https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:59:21 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1406056 Sat, 06 Dec 2014 01:06:27 +0000 Jules 1406056@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I got around Kyoto fine, although ordering food mostly involved pointing at plastic models or other's dishes! I really loved the train station itself. It was a pretty walkable city too. Although I loved all the old castles, zen gardens, romantic bridges, etc, leave some time for non-touristy exploration/shopping - the contemporary esthetic is as amazing as the classic one. For example, basement of Daimaru department store is a huge food hall to delight all senses. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1405833 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:07:03 +0000 merwoman 1405833@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Late to the party - but wish I was going with you!<br />The&nbsp;Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto&nbsp;is breathtaking, also don't miss the Golden palace...try to get there late afternoon as sun is setting. &nbsp;Skip the snow monkeys near Arashiyama - you don't have enough time. Bus system in Kyoto is super easy to figure out - even for the directionally challenged (me).<br />Green tea cream puffs! available from a truck outside some of the temples.<br />Fabulous meal to be had at&nbsp;<div><br /> Sobanomi Yoshimura,&nbsp;Matsuyacho, Shimogyoku,<br /> <span>Kyoto,&nbsp;<br />You must go to the Fish market area in Tokyo - maybe when you arrive since you will be wide awake in the early hours.&nbsp;<br />WiFi is very spotty - I rented my own device that I could use my cell phone with (in airport mode). PM me if you want more details.</span></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1405549 Thu, 04 Dec 2014 23:02:02 +0000 Mochi 1405549@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yokohama is just a nice port city that's easily accessible to Tokyo. Also it has a good Chinatown. Japanese-Chinese food.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1405317 Thu, 04 Dec 2014 16:21:46 +0000 Diana 1405317@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, Angie and L'Abeille! I think we are going to do a guided food tour in Tokyo, not sure we have time for that in Kyoto but I will look into it! </p> <p>Angie, is there something in particular about Yokohama that you'd recommend? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404964 Wed, 03 Dec 2014 22:26:04 +0000 L'Abeille 1404964@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My daughter went to Japan recently. She discovered halfway through her time in Osaka that she should have bought the "Osaka Amazing Pass" which would have given discounts on most of the attractions she had already seen. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404849 Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:18:16 +0000 Angie 1404849@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Pack me in your suitcase.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404848 Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:16:17 +0000 Angie 1404848@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>SO FUN.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hmmm. You need someone around who speaks Japanese - especially in Kyoto. We hung out with a local and the had the BEST food. Nothing is in English in Kyoto. Perhaps you can hire a guide?&nbsp; </p> <p>I highly recommend Yokohama. That was the best part of Japan for Greg and me. And you MUST go to Harajuku in Tokoyo. The street fashion will blow your mind. Ginza is suppose to be amazing too.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404517 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:59:49 +0000 Diana 1404517@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh wow!&nbsp; Thank you so much for all the suggestions!&nbsp; </p> <p>I don't know how much time I'll have to do things in Osaka, as that's the actual work portion of the trip.&nbsp; (My sister will be free to sightsee though!)&nbsp; </p> <p>I also wish I had planned for more time in Kyoto!&nbsp; (Which seems to be a common theme among visitors to Japan....) There are like a million things I want to do there, and we only have 2 days.&nbsp; Ha, I'm already planning my second trip.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404452 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 19:50:40 +0000 Rambling Ann 1404452@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>a few&nbsp;thoughts after 4 trips over 15 years. DH has science connections, when we are on their per diem it is a far different experience than our add-on travel days, but always worth it.</p> <p>Kyoto-Nishiki market, arcade a couple blocks long of food vendors. We went with DH's Japanese hosts from Nagoya and even they had no idea what some of the food was.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kyoto-Fushimi Inari, 100s of tori gates. It's 2-3 stops away from Kyoto on a commuter line. Jump off the train and walk a couple hundred yards. I would love to see it in the snow.</p> <p>Nara-just go, it's a day trip from Kyoto. Eat hot baked potatoes from the park vendors, feed the deer.&nbsp;</p> <p>Osaka-we did the castle, but if I were doing it again, and we got to Osaka at the end of the trip, I'd skip the high culture and look for quirky.&nbsp;I'd go to the&nbsp;Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum just because. And I'd try to get tickets to the&nbsp;<span>National Bunraku Theater.<br /></span><br />Tokyo- was there only in the heat of summer, miserable. Can only imagine that winter is equally damp. I kind of doubt the river tour boats are going in the winter, but it was an interesting view of the city.