| Going to Tokyo
Posted: 5/15/2008 12:17:29 PM | from june 16th-june 22nd i'm not really looking to plan out my trip at all but instead have things in mind that i might wanna go see while i'm there. have any of you been there before and do you have any recommendations of places i should see while i'm there. anyway if you have any suggestions it would be much appreciated!
-Dave | |
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| Going to Tokyo
Posted: 5/20/2008 3:10:16 PM | Before I go any further, let me first say that I haven't been there, but I've researched the hell out of it and spoken to many people about it. I was going to go in July, but my budget evaporated. I figure something is better than nothing, as far as knowledge goes.
1) Each district has something different to offer. A big tourist spot is Shibuya; odds are this is what you imagine when you think of Tokyo. Definitely hit up Shibuya if you want to see the glam side of the city, but your wallet will probably be annihilated afterwards. The nerd / techno district is Akihabara, this is where you go for the electronics that probably won't work in the states. If you want foreigner-friendly nightlife that will probably kill you, Ropponghi district is the place. Slightly less intense nightlife is found in Shinjuku district.
2) You might want to think of rescheduling your trip because the dollar is weak and the yen is strong right now. This vacation is going to shank your wallet. Watch the market and time your currency conversion accordingly.
3) Unless you are skilled with your Japanese and know someone at a ryokan (small inn), you are probably going to want to stay at Sakura Hotel in Jimbocho (book district). Here's the site: http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/
-or-
The other option is to stay at Love Hotels or Karaoke Bars overnight if you are really on a budget. This might be cheaper, but both tend to be noisy if you know what I mean, and they probably won't let you into the first option if you are alone, and definitely not if you can't speak the language. I know people are obsessed with Capsule hotels, but I don't know anyone who stayed in one and didn't regret it; they tend not to be safe for young people.
4) Pick a couple shrines to visit; they get a little repetitive after a while, I believe. I think it's best to hold off a little bit on those unless you a big history nut.
5) Try to learn katakana, if you don't know any Japanese. This is the alphabet that is used for foreign words and the one that should be the most helpful for you. Sure, it has twice as many letters as the roman alphabet, but it should help you in the long run.
6) Supposedly, you can get around really well without any Japanese. Many people have studied it in school, and can understand you if you speak slowly, but are nervous about speaking it themselves.
Questions for further input:
-How good is your Japanese?
-What is the nature of your visit? Are you looking for history, or trouble (aka girls, or guys, I dunno what you're seeking), or wacky/kitsch stuff?
-How many paychecks do you have to work with? | |
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| Going to Tokyo
Posted: 5/20/2008 3:39:41 PM | The best places to get an awesome (and free!) view of the entire city are the 45th floor observation decks of the Tokyo Metropolitan Goverment Buildings in Shinjuku. You can get to it from Shinjuku station (JR Trains) or Tocho-mae Station (Toei subway, Oedo line). Tokyo Tower also offers a great view of the city, including the city's harbor, but it is not quite as high in the air, usually has very long lines, and costs about $20 to go up, iirc.
These links give access info and hours of the government towers:
http://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/gov/01.html
http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/TMG/observat.htm | |
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| Going to Tokyo
Posted: 5/22/2008 12:59:35 PM | nature of my trip....there isn't one lol i have an appointment with my tattoo artist that lives there lol [prolly the main reason for me going] but i haven't been there and have be procrastinating going for the last 5 years lol. money isn't really too much of an issue, so far i think i'll be doing half and half historical and party. i'm taking a day out of tokyo to visit hakone and mt fuji. doing a handfull of shrine and spending the rest of the time eating and drinking the culture district by district. plan on eating fugu while i'm there so i might Die on this trip who knows, going to the ice bar having a drink at the park hyatt where bill murray shot lost in translation and going to party like a rockstar while i'm there.
i have read about the observation decks thanks for the tip, i'm def going to snap off a few pics from there. i'm really looking for the best places to party because i have a good idea of everything else i'm going to do.
thanks for the input guys , keep it coming! | |
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