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SebC · 07-11-2009, 11:59 AM

Looks a bit like my trip...

Mito -> Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Hiroshima/Miyajima -> Himeji/Osaka -> Koyasan -> Nara -> Tokyo (Hakone, Yudanaka day trips)

worth · 07-11-2009, 12:07 PM

Yeah, I did Tokyo > Kyoto > Nara > Osaka > Hiroshima/Miyajima > Fukuoka > Beppu > Tokyo.

2 Weeks isn't enought time.

Jordan! · 07-11-2009, 12:12 PM

That was amazing! I'd love to do this sometime. It's on my bucket list of sorts.

I awaited Hooker pics

Hack&Lube · 07-11-2009, 12:18 PM

domo arigato gozaimasu!

Why did you not visit any love hotels?

4X4 · 07-11-2009, 12:22 PM

LOL! No upper deckers....

valo403 · 07-11-2009, 12:30 PM

That's awesome.

I'm not sure if you'd be able to help me with this, but I have a 19 hour overnight layover in Narita on my way back from Bangkok and I'm wondering if I should make the trip into Tokyo to check out the city at night and if so where I should go. I've read that there are some cool temples in Narita, but I'd kind of like to see the spectacle of Tokyo. I don't have time for much as I get in at 4 and leave the next morning at 11, but if you've got any ideas I'd appreciate the tips.

worth · 07-11-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

That's awesome.

I'm not sure if you'd be able to help me with this, but I have a 19 hour overnight layover in Narita on my way back from Bangkok and I'm wondering if I should make the trip into Tokyo to check out the city at night and if so where I should go. I've read that there are some cool temples in Narita, but I'd kind of like to see the spectacle of Tokyo. I don't have time for much as I get in at 4 and leave the next morning at 11, but if you've got any ideas I'd appreciate the tips.

It's an hour on the train either way to and from Narita to Tokyo Station.

My flight out of Narita was a Friday afternoon. I was in Beppu on Thurdsay, and I took the train back to Tokyo all day Thurs basically, got to Tokyo station, shoved all my gear into a locker at the station and just went with a little bit of cash and the clothes on my back. Went for dinner and then researched a club to go to for that night. I didn't book a hotel or anything. I wanted my last night in Tokyo to be awesome. I wanted to stay up all night and just give it 110%.

Found the club "Womb" which is supposed to be one of the best clubs in the world. So I decided to go there.

If you're looking for night life, the districts are Shinjuki and Shibuya. And Rappongi.

Anyway, I went to Shibuya station, womb is only a 10 minute walk from there. I went to 7/11 and pounded back some tall boy ashai's and one of those terrible tasting one cup sake drinks then went to womb at around 11pm. I asked the bouncer in broken japanese and half english if anyone was inside, and he said not very many people, come back at midnight.

So I said ok. Then I somehow met up with a Swiss guy and a guy from Vancouver. I don't remember how that happened. Anyway, we pounded back some more Asahi's and went back to Womb at 12:30am and there was still no one in there. I was getting aggrivated. This was Tokyo on a Thursday night, and there are millions of people around, but there's no one in the boody clubs!

The swiss guy suggested another bar he had been to, and we wentl, and it was decent. I danced all night long and then at about 6am i took off to the fish market, because I missed that the first time I was in Tokyo. Hung out there for a bit, then grabbed my junk out of the locker and headed for the airport. So that was quite the adventure.

You can usually find something to do in Tokyo. I would say go for it. Stay up all night and party or something. I can only speak for myself, but I don't think i'll be in Tokyo too often. Maybe never again. Wanted to live it up I guess!

Edit:

And if you're not the party type, there's still tons of stuff to do in tokyo if you want to do some sight seeing. It would be worth it in my mind just to get into the city and walk around a bit. Or do some research on the internet about a couple places you might want to visit. But just experiencing Tokyo life is something else.

GoinAllTheWay · 07-11-2009, 12:53 PM

Amazing pictures man! That has me really wanting to go too now. Some of those shots really show the population density, incredible.

worth · 07-13-2009, 07:32 AM

The density is crazy with teh buildings, and even int he country side. There is no country side, at least along the rail lines. The rice paddies are mixed in with housing pretty much the whole way from Tokyo to Hiroshima.

Tokyo, although having something like 30 million people in its surrounding areas, wasn't all that bad. Train stations were crowded, but not overcrowded. You could easily make your way though. Trains were crowded, but never overcrowded really. I never had to wait for another train because this one was too crowded. There is a lot of people, but it is manageable and orderly. Something we have problems with here in a city of a million!

Pagal4321 · 07-13-2009, 08:38 AM

Looks like you had quite the trip!!

I was in Tokyo for one day on my way to Thailand, and it's kind of funny that your pictures of the municipal building, the mini mall and the electronic store is exactly where I was in Tokyo on my one day there!

Muta · 07-13-2009, 08:52 AM

Wow... reminds me of when I went earlier this year. Great pics, mate! There's some places that you took pics where I stood exactly as well. The bridge one in Beppu, I took a shot from exactly that spot on that sidewalk too. I did two months there, and it was enough time... you must've had such a whirlwind two weeks. Looks like an awesome trip, though?

