Big in Japan

EDIT: started to post pics and a review
hey guys,
im flying to tokyo in one week for about two weeks.
Ill be staying at a friend in the city for the first week and bought a japan rail pass for the second week, to visit other cities like kyoto, hiroshima and so on.

Can you suggest me stuff to do in Tokyo and which places to visit nationwide?
Just to give you an idea what im interested in:

-traditional sports events (sumo,aikido, maybe baseball/ mma)
-museums (yeah i like museums)
-restaurants, bars, (karaoke clubs)
-mountainclimbing (anyone climbed mount fuji in the winter?)
- anything typical japanese( temples, hot spring bath, ryokans)

Since the yen is sick strong to the euro atm, i guess i wont go shopping alot. Is it still cheaper to buy fancy electronics like videocameras in japan?

How much money should i prepare to spend/ how expensive is tokyo really?

How far will i get with english?i dont speak any japanese(yet)

How are big white (german) dudes perceived in Japan?

Is poker legal, which games, limits are played, cool casinos?
Any difficulties playing online poker?

Basically i'd like to know stuff to do and stuff to avoid.
If you dont have any personal experience feel free to post useful links or anything japan related.

Lets get started!

Ps: if people are interested, i will post pictures itt after my return

sorry i cannot answer any of these Qs, but def post pics after!

sorry i cant answer either, but i agree about posting pics :D
i might go there later this year too, my cousin lives there now

eat sushi woot

You can probably google a lot of those sports events etc. I didn't really do that stuff really in there.

Two years ago the optics there (camera lenses etc) were cheaper, but I can't really answer whether it's still the same today.

English works ok, but people don't really speak it there. I mean you will survive but going to smaller japanese places might be sort of difficult, unless you know exactly what you want and where you're going - if you catch my drift. The best restaurants were those small ones you'll find on Nth floor of some random buildings where ppl don't speak english at all. I recommend you going to party at Roppongi, getting a girl (maybe easiest in roppongi ) and having her show you around.

Tokyo is kinda expensive, you will probably end up paying from 50 to 100 euros per night for a small hotel room (I guess there are hostels and stuff, and I heard something about business hotels that might be cheaper), but generally staying there is kinda expensive. I'd say compared to germany, it's probably a tad more expensive when it comes to other stuff like restaurants too. But it's not THAT much more expensive I guess.

A lot of older japanese folks are kinda racist, but most of them are very polite and nice despite that. In fact, some are overly polite to be honest. We once went to a restaurant which was full. The chef or waiter or w/e (not sure) came up to the outer door (meaning he climed one set of stairs to follow us) saying they're sorry, even when we said "it's ok", lol. It's also the only place where you'll see ppl in suit collecting litter from the street, lulz (not in all parts of tokyo but some nevertheless). An example of the racism would be, when we went to an onsen (it's sort of a spa), after leaving, we saw some of the older guys changing the water :D only assuming that it was cuz us gaijin were in there.

Gambling is illegal in Japan so there aren't any casinos. Playing online works fine though unlike in thailand where you need to reroute your internet traffic through some proxy. So it shouldn't be a problem. I think you might be able to get into some Yakuza games with proper contacts but I'd imagine you don't wanna do that. ;D

Tokyo is really safe when it comes to walking on the streets at night. When I was there alone, I went to a LOT of places. And didn't even get raped or robbed there. Some of the places were pretty creepy tho, pretty sure they were some sort of gang territories around smaller streets on Shinjuku. But then again, I don't really have all that strong of a sense for self-preservation.

We did start a blog when we were in Japan @ http://futokoro.blogspot.com/

But it doesn't really have much stuff, lol. I also wrote SOME stuff to my blog @ http://muhweli.liquidpoker.net/ , but I'm little too tired to dig up the old posts there.

Check out the maid caffees, those are kinda funny. And in the good ones, the girls are really hot. Basically they're just over-priced coffeeshops/restaurants with girls dressed up as sexy maids being the waitresses, but I think it's a good reflection on Japanese culture :D

On February 10 2009 21:51 zodion wrote: -traditional sports events (sumo,aikido, maybe baseball/ mma)

Japanese baseball blows, dont go.
Sumo I believe is unfortunately out of session right now. Hatsu-basho ended a few weeks ago

-mountainclimbing (anyone climbed mount fuji in the winter?)

