Arrived in Asakusa -

[WHEATTHlNS]

This place is wild. . .

I had heard it described as "Old Tokyo" (which conjured up images of what the "Old" part of my city - Sacramento - looks like. . .) - but this place looks great.

Staying at the Khaosan Tokyo hotel if anyone is in the area -

[budd]

it is great i agree
i am always surprised to see how each part of the city connects
if other foreign people give nasty looks ignore them
have fun

[Damicci]

Lucky guy. I went to a festival there in march was really nice. from my understanding around this time there maybe some other festivals going on you should definately check them out.

[Uncle Frank]

Take lots of pictures and keep a log so you can share the fun & excitement with us when you get back home. Have the time of your life(without getting arrested) ! Enjoy !!

Frank

:cool:

[GaijinPunch]

I maybe the one to think so, but I think Asakusa, especially Kaminari-mon, is overrated.

[Elizabeth]

I maybe the one to think so, but I think Asakusa, especially Kaminari-mon, is overrated.
I agree, actually. For some reason simply being off the Yamanote line is enough for it to be sold as "older" and more "authentic" than Ueno or Akihabara when there really isn't that much difference at all. Some areas around Nippori are a lot quieter and better preserved if that was what you were looking for, Wheattins.

[ArmandV]

I'll be in Asakusa this coming Sunday. I'll be staying about a couple of stations to the west of it. It is a nice place, I was there last summer.

[budd]

i don't think its overrated at all

[nhannah]

pictures please

[WHEATTHlNS]

Hmmm - never heard the overrated rap that Asakusa got, probably because the only reason I chose it was its proximity to the Airport and the cheap hostel there. I enjoyed the hell out of the place as its the only area (I've been to -) where I could see a man peeing in the street and folks walk right past him. I got out to Yamanashi and Hakone while I was there (hadnt planned to leave Tokyo at all honesty) and those 3 days I was out of Tokyo were great to get a chance to relax and not have elbows jabbing me as I walked through the train stations (thankfully I only needed to hit SHINJUKU twice. . .VERY thankfully) -

I have a buttload of pictures but I havent photoshopped them (size wize - not content) but will do that soon. My body is recovering from time-change, and scrambling to take care of things left undone back here. Im glad to be back, but definitely ready to go again in December (now that I know my japanese is good enough not to have the culture shock happen to me that happened to someone I met down there).

Pictures very soon.

[Elizabeth]

Welcome back ! Glad to hear everything went smoothly and you successfully
avoided culture shock : Even Shinjuku station is manageable -- if you don't have to transfer between the JR and private lines :-)

[Maciamo]

As you are visiting Tokyo, don't forget that you can find all the information you want about most areas in Tokyo on JREF's Tokyo Guide (http://www.jref.com/practical/tokyo_areas_map.shtml). Try the interactive map if you haven't yet. :-)

[ArmandV]

Asakusa was great this past week, although rainy.

[Carlson]

It is a lovely place. I take lots of new people there when they want to go out and see the area.

[ArmandV]

pictures please

Okay, here's one:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/ArmandV/NakamiseAsakusa.jpg

[blade_bltz]

I'm not a big fan of Asakusa, despite staying there for the majority of the time I was in Tokyo. I guess I'm all about the areas west and south of Shibuya. But Asakusa is still fun...I used to see yakuza? (perhaps just some random "tough guys") bombing down the tiny streets near Kaminari-mon in their souped up sports cars in the wee hours of the night.

[yukio_michael]

Passed the station on the way back home from Shibuya yesterday, gf mentioned that we should visit. Personally I prefer the plasticity of places like Shibuya to places that are largely considered cultural, even though that culture may be simulated.

[WHEATTHlNS]

I've totally neglected this thread. . .I feel like a tool. I have pictures of my trip to HAKONE that I can put up, but I (think) lost the first half of my pictures which are of Asakusa and Yamanashi, and videos of a Kid's Sports Day show as well as a video of a Porn Pachinko Game that Im particularly proud of.

[Jinta]

Heh, I'm staying at the Khaosan Tokyo Annex right now. Went to the temple, but they had the damn pagoda closed off that day. Now I'm sitting here bored.

[ArmandV]

Heh, I'm staying at the Khaosan Tokyo Annex right now. Went to the temple, but they had the damn pagoda closed off that day. Now I'm sitting here bored.

Why not take the Sumida River cruise? That'll kill about an hour and a half and it is very enjoyable. The water taxi station is right there in Asakusa.