&nbsp;</p> <p>Tokyo-fish market. Was there in the 90s, have heard they have made it more tourist friendly. Work out how to get there as early as possible which means the subway might not be running, get the hotel people to help. It was a good thing to do on the day we flew out to start the jet lag transition early. I think we were up by 3:30.</p> <p>Two of our best experiences were picked up from posters I saw in the subways, a Japanese&nbsp;circus performance, and a children's pageant/reenactment of the rise and fall of a samurai emperor at the foot of the Nagoya castle. I took photos of the posters, showed them to the concierge or our guide and insisted they help us go. We never could get baseball tickets though.</p> <p>Keeping costs down-we ate a lot of meals on our own ticket&nbsp;in the train stations, which extend for blocks below ground. Loads of options that regular folk can afford. We grabbed Bento boxes for daytime sightseeing, soba noodles for night, even French pastry cafes. I can do most exotic Japanese food but prefer not to have fish for breakfast and DH needs his coffee. &nbsp;Now there are Circle Ks all over the place for more familiar snack foods and soda dependency fixes.&nbsp;</p> <p>One weird cultural thing that may have changed-there are tons of vending machines on the streets, but it seemed&nbsp;you were supposed to drink your beverage AT the machine, not walk on the street with it. Once I found the Circle Ks it was easier to get a cold drink and find a bench at a park or shrine.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404437 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 19:19:12 +0000 Gail 1404437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I lived in Japan in the early 90's but didn't do too much traveling as I had an infant and a 3 year old . However I do have a few suggestions. I would certainly take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto. Go to the old part of the city. We lived in Minamu Azabu which is in Minato Ku very close to the center of Tokyo. Definitely go to Shibuya, they have some neat stores there and also go to Roppongi which has a lot of interesting nightlife . &nbsp;Ginza has the really cool department stores and you should look for the way the stores greet you when you enter, they scream welcome at you in Japanese when you walk in , also happens at the gas station when you get gas! &nbsp;Near where I lived was an area called Shinohashi which was very authentic Japanese, communal bath house and all the bedding thrown over the balcony each morning. If you take the subway it really can be every man for himself during rush hour they have "pushers" to get you all on the train so the doors can be closed haha. Not great fun when you have a 3 year old and an infant in a stroller ! Another place is Azajuban (sp) that was nice to walk around. Have a great trip. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404411 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 18:20:53 +0000 Inge 1404411@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have no suggestions, as I've never been, but I just wanted to say: how brilliant!!! Hope you'll have an amazing time!-) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404372 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:38:35 +0000 MsMary 1404372@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>DS and I went to the aquarium in Osaka and really enjoyed it.&nbsp; Osaka Castle was also fab and well worth the trip.&nbsp; And I second the okonomiyaki!!&nbsp; Yum!!&nbsp; The shopping district is amazing -- be sure and leave lots of time for window shopping and just plain shopping.</p> <p>The best thing we did was hire a private guide via <a href="http://www.toursbylocals.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.toursbylocals.com</a>.&nbsp; It was great because we didn't have to worry about getting around, or the language, or figuring out the menu in the restaurant, or whatever.&nbsp; We only had a couple of days so we wanted to make every minute count.&nbsp; Our guide was Setsuko and we were very pleased with her:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.toursbylocals.com/TBL/WebObjects/ToursByLocals.woa/1/wo/yXXtRo3bvSDpW1QdWZKXm0/0.21" rel="nofollow">http://www.toursbylocals.com/T.....ZKXm0/0.21</a></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404365 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:25:34 +0000 Mochi 1404365@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hey, Diana. I'm repeating myself from our brunch conversation, but Kyoto should be easy--just go to the ancient part of the city. The shrines and places to go are pretty apparent from guidebooks and such. If I find out more detail, I'll let you know (I'll also ask my Japanese husband). He says that Kyoto is famous for its tofu-nabe (cubes of tofu simmered in a pot with delicately-flavored stock and vegetables).&nbsp;</p> <p>Osaka...again, I mention the o-konomiyaki savory pancake. I don't know what else--I've never been there.&nbsp;</p> <p>Tokyo: so much to try and mention. If you have the chance, see Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa (older part of the city--remember, much of Tokyo was destroyed during WWII bombing). Hmmm, what else...it's almost too much, not to mention that I've been away for almost a decade.&nbsp;</p> <p>I actually have a friend, Ray Bartlett, who lives on Cape Cod but writes Japan guidebooks for Lonely Planet! You may want to check out what he recommends.&nbsp;</p> <p>Enjoy!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/japan-suggestions-welcomed#post-1404357 Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:14:12 +0000 Diana 1404357@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm headed to Japan for a combination work/fun trip in a couple of weeks!&nbsp; I'll be traveling with my sister.&nbsp; I would love to pick everyone's brains about things to do, see, and eat there!&nbsp; We will be in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. </p>