If you could vacation in Japan where would you go?

[Koji]

Konichiwa! Hi, If you could go anywhere in Japan where would you stay??? please vote!!!Add an option if you like .

[moyashi]

hehe ... depends on what you're looking for.

living and visiting are different ... visiting and looking for "Japan" then don't come to Sapporo ... skiing is great though :D

hmmm ... I'd go to Hiroshima again ... the nuclear bombing museum was very good (low key and straight to the point -- no overdoing anything since that event speaks more than enough for itself).

hmmm ... if I was single --- "OSAKA!" I just love that crazy city.

[thomas]

Not a lot of choices, Koji. ;)

Since I love nature, I prefer Northern Honshu, but I admit I haven't been to Hokkaido yet.

Osaka for singles? Do they offer anything Tokyo doesn't? :p

[moyashi]

hmmm ... Osaka has Osaka-ben ;) and the Tigers!!!

hehe, Tigers still at the top of their league ... although Tokyo wiped out the Bay Stars tonight ... errrr I wish I could watch other baseball teams on the TV besides the Giants.

[Twisted]

I'd go for Tokyo.
I've never been to Japan before so for me that would be the first place to go. If you haven't been to Tokyo, you haven't been to Japan.

Peter

[moyashi]

Bring an air-mask if you're going to Tokyo, I heard that the air qualinty is horrendous.

But yeah, Tokyo would be great, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Akihabara, Ueno .... lot's of interesting places to go.

[thomas]

And don't forget that Tokyo is a prefecture, consisting of several towns and communities, not exactly the never-ending megalopolis we usually have on mind. 45 mins with Chuo Line from Tokyo Station and you feel you're at the country-side.

[kyujuni]

Nagasaki was my choice from that list...

But I want to go almost everywhere... from Southern Kyushu to Northern Hokkaido, and back down the Ryuku Islands and the Kuril Islands... even if those last ones aren't under Japanese control at the moment...

[halloalex]

Well, difficult question - of course, Tokyo and Kyoto should be on the list. But I wouldnt also miss Kamakura, which is actually just a small village south of the capital, but has more than 80 temples and shrines plus (dont laugh, because it doesnt look like it) the most peaceful cemetary I have ever seen :-)

Cheers,
alex

[donathanrm]

I would visit tokyo, from list. i would rather visit Okinawa, Naha. Heard its beautifull plus i could do my family research.

[moyashi]

I want to go to Okinawa too.

Too bad airfare would cost more than flying to Thomas's house!
I live in Japan!!! Domestic flghts are just outrageous.

:(

[donathanrm]

Moyashi, I am planning to visit Okinawa and surroundings in two to three years[to try to find brothers and sisters and do ancestor research] Is Japan expensive? My mothers Japanese but we live in America.:angel:

[moyashi]

hmmm ... expensive is a relative term.

My friend just went to the states during the Christmas holidays. He was surprised since he spent more on dinner at Denny's than he would've here in Japan.

Some things, are just outrageous. Apples/Oranges at $3 per 1 or 2.

Other things are cheap.

Airfare for you should be much more cheaper.

hmmm ... really difficult to say. I used to think that Japan was fairly expensive along with European prices but now-a-days I'm not so sure anymore.

Why wait? The timing is very good right now with a strong Dollar and cheap Japanese domestic prices. 2-3 years I really wouldn't know.

[thomas]

Originally posted by moyashi
I want to go to Okinawa too.

Too bad airfare would cost more than flying to Thomas's house!
I live in Japan!!! Domestic flghts are just outrageous.

:(

Nahoko works for one of the big Japanese carriers. She told me that ANA and JAL actually offer cheap tickets for domestic flights, and that at the moment air fares have hit rock bottom (9-11). They also have these coupon tickets (¥ 25.000 per coupon or so).

You're welcome to hop over to my house anytime, but Naha is still cheaper from Chitose. ;)

[thomas]

Originally posted by moyashi
hmmm ... really difficult to say. I used to think that Japan was fairly expensive along with European prices but now-a-days I'm not so sure anymore.That's so true! Prices have skyrocketed in Europe, most companies took profit from the Euro conversion and "stealthily" raised their prices, since people still have difficulty in calculating and comparing...

:kaioken:

[tosh]

Nice emoticon there. Someone told me that if you're friends with airline personnel you could get listed as a relative and fly dirt cheap. (I don't know if they check for that at the gate,or what airline[s] honour that. Besides,i think it all changed after 9/11).

[chinkasu]

Kyoto is not on the list?!

[chinkasu]

Originally posted by moyashi
Bring an air-mask if you're going to Tokyo, I heard that the air qualinty is horrendous.



its not all that bad...


:ouch:

[deborah gormley]

It would have to be tokyo for me.



I'v admired it from afar but have heard so little about it, its a must for me someday:bow:

[A-chan]

I think I'd go to Tokyo (>>wow, how creative >XD~)
I really would like to go shopping, ShOpPiNg, SHOPPING there(*lol* But first I need the money of course^^;;)

[Harvey]

I live in Tokyo! I wanna go to Osaka.

