Anyone travel to Japan alone?

[bousozoku]

I do find that strange irony as well.

Where is it? Erm... From the JR Shinjuku, the East Exit (or izzit?) seems to be dominated by predominately government buildings. Whilst the West Exit seems to be all places entertainment and a little sleaze.

i guess this strange paradox is what draws people to Japan though.

It's been a while for me but the east exit used to have the Jumbo Tron on top of Studio Alta, which was a gathering place for younger Japanese. I think kabuki-cho wasn't more than 30 minutes walk but I couldn't find it again. I bet I could find Sakuraya and Yodobashi Camera shops, though.

I wonder if the Curry Rice shop is still at the Shinjuku station. Mmmmmm. I miss that kind of thing in the U.S.A. The food, the people, the shopping. Now, I want to return home.

I remember seeing a TV programme, the angmo took the pics of the thing that he might need with his h/p, so when he was in Japan, he just show the pics and got what he wanted, don't need to speak.

That's a good idea. Someone going to a restaurant with the very beautiful plastic food out front can just point to one of them and say "kore kudasai" (this please) and the restaurant workers will understand.

 

[tionghan]

if u smoke, japan will be a heaven for you !! why?
1)cheap..
2) everywhere can smoke ( even while waiting for train)
3) everywhere can buy ( vending machine)
4) everyone is smoking ( people there dun give u a face when your smoke accideantally fly pass them)

ha back to topic... i backpack there with my wife during our honeymoon. tokyo and osaka..

if u intend to travel from city to city.. Get a JR pass..( u can get it here first from the travel agency) that'll save u some $.. but if you only travel within tokyo.. just use coins..

i only read and speaking mandarin and english.. more than enough there. most of the ppl there understand single english word.. most of the signs have english or chinese..

only thing is when u order food.. most of it is in japanese unless u buy ticket from vending machine, they have pic with it!

u might also look out for crowd especially during weekends. avoid if u dun like cos its like......

 

[jsbn]

It's been a while for me but the east exit used to have the Jumbo Tron on top of Studio Alta, which was a gathering place for younger Japanese. I think kabuki-cho wasn't more than 30 minutes walk but I couldn't find it again. I bet I could find Sakuraya and Yodobashi Camera shops, though.

Hahaha... U definitely can. But JR Shinjuku is like a bloody maze of sorts. I quake each time I plan my trip and see that I have to exit at Shinjuku Station and walk to my destination. I'll have to allocate at least 20mins to get myself out of the maze...

I wonder if the Curry Rice shop is still at the Shinjuku station. Mmmmmm. I miss that kind of thing in the U.S.A. The food, the people, the shopping. Now, I want to return home.

Isn't there a supermarket of sorts selling international food in the States in your area? :dunno: Compared to Indian Curry, Japanese Curry is so much easier to prepare since its all in chocolate-like bars I feel.

I'm not sure which Curry Rice shop u refer to at Shinjuku, but the one I went to on my last trip was diagonally opposite Sakuraya and along the main road. Perfect food for the cold. :thumbsup:

That's a good idea. Someone going to a restaurant with the very beautiful plastic food out front can just point to one of them and say "kore kudasai" (this please) and the restaurant workers will understand.

Actually, its more interesting if one knows how to read Hiragana and start ordering food that sounds good but had never tried before. Hehehehe~~~~ Kinda like 'anticipating' what kinda food will be coming, opening a present of sorts. :sweatsm:

 

[jsbn]

if u smoke, japan will be a heaven for you !! why?
1)cheap..
2) everywhere can smoke ( even while waiting for train)
3) everywhere can buy ( vending machine)
4) everyone is smoking ( people there dun give u a face when your smoke accideantally fly pass them)

ha back to topic... i backpack there with my wife during our honeymoon. tokyo and osaka..

if u intend to travel from city to city.. Get a JR pass..( u can get it here first from the travel agency) that'll save u some $.. but if you only travel within tokyo.. just use coins..

i only read and speaking mandarin and english.. more than enough there. most of the ppl there understand single english word.. most of the signs have english or chinese..

only thing is when u order food.. most of it is in japanese unless u buy ticket from vending machine, they have pic with it!

u might also look out for crowd especially during weekends. avoid if u dun like cos its like......

Lemme guess....

Harajuku?

Diagonally across this traffic junction is a fast food restaurant called "Lottera" (or something like dat) right?

