Japanese Travel Poll

[Guest ___]

I've only made the trip a few times, though before I bought the Jeep and the recession was looking to spend three or more months in Japan under a culture exchange/art visa.

[Bernard]

I had to travel twice to Japan in 1998, both for work, right before the Olympics and then to film the games.

[Guest ___]

I had to travel twice to Japan in 1998, both for work, right before the Olympics and then to film the games.

 

You got to film the games? That's pretty cool.

[to2leo]

Japan was the beginning of my annual one month long vacation ever since 2005.  Like first love, it holds a special place in my heart  ::)

[scott]

One for "never" here.  :-\

[Martijn Meerts]

Add me to the "never" list  :'(

[disturbman]

I put myself in the "only ocne" options. I was there for the first time in march of this year. 10 days. So great... I just want to go back and have more time to experiment everything.

[to2leo]

I put myself in the "only ocne" options. I was there for the first time in march of this year. 10 days. So great... I just want to go back and have more time to experiment everything.

 

I totally agreed with you on that....experience and experiment!

[Guest ___]

BURP BUMP

[westfalen]

Seven times for me. 1991, 94, 98 and 2006 with organised railfan tours from Australia, and in 96, 97 and Feb 2006 on my own.

[grumbeast]

Had planned to go with my wife (who is very keen!) in 2003 .. however got laid off.  Now we have a our little girl so we're planning on going when she gets a little older.. in 3 or 4 years.. I can't wait.. but will need that long to save!  The Boss gets temples and gardens, I get Shinkansen and Limited Expresses!! and as for the wee one, she'll love it all!

 

G.

[qwertyaardvark]

Three times for me: Feb 2008 and Feb 2009 (two week long, each) to present research project posters at Kanazawa Inst. of Tech, and Summer of 2009 for summer language program at same university, but completely unrelated program. (2 month)

 

While unfortunate that the university was not near Kanazawa Station, and the city was too small to have a good rail network (it was a bus city), I loved being able to bike just 5 mins off campus and get to places surrounded by rice fields and mountains. :) Also only a 30-45 min bike ride to the sea of japan, so beautiful~~~

 

^-- pretty awesome entrance gate, eh? something i'd like to model someday~~

[Nozomi]

I've been to japan 4 times but I just used the shinkansen once! We came by ferry from Busan, South Korea to Shimonoseki and then took a Hikari to Hiroshima. Must be around 15 years ago...  I just started my japanese train hobby early this year and ever since I could kill myself because I had so many possibilites in the past to use those bullets and never did.

 

But in February 2010 I will stay in Japan for almost a month. Even better, it's the first time I go alone. My goals: use all shinkansen trains and all shinkansen lines, spend an absurd amount of money in model train stores (for used and new sets, acessories), make lots of pictures of trains, eating bento box lunches, visit rail related museums. I feel especially good about this trip because I did the sightseeing on earlier trips. My family and friends don't understand this way of travel but I'm sure that at least some members of this forum can follow my reasoning.

 

I spend a lot of time in the forum, searching for tips about stores, photo look outs and the like. It's very useful. I will post some questions in the following weeks to close the gaps in knowledge. Your help is very much appreciated!

[bikkuri bahn]

I feel especially good about this trip because I did the sightseeing on earlier trips.

 

Yes, I like to travel where the focus is almost exclusively on railways, with a little boat/ship travel and ropeway/funicular action to "clear the palate" so to speak.  It's quite liberating to be freed from the usual obligatory sightseeing courses.  Actually, I find I encounter more "off the beaten track" places and unique/interesting shops, restaurants, and vistas, as well as meet more of the locals on my positioning moves to photograph and ride trains.

[Guest ___]

I feel especially good about this trip because I did the sightseeing on earlier trips.

 

Yes, I like to travel where the focus is almost exclusively on railways, with a little boat/ship travel and ropeway/funicular action to "clear the palate" so to speak.  It's quite liberating to be freed from the usual obligatory sightseeing courses.  Actually, I find I encounter more "off the beaten track" places and unique/interesting shops, restaurants, and vistas, as well as meet more of the locals on my positioning moves to photograph and ride trains.

 

Same here as well. My next trip might be annoying because I have friends in Japan who want to "hang out" every day I am scheduled there with little to no interesting trains at all. My best photography, and most praised photographic works come from side streets, allies and off the main street images of people and places. The next trip, I plan to spend as little time IN Osaka as possible, and just use Shin-Osaka as base camp.

[Guest ___]

Since my last reply, many things have changed, one of which is that I need not worry about most of my Japanese friends wanting to hang out. Also, it looks like I will spend most of my time in Osaka Proper.

[TestudoToTetsudo]

I've been there three times, when I was 3, 8, and then last year when I was 25.  I plan to go back in 2012, unless my financial situation prohibits that.

