going for summer vacation in japan :)

[tamaki]

:) so,at last,I will go from 12 july to 20 august to japan!:)
I will be staying in nagano ken,Iida city. i will also visit nagoya and maybe tokyo.
as for kendo training,I have planned to train in one womens dojo.

so,does anyone know some must-see place, near where I will be?some museum,some castle,some special shop, etc?

some cheap place to spend some nights in tokyo?

something else I just have to see??

[sesan]

i am in nagoya if you need anything ;)

[tamaki]

really?I will visit nagoya on 30 july to test ikkyu :redface: .dont know which place though.somebody will take me there.what should i visit there??(except from aichi expo)if you want pms me

[Musashi898]

there are lots of Shinto Shrines in Tokyo, that might be an option, try a lesson or two at the Hombu Headquaters for Aikido, taught by the Founders Grandson, i hav seen him only on various documentaries but he is amazing, even if u don't do that martial art, there is nothing liken trying out martial arts in it's founding Country. The 47 Ronin Shrine, a very big MUST SEE!, i love the stroy behind it. Erm Saigo Takamori's Statue in a Tokyo Park, srry couldn't remember the actual name of the park. But in Japanese Hisorians point of view lol, it is a super must see. e.g. Satsuma Rebellion 1877. Plus Tokyo it'self is just unvelievable i suggest try and do everythin there :-)

[tamaki]

there are lots of Shinto Shrines in Tokyo, that might be an option, try a lesson or two at the Hombu Headquaters for Aikido, taught by the Founders Grandson, i hav seen him only on various documentaries but he is amazing, even if u don't do that martial art, there is nothing liken trying out martial arts in it's founding Country. The 47 Ronin Shrine, a very big MUST SEE!, i love the stroy behind it. Erm Saigo Takamori's Statue in a Tokyo Park, srry couldn't remember the actual name of the park. But in Japanese Hisorians point of view lol, it is a super must see. e.g. Satsuma Rebellion 1877. Plus Tokyo it'self is just unvelievable i suggest try and do everythin there :-)

Thanks a lot!I will try to stay in tokyo for more than one day and see all this.About the honbu dojo,I was already thinking about it,as I do aikido for 2 years.
anyway I will contact you again from japan:)

[Musashi898]

Yhe thats fine im glad i could help :-)

[Mugu]

:) so,at last,I will go from 12 july to 20 august to japan!:)
I will be staying in nagano ken,Iida city. i will also visit nagoya and maybe tokyo.
as for kendo training,I have planned to train in one womens dojo.

so,does anyone know some must-see place, near where I will be?some museum,some castle,some special shop, etc?

some cheap place to spend some nights in tokyo?

something else I just have to see??

I envy youuuuuuuuuuuuu! :devious:

[ShinKenshi]

:) so,at last,I will go from 12 july to 20 august to japan!:)
I will be staying in nagano ken,Iida city. i will also visit nagoya and maybe tokyo.
as for kendo training,I have planned to train in one womens dojo.

so,does anyone know some must-see place, near where I will be?some museum,some castle,some special shop, etc?

some cheap place to spend some nights in tokyo?

something else I just have to see??

If you're in Tokyo, you have to see the Meiji Shrine as well as the bridge just outside of Harajaku Station. It's Halloween 365 days a year! Seriously, every day there are people doing cosplay and they're more than happy to let you take a picture of them. There are more of them on the weekend, particularly Sundays. Just approach them and say, "Sumimasen, shyashin totte iidesuka?" They'll usually say, "Hai, totte iidesu" or "Hai, iidesu" or something like that. Even if you're not into cosplay or anything, it's worth it just to say you've seen it.

On a side note, if you're into shopping, one place I'd recommend is Odaiba. It's accross the Rainbow bridge but if you want to avoid the crowds, go earlier in the morning on a weekday. It's got a lot of shops, including L.L. Bean, and a huge indoor arcade center. There's also a small amusement park across the street from it.

