DaM wrote:With shitty trains.Unlike Japan, station staff in the UK don't feel the need to actually live in the stations, which might have something to do with it. We also don't fine people's relatives when their loved ones commit suicide on the railway. But otherwise... |
Visiting Japan • Page 11
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anephric 5,274 posts
Seen 6 days ago
Registered 14 years ago -
FWB wrote:
Seems to be the consensus here. Always wanted to live there as a kid, but now that an opportunity is there for me to transfer for work, if only I take some time learning the language, I'm not so sure it's a good idea. Maybe just a week's visit.
3 years and not again. It was fun, but it's a bubble; you will always be limited in what you can do work wise and will never be able to fully integrate.
You'll be working like a dog too.
Turned down a job offer in Hong Kong too. Now I just need a reason not to move to Korea and then Asia gets wiped off the map along with Europe after Brexit.
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FWB 56,369 posts
Seen 6 months ago
Registered 20 years agoWhy did you turn down HK? I'd definitely try out there.
They work you even harder in Korea than Japan, so I hear.
Edited by FWB at 09:44:35 02-08-2017 -
FWB wrote:
Why did you turn down HK? I'd definitely try out there.
They work you even harder in Korea than Japan, so I hear.
sadly looks like Asia is off the menu, then.
Turned down HK because my family is from there, so I've visited maybe a half dozen times. It's interesting but I'd never live there. It's chaos 24/7, and being that I'm laid back and that's a crime over there, it doesn't suit me.
They work you hard too..gif)
I know some people who moved there with the company I'm with and they confide that they regret it a bit, although it's somewhat easier to integrate, because colonial reasons.
Edited by GarlVinland at 10:10:54 02-08-2017 -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoCertainly the best combination, at least for Japan, is working at a job in your actual home country which pays enough to let you go there regularly while being fluent enough to "go native" while you're there. You get all the kudos of being able to speak and make plenty of friends without having to worry about rush hour trains or office politics. A friend of mine had someone at the office who would maintain a spreadsheet of when people came and left in the morning, lunch etc - not because of any request but just to try and make people look bad.
Anyway, just about to book my three and a half weeks this November. Going for JLPT N1 this time, hopefully with some old university friends, and it should be a good laugh!
Now, my turn to ask a question: has anyone used Airbnb over there? It looks like about a £600 saving compared to the hotel I usually go to and I'm used to living in a Tokyo apartment. -
RyanDS 14,073 posts
Seen 18 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoI've used airbnb a fair bit there. Without exception it was always just being texted a code for a safe outside the for where you pick up the keys. Never saw a landlord and places were always immaculate. -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoSounds good. I've done the Sakura House thing before but it doesn't quite work for less than a month and their furnishings are a bit spartan. I like the idea of being able to make my own coffee in the morning and maybe have someone around for a meal without having to head out immediately. Not that I don't love eating out in Tokyo but sometimes I need a lighter breakfast! -
senso-ji 10,271 posts
Seen 48 minutes ago
Registered 13 years agouiruki wrote:
I think this strategy pretty much applies to any country. I know a girl who does this in Spain - practices her language skills all year and then takes a month holiday travelling around the country and exploring it without worrying about the language barrier. And it being Spain flights are generally cheap, so she doesn't have to save too much. Although post Brexit, I'd imagine that will change...
Certainly the best combination, at least for Japan, is working at a job in your actual home country which pays enough to let you go there regularly while being fluent enough to "go native" while you're there. -
Zidargh 2,048 posts
Seen 1 year ago
Registered 15 years ago@senso-ji Yeah. I'm certain this is because we fantasise about other countries offering the 'perfect life', which is what we tend to experience during short-term travel as we deliberately seek out obligation-free comfort.
It's escapism for the most part. -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoI think the perspective given by actually living there helps too. For a start there's no culture shock, which I think would be a potential issue. Obviously on a very short stay it wouldn't make a difference but after the second week I suspect it would start to set in - it did when I took my parents anyway. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoRight, I'm going to book my flights tonight.
I've only been once before, spent 1 week split between Osaka and Kyoto 2 years ago.
I'll be flying to Hong Kong for the weekend then planning flying straight to Okinawa to start my 4 weeks in Japan, ending with a day or so in HK at the end.
I'm thinking of ..
1 week Tokyo
1 week Okinawa prefecture
4 days Hokkaido
3 days Kansai area (I missed Kobe and Nara last time)
1 week ???
We'd like to have a mix of city and nature, what is unmissable?
There is so much that appeals:
Nakasendo postal trail.
Hakone.
Kanazawa
Miyajima
Nagano??
Help! -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agouiruki wrote:
I used AIrBnB in Kyoto and Osaka 2 years ago, both places were centrally located, small clean and much cheaper than hotels. I intend to do it again.
Now, my turn to ask a question: has anyone used Airbnb over there? It looks like about a £600 saving compared to the hotel I usually go to and I'm used to living in a Tokyo apartment. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoRight, if I spent 8 days in Tokyo, should we stay just in Shinjuku or split between different areas? -
One_Vurfed_Gwrx 4,467 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoStay anywhere you fancy and use the Yamanote etc to get about. Having a home base saves stress .gif)
I usually stay in Asakusa but I tend to go low budget so... Perhaps base it on if you plan late evening activities.
Never stayed that many days in Tokyo though, usually 4 or 5 days max at a time. -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoYeah, the trains are good enough. And if you can walk there's definitely a week of stuff to do just within walking distance of Shinjuku anyway. I can't recommend trying to tote cases across Tokyo multiple times if you can help it, especially through Shinjuku station - you'll find it sprawling and confusing enough without luggage. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoYeah, I think I'll just get one AIrBnB in Shinjuku or Shibuya and stay there. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoSo, our plan was going to look like this:
1 week Okinawa
1 week Hokkaido
1 week Honshu
1 week Tokyo
However, the Hokkaido week will be the last week in October and it seems as if the Autumn Leaves will be gone almost everywhere in Hokkaido and it'll be getting cold so it would be better to save it for a future trip earlier in the year.
Instead, I was thinking that we could go from Okinawa to Yakushima and from there to Nagaski/Fukoaka before heading to Honshu and visiting places like Nara on the way to Tokyo.
Thoughts? -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoLeaving stuff for "the next time" is a good way to justify heading back again! -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agouiruki wrote:
If we enjoy it as much as last time, there will be plenty of next times.
Leaving stuff for "the next time" is a good way to justify heading back again!
The food alone is justification for many repeat visits! -
uiruki 5,975 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoYeah, even in places I've spent a lot of time, there are still plenty of things to do and places to eat I've not been to. Not that I'm not looking forward to my first meals at places like Mammoth, Warito and Kirakutei! -
One_Vurfed_Gwrx 4,467 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoHokkaido is best kept for the winter anyway. It was like when I wanted to see Siberia, a humid muggy summer was not the image of the area I was aiming for
I only did Hokkaido once while I was living near Osaka but enjoyed it, visited Shiraoi for Jigomudani and Potorotokan (spelling? The Ainu 'museum') and Otaru for the lantern festival and Tenguyama. I could have done with a little more time there though. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoWoohoo, 4 sleeps left!
Plan is...
1 night Hong Kong
1 night Naha (Okinawa)
4 nights Miyako Islands
4 nights Yaeyema Islands
1 night Osaka
2 nights Kinosaki Onsen
3 nights Osaka (day trips to Nara and maybe Himeji/Kobe)
2 nights Takayama
2 nights Kanazawa
5 nights Tokyo
1 night Lake Kawaguchiko
3 nights Tokyo
1 night Hong Kong
/Excited -
wobbly_Bob 5,162 posts
Seen 7 months ago
Registered 15 years ago@Armoured_Bear
Wow, that's going to be amazing -
That sounds amazing (and expensive)! -
DaM 17,729 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 20 years agoBastard!
/jealous
I'm spending too much time watching my Japan holiday photos on the Apple tv screen saver. -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoGarlVinland wrote:
Hopefully it will be, cheers!
That sounds amazing (and expensive)!
It won't be a cheap holiday but last time in Osaka and Kyoto it was cheaper than I expected, Tokyo will be quite a bit more expensive I expect.
Still, living in Switzerland means that nowhere is outlandishly expensive in comparison -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agowobbly_Bob wrote:
Cheers, food will be shit though, that's the only problem.
@Armoured_Bear
Wow, that's going to be amazing -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoDaM wrote:
I could send you some of mine to add some variety.
Bastard!
/jealous
I'm spending too much time watching my Japan holiday photos on the Apple tv screen saver. -
DaM 17,729 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 20 years agoArmoured_Bear wrote:
At least you are going different places, I think I have a lot of the standard touristy ones. I like just random ones in the street.
DaM wrote:
I could send you some of mine to add some variety.
Bastard!
/jealous
I'm spending too much time watching my Japan holiday photos on the Apple tv screen saver.
I found Japan quite reasonably priced for a lot of things. I am extremely tight, but was quite surprised at the prices for food. -
DaM wrote:
I remember our first meal in Osaka, we wandered into an Izakaya, had the most amazing crab I've ever tasted, sashimi and other stuff, beer, sake etc. and it was 40 quid for two.
Armoured_Bear wrote:
At least you are going different places, I think I have a lot of the standard touristy ones. I like just random ones in the street.
DaM wrote:
I could send you some of mine to add some variety.
Bastard!
/jealous
I'm spending too much time watching my Japan holiday photos on the Apple tv screen saver.
I found Japan quite reasonably priced for a lot of things. I am extremely tight, but was quite surprised at the prices for food.
Seriously good food as well.
I think a bowl of incredible ramen soup with pork was 7 quid or so.
You can go mega high end but you can spend little for great food, that was my limited experience last time.
sadly looks like Asia is off the menu, then. .gif)
I know some people who moved there with the company I'm with and they confide that they regret it a bit, although it's somewhat easier to integrate, because colonial reasons..gif)
I usually stay in Asakusa but I tend to go low budget so... Perhaps base it on if you plan late evening activities. Sometimes posts may contain links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.
