#70

Hey, could you tell me why Hiroshima was great please? I can’t decide whether or not to go there there when we’re in Japan. Other that the obvious reason to go I can’t find much else that I’d want to do there.

#71

I accidentally stayed well close to the red light district in Tokyo immediately after Fuji Rock this year because I was just doing a ‘book an area I’ve not stayed in before’ thing. Was probably nicer than any area of an American or British city I’ve ever stayed in so I wouldn’t be too worried.

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#72

Haha it was Kabukicho. Didn’t get propositioned by one prostitute nor enticed into one bar. Feel a bit cheated now. I was a thirty year old solo white male with a beard and glasses, surely a prime target.

It was very close to the biggest Disc Union in Tokyo though.

#73

Thanks. I did look into it and pretty much everything said it was fine. I felt a bit bad though completely ignoring their advice and they have been super helpful and got us a discount at their friends onsen and helped us book a few things.

Will definitely going to have a look at the hotel to see what it is like round there.

#74

Where have you traded up to?

Thinking on it I think the worst place I’ve ever stayed in terms of sleaziness was Roppongi, which is full of men handing out flyers for strip clubs and that.

#75

Near the station in Shibaura now. Looks like a nice place.

Think that is all of our hotels done now so I can start looking more into the interesting stuff.
First thing is to sort out a birthday meal in Kyoto.

#76

I got tickets to the Ghibli museum :+1:

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#77


Sent this to my girlfriend and I do not understand how she was not super excited. Said we can go though.

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#78

We’re also planning on going. It looks amazing!

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#79

Even if I don’t get to go on anything I would love to just go and watch people.

#80

Think I’m gonna have to fork out for some expensive package tour thing to go.

I’m staying in Minato if anyone has any food/drink recommendations

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#81

Do you mean Minato-ku? A ku is an administrative district, and Minato-Ku is one of the central Tokyo ones. Wherever you are in there you won’t be very far from the Yamanote Line, which you get you pretty much anywhere in central Tokyo. There will be no shortage of places to eat - I once read a (possibly madeup) stat that Tokyo has more restaurants than the whole of Western Europe.

A few places I used to like (with the caveat that it’s a fair few years since I’ve been to any of them). I’m a vegetarian, so a lot of traditional fish based Japanese food was out for me but I never went hungry. I did once go to a very high end very traditional vegetarian place where the food was fantastic, but I literally spent the whole evening terrified that every single move or gesture I was making was some appalling etiquette faux pas.

Nirvanam in Kamiyacho, which does fantastic Indian food - http://www.nirvanam.jp/home
Nataraj in Ginza is also good for Indian food -
http://www.nataraj.co.jp/en/ginza/E_GinzaTop.shtml
Junkadelic - Mexican food in Nakameguro - http://www.junkadelic.jp/
Pure Cafe - vegan cafe in Aoyama http://www.pure-cafe.com/
Mominoki House is a good vegetarian place in Harajuku http://www.mominoki-house.net/essence/concept_en.html
Gonpachi in Azabu -more of a tourist trail thing than a destination restaurant, this is where the big fight scene in the first Kill Bill was filmed. http://www.gonpachi.jp/nishiazabu/?lang=en

There are lots of chain / family restaurants around, which are mostly competent but uninspiring. There are also several “English” pubs, all of which are worth avoiding. The brilliant thing about almost every restaurant in Tokyo is that you just get up when you’re finished and pay at a till near the door and leave. No faffing about with catching waiters’ eyes or pantomining signing bills.

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#82

This is also a good site for checking what gigs will be on while you’re there

and it’s accompanying blog http://blog.tokyogigguide.com/ (which I wrote some bits for years ago)

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#83

I guess I do. Also veggie so thanks :slight_smile: have just got the happy cow app too.

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#84

The TV has just reminded me of this one as well - it was local to us and a good place to go for a weekend lunch. Doesn’t mention it in the link, but they had good veggie stuff

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#85

I can vouch that this is great. Had some good times.

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#86

Ok. so I have part of my trip planned, can anyone help with the remaining bit? We have 16 days in Japan in February, aiming to get a JR train pass for 7 days in the middle so the first few days will be spent in Tokyo, then we will travel to Kyoto for a few days, then somewhere else - but where?! Finally we’ll spend a few more days in Tokyo before flying home. So where should we go after Kyoto? Is Hiroshima worth spending a few days? Or would Osaka be better? Or somewhere completely different?

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#87

Can vouch for this site - found it a few weeks ago. I’m off to Tokyo next week and thanks to Tokyo highlife I was able to book to see The Shins while I’m there.

#88

Osaka - Good food, bars, nightlife, shopping
Hiroshima - History, peace, trams, Miyajima

If I were pushed I’d say Hiroshima, as I loved just pottering around the city and Miyajima (iconic floating Torii gate island) is a short trip away and it’s great, if a little touristy. You can climb the mountain on the island in about an hour if you want to escape the crowds/deer.
Some people love Osaka and it can be really fun, but I think it’d be better with people who know where they’re going. It’s a bigger, more industrial city, with fewer decent sightseeing spots imo.

I really recommend going to a ryokan (Japanese inn) in the mountains somewhere, but it adds a lot to your budget (about 10,000 yen each a night, plus whatever transport).

#89

Yeah, Osaka’s basically Birmingham. If you’re doing two big cities a rural break might be a good idea, so I second the ryokan option. You could also easily turn a Hakone day trip (detailed in one of my posts above) into a couple of days, there’s plenty around there. Failing that, Nara is near Kyoto and worth a visit, very traditional and full of deer.