November 2024

[lavish flame]

https://fujifabric.com/special/20th/04/

[wise lantern]

I'm really considering it too but I may be opting to check out other stuff in Shibuya first

[lavish flame]

I used tickets galore japan

[wise lantern]

If it's a painless method, I'll think about it haha

Was already trouble securing my other tickets on my own

[lavish flame]

its pretty painless, you just fill out a form and someone in japan buys it for you

and then when the claim date comes around (11/3) they just email you a code to redeem at a convenience store and print the tickets

https://www.ticketsgalorejapan.com/quoteform/

the ones that are online tickets only are a huge pain because of japan sim card stuff, but this one is easy

let me know if you think you'll be coming, would be neat to meet up

[wise lantern]

Thank you for writing all of that!! Hm. Okay I'll think about it but I might not be able to cos I have plans with a friend but let's see how we go

[gloomy juniper]

Going japan? Yeah I’m heading there in november

[wise lantern]

Oh you!

Haha. I specifically meant the event!

[night gazelle]

Where is everyone from? Just curious!

[zealous peak]

Canada

[void rivet]

California USA

[wise lantern]

Australia!

[lavish flame]

massachusetts

[lime inlet]

It’s a pan-Asian music festival, so many are not Japanese

[night gazelle]

Very cool!
New York

[worn sluice]

Italy!

[spiral latch]

California

[ionic wave]

ooo have fun. I caught Frederic a few years ago in Osaka and it was a blast, highly recommend

[lavish flame]

nice! yeah it should be good

[errant otter]

Toronto!

[idle roost]

Belgium

[reef hazel]

Ireland

[cedar harbor]

England

[prime moon]

United States!

[zealous peak]

Anyone else planning on going to teamLab Planets or the Ghibli Museum?

[radiant yew]

A ton of people I'm sure.

[storm cove]

im doing it! I think the 12 Nov

or something

[vestal topaz]

UK

[ashen quail]

Australia, moving over on the 25th.

[lavish flame]

I was uncertain about which teamlabs is better

[ashen quail]

Theyre both different, fukuoka is smaller.

[prime moon]

i’m doing ghibli museum, i’m nervous about getting tickets tho

[zealous peak]

Yah seems you gotta get lucky and get on the website early to get in queue for a ticket

[wise lantern]

I'm thinking of booking Ghibli tickets too.

I dunno how to go about it. Gonna borrow a bunch of devices to really maximise my chances

[lavish flame]

I saw people saying that you should have the tickets page open on like 5 different devices

[wise lantern]

Something like that

I should have went for a dry run for this month's sale to see what it's like haha

[zealous peak]

5 devices? Time to boot up the web browser on my 3DS

[lavish flame]

I thought nintendo museum tickets would be similar but it actually wasn't that bad

I woke up like 2 hours late and they were still available lol

[wise lantern]

I managed to get nintendo museum tickets thankfully!

When are you goin? : oo

I'll be going on the 18th

[lavish flame]

11th

[wise lantern]

Ah danggg. Lemme know how it is

I'll be going there and straight to Osaka to see Mass of the fermenting dregs. Packed day.

[tough storm]

its much harder to buy them as a foreigner

Japanese have a much larger pool

[tough storm]

Saw Mass a few weeks ago, they were great

[wise lantern]

I believe you told me this already but yes! This still hypes me more haha.

[radiant yew]

I am actually on the 18. But not until 1pm

[wise lantern]

Ooh I've booked it on the 11am session

I might still be around by 1 but I'll have to probably make a move a little after then

[radiant yew]

Help me speedrun super Mario 1 lol

[wise lantern]

Have never tried it lmao!

Doesn't that take around 5 mins?

[radiant yew]

Yeah. Can't play it alone

We'll probably fail hilariously

[wise lantern]

Might be game to join for a bit hehe! I just have to check how early I have to go for my concert!

How long are you staying in Kyoto? : o

[radiant yew]

It's all good

I'm staying in Osaka and hanging out in uji in the morning

[wise lantern]

I actually wanna check out Uji too! I'll see if I'm game to wake up early that day and check it before I head to the museum

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QcDrFx73oelW-7Qyz3j29Brdnl3TAzsCoMyo5lRerwI/edit?usp=sharing Have this if you're interested in putting your availabilities for stuff!

[lavish flame]

do we know how many of the giant controller setups there are? is there a snes one for super mario world

i wonder whos gonna be the first person to do some speedrun trick on the giant controller, crash the game, and get kicked out

[spiral latch]

im checking uji too since i got tickets for nintend museum in kyoto, probably will visit the temple there and try out some green tea stuff

[radiant yew]

Good

Everyone should take time to go there since they're there anyway

[spiral latch]

has anyone done the Sagano Scenic Train & Hozugawa Riverboat cruise in Kyoto? its like a 20 min train and then a 2 hour boat ride. is it worth the time?

during fall im sure it would look beautiful 😮

[vestal topaz]

Thanks

I added my details. Solo traveller Kyushu area between 24th Nov and 5th Dec. Tokyo for 6th and 7th Dec

[wise lantern]

You're welcome!

[ashen quail]

This, I missed ghibli tickets after being very early in queue, my partners mum was able to buy them like two days later

[spiral latch]

I am hoping I can grab a day in November for ghilbi museum 😅

most days it’s closed in november

[zealous peak]

Oh wow, there is literally one day I can go then

[reef hazel]

Yup, it's going to be a pain

Would like to go but I'm not holding out any hope for it

[lavish flame]

oh i didnt realize that, yeah i have like two options lol

[spiral latch]

If I don’t get any, I might stop by ghilbi park in Nagoya on my way back to Tokyo from Osaka

[errant otter]

This is so sad 🥲 I can literally only do Nov 23

[wise lantern]

Can only realistically do 3-8 and the 23rd

In between I'll be in Kansai

[sinful iron]

Good luck against the boss.

[spiral latch]

November dates open up on October 10

[lavish flame]

did someone ping me and then delete it

[lavish flame]

I guess we'll never know

[small hamlet]

are hostels worth it?

[zealous peak]

They are cheap and good for meeting other travelers. If you are ok sharing a room and bathroom with others, sure.

[radiant yew]

Worth the "hassle"? I'm afraid no one else could give you definitive answer.

Many hostels also offer private rooms to sleep in besides shared spaces.

[small hamlet]

hmm gotcha, was just trying to see if its good for socializing. As for living quarters, im honestly for hotels, but there's not much socializing in hotels

[acoustic hornet]

Plenty of apps and chats like this one online to meet people

[spiral latch]

I hope so, I’m trying out a hostel first time in shinjuku for 4 days

[small hamlet]

or i was thinking if there's any hostels that have bars on the ground floor, lmk if you guys know of any hostels like those

[zealous peak]

I have heard that UNPLAN in Shinjuku was good

[sinful iron]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/W6kfSkkug8xBr5vC6

[small hamlet]

cool cool thanks!

guessing these are like public cafe/bars in front of the hostel?

[sinful iron]

Not a full fledged bar, but it has adult beverages. Generally yes. Check in is at the same counter too.

[night gazelle]

I like hostels personally. Cool for solo travel and just a home base to rest your head and gather yourself. The common areas are typically laid back compared to hotels I find. Most hotel lobbies always feel sterile and boring to me. Whereas hostels are typically more lounge style and nice to hang out and socialize, idk just my experience.

[night gazelle]

Some do have bars yes! And some will have a happy hour where you get one drink for free.

For my trip, I’m staying in hostels. One I found in Osaka is a craft beer/coffee bar & Guesthouse. I was like “sign me up” lol

[small hamlet]

I like everything about the concept of living in the hostel, but after a long day, I just want my own bed & shower. Dont get me wrong, my friends tell me a lot of great things about it. Just feel like I might be missing the social aspect of it if i'm solo travelling and in a hotel. No biggie, though I might have check out these out these other apps people were mentioning to meet other travellers. not sure what they are lol

[lime inlet]

You can still find people to hang with by going to events and bars

[odd scaffold]

I would agree with you James, having a quiet space is what lets me have the energy and go out to all the events and and bars and meet people. The times I was in hostels I found myself more tired.
Found a lot of great people through various meetups here and Habo-recommended livehouse shows especially.

[sinful iron]

I do a mix of both. Allows me to recharge and go at my own pace those days I'm by myself.

[ashen quail]

Hostels are garbage imo, I hate sharing with people and its a real lucky dip of who you get, especially with japans insane tourism numbers

[radiant yew]

It's a compromise of comfort to meet a budget and and hopefully a good social experience.

Some of my absolute best staying experiences have been hostels somewhere inland outside the triangle. The only foreigner in the property kind of thing

[ashen quail]

Living that only foreinger in japan fantasy of all the tiktokers

[ionic wave]

tbh, if you look for your accoms early enough, some hotel prices are pretty much as cheap as hostels, or only a tad more expensive

i always wanted to stay in a hostel for the social aspect but the moment i think about the noise and bathroom situations i nope out

[spiral latch]

dang it I made the mistake of booking my hotels in Agoda with USD

[worthy wadi]

Isn’t it refundable?

