Planning a 2 week trip to Tokyo & need some suggestions

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HiroHikari
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Planning a 2 week trip to Tokyo & need some suggestions

Post by HiroHikari » Mar 27th, '10, 02:22

I'm going to be traveling with my boyfriend to Tokyo this August. We're both Asian and gay. We wanted to hear some suggestions from any of you of must visit places and clubs in Japan to visit and or any recommended affordable places to stay there.

We'll only be in Japan for 2 weeks. Already planning on getting the JR Pass. We love fashion, art, dance, pop culture, anime, eating, tech and this will be our first vacation together in Japan. I've been there before but not since 1999. I'm guessing alot has changed haha I would love to make it as fun, enjoyable and romanctic as possible since we don't see each other often and hopefully make some new friends as well.

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated :)

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Post by ephesus » Mar 27th, '10, 02:42

heyyy, me too. When are you going? I'll be there the end of May.

My advice, go to Kyoto.

HiroHikari
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Post by HiroHikari » Mar 27th, '10, 02:44

Hahaha I put it in my post :) Beginning of Aug till the 15th of Aug. Noted!

bishonenman
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Post by bishonenman » Mar 27th, '10, 04:15

If you want to go to the mountains, Nikko is good for a day trip. Kamakura is supposed to be very nice too.

In Kyoto: Kiyomizudera, Kinkakuji, Maruyama koen, Fushimi Inari shrine, Gion (but you probably won't see the geisha sadly, they tend to hop into a taxi and run for it.

Nara for sure. The big buddha there with the deer and the Kasuga Taisha shrine

Ise: small, off the beaten path, but has a really historical Ise Shrine.

For Tokyo, the guidebook knows more places than I would. XP

sunnee-sideup
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Post by sunnee-sideup » Mar 27th, '10, 07:07

for gay clubs you definitely have to go to nichome in shinjuku. there is a bunch in a span of a couple of blocks. straight girl here, that escorts her gays to the clubs often, but it was fun to do it in a different country. and the weird part about it was i manage to get hit on by a "straight" man in a gay club (scratch my head).

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Post by ephesus » Mar 27th, '10, 11:30

sunnee-sideup wrote:... the weird part about it was i manage to get hit on by a "straight" man in a gay club (scratch my head).
Or so you like to tell yourself.

noobee
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Post by noobee » Mar 27th, '10, 12:11

Tokyo:
go to shinjuku 2 chome (gay bar)
go to ropponggi (clubs, art museums, international stuffs)
go to ueno (museums)

HiroHikari
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Post by HiroHikari » Mar 29th, '10, 22:55

Hope to get some more suggestions! Love all the suggestions thus far!

misa567
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Suggestions for upcoming Tokyo trip

Post by misa567 » Mar 30th, '10, 00:13

Hi there,

I'm sure someone has already suggested this, but if you're into anime and like Studio Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki's work, definitely go to the Ghibli Museum; it's in the Tokyo suburbs and definitely worth a visit. You need to buy tickets at least 2 weeks in advance though. If you go to the Ghibli Museum website, they will tell you which travel agency to buy tickets from since foreign visitors must buy tickets in advance (you can't buy them at the door in Tokyo).

Also, I would recommend Kichijoji (I hope my spelling is right!). It's a cool little neighborhood maybe one stop from the Ghibli Museum on the subway. I went to Tokyo in September of 2009, so this info is fairly current.

I will give other suggestions if I think of something, but I loved these 2 places and thought of them immediately.

Cheers,
Misa

ningurl
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Post by ningurl » Mar 30th, '10, 00:32

If you wanna go check out some fashion, I loved going to Harajuku (espescially Laforet) and Shibuya for clothes. Shinjuku is good too, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of it, even if I went there a kabillion times. Granted, I was mostly looking for girl stuff, but I think you can find some nice guy stuff at all those places, too. Shimokitazawa is a good place for guy clothes and second hand shops. I remember getting some awesome t-shirts there. Ikebukuro is also a fun place for fashion. If you're more into brands and just amazing architecture, Omotesando is great for that.

As for anime, don't forget to check out Akihabara! Didn't go, but all the pictures I've seen from friends who went to the maid cafes, it should be really fun. For a better and less geeky anime experience though, there's the Sunroad Shopping strip(? not really sure XD) right outside of Nakano station that is AWESOME... I can't remember the name of the place exactly, but man, that place was heaven for anime fans besides Akibahara.

I spent waaaaaay too much time in Tokyo! XD

HiroHikari
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Post by HiroHikari » Mar 31st, '10, 02:34

Those all sound great! I only see my boyfriend once or twice a year so definitely we want to have as much fun as possible. Any other clubs or places you guys would recommend? We also love pigging out together Hahaha Love the Fashion suggestions as well as the anime! Thanks everyone! Having fun reading these suggestions.

