Japan

[Raymond Lin]

My wife and I are in the early stages of planning our honeymoon to Japan next April. We'll be going in the school easter holidays. Will there still be cherry blossom - 29th March to 12th April?

We need to plan what we want to do so we can book flights - a mate is going same time but is in and out from different airports based on his itinerary.

Pot luck. When it starts to bloom, it lasts about a week...if it rains...it gets washed away overnight. If it's windy, it gets blown away in an instant. Which is why they are so cherished and like a fleeting moment metaphors about life etc with them.

But the season lasts over a month (months), moving from South to Sorth. So if you arrived and it's just missed it, then you travel north. If you are too early, travel south. Before that there is peach blossoms, so you can see Pink blossom from February all the way down to May in Hokkaido area for Sakura.

Note that the area around Lake Kawaguchi blooms a little later, that area is cooler climate than the city of Tokyo, by like 2 weeks.

You can never guarantee but you can leave space in your travel plans to allow day trips to places that it will still have the Sakura around.

There is a VERY high chance that you will see it during those dates, yes.

 

[DD_Crash]

Very interesting thread, I would love to go to Japan.

 

[Scuzi]

Thanks for that.. This is exactly one of the things we wanted to do. Drive the Hakone, to MT Fuji along with the wangan and Daikoku Parkway although i do believe there is a company that does tours (Fast and Furious Style lol)to the parkway that is about a 3-4hr trip from Shibuya/Shinjuku area whish is about £81. We would probably want to go out to maybe Fuji Speedway and Ebisu.

Not really bothered about where we stop to be honest and Hong Kong/Shanghai would be great for the experience.

I rented a Nissan GTR last month with Omishiro Rent-a-car in Noda. Got the train out there which took around an hour from Shinjuku then a 20 minute walk. Raymond is right in that it isn’t financially the best option, but that’s not why you rent a GTR in Japan.

Driving it back into Tokyo at night was the highlight of the trip for me - a real childhood dream come true! We drove to Fujiyoshida and on the way back stopped off at the Sagamihara vending machine corner.

Happy to answer any questions you have.

Sports car open car specialized for rental cars OMOSHIRO RENT-A-CAR

Have fun driving admirable sport car with Omoshiro renta car. Easy steps from reservation to settlement 2 month beforehand. Make your stay in Japan much more wonderful!

www.omoren.com

 

[ZXSpectrum]

Funnily enough that was the place i was looking at. R35 looking about £205 a day by the look of it. Does that seem the ball park?

DAMN! Lexus RC-F for less than half that price.. yes please!

 

[Scuzi]

Funnily enough that was the place i was looking at. R35 looking about £205 a day by the look of it. Does that seem the ball park?

DAMN! Lexus RC-F for less than half that price.. yes please!

I think it came to around £400 for 24h including tolls etc.

 

[Reuben klang]

FWIW - I’m going to hire a car next visit. Don’t think they’ll be as many of us next visit but we had a few taxi rides in the alphard and man, it’s awesome. I’m going to hire one of them next time. It’s a mini van with luxury seats in rows with loads of room.

I liked it so much I’ve looked into importing one but they’re >£80k for the one I want

I’m going to go to more remote areas next time and will now do that road trip posted above.

 

[Raymond Lin]

FWIW - I’m going to hire a car next visit. Don’t think they’ll be as many of us next visit but we had a few taxi rides in the alphard and man, it’s awesome. I’m going to hire one of them next time. It’s a mini van with luxury seats in rows with loads of room.

I liked it so much I’ve looked into importing one but they’re >£80k for the one I want

I’m going to go to more remote areas next time and will now do that road trip posted above.

These are all the potential spots I (we) are hitting in November, one of us is hiring a car and I need to sort out my International Driver's licence soon!

 

[ZXSpectrum]

Why are they all piggy noses?

What is the deal with driving licence? Doesnt the UK driving licence cover for the duration of your stay like it does in many countries?

Ah i see, its just a formality and £5.50 if you already own a UK Drivers licence and are a resident.

 

[Scuzi]

Why are they all piggy noses?

What is the deal with driving licence? Doesnt the UK driving licence cover for the duration of your stay like it does in many countries?

Ah i see, its just a formality and £5.50 if you already own a UK Drivers licence and are a resident.

The IDP is essentially a standardised translation of your driving licence. You’ll definitely need it as they won’t allow you to rent without it.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Why are they all piggy noses?

What is the deal with driving licence? Doesnt the UK driving licence cover for the duration of your stay like it does in many countries?

