Japanophiles! discussion
General Chit Chat
>
Where would you go in Japan?
message 1:
by
Benjamin
(new)
Oct 13, 2013 04:39AM
If you could go anywhere in Japan (be it if you're here or not) where would you go? Why?
reply
|
flag
Well, there's this place called neko shima" (猫島) (cat island) in Tashirojima, and yes, just as the name suggests, there are cats, cats everywhere. It seems like a real quirky place:Here's a little link:
http://kotaku.com/cats-rule-these-jap...
~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Well, there's this place called neko shima" (猫島) (cat island) ...I've heard of that place! Here's another link about Cat Island: Zooming Japan. It would be interesting to check out. Thanks for sharing ^_^
I've heard about Cat Island, cuteness overload @_@I would want to go to Ghibli Museum and watch short films which are exclusively only screened there.
And if it's possible, some animation studios.
Generally I want to go to Japanese beautiful natural landscapes. So I think, Enoshima or Mt. Fuji. I believe there are lots of them. Also some places with temples.
Now the list never ends.
Well, duh, Harajuku. That place is heaven on earth, huh?
Hardian wrote: "I've heard about Cat Island, cuteness overload @_@I would want to go to Ghibli Museum and watch short films which are exclusively only screened there.
And if it's possible, some animation studios..."
Oh wow, exclusive Ghibli movies we don't know about? I feel left out. T_T
Added that to my bucket list. ^^
And yes, you're right about the cuteness!
Also, It's a cat-person-strictly island, I swear. They even forbid entry for dogs.
Not a place I'd like to visit, but there's this forest north-west of Mount Fuji called Aokigahara where people specially go to to commit suicide. Over 100 corpses are found there each year, making it the most popular location to commit suicide in the world.Only adding to the creepiness is the presence of ''wara ningyou'' which are little straw dolls that people use like a voodoo doll. By nailing them to a tree you place a curse on that special loathed person of yours. Thoughtfully enough, they placed a sign at the entrance warning visitors that if they have the urge to kill themselves, that they should think twice, consider what their family would think, etc.
Not very pleasant. T_T
~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Not a place I'd like to visit, but there's this forest north-west of Mount Fuji called Aokigahara where people specially go to to commit suicide. Over 100 corpses are found there each year, making ..."You drive past that forest when you go to the 5th station of Mt. Fuji by car. But you can't see anything from the street and it might as well take hours until you find bones or corpses or voodoo dolls when you enter. It's a big area, so people will get lost easily and some die by simply not finding their way back even though they may have decided to go back home instead of killing themselves. That's why there are signs everywhere warning not to enter the forest... it's fascinating, but scary and very very sad T__T
Back to topic: I've seen most of Honshu, so I'd like to go see the other main islands ^^ First the Hokkaido snow festival, then Okinawa and some island hopping through Shikoku ^^ AND I'd like to go see the town Obama, just to buy some of the Obama merch they sell XD I also haven't been to Osaka, except for a train stop and I want to see some more of Kansai :D ... there are still too many places I want to see... lol
Julia wrote: "~♡Sushi♡~ wrote: "Not a place I'd like to visit, but there's this forest north-west of Mount Fuji called Aokigahara where people specially go to to commit suicide. Over 100 corpses are found there ..."So unsettling.
There's also a mini-documentary of it by Vice that you can watch, which doesn't help at all if you're trying to get over the fact of how disturbing this place is.
I might just walk on the outskirts of it if I ever were to visit those parts, just for the thrill.
Ha, Obama! How come I've never heard of that before? It must have been so funny how after the elections, suddenly you're the most talked about town in Japan. >w<
I think I'll steer clear of that particular forest.I've been to Kansai and around Kyushu a few times. I'd like to see Shikoku, Hokkaido, and the northern areas of Honshu. Overall, though I think the next place I'd like to see is the Ise Shrine in Mie.
Hokkaido's nature is beautiful, so I've heard. This man from the University of Hokkaido came for a presentation of their campus a while back, and time and time again he'd come back to the point of how beautiful the surrounding nature was. And I don't think he's mistaken.
I'd like to go bass fishing in Lake Biwa. The world record Largemouth was caught there.I'd like to see the castle towns/cities as well. I've been to Osaka, Himeji, Azuchi (although I missed the castle remains) and Nagoya, but I'd like to see Sendai, Hikone, Joetsu, etc.
Andy wrote: "I'd like to see the castle towns/cities as well. I've been to Osaka, Himeji, Azuchi (although I missed the..."Did you go to Matsumoto yet? It's gotta be one of my favorite places in all of Japan, the city is very pretty and clean and the castle is beautiful. It was raining the whole time I was there, but it is still one of my most pleasent memories of Japan! I can recommend everyone to go visit this beautiful city <3
Oh, it's too hard to decide but I guess it would be Himeji and the Okinawa Aquarium after seeing it featured on Extreme Engineering.
