Japan recommendations?

[Cricken]

The girlfriend and I are heading to Japan for a 2 week vacation coming up soon and was curious if anyone here had any must visit stops. Not necessarily looking for cigar related, though a place to enjoy a stick would be good to know about (I'll be bringing my own sticks). Mainly I spend my vacation time eating way too much way too often and this trip won't be too different, haha

The first week will be spent in Shinjuku area of Tokyo followed by a few days each in Osaka and Kyoto. We're planning a few day trips to add along the way, probably Nara and Kobe.

If anyone has any suggestions, please share!

 

[memphsdad]

@Ducttapegonewild

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

Where to start.

First, be prepared to walk. A lot.

I would highly recommend while you are in Tokyo to go to as many shrines and temples as you can. Might I suggest at the first one you go to you get a stamp book called a Goshuinchou. As you go through the temples and shrines, have It stamped. That would be a great start. I haven't spent much time in Tokyo, so I cannot give you good advice on that, however, Kyoto and Osaka both have a plethora of temples to head to. The one temple I would not miss out on is Sanjusangendo in Kyoto. Another one I wouldn't miss out on is the kneeling deer in Nara.

Back to Kyoto/Osaka, the market there is fantastic. You can spend days walking there and still not see the whole thing. Make sure to visit both the golden and silver temples.

I'd like to suggest another side trip. I'd head to Nagoya, if only to see Nagoya Castle.

Hiroshima should be on your list as well, there are a few temples there you need to check out.

Just to give you a heads up, there are festivals all over Japan most every week. I don't think there is a week without a festival going on.

Might I suggest you try some Japanese whisky while you're there.

Oh, on your way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, stop, visit and climb Mt. Fuji. It should only be a day to climb it, but quite a view.

I hope this helps out.

 

[jimmy_d]

I've never been, but man am i jealous.. I want to go to Japan so badly! I have unfortunately have nothing useful to input, but have fun!

 

[ChuckMejia]

@squaresoft

 

[squaresoft]

ducttape would know better than me and he already said most of what I would recommend, basically just looking up all the world heritage sites (there are tons) should give you a good idea of which shrines and temple type locations to see. In tokyo you gotta check out the Meiji shrine for sure, and shibuya crossing is kinda a thing you do while you're there, and akihabra is somewhere I would def. check out but even for a normal person it would probably be a crazy experience. It would be fun to go out to a karaoke club/booth... that shit is huge over there. I'd probably go to a baseball game at some point too in tokyo or osaka. If you're going to nara I hear the deer park there is a cool experience, and the aquarium in osaka is supposed to be amazing. I'm sure you're probably planning this already but staying a night or two in a traditional ryokan or onsen is probably a must do activity as would be eating a few meals at traditional Ikazayas. I don't know how you would find one, but if you have a chance to go to a shrine festival that would be a must do for me.

It depends on what kinda stuff you're into..I know there are a bunch of places I would go for sure that probably wouldn't appeal to the average traveler like the studio ghibli museum or like one of the robot show restaurants like in the Tokyo episode of parts unknown.

 

[StuffedSloth]

take pics and post a vacation thread?
I want to go in a few years witht the wife.

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

Oh, before I forget, get an international drivers license. While you're in Tokyo, make sure and drive the Mario Karts.

http://maricar.com/en/shinagawa.html

 

[Cricken]

Where to start.

First, be prepared to walk. A lot.

I would highly recommend while you are in Tokyo to go to as many shrines and temples as you can. Might I suggest at the first one you go to you get a stamp book called a Goshuinchou. As you go through the temples and shrines, have It stamped. That would be a great start. I haven't spent much time in Tokyo, so I cannot give you good advice on that, however, Kyoto and Osaka both have a plethora of temples to head to. The one temple I would not miss out on is Sanjusangendo in Kyoto. Another one I wouldn't miss out on is the kneeling deer in Nara.

Back to Kyoto/Osaka, the market there is fantastic. You can spend days walking there and still not see the whole thing. Make sure to visit both the golden and silver temples.

I'd like to suggest another side trip. I'd head to Nagoya, if only to see Nagoya Castle.

Hiroshima should be on your list as well, there are a few temples there you need to check out.

Just to give you a heads up, there are festivals all over Japan most every week. I don't think there is a week without a festival going on.

Might I suggest you try some Japanese whisky while you're there.

Oh, on your way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, stop, visit and climb Mt. Fuji. It should only be a day to climb it, but quite a view.

I hope this helps out.

Thanks a ton for the info @Ducttapegonewild, we'll have the JR rail pass for our trip so we plan on making sure we get our money's worth. Currently we're planning day trips and have Nara, Kobe, and Hiroshima at the top our lists. Now I'll definitely try and add Nagoya and climbing Mt Fuji if time permits.

Oh, before I forget, get an international drivers license. While you're in Tokyo, make sure and drive the Mario Karts.

http://maricar.com/en/shinagawa.html

That looks pretty damn fun! Never tried getting an international drivers license but now I'll have to try

 

[Cricken]

ducttape would know better than me and he already said most of what I would recommend, basically just looking up all the world heritage sites (there are tons) should give you a good idea of which shrines and temple type locations to see. In tokyo you gotta check out the Meiji shrine for sure, and shibuya crossing is kinda a thing you do while you're there, and akihabra is somewhere I would def. check out but even for a normal person it would probably be a crazy experience. It would be fun to go out to a karaoke club/booth... that shit is huge over there. I'd probably go to a baseball game at some point too in tokyo or osaka. If you're going to nara I hear the deer park there is a cool experience, and the aquarium in osaka is supposed to be amazing. I'm sure you're probably planning this already but staying a night or two in a traditional ryokan or onsen is probably a must do activity as would be eating a few meals at traditional Ikazayas. I don't know how you would find one, but if you have a chance to go to a shrine festival that would be a must do for me.

It depends on what kinda stuff you're into..I know there are a bunch of places I would go for sure that probably wouldn't appeal to the average traveler like the studio ghibli museum or like one of the robot show restaurants like in the Tokyo episode of parts unknown.

A traditional ryokan is something we've been really interested in booking but we hadn't had a chance to really look into it or book it. I feel like no matter how much we're able to do while there, I'll feel like I missed out on so many things! Of the group I'm going with, I'm the only one who has never been and they've all told me that's how they felt after their trips, too.

One of my friends went to the robot show and said it was cool at the start...but soon just became super confused as to what was going on, haha.

 

[squaresoft]

A traditional ryokan is something we've been really interested in booking but we hadn't had a chance to really look into it or book it. I feel like no matter how much we're able to do while there, I'll feel like I missed out on so many things! Of the group I'm going with, I'm the only one who has never been and they've all told me that's how they felt after their trips, too.

One of my friends went to the robot show and said it was cool at the start...but soon just became super confused as to what was going on, haha.

I'm almost certain that's the point lol. I also remembered you should def. Check out an arcade. They're insane in Japan. Maybe while you're there you can get some purikura too.