[spiral latch]

yeah but I’ll loose out on the cheap price

I’ve read they can charge you more than the total price listed on the booking

and add their own conversion fee

[night gazelle]

Fair points. I guess we all have our preferences, and yeah it is hit or miss. Definitely do research though if you choose one. Make sure the place has great reviews, and make note of the reoccurring remarks people make in them. That goes for any place I guess. As for certain aspects of hostel, yeah that just comes with it. I sleep with blindfolds and earplugs when I travel anyway so it’s never too bad. But everyone is different. If you prefer more privacy and space, then yeah hostels are no go

[reef hazel]

Ya, I can't do hostels. I've been tempted to just book one along with a hotel at times just to hang out in the common area but couldn't stay in one. Need my privacy

Also, hotels are just generally nicer if you have the budget to spend

[static pumice]

I need my privacy too. I don't go on vacation unless I can afford a hotel, doesn't need to be a super expensive one. A good bed, AC and a decent size bathroom is all I need. Usually everything else is quite crampt, but im not really spending time there for it to be an issue.

[wise lantern]

Gonna mix it up between hostels and hotels to get a feel for each. I'm sure I won't mind too much.

[lavish flame]

i have one night in a hostel because i didnt really have any other options, but im not a huge fan

[vestal topaz]

Fack me

November is ages away

😔

[lavish flame]

gets closer all the time though

[reef hazel]

7 and a half weeks for me

I don't know whether I'm more excited about going to Japan or just being out of work at this stage

[lavish flame]

6.076 weeks for me

[reef hazel]

Looking forward to being able to book things soon at least. Coming up to 2 months before I want to go to Disneysea and few weeks for Ghibli and things that open a month in advance

All I've got atm are Nintendo, Borderless and wrestling tickets

[sinful iron]

47 days.

[vestal topaz]

Me too sat in my car on my break

Just want to get away and enjoy traveling again 😔

[reef hazel]

I'm just staring at the clock til I can leave (4.15 here)

Makes it worse as it's sunny and it's never sunny here

[vestal topaz]

63 days until 23rd November 🙈

[vestal topaz]

Know that feeling. Today I spent most of my time staring at Reddit

[night gazelle]

6 weeks exactly for me.
It’ll blast by I’m sure. Blast by fast enough? Probably not

[vestal topaz]

When you look forward to something time goes slow. Goes fast when you don't care

[lavish flame]

for some reason, im the most motivated to work on my itinerary/reservations while on the clock

been doing a lot of that lately

[void rivet]

This is the way

[vestal topaz]

That's a good idea

Although I don't really have an itinerary for this 3rd visit. Just gonna go with the flow

Apart from specific dates for certain cities

[radiant yew]

If you were going November 1, you'd be there sooner. ha

[storm cove]

I’ve done both, including hostels with private accommodation. A good mix is always fine for me but to each their own haha

[radiant yew]

There's granularity in the hostel experience in japan. A step up from bunk beds is your own capsule/box, and a step up from that is your own room and bed.

plus hostels in japan are pretty chill and more importantly clean and kept

[idle roost]

Gonna try both capsules and hostels for a couple nights

Most of my stay is in regular hotel rooms tho, figured I'd rather have my own room once I start buying souvenirs & co

also too lazy to change accomodation too often

[storm cove]

There’s that. For me I had to rearrange a few hostels to hotels just because of luggage lol

[lavish flame]

any chance anyone else is bothering with tottori? I ctrl-f'd the spreadsheet and im the only result lol

[radiant yew]

why's that? It's unusual choice for a first trip. Where are you coming from and going from tottori?

I am there Nov 23 btw

[lavish flame]

domestic flight in from tokyo, then hopping through toyooka-osaka-kyoto on the way back to tokyo again

[radiant yew]

what do you want to see

[lavish flame]

conan town (hokuei), tottori sand dunes, and a concert in toyooka

[lavish flame]

I'll be gone by then unfortunately

[radiant yew]

It's easy to get to Toyooka/kinosakionsen from Osaka, but conan town is way out of the way from that

will you plan enough time?

[lavish flame]

yes, thats why im just flying in to tottori

[radiant yew]

ah ok then

[lavish flame]

conan town is basically mandatory, I've seen all 1100+ episodes lol

[radiant yew]

no I understand

I just assumed trains but yeah you got this

[lavish flame]

trains for the return trip(s)

[radiant yew]

so you're hitting up toyooka last?

[lavish flame]

starting in tokyo, flying tottori, spending a day there + conantown, then train from there to toyooka

and then from toyooka to osaka

and then im back on the beaten path 👍

[radiant yew]

I'll be in and around Osaka quite a lot mid and end of Nov.

I like to hit up live classical music and live jazz.

just throwing that hat out there

[vestal topaz]

23rd November. I want to see the autumn leaves 🥲

[small hamlet]

dunno about you guys, but im kinda stressed planning

[reef hazel]

I'm not stressed yet. Still more anxious as most of the stuff hasn't opened up that I want to book yet

Will feel more real at that point, than the stress comes

[idle roost]

Planning is fun, thought I wouldn't like it at all since I hate feeling boxed in by strict agendas

I'm just finding general ideas of what I want to do on each day tho

[reef hazel]

Ya, just finding that a small bit tougher as don't know what I can do yet. Like Ghibli Museum gets a day if I get tickets to that as I'll explore around that area but won't know that until 10th

And then probably won't know until the day but I'm setting a day for Hakone and Kawaguchiko but skipping then if weather is crap

[zealous peak]

Yah, I just book the tickets and accommodations and let whatever I feel like doing in the moment lead the way

[idle roost]

Yeah lucky part for me is that I don't really care about disney, USJ, ghibli & co

Only thing I'll do is one of the teamlabs

[lavish flame]

what you're saying makes perfect sense, but man its hard to take it seriously with that pfp and username

[idle roost]

Considered the nintendo museum but didn't want to lock myself on a specific day

I don't even remember when did I start to use that ig name

[lavish flame]

maybe it had to do with why cornflakes were originally invented

kellogg was a real freak

[idle roost]

I'm not american tho

We didn't have this weirdo at home

[spiral latch]

i booked all my hotels, i just gotta book all the attractions ill be going too and omakases though i wanna be flexable as possible lol

[reef hazel]

Ya, I have hotels and flights booked, and for activities, Borderless, wrestling event and Nintendo museum

And got some yen already

[lavish flame]

should i get some yen now, how are we feeling on the exchange rate gambling lately

[radiant yew]

it depends on how you can get it now

[idle roost]

No clue tbh, it's still decent if you are from europe

I got mine when the yen was weaker

[reef hazel]

For activities that I think I need to prebook, it's Ghibli, Shibuya Sky, Hakone Romance car, Sagano Romantic and the Fuji excursion train. Oh and DisneySea

[lavish flame]

yeah its gotten a bit stronger lately but is still doing pretty bad

[radiant yew]

If you just order yen from your bank and travel in november, you are just betting on yen going uber

[reef hazel]

I did, but not so much cos of currency changes but just go avoid any potential queues in the airport

[idle roost]

It's "only" down like 9% from like two months ago

The yen is still very weak

[reef hazel]

Changed 250 euro so will get me through a bit and load up Suica

[idle roost]

Revolut

[lavish flame]

yeah its so weak that i basically cant afford to not go

[radiant yew]

Yes, but is it that what people have in mind when they ask about exchanging at home?

how popular is revolut in EU

[reef hazel]

I exchanged money in credit union here

Got 38k yen in cash

[reef hazel]

It's reasonably popular. I use n26 instead as at the time it actually had a banking license (Revolut got one later)

[radiant yew]

I guess people are much more aware of exchange rates these days as well

noone used to care about it

[lavish flame]

people started caring once there was a discount sale on the entire country

[reef hazel]

Mine is more I want to get off the plane and get straight to Suica line

Rather than having to change money and then queue

[radiant yew]

At least you should know that if you don't use revolut/wise, and flying with yen in hand you're probably not getting an amazing rate

[reef hazel]

I'll only need to get Suica and get limousine bus whereas others could be doing currency exchange, Suica and sim card

[reef hazel]

I know, though it could always get stronger by November too

[radiant yew]

It'll probably be about the same

[reef hazel]

Got 38k yen so was lower than market rate but not hugely

And my trip is costing a bomb anyway so this isn't going to make much of a difference

[radiant yew]

And really it doesn't matter that much. you win and lose some

[reef hazel]

I just want to avoid queues. Hoping time works out that I can get a Suica card, load that and then get to the limousine bus area and get there

[radiant yew]

If it's a suica you need and you hate queues, the machines should have them stocked

[reef hazel]

Yes, but I also hate machines. Much rather talk to someone

[radiant yew]

oof

[reef hazel]

Feel like I am less likely to get it wrong if talking to someone

But ya if queue was too long, I'd go to machine

[radiant yew]

yes be open minded

[lavish flame]

how much worse a deal is it usually to exchange on arrival instead of getting yen in advance

like is it worth it to fly with 200000 cash

[reef hazel]

I think was like 2000 yen worse off from what I got vs mid market rate that you'd likely get from ATM

That's on 250 euro

So not a huge amount really

[radiant yew]

I calculated this for my podcast using wells fargo as example

You lose about $42 for every hundred thousand yen exchanged

[reef hazel]

Now I probably wouldn't change that much in advance anyway. Think it's better to carry less around than that

[idle roost]

Still a 5-6% diff tho

Not a huge amount per se, but it hurts my slight min-maxer side

[reef hazel]

Ya, it's not the best but not terrible either imo

The currency fluctuations means more on the one hotel I've left to pay for

Unless it strengthens massively, not too worried on that

[radiant yew]

if you go novemeber you're probably gucci on that

[reef hazel]

Ya like when it dipped there a good bit and looked to continue, I was like oh that might not go well but it's gone up again so. If it went down a ton, I'd probably email and be like can I pay now

[radiant yew]

Anyway if you can just get a debit card that doesn't hose you on withdrawal fees I'd recommend that

[reef hazel]

N26 is best we've got there (think it charges me on withdrawal from ATM but not on transactions)

My normal bank credit and debit card charge a lot more

[radiant yew]

Another good point is Japan doesn't require as much cash as it used to anyway

[reef hazel]

Ya, it's mainly Suica or if I need taxis

And some street food maybe

[radiant yew]

I used to pay all my hotels in cash in 2010s
now I don't because of booking platform discount

[reef hazel]

I'm assuming a lot of places in Golden Gai might be cash only

Or in Kyoto

[radiant yew]

you should have cash still since you never know what eateries are cash only

[reef hazel]

Ya, worth having it on you

[radiant yew]

also temple admissions, coin lockers and what else........

coin laundry

[reef hazel]

I'll probably pay the hotel to do my laundry

I'd rather my time

Will spend enough time doing laundry after the trip

[radiant yew]

people will throw their stuff in the washer and dip

[fringe saffron]

Anyone else going to Fukuoka in november and for the Pokemon Go Wild Area event?

