Another traveler

[Kir0]

I will be leaving for Japan on tuesday. I will be there from June 19 to July 3rd. Anyway, I've been trying to list places I would like to visit, and here is what I have compiled so far.

- Harajuku
- Shibuya
- Tokyo (Tokyo tower also)
- Mt. Fuji
- Akihabara
- Gardens
- Disney (possibly, the ninjas have already gone though so I don't know how keen they'd be to go again)

I will be staying in the Hanata Inn. > Guest House Hanata <

Temples, city life, anything. I just need suggestions on what to see/do. Just being there will be an experience in itself.

I'm traveling with a group of ninjas. A teacher at the high school I went to teaches Ninjitsu in the area and goes to Japan every year to train with Hatsumi. He takes his ninja students along aswell if they want to go. Of course everyone pays there own way. My friend went with them two years ago, while I was unable to afford it at the time. Now I can and she can't.

So basically, while they train I'm free to do whatever I want. And seeing as I'm the only one going who isn't going to train, I'm be on my own some of the time. The only thing that worries me is figuring out the train system, and using Yen. I'm not really worried about being on my own so much.

[DXL]

When i was there last week, i was in Kyoto for four days but had side trips to Hiroshima, Himeji, Osaka and Nara. and the last four days i spent in Tokyo with a side half day trip to Yokohama.

If you are only going to be in Tokyo, you can go to Yokohama for like half a day or something, see all the sights Asakusa (the temple, Nakamise etc), Ginza, Shinjuku's Kabuki-cho, Odaiba is great as well and you can also have a day trip to Kamakura.

For Mt Fuji, i opted for to try to view it from Lake Ashi but unfortunately, it was the most overcast day of my stay. You can get a Hakone Furii Pass from Shinjuku which will take you to thru Odawar to Hkone Yamuto, up the toy car railway to Gora then onto the cable car up to Souzan then the ropeway to Owakudani to see and smell some smoldering sulphur pits and then more ropeway to Togendai. then a sighseeing boat across the lake to Moto Hakone and then a bus down the moutain back to Hakone Yamuto. All in all this takes about four hours from Odawara station.

The train stations are clearly marked and easy to navigate. There are English announcement on trains, arrows on the platform to tell you where to stand, arrows showing you the name of the next station etc.

Yen is fine, the coins are easily distinguishable and on some occasion, if you have just coins, the shop attendant will probably pick out whats needed from you hand without cheating you.

One thing though, trains can be expensive if you dont have got a Japan Rail pass, are you getting one? how long is your trip for? give us some more specifics and i'm sure some others here will come up with things to do

[Kir0]

I don't want to be in Tokyo the whole time, those were just the ideas I had.

I will be staying at the Hanata Inn(view link in first post for the location), and I will be there for two weeks. No I won't be getting a JR pass. I don't really know much about that, but I don't think the ninjas have gotten one in the past either.

My friend did mention going to Kamakura, so thats another place to visit. Any suggestions are appricieated. Nothing extremely far from the Inn though, like 7 hours. I'd probebly definetely get lost then. xD

I just realised I'll probebly get pretty lonely, since I won't be with the ninjas the whole time. The instructor told me his friend who lives and teaches in Japan may have a student or two who would be willing to take me around for a day.

I thank you for your input.

[Housetek]

ill be out and about in Shibbys and harajuku.

mail me

Housetek@softbank.ne.jp
peece

[DXL]

Kir0, where you are staying is outside Tokyo. its in Saitama (probably similar to New York and New Jersey). a JR Pass is advised if you are going to be doing several inter city trips on JR Lines. You should really work it out before you leave as you cant purchase a JR Pass in Japan. it costs 28,000+ yen. Thats like a return fare to Kyoto from Tokyo.

You can check on some of the train scheduling websites for prices of travelling between places on trains from point A to B. heres a very good one Enter the station name

[Kir0]

Oh yes I know its 40 minutes outside of Tokyo, sorry, I thought I specified that.

I'm going to talk to the ninjas tonight with some last details. I will bring up the JR pass, thanks.

[jasonbvr]

japan-guide.com - Japan Travel and Living Guide

I would write something, but I'm hungry. My usual going rate for guided tours of Tokyo is 10,000 Yen a day, but for you I'll do it for the low, low price of a swift kick in the !

Just kidding, I don't do tours. Look up Edo Wonderland near Nikko, Tochigi and go see the ninja show. Be sure to wear your ninja get-up too. And I better be seeing a picture of you hanging from the ceiling of the train about to pounce on your unwitting prey. Good decision to forgoe the training shinanagins, there's far more interesting things to do in Japan than swordfight and give out advice on forums. Speaking of which I gotta go, have fun.

[Kir0]

I'm in Japan right now at the Hanata.

Today I went to a garden in Kita Koshagaya. Then took the train to Ueno station, walked around, went to the Hard Rock Cafe, then walked around Ueno park. Not sure what I'm doing tomarrow.

Right now I think I'll walk up to Lawsons and get some food. Its a small grochery store up the street.

[jasonbvr]

Its a conbini is what it is. Convenience stores here are not attached to gas stations like in most of the US of A. Go to Harajuku station on Sunday as long as the weather is nice you can stare at all the cosplayers.

[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

Go to Harajuku station on Sunday as long as the weather is nice you can stare at all the cosplayers.

Harajuku Station? A train station? Is this an occuring thing? Do cosplayers go to Harajuku all the time? If so, that is amazing. Or is it just a summer thing, it is almost July, and it may be too hot to wear some of those clothes. Lots of layers.

Kiro-san, when your trip ends, will you be sharing images with us?