Poorly chicken

[patsylabrador]

I have some things to share with Willow about our holiday in Japan. Is it OK if I do it like this as I remember stuff?

Also other people who've been can add to it.

Firstly, are you going to be near Tokyo? That was where we were so I can only say about places near or in Tokyo.

If you're going to be north on Hokkaido, I know a little bit about there.

Have you been to Japan before? There is a really nice YouTube account called Life where I'm from, and its a very nice account of a family who live in Tokyo.

[soapdragon]

As an aside and not in any way a reflection on your ages (gulp!) but more from a cultural point of view, did you see the 'Marigold Hotel' prog a couple of days ago where Wayne Sleep, Miriam Margoles, Rosemary Shrager and Bobby Someone spent time in Japan? I know it was more from a retiree's point of view but there were some interesting cultural bits in there too which I found fascinating even from a 52 year old's point of view!

 

OH went for two weeks last year (2016!) and, tho' he was working, said it was amazing.....bullet train a must...but totally awesome in terms of completley different culture etc! He found it very odd that so few people spoke English....I think we are a bit spoiled in terms of other nationalities and being able to communicate easily! There is definately a culture or respect and bowing at all times and in all situations....so respectful! I can't help but think we would all be much happier if this were the norm over here!

[Willow]

Thanks Jude!

 

I used to visit regularly for work but that was over 20 years ago, the rest of the family have never been. So I know public transport is easy and am confident doing that. I was always in Tokyo except one weekend to Hakone. we're all Managa fans and happy to walk a lot, we also like Japanese food so I thought we might do some lessons.

 

Jude you did some hiking didn't you?

 

The plan is to spend 3 weeks and get Japan rail pass so we can travel around

 

Things on my list are

Hiroshima

Kyoto

I'd also like to go see one of the cat islands

 

I like the culture, I used be amused watching my Japanese manager be very rude in Japanese terms to visiting American colleagues in a very polite way so they would realise something wasn't quite right but get very confused because everyone was so polite

 

SD I'll watch that movie thanks

[gavclojak]

My son has just returned from Japan and thought it the best place he has ever been to. He has always wanted to go and proposed to his lovely girlfriend while out there so we have a wedding this year.

 

Not sure about cultural activities but he did do the Maro kart thing where they dress up as mario characters and drive around on go carts. He also stayed in a pod hotel, my idea of hell!

 

He stayed with a Japanese friend of a friend for a few days and he took them to some really good and eateries

[patsylabrador]

Well, one of my best memories was a trip to Kamakura which you get to by train from Tokyo. It's a seaside town and holds the Great Buddha. That's impressive enough but from there we walked to the beach and then west I think along the coast to a small station where we caught an electric train to Enoshima Island. There's bit of a walk to the island and then you walk up to the summit past shrines and shops. The street is full of people. At the top you can see Mount Fuji and there are buzzards that steal people's food. There are also nice public toilets at the top.

In Kamakura ES took us to a stall/shop that sold delicious wagyu beef dumplings.

It was an exhausting day but I have the best memories.

I'm just trying to remember where we went hiking, it might have been Okutama.

[Willow]

That sounds like a great day trip I'll add that to my itinerary

[patsylabrador]

It was Mount Mitake that I was thinking of. It has a very long funicular to get to near the top which is fun. At the top there are shops, eating places and toilets. A bit more walking up takes you to the summit where there is a small shrine, also what I think was a chairlift station but it was closed and weirdly some allotments. Just the most beautiful place for an allotment. On a clear day you can see Tokyo. It was misty and silent up there when we were there.

We got to the vicinity by train to Okutama.

Check out Canyons Okutama if you fancy a day of canyoning or white water rafting etc. Their website tells you everything you need to know and it's where ES works in the summer months.

I can also recommend Disneyland Tokyo which you can get to easily by train from Tokyo. It's just a bit different. The smell of curry popcorn is everywhere and it's delicious.

I think everything else we did was in Tokyo. Visiting shrines. Our hotel was on Odaiba and there are a couple of big shopping malls and a good science museum although we ran out of time to visit the museum.

Check out Daiso, a chain of shops which sell everything. We bought lots of cheap, small souvenirs that slip into your suitcase for gifts. ES's girlfriend recommended them and they were a good idea. The same sort of stuff you'd get in tourist areas but cheaper.

[patsylabrador]

Apparently it wasn't a dumpling I had at Kamakura, it was a steamed Manju bun. It was lovely.

[Laura007]

Hi have you been yet? If not i highly recommend a nagomi visit. This a where you get to have a real home cooked meal in a Japanese family home. Its brilliant.

Ive been 3 times to japan the last time October lsst year. Yokohsma is easy tp get to frpm Tokyo 1/2 hour on the trsin.

I met some lovely people on my nsgomi visit and we still keep in touch.