[reef hazel]

Hotel didn't seem too bad. 570 yen a T-shirt which is cheap compared to Western prices

[wise lantern]

I'll try to book earlier next time I decide to go japan but I think I'm happy with the choices I made!

[spiral latch]

sames

im doin 5 days at business hotels, 6 days at regular hotel, 4 days at hostel, 1 day at ryokan

[lavish flame]

i havent booked it yet but ill probably make my one night in tottori a ryokan

[lavish flame]

thanks google translate

[maiden gale]

Sounds right

[ashen quail]

Aight monday the 4th ill have some time to hang in tokyo. Got the Real Head exhibition at 1 but I get in at 8am and my friend dont arrive till like 10pm

[night gazelle]

Does anyone here like going to Breweries? I realized i’ll be staying walking distance from a few, so I’ll definitely be checking them out!

[pseudo iris]

I'd be down, I'm keen to check out some beer and sake ones! There's this one near a hotel I'm gonna be staying at in the latter half of Nov that used to be a print studio https://www.kunisawabrewing.tokyo/

hope I'm not too hungover during the trip as well, when I used to work at a brewery and was hungover all I could smell was the beer being processed and it smelt like corn

[pseudo iris]

Also if anyone is down for an afternoon tea kinda thing, Haute Couture have a Strawberry themed course~

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DALKmwPyY9n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Instagram

[spark terrace]

I’ve been looking for an afternoon tea! I’d love to do this

[pseudo iris]

yesss, I'm free for the first week week of Nov if you're in Tokyo and you wanna grab this!

[visual iron]

Anyone doing Work and Travel, or just Travel and would like to explore some places, that are not tokyo and kyoto/oosaka together?
I am already in Japan and will be until next summer and currently working with a family. I am looking for a Travel buddy for the coming months (or just weeks, or few days, or…)

[storm cove]

I’m travelling all over Japan from mid oct . 23M and you’re more than welcome to hop along for some adventures during it

[visual iron]

Hell yes. That Sounds good. Ima write you a dm

[night gazelle]

I’m glad you’re still not sick of beer at this point haha

But that brewery looks nice! I’m also looking to go to Shinbashi potentially my first night in Tokyo because it’s a simple train ride for me (staying somewhere between Tokyo station and Kanda).

https://hitachino.cc/brewing-lab/en/
I’m interested in this one also because I see these at my local store sometimes but the price is always way too much to justify. 😆 They appear to have multiple locations on the eastern side of Tokyo

[pseudo iris]

oooh that place is near where I'm staying at in the latter half of Nov

[ashen quail]

Akiba, frozen mango beers, https://goo.gl/maps/Edt3Wo1dXREvHKq5A

And this is right near by - https://g.co/kgs/YrYCTJ6

[vestal topaz]

Whoa 🤤

[pallid birch]

anyone gonna be in the fukuoka area in november/december?

[storm cove]

I’m there 3-6 Nov

[night gazelle]

Say less, king

[pallid birch]

shame, im only there at the end of nov/early dec

[ashen quail]

What days are you going out?

[night gazelle]

I’m going to be in Tokyo Nov 2-Nov 6

[ashen quail]

If youre free on the 4th at all, my mates im meeting up with dont get in till like 10 so Id be down to hit up the frozen mango beer joint etc for a couple afternoon brews

[night gazelle]

The 4th I might be going to Mt. Takao then Shimokitazawa afterwards. But nothing set in stone yet, so I’ll get back to you!

[vestal topaz]

Yes

27th to 30th

[fast vault]

Hi! I'm Lia (29F) I'll be around tokyo from Oct 11 to Oct 27 and then in Osaka until Nov 12! Nice to meet you all! and I hope I get to meet some of you there 😄

[reef hazel]

How quick do you get it back?

[spiral latch]

welp looks like im not going to nagoya anymore, missed the date to buy ghilbi park tickets 😅

[lime inlet]

Fate has intervened to protect you

[spiral latch]

the nagoya skip ™️

https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/f30bl5/the_nagoya_skip_when_your_city_gets_skipped_over/

[night gazelle]

We may have failed to mention one thing… karaoke?

[spiral latch]

any cool events happening in november?

[radiant yew]

Lots of cultural events all over for the holiday weekend on the first weekend of November

Otherwise, it depends on what you're interested in seeing for "cool events"

[lime inlet]

29th November I am helping to host a big awesome music event at Shinjuku LOFT

[spark terrace]

That’s my birthday! I’d like to add it to the festivities

[lime inlet]

Awesome, it will feel like the perfect celebration

Full details will be out sometime in October

[granite warren]

I've been waiting for someone to add karaoke to the meetups tbh

[modest finch]

Solo traveller here 27M, doing the touristy things but down to grab a drink/eat good if anyones around from Nov 13-28. Going to be bouncing around Tokyo kyoto Osaka

[ionic wave]

NAGOYA TOBASHI

[gloomy juniper]

One more month ishh before it's november

[vestal topaz]

Wake up me when it's November 😔

[wise lantern]

Damn. I love that Green Day song!

LOL. I'm also excited. Just have a handful of things to plan+finalise

[reef hazel]

Hopefully we won't get November Rain

[reef hazel]

Still feels like I've a load as haven't bought much tickets yet. Hopefully get DisneySea later this week and then the month away ones in mid October

[wise lantern]

I'm honestly just gunning for Ghibli! I also already have concerts booked, too! I'm not sure about what else I wanna book around my itinerary yet.

[reef hazel]

Ya, Ghibli for the 10th

[wise lantern]

And no rain, pls. Melbourne's sporadic rain is enough for me lmao

[vestal topaz]

Id be ok with snow

[reef hazel]

I'll have DisneySea for this week/weekend as 2 months before. Shibuya Sky be a month in advance and then Romance car train tickets

[vestal topaz]

Snowy Japan 🤤

[reef hazel]

I don't know if anyone got the pun. November Rain is a song so was continuing the theme started with Green Days one

[jolly atlas]

Does anyone know if ghibli tickets are still available in nov? I was trying to find but looks to be sold out?

The museum

[reef hazel]

Can't buy them until October 10th

[vocal jackal]

Think they go on sale on the 10th but most of November it's closed iirc

[reef hazel]

And Ghibli is barely open in November

[jolly atlas]

Oh okayokay

Are you guys doing DisneySea during the week or on a weekend? I was looking to go between Nov 11-13th

[maiden gale]

Never do during weekends if you can help it

Or holidays for that matter

You’ll be contending with not only tourists but domestic as well hah

[reef hazel]

I'm thinking Thursday 28th

[wise lantern]

I have a very small window for Ghibli but I'll do my best to poach tickets

Wont' be very upset if I don't get em.

[maiden gale]

Good luck. May the horrible-Japansite-network-infrastructure be forever in your favour

[jolly atlas]

Ah, I leave on the 14th, but back in Tokyo from the 11th until then. If anyone wants to go to Disneysea then I'm down, if not also okay. Lmao

[reef hazel]

Ya, I think it's very unlikely to get them

[jolly atlas]

japansites do be terrible

[wise lantern]

I'll check my dates and see if there's holidays

[maiden gale]

I like to joke Japan is still stuck in the 80s

[reef hazel]

I think I have 4 days I can get to it due to the closure

[wise lantern]

I'm in Tokyo Nov 2-8, 20-24

[reef hazel]

So won't really have much options

[idle roost]

The last few mins are awesome

[spiral latch]

is there anything yall wouldnt do alone in japan?

[lavish flame]

love hotel

[void rivet]

^

[tough storm]

Climb mt Fuji out of season

[radiant yew]

people unknowingly book love hotels since they can be inexpensive for the night

typically marked as "adult only" on booking sites

[ionic wave]

I want to climb fuji next year lfg

[ashen quail]

Not really, depends on your japanese level (if at all) also

[unborn lotus]

hii I’ll be in japan for my 3rd time Nov 17-23. Im a 29yo female. have yall already used this discord to meet up in the past, how did that go?

