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Hameyadea
Joined: 23 Jun 2014
Posts: 3679
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:12 am
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Great journey log. Seeing all that One Piece merchandise was very interesting. Good luck on Day Two.
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omiya
Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1854
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:30 am
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Glad that you saw the JAM Project truck.
Somehow, everyone's interests in visiting Tokyo (and the rest of Japan for that matter) are all a bit different, but with some overlap.
Kanda shrine is featured in Love Live! School Idol Project, but before that was Washinomiya shrine from Lucky Star, which is easy to get to even though it's in a more rural setting.
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WashuTakahashi
Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 415
Location: Chicago, IL
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:11 am
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I wonder if that butler cafe is still enjoyable if you can't speak Japanese at all? xD I'm planning a trip for next year, and definitely want to hit up a butler cafe.
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Cutiebunny
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 1770
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:13 pm
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Like Tokyo Tower, Zojo-ji has also been featured in several anime. It's featured in Cardcaptor Sakura during the capture of The Earth card and also during Sakura's Final Judgment (episodes 43-45). That was one of the reasons why I primarily made the trek over there. I recommend hitting it around dawn for picture taking.
Never really cared for Harajuku. I think it's highly overrated, and with exception for Meiji Shrine and a couple of streets, not the safest area in Tokyo. The old Olympic Stadium is in the same vicinity and, at least when I last visited, there was a large homeless population there. I'm sure they'll be moved out should Japan decide it wants to redevelop the area in time for the 2020 Olympics, if they haven't already done so.
Washu, some of the butler cafes feature Australian and other foreign guys, so not being able to speak Japanese isn't a problem. There are several travel websites around the internet that focus on travel to Japan, so it might be a good idea to ask questions there.
Anyways, nice article and good pictures. The cupcake one had me salivating and I usually don't like sweets.
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Beltane70
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3979
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:42 pm
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I, myself, never tire of Harajuku. It's easily one of my favorite spots in Tokyo, especially Yoyogi Park and its various street performers. I've never actually heard of Harajuku as being unsafe, unless things have changed during the past seven years since I've last been there.
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Redlinks
Joined: 14 Feb 2010
Posts: 496
Location: America
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:49 pm
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Good to see that spring plants are blooming in Tokyo already. I will be flying over there tomorrow for a month. Specifically to go see cherry blossoms.
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Beltane70
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3979
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:05 pm
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You'll have no problems seeing the cherry blossoms when you go, Redlinks.
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grooven
Joined: 16 Aug 2006
Posts: 1429
Location: Canada
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:36 pm
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That's pretty awesome that you git to see the cherry blossoms I was just there from October-January so there wasn't much for flowers.
I thought that was crazy about LINE too, but it has a tv show (would you call it an anime?) that cameout a couple years ago. I had no idea it came out, but my friend's girls loved it. I also found it amusing on car rides.
Cutiebunny wrote: |
Never really cared for Harajuku. I think it's highly overrated, and with exception for Meiji Shrine and a couple of streets |
I have to agree. I've been 4 times, each time has been a different year. I find there are too many high end shops which over shadow the unique ones. I struggled to find the cool fairy kei shops (found one) or neat merchandise because of this. I think I need to research more and get a map because 80% was just high end junk I see at home. Though i do love seeing the fashion and crepes
That's so awesome you got inside the butler cafe. Such a shame you didn't get to eat D: I've passed it many times on Otome road and wondered what it was like, but knew about the reservations. Maybe next time it'll work out better for you!
Redlinks wrote: | Good to see that spring plants are blooming in Tokyo already. I will be flying over there tomorrow for a month. Specifically to go see cherry blossoms. |
There are places online to track the blossoms too. This way you can make it to the festivals as well
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Joe Mello
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 2316
Location: Online Terminal
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:01 pm
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I want to say that admission to Tokyo Tower went up since I was there in May 2013? Still, there are a ton of awesome attractions in Japan that are under $10 to get in. That's one of the great things about Japan: good food and good experiences can both be had on the cheap.
Also, if you're really not a fan of using the airports' exchange counters (Travelex was legit ripping people off two years ago) try your local bank or, better yet, a Japanese ATM. There is at least one in Narita Airport, as well as many in Japanese Post Offices. Whatever fees you might pay for withdrawing from a foreign machine is probably less than the vig for Travelex.
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Crisha
Moderator
Joined: 21 Apr 2010
Posts: 4290
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:04 pm
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That butler cafe sounds amazing.
I'd love to make it back to Japan someday, but if I did so I'd probably only do it with friends who really want to go as well. The likelihood seems slim at this point.
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dtm42
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:21 pm
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A butler with the look of Walter but the demeanour of one of the Ristorante Paradiso men? Wow, he'd have to (politely) fend them off with a stick.
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Tenebrae
Joined: 26 Apr 2008
Posts: 492
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:12 pm
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Looks like you had some great time. I've had some good fortune on my trips to Japan, on the first one I had clear skies the entire time, and on my second just a few little rainshowers in Kyoto and some overcast skies.
And I think I've said it in these visiting Tokyo discussions before, but if you're in Tokyo for multiple days, you should dedicate at least one of them for visiting Kamakura, which is easy to get to by train.
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leafy sea dragon
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 7163
Location: Another Kingdom
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:15 pm
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That's a ridiculous ramen burger. The ramen is supposed to substitute for the bun, and the insides of the burger is supposed to be the usual stuff. That being said, now I'm not sure if that restaurant is doing it wrong (despite it being Japanese) or if the likes of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue did it better.
Also, Santa Monica Crepes? Is Santa Monica really known for its crepes? Or is this like Vermont Curry, where they attach some location in the United States to the name for no clear reason?
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Mr. Oshawott
Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 6773
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 12:07 am
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A view from the high levels of the Tōkyō Tower can be breathtakingly fun, yet fearful.
I'm willing to bet that that tsukemen burger tasted super good (even if it didn't have the same taste as convention ramen).
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Beltane70
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3979
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 2:41 am
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The Tokyo Metropiltan Goverment Building's observation decks are a nice free alternative to Tokyo Tower if you want to see the Tokyo skyline.
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