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Post by TheVinster » Mar 31st, '10, 03:03

I haven't even been to Japan, but I just wanted to suggest a YouTube user.

http://www.youtube.com/user/atomicboyx

He's also gay and goes to Temple University in Tokyo. Maybe you can watch some of his videos and get an idea on places to visit, or talk to him via direct message.

bishonenman
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Post by bishonenman » Mar 31st, '10, 10:53

ningurl wrote:If you wanna go check out some fashion, I loved going to Harajuku (espescially Laforet) and Shibuya for clothes. Shinjuku is good too, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of it, even if I went there a kabillion times. Granted, I was mostly looking for girl stuff, but I think you can find some nice guy stuff at all those places, too. Shimokitazawa is a good place for guy clothes and second hand shops. I remember getting some awesome t-shirts there. Ikebukuro is also a fun place for fashion. If you're more into brands and just amazing architecture, Omotesando is great for that.

As for anime, don't forget to check out Akihabara! Didn't go, but all the pictures I've seen from friends who went to the maid cafes, it should be really fun. For a better and less geeky anime experience though, there's the Sunroad Shopping strip(? not really sure XD) right outside of Nakano station that is AWESOME... I can't remember the name of the place exactly, but man, that place was heaven for anime fans besides Akibahara.

I spent waaaaaay too much time in Tokyo! XD
definitely agree with Harajuku and parts of Shibuya for clothes shopping. If you're into trendy clothes but not paying the trendy prices, most of the stuff at Shibuya 109-2 can be found in all the small stores around Harajuku and other parts of Shibuya. Laforet would be a better choice. Shinjuku offers clothes too, but it's more popular for kabukicho, nichome, and food.

Nakano broadway is where the cheaper anime stuff is, definitely. There's good eating around there too and shopping if you wander a bit. Take the north exit when you get to Nakano and you'll head right for it.

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Post by Ethlenn » Apr 1st, '10, 23:05

And look for hyaku en shop, you can find there funny things for really low price. Books also^^

HiroHikari
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Post by HiroHikari » Apr 5th, '10, 03:26

Wow thanks ya'll! I'm trying to put together an itinerary for all of this. Looking to try to go to some conventions there. Anything from food, to home furnishings (stylish ones), anime, dance, and or fashion conventions would be amazing. Are any notable ones going on in the beginning of August? Tried looking up flying trapeze classes there but couldnt find any. I wanna plan some unique dates there. Also a lil worried about going overweight with my luggage if I fill up all of my bags with stuff I buy from there. Does anyone know what American Airlines charges for an extra luggage or box and how much those can weigh? Btw, everyone here sounds sooooooooooooooo nice! *Waves* Wish we could all hang out. Haha

lissamae
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Post by lissamae » Apr 25th, '10, 01:25

I am not a club person, but my friends like Ageha, it is huge and also has gay nights.

As for romantic, when I went to the East Imperial Gardens, I felt like I should be with a boyfriend...so I suppose that makes it romantic?

Someone mentioned Kamakura, I really reccomend it if you are interested in temples and shrines. It is a really charming litttle town.

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Post by seirin » Apr 25th, '10, 02:55

Ethlenn wrote:And look for hyaku en shop, you can find there funny things for really low price. Books also^^
I find looking for hyaku en shops are getting more and more difficult. The big ones anyhow. They seem to be located kind of far. The big one in Shibuya is gone :<

There's a tiny one in Asakusa and odaiba. There's a medium size one at takeshita dori harajuku but that's about it. The others require more effort to get to.

For Tokyo I would recommend Harajuku Park on a Sunday. There's a lot of street performances there. Ebisu Garden is kind of interesting too (HYD :D), Akihabara where the otakus hang out and there's maid cafe bars, Asakusa, Ueno (fish market), Odaiba (dating area - rainbow bridge, statue of liberty, gundam, palette town, Fuji TV station, etc), Roppongi for bars, Shibuya and Shinjuku has a lot of eating and shopping areas, Harajuku area (Meiji Shrine and park it's pretty tranquil there, and there's the teenage hang out area eat takeshita dori. Try out the their cream pancakes. Also there's the line of lighted trees at night you see in dramas), Ikebukuro (there's a big shopping arcade), and Tokyo to see Tokyo Tower. On your way to Odaiba, you might wanna stop by Shiodome. There's a big mall and sometimes movie promotions going on there. One time I saw someone dress as spiderman. Another time there was a ship to take pictures promotiong pirates of the carribean. If you feel inclined, you can check out tokyo sky tree. It's being built and will be the world's tallest tower when it's done. Soon after of course it's gonna get beaten by Dubai's tower.

I forget where, but I think there's a few huge statues of Gundam type machines spread around Tokyo area.

At Yokohama, there's minato mirai and chinatown.

