domino Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Hey all Im finally convinced myself to make a trip to Japan(it was not that hard ), i will proberly be summer 2012, so i was wondering if others members from JNS forum have any plans to go to Japan , maybe we could meet in Tokyo and travel together, or maybe members that live in Tokyo would help me/us getting around in Tokyo ?? Let me hear what your plans are, otherwise i will just go myself Regards Brian Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Well, I'll be in Kyoto from mid Oct to mid Dec of this year, and in Tokyo for the very last week of that. FWIW. Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 2012 is probably when I am going to do the bi Hokkaido rail trip. Link to comment
keitaro Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I might be going in 2012 aug sept time were giving it a miss this year due to "cost cutting" battling to get the money for a house and rid of my car loan. I'm going to be doing fuji again from the very bottom. I know the saying a wise man climbs one a fool a second time but hey I loved it even if my little lungs were dyeing 3/4 up last time I made it allthe way no oxy tank and had a blast Link to comment
Tecchan Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'll probably go in 2012 as one of my best friends will go study one year in Japan. But I still don't know when... Link to comment
Tenorikuma Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I live in Nagoya but have no plans to visit Tokyo at the moment. Link to comment
keitaro Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Omg I'm sorry but Nagoya is boring. That's my experience anyway Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Never made it to Nagoya, despite two trips to kansai. Link to comment
Tenorikuma Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Omg I'm sorry but Nagoya is boring. That's my experience anyway I agree, it's not much of a tourist hotspot. Still, it has a lot of cool stuff if you know where to go. Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Omg I'm sorry but Nagoya is boring. That's my experience anyway I agree, it's not much of a tourist hotspot. Still, it has a lot of cool stuff if you know where to go. May have to hit you up for some of that information later… Link to comment
bikkuri bahn Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Ah... Nagoya- it has that boring reputation among Japanese too. I admit I usually bypass it on my railway journeys to Kansai and western Japan. Actually Mie prefecture and Yokkaichi in particular holds more interest for me. But I reckon, as Tenorikoma says, it has some hidden gems. One problem is that JR Tokai has a rather (relatively) unexciting roster of rolling stock, and little JNR era stock is left. Also Meitetsu dominates the private railway scene (Kintetsu being more of a trunk line route in character, until you get into Mie). 1 Link to comment
marknewton Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Gee, I wonder what's in Yokkaichi that interests you - something thats run on 762mm gauge track perhaps? Cheers, Mark. Link to comment
bikkuri bahn Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Gee, I wonder what's in Yokkaichi that interests you - something thats run on 762mm gauge track perhaps? Cheers, Mark. Oh yes, that and the freight action. The industrial, non-glamorous atmosphere of the place also appeals to me- reminds me of my college days railfanning the freight scene in Los Angeles- as I didn't drive back then and relying on bus and rail to get places, I was pretty much restricted to railfanning in the LA Basin rather than going to Cajon and other such hotspots. 1 Link to comment
westfalen Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Oh yes, that and the freight action. The industrial, non-glamorous atmosphere of the place also appeals to me- reminds me of my college days railfanning the freight scene in Los Angeles- as I didn't drive back then and relying on bus and rail to get places, I was pretty much restricted to railfanning in the LA Basin rather than going to Cajon and other such hotspots. When I read the Lonely Planet guide book and it describes a city as 'industrial port city, nothing of interest to tourists' I get a desire to check it out. I'm planning a trip to the US in June 2012 to attend the Santa Fe modelers and historical society convention in Texas but as soon as they finalise our new work rosters I may see if I can find a week or so to get back to Japan sometime before my trip to Argentina in November. 3 Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Oh yes, that and the freight action. The industrial, non-glamorous atmosphere of the place also appeals to me- reminds me of my college days railfanning the freight scene in Los Angeles- as I didn't drive back then and relying on bus and rail to get places, I was pretty much restricted to railfanning in the LA Basin rather than going to Cajon and other such hotspots. When I read the Lonely Planet guide book and it describes a city as 'industrial port city, nothing of interest to tourists' I get a desire to check it out. There is a phrase for this that I've discovered recently: Nerd tourism. I like it. 2 Link to comment
