Trip to Japan -- advice

[miked]

In 3 weeks, I'm off to Japan for a week for work/play. The plan is to stay in Tokyo on the first night, then off on the bullet train to Kyoto for the conference where we are staying in 2 different Ryokans for 2 nights each. Then back to Tokyo for a day/night before flying out. With limited time in Tokyo, we'd like to stay near some fun areas that are not too crazy to get to Tokyo Station for both our bullet trains and the Narita Express. Any advice/tips for Tokyo areas to stay and fun things to do? Any advice for a few days in Kyoto?

Thanks!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ping Izulde on this, I bet he might have some insight

[Groundhog]

I'd definitely suggest staying in Shinjuku for the textbook Tokyo experience - the crowds, flashing billboards, animatronic Godzilla, etc. are all to be found in the Kabukichō area of Shinjuku, like a 5 min walk from the JR station. It's about a 20-25 min train trip (IIRC - not much more/less either side at worst) to Tokyo station to change across to the bullet trains.

In Tokyo I'd recommend going to Robot Restaurant (in Kabukichō/Shinjuku) for an experience like no other... make sure you buy tix during the day (right outside the venue) for the night performance, and try get them early because they sell out. Other than that, get the train to Shibuya to see the famous crossing, maybe visit the fish markets in Tsukiji for some fresh sea food. Not enough time for a day trip outside of Tokyo, but there's plenty around even just Shinjuku to fill your time.

In Kyoto it's mainly a cultural site, there are a ton of beautiful parks and temples (the Silver and Golden pavilions in particular) and Nijo Castle is pretty fantastic, but was under heavy restoration last time I was there (2 years ago). My favourite thing to do in Kyoto is just walk down the Kamo river to be honest. One of my favourite cities in the world - you can just walk down any random lane and find interesting things.

The big change between the last time I was there and the time before that was the improvement in Japan-China relations means that Chinese tourism to Japan has exploded... the downside to that is that every place you go in Kyoto will be filled with tour buses, but the upside is that the Chinese and Japanese speak to each other in English, which means the amount of English spoken around tourist areas has also exploded.

These are the first things that sprung to mind anyway - let me know if there's anything in particular you are interested in seeing.

[JPhillips]

Buy all the tentacle porn you can find. Much better prices there.

[miked]

Awesome stuff, thanks. And I mean the tentacle porn stuff.

[NobodyHere]

I hear tipping is taboo over there

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I hear tipping is taboo over there

Yes, but same is true in lots of places. Although Japan is the one place where I've had a cashier chase me half way down the block to give me back the equivalent of about 10 cents.

The first time I went there about 12 years ago I also had a homeless guy catch up to me after I'd left my expensive new SLR camera on a bench and walked off... Interesting country, that's for sure.

[miked]

Happened to my colleague when we were in China. The lady would not accept the tip and was quite adamant about it. My colleague was so insistent she ended up leaving the money on the table and the lady chased her down a block away to give it back.

[molson]

Originally Posted by miked

Happened to my colleague when we were in China. The lady would not accept the tip and was quite adamant about it. My colleague was so insistent she ended up leaving the money on the table and the lady chased her down a block away to give it back.

Ya, I learned in a hurry on my first trip there that tipping isn't just non-customary, it's also offensive. It's like you're showing pity on someone you deem beneath you. But the server is proud of their work and doesn't want to take what they perceived to be handouts for it. Same thing with the older Japanese people who work as official volunteers to hang out around important cultural sites to offer free tours to tourists, or to answer questions. They do it out of pride for their country, and because they enjoy meeting people, not as a hustle or way to get something from you when it's over. It's probably the one place in the world my guard doesn't go up when I'm approached by a local about something like that.

And I've heard that if you lose your wallet or something important, check the police station in the area the next morning and there's a good chance it will turn up there.