What to do in Japan for 2 weeks?

memyselfandi said:
I'd make the following comments ....
- Personally, I've been to Hakone a couple of time and thought that it was massively overrated. But I suspect that this depends a lot on where you stay there.
- Traveling to Fukuoka and working your way back up sounds like a good idea. The only potential issue is that there isn't much luggage space on the shinkansen so traveling with a large suitcase could be an issue (I normally use a smaller case for the periods of my holidays I'm outside Tokyo (think cabin bag size) and leave my large suitcase in the Tokyo hotel. Make sure you have okonomiyaki in Hiroshima as it's different from varieties you get in Osaka and Tokyo.
- Depending on the time of year you go you might need to make sure you have a backup plan if you are flying internally. I've only done it once (New Chitose (Sapporo) to Kansai (Osaka)) but was very lucky as the last big typhoon of the season was bearing down on Osaka and it was very touch and go whether we would be able to fly (we were the last plane into Kansai airport before it was closed and they were shutting down the rail station as we got into Osaka) .... if we hadn't we would have been stuck in Hokkaido. If you are flying internationally on a Japanese carrier you might be able to get a deal on any internal flights (I know JAL have done this in the past although I don't know if they have any offers on at the moment).

Roll on Autumn 2018 for my next trip ...
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Thanks for that, and I have just booked my internal flight from Narita to Fukuoka.

I land in Narita at 10:30am. Flight from Narita to Fukuoka is 1:30pm so should be plenty of time, cost £75 so not too bad, last night it was £150 for the same trip for some reason…

Also booked first night in Fukuoka, nothing too adventurous, Royal Park right next to the station and near the centre. Soon as I checked in I am grabbing some Ramen and then wake up early to see some shrines before checking out.

Re luggage…I am tempted to go all small, cabin size suitcase with 1 messenger bag. It would be so much faster and easier, I just need to pack conservatively. I might just do that for the first week and buy a suitcase in Tokyo and use that to carry goodies back home.
 
Ramen in Fukuoka .... has to be Tonkotsu Ramen (based on a pork stock rather than miso or soy). I admit it's my favourite ramen.

Last time I was in Asakusa in Tokyo there were lots of shops selling cheap suitcases to tourists or if you want one which lasts more than one trip then Tokyu Hands sell them too and are in various parts of Tokyo (I've been to them in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro but there's like more).
 
memyselfandi said:
Ramen in Fukuoka .... has to be Tonkotsu Ramen (based on a pork stock rather than miso or soy). I admit it's my favourite ramen.

Last time I was in Asakusa in Tokyo there were lots of shops selling cheap suitcases to tourists or if you want one which lasts more than one trip then Tokyu Hands sell them too and are in various parts of Tokyo (I've been to them in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro but there's like more).
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Found this.

https://findingfukuoka.wordpress.com/ramen/

The cheat would be Ramen Stadium, it's in a shopping mall, food court, 5mins from the hotel.

The most authentic one is 45mins walk away but doable.
 
Can't remember where we went unfortunately but it was **** good. Normally you can find good ramen even in places which look like right dives (has been the case for me in Osaka and Sapporo).

That shopping mall is Canal City ... now that brings back some good memories for me as the last time I wandered through it on the way back to the hotel (we stayed at the ANA Crown Plaza near the station) there was a sound check going on for some live music later on in the afternoon ... the sound check was reasonable so I ended up hanging around to hear the actual show (which was free) and even picked up the two groups indie CDs.
 
The best way to find good Ramen, is to find the biggest queue to something that resembles a restraunt (maybe a menu, in Japanese of course) join said queue and then eat some delicious Ramen as fast as you can. Pay and get out. So many times we'd see a queue and just join it, never failed once.

If your brave enough;

https://www.yummyjapan.net/kagaya-craziest-restaurant-tokyo/

I never went, but a girl I met there did. It sounds mental.
 
Begbie said:
The best way to find good Ramen, is to find the biggest queue to something that resembles a restraunt (maybe a menu, in Japanese of course) join said queue and then eat some delicious Ramen as fast as you can. Pay and get out. So many times we'd see a queue and just join it, never failed once.
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So, so true ... and not just for ramen ...
 
Begbie said:
A few times we'd go in, and get told "no English" so we'd just ask for food eventually through broken Japanese/English. Again, always good.
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I plan to do that, just follow the locals, well, problem is my itinerary will be crazy so I don't want to spend hours queuing. The list of places to eat would be a back up of sorts if I can't see anything else I fancy, but I really can't imagine I can't find anything good.

As for ordering in Japanese, going to rely on google translate a lot I think, and a lot of pointing.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I plan to do that, just follow the locals, well, problem is my itinerary will be crazy so I don't want to spend hours queuing. The list of places to eat would be a back up of sorts if I can't see anything else I fancy, but I really can't imagine I can't find anything good.

