I would link to mzo's post but he never posted anything about his actual trip to japan.
Two really good pals of mine are currently in Glorious Nippon, but one is there for a conference. The other is stuck by herself for five days to brave the wilds of Tokyo for a week before the conference is over and their full tour of the archipelago can begin. (This, by the way, includes the Tokyo Game Show. I am super fucking jealous.)
Does anyone have any recommendations for Tokyo locales that someone with a workable enough knowledge of Japanese can shop, eat, and bum around for a week? This request runs the full gamut of cultural to dorky (especially if Umaru-chan is involved).
Just looking to give them a hand here. bbobb, Mollie, I'm lookin' at you.
Last edited by ChaoofNee; 16 Sep 2017 at 11:18 PM.
I would link to mzo's post but he never posted anything about his actual trip to japan.
Maybe she'll meet Bill Murray and fall in love.
I'm not a big Tokyo fan myself so didn't spend a lot of time there (Kyoto/Osaka is where it's at). But I would say stopping by Akihabara is an obvious stop. I enjoy Shinjuku and Shibuya as well though they're packed and touristy. Shrine wise a trip out to Asakusa is recommended. Saitama and Yokohama are both day trips from Tokyo as well and Saitama especially will give a bit more of the actual Japan feel you don't get in Tokyo.
You sir, are a hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.
Like bbobb, I'm Osaka, not Tokyo, but here's what recommendations I can give. All of these come with the "you need to learn to wander side streets" rule.
Akihabara - Duh. Go there and just look around. Main strip + side streets have a lot of randomness. As with a lot of Japan, you need to be adventurous and poke your head into weird places to find some of the harder-to-find shops.
Harajuku - Definitely go there if they're interested in fashion at all. A lot of fun places to look around, plus (at least last I was there) some nice little places to take a break for snacks/drinks. There's also a bridge there (if you turn left when coming out of the station instead of going forward) where at times you can catch people showing off their fashion, and a temple area to visit right past that.
Shibuya - Nice mix of more commercial stuff + little local shops, and you get to see "that" crazy street crossing you always see in movies/anime. More than some, though, you REALLY need to poke around the area to find the good stuff. There's also a decent selection of places to eat here.
Tokyo Tower / Skytree - One of these are the "tourist" requirements in going to Tokyo, and would be super friendly to foreigners.
Food requirements! I know they'll get "oh my god you need to eat X traditional Japanese food", but I would tell someone going for the first time (?) that they have to try out Mr. Donuts, McDonalds, Yoshinoya, and a family restaurant (Gusto is my go-to pick for that). There's a strange level of joy to be had from experiencing how all of those things are on the Japanese side.
Last edited by mollipen; 18 Sep 2017 at 07:24 PM.
WARNING: This post may contain violent and disturbing images.
Eh, I'd skip the mcdonalds, they're different but still not that great. For sure on Mr. Donuts and Yoshinoya though... good god I so want both right now.
You sir, are a hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.
Don't listen to the heathen: at least one trip to Japanese McDonalds is a must. It's also a nice counter-balance when the difference in culture gets overwhelming.
WARNING: This post may contain violent and disturbing images.
These places are lame, I need to know where to get Viagra and where the whorehouses are.
They call them soaplands![]()
You sir, are a hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.
Perfect. They were asking specifically about the brothels. Thanks, guys!
Yeah, this is their first time. The mixture of touristy spots and semi-obscure little places is appreciated. I know my pal Steve has been preparing by playing Yakuza 0, but I'm not sure my suggestion to find the bars from the game is a good one. Hm.
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