The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[tokyochojin]

When's the best time to go to see the sakura in bloom? Ideally avoiding the hot weather coz the idea of travelling in the heat ain't so appealing

For Sakura dayo?

[dave heats]

I was gonna say, April as the heat peak? WTF?!

Yeah, I heard the sakura is passing through tokyo at is peak on the 7th of April this year apparently. Shame I wont be here to see it.

[Jimmyboi]

So August/Septemeber time will be too late?
Isn't the season in Japan on an opposite to the seasons here like Australia? So our winter is Japans summer etc?

[tokyochojin]

no, its in the northern hemisphere too.

[Richard.John]

So August/Septemeber time will be too late?
Isn't the season in Japan on an opposite to the seasons here like Australia? So our winter is Japans summer etc?

The cherry blossom season in Tokyo, is due any time within the next 2 weeks or so. And the others are correct, Jul/Aug are the hottest months, so dont even think about coming at that time. The best periods are April/May and late Sept/Oct.

[dave heats]

Copied and pasted from my Blog.


Well that?s enough of Japan for me, at least for a while. The night before I left, I had a strange sense of regret, perhaps tinged with disappointment and sadness. I thought I really had found a place where I belonged, and a people who I could relate to, communicate with and have them accept me. After this trip, my dreams of this happening have been pretty well shattered. I?ve heard that to enjoy living in a country, you have to accept the people, the food, the lifestyle and everything about the culture. I found myself frequently frustrated about some aspects of the culture, the people and the food. The main example occurring in the ?Animate? store after purchasing a massive amount of merchandise. Upon going to the cashier, I was told that I could apparently get some free postcards because I had spent so much. ?Great!? I thought, and pointed at the 2 that I wanted, presuming I?d be lucky to get both. The cashier just stared at me, so I chose just one this time, thinking I had appeared greedy for asking for two. Again, I was greeted with utter confusion. So I said ?Its okay, I don?t understand so don?t worry about it? (in Japanese), but she simply wouldn?t take no for an answer, and eventually decided to give me 4 or 5 versions of the same 2 postcards. I walked out of the store feeling angry, embarrassed and resenting, for the first time ever, the over kindness of a clerk.

This morning, the day I was heading back home, couldn?t have gone much worse, or been more expensive. I woke up at 8:00am after a wake up call in my room, had a shower and was on schedule for catching a Narita Express train at around 9:45am from Shibuya, 2 stops and 5 minutes from Aoyama-Itchome (my local subway station). I went to the hotel reception, feeling fairly motivated for the days travelling ahead and ready to check out. Turned out I had to bring down the cable modem with me, and I had left it in my room, stupidly presuming one of the hundreds of members of staff could actually get it. Walking back to my room, I got a strange inclination that today wasn?t going to go to plan, and boy was I right.

Having got to Shibuya station, I lugged my heavy suitcase and overflowing laptop bag down a huge flight of stairs and turned the corner, only to discover the ticket desk was closed. So, having been told the previous day that its possible, I bought a 1,450Y ticket from a machine and proceeded to the platform, which was a 5 minute walk, or in my case a 10 minute wrestle with my baggage away. It was around 9:00 when I began waiting at the cool, sunshine draped platform, and 40 or so minutes passed, before I began to panic like I?ve never panicked before. A message sounded on the unusually quiet platform, ?The following train has only reserved seats. Passengers without a reserved seat may not travel on this train?. My heart skipped a beat, and all the possibly disasters that might occur during the day flashed through my now hazy head. ?I might miss my flight! The next train probably isn?t for another hour, and I need to be at the airport by then! How am I going to get there now??

Seriously shaken and feeling a deep stress bubbling inside, I began walking back into the station. I didn?t know what I was going to do, but I had to make a decision, and fast. Doing my best to take calm breaths as I walked, clutching my ?7.50 ticket in my hand, I was damned if I wasn?t going to use it. I took a hard left, down some stairs and jumped on a train sat waiting at the platform. It was a JR line train, and I decided to try and get as close to the airport as possible, and then hail a taxi. I knew Tokyo cabbies are notoriously expensive (just how expensive I would soon find out), but I was a desperate, panicking and had a credit card in my wallet ready to absorb the financial assault.

