Japan LoT Swanking 2009 (Updated Info)
 

Hi all,

Greg & I have set the finalised dates for this monumental event:

The Lashpair and MIL will be at Tokyo Disneyland Fri April 10, 2009 and Tokyo DisneySea on Sat April 11, 2009.

Sunday, we are throwing Momma on the plane.

The Lashpair will then be returning to TDL & TDS on Mon & Tues the 13/14 April.

Wed 15th April we are going to Fujikyu Highland

Thurs 16th April we are catching a Shinkansen to points Northern.


Accommodation for all Tokyo nights will be at the Taito Ryokan -
¥3000 per night. :snap: 45 mins to TDL/TDS


Required time45min(Taking time 27min)Distance17.6 km(Transfer 2)Total amount of money¥370(Fare ¥370 Charge ¥0)TransferArrival
&
DepatureRequiredStation name
&
Route and Train nameFareChargeTime
tableInformationLinkAirlineJ RRent-a-carMapHotel 08:14TAWARAMACHI(TOKYO) %8min Tokyo Subway Ginza Line¥160 3min08:22
08:25KANDA(TOKYO) %3min JR Yamanote Line(Outer loop) 15min08:28
08:43TOKYO¥210 %16min JR Keiyo Line 08:59MAIHAMA

Link to Japan Train Route Trip Planner

Please to join us !!

Oooooooo It loses formatting when pasted in.... *oops*

still, just go to the trip planner, and go from Tawaramachi Station to Maihama Station to arrive 9am on Fri 10 April 2009 You'll see !! :blush:

For the uninitiated, the per-night cost for the ryokan that they'll be staying at in Tokyo comes out to $28 a night at current rates. Who says Japan is expensive?

Wow! That is an eye-opening rate! What a trip, Tokyo with the Lashpair! :cool:

I'd go for it, but I know a lot of people who wouldn't care for the traditional environment at all. Sleeping on a tatami mat. No TV in the rooms. All the rooms sharing a single shower and bathroom (though it does appear they have American-style toilets). Sharing the room with a stranger if you're by yourself. So for them they'd probably think $28 was too much.

The bathroom sharing is the only thing that would get me. I hardly need a TV in a hotel room. Sleeping on a tatami mat would be like the Romans, and fine by me.


On the other hand, and while I think it would be swell for us all to stay in the same place, and double swell to not spend the maximum amount of money possible on this trip .... I wouldn't mind exploring some more upscale accomodations.


It's likely going to be my only trip to Nippon, so I don't exactly feel like scrimping.

Oh, man! I had yet another Japanese dream last night. I think the country is calling to me. Hrmm... 2009... passport will still be good... gives me time to decide... Hrmmm... Japan... visit family...

Was it subtitled?

No, since most of my younger family members speak English... or Engrish. Whichever. ;)

Most of the older members are gone now, with the exception of a sister or two of my grandma's. I'd visit them, but with a familiar translator.

Don't want to totally derail, though I have a tendency to do that with threads, but does anyone actually dream with subtitles?

I don't but I think my cat does.

You don't sleep directly on the mats, they have Futons, and if you're after extra comfort, just grab another couple of futons and pile them up ! (I used one, but Mum used two) Also, the share bathroom was never a problem. I think we had to wait about 15 mins once, but the rest of the time we went straight in. Also, there's never anyone alone if LoTters share rooms ! :D

Oh, and yes, there's western toilets, but no "washlet" to shoot you in the face.

We don't look at it as scrimping, we look at it as "Preserving Traditionalism while at the same time being able to afford extra hunny popcorn and gyoza rolls at TDS"

Like I said, i don't have a problem with it (I already sometimes sleep on the floor even when the hotel has beds), but I know many who would. It was just a comment on why it is so cheap (because it doesn't provide many of the things that many travelers expect or require). It is very close to a hostel environment and has prices similar (though still pretty cheap).

Hmmm, Lash, may I be your sherpa? Me loves Gyoza.....

Don't forget all that other japanese food: Edamame, Sukiyaki, Sashimi, Sushi, Tempura, Katsu-don, Tonkatsu, Okinomiyaki, Shabu-Shabu.

We can have them all in a setting that'll make you truly think you're in Japan ! (that's cos ya are!)

