agency that need advance booking (Katsura Villas and Sento Imperial Palace in Kyoto, notably).
For public transit, you want Suica cards or similar if you can get them. If you have iPhone(s) you can set up a virtual card right on your phone. Shinkansen can usually be reserved shortly in advance of the actual ride.
Day 12:
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass
Day 13:
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass and 30% off after"
These days seems way too busy
If you're using the e-Pass or Amazing Pass, then you can only go once, not 2 times.
If you're going to Super Potato and looking to buy, I'd recommend also going to Surugaya Akihabara Game Museum and next door to that BEEP Akihabara, they're both very close to Super Potato. I get why people want to visit Super Potato, and they should at least once, but the prices are just insane. The second story of TRADERS is also great and nearbyThis post was on my mind - I felt guilty for never responding. But I've been incredibly busy. I am finally going to Japan tomorrow. Below is what our plans looks like. Note, my guess is we are too jam-packed, so we are expecting we will shed a lot of the plans below as each day progresses.
High level itinerary:
- [ ] Day 1: Flying to Tokyo
- [ ] Days 2-6: Tokyo
- [ ] Days 7-9 Kyoto
- [ ] Day 10: Hiroshima
- [ ] Day 11: Miyajima Island
- [ ] Days 12-13: Osaka
- [ ] Day 14: Nara, and then Tokyo
- [ ] Day 15: Fly back home from Tokyo
Detailed itinerary:
Tokyo days:
Day 2:
No specific plans for this day - just eat Japanese food and relax at the hotel.
Day 3:
"Bunkyo City: Since we are skipping a day trip to Mount Fuji, walk to Bunkyo Civic Centre, and go to the observation deck for free for a chance to see Mount Fuji. Make this visit once each morning from Days #3 to #6 in Tokyo, until you are successful (some days might be cloudy, so may have to make repeated trips before we can see Mount Fuji).
Taito (morning): Sumida Park
Asakusa (morning and afternoon):
-Old Tokyo free roam
-Senso-ji temple (must visit before 5pm)
-Nakamise-dori street
Taito (late afternoon or early evening): Ueno Park
Akihabara Neighbourhood (evening):
-Electric town free roam
-Visit any maid cafe
-Visit anime shops
-GiGO Gaming Arcade
-Super Potato (closes 8pm)"
Day 4:
9:00am JST - 12:00pm JST: teamLab Planets (museum in Minato City)
"Minato City and Odaiba (afternoon and early evening, after finishing with teamLabs excursion):
-Zojo-ji temple (must visit before 5:30pm)
-Shiba Park
-Tokyo Tower (must purchase ticket)
-Odaiba Seaside Park
Koto City (evening): The Gundam Base Tokyo (must visit before 9:30pm)"
Day 5:
"Shinjuku (early morning): Gyoen National Garden (must visit early, so we don't miss booked 10:40am Shibuya Sky tickets)
Shibuya (morning and early afternoon):
-Shibuya Sky (must arrive by 10:40am for booked tickets)
-Shibuya Scramble
-Center Gai
-NOTE!!! Consider heading to Harajuku a little early if we risk missing out on Meiji-jingu temple, which closes at 5:20pm!!!
Harajuku (late afternoon and evening):
-Meiji-jingu temple (must visit before 5:20pm)
-Takeshita Street
-Purikura photo booth
-A Happy Pancake (for fluffy pancakes - closes at 7:30pm)"
Day 6:
"Chiyoda (early morning): Imperial Palace Garden (ust visit before 11:15am)
Chuo (late morning):
-Tsukiji Fish Market (must visit before 2pm)
-The Ginza
-Visit Uniqlo nearby The Ginza
Rest of afternoon and early evening: Free roam!!!
Shinjuku (late evening): Tokyo Metropoliton Government Buildiing (must visit before 10:30pm)
(Big maybe - time permitting!!!): Toshima: Pokemon Mega Center
Note: Remember that we have a 6:33am Shinkansen train to Kyoto the next morning - so if we need to rest, we can push Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to Day #14 in Tokyo, and we can cancel Toshima's Pokemon Mega Center (since we might visit a Pokemon store in Osaka)."