Getting off at Ueno station, which took 30 minutes alone from Shibuya (the JR line is effectively a big loop around Tokyo, and unluckily for me Shibuya and Ueno couldn?t be further apart). Exiting through a entrance I?d never seen before, I tapped on the first taxi I came across, waiting for the driver to manually open the doors for me, which felt very wrong, and slightly cruel on the driver. ?I?m here, now open the doors!?
I told the driver where I wanted to go, and we were off. I should have been able to relax, but I couldn?t. My eyes were transfixed on the meter, which seemed to stay at 640Y for a pleasingly long amount of time, which was just as well, as Tokyo?s traffic lights were stubbornly on red 9 times out of ten. And the lights were literally every 150yards. As a pedestrian I?ve come to enjoy Tokyo?s abundance of crossings. One only has to walk a matter of meters before you can safely cross. Sat in the back of this taxi, I saw each crossing as a hurdle, combined with the now ever increasing meter it felt like a race against time. I did my best to absorb the scenery, but my eyes kept wandering back to the meter, with my mind continuously trying to guess what the final fare would be, how much money I had on me, how far away the airport was, would I get there in time? I?ve the sort of mindset that is easily shaken, and if there is any kind of problem in my life, I literally wont be able to stop thinking about it. Not being able to switch my brain off has resulted in many sleepless nights. The night before my flight was one such night, with me worrying about trains, baggage allowance, bus connections and all manner of other things you shouldn?t be thinking about at 4:00am.

Anyway, another worrying sign was the driver?s complete lack of direction. At every tollgate he asked the gate tender how to get to the airport. I began wondering if I?d ever actually get to the airport at-all, let alone on time. Only when the road signs appeared did I start relaxing somewhat. Arriving at the airport terminal, the final fare was a horrifying 18,500Y (Roughly ?92.50). At this point I didn?t care. I had got to the airport on time and paid with credit card. After all, as we all know credit cards aren?t cash, so it doesn?t count as real money (that?s what I always tell myself, until the statement arrives). Thanking the driver I ambled into terminal 1 and found the check in desk. A cheerful Japanese member of staff was at the desk, and prompted me to put my suitcase on the scales?

Now this was the moment of truth. Last year I had been 40Kg over my baggage allowance (admittedly that was with 2 suitcases rammed with games), but if the truth were told, I had a fairly large amount of goods in there. PS2 games, Gamecube pads, around 20 CD?s, Apple hardware and, amongst many other things, my 2 treasures: 2 gundam seed destiny, large-scale metal figures, both in their rather large boxes. I knew I had a paltry 23kg allowance, but what would my baggage weigh? I put the case on the scales, and nearly died when I caught a glimpse at the scale reading. It was around 35kg! But then, begrudgingly looking back at the LCD display, it began to settle, getting lower and lower in the process. A few seconds later my baggage weighed 24.4kg! I was delighted, and even more pleased that the staff member didn?t charge me for my 1.4kg excess. I walked out of the check in area and made my way through metal detectors and passport checks (oddly in that order), feeling like today was finally starting to go my way.

I?m sat somewhere over Eastern Russia, at 38,000 feet and travelling at 600 miles per hour as I type this on my trusty Powerbook, with 4 seats to myself. I?m looking forward to returning home, getting some sleep and forgetting my obsession with all things Japanese. I?m feeling an immense mix of emotions as I type this, realising that my love of Japan, a constant source of motivation and hope for me for many years, has died.

[dataDave]

BIG SWEARING RANT AHEAD.



Same as everywhere else though innit.

When I arrived in Amsterdam for the 2nd time my lazy friends and their GFs just wouldn't listen at all and decided for us all to take 2 taxis from Centraal Station eventhough I knew the way to the hotel on foot like the back of my hand. 10 minute walk tops, no rush or anything.

I might as well offered the driver some free bum sex on my behalf. 150 euros and an entire trip of Noord Holland later for two cars of us I was ready for kicking ass - I kept asking the driver "where the **** are we going?" in dutch whilst arguing with my mates bird who was sat in the back seat.

