Japan

Well my long awaited trip is finally here. I fly out of Newark tomorrow with a quick layover in Chicago before landing in Narita. I will try to give you guys an update or two as a go with pictures if I manage to upload them correctly. I'm ready to try anything and everything except Fugu. My non existent Japanese skills will be put to the test and if for some reason there is an international incident while I am in Japan it is totally not my fault. Tokyo is my first stop and I can't wait, although I could do without the 16 hour plane ride. Well time to finish up a few things.

Tokyo is a cake-walk nowadays for English speakers. I don't get out of the city that much (Nagoya is about it), so I can't speak for the rest of the country.

Have a pleasant trip, and may you have lots of fun there!

Enjoy mate!

Kiskaloo wrote:Tokyo is a cake-walk nowadays for English speakers. I don't get out of the city that much (Nagoya is about it), so I can't speak for the rest of the country.

We found it pretty easy all the way up to Hakone... but haven't been beyond there.

So after a flight delay and changing airports I have made it to Japan. The flight wasn't bad at all once I managed to get on it. Now I have to say the Japanese are some of the nicest people. Here I am a little lost in the middle of the night in asakusa when a young Japanese women have me directions and then walked me to my ryokan and even called them to let me in. Now today I think I've seen basically all of Asakusa and to my surprise there is a huge festival going on. Perhaps the most striking thing I have noticed so far beyond how friendly people are is the temples and the bikes. I've been told I ride like a maniac but the Japanese are nuts the old ladies don't stop for anything and would have no problem running me over. The second thing I've noticed is just how peaceful the temples are. Here I am in the big city but as soon as you step on a temple everything seems to bleed away. You can still see the city but can't here it and it has a soothing quality. Love the food so far, but don't ask me what it is, all that matters is it tastes good. Time to try and up load some pictures.

So the pictures will have to wait as I got the wrong adapter for my iPad. In other news I saw Ueno, shibuya, and harajuka today. Ueno was fun especially since it was free access to the national museum today. Shibuya was not as fun since my map was terrible and I ended up getting lost and seeing far more than I would have liked. Oh and I think I had squid on a stick today.

Oh and kisk I nearly had a freak out since I saw Kara doing dance covers in yoigi park in harajuka

crazyidiot78 wrote:So the pictures will have to wait as I got the wrong adapter for my iPad. In other news I saw Ueno, shibuya, and harajuka today. Ueno was fun especially since it was free access to the national museum today. Shibuya was not as fun since my map was terrible and I ended up getting lost and seeing far more than I would have liked. Oh and I think I had squid on a stick today.

But... getting lost in Tokyo is the best thing to do in Tokyo.

Also: ain't Ueno just gorgeous?

Happy to hear you're having a wonderful time in Japan! Can't wait to see the pictures.

Alfisti Ueno was awesome and I would have had more fun getting lost if I hadn't gotten sunburn. Now that being said I did a bike tour of Tokyo today me it was awesome, saw the palace, and lots of other cool stuff (the park from the Sakura watching episode of you're under arrest, and the bridge from the same, even got to ride across it. Oh and I almost caused a crash in a park in sumida but it really isn't my fault..... I swear it isn't Japanese women are to hot for their own good and I was to busy staring at her ass... hey she was in the zone it's all good. Oh and one of the guys on the tour is the head driver, reviewer, photographer for autozine. I think he did some stuff for top gear once. Not sure what to do tomorrow yet right now it's explore more of Tokyo or go to kamakura. Did I say sushi was awesome yet because it is.

crazyidiot78 wrote:Alfisti Ueno was awesome and I would have had more fun getting lost if I hadn't gotten sunburn. Now that being said I did a bike tour of Tokyo today me it was awesome, saw the palace, and lots of other cool stuff (the park from the Sakura watching episode of you're under arrest, and the bridge from the same, even got to ride across it. Oh and I almost caused a crash in a park in sumida but it really isn't my fault..... I swear it isn't Japanese women are to hot for their own good and I was to busy staring at her ass... hey she was in the zone it's all good. Oh and one of the guys on the tour is the head driver, reviewer, photographer for autozine. I think he did some stuff for top gear once. Not sure what to do tomorrow yet right now it's explore more of Tokyo or go to kamakura. Did I say sushi was awesome yet because it is.

I'd personally keep exploring Tokyo, but that's just me. How long were you there for again?

Sumida's great, I spent a day or so walking around there last time (the driver for which was admittedly walking off a big night). Got of the train in Asakusa, walked up the river, around to Tokyo Sky Tree and eventually wound up in Akihabra (not a good thing to stumble upon whilst hungover).

