finally making my way to japan for the last week of march.
we'll be staying in tokyo most days and a night in kyoto.

what are some must see/do spots that you recommend? we're not afraid to travel a bit if it means we'll be doing something awesome.

where are the best places to find vintage toys, both kaiju and cute varities. are there good antique shops?

food! what are some must have dishes? any burgers?

STOKED!!!

Are you gonna buy some kaiju?

Last week in March is the ideal Cherry Blossom viewing week this year!!

What a welcome that will be for your first trip. I'm psyched for you!

Congrats!!! Please take lots of toy pics (if you can that is! I hear the toy stores might not allow photography).

If you have time, might I suggest (BEG! ) that you contact Mr. Ohashi, and arrange to have him give you a tour of his NEW Butanohana studio?

Scroll (click through the older posts-on bottom page) to the November 29, 2013 post to see how to get there and set up an appointment:
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsofutoyakigangu.blogspot.com%2Fsearch%3Fupdated-max%3D2014-01-17T19%3A30%3A00%252B09%3A00%26max-results%3D1%26start%3D2%26by-date%3Dfalse

I would love to see some up close photos of his amazing studio!

Off the top of my head . . . . must see in Tokyo (for me) was:

Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. You have to book tickets in advance, which you can do online or from LAWSON convenience stores.
http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/

Akihabara district (or 'Akiba')
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara

Shinjuku 'Kabukicho' district
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukich%C5%8D,_Tokyo

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku (Tocho). Amazing views of Tokyo from the observation decks at the top.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metr ... t_Building

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku_Gyoen

Kinokuniya Bookstore
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_Kinokuniya

As for Kyoto, if you can stretch to more than just a night, i would recommend:

Teramachi and Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades
http://www.insidekyoto.com/teramachi-sh ... ades-kyoto

Nijo Castle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nij%C5%8D_Castle

Higashi Honganji Temple
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higashi_Honganji

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi_Inari-taisha

Kiyomizu-dera Temple
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera

Kyoto International Manga Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Inte ... nga_Museum

Sanjusangendo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanj%C5%ABsangen-d%C5%8D

Kyoto National Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_National_Museum

The Philosopher's Walk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher%27s_Walk

Ninna-ji Temple in Omuro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninna-ji


Have a blast mate, I'm sure you will love everything about it. I would certainly like to go back someday.

The Moog's suggestions are great, you need to visit a maid bar and other themed restaurants. If you can, have some sushi at a train station, hahaha. Hostels over capsule hotels (unless you're looking for the experience). I have a few recommendations if you're intersted.


Japan is so much fun. I need to go back soon, I hope you have a great trip.

Get drunk, seriously , it will enhance your reputation and you will be respected. Plus eating cherry blossoms as they fall, mad fun/ respect.

Bring a Copy of Tokyo underground 2, its very helpful to find toy stores

http://super7store.com/books/tokyo-underground-2.html

Very nice! I have a couple friends who visited Japan. One who went for business and one who went to shop and sight see. The shopping friend found a lot of great stuff over there that he probably wouldn't have found otherwise. I definitely want to go someday. Have fun on your trip, which I'm sure you will.

Where do you want me to send my want list?

as posted above, you absolutely must visit the ghibli museum.

then you can enjoy the historical recreation of ramen districts (with actual ramen stands & restaurants that you can order from) at the fascinating ramen museum:

http://www.raumen.co.jp/english/

if you are comfortable with rampant nudity, enjoy a visit to any of the famous hot spring public baths. there's nothing else quite like it. i believe andy even reviewed a few on kaiju korner.

you carry the hopes and dreams of the entire sb board with you

have fun!

Oh, I don't know about that

Visit at least one Tokyu Hands. All the Japanese stationery and home goods you could ever want. The one in Ikebukuro, Tokyo has a pet center and cat house (Nekobukuro) on the top floor.

Here's my contribution - there are two kinds of toilets:

There's the fantastic high tech style toilets that have features like heated seats, warm bidet water, blow dry air and play ambient music to cover up the sounds of your business.





