Help me want to go to Japan
Oct 23rd, 2006, 10:33 AM
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Help me want to go to Japan
Husband has always wanted to go to Japan. I prefer Europe. Not sure what we would like there...the food and culture has never been our thing. Share where your favorite spot is and what you love about it. If you could only go to one area where would you go?
Oct 23rd, 2006, 11:10 AM
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Before getting to my favorite spot, which it honestly doesn't sound like you'll appreciate, I am interested in some of your comments. Why does your husband want to go? He must have a reason, what does he think he would like there?
If the culture isn't your thing, you probably won't like it and you wouldn't be interested in my favorite spots. I am not a huge fan of Japanese food, but I like it enough to eat it. The rich culture, both past and present, are great though.
If the culture isn't your thing, you probably won't like it and you wouldn't be interested in my favorite spots. I am not a huge fan of Japanese food, but I like it enough to eat it. The rich culture, both past and present, are great though.
Oct 23rd, 2006, 12:20 PM
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Hi islandmom -
Like you, my travel preferences have leaned more towards Europe and Latin American than Asia. However, I have an opportunity to go for work next month, and I find that the more I research the more facinated I'm becoming with the beauty and culture and history of Japan. This is the link of the thread where people have been helping me: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=27
Maybe you can read some of the threads here and see why people do love it so much. Good luck!
Like you, my travel preferences have leaned more towards Europe and Latin American than Asia. However, I have an opportunity to go for work next month, and I find that the more I research the more facinated I'm becoming with the beauty and culture and history of Japan. This is the link of the thread where people have been helping me: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=27
Maybe you can read some of the threads here and see why people do love it so much. Good luck!
Oct 23rd, 2006, 01:31 PM
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Well, now that I have read clbtx1's response and I think more about this, I wasn't that crazy about the idea of going to Japan when my son first decided he wanted me to take him there a few years ago. But once I started reading and got the Fodors Exploring Japan guide book (lots of good pics), it wasn't long before I started to get into it and I ended up enjoying the trip as much if not more than he did.
Telling you about my fovorite place is probably not going to do it for you at this point. Perhaps get a general guide book like the one above and see if the pictures and descriptions do it for you. I liked that the Exploring Japan one because it has a lot of cultural info and great pics, which raised my interest in the beginning. If a book and pics like that don't do it for you, I'm not sure that reading about people's special places on here will do it either.
Telling you about my fovorite place is probably not going to do it for you at this point. Perhaps get a general guide book like the one above and see if the pictures and descriptions do it for you. I liked that the Exploring Japan one because it has a lot of cultural info and great pics, which raised my interest in the beginning. If a book and pics like that don't do it for you, I'm not sure that reading about people's special places on here will do it either.
Oct 23rd, 2006, 02:00 PM
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Aloha islandmom,
My favorite spot so far is in a Nara park under a cherry blossom tree with a small creek trickling by. Had a fabulous picnic lunch there one spring afternoon. Just a small bento box with 2 ume musubi(onigiri). I drift back to the scene often while meditating.
If I could go to one area only I would probably choose Tokyo and the Shinjuku area but everyone here already knows that.
I prefer Asia to Europe mainly because the people are genuinely nicer.
There is culture, food, sightseeing and shopping in every place that we have been but you can feel people's genuine effort to please you in Asia as opposed to most everywhere else, IMHO ! Add to that the great food, culture and shopping and the added fact that so much of Asia is a much better value for your dollar and Asia starts to present itself as a much more glamous spot to visit than those old sinking Italian villas that cost and arm and a leg to see, lol, lol.(only joking).
And finally to see where all those Japanese tourists in Waikiki come from.....didn't you ever wonder?
Aloha!
My favorite spot so far is in a Nara park under a cherry blossom tree with a small creek trickling by. Had a fabulous picnic lunch there one spring afternoon. Just a small bento box with 2 ume musubi(onigiri). I drift back to the scene often while meditating.
If I could go to one area only I would probably choose Tokyo and the Shinjuku area but everyone here already knows that.
I prefer Asia to Europe mainly because the people are genuinely nicer.
There is culture, food, sightseeing and shopping in every place that we have been but you can feel people's genuine effort to please you in Asia as opposed to most everywhere else, IMHO ! Add to that the great food, culture and shopping and the added fact that so much of Asia is a much better value for your dollar and Asia starts to present itself as a much more glamous spot to visit than those old sinking Italian villas that cost and arm and a leg to see, lol, lol.(only joking).
And finally to see where all those Japanese tourists in Waikiki come from.....didn't you ever wonder?
Aloha!
Oct 23rd, 2006, 02:55 PM
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I first came to Japan 11 years ago, and at that time was not interested in anything Japanese beyond sushi. I had been offered a job, and the money was good so I took it...thinking 2 years would be good.
It's now 11 years later, different jobs for my husband and I, and we've just this past year received permanent resident status.
I love the everyday things, like the service in shops that is excellent, the great school my daughter attends (public Japanese), the friends we have made (mostly Japanese), the old mixed with the new everywhere you look.
