Tips1: familiarize yourself with the
JapanRail websiteClick on the link for "Rail pass" at the top and read up about "the Japan rail pass"
if you are planning on moving around a lot this will save you a fortune as the shinkansen is not cheap. you have to pre order the ticket before you enter Japan, you'll then receive a voucher in the post which you must exchange for a JR pass at a JR office in Japan. There is one conveniently located at
Narita airport (map on site) the staff are very friendly and spoke perfect English
Note: this can also be used on most JR buses and ferry's and once you have it you just walk up to the guard at the side of the turnstiles, flash the card and walk through, it's a great way of seeing Japan and once you have it you don't have to deplete your traveling funds
2: Get a copy of this book
point and speak: JapanI bought a copy out there and it was very useful the few times I got stuck with the language, around Tokyo there was always an English speaker willing to help out if need be and around tourist areas most people spoke fluent English, But! further afield things can get very tricky! we got very stuck walking around lost near Motegi and it would have been advantageous to have had this then
3: Don't believe that everywhere is going to be safe, I can't honestly remember traveling anywhere else in the world where I've been made to feel as special and welcome as when I was in Japan but there were some areas where we didn't feel we fitted in. just like any large metropolis Tokyo has areas of huge wealth side by side with lets say "less salubrious" areas.
The first hotel we stayed in was in "Ginza" which is the business district and we walked about all hours of the day and felt at ease but the following week we stayed in "Roppongi" only a few hundread yards from the ultra expensive Roppongi-Hills complex but everytime we headed back to our hotel we were acosted by Africans trying to get us to visit strip clubs, not what I was after, I even got propositioned for sex by a real skank at 9.00AM on a sunday morning!
Like wise Kyoto has loads of lovely areas but we witnessed a motorbike snatch and grab just on the edge of the red light area.
Just keep your wits about you really.
4: Get prepared to have school girls waving at you from trains, buses and taxis and practising saying "hello" then giggling lots
Places to visit involving cars1:
Odaiba is the port area to the East of tokyo which contains "Mega web" the huge interactive Toyota showroom, also at the back of the shopping centre there is "History garage" chock full of classic tin, models and mags
(this area is where you sometimes see car shows held with the impessive Fuji headquarters behind)
2:
Mazda MuseumNear Hiroshima, ran out of time to visit here as we got carried away at the peace memorial park (very humbling and the most moving place I've ever visited) recomended along with miyajima island nearby, stunning
3:
Honda collection hall (Motegi race track)
The single most travelling I've ever done to get somewhere, we attempted to get there on a weekday and it took us from 7.00AM in Tokyo untill 4.00PM to get there. Highly recomended but go on a weekend for direct transport and the possibility of seeing some racing at the track
4:
Skyline museum5:
SuperAutobacs Huge japanese Halfords on speed
Non-car cool shopsYodabashi Camera9 floors of electronics etc... unbeliveable! you'll never look at PC world the same
toys and Models on the eighth floor I think?
Tokyo HandsHuge hardware, diy, home, electronics store, awsome amount of WTF! also sells subway hoops
Mitsukoshi department store More Glamorous than Harrods, worth a look around just to get a new meaning of the term "Customer service"
I seriously recomend checking out the food section in the basement, not only will the food choice blow you away but the lovely assistants don't get to see many men as the wifes tend to do the shopping
Any book store: loads of car mags to chose from, "Enjoy retro car" "lightning vintage auto" "legend of Q" highly recomended.
I'm sure I'll remember loads more but this should keep you busy for a while
Oh yeah and behind the main Tokyo station is the main post office which has an english counter, very usefull for posting tat home (also note that post offices have English cash dispensers)
;D
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toys and Models on the eighth floor I think?