****ing lazy ***** WALK!!! GRR!!! That really made my day that did. As if you do walk up to some dodgy random black taxi drivers telling them where you want to go by pointing on your ****ing pocket travel map you picked up from thomas cook or wherever. The stupidity.

"Yes, we're very stupid and English. Please rob us. Here's my wallet... and... zzzziiiiiiippp......... .. .. . ... . "

A very ugly start to the trip which ended up with me being really enthusiastic at the start and then arguing with everyone at the hotel. They weren't arsed about paying more for what could have been a simple 10 minute walk in a straight line than what it cost us all to get from Burnley to Liverpool Airport.

I hate having the piss taken out of me for being foreign. Didn't realise it could be so infuriating. Don't let it put you off of Tokyo mate, that till operator in the shop obviously didn't have a sense of humour or sense of **** all by the sounds of it, jesus, I worked in gamestation for 4 months but still had a good crack with the customers no matter how scruffy/smelly/chavvy the were. ****. Just because it's Japan dosen't mean it doesn't have its fair share of twats.

[Tychom]

Sorry about the rough end to your trip, Dave. I know that even when everything goes to plan there's an element of stress when trying to make your way out of a country.

I ended up below the luggage limit much to my dissapointment, especially as I'd handed over a large bag of games to be shipped separately and probably at great cost

My apartment was very nice, easy to get to via the Oedo line and easy to get to the Ueno station (via a quick walk from Ueno-okachimachi) where the trains to Narita come and go.

[JU!]

Dave was sad to read about something putting you off Japan. Made me start to think about the problems i may again encounter why i'm there. Hope u get some good sleep and can reflect on the good things that happended while you were in Japan and not the bad.

[dataDave]

I could easily live in one of those apartments. Jesus, if I had the money...

[tokyochojin]

What he said

Don't you think these situations happen in every country, it's hardly the cashier in the stores fault you don't speak Japanese properly and as it's their country why should they have to adapt so YOU can feel more comfortable?

All what you basically described comes as a result of your Japanese ability, everything you seemed distressed about would have been resolved if you had fully been aware of the situation.

[t-dog]

Don't you think these situations happen in every country, it's hardly the cashier in the stores fault you don't speak Japanese properly and as it's their country why should they have to adapt so YOU can feel more comfortable?

although you are right about this (and japanese people are a proud people, and proud of their country and heritage), I find it a bit sad that that's an argument for being impolite to a foreigner, who is also a customer (which staff per default should be polite towards),and on top of that also bought a lot of stuff in one's store.

Generally, when travelling abroad, most people will (should?) be extra tolerant towards foreigners, partly because of the language barrier, and that it's hard to communicate.
But yeah, i guess these things do happen in every country, and it was maybe also the clerk that just had a bad day, and felt like taking it out on a gaijin?

[venom743]

It happens to everyone that goes abroad and it's common that they can't relate, adapt to the foreign environment. It takes time to adapt and in the 6-7 years that I've been in Japan situations that you've encountered have happened to me numerous times. However, since I've been living here for so long I've grown to accept the foreign culture and differences and I speak Japanese 90% of the time after many years of studying. Like Tokyochojin says the problems that you encountered were probably a result of your lack of Japanese ability. You shouldn't be put off of Japan because of the problems you encountered. If you have time, learn the language as I can honestly say that Japan becomes a lot more interesting once you understand the language. I should know, I don't ever want to leave this place! Don't give up on Japan yet!

[tokyochojin]

Maybe the clerk was just as embarrassed for not being able to understand the customer.
We all have em so at the end of the day he could have just had an off day or the hang over from hell.

[venom743]

although you are right about this (and japanese people are a proud people, and proud of their country and heritage), I find it a bit sad that that's an argument for being impolite to a foreigner, who is also a customer (which staff per default should be polite towards),and on top of that also bought a lot of stuff in one's store.

Generally, when travelling abroad, most people will (should?) be extra tolerant towards foreigners, partly because of the language barrier, and that it's hard to communicate.
But yeah, i guess these things do happen in every country, and it was maybe also the clerk that just had a bad day, and felt like taking it out on a gaijin?

Was the clerk being impolite though? He only says that the clerk was confused.