MM Japan Trip

[Mike]

GTFO!

Mike promised a write-up of recommendations and never did it.

ask a question and i'll answer it.

[Apoc]

What sites would you recommend in Tokyo and Kyoto?

What would you have done differently?

What do you wish someone had told you before you went?

[HAULN-SS]

Go to the Edo Tokyo museum. It's a good time. Go to Rappongi at least once. Stay in the imperial district (akasaka)

[CaptainHenreh]

Go to the Edo Tokyo museum. It's a good time. Go to Rappongi at least once. Stay in the imperial district (akasaka)

But leave before it makes you hard.

And wear sunscreen.

[HAULN-SS]

Ah - I was there in mid march - so it was really good weather for walking around..50s - 70s..so with, or without a jacket, depending on the day

[Apoc]

I'll be there in Feb so prolly won't have to worry about sunscreen.

Also, please explain your other recommendations.

[Maengelito]

chris, i went to tokyo for work a few years back. i've got one of those tokyo travel books that was actually really handy and recommended some good places if you're interested. remind me closer to a track event and i can let ya borrow it if you want. i think i might peruse it again to refresh my memory of the names of different places to go.

[Mike]

get the lonely planet guide... or borrow mine. i have one for japan, one for tokyo, and one for kyoto.

tokyo:
tsukiji fish market - wake up early, hit this, then grab some sushi at one of the nearby places.
ueno park - home of the bike district, a large park, and the national museum.
akihabara - the electronic district... you must go there.
omotesando - cool little shopping district... lots of good architecture.
imperial palace - duh.
sensoji - temple complex... has nothing on stuff you'll see in kyoto, but if you're nearby, stop. it's in the asakusa district, which is worth a stroll.
spoon - the spoon shop was way on the outskirts of town. i doubt you much care, but i enjoyed it.

edit: tokyo really just offers a lot of shopping... there really isn't as much "heart" or history as kyoto. pick your shopping area: ginza, odaiba, roppongi,
other shit on tokyo: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html">http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html</a><!-- m -->

kyoto: i'll do this later

what i'd do differently:
1. not bothered going to supergt all the way in fukuoka. the west of the country is just kind of blah and this ate a couple days for not much reward (after seeing f1 cars).
2. try to get in the country a bit more... koyasan was great, but i wanted more.

[Apoc]

We're a couple days in the less metropolitan areas, including a stay at a temple and ryokan that you can only access by cable car.

Here's a rough idea....

>> Day 1 Tokyo - Asakusa View Hotel
>> Day 2 Tokyo
>> Day 3 Tokyo
>> Day 4 Tokyo
>> Day 5 Kyoto - Granvia Hotel
>> Day 6 Kyoto
>> Day 7 Kyoto
>> Day 8 Kyoto
>> Day 9 Koya - Shojoshin-in
>> Day 10 Osaka - Swiss Hotel
>> Day 11 Hakone - Taiseikan
>> Day 12 Hakone
>> Day 13 Tokyo - Mitsui Garden Ginza
>> Day 14 Tokyo
>> Day 15 Depart from Narita Airport

[Mike]

mmmm too much time in tokyo. koyasan is far out so sightseeing on that first day is almost a wash.... i'd add a day there. osaka? bleh, just go back to kyoto... they're like 10 minute apart by train. what's in hakone?

[Apoc]

Osaka supposedly has some pretty crazy restaurants and nightlife. I've seen a lot about it on Globe Trekker and No Reservations and I'd like to spend one night there.

Hakone is right next to Mt Fuki. That's the ryokan and it's built on a bed of hot springs. We'll actually have a hot spring in our room.

Day 14 is actually departure day, I forgot to edit it. We're just staying overnight to fly out the next day.