[void rivet]

yes, I had lots of fun meeting with other discord members this June/July/Aug

[odd scaffold]

Had mostly positive experiences, once or twice had some strange ones, but those things happen. Most everyone here is here to have a good time

[ashen quail]

many times, if youre nervous go to a group meetup not a 1on1

but ive made some great irl friendss from here and often youll find yourself going out multiple times with the people youve met

me and a fella from the may group met via a drinks night and ended up doing half of our tokyo trip together just cause we had similar hobbies and stuff

[void rivet]

hell yeah

[unborn lotus]

love it! I’m not nervous and I’ll have another friend with me too

[ashen quail]

There are weirdos but from my experience its mostly just awkward people or people who should be doing their own thing anyway

I went on a great arcade day with 3 first timers (was my 7th trip) and one of them kept harrasing all 3 of us to find a 4 player game so we could all verse each other for some reason

and just wouldnt drop it haha was a strange hyperfixation

[feral topaz]

Oooh, I ended up doing 10-12 meet ups last November, it always ended up fun because everyone was into the activities/places and then one meet up would lead to another. I might not be able to meet up as much this time as I plan to go bike Shimanami Kaido. But I’ll be in Tokyo Nov 18-20 and Nov 27-Dec 1 if you (or anyone) wants to meet up!

[reef hazel]

Just me but I wouldn't really do fine dining by myself anywhere

Ya, karaoke probably be another

Also not sure is it same as in Korea but a lot of Korean BBQ places don't cater for solo diners there so maybe same in Japan?

[gloomy juniper]

Do y'all like shop a lot when you're solo? somehow the thought of carrying a lot of things in a luggage is daunting

[reef hazel]

I wouldn't say a lot but I would shop

[unborn lotus]

Love that! ♥️

[ashen quail]

Shopping solo is my preferred style haha

[storm cove]

I plan to shop a bit but only at the end

My week in Tokyo is fully just team labs , exploration and shopping

[gloomy juniper]

Not really, just osaka and tokyo

[gloomy juniper]

Yeah shopping solo is pretty chill!

[gloomy juniper]

This is my plan as well. Just team labs, sight seeing and shopping

[storm cove]

My slight issue is I have the same plan for Seoul that I’m doing just before

😂😂

So I will probably have fuck loads of luggage regardless

[vocal jackal]

I'm actually planning on buying more luggage over there to carry all the things I'll inevitably end up buying 😆

[wise lantern]

I was thinking of buying an extra luggage at Donqui! Though gut feel also feels maybe I should bring two checked baggage instead of one

[ashen quail]

I got time on the 4th of november if anyone wants to shop etc

[wise lantern]

Whatcha gonna look at? : o

I'm possibly making that my Akihabara day

[ashen quail]

https://peatix.com/event/4132957

going to this around 2 but anything really

just killing time until my mates arrive at night

[ionic wave]

buy luggages from ginza karen!

[reef hazel]

Ya, I'm half thinking I'll end up buying a case over there

But will see at the time

I'm pretty certain Don Quixote will be my idea of hell so not sure I'll try there

Everything I've read makes it sound horrific

[ashen quail]

Completely fine as long as youa void Shibuya/Dotonbori hotspot type ones

[gloomy juniper]

How many luggages can yall bring

[storm cove]

I can bring 3 but I’m only bringing 1

[gloomy juniper]

How many luggages can you bring back home? My flight only allows one

[reef hazel]

I'm allowed 2 on the way back and a carry on

[gloomy juniper]

Goddamn that’s a lot

[reef hazel]

Ya, suppose was primarily looking at what people were saying on the Shibuya one

Sounded like hell

[gloomy juniper]

There’s a don quijote like opposite my hotel

There goes my luggage space

[vocal jackal]

Fortunately more than I'm taking 😆 It'll be another item of hand baggage unless I go crazy over there. I've got 2 checked baggage going out there and only 1 coming back

[reef hazel]

Just abandoning clothes there?

[vocal jackal]

Nah, just not using one of my checked luggage allowance. Journey is way too long to handle more than one piece of checked luggage honestly

[reef hazel]

I'll go out with 1 large suitcase and 1 backpack (probably about 30l) and may buy another smaller suitcase there and just check that in

If I go overboard on buying stuff

[vocal jackal]

Yeah that's my plan too

Fully expecting to go overboard on souvenirs

[storm cove]

My plan is to bring a medium suitcase + 1 26+6l backpack. And in Tokyo at the end buy another one

[gloomy juniper]

That’s my plan as well

Bringing 28” luggage, 30l bag and a camera bag

Feels like it’s enough for one person

But spending on things is another

[zealous peak]

You guys travel heavy. I usually just travel with a 40L travel backpack and a crossbody bag

[ashen quail]

Travel heavy on the way back

Otw there light af

[lavish flame]

I was planning on doing the third, since I think they close the street to cars on sunday? and there's more stuff going on

[storm cove]

That’s exactly my plan

[ashen quail]

More stuff not so much, its basically the same and a hell of alot busier

[radiant yew]

Sunday is great if you want to people watch. Shopping in akiba is not a great idea anyway.

[vestal topaz]

Last time I visited I exhausted Akihabara

This time I'll hang out at Nanako Broadway

Although Akihabara is a guilty pleasure for sure. I like to talk basic cringe Japanese to the maids handing out flyers

[reef hazel]

More clothes, less laundry

Also for like 2 and a half weeks and I sweat a ton when walking

[gloomy juniper]

That's the way

travel to japan with empty check in luggage

travel back full of stuff

[spiral latch]

first time i went to japan, i brought a 24 inch luggage and backpack

then bought a 40L dufflebag at donquiote and put my clothes in from luggage, and used the luggage to store souvenirs and fragile items to take back home

since ANA allows 2 checked in bags free

[ruby reef]

Man I want to buy one of these top open bags.

[maiden gale]

I bring just a 40L, idk what the heck

People that travel heavy concern and scare me

[night gazelle]

My plan was to travel light there.
I have a suitcase but I may want a slightly larger one. That, or buy one of those compact suitcases and put that inside the one I already have.

Also have a decent sized backpack as my carry on

[reef hazel]

I dunno, like I'm 17 days so probably 3 pairs of shoes (one nice one, one backup and one for walking), few pairs of jeans, tons of t-shirts, some tops, shorts, tracksuit pants, underwear, socks, pyjamas

Starts to add up

Toiletry bags

[night gazelle]

You could just buy some of those clothing items there if you’re inclined. Uniqlo or something. Also simple toiletries you could also get there right? Unless you have specific things you like to use like shampoo, etc. then yeah bring your own

[lavish flame]

travel with absolutely nothing. after you get there and buy your first outfit, throw away the clothes you wore on the plane. clean slate

[reef hazel]

You could yes, toiletries be easier but I wouldn't take a chance I'd fit into Japanese sizes for clothes

I'm XL in UK sizing so would be a lot trickier

[night gazelle]

Not sure if this is sarcasm.
My plan was to bring a few clothing items then buy the rest. I’d like to keep some things that I buy lol

What is the weather like in Tokyo down to Osaka in November? My problem is that the day I leave it’s almost guaranteed to be close to freezing where I live. so I should be mindful of what kind of jacket I bring too

[night gazelle]

Relaxed/Loose fitting clothes are in fashion nowadays so you may luck out there!

[reef hazel]

Couldn't take a chance. I also sweat badly so need more t-shirts than a normal sweating person

[night gazelle]

Fair enough, whatever works for you! I wouldn’t worry too much though. Worst case, roll things up instead of folding is key.

[reef hazel]

Ya, I'll end up doing laundry (well I'll pay someone to do laundry for me) probably twice during the trip anyway

Just to get t-shirts washed

[radiant yew]

Japan airlines had a trial service where you could borrow clothes to wear on your trip from a generic selection in order to encourage traveling light

Would you have tried this service

[reef hazel]

Wearing random clothes that I don't own?

No

Admittedly it does sound like a reasonable idea for a traveller, I've no idea what Japan Airlines get out of it though

[radiant yew]

Are you kidding they would save on fuel if enough people did it

[reef hazel]

Doesn't seem like you'd get enough fuel savings by lower weight to make up for the cost of buying loads of clothes

Like you'd need to have a ton of clothes and different sizes available to get people to not bring any suitcases or bags

[radiant yew]

I would honestly give it a try if I were staying at a single hotel on a trip. It sounds perfect for business travel tbh

[reef hazel]

Cost of buying and storing all those and the time and staff needed to provide those to passengers would get quite costly

And unless it was a very quick trip, I'd imagine most passengers would still bring a suitcase anyway

[radiant yew]

The idea is for people to pack less than they usual would and it all adds up

[reef hazel]

Ya, maybe. I'd assume since you said had, it was not working for them

That or COVID killed it

[radiant yew]

Airline business the fuel is a higher expense than the payroll

[reef hazel]

Feel like you'd need a really good selection and lots of sizes to cater for people doing that

I'd be too risk averse to chance leaving clothes at home in the hope the airline company has stuff

[ashen quail]

Ive done over a month with 1 pair of shoes and two pairs of pants lol

[reef hazel]

I'm assuming you were doing a rotation there and washing them as you were wearing the other

[radiant yew]

I haven't kept to date. All I heard about was a limited trial.
People express that they want to reduce their carbon footprint but when push comes to shove, maybe not that much.

[reef hazel]

But even still, I'd be terrified something would happen and I had no backup

[reef hazel]

Ya, I get that on carbon footprint. I did less flights this year I guess

[radiant yew]

Two pairs of good walking shoes and swap out as you get rained out. I can't imagine having just one pair.

[reef hazel]

Ya, I'd have two plus one nicer pair incase I want to go somewhere nice at night

At least give myself that flexibility

[radiant yew]

fair

[night gazelle]

I was thinking one pair of nice shoes for going out and some lowtop boots for the day walks/hikes

[reef hazel]

Though some can cover going out and walking (assuming you're not going really fancy)

[ruby reef]

I only carry one 🙈 and I’ve once awkwardly held a hotel blow dryer to my wet shoes for a good 20 minutes. I’m so curious how those uhh wash and dry shoe places are in Japan. I might give it a shot if I have time.

[radiant yew]

Been there done that lol

[ruby reef]

Would you recommend the shoe cleaning machines? Or were they kind of whatever skippable?

[radiant yew]

I meant the hair dryer🗿

[ruby reef]

Oh lmaoooo yes it’s awful. Nothing like being dead tired already, ready for bed but blow drying your shoes before you’re allowed to crash

[spiral latch]

if it’s your first time you’ll be walking 25k steps a day lol

[reef hazel]

Yup, that's what I was doing in Seoul. My feet are not looking forward to it

[spiral latch]

I made mistake wearing my air forces 💀

[reef hazel]

Going to try and train my feet in during October

[zealous peak]

At least the roads are flat, I was doing that many steps on cobblestone roads in Europe and it hurt

[spiral latch]

normally I average like 2k steps a day, 24k was a huge jump

[reef hazel]

Ya, I'd be similar. Maybe more 4-5k a day currently (desk based job and WFH a bit so it's mainly a small walk each day)

Seoul was tough as there's a fair amount of hills

Feel like Kyoto will be tough for Japan but Tokyo looks easier

Or Chureito Pagoda if I go there

Stairs are my enemy

[ashen quail]

Yeah, but unless youre hiking like a madman/going in summer you really dont need to be washing long pants every single wear. If youre a hygenic person 2-3 days is fine.

[reef hazel]

Ya, true

Can get a few days out of pants. I'd just be worried I ripped them and had no backup

[ashen quail]

Guess when I went to japan twice in the last 10 months haha

[reef hazel]

If I'm doing a lot of walking, I'll get one wear out of a t-shirt before it's good for the wash

[ashen quail]

Fair enough, not a concern with my pants

extremely durable

[reef hazel]

I don't trust my luck that much

[ashen quail]

I take my P10 and my P46 most trips and its the perfect combo, then usually pick up a new pair of jeans over there

[wise lantern]

That's actually part of my initial plan to go on the 3rd. I just worry I won't be able to wake up early for Asakusa in the morning and then Akihabara. Will possibly be jet-lagged and knackered from a concert the night before!

[ashen quail]

well most things dont open till 11 anyway

and the street isnt shutdown till 1pm

[lavish flame]

oh, this particular sunday is also a holiday isnt it

[wise lantern]

I also heard there's a curry festival happening on the same day too!! @ionic wave told me about it!

[ashen quail]

also akiba is fucked at the best of times, but sunday hooooo boy

[lavish flame]

i was gonna say i might have to do sunday because i might meet up with some locals who would have work during the week, but if they have that monday off then idk lol

[wise lantern]

Haha depends on how I feel really. Cos I might sleep in and swap days for itinerary

Can't guarantee I'll wake up early after my flight+concert

[viscid orbit]

I love doing Karaoke solo, when I lived in Japan previously I’d go to BigEcho every few weeks during the daytime and book a solo room for 3 hours, it was only ~1200¥

I’m someone who won’t sing infront of others unless ridiculously drunk and then I get tired of waiting my turn so I like to do Karaoke to chill and sing by myself no judgement

[ruby reef]

could just be a thing in my country but, most of the karoke places here with the private rooms smell like cigarettes. Is that a thing in Japan? I would be curious to try it solo but I can't stand the smell of smoke

[viscid orbit]

That’s a thing in my country too lol but at least a Karaoke Booth chain like BigEcho is nonsmoking

Or at least nonsmoking rooms are available

I highly recommend doing the day package if your legs are too tired out for other activities, you get unlimited (nonalcoholic) drinks included and it’s less than $10USD for 3 hours @ruby reef

(They also have frequently have coupons but they’re only ever displayed on the JP site or app)

[ashen quail]

Not really

there's plenty of ones that are designed as day time locations too

for school kids etc

[wise lantern]

Would be game to do karaoke with some of y'all. Gotta rep my Filipino side lmao

[spiral latch]

I’ve been secretly practicing my karaoke for japan 😂

I wanna hit you guys with the oshiete yo oshiete yo~ from Tokyo ghoul 👻

[ashen quail]

backstreet boys or bust tbh

[wise lantern]

Gotta add a meme or two in there and it'll be great lmao

[wise lantern]

I gotchu....I think lmao. The pipes are high

[idle roost]

Curry festival? When?

[wise lantern]

https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/kanda-curry-grand-prix/70218 This thingy!

I haven't fully read through it but I will eventually

[idle roost]

interesting

[night gazelle]

There is medicine you can take for Jet lag, and apparently it works. I plan on getting it.

[wise lantern]

Ooh lemme know how that goes!

Personally, I don't think I've ever had bad jetlag now that I think about it

[night gazelle]

https://a.co/d/fyHroNt

[gloomy juniper]

If anyone wanna explore lake kawaguchiko together I'm downn

[night gazelle]

What day?

[gloomy juniper]

Any day from Nov 6 - 8

[night gazelle]

Shoot, I’ll be in Kyoto by then 😅

[gloomy juniper]

[night gazelle]

I’m equally as disappointed lol

[vocal jackal]

That sounds fun so I'm tempted to move some stuff around on my schedule 👀

[radiant yew]

If anyone is unsure about the location where the curry festival takes place (it changed this year) it's in a lot directly east of Kanda Station. It's unmarked on Google maps.
November 2 and 3.

[gloomy juniper]

The thing is, I’ll be leaving kyoto on the 5th 😂

Next time dood, I’ll hit you up when I visit japan again

[night gazelle]

I’m honored to at least brush shoulders with you lol

[night gazelle]

Isn’t there also a traditional performance in front of Tokyo station that same day? Last time I checked time was TBD

[radiant yew]

Dream Yosakoi dance festival. The main parades are actually in Odaiba but some performances will be had at Tokyo st. I think schedule still tbd

[night gazelle]

Okay. Cool! I think I’ll be going to that

[silk python]

random af question, but are those grey suitcase organisers worth it? i ordered the same thing and am not sure if it just adds weight or actually helps save enough space

[zealous peak]

I personally like packing cubes. Helps organize things and compress clothing to save space

[wise lantern]

I'm actually in-between this and Hakone atm haha. I'm partially leaning towards the latter

[spiral latch]

Packing cubes work yes

I’m doing Hakone loop middle of November

I did lake Kawaguchiko tour in April it was fantastic

visibility of mt Fuji is a hit or miss though with the weather

https://s.klook.com/c/l1NzKP2J3r

this the one I did ^

[wise lantern]

I'll probably do the Hakone loop and gamble on the Fuji sight hehe

[night gazelle]

Part of me wants to do that or Kawaguchiko but I may have some time constraints because there’s a lot I want to see in Tokyo. I might wanna do Mt. Takao on 11/4 because there’s a public hotsprings right near the base of the mountain and it does do get a view Fuji

Also oddly enough I’m more excited for the view of Fuji from Kamakura/Enoshima

[ashen quail]

It is if you pack them tight

[wise lantern]

Same. I'm a big city person so I'm hesitant to remove time from tokyo too

[silk python]

perfect, can’t wait for the packing cubes then^^ thanks y‘all

[reef hazel]

I was intending to do Kawaguchiko by myself, would you recommend the tour?

[spiral latch]

yeah if u wanna do a day trip

you take a group bus at like 8am and then come back Tokyo like 6pm

The bus seems long but you get to stop at rest stop

we hit up all the touristy spots

and also went to the lawson location with mt Fuji in the background

this was a month before they like blocked the view lol

I really enjoyed it because it was during cherry blossom season

and we had full visibility we beat the 67% odds of it not being clear

[vivid atlas]

Will be in tokyo/osaka from nov 23 to nov 29

[modest finch]

is kowaguchiko worth staying at for a night or two? Or better as a day trip?

[maiden gale]

Depends on what you’re going there for

Daytrip let’s you swap around days for a Fuji-visible day in case you get unlucky, staying there locks you in as a gamble

[modest finch]

I wanted to spend some time biking around there, see fuji from a few diff spots like arakurayama sengen park and lawson.
I also was considering checking that naruto theme park in fuji, but im not sure if thats gimmick or not

[maiden gale]

It’s not a Naruto theme park

[modest finch]

its like a section of a amusment park?

[maiden gale]

It’s an amusement park with a Naruto themed ride (or section? Can’t remember)

[modest finch]

prob not worth eh?

