I’m in Japan, AMA

"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer) 09/21/2019 at 21:57 • Filed to: Japan

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Just don’t expect any answers because I basically know nothing about the place. Have two weeks vacation, didn’t have any plans but decided to go on a whim. Good part of working in an airline is staff travel... Europe-Tokyo for €75 one way.

If anyone has tips for Tokyo and Kyoto I’m glad to hear them. 

AestheticsInMotion > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 22:02

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I have a ton of tips, but first... Where are you staying? 

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 22:05

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What’s with all the Oppos going to Japan recently? You guys are making me jealous.

Jetstreamer > AestheticsInMotion 09/21/2019 at 22:12

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First two (and a half) days Tokyo, hotel right next to Shinagawa rail station. Then three days Kyoto, hotel also city center area, I think a 15 minute walk north from Kyoto station.

I came wildly unprepared to force myself outside my comfort zone, so should be fun. 

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 22:13

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I used to live there for six years, there is a lot to cover! Only going to those two cities? Between the two along the coast is Izu, lots of car watching to be had on the weekend, it’s the Monterey of Japan basically. I love the Oki Islands if you went on a side trip, good time of year too. You can ask me anything, my wife is Japanese if you are confused about anything, it can be a confusing place. At least most of the signs are in English characters now and you have Google. I lived there pre smartphone .

Jetstreamer > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 09/21/2019 at 22:15

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For me it was a matter of going somewhere completely new and unknown. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to use these staff travel benefits to go all over already. But I’ve stayed within a level of comfort of knowing the language or going somewhere touristic where English is commonplace.

Trying to get a bit out of that comfort zone although so far most people have been great at English as well, but I’ve barely left the airport. 

Jetstreamer > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/21/2019 at 22:17

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Yeah, I wish I had more time but limited to about 6-7 days excluding travel days. Also traveling with someone who really wanted to spend time in Kyoto and me being completely unprepared, everything was fine :). 

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 22:20

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Kyoto is a must, the castle walls of the former capital (pre edo) are amazing. The zen temples are very cool, I’m sure you will hit all the spots like Ryoan ji. It’s a compact area so it’s easy to see a lot. 

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 22:46

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The advice I have gotten from everyone I know who has gone is to avoid the tourist traps and check out the smaller local places. Apparently the local places get you way better food for way less money than the tourist friendly  resta urants do. Break out Google Translate’s image translator and start exploring.

AestheticsInMotion > Jetstreamer 09/21/2019 at 23:22

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All I know about Kyoto is that it’s apparently a great place to score cool vintage clothing for cheap, if you’re into that. Oh, and wonderful architecture.

As for Tokyo... Have you been before? Two days isn’t much time, so I’d recommend catching the subway to one of the busy areas, where you can jam every last bit of crazyness into each day.

Shibuya is fantastic if you want to people watch, meet people from all over the world, and find unique bars and just general hangout spots. Plus the Shibuya crossing is about as epic as a street crossing can get. DJ bar Bridge is incredible if you like a bar with a club vibe and underground-vip atmosphere. You’re 8 stories up with a view of the crossing. There’s a metal bar that’s literally underground near the heart of Shibuya that’s pretty amazing too. Oh! And an underground jazz bar pretty close by! These places are super small, with just a bartender and seating for maybe 15 people, all arrayed in a semi circle around the bar. Makes for a really unique experience.

As far as general Tokyo suggestions... Get some shabu shabu. Also get that style where they bring out thin strips of meat and you cook it over a burner (I’m blanking on the name, but with a month in Asia that stuff was my best meal and it wasn’t even close).

Bakeries in Tokyo are on another level. And they’re cheap. Go for breakfast.

Team lab planet lightshow is a must see if you’re within subway distance. I think it’s by Toyosu..?

Toyota museum is pretty incredible, I wanna say it’s in Asagai but I’m probably wrong. It was a few stops on the train from Toyosu, and near a giant Gundam statue lol.

Animal cafe’s are a fun way to pass a bit of time and meet people. Pay ten dollars, get a drink and pet some owls? Sure.