Also there's Hakone and Mt. Fuji area. Depending on the season, you may be able to hike up the mountain. Hakone has hot springs, a boat ride (Detective Conan drama), and sulpher area where people eat black eggs O_o. They cooked it with the sulpher water I think...

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Post by Ethlenn » May 6th, '10, 21:36

seirin wrote:The big one in Shibuya is gone :<
What?? I was going to visit it this Summer!!
Damn, in that case I have to look around.

Yes, they boil the eggs in sulphur hot water, but they stink unbearably...

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Post by seirin » May 6th, '10, 22:23

Here's a list of the big stores in Japan.

http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/s ... nfo05.html

dru
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Post by dru » May 23rd, '10, 16:29

Hope you find any of this useful.

Hakone: I haven't ventured to the tacky ships yet, but the Hakone Open Air Museum is a must if you do go there. The modern art is wonderful. The place for the "sulfur eggs" is Owakudani. It will stink of sulfur, but the eggs are boiled in sulfur water which turns the shells black. The eggs look normal. The legend is that each egg adds 5 years to your life.

Tokyo: Depending on what you want to see or do, there's too much to put into one. I have written a lot in the past, and you can check it out: http://blog.hinomaple.com Lots on the places you can visit as well. There isn't any one specific place I'd recommend.

If you have a JR Pass, I'd recommend going to Kansai. Head to Nara and skip Kyoto if you have the time. Nara is more peaceful and the temples are a lot closer to each other. Just beware of the deer. They'll attack you to get food, but buying some "shika-sembe" is a must. Feeding them is a lot of fun. Birthing season can be dangerous though, but mid-summer won't be bad. Plus, Kyoto is way too hot in the summer due to the basin effect.

Osaka is a good contrast to Tokyo. You can eat a ton of food there. I highly recommend it. Eat Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki. Other than that, it's not too interesting.

If you can get all the way to Hiroshima, I'd recommend going to Miyajima. It's the most beautiful place in Japan, if the weather is nice. Again, beware of the deer. The Peace Park is nice, and a must, but beware that it's a major downer due to the subject of the area. I almost ruined my trip because I was getting depressed by all the images. The museum is graphic at times, but important to understand the consequences of a nuclear bomb.

Himeji is another place I'd recommend. It's about an hour past Osaka. Take the bullet train if you have a JR Pass. The regular trains can be tough to navigate, and it's free anyways. Himeji has a fully restored white Japanese castle. It's huge. Unlike Osaka and Hiroshima, the inside is authentic. Hiroshima's castle is nothing but a concrete replica with a museum inside. Osaka has a gaudy glass elevator at the inner wall to get into the castle. Himeji is a quick day trip, or half day trip from Kyoto or Osaka.
Last edited by dru on May 19th, '12, 14:55, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by ammarashi » Jun 27th, '10, 23:28

If you like art, and since you are going to buy the JR pass, you can go to Naoshima. It's an island easy to reach where you can visit 2 museums designed by Tadao Ando, the ferry terminal by sanaa, some pumpkins from that crazy Kusama Yayoi & many other artists, japanese or not. You can visit that island in one day, by bicycle it's really good, & should count a 2nd day if you want to visit the other art island called Inujima 30min far from Naoshima by ferry. There are guest houses in Naoshima, or you can try the Tadao Ando hotel, dont remember the name, for 200$............ but everybody says it's a really good experience !! didnt try it though.

I also recommend Kurashiki, where you can spend a few hours in the old part of the city, not far from Naoshima actually. Since you'll have the JR pass it'll be very easy for you to go out there. It's really cute & traditionnal.

You can also go to Kanazawa, they say it's little Kyoto.

And just like the other members said, i'd recommend Hiroshima Miyajima Nara Osaka Kyoto MtFuji (that I might climb this summer with a friend, if you want to join...!) Yokohama Kamakura and of course Tokyo....

Oh and another thing, buy 2 yukatas, (at Uniqlo it's like 5000yen) ask some Japanese ppl to teach you how to wear them, check the fireworks dates in each towns and go to the festivals! You will experience real Japanese summer, wearing yukata, admiring the fireworks while drinking beer and eating some yakisoba or takoyaki....!

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Post by lissamae » Jun 30th, '10, 00:55

I just remembered something useful if you decide to go to Hakone, since a few people recommended it.

JR pass only covers to Odawara Station, from Odawara everything is Odakyu so I would recommend buying a Hakone free pass when you get to Odawara. It covers all transportation from Odawara all around Hakone. It is a good deal, plus makes the day a lot easier not having to buy tickets at each departure. It also gives some kid of discount at the museums and hotsprings.

Here is the website http://www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/hakone_01.html

Also, if you are planning to go to climb Fuji, after Hakone, use this pass to catch a bus to Mishima station, where you can catch another bus to Fujinomiya 5th station.

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Post by Fantastical » Jun 30th, '10, 01:20

one word..Roppongi

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