Ah i see, its just a formality and £5.50 if you already own a UK Drivers licence and are a resident.

It's not my phone, it's my friend's phone and she created a trip for us and used the pig nose as the pin! I have no idea why!

 

[Robi]

Depends on a few things

1 - Your itinerary for those 5 days.
2 - how you are getting back to Haneda.

btw, I checked for you that the limo bus route to Haneda, it doesn't stop at your hote, but several near the Knot, including Shinjuku Washington, which you can just go to their front desk and get a bus ticket the day before. Then the only distance you need to carry the suitcase is across the road. That alone woudl sway me if there is a lot of luggage.

https://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/line/detail/Haneda-Shinjuku/

However, you will need to walk further everyday in the Shiinjuku station, but not really a problem or that different. I was going to pick the Tokyo Station side for the Mitsui Garden but the limo bus 1400yen straight to the airport is much nicer than the train back.

This is our complete Tokyo itinerary so far:

Tues 21st Oct (lyf Shibuya) - Shibuya
Land 7am Haneda
Hachiko statue
Shibuya scramble
Shibuya Sky (will aim to book for sunset)
Center Gai
Shibuya 109

Wed 22nd Oct (lyf Shibuya) - Shibuya, Minato City
Meiji Jingu
Yoyogi Park
Takeshita St - shopping
Harajuku - shopping
teamLab Borderless (early afternoon slot)
Tokyo Tower
Hama-rikyū
Nonbei Yokocho

Thurs 23rd Oct (leaving for Kyoto)
Koffee Mameya (book early morning seat)

Thurs 30th Oct (Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi) - Chiyoda, Akihabara, Uneo
Imperial Palace
GiGO Building 3
namco
HEY
Mikado Game Center
Radio Kaikan
TRADER, Sofmap - shopping
Uneo Park

Fri 31st Oct (Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi) - Asakusa
Kaminarimon
Sensō-ji
Nakamise Street - shopping
Hoppy Street
Samurai Museum / Sumo (undecided)

Sat 1st Nov (Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi) - Chiyoda, Shinjuku
Baseball Hall of Fame
Tokyo Dome / Tokyo Giants Store
Birthplace of Baseball in Japan momument
Jimbocho - shopping
Shinjuku Gyoen
Metropolitan Government Building (aiming for 6:30 or 7:30pm for godzilla)
Shinjuku Batting Center
Golden Gai

Sun 2nd Nov (Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi) - undecided
Possible day trip to Lake Kawaguchi

Mon 3rd Nov (Mitsui Garden Hotel Otemachi) - undecided
Possibly a full shopping day - Ginza etc

Tues 4th Nov (leaving for home)

The plan is coming together but I can't shake the feeling that we're either missing out on something major or it's far too packed. By the end we'll have visited Shibuya, Chiyoda, Akihabara, Uneo, Asakusa and Shinjuku. Tried to group things together based on location.

We're ideally after the following:

- Shopping; clothes, watches, homeware, cookware, books, gaming
- Eating & drinking; omikase sushi, tea ceremony, izakayas, coffee, wagyu
- Experiences; sumo etc
- Anything baseball or cat related
- Anything unique to Tokyo/Japan

Any tweaks or recommendations on areas to visit / things to do?

 

[Raymond Lin]

This is our complete Tokyo itinerary so far:



We're ideally after the following:

- Shopping; clothes, watches, homeware, cookware, books, gaming
- Eating & drinking; omikase sushi, tea ceremony, izakayas, coffee, wagyu
- Experiences; sumo etc
- Anything baseball or cat related
- Anything unique to Tokyo/Japan

Any tweaks or recommendations on areas to visit / things to do?

It looks good but it's quite packed in certain places, like on the 1st of Nov, and now, I know nothing about Baseball beside the fact that Ohtani's face is EVERYWHERE right now in Japan but it seems on 1st Nov. you have it very packed. Like Shinjuku Gyoen amongst all that? Are you sure you will have time?

For a day trip to Lake Kawaguchi, that means you are also going to the pagoda, and for the view of Mt Fuji, personally, I would wing this, like have 2 days, which you have on 2nd and 3rd, and look at the weather forecast on the 1st and decide which day has clearer weather. Use www.Windy.com to check cloud cover in the area and if you really want to wing it, take the train in the morning. Don't book a seat and just stand up most of the way there lol I've done that. It's the most expensive way but it is also the safest. You will have to change train and I recall I had to change change in Oyama but there is a part of me in my head that is telling me I had to pay extra for a limited express but I couldn't due to the platforms or something so paid to the Conductor on the train. I used my Suica Card.