Shinjiku is also an incredible place to be a tour ist. It’s near Shibuya so you could do Shinjiku in the first half of the day, and Shibuya later on.

Ruppungi seemed to be the hip, wealthy area for young people, whearas Ginza seemed the same, but for middle-aged and older folk. Ginza has an incredible art museum, with a rooftop viewing area that shows off all of Tokyo.

Jetstreamer > AestheticsInMotion 09/21/2019 at 23:56

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Excellent stuff here, thanks for all the tips. Just arrived in the hotel so will get my bearings and strike out on foot  for a bit soon. Tomorrow will be a full day Tokyo, then day after most of the day before heading to Kyoto by Shinkansen.

On the way back we will do another day Tokyo but it is kind of reserved for Disneyland. The girl I’m traveling with is a huge Disney fan and apparently Tokyo Disneyland is the affordable one, so we have to go. It’s all good for me, if I like it here in Japan I have another week vacation coming up in November to spend more time in Tokyo and/or exploring. And even some job openings for my profile around here as well if I reaaaaaallly like it.

AdverseMartyr > Jetstreamer 09/22/2019 at 00:28

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If you want to do something a little bit different (for a tourist) when you are down in Kyoto take the express train to Osaka’s Umeda area and just go down into the underground and explore. ( This same advice can apply to Shinjuku station in Tokyo. It’s a lot of fun to wander and then pop up to street level and figure out how you managed to get wherever you ended up.)

( You might know this one already) The other thing to do if you are planning on taking the Shinkansen (this is for future trips since you are already here) is pick up the 7 day JR railpass before you come. It’s something like ¥28,000 and it makes all JR line trains (including the normal shinkansens) free.

In Tokyo find a good bar and enjoy trying the whiskey, Shochu, etc.

kanadanmajava1 > Jetstreamer 09/22/2019 at 05:16

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Some tool/car part st ores must be selling universal bolt-nut hardware by their weight like they do here . I s the head for M10 bolts the industry standard 13 mm or the Japanese standard 14 mm? T his question has been bothering me for long time but none of my Japanese visiting friends have ma na ged to answer this.

Flavien Vidal > Jetstreamer 09/22/2019 at 06:15

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Japan is fun... I don’th ave much tips as most of those involve driving roads and therefore a car to play with haha... I’m in Itami, next to Osaka. If you can rent a car to play with and need road tips, let me know! I know a lot of good spots :)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jetstreamer 09/22/2019 at 06:40

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Buy me lots of classic kei cars and bring them back in your pockets :P

sn4cktimes > Jetstreamer 09/22/2019 at 17:01

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O daiba in Tokyo is a pretty neat area.

I’m not a huge sports guy but we went to a baseball game in Chiba and it was amazing!

Imperial Palace gardens were neat. We walked into them by accident.

Go see some big temples, they’re neat.

We went to Kamakura for a windy beach day (tropical storm was going on) and watched some kite surfers and went to a temple with a big Buddha.

Todaiji Temple is very impressive and has little deers scooting around.

We went to Nara and pet some friendly deer.

The Kyoto cemetery (not sure if right term) was very impressive. It was Obon while we were there and all the lanterns at night was quite a sight with the city as a backdrop.

The main Kyoto train station is very neat.

Yokohama has an aquarium with massive tanks! Pretty sure they have whale sharks.

Snow Monkeys are still fun in the summer.

The touristy sights are a thing for a reason, they are cool. But like the other advice you’ll get a much more reasonable price for food and drink even a few streets away from the main touristy paths.

Jetstreamer > sn4cktimes 09/22/2019 at 19:19

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Will look into at least some of those, thanks! 

Jetstreamer > kanadanmajava1 09/22/2019 at 19:20

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Hahaha, I fear I’m not going to be the one to tell you :’). 

Jetstreamer > Flavien Vidal 09/22/2019 at 19:22

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Wish I could, but I didn’t have time to pick up an international driving certificate that’s needed for my license here.