Some of my favorite places are Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa (where we live). For bright lights and big city, I like Tokyo...in doses of a few days at most at a time.
Before living in Japan, I had no desire to come here, or to go anywhere else in Asia. Now, I'm very happy living here, one reason being I can easily travel in Asia, which I much prefer to Europe.
Should you visit Japan? I don't know. If you really can't find any aspect of it that intrigues you, it might well be a waste of time and money. Or you might be surprised and really enjoy it.
It's now 11 years later, different jobs for my husband and I, and we've just this past year received permanent resident status.
I love the everyday things, like the service in shops that is excellent, the great school my daughter attends (public Japanese), the friends we have made (mostly Japanese), the old mixed with the new everywhere you look.
Some of my favorite places are Gokayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa (where we live). For bright lights and big city, I like Tokyo...in doses of a few days at most at a time.
Before living in Japan, I had no desire to come here, or to go anywhere else in Asia. Now, I'm very happy living here, one reason being I can easily travel in Asia, which I much prefer to Europe.
Should you visit Japan? I don't know. If you really can't find any aspect of it that intrigues you, it might well be a waste of time and money. Or you might be surprised and really enjoy it.
Oct 23rd, 2006, 03:25 PM
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Did I say I am not a hug fan of Japanese food? Sorry, I forgot about okonomiyaki. I just can't get it anywhere except Japan, esp. in this little place in the Hiroshima train station, so I forget about it sometimes.
Oct 23rd, 2006, 06:50 PM
#11
you should go here:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/interests/index.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/interests/index.html
Oct 23rd, 2006, 11:35 PM
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Bonjour Islandmom,
What do you know about Japanese culture and food, and why is it not your thing ?This is not a trick question, neither is it in my intentions to criticize your tastes, but might not your impressions stem from a lack of knowledge about Japan ?
What do you know about Japanese culture and food, and why is it not your thing ?This is not a trick question, neither is it in my intentions to criticize your tastes, but might not your impressions stem from a lack of knowledge about Japan ?
Oct 24th, 2006, 08:25 AM
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Hi
Like a few of the above posters I wasn't enthusiastic at all about visiting Japan, but I've been twice now and I've had a great time (despite bad weather during cherry blossom season) both times. Here's a few things I love:
- extraordinary and often quite bizarre culture. I'm not talking temples and traditional stuff, but the modern wonders, the pop culture, the love for 'cute' things, the vending machines, the bright lights (Bladerunner!), the warm loo seats....
- the food. And the variety of food. And the freshness. Gorgeous. Just scout out the basement of a department store to see some fabulous food displays.
- the service & politeness. There may be a language barrier but boy will they make a true effort to understand what you're saying
- the technological wonders, the inventions, the minitiarisations of everything
- a drinking culture (unlike places like Hong Kong), so have a beer! My favourite place was Matsuyama cos you could just head out into the night and drop into a friendly bar and have a beer with the locals.
- the appreciation of beauty - landscapes, temples, colours, nature
- an interesting history: samurais, geishas, warlords, the atom bomb...
oops, think I raved a bit too long there! BTW, have you already been to Europe?
Like a few of the above posters I wasn't enthusiastic at all about visiting Japan, but I've been twice now and I've had a great time (despite bad weather during cherry blossom season) both times. Here's a few things I love:
- extraordinary and often quite bizarre culture. I'm not talking temples and traditional stuff, but the modern wonders, the pop culture, the love for 'cute' things, the vending machines, the bright lights (Bladerunner!), the warm loo seats....
- the food. And the variety of food. And the freshness. Gorgeous. Just scout out the basement of a department store to see some fabulous food displays.
- the service & politeness. There may be a language barrier but boy will they make a true effort to understand what you're saying
- the technological wonders, the inventions, the minitiarisations of everything
- a drinking culture (unlike places like Hong Kong), so have a beer! My favourite place was Matsuyama cos you could just head out into the night and drop into a friendly bar and have a beer with the locals.
- the appreciation of beauty - landscapes, temples, colours, nature
- an interesting history: samurais, geishas, warlords, the atom bomb...
oops, think I raved a bit too long there! BTW, have you already been to Europe?
Oct 24th, 2006, 12:22 PM
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It is from a lack of understand and what I have been exposed to in Hawaii. I'm pushed a lot by tourist. Older women won't speak to me. The food isn't my favorite. The history I find interesting. The nature I would enjoy. Maybe the high tech gadgets would be interesting. The clothing is beautiful. I want to learn to appreciate all of it.
Oct 24th, 2006, 12:40 PM
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I really agree that maybe if you do some reading about Japan (the history, culture, sights, food, etc.), you might become more interested. When my boyfriend first said that he wanted to go to Germany, my first thought was "What is there to see or do in Germany?" (especially since we don't drink, so beer would not be a major attraction for us - as in going for Oktoberfest). After doing some research to create an itinerary, I now really want to go to Germany some day (we had to switch our plans from Germany to Japan).
My recommendation would be similar to others. Get some type of guide book and read. If nothing grabs your interest, then it might be a waste of time and money for you to go to Japan if you think you won't like it before you even get there. Then again, my BF really didn't have feelings, one way or the other, about going to Japan, but now that we've been, he wants to go back again.