The Manga Museum would be fun to visit. Plus, I think I would attend a lot of band lives and eat at lots of fun resteraunts (probably nothing super expensive though, just average :D).Speaking of traveling to Japan, has anyone ever budgeted a 1 or 2 week trip to Tokyo out before? What about a 4 week trip? I'm trying to get a grasp on how much it will cost, since I plan on going there (hopefully) within the next 1-2 years. :)
Churaumi is a great place to go. There's a lot to see in Okinawa as well. I just went to Himeji a few months ago, they'll be removing the scaffolding within the next year I believe.
Julia wrote: "Andy wrote: "I'd like to see the castle towns/cities as well. I've been to Osaka, Himeji, Azuchi (although I missed the..."Did you go to Matsumoto yet? It's gotta be one of my favorite places in..."
It looks incredible, I'll have to add it to the list.
Hardian wrote: "I would want to go to Ghibli Museum and watch short films which are exclusively only screened there.And if it's possible, some animation studios..."
The Ghibli Museum is a fun place to visit. I actually met Hayao Miyazaki when I went there. He was standing at the back of one of those exclusive anime screenings, and I was able to walk up to him and say hi after the film ended. At first, I didn't recognize him. I said to my wife, "why is everyone getting so excited about that old guy up there?" She stared at me like I was crazy and said "how can you not know who that is?"
Anyway, I've been to most of the attractions around Tokyo. I've never been to Hokkaido so I really want to see the famous Sapporo Snow Festival: http://www.snowfes.com/english/
Peace Park in Hiroshima is also high on my To Do list: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/top_...
Bethany wrote: "Hi,I'm going to Japan in March I wondered if you had any suggest for places for me to visit. I'm staying for three weeks in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.
I've gone on the guide to Japan site but I tho..."
If you're in Kyoto, definitely visit the Kiyomizu Temple. It was one of my favorite places to stop by in Kyoto.
And since you'll be in Osaka, stop by a Takoyaki stand. :P They're tasty... unless you have allergies to octopus. Then don't eat them, lol.
Bethany wrote: "Hi,I'm going to Japan in March I wondered if you had any suggest for places for me to visit. I'm staying for three weeks in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.
I've gone on the guide to Japan site but I tho..."
Right outside of Kyoto Station is a building next to the bus terminal where you can buy tickets, etc. Get the backpackers map (it should be free) if its still available. It will have all the major Kyoto sites and a lot of others in the surrounding areas as well.
As for Tokyo if you want a day off from the city you should make a trip to Hakone, there's a circuit tour which you can follow easily and you'll see mountains and lakes. It has a nice nature and the tour is interesting (you can eat black eggs boiled in the vulcano hot springs)Also for Tokyo I can recommend instead of going up the Tokyo tower to choose a different building for example the shinjuku town office (if I remember correctly) because you get a view on the city for less money, it's less crowded, no glass windows because there is a helicopter space on top and you can catch Tokyo tower on your photos which is nice!
For going out at night there are plenty themed restaurants, I can recommend the 'lock up' where monsters are storming the tunnels when the alarm sounds. Something else which is really popular with young people is the chain 'sweets paradise' which is an all you can eat cake place (but they also have some main dishes like pizza and pasta). In shin okubo there are many korean restaurants which are nice and worth the try.
That's all for now ^^ I tried to recommend some things aside from the main must-sees. If I can think of anything else I'll let you know. You can Also ask if there's something in particular you're interested in :)
Ok I've already been their but I'm defenitly exited about going back thereHarajyuku street in Tokyo
Al I remember is walking in a sea of Japanese people, some regular some wearing cosplay and Lolita cloths it was insane in a good way, it's similar to akihabara and shibuya
Jean wrote: "What's Akihabara and Shibuya like?"Well, it was totally crazy and awesome! Haha
I mean in shibuya there was a huge street filled with electronic devices and in akihabara there was a huge market with many maid cafe which I totally recommend to visit it was such a delight the girls were so funny and nice the whole experience was such a cloture shock.
Also there is a huge verity of food you wouldn't know where to begin!
What kind of food did they serve in the maid cafes? What was your favorite foods to order?
Jean wrote: "What kind of food did they serve in the maid cafes? What was your favorite foods to order?"Hnnn they had a lot of confusing food in Japan and in the maid cafe, however there was a lot of sweets, so I ordered a huge icecream and while I'm eating it one girl in a made uniform started singing and dancing lol I couldn't eat cuz I was laughing so hard.
In Japan I usually ate ramen for dinners and onigiri in lunch ;)
Oh and melon pan in a convinant store
Does anyone have tips on how to plan for a fall trip to Japan? Or any tips on getting temporary work there (say for the summer?)
☆Meredith (メルたん)♪ wrote: "Does anyone have tips on how to plan for a fall trip to Japan? Or any tips on getting temporary work there (say for the summer?)"Oooo, a fall trip sounds nice. :)
Go where the locals go when it comes to food. You'll save a TON by eating local, and you'll get more authentic cuisine. The same goes for hotels. See if you can book with hotels the locals stay at for the same reason.
Depending where you are in Japan, you'll want to bring clothes for both warmer and colder weather.
I'm going to assume you know some Japanese, if you're looking for temp work, but if you don't, learn some. Only the under-30 crowd speaks any English, and they're only so-so at it, usually.
If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.