Then there are "squat" toilets, mostly at public places like shrines and train stations:

Shinjuku Isetan food hall in the basement!

could a mod take all these "japan trip tips/recommendations" threads, merge them into one super knowledge center, and sticky it, please? it would be a great resource.

I want to see the cat house!
...sort of a side note, there is a phone app that will translate Chinese kanji, but in the near future it may help travelers who want JP translation (as it hasn't been invented for Japanese kanji yet, but plans are in the future for it):
http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/25/transl ... travelers/
amazing stuff!
...might help with translating posted instructions for nekkid bath houses and toilet controls too!
....babble fish here we come!

When I lived there, I used to love to hang out at Minatomirai in Yokohama. You can walk from the Landmark Tower in Sakuragicho to Chinatown. If you brave your way up the hill at Motomachi, there's a gaijin cemetery and big park. Yokohama station is also pretty sweet.

A day trip to Odaiba is also fun.

If its your first trip, go to Shinjuku and check out Shinjuku Gyoen for a beautiful Japanese park.

I don't know anything about toy-buying, but I know a lot about record shopping, so if you're into that, pm me and I'll tell you where to go.

i hope so! i'll be looking for mostly vintage stuff and some of that cute stuff and any random thing that catches my eye.



yea! main reason for choosing it early spring!


can't promise a trip to buta, but i'll do my best with pictures


dude, thanks!!! this is super helpful. we are actually getting to kyoto around mid day, staying the night and then returning to tokyo in the afternoon, so we'll have some time to do stuff.


we're weary of themed restaurants... went to a couple in new york years back and they were horrible, haha. are the ones in tokyo good?


haha, sorry, but i've never been drunk in my life, and i don't plan on it this trip


will be ordering it soon!



hoping to find some stuff during our shopping as well. most of the trip will be dedicated to shopping i think, haha


my want list is long enough already, sorry


ghibli museum, check. ramen museum, check. nudie beaches, err uhh



Never heard of a tokyu hands! my wife is huge on stationery, it would be perfect for her! thank you!


eep... i would like to think this is mostly a joke, but i am sure it is very true


gotta look this up!


agreed! with different sections for toy stores, restaurants, landmarks, etc.



if anyone has any translate apps that are good, please let me know!
i was hoping to learn japanese before the trip, but i don't see that happening
duolingo hasn't added japanese yet.


park visiting is on our list as well. will look these up. thanks!


thanks everyone! everything has been super helpful

Mandarakes for sure.

Cosmo Alpha Knight was an amazing shop but my friend and I got lost twice. Well worth it.

If you get stressed go to a Cat Cafe.

Most of all have fun!!! I"m completely envious.

It might have been mentioned but check Andy's blog. He's got all the shops and maps.

Themed restaurants are a lot of fun, you gotta try one at least. There's a ninja restaurant, your server comes up from the ceiling or from under a floor tile. Its so worth it, its all about the experience, not necessarily the food.

And yeah, whenever you get the chance to use a bidet, go for it. Even the ones in train stations have music, its so much fun.

Also, dont forget to take your pictures in one of the photoboots, they make your eyes big and photoshop your skin in one fell swoop.


Also, try to boil it down to only a few shrines and temples. The last trip we took to the kansai region, we where temple'd out by day two. They are beautiful, but its not necessary to visit them all, at least in my opinion, then again you are only there a few days.

Still very happy for you here.


Use Andy's map, its great. I used it every single time I was there, lots of fun.

Is it bad that I know want to go to Japan for this more than the toys

- Kiddyland (Harajuku)
- Yamashiroya (Ueno)
- Disney Sea
- Mandarake (Shibuya - Akihabara - Nakano)
- Pepper Lunch
- Coco Ichibanya (Curry House)
- Mister Donut

Lalo, sounds like you're gonna have the time of your life! So jealous! I think someone mentioned the parasite museum on a different thread.

(not a bad idea to merge them)

Why can't we have CAT cafes in the USA? More specifically, Calif!!!!
Have fun Lalo!