My recommendation would be similar to others. Get some type of guide book and read. If nothing grabs your interest, then it might be a waste of time and money for you to go to Japan if you think you won't like it before you even get there. Then again, my BF really didn't have feelings, one way or the other, about going to Japan, but now that we've been, he wants to go back again.
Oct 24th, 2006, 02:58 PM
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Like some of the others before me, I think you should first go to places where both of you are dying to visit. I have never been disappointed that way. Having said that I went on an African safari with my husband because he wanted to see the animals but staying in a tent (even with an en suite) did not appeal to me. I now tell everyone that they must go on a safari at least once in their lives. It helped that the tents were quite luxurious and it was silver service at the camps.
Oct 25th, 2006, 03:03 PM
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Japan has a lot to offer, so it depends on what you enjoy.
I like mountains (so I love Switzerland), and Japan has some gorgeous mountains, like the Japanese alps. There are waterfalls, good hiking, quaint villages, all the things you would expect from mountains.
I like old buildings, so I love Rome. Japan has some very old buildings too, only many are made out of wood and not stone. We visited a temple in the Nara area that dates back to the 7th century, made out of wood.
Public transportation is easy and convenient, like in Europe. And the country is clean. And safe. You can go anywhere without worry. A friend left one of her bags on the sidewalk outside our hotel - it was returned to her the next day, nothing missing from it.
It seems like you live in Hawaii. When I was there (Hawaii) for a couple of years, we used to watch "Soko ga Shiritai" in the Japanese channel. If it's still on, you might check it out. The reporters travel around Japan, stopping in small towns, and show you the various people/jobs/culture/scenery/etc. It made my husband want to go to Japan for the first time.
I like mountains (so I love Switzerland), and Japan has some gorgeous mountains, like the Japanese alps. There are waterfalls, good hiking, quaint villages, all the things you would expect from mountains.
I like old buildings, so I love Rome. Japan has some very old buildings too, only many are made out of wood and not stone. We visited a temple in the Nara area that dates back to the 7th century, made out of wood.
Public transportation is easy and convenient, like in Europe. And the country is clean. And safe. You can go anywhere without worry. A friend left one of her bags on the sidewalk outside our hotel - it was returned to her the next day, nothing missing from it.
It seems like you live in Hawaii. When I was there (Hawaii) for a couple of years, we used to watch "Soko ga Shiritai" in the Japanese channel. If it's still on, you might check it out. The reporters travel around Japan, stopping in small towns, and show you the various people/jobs/culture/scenery/etc. It made my husband want to go to Japan for the first time.
Oct 26th, 2006, 10:34 AM
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islandmom,
I have not read the other reports and reasons but here is my story...My daughter and husband are in Japan for several years. I promised we would visit once. I like you love Europe and did not want to "waste my travel time and money" on Japan but a promise is a promise so last December we went to Japan for two weeks. Everyone asked if I was looking forward to our tirp to Japan and I would say not really, I would rather be in Paris. But, I had a great time! Japan is different but different in a fun sort of way! I was not looking for the "historic Europe" that I love and that is a good thing because the Tokyo area is new and very exciting. The shopping is great!!! Yes, the Japanese also love all things European and my husbans says they do it even better than they do in EUROPE. You will find foods from all cultures especially French! To make a very long story short we have tickets to depart for Tokyo in three weeks and this time I am telling everyone that I can't wait to see more. Just try it, you might be suprised, I was! (We are going to historic Kyoto this trip).
I have not read the other reports and reasons but here is my story...My daughter and husband are in Japan for several years. I promised we would visit once. I like you love Europe and did not want to "waste my travel time and money" on Japan but a promise is a promise so last December we went to Japan for two weeks. Everyone asked if I was looking forward to our tirp to Japan and I would say not really, I would rather be in Paris. But, I had a great time! Japan is different but different in a fun sort of way! I was not looking for the "historic Europe" that I love and that is a good thing because the Tokyo area is new and very exciting. The shopping is great!!! Yes, the Japanese also love all things European and my husbans says they do it even better than they do in EUROPE. You will find foods from all cultures especially French! To make a very long story short we have tickets to depart for Tokyo in three weeks and this time I am telling everyone that I can't wait to see more. Just try it, you might be suprised, I was! (We are going to historic Kyoto this trip).
Oct 26th, 2006, 12:16 PM
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Hi
My wife and I went to Japan last year and it was fun to experience a culture that was very different from the European or American. We went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . Maybe you can find some useful information there
Get in touch if you have any questions.
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
My wife and I went to Japan last year and it was fun to experience a culture that was very different from the European or American. We went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima etc. I have posted a trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_tokyo.htm . Maybe you can find some useful information there
Get in touch if you have any questions.Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Oct 26th, 2006, 07:10 PM
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Once you get into Asia, it might be hard to go back to Europe. Asia is fabulous. I've been doing Europe almost annually since the early 70s, but since the mid 90s have been spending more time in Asia than in Europe. Happy travels!
