Visiting Japan

[bravecraptain]

What advice do you have for a first time visitor?

I got a buddy who lives there who’s been tryna get me to visit for a minute. I just wanna skate, buy Nintendo shit, drink Sapporo and chill w/ mothra

[antiposta]

Posting, gonna go out there next year to visit my gf's family

[Deleted]

Get a JR Rail Pass.

[not Worship]

akhiabara is you wanna buy out of print video games and xxxx porno in the same building

[Deleted]

I was going to recommend Tsukiji Market to get the freshest sushi, but it no longer exists. But you can check out it's replacement, Toyosu Market.

[antiposta]

Where to find vintage shibari mags

[Pug Chaser]

So weird, yesterday I JUST paid for my trip back over there in October. It'll be my second time in the last year. I'll be staying in the Edogawa City ward of Tokyo and flying to Nagoya for a couple nights. What dates will you be there OP?

[Pug Chaser]

Tips and junk if you're flying into Tokyo...

SPOILER: Click to show

Buy a Japanese SIM card for your phone off Amazon and load it up before you fly over there. I recommend the Zen SIM, it's a virtually idiot-proof installation and setup. They've got kiosks that sell SIM cards at Narita and Haneda but it's way easier to get off the plane, head through customs and slip the SIM card in before hopping on the train/bus. Plus everything's always more expensive at airports.

If you're flying into Narita, take the Access Narita bus. It's like... $10 USD and will drop you off at Shinjuku Station where you can pretty much take a train anywhere you need to go, or walk if you're staying in the Shinjuku/Shibuya areas. The bus ride takes about an hour. 

Avoid the mistake I made the first time: get a Pasmo or Suica card before you get there. The machines get congested with confused travelers attempting to load cash onto their cards. If you're trying to make a train you might be stuck in a line and waiting until the next one arrives. I thought I'd wing it and figure stuff like trains out on the fly and ended up spending way too much time navigating lines and confusing myself.

Carry an umbrella if it's even remotely cloudy. The skies can open up at random and you'll get stuck in a torrential downpour out of nowhere. This was another mistake I made coming from California.

Eat the matcha and white chocolate chip cookies from 7-11.

If you drink, get a few cans of Suntory Strong Zero Dry. They're super cheap, 9% ALC and you're good to go after two. The packaging has a warning label advising you to eat a hearty meal before drinking them. Avoid White Wave at all costs. I picked one up after a show once and it's just tequila and soda water in a can... unless that's your kind of thing, of course.

Do karaoke, go to as many hole-in-the-wall gigs as possible (check out the Earthdom show listings), hit up as many ramen shops as possible, check out NERDS Records, meet locals and help them practice their English, eat McDonald's. It sounds weird but the quality of their food is unreal over there. Just have a good time and don't be an obnoxious gaijin, weeb or ugly American stereotype.

[Deleted]

I recommend that you have a really nice time and enjoy yourself

[Pug Chaser]

Jul 5, 2019 12:08:42 GMT -5 majormilfunction said:

I just got back from Tokyo about two weeks ago. The JR rail pass was one of the best decisions I made there. My wife and I spent a lot of time near our hotel in Kabukicho slamming tall cans of Sapporo and playing Street Fighter at a 50yen arcade after we did our daily sightseeing. If you feel like hitting any bars up, every single bar you step into in the back alley Golden Gai area is a unique experience. TeamLab: Borderless digital art museum in Palette Town was insane and I'd highly recommend it. The Fuji area was worth traveling to as well. If you have trouble finding a currency exchange at any point during your stay and the ATMs aren't taking your card, every 7/11 has an ATM compatible with international cards.

Hell yeah, I wen't to that Borderless art museum my last full day there. It was a bit pricey (I wen't with the girl I met over there and she mentioned it had just opened up, I think) but completely worth it. I can't imagine going there drunk or high.

[majormilfunction]

Jul 5, 2019 12:14:57 GMT -5 Pug Chaser said:

Jul 5, 2019 12:08:42 GMT -5 majormilfunction said:

I just got back from Tokyo about two weeks ago. The JR rail pass was one of the best decisions I made there. My wife and I spent a lot of time near our hotel in Kabukicho slamming tall cans of Sapporo and playing Street Fighter at a 50yen arcade after we did our daily sightseeing. If you feel like hitting any bars up, every single bar you step into in the back alley Golden Gai area is a unique experience. TeamLab: Borderless digital art museum in Palette Town was insane and I'd highly recommend it. The Fuji area was worth traveling to as well. If you have trouble finding a currency exchange at any point during your stay and the ATMs aren't taking your card, every 7/11 has an ATM compatible with international cards.