[miyuki]

I'd like to go to Tokyo...
I used to live in Osaka.
From Osaka,I could go to Kyoto,Kobe and Nara soon!
I went around Kansai area.
So If I can,I'd like to go to Tokyo.

[miyuki]

about Nagasaki...
There is a big park called 'Haus ten bosch' (looks like a small town in Holland), a Chinese town (you can eat 'Chanpon'...noodle with vegetables and seafoods) , old church and 'Dejima'(one of a park..few years ago, they re-built 'Dejima' as it were in 18C.)

[thomas]

Now that's what I call real Euro-Disney...
;)

Btw, here are two links about Huis ten Bosch

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2978

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2979

[Maciamo]

I chose Tokyo, but Kyoto would have been a good alternative. I wonder why only 4 cities are on the list and Kyoto isn't on it. :( It's radically different from Osaka, even with the proximity.

[thomas]

There's a wonderful and brand-new feature at Kjeld's web site (http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=3400) dedicated to Huis ten Bosch

=> http://ikjeld.com/features/huis/index.htm

:cool:

[moyashi]

hehe, I got Gluck koneigreich in Obihiro and Niks Marine Park in Noboribetsu.
Ohhh, and Canadian World in Ashibetsu.

I'm surround by such places. Germany, Denmark and Canada.

lololo ... at least we don't drink grey-water like they did at USJ in Osaka :p


Nice pictures and a good write up there :)

[Scott]

Hmmm...I'd probably have to say Tokyo, and Hiroshima for me. I have friends in both areas, who I haven't seen in ages. Another one of my friends is dying to go to Kyoto for reasons unbeknown to me. Heck, I'd settle for anywhere in Japan.

[lexico]

no.1 Kyouto
no. 2 Okinawa
no. 3 Hokkaido

[Silverpoint]

Nahoko works for one of the big Japanese carriers. She told me that ANA and JAL actually offer cheap tickets for domestic flights, and that at the moment air fares have hit rock bottom (9-11). They also have these coupon tickets (¥ 25.000 per coupon or so).

You're welcome to hop over to my house anytime, but Naha is still cheaper from Chitose. ;)

One thing worth mentioning that a lot of people don't know about is the birthday deal offered by Japanese airlines. If it's your birthday, you can get a 10,000 yen ticket on a domestic flight. You have to travel within 7-10 days either side of your birthday depending on the time of year. Also, if your birthday falls within a major holiday (e.g. Golden Week) you often can't fly at this time, but the airlines will give you an alternative set of dates when you can travel. This deal is available to anyone living in Japan (including foreigners). I know of people who have been able to transfer the ticket to someone else (i.e. if they're not going to use it, you can get the cheap deal using your friend's birthday), but I think the airlines may not allow this any more - it's worth checking though.

[kirei_na_me]

Well, I'd have to go to the Nagoya area because of family, but Okinawa is where I really want to go.

[Silverpoint]

I can thoroughly recommend Tottori Prefecture. My friend used to have a beach house down near Yonago so I went there a few times for a holiday. I think it's one of the most underrated places in Japan for beautiful scenery.

Plus of couse it's home to Tottori Sakyu - Japan's only 'desert' ;-)

[ArmandV]

I am always up for Tokyo. Nagoya is also a must-see for me. I only went through it on the Shinkansen. Plus, I know a girl from there.

[Dekamaster]

Always Tokyo. I'd still have to see Shinjuku koen and Odaiba !

[Keoland]

It depends. If you say "you're there for 2-3 days", then I'll take Tokyo. And then the shortest route to Mandarake :bluush:

If you say "you'll stay for a month", then I'll take Sapporo. Probably an Onsen in Hokkaido somewhere, a place where I could alternate between relaxing in the water and painting the landscape, which is just what I like to paint.

Regards,
Keoland

[DoctorP]

Well, I'd have to go to the Nagoya area because of family, but Okinawa is where I really want to go.


Would that be so that you could visit me?? :p

[deadhippo]

well, i want to visit hiroshima

really though i want to visit parts of japan at certain times
for example

i want to see the sapporo snow festival (next year, i hope)
nebuta/neputa festivals in aomori (next year)
Mount fuji (soon)

[Silverpoint]

Sadly Sapporo Snow Festival is never going to be quite the same again (well at least for the forseeable future). Since the Japanese Self-Defence Force (aka the army) pulled out of helping with the festival it's now down to a single site in Odori Koen. Apparently the Makomani site (which used to host some of the really big sculptures) is being cancelled next year.

There's always a chance of a last minute reprieve, but it looks fairly certain right now. One of my recent translation jobs was to write a letter from the organising committee to the international teams informing them of the changes, so it comes from a reliable source.

[deadhippo]

Sadly Sapporo Snow Festival is never going to be quite the same again (well at least for the forseeable future). Since the Japanese Self-Defence Force (aka the army) pulled out of helping with the festival it's now down to a single site in Odori Koen. Apparently the Makomani site (which used to host some of the really big sculptures) is being cancelled next year.