 

The two trips when I was a kid were mostly family and cultural site-centered, my Dad and his entire family are from Japan.  However I still got to ride a lot of trains -- when I was 8, my relatives booked in advance for us to get the front row seats on the Romance Car Hakone-Tokyo after we spent a couple days in Hakone.  Also rode 0 and 100 series Shinkansen, wide view Hida, and Narita Express.

 

One of the great things about Japan is that you can use the train to get to almost any family or cultural destination (here in the US, outside a few cities, you have to drive, even to a rail-related destination).   This past trip, I could go out on my own, so I spent every spare moment riding trains--on top of riding trains to a lot of family commitments.

 

My next trip will be the first with my fiance (my wife by then).  Since she's a teacher and locked into a school schedule (we're thinking of spring break if possible, so the cities won't be so hot/humid). We're thinking I will fly out a week ahead of her, ride trains all over the country for a week (possibly with one of my railfan or transitfan friends), and then spend the second week with her meeting with family and visiting cultural sites.  Of course, this is very preliminary, but it's fun to plan -- until I go again, Hyperdia is my addiction!

[scott]

IDEAL MORNING IN JAPAN:

4:30 AM -- Wake up from jet lag; shower

5:30 AM -- Leave Toyoko Inn

6:15 AM -- Board Shinkansen

6:45 AM -- Begin Railfanning 50 miles away

7:45 AM -- Board 2nd Shinkansen of the day

8:30 AM -- Return to Toyoko Inn, meet family for breakfast

 

It's funny how much that sounds like a birding trip...or at least a birder's trip with non-birders.

[TestudoToTetsudo]

 

IDEAL MORNING IN JAPAN:

4:30 AM -- Wake up from jet lag; shower

5:30 AM -- Leave Toyoko Inn

6:15 AM -- Board Shinkansen

6:45 AM -- Begin Railfanning 50 miles away

7:45 AM -- Board 2nd Shinkansen of the day

8:30 AM -- Return to Toyoko Inn, meet family for breakfast

 

It's funny how much that sounds like a birding trip...or at least a birder's trip with non-birders.

 

Yeah I did that twice in my past trip to Japan, sneaking out to Maibara while Mom and Dad woke up in Kyoto.  It's a great way to tuck some riding and some pictures into what would otherwise be a day of family commitments--or other non-rail commitments.

 

I might do some of that in my next trip, although I'm hoping to have an extra week just to ride trains before the family commitments and cultural site visits with my future wife, so it's less likely than on my last trip.

[lordwinslow]

I got to live there for a month back in Sept 2008.  Work got me an apartment in the Kojimachi area of Chiyoda.  Loved it, was able to ride around the subways all the time, walk to different venues, even got to ride to Osaka on the Shinkansen.  Even got to visit the Kato Museum and shop (well visited it twice).  I am planning another trip next year to go ride the trains again, bring back some more Kato goodies and have a Mos Burger.

 

Winslow

[Fat Al]

I go to Japan at least five times a year for vacation. But that's partly due to the geographical location of where I'm at, and also because of my job.

 

My goal is to go to every prefecture there at least once...

[Martijn Meerts]

I've been looking forward to the day I'd be able to say this...

 

It looks like I might be going to Japan sometime (hopefully) early next year 

 

Nothing set in stone yet though :)

[SubwayHypes]

Ive been to Japan every single year since 1986 to 2007.   then i took a 3 year break to pursue my career and get into the normal stuff like mortgages, paying the bills, etc.  but i finally visited again in 2010 and had a blast.

 

Ive been from the top to bottom, but havent been to OKinawa yet.   My grandma used to take us on long train trips all over the country, in the Blue Train, Super View Odoriko, every new Shinkansen release, Hitachi express, etc.    My grandparents were also railfans sort of, and loved to take us on train trips everytime a new Liner came out with a vacation package.

 

Ive been riding the Japan trains since i was a baby...i still remember riding the old Hibiya and Marunouchi lines...

[Guest ___]

I've been looking forward to the day I'd be able to say this...

 

It looks like I might be going to Japan sometime (hopefully) early next year 

 

Nothing set in stone yet though :)

 

 

Eating your words, Martjin, instead of Japan, you're going the other way to the USA.

[Martijn Meerts]

I've been looking forward to the day I'd be able to say this...

 

It looks like I might be going to Japan sometime (hopefully) early next year 

 

Nothing set in stone yet though :)

 

 

Eating your words, Martjin, instead of Japan, you're going the other way to the USA.

 

Yeah =) I actually did start planning a trip to Japan, but it came to a fairly sudden stop early on. I emailed this travel agency that does group travels to Japan, figured that'd be a good way to go since it's all inclusive and they take care of everything. A lot of people also recommended them. However, the reply I got was so rude, I just lost all interest. Been searching for a good alternative ever since, but it seems the Dutch don't like traveling to Japan all that much or something ;)