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First Time Visitor

Tireich

Soon-Too-Be-Gaijin
11 Feb 2006
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0
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I posted this in the immigration section first for some reason...I'm an idiot.

I plan on going to Japan (preferably Tokyo) for at least two weeks sometime this summer. I've been reading around this forum for a couple hours now just soaking up knowledge.

I'm not very familiar with the language and I'm sure that will be a major issue when I'm there so I'm going to study the basics so I can at least get around and order some rice wine or something. I can always pick up the Japanese for Dummies book at Borders...

Plus, I hope the showerheads in hotels aren't as low as I hear they are. I'm 6'7" and that could be a problem...

So...can anyone tell me what their first visit to Japan was like?
 
Tireich said:
I posted this in the immigration section first for some reason...I'm an idiot.
I plan on going to Japan (preferably Tokyo) for at least two weeks sometime this summer. I've been reading around this forum for a couple hours now just soaking up knowledge.
I'm not very familiar with the language and I'm sure that will be a major issue when I'm there so I'm going to study the basics so I can at least get around and order some rice wine or something. I can always pick up the Japanese for Dummies book at Borders...
Plus, I hope the showerheads in hotels aren't as low as I hear they are. I'm 6'7" and that could be a problem...
So...can anyone tell me what their first visit to Japan was like?

The first time I went was a month or so after 9/11, so as you can imagine people were a bit skittish about flying. I figured that with all the extra security that it was perfectly safe to fly. (It was.)

Naturally, it is pretty exciting to visit a country you've wanted to visit since high school (almost 30 years prior). The guide books and maps provided by JNTO were a great help. Narita airport was easy to navigate. The staff there were very helpful. I took the Narita Express into Tokyo.

I traveled alone to Japan, but I met up with friends there who had been there before, so I used their experience. I stayed at a Ryokan (Japanese-style room) in Shibuya. Except for a curfew at midnight, I enjoyed the place. The inn was conveniently close to the Bunkamura where screenings for the Tokyo International Film Festival were held, which is why I was there in the first place (courtesy of friends at Toho Co., Ltd). I had no problem with the showers (well, I am 5'11", so I am a bit shorter than you).

Since I like Japanese food, meals were no problem, although I did go to a nearby Denny's for breakfast (Western-style).

As I was there only for a week, I tried to get as much in as possible. My first full day was to tour Toho Studios. (No, Toho does not have tours there, but they knew me and knew it was my first visit to Japan.) The next day was taken up by the premiere of Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. I was covering the event for G-FAN magazine. The third day was spent taking the bullet train to Atami and I explored that city. The next day was spent exploring Tokyo. The day after that was meeting up with friends to hit Tokyo hobby stores like Mandarake.

Basically, what you'll need for Tokyo is a good map. Since addresses aren't like they are in the U.S., it will be difficult to find specific places. The subway stations have signs in Romanji, so you can read where you're at. I found a number of the locals who have a rudimentary command of English, which was sufficient to ask for assistance if the need arose. Since summers are hot with high humidity, bring light clothing (cargo shorts most definitely
for the handy pockets). I never drank so much water in my life until I was in Japan during the summer of 2004. The first trip was in autumn.

You will be surprised that Japan is a lot easier place to visit than what you may think.
 
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