There is one obstacle with mailing stuff to yourself in the US: you lose out on your duty free exemption.
There is one obstacle with mailing stuff to yourself in the US: you lose out on your duty free exemption.I'm almost certain I'd be mailing myself stuff home from a Hard Off or two.
Kamakura as a day trip was originally on the list, but we decided to spend that day to go to Costco instead .Looks like you had a great trip. Here's my biased hot take from someone who's traveled to Japan 4 times a year for 16 years. Avoid Kyoto and go anywhere else, kamakura is a great alternative to get your temple fix in. I took my wife to Kyoto for as a first time jp visitor one time and we had a miserable time doing the tourist thing in Kyoto because the lines were ridiculous for everything. I felt like it was a waste of 2 days. I also understand that not many people would take my advice esp if they don't go to Japan that often, since it's usually a once in a lifetime type of trip for many. But I feel that you can get the same feel for the temples in alot of other cities while avoiding crowds. I just really hated the damn crowds
Also, I wish I had done this sooner but bring back more car parts than I had. Lol
Looks like you had a great trip. Here's my biased hot take from someone who's traveled to Japan 4 times a year for 16 years. Avoid Kyoto and go anywhere else, kamakura is a great alternative to get your temple fix in. I took my wife to Kyoto for as a first time jp visitor one time and we had a miserable time doing the tourist thing in Kyoto because the lines were ridiculous for everything. I felt like it was a waste of 2 days. I also understand that not many people would take my advice esp if they don't go to Japan that often, since it's usually a once in a lifetime type of trip for many. But I feel that you can get the same feel for the temples in alot of other cities while avoiding crowds. I just really hated the damn crowds
Also, I wish I had done this sooner but bring back more car parts than I had. Lol
Anywhere tourist oriented is going to be pricy. and anywhere is fucking hot in japan in the summer until pretty much october lol. i remember having to go back to my hotel to take a shower in the middle of the day when i was in kyoto one time.-NGL here in June Kyoto wasn't bad. It was downright sleepy compared to Tokyo.
Tokyo... Kinda sucks ngl. Crowded, hot as fuck (95F and 80% humidity today), and not even particularly cheap compared to Kyoto and some other smaller towns.
I mean it's still a cool place to visit, but I've kinda been underwhelmed by everything since seeing Kyoto/Osaka etc. It's like a worse version of both sort of mushed together.
Funny, we loved Kyoto. However, for many of the temples and shrines, we got an early start, which avoided a lot of the crowds. And other areas of Kyoto (Imperial Gardens, Nijo Castle) didn't have much in the way of lines or crowds.Looks like you had a great trip. Here's my biased hot take from someone who's traveled to Japan 4 times a year for 16 years. Avoid Kyoto and go anywhere else, kamakura is a great alternative to get your temple fix in. I took my wife to Kyoto for as a first time jp visitor one time and we had a miserable time doing the tourist thing in Kyoto because the lines were ridiculous for everything. I felt like it was a waste of 2 days. I also understand that not many people would take my advice esp if they don't go to Japan that often, since it's usually a once in a lifetime type of trip for many. But I feel that you can get the same feel for the temples in alot of other cities while avoiding crowds. I just really hated the damn crowds
Also, I wish I had done this sooner but bring back more car parts than I had. Lol
Yeah, i guess I did really enjoy it too more often than not in general. It was the one time i went with my wife it was such a shitty experience (i'm talking about shuffling up to fushimi inari, not being able to see anything but people in front of you) and i can only imagine it's gotten even more crowded. Btw, My favorite temple there is nanzen ji, love the aqueducts they have there.Funny, we loved Kyoto. However, for many of the temples and shrines, we got an early start, which avoided a lot of the crowds. And other areas of Kyoto (Imperial Gardens, Nijo Castle) didn't have much in the way of lines or crowds.
Nanzen Ji was awesome. We were there on our last Kyoto day in the early morning. Few people and very peaceful at that time. We then walked north along the Philosopher's Path to check out a few more shrines and templesYeah, i guess I did really enjoy it too more often than not in general. It was the one time i went with my wife it was such a shitty experience (i'm talking about shuffling up to fushimi inari, not being able to see anything but people in front of you) and i can only imagine it's gotten even more crowded. Btw, My favorite temple there is nanzen ji, love the aqueducts they have there.
When I was a kid my grandmother made the Osaka style too, but after trying Hiroshima style there was no going back for me lol-Okonomiyaki is a staple at our house, but not the Hiroshima style with the noodz. We missed it this round but we'll make it at home a few times and then have it again on our next trip out here.
Not the same of course, but the Ichiran instant ramen kit is fantastic. I'm not a ramen expert, but it compares quite well to good L.A. ramen shops. Unfortunately it's absurdly expensive, so I'm better off going to a restaurant.Never heard anything good about Ichiran. But who had the best fried chicken between Family Mart, Lawsons, and 7-11?
We found the small rooms a lot. Part of the problem is there are too many hotel choices and it's hard to really judge their size.The Ms Hotel we stayed in Kyoto was near Nijo castle, and was also among small houses in the residential area. it was near a grocery store and have few great restaurants near by. Few blocks to bus stations or the train station. But the rooms were too small.
Did the room in Nakatsugawa has private onsen? I was initially trying to booking an place with private onsen attach to the room... but they were very pricey to almost $400 a night!We've done OK this trip with rooms. First room in Kyoto was a live in / extended stay hotel with a kitchen-ette and was very spacious.
Second room in Nakatsugawa were onsen rooms, super tiny 500 sqft things and were pretty tight (needed two of them). Luckily we travel with the expectation that our rooms are there for us to sleep, not hang out in, so time there was limited.
Third room in Tokyo is a ryokan style with 4 mats on the floor and an in unit bathroom. It's reasonably spacious but again is really a glorified crashpad after 12 hours of hauling ass all over Tokyo. Really like the traditional japanese sleeping arrangement,
Our last room will be a more standard Western style hotel room near Tokyo Disney Sea.
Fun and diverse set of sleeping arrangements all around this trip.
yeah, most hotels or ryokan style inns were great for one or two person, but not three or more.We found the small rooms a lot. Part of the problem is there are too many hotel choices and it's hard to really judge their size.
In Kyoto, we stayed in the Hyatt Place right above a subway station. It was definitely more western style room, with more space, and we had a room facing the interior courtyard, so it was super quiet at night. (It helped that I had points to get 2 nights free). It was also nicely located for bus lines that went out to the eastern side of the city of temples and shrines. It was also a little removed from the central shopping district, so it was never very crowded. It was also about a 20-25 minute walk to Nijo Castle down some very quiet side streets.
Our Tokyo hotels (one in Shibuya and onenin Akasaka) were both on the small side. Not necessarily great rooms to be in as a couple and needing time to unwind or spread out.
Just Do It! (no, not promoting Nike here! XD)I went to Japan last year with the family. We stayed at the Disney Hotel, and we could see the park from our room. We went to a bunch of touristy places, the Godzilla head hotel, and temples (the one in the first picture). We also went to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. I want to go back again.