Alfisti as per your advice I stayed in Tokyo, and explored asakusa-bashi, and akihabara. Nothing to exciting to report from asakusa-bashi expect taking the rush hour train there was interesting, who could have thought that many people could fit on a train. Akihabara was an interesting place that I have to go back to since the anime museum was closed. The shops in the electric town are interesting to say the least. They literally have anything electronic, and the upper floors of the anime stores are interesting (yeah I missed the 18 plus sign but I'm young so my heart is ok). First off the DVDs and CDs were way mre expensive than expected but the model kits were surprisingly cheap. I had to resist buying Eva 3.0 but I did get a coffe mug and a nanoha strikers art book. Now the big shocker was the maid cafe it was a little weird and frightening, between not understanding a word and all the pink. Also while realistically all of the girls must have been older since it was during a school day I just could stop seeing my former students. I did however fund a really cool park near. The. Hinaode peri hat was just awesome. It wasn't. Very big but it just begged to be explored and had all kinds of paths and a lake with a small island in the middle.

I can now add ramen to the list of Japanese foods I've tried. Had another fun biking tour of Tokyo today, got to see the life sized gundam, Tokyo tower (the site of hikaru, umi, and fuu's journey to cephiero) the tv station in odibia (the site of the big battle I'm digimon, don't judge me the first two seasons of that show were pretty darn good), had another ferry ride. Now the near accident this time wasn't my fault (stupid German milf's and their yoga pants). Saw the fire temple and the hot office lady who charged right up the old stone steps 25m worth in 2inch heels. Oh and I asked the tour guide if she knew of any genetic diseases that ran in the royal family due to inbreeding. All round a good time. This might be the last update for awhile as I am off to hakone tomorrow and I don't know if the hotel has free wireless. Oh and was sufficiently freaked out by the production shots of school idol contest at the Tokyo anime center, crutch shots, side boob, swim suits, and other provocative stuff. Seriously this moe stuff needs to go and the Japanese otaku needs to get laid.

More blisters but hakone is a blast, staying the night a hit spring resort with lousy Internet so it's a short one. Just getting around in hakone was a blast with all the trams, cable cars, and rope ways although I did almost crap myself on the rope way dam it's high.

Imperial Palace Tokyo

http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/Image-373696802

Wow, it sounds like a lot of fun! I hope to go there myself eventually.

Well I'm not dead yet although there is a typhoon headed toward me.  I'm currently on iriomote island at the end of the Okinawa island chain.  Well time for some eats.

Man, it sounds like the trip's going pretty well. Are you at the end of the Okinawa chain closest or farthest from Japan? I'd assume closest, but I don't know your itinerary.

El I was actually at the far end closer to Taiwan.  I managed to get back to Okinawa before the flights were delayed, diverted or canceled.  So now I get some more time in Okinawa unless the weather changes again as they don't know if the typhoon is coming here yet.

Oh cooooooool. I'm told that there are major differences in culture between Okinawa and Japan? How different is it, if at all?

To be honest I haven't noticed to much but I've been running around  on tours and trying to make flights.  Now what I have noticed is that they actually cook meat completely I'm Okinawa as I've had multiple dishes on the main islands where I think I can still here it breathing. Secondly the artifacts at the museums have a distinctly Pacific Islander feel to them.  Oh and the elevator music is different.

This is courtesy of TSM, as he has provided the impetus to post more of the pictures from my Japan trip.  I realize these will be several months late but hey if your looking then enjoy.

http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/Okinawa-408085446

[img][/img][img]http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/291/9/b/okinawa_by_su78crew-d6qyoqu.jpg[/img]

Okinawa japan right before I go scuba diving.  I am actually on an Island about 30min or so from Okinawa.  A very fun day and there were two hot Chinese chicks there to.

Next up is the thunder gate in asakusa japan down the street from my hotel

[img]http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/Thunder-gate-asakusa-japan-408088374[/img]

and down the road from the gate is the senoji temple and its crowded due to a festival that was taking place while I was there.

[img]http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/Sensoji-Temple-408088663[/img]

Now here is an aerial shot and you can see the entire temple area.

[img]http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/asakusa-temple-area-408089503[/img]

This was very cool there was a festival procession each evening my first two days in tokyo.  This is to bless the neighborhood for the upcoming year

[img]http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/Mikoshi-procession-408088990[/img]

Tokyo sky tree and the bike tour group I was with

[img]http://su78crew.deviantart.com/art/tokyo-sky-tree-and-my-bike-tour-group-408090183[/img]
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Looks like fun, Crazy.