[Kendoka]

I stayed at Suzuki Ryokan 4000Y, it's really well located and easy to get to from Narita as the Skyliner airport express stops at the staion nearby and two stops from Ueno.

http://www2.famille.ne.jp/~hotekyo/english/ueno/suzuki/Suzuki%20Ryokan.htm

Other options to find good cheap accomodatin in Japan can be found at http://www.itcj.jp/.

Don't phone them unless you speak Japanese though!
I booked online with no problems.

[ShinKenshi]

I stayed at Suzuki Ryokan 4000Y, it's really well located and easy to get to from Narita as the Skyliner airport express stops at the staion nearby and two stops from Ueno.

How much did you pay for staying at the ryokan for the whole time you were there? Was it Y4000 a night or for a distinct period of time?

[Walras]

When in Tokyo you have to go to Shibuya and see HACHIKO and this will take care of the obligatory shopping bit of your trip ;D

[ShinKenshi]

YES! YES! YES! No one should pass up seeing Hachiko. I would always meet friends there so our conversations would go something like this:

Me: "You guys wanna catch a movie and hang out?"

Friend: "Sure, where do you wanna meet?"

Me: "Let's meet at Hachiko in an hour."

Friend: "Ok, cool. See you then."

Even if you're not meeting friends there it's worth seeing. For those of you who don't know the story of Hachiko or what Hachiko is, here's a brief background story.

Hachiko was a dog that would always follow his master to Shibuya station and see him off. He'd then go home and when it was time for his master to come home, Hachiko would always be there to meet him, rain or shine. But one day his master died at work and Hachiko had no way of knowing this. So every night until the day he died he waited at Shibuya station for his master to come home. When he died, the people in the area wanted to put some sort of memorial up to honor Hachiko. So, they made a tile mural on the wall of the station and erected a statue of him across from it.

It may be a sappy story but no one who goes to Tokyo should miss seeing Hachiko at least once :).

[tamaki]

wow thanks a lot guys for all the info!!I wish I can stay long enough in tokyo to see all these!
I planned to stay in a love hotel,as one of my friends suggested,but this suzuki ryokan seems like an excellent idea!Thanks!
If I have the time,I plan to maintain a space,like a blog or smth.I will post later!

[Musashi898]

Just out of intrested whats a love hotel, wonder if it's what im thinking it is hmmmm.

[samurai999]

yes you sick bastard.. lol jk. :)

Tim

[Musashi898]

lol thats not nice now is it lol

[ShinKenshi]

Yeah, those things are everywhere. They're cheap but the only drawback is possibly hearing some "noises" from your neighbors at night. Those places pretty much are just used by "f*** buddies" or one night stands. No joke, sometimes a friend will call up another friend and ask if they want to sleep together that night. If yes then they go to one of those love hotels. Something the Japanese government isn't too proud of.

[nodachi]

Although I think the whole purpose behind them is that living in such close quarters with neighbors and often extended family living in one home, it provides an opportunity for privacy that people may not otherwise have at their own home. So yes lots of people just randomly hook up, but their are probably some faithful couples and such who go to them. Of course, this is how it was explained to me once, so I could be wrong.

And they sometimes provide cheaper hotel fees than normal hotels, although I hear they are pay by the hour so if you sleep forever then it may not be cheaper. Set your alarm.

[Musashi898]

ok..., i suppose i get your point by Japan has close and small living quarters, i still wouldn't stay in one of those lol.

[Kendoka]

How much did you pay for staying at the ryokan for the whole time you were there? Was it Y4000 a night or for a distinct period of time?

Y4000 per night! LOL, I was there for a week then again after Summer School for a few days.

[ShinKenshi]

Y4000 per night! LOL, I was there for a week then again after Summer School for a few days.

*Gulp!!!!:spchless: Damn, I forgot how expensive those places are. But either way, I still think it's worth it to stay in a ryokan for a couple nights at least. Somethign about them is just so relaxing.

[Kingofmyrrh]

I don't mean to alarm you, but 4000/night is most definitely at the cheap end when it comes to accomodation in Japan...