Tecchan Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I didn't have much fun in Nagoya either. I guess if Tenorikuma lives here, he has some good spots! :-) A little bit outside of Nagoya is Inuyama with an old castle (classified as national treasure, the oldest castle in Japan), very interesting! And if you like cars, visiting the Toyota factory must be great. I visited Mazda's in Hiroshima. Link to comment
keitaro Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 My wife's cousin works for Toyota in design next time I go there he said will try to get me in as visitor to look Link to comment
Tenorikuma Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I didn't have much fun in Nagoya either. I guess if Tenorikuma lives here, he has some good spots! :-) A little bit outside of Nagoya is Inuyama with an old castle (classified as national treasure, the oldest castle in Japan), very interesting! And if you like cars, visiting the Toyota factory must be great. I visited Mazda's in Hiroshima. I've never visited Toyota's modern factories, but their very first factory is a museum now and it's within walking distance of my place. I believe JR is about to open a new train museum in the area with some special exhibits on the experimental maglev Shinkansen. Completely useless piece of my trivia: my wife is the new voice of the Sakuradori subway line (for English announcements), since they're opening four new stations and wanted to redo all their recorded announcements. 1 Link to comment
Guest ___ Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Maybe we need to do a group or official JNS Official meeting. Link to comment
marknewton Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 There is a phrase for this that I've discovered recently: Nerd tourism. I like it. LOL! Me too! I suspect I've always been a nerd tourist. All the best, Mark. Link to comment
bikkuri bahn Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I believe JR is about to open a new train museum in the area with some special exhibits on the experimental maglev Shinkansen. Yes, it will open next Monday. http://museum.jr-central.co.jp/en/'>http://museum.jr-central.co.jp/en/ Japanese site has countdown indicator: http://museum.jr-central.co.jp/ Link to comment
marknewton Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Oh yes, that and the freight action. I thought as much. ...The industrial, non-glamorous atmosphere of the place also appeals to me... I'm with you on that. I grew up in inner-city Sydney when it was still full of old factories, power stations and railway yards, all of which fascinated me - as they still do. Like you my early railfan forays were to places I could get to by walking, riding the bike or catching the train. Best of all was going to work in the goods yard at Darling Harbour, which you'd have loved. This is a wonderful short documentary film called "Island Shunters" which was made there in 1977. I couldn't imagine anyone being allowed access to make something like this these days. I knew most of these blokes, in fact a few of them are still around on the job today. A word of warning, though. If you're likely to be offended by robust use of the English language, turn the sound off! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGJICbjcxek&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShsC29TWSa8 Ahh, memories. All the best, Mark. 2 Link to comment
marknewton Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 When I read the Lonely Planet guide book and it describes a city as 'industrial port city, nothing of interest to tourists' I get a desire to check it out. I know that feeling. Nothing annoys me more than the assumption made by the tourim and travel industry that if a place doesn't have a museum/art gallery/castle/cathedral/, or trendoid nightclubs full of so-called "celebrities", it's not worth visiting. But then, I realise that the travel mob aren't equipped to cope with people whose interests go beyond what they see in NW magazine. Cheers, Mark. Link to comment
bikkuri bahn Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 thanks, Mark. I'll have to view those clips later on a computer w/sound- I want the full authentic audio atmosphere- both mechanical and human generated! Link to comment
bikkuri bahn Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Watched the clip- very atmospheric, and inconceivable nowadays. What a contrast of modern rolling stock coupled with seemingly ancient open wagons that could have been imported straight from the LMS or suchlike rlwy. Attire is ah, unconventional too- you'd think they were spending a day at the beach once they left the premises. Link to comment
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