Jean wrote: "There's always the teach English route."Nah, I have a friend who tried to do that. They don't take a whole lot. She actually had to teach English in China for a year before they'd even look at her resume in Japan.
Selena wrote: "Jean wrote: "There's always the teach English route."Nah, I have a friend who tried to do that. They don't take a whole lot. She actually had to teach English in China for a year before they'd ev..."
Good to know! I had read articles here and there that mentioned it wasn't easy. Did you friend ever end up teaching English in Japan?
Jean wrote: "Good to know! I had read articles here and there that mentioned it wasn't easy. Did you friend ever end up teaching English in Japan?"She's there now. ^^ She's having a lot of fun over there.
There's always the JET Programme (http://jetprogramme.org). That's how I got to Japan. It's doable, but not for everyone. You don't have control on where you end up but for most it's a great experience.
Thank you Selena, I do know up to a lower intermediate level of Japanese, thank you!! Would you recommend at hostels? I've heard they're usually really nice accommodations for low prices.
Sadly I've looked into teaching English and they require a Bachelor's degree in college. :/
Thank you Benjamin, I will look into it! I kinda have my heart set on TokyoBut YES I will definitely bring warm clothes :D I don't live in the Northern United States for nothing xD Plus I'm not a picky eater so eating out at local restaurants and stuff will be great :D Plus I love bento and ramen and stuff so it'll be great.
So does anyone know if it's possible for a foreigner to get a temp job teaching music or working at a theme park like Tokyo Disneyland in Japan?
Hello, Meredith!Congrats on your upcoming trip to Japan. It sounds like you’ll have a lot of fun!
If you want to work in Japan over the summer, you must be at least 18 years old and you will need a Work Visa or a Working Holiday Visa.
Here’s some information on Working Holiday Visas, in case you’re interested:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_...
Unfortunately, American citizens cannot get Working Holiday Visas. If you are American, you will need a Work Visa, which requires a company to sponsor your visa.
I’m not sure how long you plan on staying in Japan, but there are so many fun and interesting things to do in Japan that even if you decide not to work over the summer, I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful trip!
(Also, answering the hostel question, many hostels in Japan offer convenient accommodation for very reasonable prices, especially if you’re traveling with friends.)
Hope this helps, and have a fantastic time in Japan!
Thank you very much Natalia, that's alot of help! I'm trying to find a less expensive alternative to simply touring Japan, but I plan on going regardless if I have work or no.Yep, I'm over 18 :D
Shucks! I'm definitely an American citizen! Dx Does the company you get to sponsor the visa have to be in Japan or in America or does it not matter?
Thanks again ^_^
☆Meredith (メルたん)♪ wrote: "Thank you very much Natalia, that's alot of help! I'm trying to find a less expensive alternative to simply touring Japan, but I plan on going regardless if I have work or no.Yep, I'm over 18 :D
..."
Even if you can't find work you should definitely travel to Japan, the experience is worth the money, I can't wait to visit it again
And if you can't find a company to sponsor your visa which is very hard by the way, finding a job there is also an option, just make sure it's not for a yakuza lol
Getting a work visa usually requires a long-term commitment to a Japanese company or an American company with an office in Japan.I agree with Bella Eve, though, that even though Japan can be expensive, the experience is definitely worth it!
Have a fantastic time!
I would go to Okinawa, because I'm practicing karate and I'd like to go to a small village that has been the inspiration for the film "Whispers of the heart"
Laura wrote: "I would go to Okinawa, because I'm practicing karate and I'd like to go to a small village that has been the inspiration for the film "Whispers of the heart""Oh! Do you practice Isshinryu? (I probably butchered that spelling)
Selena wrote: "Laura wrote: "I would go to Okinawa, because I'm practicing karate and I'd like to go to a small village that has been the inspiration for the film "Whispers of the heart""
Oh! Do you practice Isshinryu?"
Isshi... what? xD I practice Goju Ryu style :D
Oh! Do you practice Isshinryu?"
Isshi... what? xD I practice Goju Ryu style :D
Laura wrote: "Isshi... what? xD I practice Goju Ryu style :D "Isshinryu is a karate style that was founded in Okinawa (my brother is a black belt in that style).
Oh, my kids are learning Goju Ryu too. What are the differences between Goju Ryu and Isshinryu?
Jean wrote: "Oh, my kids are learning Goju Ryu too. What are the differences between Goju Ryu and Isshinryu?"
I'm not sure, actually. I've never heard of Goju Ryu before (but I don't claim to be an expert on karate styles, lol). I know Isshinryu is all about no-frills and, as my mom (another black belt) puts it, "hit your attacker once so they don't get back up."
As I live in Okinawa... I highly recommend it!
Okay! Found the difference (thanks wikipedia!)So Isshinryu's much more recent (created in 1956 in Okinawa) and is a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. Gojū-ryū is a "hard and soft" style with a combination of closed-fisted, linear, hard strikes and circular, open-handed, softer strikes (so says Wiki) and I don't think it uses weapons (wiki doesn't mention it), where as Isshinryu seems to be more of the "hard" strikes and uses weapons.
I think that's the difference, but I'm no expert (I just wiki'd it)