 

[eikin]

if u smoke, japan will be a heaven for you !! why?
1)cheap..
2) everywhere can smoke ( even while waiting for train)
3) everywhere can buy ( vending machine)
4) everyone is smoking ( people there dun give u a face when your smoke accideantally fly pass them)

actually the rules have changed, now most stations ban smoking, except some that still allow smoking during a certain period of the day within an allocated smoking point :sweat: in many areas (especially within the main city areas) you're not allowed to smoke while walking on the streets. actually people are starting to quit smoking, though quite slowly.

 

[clicknick]

Is it a good time to holiday in Tokyo in early decmber? Is it too cold? Alot of places of interest close during winter? Got snow storm like Europe?

 

[TMC]

Is it a good time to holiday in Tokyo in early decmber? Is it too cold? Alot of places of interest close during winter? Got snow storm like Europe?

that one can always check their weather report

 

[jsbn]

Is it a good time to holiday in Tokyo in early decmber? Is it too cold? Alot of places of interest close during winter? Got snow storm like Europe?

Are u kidding? December's the best time!

That's for me. Not sure for u. :bsmilie:

 

[bousozoku]

Hahaha... U definitely can. But JR Shinjuku is like a bloody maze of sorts. I quake each time I plan my trip and see that I have to exit at Shinjuku Station and walk to my destination. I'll have to allocate at least 20mins to get myself out of the maze...

Well, that's because it has many connections with trains from private companies like Odakyu all the way from Kanagawa prefecture, but only a couple of national lines like Yamanote, I believe.

Isn't there a supermarket of sorts selling international food in the States in your area? :dunno: Compared to Indian Curry, Japanese Curry is so much easier to prepare since its all in chocolate-like bars I feel.

Actually, you can get S&B Curry at American style grocery stores and it's possible to get the ready to eat packages in the Korean grocery store where I go every 2 weeks or so. It's not the same as going to an all-you-can-eat curry restaurant. I do like the Japanese curry because of the beef stock but that would be difficult to sell to the Indian people most likely. The Korean curry I've seen is golden only.

I'm not sure which Curry Rice shop u refer to at Shinjuku, but the one I went to on my last trip was diagonally opposite Sakuraya and along the main road. Perfect food for the cold. :thumbsup:

As I recall, there were a number of stores, including that restaurant which were physically attached to the train station, so you didn't have to exit into the cold. I could smell the curry from inside the station.

Actually, its more interesting if one knows how to read Hiragana and start ordering food that sounds good but had never tried before. Hehehehe~~~~ Kinda like 'anticipating' what kinda food will be coming, opening a present of sorts. :sweatsm:

I never quite thought of it that way, though I couldn't always make out every menu item without help. Then again, U.S. Chinese food is a bit of a mystery until you get it but if it has Chinese characters, it's simple to tell what kind of meat or seafood is there. I don't think any Chinese in Asia would like the food in the U.S.A. because they have foods you never knew existed.

 

[clicknick]

Are u kidding? December's the best time!

That's for me. Not sure for u. :bsmilie:

Ok, thanks. Running out of ideas for holiday destinations in Dec liao.

 

[TMC]

dec when?

 

[jsbn]

Ok, thanks. Running out of ideas for holiday destinations in Dec liao.

P/S: Dun travel thru 23rd & 24th December as well as 30th & 31st December.

Japan Public Holidays FYI. And the shops are closed on 1st January 2007 (unless u wanna go & visit shrines and S.Q.U.E.E.Z.E if u're ok with it).

 

[eikin]

P/S: Dun travel thru 23rd & 24th December as well as 30th & 31st December.

Japan Public Holidays FYI. And the shops are closed on 1st January 2007 (unless u wanna go & visit shrines and S.Q.U.E.E.Z.E if u're ok with it).

yah ... japanese ''celebrate'' christmas on 24th dec (you see people going around with log cakes) ... don't ask me why :bsmilie: ... most people go on leave on the last week of the year, but i think the sounding of the bells on new year day's midnight can be quite an interesting scene, be prepared to freeze abit though :sweat:

 

[TMC]

freeze? what freeze? go and squeeze and collect money that is flying through the air. :bsmilie: helmet required.

 

[clicknick]

dec when?

1st week

 

[tionghan]

Lemme guess....

Harajuku?

Diagonally across this traffic junction is a fast food restaurant called "Lottera" (or something like dat) right?

haha that's right

actually the rules have changed, now most stations ban smoking, except some that still allow smoking during a certain period of the day within an allocated smoking point :sweat: in many areas (especially within the main city areas) you're not allowed to smoke while walking on the streets. actually people are starting to quit smoking, though quite slowly.

oh no... .. there goes my heaven:sweatsm: