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Kiwi Tart
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: 11 days in Japan... any MUST see places? |
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My friend and I are traveling to Japan this December for christmas/NewYears.
We plan to try and see several cities from Tokyo and Southward. Are there any places you can suggest that you saw, or think are really impressive?
Thanks
The tart. |
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highdials5
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Japan is FULL of must-see places!!! |
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bbb0777
Joined: 24 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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I've only been to Tokyo. Without going back and checking what I visited specifically, here are the sites that spring to mind as being the best (so I take it were the most memorable):
Shinjuku Park (Japanese-style garden are)
Ginza Shopping Area (specifically the area with a ~8 lane street that's converted to pedestrian-only)
Tokyo at night from the World Financial Center Building (view of the Tokyo Tower/Rainbow Bridge/Waterfront)
Harajuku's super-crowded shopping streets
Shinjuku Park really surprised us.
Then there are the sites that basically must be seen because they are so well-known: Imperial Palace East Gardens, Meiji Shrine (across from JR station in Harajuku anyway), Fish market if you are willing to arrive before 8:00am, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Odaiba Island, etc. |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| highdials5 wrote: |
| Japan is FULL of must-see places!!! |
I agree! What a great place Japan is.
I did a 10 day loop in Central Honshu, starting in Tokyo, Matsumoto, Kamikochi (4 day hike in Japan Alps), Takayama (fantastic little city with some really nice old shop fronts selling sake and assorted Japanese stuff), side trip to Fukuwara, near Takayama , Gokayama Valley (stunning) stayed in one of those traditional village houses and Shirakawago Valley, small town near Nagoya (forgot it's name, nothing too special), Izu Peninsula and back to Toyko with a daytrip to......again at a loss for memory, it's a famous temple city near Yokahama, quite near the coast.
Tokyo was quite overwhelming in it's size and to be honest, that was my least favourite place.
I'll be back for sure, even with the high costs. |
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highdials5
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
I'll be back for sure, even with the high costs. |
Yeah it certainly is expensive now. I did my travelling in Japan in 2007 when it was affordable. I returned a few weeks ago to visit a friend and everything had effectively doubled in price because of the strong yen! |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Miyajima island and the Itsukishima shrine, Kanazawa jo (Castle), Himeji castle, Nagasaki's war memorial, Beppu hot springs onsen...
the sky's the limit when it comes to Japan. |
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:45 am Post subject: |
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Japan was "affordable" in 2007?  I hadn't thought it was affordable/cheap since the Korean War! 
Be aware that you're travelling during Shogatsu-a major holiday period in Japan.
From Tokyo, you can take a day trip to Nikko.
It would be hard to leave out Kyoto & Nara on any "must see" list. |
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highdials5
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Mosley wrote: |
Japan was "affordable" in 2007? I hadn't thought it was affordable/cheap since the Korean War!
Be aware that you're travelling during Shogatsu-a major holiday period in Japan.
From Tokyo, you can take a day trip to Nikko.
It would be hard to leave out Kyoto & Nara on any "must see" list. |
220 yen to the pound, yes it was affordable.
Especially considering it was at 120 yen to the pound earlier this year!  |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Mosley wrote: |
Be aware that you're travelling during Shogatsu-a major holiday period in Japan.
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This is a good point that I don't think anyone else mentioned before. Let me add the reasons why.
Firstly, for Japanese people New Year is a little bit like Christmas for us in that it's THE family time. So you'll have millions more people than usual on the roads, buses and trains going to visit families from about 29th Dec onwards, and then making the return journey (yu-taan-rashu in Japan's equivalent of Konglish  ) from about Jan 2nd onwards.
The other issue for that time of year is that many places will be closed for at least part of the 29th Dec to Jan 3rd period. I doubt any tourist sites you want to visit would be closed for that entire period, so don't worry too much. But there's a high likelihood of them being closed for at least 1 or 2 days, with that likelihood peaking around the 31st and 1st. So just be aware of the possibility and check it out beforehand.
Also worth noting that very many Japanese ATMs are closed from 1st - 3rd January. Convenience stores are open all the time but sometimes their machines don't dispense cash 24hrs, even though the shop itself is open all the time. I think larger post offices no longer close the ATMs at new year and they're the best bet for foreign cards anyway - press the top right button on Post office machines. |
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Kiwi Tart
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:17 am Post subject: |
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| b-class rambler wrote: |
| Mosley wrote: |
Be aware that you're travelling during Shogatsu-a major holiday period in Japan.
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This is a good point that I don't think anyone else mentioned before. Let me add the reasons why... |
Thanks b-class. That ATM info was really helpful. I'll be sure to take notes when I go. |
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ciccone_youth
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:45 am Post subject: |
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| Kyoto was my favourite part of Japan. |
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themagicbean
Joined: 04 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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1. Get your J-rail pass in advance, much cheaper.
2. Definitely do Kyoto, very touristy-friendly without being touristy, plenty to see.
3. Try to get fugu in Fukuoka (I had it in Beppu).
4. Hiroshima and Nagasaki both have really moving A-bomb museums. Nagasaki also has the only confucian temple outside of China. (Real confucian temples must be on Chinese soil, hence a patch in the middle of Nagasaki is Chinese! but no visa required there ^^)
5. Skip Osaka unless you're looking for "metro" things (food, clubs, etc.)
6. Try to get to Nikko outside of Tokyo (beautfiul temple) and the shinto shrine up in the northwest of Honshu .. forget the name ... I-something. |
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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Koya-san in Wakayama is a great spot to stay overnight but given that the trip is during shogatsu I don't think it'll be open to visitors.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4900.html |
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sjv8603
Joined: 27 Jun 2008
Location: busan
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| Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:46 am Post subject: |
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Yakushima was my favorite place in Japan. You're not planning on being in Japan for much time at all, so you might not be able to make it there.
I wasn't overly impressed with Tokyo. I guess it's a good place to shop but not so much more to see and do there if you've already been to other big Asian cities.
I liked Nara better than Kyoto, a bit more managable and slightly less touristy. |
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree w/the above post insofar as 11 days is a blur. Also, yes...if pressed for time/money, you might want to choose Nara over Kyoto. |
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