Hell, maybe. :)

Woo Hoo !! :cheers: :D :coffee:

...and will you bring Lani ?

I can't wait. My first official meet with Alex.

Maybe...

Oh, sorry. Didn't mean I'd go for it in this specific case. Just that I'd be fine with that kind of experience in general.

My 2009 vacation plans are spoken for with a trip to central China to play with panda bears.

I am very seriously considering.

I'm planning on this. But blueerica must go. Not only do i already miss her, but I'll need subtitles if we don't have a fluent speaker of Japanese in our party.

Would absolutely love to go. But, for circumstances which are obvious at the moment, it is quite impossible at this time to even think on it.
Hopefully, things will change for the better.
I would love to go to Japan with the Lashes and my fellow LoTters.
:)

I want to stay at the Mira Costa.


Is that more than 28 bucks a night??

Why would you want to stay at the Mira Costa? You're in a foreign and fabulous country. Don't go completely Western.

If someone in our party speaks fluent Japanese, I will go 100% native.

LOL - you'll never leave the country with that kind of thinking

NO ONE in our party spoke ANY Japanese (unless we were hanging with our friend Carl) and we were just fine.

I know 7 words:
one
two
three
four
five
cat
cute

We should make you watch anime with subtitles

^^ NA, must have made for some interesting conversation. Especially around supper time.

In any case, yeah, I'm totally going to start saving up for this as soon as I get back from the cruise in May :)

Sheesh, I know more Japanese than Not Afraid.

But unless i learn a lot more, i'm not interested in refusing all Western influences.

Ok, maybe not the Mira Costa then.


What's that hotel in Tokyo where Bill Murray entertains the conqubine with the famouse "me so horny" line?

That hotel is the Park Hayatt in Shinjuku (near where we stayed).

We stayed at the Century Southern Tower, which was fairly reasonable and absolutely wonderful (and basically AT a major train station which made travel super convenient).

I can't wait to go clothes shopping!!!

You should be about out of lube by now, too. ;)

I know very little Japanese and that made it all the more fun.

One bit of advice: don't bother to learn how to say "excuse me, do you have a menu in English?" If they do, you won't have to ask for it. If you have to ask, they don't.

Okay, how much would I have to set aside per month for this kind of trip? Me so tempted, me have valid passport, me want to go! I'm seriously considering skipping Europe next year in favor of Japan.

Homework time!

I know... I'm so thinking of going.

While I'm far from fluent, thanks to my grandma, I can 'hear' Japanese pretty well - meaning, I can assess what the eff's going on, with a few key words. Like, I know when my grandma's talking smack about me to my cousin in Kyushu. Or maybe she was talking about nice stuff... ;)

At any rate, I know enough to be comfortable. And I can ask for a ticket to Tokyo - "Tokyo made no kippu."

Oh, and I can count to big numbers... Har Har.

I really want to go. I need to see what the next few months hold in store for me.

I had a dream last night that we were all in Tokyo.

These dreams.... they mean something!

I wanna go. Just need to see how things pan out in the next few months.

Count me out- As much as I'd love to go, I've got too much to take care of here.

Did I say anything funny?

So, curious - as Snowflake is - in regards to costs, budget, and what to expect. Is there a planing site somewhere? :coffee:

I'm gonna start having dreams about NA in a little blue dress with Thurston on her lap -- "And YOU were there... and YOU were there... and YOU were there..." ;) Only in Japanese. With Gemini Cricket as Auntie Em-san. :D

visible Cherney mojo. Howling, which means I must be Toto, too.

I do not sleep on the floor, even in other countries. The Mira Costa is tempting, but the new one has Alice in Wonderland character themed rooms. That would be the winner for me regardless of location. In fact, now that I know such a thing exists, I'm going to have to go there just to experience it.

そしてそこにいた . . . そしてそこにいた . . . そしてそこにいた

(translation provided by Lani as good enough though there were several different nuances that be translated into it; she says she would be very interested in seeing how the movie actually translates that in Japan)

Babelfish translates the above to:
And using Babelfish to take "And YOU were there... and YOU were there... and YOU were there" from English to Japanese:
Which if you then plug back into Babelfish to go from Japanse to English, you get:
Conclusion: Babelfish sucks ;)

Ok, where does one even begin to start looking at prices and hotel choices?

