Tokyo (JP)
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Not sure if this is the right place to ask and hoping people at the 21st anniversary party can give more advice, but basically, going to Tokyo for two weeks in April, what should we do?
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@Nik
Teamlabs
Sushisho masa
Nezu Museum
Day trip or overnight to kamakura/enoshima - R Antiques if you do
Butagami
Bar Benfiddich
Heiwa Doboruku Brewery
Proto ceramics
Shirosaka
Shop till ya drop -
@Nik could give you some stuff if youre heading for the party?
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Thanks @jfk1117 and yes @louisbosco see you at the party will be great to catch up and will appreciate your ideas
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@Nik Funny, it's exactly what we'll do with my wife and son from 14th to 28-29th
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Cool @gouki74 we can share information and maybe meet up for a visit to a denim or boot shop
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@Nik could be cool to meet you there yes
We can cross our informations off course, we checked with a travel agency since we won't stay there all the time, we also plan to go to Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. -
@Nik said in Tokyo (JP):
Not sure if this is the right place to ask and hoping people at the 21st anniversary party can give more advice, but basically, going to Tokyo for two weeks in April, what should we do?
lots of people at the party will have a load of ideas, myself included
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Recommendations for which area to stay in while in Tokyo for the first time? Thinking Shibuya? Would like to be near good food and coffee, art, and of course good clothing shops.
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@Nik sorry we didn't have a proper conversation.
I've always picked shinawaga as it is a fantastic transit point to either Narita or Haneda airport without having to change trains. There's a couple of hotels opposite the train station which makes it easier lugging luggages about. (Shinagawa Prince)
Recently, I've kinda liked Higashi-Ginza as it makes the subway line there makes it easier to travel east-west between Shibuya/ Harajuku, Nakameguro and Tsukiji. Also conveniently located to the main JR Line of Tokyo station. Stayed there in April this year, at the AC Hotel. However, it would require a changing onto the subway lines depending on which part of japan you are coming from.
Stayed in Shibuya before too but was a little troublesome getting to the hotel. but very centrally located for Shibuya.
if you want good clothing shops, you'll have to stay in Hachioji
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Thanks @louisbosco I'll look into all that
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@Nik The AC might be a little pricey. but I was trying to clock some Marriott nights for my status fast track. hope that gives you a little insight into the area and see the options available.
the Shinagawa price has been a trusty hotel I've stayed at in 2011, 13, 16, 19 and 23. they've shifted buildings since I first stayed in 2011
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@Nik Tokyo is a huge place. Do you have a list of places or things you'll want to do? How long are you there? If you can, try to stay near those places to avoid taking lots of 30minute trains everyday. Maybe even consider staying in the Shinjuku area for the first half and Akihibara/Ueno for the second, for example.
Personally, Harajuku felt pretty commercialized to me and not quite what I was expecting and would instead recommend Ueno (and Hachioji of course!) for the typical americana, heritage, denim, leather, sort of clothing. If you want high fashion, that will be a different answer (Ginza and Omotesando most likely).
Also be sure to checkout a department store while you're there. Dont miss the basements! Specifically, I thought Isetan in Shinjuku makes Nordstrom's looks like Walmart.
Also, there's good food everywhere in Tokyo. Literally all around you in the normal sense, but also above and below you. Sometimes what you'll be looking for is "right in front of you" on the map but it's really 3F up or 2 down. Having said that, if there are certain foodie stops you want, consider if you need reservations and/or plan to get there early or on very off times (~3pm for example).
Our last trip we stayed at a Tokyu Stay in Shinjuku East Side that was relatively comfortable for a room in Tokyo and also included a washer/dryer IN ROOM. This sold it for us since we were here for a handful of days at the end of our trip. My only complaint as a first time visitor is that the Shinjuku station can be really overwhelming and hard to navigate, especially if it's still under heavy construction like it was last year. It was also a little bit further than I'd have preferred from the main stations requiring a ~7-10min walk iirc.
We're headed back to Japan over US Thanksgiving (and as it turns out, also Japanese Thanksgiving Holiday...lol). We booked the same hotel chain, but this time in Shibuya to be a little closer to the station and a few other things we'd like to explore. It also has the washer in room.
Other areas we considered were Ueno/Akihibara and Akasaka. Ultimately, Ueno area lost out just because we couldnt find the right set of amenities and it was further from more of the things and Akasaka because of the amenities we wanted for laundry at room prices we were willing to spend.
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Thanks @pechelman those are good points. I'm reading the first guidebook I could get my hands on, lonely planet, and am making a list of where I want to go. So far in Tokyo it is mostly parks, museums, and shops. My wife is more interested food so she will research those things. Thanks for the advice about looking at how long it takes to get to things, I've started doing that now. Washer/dryer in room is a good idea too. Hope you have a good trip in Nov.
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@Nik how long will you be there for?
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@louisbosco 12 days total in Japan. Thinking of doing 6 or so in Tokyo, 3 or 4 around Mount Fuji, and 2 or 3 in Osaka with a day trip to Kyoto. Thinking of doing a ryokan near Kawaguchiko, so Clara can do spa stuff while I run around Fuji. Thoughts on that overall plan?
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@Nik I think that sounds like a good plan. Hachioji is not too far from Fuji area so you can calculate that into your plan for when you venture out.
Some notable things that I encourage to see while in Japan:
• Tokyo, teamlabs
• Osaka, Osaka aquarium aka kaiyukan
• Kyoto can be done together with Osaka if you allow more days
• Kuromon market, Osaka -
Great thanks @louisbosco
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I might say to just skip Kyoto if you only have a day. There's too much to see. Come back on another trip and spend minimum 3 nights. Osaka though you'll have a blast; If you want a day trip from there, go-to Nara.
Otherwise that sounds mostly good to me.
Another idea would be to steal one night from Tokyo, forward your bags from Osaka to your Fuji destination, and spend a night in Koya-San. It's a pretty incredible place and it's easily connected from Osaka namba.