All I know is that you start climbing at like 2am and see the sunrise. Not sure what it's like, but I'd imagine you can do it even in winter?

- anything typical japanese( temples, hot spring bath, ryokans)

Hot spring bath - Hakone is pretty famous for them. Temples - Tokyo, Nara, Kyoto. The most typical Kyoto ones are Heian Jinguu, Kiyomizu, Kinkakuji.

Since the yen is sick strong to the euro atm, i guess i wont go shopping alot. Is it still cheaper to buy fancy electronics like videocameras in japan?

Not sure how it works with exchange rate right now. Check out the electronics stores @ Akihabara, or the Yodobashi Camera / Big Camera @ Shinjyuku etc.

How much money should i prepare to spend/ how expensive is tokyo really?

Depends on your activities.

How far will i get with english?i dont speak any japanese(yet)

You will be just fine w/ English as long as you're in Tokyo / Kyoto, or other touristy areas.

How are big white (german) dudes perceived in Japan?

With awe.

Is poker legal, which games, limits are played, cool casinos?

Ask Rekrul.

Any difficulties playing online poker?

Prolly not.

I never understood why "gambling is illegal" in Japan when they have Mahjong places all over the fucking place, which is nothing short of gambling...

tom waits is big in japan

On February 11 2009 01:58 Uptown wrote: I never understood why "gambling is illegal" in Japan when they have Mahjong places all over the fucking place, which is nothing short of gambling...

yakuza own half the country and they like gambling

On February 11 2009 05:58 sawseech wrote: Show nested quote + On February 11 2009 01:58 Uptown wrote: I never understood why "gambling is illegal" in Japan when they have Mahjong places all over the fucking place, which is nothing short of gambling... yakuza own half the country and they like gambling

1) Get into illegal poker game filled with Yakuza
2) Rape their souls on the table
3) Enjoy your free vacation paid by the Yakuza
4) ??????
5) Profit !!!

Bad idea ??

Btw, sorry that I can't post anything constructive. I never been to Japan although it's certainly somewhere on the top of my list of ''to go'' places. Enjoy your trip !!!

You forgot step 6) Avoid imminent death by fleeing the country

Yeah, go rathole yakuza's games. I dare ya 8D

On February 11 2009 10:54 LightinG wrote:

God I wanna go to Japan again.

let me know if you do lolz

HELP: HOW do i use spoiler tags, the post is getting messy!, will continue once i find out
LONG due update; im starting to write a short review about my trip and add pics in this post

i went with a japanese friend of mine, whose japanse was pretty bad but still helpful.
We stayed one week in Tokyo (with one day in Hakone)then two nights in kobe( family visit, kinda boring) three days in kyoto and two days in kojasan

First week : Tokyo

i arrived at narita airport feb and stayed at a friends appartement in meguro, near meguro station



DaeinJi Shrine, just around the corner. There are quite a few small shrines and temples like this right in tokyo city.



view from Fuji TV station on odaiba (an artificial island )


cosplay in Harajuku. Youll find more western tourists here than anywhere else. Also a good place to buy crazy apparel


shibuya crossing


now thats baller waste of space: trench around the imperial palace, ginza on the right


stylish german nonsense(but hey we think kanji are cool)


japansese party: i took the other bottle of beer


the edo tokyo museum in ryogoku. it resembles the form of a rice storage house. Great museum if your interested in city history, with free personal tour guides.


Sensoji Tempel in Akasaka


Akihabara. This is nerd heaven. Nowhere else can you find whole stores dedicated to star wars collectibles and a manga shop on eight floors. I wasted half a day playing tekken 6 in club sega.


skyline view from the observation deck in the morji art museum. The museum changes its exhibition every few month, during my visit it was showing modern art from india. You find it on the 54th floor of Morji tower, a supermodern skyscraper in roppongi hills.



these two pictures were taken in hakone, a vulcanic area close to mount fuji. Many (japansese) tourists come here on the weekends to see the many hot springs. Sadly i couldnt climb mount fuji due to bad conditions.


hm? wat?
But seriously, dont expect people to be able to speak english.

