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Re: Japan
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 7:09 pm
by Strange Tales
HorseyBoy wrote:^^ What backwardsvoyager said. The JR pass is great if you're doing a lot of bullet trips but, like everyone else has said, you should really plan on spending more time in less locations. Think about what you really want to see and do.
The record shop skullservant mentioned above is Tower Records, which is still right in the middle of Shibuya. There are some decent guitar shops in that area, too (an Ishibashi and Musicland Key). Heartman Vintage is also there. It's small but really worth a look.
I must be the only Westerner who's ever set foot in Ochanomizu and found it pretty underwhelming. A strip of guitar shops pretty much selling the same things - even if it's a giant strip - doesn't do much for me. But if you're looking for new Japanese-made Fenders, you'll find one there.
My favourite Tokyo guitar store (by a huge margin) is TC Gakki. They're in the Shinjuku area:
https://www.tcgakki.com/English.html
Hyper Guitars, which is for looking, not buying, is right next door:
http://www.hyperguitars.com
And think about whether or not you need a data sim card while you're there. Bmobile do a good 14-day one that you can pick up from airports or hotels:
http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/
Yea but Ochanomizu has a dedicated lefty shop, it's the only music shop I've felt truly welcomed in
Re: Japan
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 8:24 pm
by snipelfritz
Yeah, buncha weebs. You could at least have an avatar from an American animator!
TS, take/share lots of pretty pictures for us.
Re: Japan
Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:01 pm
by Andrew
snipelfritz wrote:Yeah, buncha weebs. You could at least have an avatar from an American animator!
Or make it so obscure that noone would even even know what it's from.
Re: Japan
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:52 am
by Eivind August
Check out Sakura Hotel in Jimbocho. Stayed there when I've been in Tokyo. Cheap, great place to meet fellow travellers, and walking distance to Ochanomizu.
Last time I went, I planned on seeing Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima. Quickly found out that it was a good idea to drop Hiroshima, but that might have been because I fell in love with Nara. Stayed in Kyoto for that whole part of the trip, using a JR Pass to get back an forth to Osaka and Nara. Short distances that won't eat up much of your time. If you have a day to spend on a trip to Hakone, you should be able to cover most of the stuff and be back in Tokyo by night. I lived in Hakone for four or five days, and that was more than enough, though the quaint village life is appealing.
Obligatory:
http://www.tokyogigguide.com/
Re: Japan
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:55 am
by oscillateur
People who went there on holidays can probably give much better advice than me about hotels, etc. but if you have other more specific questions I can try to help...
At what time of the year are you planning to come ?
Re: Japan
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 10:22 am
by SecretMachine
Planning on coming to Japan in November.
Re: Japan
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 10:55 am
by hiorgos
....
Re: Japan
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 11:13 pm
by oscillateur
Yeah, the Japanese winter is super sunny, which is really nice. If it's early november you might also catch the last bit of trees with nice red leaves in parks, etc. Always a nice bonus.
It's also a nice season to go to an onsen, as long as you go somewhere a bit in the country, it's usually nice. The best ones I've been to were on small mountains/etc. (even small ones not far from Kyoto or Nara), the view of the trees + cold weather + hot water is really relaxing...