Hell yeah, I wen't to that Borderless art museum my last full day there. It was a bit pricey (I wen't with the girl I met over there and she mentioned it had just opened up, I think) but completely worth it. I can't imagine going there drunk or high.

Tripped there and the room with the vertical LEDs that looked like rain absolutely blew my mind. 10/10 experience.

[Pug Chaser]

The music in that room with all the white plates propped up on thin sticks was incredible. I probably revisited that room three times just to listen to the music.

[snoopywoodstock]

postin

[vomitponx]

shinjuku is where all the cool bars are and the red light district too. get beer out of vending machines and hang out at the arcades. also try to walk and take the train everywhere if you can. theres a monster bar called kaiju sakaba a little outside of tokyo and they have ultraman monsters and stuff there

[Reasonablepizza518]

I've always wanted to visit Japan but I'm intimidated by the fact that I've never been in a country where I spoke absolutely none of the language before. I just feel like I'd be totally rudderless unless I was there with someone who had been there before, and I don't know anybody well who has.

[eilers]

My girlfriend and I just got back from 3 weeks in Japan. I got lots of great tips from people in the Travel thread, I'd check that out.

It's easy to get caught up in Tokyo and spend all your time around there (we'd planned on 3 nights and ended up staying 5) so depending on how much time you have in the country I'd try to pry yourself away and see some other places.

- Get a JR Pass if planning on traveling around the country
- Get a Suica or Pasmo card and load it up, makes the subway/buses way easier
- Try all the food at 7-11, Family Mart, and Lawsons. The convenience stores there are insane! The Gateau Chocolate at 7-11 rips.
- If you're into Nintendo/video game stuff spend lots of time exploring Akihabara.
- As suggested, Teamlab Borderless is insane...my girlfriend was still drunk from the night before when we wen't and she couldn't go in some of the rooms because they were too trippy and caused her to lose her balance.
- Check out a baseball game, fans are nuts.
- If you have tattoos going to an onsen can be challenging.
- The bars in Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho are very cool and unique but be wary of the cost. Drinks are like 800 yen at most places and many charge a fee just to sit down in the bar/izakaya.
- Breakfast is hard to find, most restaurants don't open till around lunch. Most of the time people don't eat breakfast there or just have something quick on the go.
- Try all the vials of weird energy drinks and packs of energy jelly.

[Pug Chaser]

When I was there last fall the 7-11's were having some promo/contest where, after you paid, you got to reach into a small box and pull out a prize. They tried explaining this to me in Japanese and I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Finally, after one or two stops at 7-11 and observing other customers, I realized what was happening. Definitely ended up with like, two of those weird energy drink vials in the process.

[eilers]

Jul 5, 2019 18:45:07 GMT -5 Pug Chaser said:

When I was there last fall the 7-11's were having some promo/contest where, after you paid, you got to reach into a small box and pull out a prize. They tried explaining this to me in Japanese and I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Finally, after one or two stops at 7-11 and observing other customers, I realized what was happening. Definitely ended up with like, two of those weird energy drink vials in the process.

After walking around for miles sightseeing everyday coupled with staying out till like 3-4am every night I was living on those things and painkillers. No idea what they were or what was in them.

[antiposta]

What's up w vegan options in Tokyo

[mindlis]

Trying to see if I can make it out again this year in the fall

[mazzario]

how much does a trip usually run you guys, ballpark? (say...a week in tokyo with some excursions) i lived there when i was a kid, but i've wanted to go back for years and want to start planning.

[Pug Chaser]

Last fall I spent roughly $1,400 for around a week and a half there. That was for round trip flight and I think 12 nights at a decent budget hotel. If you don't mind capsule hotels/hostels you could most certainly make the trip over there for $600 or so (round trip + lodging) if you're only staying a week.

I completely lucked out yesterday and was able to get a round trip flight out of SFO + 17 nights in Tokyo at a decent budget hotel for just over $1,000, which is insane. I paid an extra $50 for the trip insurance because I've been interviewing for jobs in the Pacific Northwest and if I get offered one I'll probably have to bail on this trip and plan a move instead. With that said, final total was $1,068.