Kyoto days:
Day 7:
"Kyoto (start of day):
-Kyoto Station
-Kyoto Tower
-Nishiki Market
-Kichi Kichi Rice
-Heian-Jingu Shrine (100 year old shrine) 10 min walk from Higashiyama station
Kyoto's Gion District (afternoon and evening):
-Traditional Japanese homes and Geishas
-Gion Shinbashi Bridge
-Shirakawa Lane
-Tatsumi Bridge
-Shirakawa River
-Hanamikoji Street
Kyoto (evening):
-Shijo-ohashi Bridge - sunsets
-Shijo-Dori Street - long street"
Day 8:
"Kyoto Shrines:
-Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine (10,000 torii gates)
-Kiyomizu-dera (nestled on the hills)
-Sannenzaka and Ninezaka - quaint alleys with traditional homes
-Hokan-Ji Temple (6-story pagoda from 6th century)
-Yasaka Shrine - visit at night to see the lanterns
-Rengeo-in (Sanjusangen-do) Temple - MAYBE"
Day 9:
"Kyoto travelling around:
-Kinkaku-Ji Temple (covered in gold leaf, 35-40 min bus ride from Kyoto Station)
-Kyoto Imperial Palace (underwhelming but free)
-Arashiyama - Bamboo Forest
-Philosopher's walk"
Hiroshima days:
Day 10:
"Hiroshima (morning):
-Peace Memorial Park/ Arch - free open 24/7
-Children's Peace Monument
-Atomic Dome
Hiroshima (afternoon and evening):
-Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - $1.82 open until 7
-Hiroshima Gokuku Shrine - closes at 4:30pm
-Hiroshima Castle - $3.36 open until 6pm
-Hondori Shopping Street"
Day 11:
"Miyajima Island:
-Itsukushima Jinja (shinto shrine in water) - $2.72
-Hokokujinja Senjokaku Pavilion - Shinto shrine $2.72
-Daigan-ji - Buddhist temple
-Daishoin - Buddhist Temple
-Mani-den - Buddhist Temple
-Henjo Cave
-Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street"
"??:??: Ferry to Hiroshima
Hiroshima (evening):
-Night-time attractions
-Relax and/or visit some Hiroshima attractions we missed on Day #10."
Osaka days:
Day 12:
"Osaka (afternoon and early evening):
-Hozen ji
-Namba yasaka Shrine
-Namba Shrine
-Shinasaibashi-Suji Street - shop for budget travellers
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass
-Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine"
8:00pm-11:00pm JST: Osaka Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl (via Airbnb)
Day 13:
"Osaka (throughout the day):
-Shop at Osaka Station - Pokemon and Mugiwara store
-Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower
-Japanese Garden
-Hozen Yokocho
-Umeda Sky for sunset views
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass and 30% off after"
Day 14, which consists of Nara and Tokyo:
"Nara (early morning to very early afternoon):
-JR Nara Station
-1 min walk to Higashimuku Shopping Street
-2 min walk to Nakatanidou
-2 min walk to Kofuku-Ji Pagoda
-few min walk to Nara Park
-few min walk to Todai-Ji Temple"
"??:??: Travel back to Osaka (regular subway? bullet train?)
3:00pm: Bullet train to Tokyo
5:27pm: Arrive in Tokyo
"Shinjuku night life (evening):
-Godzilla head
-Giant 3D Cat Cafe
-Omoido Yokocho (Memory Lane)
-Kabukicho Tower
-Golden Gai
-(In case we didn't have a chance to visit it on Day #6 in Tokyo): Tokyo Metropoliton Government Buildiing (must visit before 10:30pm)
"
Then final day: Day 15: Fly back home
This post was on my mind - I felt guilty for never responding. But I've been incredibly busy. I am finally going to Japan tomorrow. Below is what our plans looks like. Note, my guess is we are too jam-packed, so we are expecting we will shed a lot of the plans below as each day progresses.
High level itinerary:
- [ ] Day 1: Flying to Tokyo
- [ ] Days 2-6: Tokyo
- [ ] Days 7-9 Kyoto
- [ ] Day 10: Hiroshima
- [ ] Day 11: Miyajima Island
- [ ] Days 12-13: Osaka
- [ ] Day 14: Nara, and then Tokyo
- [ ] Day 15: Fly back home from Tokyo
Detailed itinerary:
Tokyo days:
Day 2:
No specific plans for this day - just eat Japanese food and relax at the hotel.
Day 3:
"Bunkyo City: Since we are skipping a day trip to Mount Fuji, walk to Bunkyo Civic Centre, and go to the observation deck for free for a chance to see Mount Fuji. Make this visit once each morning from Days #3 to #6 in Tokyo, until you are successful (some days might be cloudy, so may have to make repeated trips before we can see Mount Fuji).