[ShinKenshi]

I don't mean to alarm you, but 4000/night is most definitely at the cheap end when it comes to accomodation in Japan... That's what I meant. I know that it's at the cheap end, I haven't totally forgotten price ranges there. I guess it was just a little bit of a reminder to me that when in Japan, plan on spending more than you would expect.

[Kendoka]

*Gulp!!!!:spchless: Damn, I forgot how expensive those places are. But either way, I still think it's worth it to stay in a ryokan for a couple nights at least. Somethign about them is just so relaxing.

Don't expect a lot in the way of a Japanese cultural experience, when staying at the cheap end. Suzuki is really a Japanese architecturally styled place that attracts back packers and people on a restricted budget.

To use as a base for sightseeing it is excellent, with plenty of excellent fresh and cooked food around the corner in a great shopping street.

Expensive ryokan offer a very different experience and cost a lot more.

[tamaki]

hello all!
so,I am finally writing to you from japan!I visited tokyo the first day,just after arriving,and i got to see shinjuku.I was amazed that tokyo indeed HAS enough green,although being a metropolis.(and comparing it to athens,where I live).
I plan to visit tokyo for a couple of days more,so I think will use suzuki ryokan.I only need it as a sleeping place.My other choice is a manga kissaten,but theres no shower,and in Tokyo you drip sweat from humidity.やっばい！

today it will be my first kendo practice here!on 30 july i test for ikkyu(in nagoya),so i must work it up a bit!But I think I will test along with school students...!

またね！:)

[piggy]

lucky...

be sure to write us more. i've always wanted to visit japan.

tell me how your test goes! all of luck!

[Musashi898]

i envy u i have to wait till next july before i can go to Japan, savin up money takes alot of time.

[Kendo Student]

Wow, I too envy you! Its my future goal to go to Japan. Im planning on going there after I finish high school.

[Musashi898]

:-), u only hav two years left, trust me high skool will go quick, it did for me apart from the exams which seemed to roll on and on lol, when in doubt daydream of japan lol

[Seikei-san]

Wow tamaki, that must be alot of fun!

and Kendo Student! Its me cousin jd!,heres some advice before you go to japan, you might wanna save alot of money for japan..hehe. You should then use your money on whatever you want though.. youll find lots of stuff there! I can give you some ideas what to buy if you dont mind..
A katana: Since japan has some really good ones, but if its too expensive for you, u dont have to.
Kendo stuff: youll find some nice kendo equipment, and little figures to buy at some markets there..
Anime/Manga: If youre an anime fan, youll find LOTS of anime and manga there cheap.
Souveneirs: Lots of stuff you can count as souveneirs

Theres more, and others u can buy

[tamaki]

Wow tamaki, that must be alot of fun!

and Kendo Student! Its me cousin jd!,heres some advice before you go to japan, you might wanna save alot of money for japan..hehe. You should then use your money on whatever you want though.. youll find lots of stuff there! I can give you some ideas what to buy if you dont mind..
A katana: Since japan has some really good ones, but if its too expensive for you, u dont have to.
Kendo stuff: youll find some nice kendo equipment, and little figures to buy at some markets there..
Anime/Manga: If youre an anime fan, youll find LOTS of anime and manga there cheap.
Souveneirs: Lots of stuff you can count as souveneirs

Theres more, and others u can buy

as for shopping souvenirs,I think 100 yen shops are a good choice for some things!I found very good pottery(sake and tea cups) at very low prices.also tenugui,miniature gardens,tea pots and cute charakters stuff like hello kitty etc.because I want to buy some small present for all my friends from kendo and aikido,I think this is a very good option!

also,japan is cosmetics paradise!not only for women,but for men too.they have many good products,in very low prices!if you can have somebody to translate the labels,I suggest you try to buy some.

and if you love the japanese ultra-straight hair,it is not always natural!MANY women do straight perm.you can do yourself too for 70 euro(10.000 yen)!in greece I had to pay for the same 200 euro!sugoi!!