Lani said either translation is correct (and you were there vs. and there it was) because Japanese doesn't put much stock in pronouns. That's why she is interested to see how the movie line was translated for Japan. This translation essentially has no context built into it.

For her to actually translate the line would build in information about how Dorothy viewed the dream as real or unreal, how she viewed Oz as a physical location in relation to Kansas, whether she thought relatives were literally with her in Oz or people similar to her. How she relates herself hierarchically to each individual she is talking to.

But, lacking any decisions on that, she says the babelfish translation I posted above is good enough. But this is a problem with all babelfish Japanese translation. To be completely accurate requires knowing who is talking and to whom they are talking.

Don't forget "Please" as pronounced by the DL staff:
"Kudasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
How true !! Even at McDonalds, they flipped over their counter-mat menu, and there it was in English for us !!
So did I. You wouldn't let me wear your Kimono.
Google is a good start.

We usually plan:
$5-10 for breakfast, same for lunch, $25 for Dinner
The rail link posted a few posts up gives you prices for travel.

Good cheap chain here: http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/ if you want a western-style hotel

There's a big list of Tokyo hotels available. Just find the dot and hover.

Of course, there was my childhood favorite word: Kusai

I like Oishi

Domo arigato Mr. Roboto

ashinga itai deska (あなたのフィートは傷つくか according to babelfish) is the most complex sentence I can say in Japanese without hemming and hawing.

Sadly "do your feet hurt" isn't one that comes up in conversation a lot.

My problem right now is, I have absolutely no clue where exactly we'd be, district, etc. I guess I need to get loads more info.

Seriously, are there some other swankers seriously considering this? I'd love to do it, but I am so not comfortable making the leap all by my lonesome.

Why I have no issues planning a trip to Europe on my own, this is daunting to me!

Granted I've forgotten most of the little I learned... but those characters don't seem to match the sounds you typed, Alex. But I could be wrong...

I'm sure my transliteration is atrocious or the specific wording I gave babelfish sends it in a slightly different direction.

Unless I'm dead, I'm going.

I'm seriously considering.

One thing I noticed about Taito Ryokan - is there are only 9 rooms.

You all think we can take over the place????

Palm Springs of the East

Oooo.... Take over the place...

we seriously have to set up a skype for this Saturday (your time). Can we ? We'll get any other Japanophiles in on it too. :snap:

We could be onto something here..... :cool:

Ugh, can't do Saturday night. Casa de mousepod movie night (and too many other Nipponaddicts will be in attendance).

Friday night ??

better.

better sir?

YAY ! Fri night (your time) it is. I'll have all my links ready and waiting.

ok, now i have to figure out this newfangled Skype thingie.

Prices are dependent on exchange rate which is pretty favorable for us right now. However, who knows what it will be like in a year. Flights - again, that changes often depending on the economy.

Cherry Blosson season in Tokyo is late March / early April and is one of the MOST popular times to visit Japan, so hotels and flights may be at a premium.

Staying at a Ryokan is the least expensive option but is also the least Western. I think the hotel we stayed at is currently running around $200 a night for the same season this year.

I didn't find food to be such a big expense (everyone always says how expensive food is in Japan) but we ate at a lot of smaller places that also were not very Western (but man were they good!).

I don't remember how much train travel was but we didn't buy a pass and did just fine.

Japan is CERTAINLY one of the least expensive foreigh places to travel at the moment. The dollar actually holds some weight against the yen - which is it NOT doing with the pound or euro.

When we get a better idea about who will be traveling from the US, we might want to get Tim and Diane involved. They may be able to swing some group discounts.

The rates should be OK at the time we're going - Golden Week is not until 2 weeks after (and people don't tend to travel until then, cos of all the holidays they get in the one week)

Food is as cheap or expensive as you like. :D

Thanks Lisa!

If you definately wanted to take over, then the affiliated Tokyo Ryokan is take-overable with only 3 rooms !! :D

Both are located in Asakusa, home of shopping... and Kappabashi (Kitchen-Town) The local station is a short walk, and is called Tawaramachi. There's a lot more local info on the websites for the ryokans.

It was really easy to get to TDL from there, only one change needed, two at most (depending on train).

We could also look at This Hotel which for a twin room is ¥9,240 (about $46 per person) - it's located near Shinjuku station (3-10 mins depending on which exit you want) - and it's western style with private bathroom.