[maiden gale]

If you’re only going for Naruto prolly not

But it IS one of the best parks in Japan to my knowledge

[granite warren]

I originally planned to stay 3 nights in kawaguchiko. but after looking around a bit things to do seemed sparse and transportation is almost entirely buses. I considered coping and saying it'd be a nice place to cycle around but there's so many highways around there as well... so I eneded up putting those 3 nights in hakone instead

[maiden gale]

Dunno if you’d be able to do both cycling around to different places AND the park in a day tho, so either or, or stay a night I suppose

[modest finch]

whats your guys' experience with hostels in Japan, also any recco's for solo traveler

[maiden gale]

I value peace and quiet and my own bathroom too much to hostel, sorry

[ionic wave]

i stayed at kawaguchiko for 2 nights many many years ago, and i cycled from kawaguchiko -> saiko -> around one of the edges of aokigahara -> fuji q highland -> back to kawaguchiko

it was a full day cycle, and really really pretty and enjoyable

so just putting out my two cents about cycling in kawaguchiko hehe. was nice

[lime inlet]

This channel is for planning meetups, please ask #accommodations

[jovial zenith]

Does the line group chat still exist?

[lime inlet]

The chat is still there but it hasn’t been used in a long time

WhatsApp is still going
http://tokyo.notquitesolotravel.com

[vestal topaz]

When it November 😔

[sinful iron]

Wake me up when October ends.

[reef hazel]

These next few weeks are going to feel like forever

[vestal topaz]

I know 😔

[silk python]

nah. they’ll be over fast now and soon you’ll find yourself planning the next trip

[reef hazel]

I have two project releases in next 5 weeks. I feel like they will not go fast

Long and excruciating probably more likely.

Roll on mid November though

[pseudo iris]

Putting feelers out again if anyone would be keen to do an afternoon tea in Tokyo! https://www.instagram.com/p/DALKmwPyY9n/

Instagram

[worthy wadi]

When?

[olive quest]

Likewise dropping a reminder if anyone is in Nagoya on the 17th/18th and wants to get drinks and parfaits, lmk! Reservations are required, guests limited to 4 (including myself). You can see current and past menus on IG:
https://www.instagram.com/remakeeasy/?hl=en

[pseudo iris]

anytime from the 3rd to the 7th!

[worthy wadi]

RIP I won’t be in Japan till 11/25

[round jolt]

Hey everyone! I'm planning a trip for the end of Nov. It'll be my second time visiting solo (23m, Boston) - I'll be spending some of it with a friend and would be happy to meet others (or if anyone wants to join us for some parts).

I met some cool peeps from this discord last time that I'm still friends with now. I'm pretty spontaneous and bad at planning, so open to collaboration 😅 I'm planning to checkout the usual Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo and visit nature-y areas. I don't drink but happy to tag along. Feel free to msg me!

[frozen thunder]

Sup folks. Going to be back in November.

Had a blast with Nov and Dec '23 crews, let's do it again

[storm cove]

Hey mate 🙂 I’ll be around Tokyo 9-17 but elsewhere earlier in the month

[frozen thunder]

Nice nice, let's get some days overlapping

Bars, clubs, live houses, karaoke, whatev

Nov last year a big group from here did a maid cafe and a boozy karaoke session, and it was a blast

[storm cove]

Ye calm fs I haven’t planned my Tokyo stuff yet cause capital cities I sorta go with the flow

[frozen thunder]

calm fs? i don't really plan that much either, just pick some cool-sounding spots and ask for recs

[storm cove]

Calm for sure haha

[frozen thunder]

heh i guessed fs was that but wasn't familiar with 'calm' as slang

let's see who else is up for hanging out in Nov over the next weeks

[vestal topaz]

i am up for booze and karaoke (and maid cafes lol)

did karakoke with a group from here in april this year. was very fun

[lime inlet]

Awww heck yeah

[spiral latch]

I wasn’t here last year but now I’m excited

[ivory igloo]

I didn't have the chance last summer when I came but this time I want to go to karaoke with people

[granite warren]

booze and karaoke sounds fun, but the image of me in a maid cafe is that of soul rending cringe

maybe in n+ years when I'm a master in the art of 日本語

[lime inlet]

Well the ones in tourist areas like Akihabara are set up for tourists with English guidance etc.

[ivory igloo]

I went to a maid bar once similar to maid cafe but it's a bar and it's usually a 1 on 1 I barely speak Japanese but we talked with translate or broken japanese/broken English still fun

I feel a bit sorry for the girl tho I was so awkward

[spiral latch]

did they charge you a fee

ice cube fee, glass fee, sitting fee, breathing fee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMHhDVonZE4

[ivory igloo]

Hahaha no they only charged us an hour fee with drinks fee

[vivid atlas]

Does anyone wanna travel together? Ill be in tokyo from 23 nov to 29 nov

[acoustic hornet]

went to maid cafe for the experience, i can confirm its soul rendering cringe

[zealous peak]

It can't be that bad if you go with others

[vestal topaz]

When I went it was a bit cringe

The girls didn't speak great English

And I only know basic Japanese

(how to order food lol)

[ivory igloo]

if you go with good people

the time i went was with this guy i meet on the line group chat he asked to take picture the maid said the decor is ok but not the girl basically "Koko wa daijobu kanojo dame" he acted has if he didnt understand when he knew more japanese then me i was sitting beside like

other wise yes very cringe but honestly very fun

[reef hazel]

My assumption is crap food, way too expensive and extremely cringe

[frozen thunder]

it's cringe but fine if done in a group

there's basically two groups - the locals there for the original experience, and the tourists there having a lark

[raven laurel]

Hi all, gonna be in Fukuoka from 11/19-25 and Tokyo from 11/26-30. Would be great to meet up with some folks while I'm there.

[static pumice]

@raven laurel going to do some exploring and just chill on the 29th in Tokyo if things pan out since it's my last full day. Teamed up with one on the 29th but we would welcome on more 🫡

3 man squad is great

[raven laurel]

Thats my last full day as well 😎 would love to join

[static pumice]

Nice

@raven laurel sent you an invite to the server

[frozen thunder]

i'm looking at fall foliage spots for this year - any random recs for the 2nd half of Nov in Kantou?
i've done Nikko and Yamadera/bits of Tohoku and liked them a lot

am also up for music (house & trance preferred), live houses, etc. - will hit up habo's page for this

[vestal topaz]

I like house

Tis good to dance to

Looks like I'll be in Japan for the entirety of November/December at this rate so I wanna find some cool fall spots for pics

[frozen thunder]

i'll start looking into foliage spots for Nov 17-30
they might require traveling though, not just day trips

[spiral latch]

I’m tryin go nikko too

[vestal topaz]

Yeah I had Nikko on my list also

after the 20th for yellow leaves ,maybe

[spiral latch]

just gotta figure out how to rearrange my schedule to fit it in 😬

[vestal topaz]

I think its a 2 hour train ride from tokyo?

not 100% sure

[spiral latch]

maybe I’m already doing too much idk

[frozen thunder]

for getting there, check Japan-Guide.com
Nikko's beautiful in peak foliage - it's nice to stay a night by Lake Chuzenji

[vestal topaz]

Travel time between Hiroshima and Kyoto looks difficult

everything else looks fine to me

[frozen thunder]

1 day for Kyoto honestly doesn't seem worth it

[vestal topaz]

I would want 3 days for Hiroshima as well

[frozen thunder]

a mistake is to spend too much time on actual travelling between places

[vestal topaz]

yeah there's tonnes to see in Kyoto and it all moves slow cause there's so many tourists

I would take Hiroshima off and do 2 days in Kyoto at least personally. And do a second trip to Japan to do the west side (Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Fukuoka etc)

I also dont think there's really much in Nagoya.

[spiral latch]

ha yeah this my second trip, I seen most of the touristy spots on golden route already

[frozen thunder]

this list looks like the primary cities tho

Nagoya is more of an entry point to the scenic mountain areas of the north

the Nakasendo, Takayama, Nagano

[spiral latch]

Nagoya I just wanted to do a quick check since it’s on the way back to Tokyo , who knows maybe Nagoya isn’t boring as everyone says

[vestal topaz]

It my 3rd trip coming up and I still haven't done Hiroshima or Nagasaki lol. doing them this time

I could sit in Tokyo the entire trip easily. It's so much fun there

[frozen thunder]

the last time I visited Nagoya I just happened to be lucky to arrive during a big anime festival. that was pretty cool

honestly the smaller cities feel more similar the more you visit

only Tokyo really has the sheer mass to have all sorts of different things (imo)

i think this going to be my 11th trip as an adult, hmm

[vestal topaz]

that sounds cool. I believe comic con is on in december in tokyo which might be neat

[frozen thunder]

oh really?? i should check the date

[vestal topaz]

sometimes those smaller cities feel comfy

6th, 7th and 8th

[frozen thunder]

they're comfy yeah, and very affordable

argh, i'm planning to be in Kyoto 3-7 Dec

sucks, i've never been to an anime con in Japan

[vestal topaz]

rip 😔

guess ill have to make it there i dont really have an itertinary lol

just know i gotta do hiroshima, nagasaki and fukuoka

[frozen thunder]

Nagasaki is cool, I actually liked it more than Hiroshima

it's historical in multiple ways - first trading port opened to the West, 2nd bomb site, has a Chinatown with very old streets, has long-established Christians

i think it had a boat ride that circled "battleship island" too

[vestal topaz]

I think it's a lot smaller

[vestal topaz]

That's why I wanna see. Historical stuff is cool 😎

[frozen thunder]

i also drove from Nagasaki to Nagasaki Bio Park to pet capybaras. pretty cool

generally around Kyushu island it's handy to drive

anyway Kyushu has some great scenic spots i would totally recommend

[odd scaffold]

I'll be in Kyushu in November with a car. Would love to hear any recommendations you have! Planning to Drive from Nagasaki/Shimbara to Kagoshima

[frozen thunder]

actually my favourite view in Kyushu is probably: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qhyD4Trjset782n86

Beppu Ropeway

the Mt Aso area (main mountains on the island) has several cool panoramic spots too

[odd scaffold]

Nice! Beppu ropeway is really nice. I was there last year. Planning to go around Mt. Aso and Kuju in November this trip

[frozen thunder]

Nagasaki to Kagoshima seems like a long route

[odd scaffold]

Yeah it's going to be over a week stopping in Miyazaki and what not

and Kurokawa

Hopefully with how warm it has been I might catch a bit of fall foliage, and it won't be too cold and icy up in the mountains

[vestal topaz]

I want to drive

Need some practice on quiet Japanese roads lol

[vestal topaz]

Where are you going to park?