There is also a live webcam to Mt Fuji so you can check to the second if there is cloud cover.

Also, I think you are missing The PACO building in Shibuya, where the Nintendo store, Capcom store, Pokemon HQ and a nice roof top is.

As for food, I went to an omekase at Sushi Tokyo Ten, but this time I am going to here.

Ginza Sushi Den · Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 6 Chome−13−9 GIRAC GINZA１１階

★★★★☆ · Sushi restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

It is a little more upmarket but even their most expenisve meal is "only" 20,000 yen" which is £100 right now and i spoke to a local on discord who says it was great.

 

[Raymond Lin]

If you like high end shopping, then you have to go to Ginza.

IF you like kitchenware then you MUST go to Kappabashi.

 

[Reuben klang]

I got a knife from kappabasbi. Done loads of research/reading about it. Theres a shop that the guy only turns up when he has knives to sell. So I ended up getting a beautiful sg2 Santoku from jinko. I’ll post a photo when I get back to the hotel.

I’m tempted to go back and get a smaller pairing knife in the same style.

In other news I went into Tokyo banana at Tokyo station and went a bit bananas! I only got 2 boxes last time and instantly wanting more once we finished them at home.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Suitcase full of cake!

 

[Gazanimal]

Just over a week until I travel. Looking forward to it immensely/nervously, just wish I had more time there as it’s a work trip mostly.

 

[Reuben klang]

 

[Gazanimal]

That’s a nice looking knife. What’s the rules on bringing a knife back into the U.K.? Hold luggage obviously, but any restrictions?

 

[Raymond Lin]

That’s a nice looking knife. What’s the rules on bringing a knife back into the U.K.? Hold luggage obviously, but any restrictions?

Hold luggage only. No restrictions besides the usual like no ivory on the handle, and no Brazilian rosewood for example. Far too much paperwork required for those materials.

 

[Robi]

It looks good but it's quite packed in certain places, like on the 1st of Nov, and now, I know nothing about Baseball beside the fact that Ohtani's face is EVERYWHERE right now in Japan but it seems on 1st Nov. you have it very packed. Like Shinjuku Gyoen amongst all that? Are you sure you will have time?

For a day trip to Lake Kawaguchi, that means you are also going to the pagoda, and for the view of Mt Fuji, personally, I would wing this, like have 2 days, which you have on 2nd and 3rd, and look at the weather forecast on the 1st and decide which day has clearer weather. Use www.Windy.com to check cloud cover in the area and if you really want to wing it, take the train in the morning. Don't book a seat and just stand up most of the way there lol I've done that. It's the most expensive way but it is also the safest. You will have to change train and I recall I had to change change in Oyama but there is a part of me in my head that is telling me I had to pay extra for a limited express but I couldn't due to the platforms or something so paid to the Conductor on the train. I used my Suica Card.

There is also a live webcam to Mt Fuji so you can check to the second if there is cloud cover.

Also, I think you are missing The PACO building in Shibuya, where the Nintendo store, Capcom store, Pokemon HQ and a nice roof top is.

As for food, I went to an omekase at Sushi Tokyo Ten, but this time I am going to here.

Ginza Sushi Den · Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 6 Chome−13−9 GIRAC GINZA１１階

★★★★☆ · Sushi restaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

It is a little more upmarket but even their most expenisve meal is "only" 20,000 yen" which is £100 right now and i spoke to a local on discord who says it was great.

You validated my concern, thank you.

I moved all the Chiyoda baseball bits onto a separate day which leaves an entire day for Shinjuku, starting with a visit to Nakano Broadway at 11am for watches.

On second thoughts I'm not sure if we'll do the day trip to Lake Kawaguchi. It's an entire day only for the ropeway and pictures of Mt Fuji, which doesn't seem worthwhile. It'll also mean that the other days in Tokyo are more condensed and busy, which is something we're actively trying to avoid. We're planning to book the popular Shinkansen seats between Tokyo and Kyoto so we get a view of it, plus we'll be in Hakone for an overnight and may see it there. Furthermore, we're already doing day trips to Hiroshima and Nara (from Osaka), not sure if I fancy another in the mix.

Added PARCO - cheers.

Those recommendations look great. Ginza Sushi Den is 15m door to door on the Marunouchi Line from our hotel which absolutely helps after a long day of walking.

Anything above 3.5 on Tablelog is generally equivalent to a 5 star in the west right?