This is in a pretty good area and looks rather nice.

It also comes with some nice amenities:


Tooth set Razor And Spit
Refrigerator (not stocked)
Cup
Soap

But, you have to rent your towles and blankets (limited numbers).

God, I love Japan.

Should I also pack my babelfish and the ignition key to the Heart of Gold? I mean, we wouldn't want those Vogons to catch us.

That one sounds great. I know that Heather and I found a couple of hotels in the Shinjuku Station area for close around $100. We went for the tower (and the extra $100) for the view, but I'd be amenable to going for the more affordable place. God I love Shinjuku.

Shinjuku wold be my number one choice of area to stay in again.

I'm happy to go with the flow on this.

Now, what time is the Friday skype call? Did I miss that vital portion? I will try to be there for it!

I won't be able to Skype it up Friday, then again, I can't make any promises (to myself!) on this until later in this year. :) So whatever plans are made, so be it.

Plus, I have to work in meeting up with my family.

I checked with Stoat, and this is now the Official hotel that we are going to book for the Tokyo portion of the trip. YAY. We can all be together once more. :D (and we love Shinjuku area too...)

Man... I would love to go to Fujikyu Highlands with you crazies.

Are we gonna make a pit stop at Nara Dreamland? :P

If we want to look at the ruins.


NA & €uro, would you be willing to visit the Ghibli museum again? (Um, that's a rhetorical question).


What else is MUST-SEE in Nippon?


And I need to set aside a good amount of time for shopping, not kidding. I'm going to buy an entire wardrobe in the land where they sell men's clothing in my size! (fka the land of the rising sun.)

Well, if I can go, I would be planning a side trip down to the island of Kyushu to visit family, outside of my family that is in Tokyo. Anyone who would want to come with me would be more than welcome. There are hot springs, and other relaxing things to do.

Off Topic: I've always wanted to take a camping trip through Japan. Do Mt. Fuji and do some hiking and biking in Hokkaido, which I understand has some interesting terrain. Someday, someday.

Ghibli is a MUST (again) for me. I'd also like to visit the park that is near there that was the inspiration for the setting of Spirited Away. We were only there 7 or 8 days, so there's lots we didn't see. Personally, I'm up for spending a day at TDS and possible another day at TDL, but beyond that, I'm all about Tokyo itself.

I really have not any research about what I would be interested in outside of the city proper.

Yeah, i want to see some of JAPAN. Fuji-san for starters.

Tokyo will tickle me, but only for a few days. After that, it's just another city. I want to see some of the stuff that makes Nippon different from other metropolitan areas (besides the bigger and brighterness of Tokyo).

I'm not gonna shortchange DisneySeas though. It's a large part of my impetus.


The biggest part of my impetus, however, is the Lashpair.

I'd be going on this journey if we were meeting them in Gambia.

Hmmmm - methinks this opinion is subject to change

That's how I felt about Tokyo after about 12 hours. Yes, language and whatnot is different but it quickly just felt like another city. When I go back I intend to get out of Tokyo as quickly as possible.

And don't put too much hope into seeing Fuji. I've actually stood on the side of it and have still never actually seen it and you'll be there around the same time of year I was.

No, Fuji is a myth.

No, Fuji is Film...

I'd have to stay for longer than a few days.


Paris went from oh my god -to- why did I travel halfway around the globe to be in just another city -to- ah, i want to spend the rest of my life here.




But that process took a week.

From what I understand, my great grandma, at 75+, along with my grandma climbed Fuji-san. It's an easy day-hike, with noodle houses on the way up.

I really want to do it, and it's a definite part of whatever plans I have on my first visit will entail. Y'all can stay behind or come with me all you like. :)

Wow, I am getting sold on this trip. I may have to set up a savings account for this. I was even talking with J's grandma tonight about it. Wow.

Oh, and my trip is, at a minimum, two weeks.

For those who may be confused, climbing Mt. Fuji starts at the fifth station which is at about 8000 feet, so you just climb the last few thousand feet (not easy but not quite climbing the whole thing). But you won't want to do that in April, it would be very very cold.

I'm up fro all of this!

I'm with NA, Disney and Disney Sea, then let's see Japan!