[odd scaffold]

It was definitely a bit spooky at first. Especially on the rougher roads lol

[frozen thunder]

i did a loop from Fukuoka -> Kurume, Kumamoto -> Takachiho -> Aso/Kuju-> Kurokawa -> Yufuin -> Beppu -> Kitakyushu/Shimonoseki -> Fukuoka
was long but cool, visited any cool spots on gmaps along the way

[odd scaffold]

Most of my hotels will have parking since they're not in cities

[vestal topaz]

Well I live in the UK so the side the drive it isn't an issue. Just the tiny roads lol

[frozen thunder]

you'll need to register for an International Driving Permit

[odd scaffold]

Ah nice. Yeah I think the left side wasn't very hard to get used too. Especially since I drove in the UK a few times, but the tiny roads were hard

It's not hard to get one. At least in the US, but I imagine UK it's also easy

Tiny mountain roads, or city roads with gutters and cars driving into you lol

[frozen thunder]

the tiny backroads in Japan are tricky when it's a single lane both ways lol. i've gotten stuck on them before and it becomes a mess, especially if you're behind schedule already

[vestal topaz]

Kei car probably easier to navigate with lol

[odd scaffold]

At least their speed limits are super low

[frozen thunder]

Kei cars are good for up to 3 people

[odd scaffold]

Kei cars in mountains seem like a bad combo, but I've seen plenty of them passing me so I guess it's possible

[frozen thunder]

i've done more tiny-road driving in Japan than any tourist should. do not recommend

especially at night

[odd scaffold]

I'm doing Unzen, Kuju, Kurokawa onsen, Aso, Gokanosho, Miyazaki, Kirishima, Kagoshima

[frozen thunder]

the worst was completely unlit roads at night on Hokkaido

[odd scaffold]

Oof

[frozen thunder]

nice, those are pretty far apart

[odd scaffold]

I got stuck in south Izu on the mountains at night when a rainstorm started and it was not very fun

[frozen thunder]

i want to do Unzen and Shimabara at some point, and prolly also the pottery towns in Saga

[odd scaffold]

Yeah over 8 days, so I get to split it okay, but some days I'm just going to have to get up early and drive

yeah I really wanted to fit them in, but I don't think it'll happen this trip

I'll spend more time in Saga and the islands there some day (TM)

[frozen thunder]

yeah you just have to make the best of it. sometimes it's better to take the risk and just drive at dusk to save daylight hours

[odd scaffold]

yeah just go safe and it'll be okay

Is what I tell myself

so far it worked okay

[frozen thunder]

yeah lol

[vestal topaz]

Getting stuck sounds scary especially on your own

[odd scaffold]

Gokanosho especially I heard has some famously small two way one lane roads, so looking forward

[vestal topaz]

Around dense forest. Bear outta nowhere

[frozen thunder]

my friend was scared as heck when near-whiteout storm fog descended and i kept driving

you can't see lights more than 10 metres ahead in those conditions

[frozen thunder]

let me look it up

oh i didn't drive the southern half of Kyushu, couldn't fit it in

[odd scaffold]

Big island. At least there is a lot to come back to

[frozen thunder]

Kagoshima with Sakurajima is cool though

[odd scaffold]

Really want to do Yakushima at some point too

[frozen thunder]

and from there we took a ferry out to Yakushima in 2022

yeah you defo should some day

[odd scaffold]

Oh nice. I really want to go there, but want to have at least a few days, so probably another time

Yakushima looks really unique

[frozen thunder]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/k3STzYe5VTfHdZhu8

just north of Kagoshima city, this spot is one of the better views if you're driving

[vestal topaz]

That observation deck view 👀

[odd scaffold]

oh nice. Thanks. I'll be passing by there on the way in

[frozen thunder]

yeah, we did it on the way out but either way, worth fitting into your route in/out

[odd scaffold]

Nice. Planning to drive into Kagoshima from Kirishima, then take ferry to Sakurajima next day, and drive through the east exit out into the airport my last day

Hopefully Kirishima opens up. I think a lot of the hiking paths are closed due to volcanic activity last few months

[frozen thunder]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/sZsUVS1tbUYDZwn47

at Takachiho - this spot was a stunner - but you have to go before dawn to get the sea of clouds

[odd scaffold]

Oh nice

[vestal topaz]

Damn Japan is so pretty

[frozen thunder]

it's like the opening scene of misty primeval mountains at the start of Princess Mononoke

[odd scaffold]

Oh it's right by Takachiho gorge nice

Beautiful

[frozen thunder]

yeah it's part of the Takachiho package

[odd scaffold]

Really looking forward to this trip

[frozen thunder]

you stay in Takachiho, watch the evening folklore performance, wake up early to get to the sea-of-clouds at Kunimigaoka

and of course take the gorge boat ride

[odd scaffold]

You think the boat ride is worth it?

I've been debating myself on that one

[frozen thunder]

yeah it's pretty good, why not

since you're there

[odd scaffold]

fair enough

[frozen thunder]

like the mission is to just do whatever's there haha

as long as it's decent

Beppu Ropeway, 2019

[odd scaffold]

I suppose it just depends on how much daylight I'll have in the fall

Pretty

How was beppu pre-pandemic? It was mostly a ghost town when I was there

Though I was also off-season

[frozen thunder]

it's quietish yeah, i went to a supposedly fun bar but apparently it was uni holidays so it was emptyish

did you do Hitparade?

i think it's an essential in Beppu

[odd scaffold]

no but that looks great haha. I was in Yufu for 3 days, but only went to Beppu for 1 day. Mostly just took it easy there

[frozen thunder]

woah 3 days in Yufuin...hrmm, i've been there twice and i think 1 is enough

[vestal topaz]

Do you guys go with friends?

i am alone always (except for my 1st trip)

[frozen thunder]

usually alone but try to sync up with anyone else i know going
and then i found this discord

[odd scaffold]

I was also solo, except for meeting up on Discord in big cities

[frozen thunder]

sometimes i've gotten friends based in Japan to join me for parts

[odd scaffold]

I was traveling for a month and this was towards to end, so it was kind of nice to just relax a bit in the onsens. Do some slow hikes up the mountains, see some shrines

If you are just trying to do sights 1 day is for sure enough

[frozen thunder]

this trip i'll try to connect with more Japanese people and build more of a network

[odd scaffold]

Also daytrisp

[frozen thunder]

yeah i see, usually i have to get the car back in good time heh

[odd scaffold]

I was train only for that part, so it wasn't as much of a concern thankfully

I hope my Japanese is decent enough this time to connect with some people

[frozen thunder]

i haven't really tried train travel in Kyushu much, but it's of course limited compared to driving

[odd scaffold]

so far communicating with Japanese has been drunk charades in Izakayas mostly

[frozen thunder]

i spent years learning Japanese precisely for this reason

[odd scaffold]

That's why I was limiting myself to Fukouka + Yufu area

[frozen thunder]

it's an investment

[odd scaffold]

which is decently connected

[frozen thunder]

yep

[odd scaffold]

Wouldn't want to do that anywhere further south though

[frozen thunder]

yeah just take a train to Kagoshima and do that bit + Yakushima some day

[odd scaffold]

Did you have a car in Yakushima? I heard it's a lot easier if you bring in a car

[frozen thunder]

nope. i think it's fairly rare for tourists to bring a car in fact, but you can of course

we just took the usual tourist buses

[odd scaffold]

huh interesting. I kind of want to try driving the western side it's really pretty from what I heard, but I guess I'll have to decide when the time comes

[frozen thunder]

i've never taken a car ferry, will do it some day

[odd scaffold]

A lot of places I want to try though. Haven't been to northern honshu or hokkaido either yet

[frozen thunder]

Hokkaido is probably the coolest area to drive around imo. a lot of stunning mountain vistas

[odd scaffold]

Car ferries seem kind of expensive, but I guess it's an options

Oh nice. I'm very much not a fan of snow, so if I go it'll probably be either summer or spring

[frozen thunder]

they're worthwhile if you have a few people along

yeah i went in summer myself

[odd scaffold]

I'll probably be going solo, but I'm used to it at this point

[frozen thunder]

great for really stunning flower fields

[odd scaffold]

Maybe I can drag a friend with me

Ohh that sounds amazing

[frozen thunder]

i drove for 8 days solo on Hokkaido

[odd scaffold]

Maybe that'll be my summer trip

[frozen thunder]

the Road to the Sky

[odd scaffold]

That looks so pretty

Did you feel that 8 days was good to see most things?

