The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[NaveT]

I am going to be in Japan over Christmas, so am going to go skiing. Anyone done much skiing in Japan?

Currently looking at going to Niseko for the skiing part, and then spending New Year in Tokyo.

Anyone been up there? Much snow at that time of year? I've never been to Japan before so trying to get an understanding how easy the ski resorts are for english speakers.

[Richard.John]

NaveT,

I have a question for you. Why is Japan so popular for skiing with Australians? Many of the resorts are dominated by Aussies I have heard.

Anyway, enjoy your trip.

[noobish hat]

isn't it the closest place aussies CAN go skiing? I may have betrayed my horrendous geography skills there

[JAPJAC]

I mean Japanese food, also known as washoku. It's not that hard to understand now is it.

`Japanese cuisine is truly incredible, amongst the best the world has to offer. If you like RAMEN`

It is when you say Ramen in the next sentance. LMFAO.

Washoku sucks, bland rubbish IMO.

[Richard.John]

isn't it the closest place aussies CAN go skiing? I may have betrayed my horrendous geography skills there

I always assumed that NZ was the place to go! Geography is my mother's weak spot. She always tells me that Japan is close to Australia/NZ. I remind her that it's as far away from Tokyo as London is.

[kryss]

`Japanese cuisine is truly incredible, amongst the best the world has to offer. If you like RAMEN`

It is when you say Ramen in the next sentance. LMFAO.

Washoku sucks, bland rubbish IMO.

And most Japanese people will say Ramen is Japanese, not actually Chinese.
If you don't like the food you know where the airport is.

Now here when I say "airport" I am of course referring to "Tokyo" Narita Airport, as it is the main gateway to Japan. Just so we're clear.

The train museum isn't free, but you do get a special commemorative ticket upon leaving.

[Richard.John]

Are you sure you don't mean Haneda, kryss. Just to be clear.

Ramen is Chinese I think but is Curry Rice from india? How about curry doughnuts. They are oddly delicious.

[noobish hat]

No Japanese food is delicious. I checked.

[DeathAdder]

If you don't like the food you know where the airport is.

Now here when I say "airport" I am of course referring to "Tokyo" Narita Airport, as it is the main gateway to Japan. Just so we're clear.

Pedantic (and frequently wrong) he may be about people's English, but he is entitled to his opinion about Japanese food. I find the majority of it fairly bland as well, unless I drown it in sauce, but to each his own - more ramen and slimy things for you lot, who like them I guess.

I solve the problem by not eating much Japanese food - it doesn't bother me to the extent that I have to fly (by that, JAPJAC, I mean in an aeroplane) back home yet.

Some of the food is nice - I love a good yakiniku - but I would never describe it as one of the world's great cuisines.

[Richard.John]

I think it can seem bland to westerners. Each to his own I guess. Sukiyaki is another delight. Nabe dishes in general are wonderful, in my opinion.

[DeathAdder]

I like Nabe if there's plenty of kimchi in it - hence my comment about drowning it in sauce.

Visitors to Japan should try oden. The smell of that stuff in a combini!

[Richard.John]

Oden is one thing I pass on actually. How about weird stuff like horse meat? I think it's tasty.

[DeathAdder]

I've had oden once - this was when my in-laws to be as they were then prepared it and I didn't know them well enough to refuse it. It can really stink out a convenience store.

Horse meat is alright - I think I've only had it raw. Like a lot of the local food, I don't mind it, but if I never had it again it wouldn't bother me, whereas I would be devastated if I could never have, say, an Indian again.

[Kieran76]

I have only spent just over two weeks in Japan, but I quite liked the food at first. I guess that was the novelty of it all, after about 10 days or so I found myself missing the idea of chewing something a bit more solid.

[r3z]

isn't it the closest place aussies CAN go skiing? I may have betrayed my horrendous geography skills there

You can go skiing in Australia.. actually it is the only place I've ever been Snowboarding, at the aptly named Snowy Mountains near Canberra!

Also, I think Japanese food is excellent.. so many different interesting things to try. I'm not usually into food but my friends always want to try new restaurants and foods so it kind of rubbed off. Had the great fortune to stay with my friend's family over the Summer as well, so had 3 months of home cooked Japanese food - was interesting how much thought my friend's mother put into what she cooked for the family every day to give them a bit of variety and ensure they had a healthy, balanced diet.

As for the comment about Washoku being bland.. English food is reknowned for it's blandness!