Tokyo

Hello from Tokyo!

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Phil

Note: Sorry for the delay on getting this post live and the lack of photos. We’re having a bit of trouble getting online in Japan. More to follow once we get set…

Konnichiwa from Japan! Brooke and I have completed the journey from Auckland, New Zealand to Tokyo, Japan trading in a quiet pacific island nation for a much busier pacific island nation. Our two flights on China Southern (11 hours from Auckland to Guangzhou and then another 4 from Guangzhou to Tokyo) were easy going, luxurious and comfortable. We embraced the opportunity to spend some quality time in the China Southern First Class Lounges in both airports. Man, that lounge in Guangzhou is like traveler’s Shangri La. Private shower room? Yes, please. Sure, we may be making our way through each country in hostels and shared bathrooms while on the ground, but we’re living in the lap of luxury and doing it in style while we’re flying on this SkyMiles reward business class ticket.

We did face a small roadblock when we were told that only one carry on bag would be allowed while flying out of Auckland per the airport’s universal best practice. Completely new info. Part of our whole packing structure was based on the plan to never have to check a single bag, so that went out the window. No harm done – our bags arrived safely in Japan. Landing at Narita International Airport, we sailed through customs and immigration. In fact, aside from an episode regarding Beef Jerky confiscation (seriously), we haven’t had a single issue or question while arriving in any country so far. Fingers crossed that keeps up.

To make our arrival even sweeter, we were greeted by Brooke’s second cousin the minute we walked out of customs. Gaye has lived in Japan for twenty-five years teaching English at Camp Zama – a U.S. Army base just outside of Tokyo in Sagamihara City. She’s been an informative, excited, local guide who has already provided a wealth of information (probably more than we can remember!) on life in Japan, the military base and even the language. For example, “Don’t touch my moustache” is a helpful way to remember the phrase for “You’re welcome.” That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Gaye, who Brooke hasn’t seen in over two decades, has been kind enough to let us stay at her place on base in Tokyo while we’re here. What an amazing re source we’re lucky to have! We even found a welcome gift bag on our bed that included, among other things, Asparagus Cookies.

Earlier tonight, we took the long but scenic bus ride on the Camp Zama shuttle from Narita to the base passing through Tokyo and Yokohama which saved us some cash. Gaye pointed out the sites, told stories about last year’s giant earthquake and gave us the rundown of life in Japan. We got our first taste for how large and populated the area is. curiously enough, we saw two (and possibly three) gargantuan Ferris wheels driving through town. We’re back to being in a hot climate which gives us a chance to break out the shorts. We must concede that we are a little overwhelmed upon arriving in a truly foreign country.We’ve been attempting to digest complicated, involved looking train maps, reviewing our options for what to explore and absorbing the sites, sounds, language and more. Whew! The first eight hours in Japan have been quite the immersion!

So, now on to the second leg of our trip, the itinerary tells us that we have nine days to explore, discover and immerse ourselves in Japan. We’ve got our money belts loaded and locked on us, our JR Rail Pass ready to be cashed in and eager to burst out and explore this new land. In short, ready to get our Nippon on!

Categories: China Southern, City Visits, Customs, Destinations, Exploring, Japan, Tokyo | 2 Comments

More Prepping for our Japan visit

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Phil

Continuing our post from yesterday, we’re looking forward to our time in Japan – our second stop on our Round The World trip.

To get set, we recently bought a pair of seven-day JR Rail Passes to help us transverse Japan which has a land area about the size of California. After doing some research, The JR Rail Pass seems like our best bet for getting around Japan. While the cost of the second-class ticket set us back a sweet $350 per pass, it looks like it is going to be money well spent. The pass covers you for a seat on just about any long-distance train (including the famed Shinkasen bullet train), intra-city travel and ferries. There are exceptions on locations, but overall this is designed for tourists. You must purchase the pass before you get to Japan. The handy staff at the Morningside Heights 112th street STA helped get us set.