There's always a chance of a last minute reprieve, but it looks fairly certain right now. One of my recent translation jobs was to write a letter from the organising committee to the international teams informing them of the changes, so it comes from a reliable source.
hey thanks for the info, even though its terrible news
well, ill probably go anyway but
shocked...

so far no info on the site (http://www.snowfes.com/english/index_e.html) but i sent them an email asking if it was true
i will get back to you when they reply

[Silverpoint]

It's a little disappointing, but this shouldn't put you off from visiting the snowfest. Actually I've never even bothered to go out to Makomani - the sculptures in Odori Koen are still breathtaking at times - then you've got the great skiing to fill up the rest of your trip.

On another note, Huis Ten Bosch - mentioned earlier in this thread went bankrupt some time ago, but I'm guessing due to the size and cost of building it, someone must have rescued it. It's always struck me as an utterly bizarre concept though.

[Uncle Frank]

since I was there, but Bepu on Kyushu was very different to visit.

Frank

:-)

[deadhippo]

well, i eventually got a reply from the sapporo tourist association

Thank you for your inqiry. We are sorry to late to reply.

There were three sites, Odori, Makomanai and Susukino, in the 56th Sapporo
Snow Festival held on this February but for various reasons, Makomanai site
will be closed this year. However, substitute for Makomanai, we are
planning to have a new site, so the festival will be open at three sites as
the same as this year.

Because of closing Makomanai which had large snow statues, it will be
reduced a little in scale but we are planning and hoping that to make a new
site and also Odori and Susukino sites more exciting and attracting with new
ideas.

The Self-Defense Force continues to give support for Odori site and you can
see elaborate large snow statues and ice sculptures next year as well.
We look forward to your visit to Sapporo.

Thank you.

The Sapporo Snow Festival Executive Committee

[blade_bltz]

Miyazaki for surfing. I'd even settle for good old Tokyo if it meant I had to commute to Shonan to catch some waves. But seeing as I have to visit Kyushu, I'd much prefer that option. I'm not really keen on visiting Japan any longer for a vacation, unless the mission is surfing. >_<

Now living in Japan..that's a whole different story.

[Silverpoint]

well, i eventually got a reply from the sapporo tourist association

Thanks for investigating that. They didn't say anything about a new site back when I translated the letter, and they were quite specific about the self-defence force being the main reason for cutting back, so maybe the situation has improved. Reading between the lines of what you got, it sounds like maybe things have been knocked back a bit, but they're trying to make the best of it.

[deadhippo]

np and I have to agree
it does sound like they are worried about losing customers

[Jack]

i guess its got to be Tokyo, i mean you go to japan and not be on the hunt for godzilla, who i hear lives near tokyo!!

[Hokkaidoguide.com]

if i could go anywhere it would be sapporo!! beacause hokkaido has everything... onsens, skiing, snow, parks, mountains, lakes, open areas, city life .......its great and id get all my info from (shameless plug) http://www.hokkaidoguide.com/ !!

second choice would be hiroshima as i havent been there yet and western history (our actions) says that we should all visit there to have some sense of what happened about 60 years ago.

[nurizeko]

Anywhere where there isnt japanese or japanese things.

Nah i guess Hokkaido, it seems closer to home (im from scotland).

Japanese look at hokkaido much like europe looks at scotland, a blasted chillwaste where people cling to a few valleys and glens nopt completely consumed by the drifting ice-winds and snow-drifts, where life is short, hard and poverty is the norm.

But being a scotsman i know better, i also know northern climes arent just cold deserts, and are infact quite nice, at least to me, and who knows, maybe i would see some real countryside (my girlfriend always says "were in the country" when were driving through an area primarily crushed together housing instead of crushed together apartment buildings).
And who knows, maybe in Hokkaido i wont have to get on a packed commuter train for an hour or something just to go to a cinema or travel agent or, you know....basic things that are never more then a 15 minute drive in my home city.
For being the biggest city on earth, alot of tokyo doesnt have much else beyond a convenience store and a supermarket a slightly longer walk away.

No prizes for guessing im going through a slightly less rose tinted phase of japan, lol.:relief: :p

So yeah, Hokkaido and Kyoto are the only places i really want to see, and if i had the time and inclination, the inland sea, and perhaps kyushu.But at the momment, Hokkaido first, im really homesick lately and going to Hokkaido would help releive the constant pining for home comforts.

[Dutch Baka]

I would go to Osaka, because my wife lives in Kobe the city that I love! and also you are near Kyoto and Nara. this is one of the reasons that i think the Kansai area is the perfect place!!!!

however, I would REALLY REALLY REALLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY want to go to Tokyo...

[Riyko]

Sapporo because i've never been there before and would love to visit sometime.

[nikoniko]

you listed some good destinations on your poll. however, i'm surprised you didn't list kyoto or kobe.