Taito (morning): Sumida Park
Asakusa (morning and afternoon):
-Old Tokyo free roam
-Senso-ji temple (must visit before 5pm)
-Nakamise-dori street
Taito (late afternoon or early evening): Ueno Park
Akihabara Neighbourhood (evening):
-Electric town free roam
-Visit any maid cafe
-Visit anime shops
-GiGO Gaming Arcade
-Super Potato (closes 8pm)"
Day 4:
9:00am JST - 12:00pm JST: teamLab Planets (museum in Minato City)
"Minato City and Odaiba (afternoon and early evening, after finishing with teamLabs excursion):
-Zojo-ji temple (must visit before 5:30pm)
-Shiba Park
-Tokyo Tower (must purchase ticket)
-Odaiba Seaside Park
Koto City (evening): The Gundam Base Tokyo (must visit before 9:30pm)"
Day 5:
"Shinjuku (early morning): Gyoen National Garden (must visit early, so we don't miss booked 10:40am Shibuya Sky tickets)
Shibuya (morning and early afternoon):
-Shibuya Sky (must arrive by 10:40am for booked tickets)
-Shibuya Scramble
-Center Gai
-NOTE!!! Consider heading to Harajuku a little early if we risk missing out on Meiji-jingu temple, which closes at 5:20pm!!!
Harajuku (late afternoon and evening):
-Meiji-jingu temple (must visit before 5:20pm)
-Takeshita Street
-Purikura photo booth
-A Happy Pancake (for fluffy pancakes - closes at 7:30pm)"
Day 6:
"Chiyoda (early morning): Imperial Palace Garden (ust visit before 11:15am)
Chuo (late morning):
-Tsukiji Fish Market (must visit before 2pm)
-The Ginza
-Visit Uniqlo nearby The Ginza
Rest of afternoon and early evening: Free roam!!!
Shinjuku (late evening): Tokyo Metropoliton Government Buildiing (must visit before 10:30pm)
(Big maybe - time permitting!!!): Toshima: Pokemon Mega Center
Note: Remember that we have a 6:33am Shinkansen train to Kyoto the next morning - so if we need to rest, we can push Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to Day #14 in Tokyo, and we can cancel Toshima's Pokemon Mega Center (since we might visit a Pokemon store in Osaka)."
Kyoto days:
Day 7:
"Kyoto (start of day):
-Kyoto Station
-Kyoto Tower
-Nishiki Market
-Kichi Kichi Rice
-Heian-Jingu Shrine (100 year old shrine) 10 min walk from Higashiyama station
Kyoto's Gion District (afternoon and evening):
-Traditional Japanese homes and Geishas
-Gion Shinbashi Bridge
-Shirakawa Lane
-Tatsumi Bridge
-Shirakawa River
-Hanamikoji Street
Kyoto (evening):
-Shijo-ohashi Bridge - sunsets
-Shijo-Dori Street - long street"
Day 8:
"Kyoto Shrines:
-Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine (10,000 torii gates)
-Kiyomizu-dera (nestled on the hills)
-Sannenzaka and Ninezaka - quaint alleys with traditional homes
-Hokan-Ji Temple (6-story pagoda from 6th century)
-Yasaka Shrine - visit at night to see the lanterns
-Rengeo-in (Sanjusangen-do) Temple - MAYBE"
Day 9:
"Kyoto travelling around:
-Kinkaku-Ji Temple (covered in gold leaf, 35-40 min bus ride from Kyoto Station)
-Kyoto Imperial Palace (underwhelming but free)
-Arashiyama - Bamboo Forest
-Philosopher's walk"
Hiroshima days:
Day 10:
"Hiroshima (morning):
-Peace Memorial Park/ Arch - free open 24/7
-Children's Peace Monument
-Atomic Dome
Hiroshima (afternoon and evening):
-Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - $1.82 open until 7
-Hiroshima Gokuku Shrine - closes at 4:30pm
-Hiroshima Castle - $3.36 open until 6pm
-Hondori Shopping Street"
Day 11:
"Miyajima Island:
-Itsukushima Jinja (shinto shrine in water) - $2.72
-Hokokujinja Senjokaku Pavilion - Shinto shrine $2.72
-Daigan-ji - Buddhist temple
-Daishoin - Buddhist Temple
-Mani-den - Buddhist Temple
-Henjo Cave
-Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street"
"??:??: Ferry to Hiroshima
Hiroshima (evening):
-Night-time attractions
-Relax and/or visit some Hiroshima attractions we missed on Day #10."