Yesterday, we shared some feedback from our friend Dax who lived in Japan for a number of years. Below are some more of his incredibly helpful tips based on his own extensive experiences:

Like New York, trains in Tokyo run local and express (plus sometimes super-express). Unlike New York, the trains don’t run at night, so make sure to find out what time your last train leaves. The last train often doesn’t go all the way to the end of the line, so also make sure that it will stop at your station.  If you end up stranded, though, no one minds if you sleep on the station floor. When buying tickets, the price varies depending on the distance, even inside the cities (New York felt like an all-you-can-ride-buffet after Japan), so you have to put your ticket in the turnstile both entering and leaving the station.

 Just for the hell of it, I recommend riding a train at rush hour, simply for the adrenalizing madness. It literally feels like being at the very front of a music festival crowd. I would try to convey the crush to friends and family, but when they visited me, they would still get on a mildly crowded train and say: “Wow, this train is crowded!” And I would say: “Haven’t you read my emails? Do you have both feet on the floor? Does your body not feel like it’s wrapped with a python? Then this train is not crowded.”

 Summer is festival time in Japan, so if you ever see crowds of people and music, go in. The Japanese never mind foreigners entering their festivals. If you see people doing a coordinated dance in a circle, jump in and try to follow along. The Japanese around you will probably laugh and show you how to do the dance.

 For train travel, Excellent portable snacks are onigiri, which are seaweed-wrapped rice balls with a little filling like tuna or pickles. You can buy these in any convenience store. The plastic wrappers are very conveniently designed if you know the correct way to open them, so ask a Japanese person (like the clerk) to show you how.

I think Lonely Planet makes the best guidebooks for Japan (and just about every other country).

Have fun and good luck!!

 

Categories: Japan, Rail, Tokyo, Trip Prep | Tags: , , | 9 Comments

Looking ahead to Japan

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Phil

Yet another question we are asked frequently is, “Which stop are you most looking forward to on your trip?” Certainly hard to choose just one stop since we love each stop we’ve chosen. However, we would have to say that Japan is the country that holds the most intrigue.

We think that the ten days we will spend in Japan are truly going to be like visiting nowhere else. And we really know very little about the country, culture and people which only makes it more exciting.  I had one friend tell me that leaving your chopsticks stuck in rice during a meal is incredibly bad social etiquette and another tell me that most of Tokyo is like Times Square times ten.  But that’s about it.

We’ve relied on others to give us some tips. Our friend, wordsmith and long-time Japan resident Dax Oliver offered us some sensational insight on places outside of Tokyo to explore. Dax lived in the Tokyo area for about eight years in the 00’s working and exploring the country, so we’ve decided he’s probably a better source for info than watching “Lost in Translation” yet again (where the only thing we learned is that for relaxing times, to make it Suntory Whiskey time.)

I’m assuming that you’re already planning to hit places like Mt. Fuji, the Imperial Palace, and the National Museum, so they’re not listed here. These are a bit more off the beaten path. I recommend looking up these locations on Google Street View too, because most Japanese streets have no names. Really. That U2 song was actually about finding an address in Tokyo.

I’ve only been to Kyoto once, so I can’t give you many recommendations there, but it’s definitely worth a few days. Don’t go to Osaka –there’s nothing to do there if you’re a traveler. There’s also nothing really in Nagoya or Yokohama either.

If you have time, Hiroshima is worth a day to see everything about the nuclear bomb. It’ll really drive home the horror of nuclear weapons. On a nearby island in the Inland Sea is also one of Japan’s three official “Best Scenic Landscapes”. I don’t know if I’d say that, but the Inland Sea (a stretch of ocean between the major islands of Honshu and Shikoku) can be very pretty. Hiroshima also has good oysters.

Himeji Castle is worth a half-day, since it’s one of the only original castles left in Japan (at least the materials are original – the castle was taken apart and put back together in the 1950s). It’s also the most beautiful castle in the country, which is why it wasn’t burned down after the Meiji Restoration. Himeji is on the bullet train line.

If you want to eat something weird that you can’t normally get in the States, my most practical suggestion is natto – fermented soy beans. I love it and the best way for you to try it is the breakfast menu at Yoshinoya restaurants (they’re all over the city).  It’s only served in the morning, though. I was also partial to raw horse meat, so try it if you can find it, but it’s very rare in Tokyo (no pun intended).

More from Dax and more on Japan tomorrow!

Categories: Doccuments, Japan, Rail, Tokyo, Trip Prep | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

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