OK all those wanting some true Japan would be well advised to do a say trip to Hakone, to visit the fabulous Tenzan Onsen - this hot springs bath is segeregated, so all the boys are separated from the ladies, but no-one will be complaining, as it is the most relaxing time we spent in Japan, and you get there on the Romance Car !!! (it even has it's own brand of biru!! When you think of beer, think Romance !!) We might be tempted to come with you all !

I sure won't be. Yes, oh so very safe to separate out just the men, lest lustful thoughts creep into our hearts while enjoying the hotness of the hot springs baths.

:evil:

Writing to you all from Tokyo! Today, I had tako-yaki in lashbear's honor. Yummy! Well, if there is any way I could join you all next year, I would want to. But I will most likely still be recovering from THIS trip. Time running out on my ten minute internet window. Having an amazing time! flippyshark out.

Yay Fu-Rippy-San !!

For his sake, and everyone elses, Don't stay in Japan too long or you'll end up like THIS GUY

^^ OMG that list is hilarious till you realize how friggin LONG it is haha

Yeah, i was enjoying till I realized i'd have to read for longer than my flight to Japan.




So i stopped.

Ohmygosh you guys. I will not go to Japan in 2009. I will not go to Japan in 2009. I will not go to Japan in 2009!!!

Look into my eyes.......
You will go to Japan in 2009!
:evil:

Hrmm, I need to find shiny for Traci...



You will go to Japan in 2009... you will go to Japan in 2009!

I'm on my last night here in Japan, and I miss it already. For any of you who have never been here, um, get off your duff. That's all for now.

I really want to go to Japan. The airfare for four is a bit discouraging. I'm trying not to convince myself that with tax refunds and xmas bonus and school money it would be doable. Someday it might be nice to own a house or something.

I'm in. Though I think I will want a place with a real bed. I have enough trouble sleeping as it is.

I would be open to sharing a bathroom with another room of LoT'ers, but probably would be less excited to do so with random strangers.

When it comes to food and activities though, I'm all about trying new things. Not to say I'm not open to new things when it comes to lodging, but I wouldn't enjoy a vacation sleeping on the floor.

If you need a roommate, I'm available. Just don't expect sex this time around...

Yeah NM I'm in for the "real bed" too, unless you want to see poor ol' Chernabog turn into a Tylenol PM junkie ;)

I'd strongly prefer a real bed as well so I'm not half asleep and in horrible pain the next day.

Heh - Everyday when we returned to our hotel in Tokyo we were so exhausted we could have slept anywhere.

If I were to go on such a trip, I think I would prefer to sleep in authentic Japanese style beds. Which, by the way, are still "real beds," they just aren't box springs.

What hotel did you guys stay at?

I sleep on the floor all the time anyway- Rose, Lucy and Ethel kick me off the bed nightly.

Ken and I are seriously considering it. We'll make the final decision this summer, depending on incoming work/fundage.

and for anyone interested in the complexities and subtleties of Japanese Food, check out the E-Gullet Japanese Food Forum.

.....Just tell them "Kuma" (bear) sent you ! ;)

Yep maybe...If I can move in with T & K.

Google Earth links to get excited over.
 

Here's some Japanese Google Earth links for you - I'll cross post them into the Google Earthery thread as well:


Taito Ryokan - 35°42'42.80"N, 139°47'28.56"E

Kappabashi (KitchenTown) - 35°42'46.44"N, 139°47'19.12"E

Entrance gate to Sansoki temple and asakusa shopping street 35°42'40.03"N, 139°47'47.00"E

Hanayashiki amusement park - 35°42'55.82"N, 139°47'40.99"E

La Qua amusement park - 35°42'24.26"N, 139°45'11.09"E

Fujikyu Highland - (not very hi res) 35°29'10.67"N, 138°46'37.10"E

The remains of Nara Dreamland - 34°41'59.30"N, 135°49'21.56"E

The park to watch Cherry Blossom in shinjuku - 35°41'8.62"N, 139°42'38.25"E

YoyogiPark (Harajuku) - 35°40'30.45"N, 139°42'8.86"E

Hakone - home to hot springs and the romance car (train) - 35°11'0.00"N, 139° 2'0.02"E

and of course....

TokyoDisneyland - 35°38'9.49"N, 139°52'42.95"E

Tokyo Disneysea - 35°37'35.55"N, 139°53'22.47"E