Did you get to try any otoro (fatty tuna) sushi? Words can't describe how tasty that is.

Ozy_Flame · 07-13-2009, 08:55 AM

SUGOI!!! Nippon ni ikimatai!

Reminds me alot of our trip we took a few months ago, and we pretty much did everything you did there, worth. Glad you stopped in Beppu as well, that place is worth checking out. Did you go to the $5 sex museum? Please tell me you did!

photon · 07-13-2009, 08:58 AM

I'm so jealous.

Sample00 · 07-13-2009, 09:55 AM

that was friggin awesome and thank you so much for sharing the trip and pictures.

Bownesian · 07-13-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

LOL! No upper deckers....

I saw a similar sign in a toilet in Cambodia. They were kind enough to provide both sitting and squat toilets for your convenience there...

COGENT · 07-13-2009, 10:23 AM

A lot of your photos are very similar to mine... my hotel in Tokyo was only a few blocks from the Municipal buildings in Tokyo. Were the incredibly loud alien looking bugs out around there?

It was weird to see your photos of Hiroshima and not see hordes of people. I was there during a Japanese holiday so it was hard to even walk in the museum.

I actually looked into buying one those toilets seats but they were $1000 and up. The one at our onsen ryokan would actually open once you walked in the room and close after it flushed for you.

SebC · 07-13-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

That's awesome.

I'm not sure if you'd be able to help me with this, but I have a 19 hour overnight layover in Narita on my way back from Bangkok and I'm wondering if I should make the trip into Tokyo to check out the city at night and if so where I should go. I've read that there are some cool temples in Narita, but I'd kind of like to see the spectacle of Tokyo. I don't have time for much as I get in at 4 and leave the next morning at 11, but if you've got any ideas I'd appreciate the tips.

You might be gone already, but if not:

My opinion is definitely go to Tokyo. If you're into cityscapes, go up the Mori tower (be there by 7:30 pm for the outdoor observation deck) - if you don't want the outdoor deck (i.e. no reflections) the Tokyo Metropolitan Gov't Building at Shinjuku is a free alternative. After that you could make a quick visit to Odaiba (Rainbow Bridge looks great at night with all the party boats in the Tokyo Bay in front of it). If you're a partier, Rappongi Hills is the international district so there will be other travellers in the bars and clubs there, Shinjuku is the main downtown in Tokyo (it has several). Keep in mind that the trains shut down pretty early (like between midnight and 1) so if you're planning on sleeping, you'll want to book something close to wherever you think you'll end up.

Most of the attractions don't open until 10, but the fish market is best in the morning (ideal at about 5 am) and if you want to see crowds, you should go to the Hachinko exit at Shibuya station for the morning rush.

Bertuzzied · 07-13-2009, 12:51 PM

Wow. Hiroshima looked awesome. Only hit Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo when i was there last. I was on a bus tour though. Didn't get too much time to walk around myself.

worth · 07-13-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muta

Wow... reminds me of when I went earlier this year. Great pics, mate! There's some places that you took pics where I stood exactly as well. The bridge one in Beppu, I took a shot from exactly that spot on that sidewalk too. I did two months there, and it was enough time... you must've had such a whirlwind two weeks. Looks like an awesome trip, though?

Did you get to try any otoro (fatty tuna) sushi? Words can't describe how tasty that is.

It was an unreal trip. The second week I was just moving from place to place. I would wake up and think to myself, what city am I in today? And it would take me a few seconds to remember.

Then i'd start walking somewhere and go to myself "oh, that's right over there" only to realize a couple minutes later, that was in Kyoto, not in Hiroshima, where I currently am. Those were kind of cool feelings that I have never experienced before.

Hmm, I may have had some, I went to a sushi bar once and basically tried everything, but half the stuff I didn't know what it was. It all delicious. I'm pretty sure in Japan I didn't know 50% of what I was eating.

Quote:

Did you go to the $5 sex museum? Please tell me you did!

I did not find the sex museum! Damnit!

My first experience with a squating toilet was on the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. I didn't read the sign on the door that said "Japanese Style Toilet". Once I entered however, I fel I had passed the point of no return. Boy was that a mistake.

worth · 07-13-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COGENT

A lot of your photos are very similar to mine... my hotel in Tokyo was only a few blocks from the Municipal buildings in Tokyo. Were the incredibly loud alien looking bugs out around there?

It was weird to see your photos of Hiroshima and not see hordes of people. I was there during a Japanese holiday so it was hard to even walk in the museum.

I actually looked into buying one those toilets seats but they were $1000 and up. The one at our onsen ryokan would actually open once you walked in the room and close after it flushed for you.

Hah, I didn't see any bugs. Infact, I didn't see a while lot of bugs at all during my whole trip. Kind of nice.

It was pouring rain one day in Hiroshima. So I just booked it into the museum. When I came out it had subsided, but there wern't many people around.

Haha, the built in bidet is awesome. There have been a couple times since being home I felt I could have used a kick ass Japanese bidet/toilet.

Quote:

Wow. Hiroshima looked awesome. Only hit Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo when i was there last. I was on a bus tour though. Didn't get too much time to walk around myself.

Hiroshima was great. I really enjoyed the city. Very interesting place.