[bravecraptain]

Jul 5, 2019 10:17:59 GMT -5 Pug Chaser said:

So weird, yesterday I JUST paid for my trip back over there in October. It'll be my second time in the last year. I'll be staying in the Edogawa City ward of Tokyo and flying to Nagoya for a couple nights. What dates will you be there OP?

Looking at some time in the fall. I have to move at the end of next month and would rather put it off til after.

On the subject of expenses, my friend and his girlfriend have a place there and are hounding me to stay. I’d buy em a few dinners. Beats the hell out of paying for a hotel or an Airbnb.

[Pug Chaser]

Jul 5, 2019 19:59:40 GMT -5 bravecraptain said:

Jul 5, 2019 10:17:59 GMT -5 Pug Chaser said:

So weird, yesterday I JUST paid for my trip back over there in October. It'll be my second time in the last year. I'll be staying in the Edogawa City ward of Tokyo and flying to Nagoya for a couple nights. What dates will you be there OP?

Looking at some time in the fall. I have to move at the end of next month and would rather put it off til after.

On the subject of expenses, and his girlfriend have a place there and are hounding me to stay. I’d buy em a few dinners. Beats the hell out of paying for a hotel or an Airbnb.

Nice! I'll be there 10/29 - 11/15. Black Flag is playing over there (lol) while I'm there, as well as Deafheaven and the British shoegaze band Ride. I'll be at those gigs, as well as whatever low key punk/hardcore/metal shit I can find, so maybe we can hang. NERDS Records is an awesome shop to kill an hour browsing through, too.

[orbit]

If you're looking for Nintendo stuff like people have said go to Akihabara but specifically check out
- Super Potato - Retro stuff only here. It can be a little higher price wise but they have a huge selection and it's all in incredible condition. If you're a big person the store is really cramped so be mindful of that. If you're looking for something in specific be sure to maybe google what you want and the translation prior. It makes things way easier if you're trying to find it yourself or if you need an employee to help you. The staff usually has okay English speaking skills.
- Other places to check out are Retro Game Camp. Bit cheaper than super potato, not as cramped. Decent selection as well.
- Surugaya
- Book Off is like Half Price Books if you've ever been to one of those. They've got movies, books, music and etc. on top of selling games. The retro selection is pretty minimal at Book Off you'll find a lot of modern stuff there.
These all sell used stuff.

If you want new/current gen stuff I would check out Yodabashi-Akiba. It's a multi tiered building with all kinds of different vendors one floor has new video games.

I do recommend getting a Suica / JR pass.

[mazzario]

Jul 5, 2019 19:43:03 GMT -5 Pug Chaser said:

Last fall I spent roughly $1,400 for around a week and a half there. That was for round trip flight and I think 12 nights at a decent budget hotel. If you don't mind capsule hotels/hostels you could most certainly make the trip over there for $600 or so (round trip + lodging) if you're only staying a week.

I completely lucked out yesterday and was able to get a round trip flight out of SFO + 17 nights in Tokyo at a decent budget hotel for just over $1,000, which is insane. I paid an extra $50 for the trip insurance because I've been interviewing for jobs in the Pacific Northwest and if I get offered one I'll probably have to bail on this trip and plan a move instead. With that said, final total was $1,068.

gracias.   gonna start saving my money now.   

[cavaliersunset]

I'm going next year, and recently started studying Japanese. Learning Spanish was a cake walk compared to this. How is the language barrier there? I've heard conflicting things. Can someone get by with little (or no) Japanese language skills?

[Pug Chaser]

I knew absolutely no Japanese aside from "hello", "thank you", "goodbye" and "yes." I only had an issue once at a grocery store over giving the cashier the wrong amount for my purchase but that's it. You can pretty much point and nod yes/no a bunch, or use your phone to do a quick English-to-Japanese translation if you're really painted into a corner. I never had to do that though.

I feel kinda disrespectful not having a better grasp on the language before heading over there. Seems kinda lame to just expect everyone to decipher what the dumb white guy's saying.

[vomitponx]

I usually used hand gestures also if you have a pocket wifi or internet service google translate app is really good. You take a picture and itll translate the words. Or you can write something in english and translate and have someone read it. I used it a lot

[pisswizard]

Go to record boy and disc union.