As for ordering in Japanese, going to rely on google translate a lot I think, and a lot of pointing.
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Most of the places with queues are so quick, you go in, you eat, you get out.
 
Hotel in Hiroshima booked!

Got a 50% discount because I booked a flight through Expedia. Bonus !

There sure is some weird people writing reviews.

First the good- beautiful hotel, handy for lots of tourist sites. Spacious, clean room with fabulous view over the Peace Park. Breakfast- amazing.

Not so good- staff bowing as we entered the hotel, the lift etc and even worse kneeling when taking order in restaurant at the top of building made us very uncomfortable.
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memyselfandi said:
I'd make the following comments ....
- Personally, I've been to Hakone a couple of time and thought that it was massively overrated. But I suspect that this depends a lot on where you stay there.
- Traveling to Fukuoka and working your way back up sounds like a good idea. The only potential issue is that there isn't much luggage space on the shinkansen so traveling with a large suitcase could be an issue (I normally use a smaller case for the periods of my holidays I'm outside Tokyo (think cabin bag size) and leave my large suitcase in the Tokyo hotel. Make sure you have okonomiyaki in Hiroshima as it's different from varieties you get in Osaka and Tokyo.
- Depending on the time of year you go you might need to make sure you have a backup plan if you are flying internally. I've only done it once (New Chitose (Sapporo) to Kansai (Osaka)) but was very lucky as the last big typhoon of the season was bearing down on Osaka and it was very touch and go whether we would be able to fly (we were the last plane into Kansai airport before it was closed and they were shutting down the rail station as we got into Osaka) .... if we hadn't we would have been stuck in Hokkaido. If you are flying internationally on a Japanese carrier you might be able to get a deal on any internal flights (I know JAL have done this in the past although I don't know if they have any offers on at the moment).

Roll on Autumn 2018 for my next trip ...
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btw, where should I go to get okonomiyaki in Hiroshima?
 
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Raymond Lin said:
Hotel in Hiroshima booked!
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Sorry, I am sure others have made similarly distasteful posts in this thread (I admit to not reading all)

But really, first thought on seeing this was..

Is this "A lightning doesn't strike twice" strategy?:D

(In all seriousness, I had Dinner with a GF last night who is actually really worried :( about the current state of affairs, I don't think that making a toast to the effect that we had lived another day and had another one to look forward to actually cheered her up much....:p )
 
Orionaut said:
00

Sorry, I am sure others have made similarly distasteful posts in this thread (I admit to not reading all)

But really, first thought on seeing this was..

Is this "A lightning doesn't strike twice" strategy?:D

(In all seriousness, I had Dinner with a GF last night who is actually really worried :( about the current state of affairs, I don't think that making a toast to the effect that we had lived another day and had another one to look forward to actually cheered her up much....:p )
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Worrying about Trump?

That's out of my control, I am not worried about it.

I have now booked stays in Osaka and Kyoto, basically 1st week's accommodation sorted. Now to sort out Hakone and then Tokyo. It seems the closer I am getting towards Tokyo, the more expensive the rooms in the hotels are ! Osaka was cheap, found a great place for £50 near the castle. Kyoto is okay-ish, staying in a decent place near the station for best transport as this is one place I have the most shrines and places to see.

Hakone….only a quick look but it seems everywhere is like £300 for 1 night….I've budgeted £2k for accommodation for the 14 days (but aiming for £100 per day if possible), 7 days down and £675 spent so I am on target, so far.

neocon said:
I recommend going to an onsen. Hakone is close to kanto and has many onsen hotels.
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Can to recommend one?
 
Raymond Lin said:
Worrying about Trump?

That's out of my control, I am not worried about it.

I have now booked stays in Osaka and Kyoto, basically 1st week's accommodation sorted. Now to sort out Hakone and then Tokyo. It seems the closer I am getting towards Tokyo, the more expensive the rooms in the hotels are ! Osaka was cheap, found a great place for £50 near the castle. Kyoto is okay-ish, staying in a decent place near the station for best transport as this is one place I have the most shrines and places to see.

Hakone….only a quick look but it seems everywhere is like £300 for 1 night….I've budgeted £2k for accommodation for the 14 days (but aiming for £100 per day if possible), 7 days down and £675 spent so I am on target, so far.



Can to recommend one?
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I think I might of paid 2-300 for my wife and I for the night.

Yes onsens aren't cheap, it's a lot but it's because you get dinner and breakfast included. They often serve dinner in your room and you get loads of courses.

Plus you can have an onsen bath in your room which is awesome if you get a better room. Public bath is fine though.

You might be able to do a day trip to Hakone as there are things to do besides the onsens. There is a cable car up to caldera and you can ride on a pirate ship across the lake.
 
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