[frozen thunder]

Shikisai no Oka

[frozen thunder]

decent - i tried to make a big loop around most of the island

it wasn't enough and i had to rush near the end, also because a massive power outage hit the island halfway through my drive

basically don't be too ambitious like i was

take your time to drive around and see the beauty

[odd scaffold]

Very true

Gotta leave something for next time

[frozen thunder]

it's nice that there's always Hokkaido if you want to do Japan in summer

[odd scaffold]

Japan in the summer is a bad idea is something I learned the hard way. Kyushu in July was not great. At least the natsumatsuri were fun

[frozen thunder]

i mean, i'd only go to Hokkaido in summer lul

heard the stories and stayed away in summer otherwise

[odd scaffold]

It was pretty miserable, and I lived in hot humid climates before. Especially because as a tourist you want to go out during the day and not just hide behind an AC

[frozen thunder]

yeah it's terrible. my brother got back just over 2 weeks ago and it was shitty

just a lot of suffering in the sun and humidity

can't enjoy it properly

i live in a hot humid clime and i avoid being in the sun between 10am - 4pm. so in Japan it'd be as bad or worse

[ashen quail]

Another november activity sorted

[storm cove]

Oh shit that looks bomb. I’m adding it to my list in Tokyo

[lavish flame]

anyone wanna meet up and play mahjong

not for money

[static pumice]

@frozen thunder Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue

[frozen thunder]

think i've seen that on a previous trip, but will do it again if i'm near by

[static pumice]

Ah, ok

[frozen thunder]

red leaves are more impressive than yellows tho

[static pumice]

Worth mentioning

[frozen thunder]

yep yep

[static pumice]

Really easy to go there

[frozen thunder]

Todoroki Gorge might also be a worth a try if in Tokyo

[lime inlet]

I think much of it is still closed due to fallen tree(s)

[trail mulch]

Will be in osaka late November. Any have any tips or must see location? Reply here or dm.

[ashen quail]

Shin Osaka station is great, you can leave osaka from there

[viscid orbit]

Shin-Okubo is pretty far from Disney, like the other side of Tokyo. Maybe replace that with something like Ginza (unless your accommodation is close to Shin-Okubo) ?

[sacred temple]

Hi! May I ask how's the weather in Kobe? Does it fluctuate a lot (i.e. very chilly morning + warm afternoon / windy, etc)?

planning to stay there for a couple days in early November & do a short hike

& is anyone visiting Nintendo Museum on 11/11?

[tough storm]

It’s worse with other men

With women it’s amusing

Especially Japanese women

[lavish flame]

I am

[spiral latch]

Oh I have a hostel in shinjuku starting that day until I fly back

[spiral latch]

me actually lol that’s my uji / Kyoto day

I forgot what time I have for the museum

oh I have it at 12:00~12:30 pm window

[sacred temple]

Neat! My friend&i got the 130pm window, so we're planning to explore Uji in the morning if possible

[lavish flame]

wow i also have the 1:30pm window lol

[spiral latch]

we should meet

[lavish flame]

we should, but also even if we shouldn't it sounds unavoidable lol

[sacred temple]

haha yeah, let's see how things are on that day

[reef hazel]

DisneySea seems an all day thing

Particularly if want to do Fantasy Springs and see the show

[gloomy juniper]

Anyone going teamlabs tokyo on 5th nov?

[zealous peak]

Going the 13th

[storm cove]

Me the 11th

[idle roost]

I have yet to decide which day I'll go to teamlabs planets

[storm cove]

This is for borderless ^^ I’m not doing planets I don’t think

[mild wagon]

oh me too ☺️

[storm cove]

Oh dope haha.. what time did u get?

[mild wagon]

i chose the 9am spot

[storm cove]

I got the earliest possible to try and minimise crowds (ie 9AM)

Oh?! Haha

So we’ll be there same time?!

[mild wagon]

seems so 🤪

[storm cove]

Haha. Well see you inside then 😅

[vocal jackal]

I'm headed there on the 11th too but I opted for the latest time slot, but still early enough for the café 😆

[night gazelle]

If you want someone to go with, I could that day! Has to be earlier on though, has some plans in shibuya later that day.

[granite warren]

strongly considering buying a new phone now just so I can use an esim and take better pics

[gloomy juniper]

Aw man.. I’ll be going there in the evening

[storm cove]

join the 11th crew

lol

[gloomy juniper]

[gloomy juniper]

I’m back to my home country

[vestal topaz]

I did that

[vestal topaz]

https://tenor.com/view/404soob-pepe-pp-gif-21552696

[storm cove]

if you need to upgrade your phone anyway, do it

[vestal topaz]

I bought a iPhone 14 pro max

Can use eSIM and takes good pics

[storm cove]

but truth be told, the difference between say an iphone 8 and iphone 16 pro max is negligeable in camera quality for the amataeur

and if you're not an amateur, you would be using a P&S

[gloomy juniper]

That’s what I did back in 2022. Upgraded to iphone 14 pro for the appleRAW

[storm cove]

(and ofc if you want to edit in RAW that's seperate...)

[spiral latch]

imma be taking my osmo pocket 3

I have a two year old iPhone 14 Pro 😭

[lavish flame]

i have a 4 year old google pixel and its still hanging in there

nice because im still grandfathered in to the infinite free google photos storage that they got rid of ages ago lol

[gloomy juniper]

The camera is still good though!

I recently invested in a sony a7c for travels

[reef hazel]

Ya, have a pixel 6 and was tempted to upgrade

Seems too soon though

Better keep that money for Japan stuff

[lavish flame]

my pixel 4's only real problem is that the battery life is getting worse, but its still not too bad and i have an external battery thing anyway

one time the camera started breaking for like 2 days but then it fixed itself

[night gazelle]

Ah okay, Is that when you’re coming into Tokyo? If I recall you said you were arriving there on the 6th. But I may have read it wrong

Also for anyone interested. For my first night in Tokyo (2nd Nov), I plan on hitting up this listening bar because it’s a 10 min walk from where I’m staying. Followed by… who knows? Just exploring I guess. Feel free to join me!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1aWiFSgeiwQitMVQ8?g_st=com.hammerandchisel.discord.Share

[ashen quail]

Ive got a 15 pro, was great for photos

[round jolt]

I’ll be in Tokyo from 22-26 or so, gonna figure out a trip to Mt Fuji and checkout some surrounding areas. Will hit you up

[vivid atlas]

Alr, looking forward to it

[frozen thunder]

Great shots sir

[feral topaz]

Depending on what you’re all up too, can I possibly join in too? I haven’t made any plans after the 26th.

[ashen quail]

Ill be taking my Ricoh when I move, it takes my faves so far, getting used to it day by day

[round jolt]

Yeah for sure, to clarify I’ll be in Tokyo 22-26ish. Do you already have plans prior to the 26th? That’s what I’m planning for

[pseudo iris]

sameee, waiting on the post to give me my SD cards so I can take it for a spin before Japan

[worn sluice]

I don’t know if this is the place to make this question..
I saw that the price of Ryokans in hakone are the same for 1 or more people, basically I am a solo traveller, and will be between november and december in Japan, would anyone share a Room? I’m not ready to pay 50k ¥ for one night alone 🥲

[tough storm]

No

That's not correct

The price changes depending on how many people are staying

So it may be 50,000 yen for 1 person, but it may be 35,000 yen PER person if 2 people are staying there. Its cheaper per person, but costs more overall

Typically because meals are a major price factor and more people means more meals

If you want way cheaper, go outside of Hakone

Hakone is probably the most expensive place in all of Japan to get a ryokan

[maiden gale]

idk, Noboribetsu seems to have higher prices since I last looked hah

[feral topaz]

Oh! Sorry I misread your original post. Yes, I do have other plans before 26th. Ahh have fun tho!!!

[gloomy juniper]

Yeaah I’ll be coming tokyo on the 5th. Coming from Osaka so can’t make it earlier. Nevertheless I hope you enjoy your time there!

[worn sluice]

Anybody in Tokyo from 14th till 18th? Hoping to go out and chill with somebody
Lonely traveler here!

[granite warren]

hm, looking at my bookings again and noticed that my "booked capacity" for my hakone stay is 2 rather than 1. agoda doesn't seem to have a way to modify that part of the booking. you think I should reach out to agoda or the property directly to get clarification?

in my mind showing up with more people than booked is a bigger problem than the opposite. my booking is just for the room too, no breakfast or dinner so on paper it shouldn't make a difference if it's just one person in a room booked for two

[reef hazel]

Can't imagine the price changes if no food involved so might not matter

[zealous peak]

Will be in Tokyo from 10-14

[cedar harbor]

I'll be in Tokyo 12-15 as well

[maiden gale]

This just sounds like it’s a 2 person room you’ve booked. Pretty common for ryokan to not do solo travellers at all, so the few that do probably just jam you in a 2 person room.

[reef hazel]

I'm also around that time period in Tokyo (think a fair few of us are based on spreadsheet)

[storm cove]

Same

[lavish flame]

same. anyone want to go to the pokemon cafe

[storm cove]

Oh ye

Happily

Idk how to get tickets tho

[lavish flame]

they become available exactly 31 days in advance

so if we want to go on like, the 14th, we have to try to get them on the 14th of this month

[storm cove]

Ah okay

Shall we try for then, then?

[lavish flame]

the 14th? yeah sure. unless anyone else here wants to get in on it and has a different day in mind. i can do 13th 14th or 15th