Second week:

Kobe: not really a very interesting city. Coming from Tokyo it seemed almost rural. People were alot older on average and not everybode was wearing buisness outfit like in tokyo. I stayed at a toyoko inn hotel, a big hotel chain, and i can suggest them to you.



Himeji castle near kobe.
yeah it looks like from a disney themepark, but its really beautiful.
Building started in the 14th century, ist the biggest wooden castle in japan.

kyoto
we took the shinkansen from kobe to kyoto and stayed at the kyoto j hoppers. I wish we had had more time for kyoto, its still the cultural capital of japan, with more then 1600 temples, lots of great restaurants. Gion in Kyoto is the home of the last real geishas witch are insanely expensive and probably not very interesting for people without a japansese backround.
We visited Sanjusangendo Temple ( with a main hall displaying 1001 man sized wooden statues (no pics allowed,but u can find it on the internet ;-), the shogun palace, the old imperial palace( it was the capital until 1868) and alot more.


the entrance to the shogun palace. Very impressive wood carvings on the middle


sakura in the shogun palace


huge torii marking the entrance to the museum district (all museums closed mondays, we found out the hard way ;-( )


narrow street with ridiculous expensive restaurants.


another temple. Yeah, theres lots of them around here.

Now, for the real unique part of my trip:

Koyasan (or Mount Koya)

From Kyoto we went to Koyasan by train. Its the center of one kind of buddhism and mainly inhabited by monks. If you want to stay overnight you have to stay at a buddhist temple. We stayed at Muryokoin, they are well prepared for tourists. I was able to watch a 90 min long buddhist ceremony( very different then anything ive ever seen).
It felt like another age and was a great chance to experience a more traditional site of japan. Highly recommended for those who dare.


biggest stonegarden in the world in Kongobuji, Koyasan.
Also a great desktop backround picture ;-) - in higher resolution-


our room in Muryokoin temple(or monastery?)
this monk was very funny and also spoke fluent english.


okunoin cemetery. great and very quiete place to visit.

ten random thoughts:
1. Mind your head
2. If you get invited somewhere, bring a present
3. Dont pick your nose or use a handkerchief in public
4. Dont rent a car
5. Study the subway plan beforehand. Its confusing
7. Japan has left-hand traffic
8. In many places, you wont get far with english
9. Get the Japan Rail Pass because trainrides are expensive
10. People are friendly dont be afraid to ask for help

more to come tomorrow

sweet keep up the pics!

I got a funny Japan story.

A couple buddies of mine (white) went to Japan several years ago and decided they wanted to go to a geisha house. They somehow found one and were admitted inside. They had their first drink and were just about to enjoy themselves when they passed out. They awoke the next morning to find themselves in some back alley with their wallets missing. Apparently their drinks were spiked with some drug. So they get back to their hotel to report their credit cards missing only to find out that all their cards were maxed out. The credit card companies needed a police report to file the fraud claim so they went to the local police station and told their story. The Japanese cops then burst in laughter when they heard what happened and they left the station in shame and with no police report. LOL

I spend a lot of time (and money) trying out all kinds of japanese food. They have alot more than just fish and rice to offer.


japansese dessert. Mainly beans.


okonomiaki: kinda like a mix between pancakes and pizza.


yeah thats for one apple, neat wrapping though.


Chanko Nabe, the sumo wrestlers diet. You find it mainly in ryogoku, the sumo wrestlers district, and quiet often a former sumo is the chef.


some nice sushi. i also tried fugu, but it tastes nothing special.



Tonkasu, this was great! The restaurant i was at is very popular. You can see everything you eat being prepared right in front of you.


I bought three of these (onigiri) every day. Riceballs filled with various stuff(mainly fish). I got addicted to these, but i cant find them here in germany? Do you get this stuff in the US?


The best meat i ever had: korean Yakiniku in Kobe. Its cooked right on your table in the restaurant (By yourself mostly). I think i got invited to kobe beef here.




bar in meguro.


tastes like home : Döner kebap in akihabara


this was interesting : vegetarian dinner in the buddhistic temple i stayed in at Mount Koya.

i ended up focusing on the eating and not on the drinking. But really the beer is good (for non bavarian beer, at least) and a martini probably tastes the same in Tokyo as anywhere else.

Big in Japan=Godzilla