Osaka days:
Day 12:
"Osaka (afternoon and early evening):
-Hozen ji
-Namba yasaka Shrine
-Namba Shrine
-Shinasaibashi-Suji Street - shop for budget travellers
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass
-Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine"
8:00pm-11:00pm JST: Osaka Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl (via Airbnb)
Day 13:
"Osaka (throughout the day):
-Shop at Osaka Station - Pokemon and Mugiwara store
-Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower
-Japanese Garden
-Hozen Yokocho
-Umeda Sky for sunset views
-Umeda Sky Building Garden - free admission until 4pm with pass and 30% off after"
Day 14, which consists of Nara and Tokyo:
"Nara (early morning to very early afternoon):
-JR Nara Station
-1 min walk to Higashimuku Shopping Street
-2 min walk to Nakatanidou
-2 min walk to Kofuku-Ji Pagoda
-few min walk to Nara Park
-few min walk to Todai-Ji Temple"
"??:??: Travel back to Osaka (regular subway? bullet train?)
3:00pm: Bullet train to Tokyo
5:27pm: Arrive in Tokyo
"Shinjuku night life (evening):
-Godzilla head
-Giant 3D Cat Cafe
-Omoido Yokocho (Memory Lane)
-Kabukicho Tower
-Golden Gai
-(In case we didn't have a chance to visit it on Day #6 in Tokyo): Tokyo Metropoliton Government Buildiing (must visit before 10:30pm)
"
Then final day: Day 15: Fly back home
Assorted thoughts:
- In Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is right next to the Gion district. You have that broken up over days 7 and 8, but maybe just move that + Sannenzaka / Ninenzaka to day 7?
- You could do Fushimi Inari and Nara in the same day on Day 8, then, which frees up Day 14 for perhaps more Tokyo things? Also, I keep hearing that starting Fushimi Inari from the bamboo forest entrance is great and might give a better experience than the Arashiyama bamboo forest, but did not do this myself.
- On Day 9, I'd recommend starting the day at Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) and walking the Philosopher's Path down to Nanzen-ji. The cherry blossoms are gorgeous and if you get there early it hopefully won't be too crowded. Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) is a lot of work for a 15 minute photo op, honestly, but if you have your heart set on it maybe just take a taxi since it is otherwise out of the way. Arashiyama is fun but note that it's on completely the other side of town from this, and the bamboo forest is infamously crowded. I liked the monkey park in Arashiyama a lot, also.
- Seconding Construct that BEEP is great fun in Akihabara for retrogaming.
This post was on my mind - I felt guilty for never responding. But I've been incredibly busy. I am finally going to Japan tomorrow. Below is what our plans looks like. Note, my guess is we are too jam-packed, so we are expecting we will shed a lot of the plans below as each day progresses.
High level itinerary:
- [ ] Day 1: Flying to Tokyo
- [ ] Days 2-6: Tokyo
- [ ] Days 7-9 Kyoto
- [ ] Day 10: Hiroshima
- [ ] Day 11: Miyajima Island
- [ ] Days 12-13: Osaka
- [ ] Day 14: Nara, and then Tokyo
- [ ] Day 15: Fly back home from Tokyo
High level itinerary:
- [ ] Day 1: Flying to Tokyo
- [ ] Days 2-6: Tokyo
- [ ] Days 7-9 Kyoto
- [ ] Day 10: Hiroshima
- [ ] Day 11: Miyajima Island
- [ ] Days 12-13: Osaka
- [ ] Day 14: Nara, and then Tokyo
- [ ] Day 15: Fly back home from Tokyo
From my experience on my first trip, we stayed for 16 days and went to about the same amount of cities, it wasn't the best experience. While it was a great overall, all that travel time adds up and is quite exhausting. Things don't always line up like they should and trips can take much longer than expected.
I would say to pick a couple of things you want to do each day and then let your feet take you wherever. Just walking around to less popular areas can be an experience on its own, you always find some cool places.
If I were to do a similar trip again, I would visit like 3 cities and have one daytrip to Nara or whatever. I also would've booked my flight home from Osaka and gone to Nara when I first arrived in Tokyo to skip that trip from Osaka to Tokyo.
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Just 12 hours left until my journey starts, so excited to finally be going back!
Question, so with the chip shortage and not being able to get a suica/passmo what are my options
Get a shitty welcome suica or pasmo passport, unless you bought your Android phone in Japan.