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We will be vacationing in Japan for 2 weeks in May. Has anyone else been there? We are lucky enough that our friend and travel agent is Japanese and will be with us. Plans include Tokyo, Nikko, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Kanazawa, as well as a few other places. We will be using the Japan Rail System for travel. Any words of advice?
My wife is from Japan, and I've spent considerable time there. Having your friend with you is a HUGE bonus, as he/she will be able to point you in the right direction for certain things. The Japanese are great people, and friendly. May is a good time to be there, as it's not too cold or too hot. Summers can be hot in Japan.
Learn a little conversational Japanese.
Learn a little Kanji script, it will help on the rail.
Osaka is nice, Tokyo is very expensive and crowded.
Kyoto is lovely.
I am really looking forward to staying at some traditional ryokans. About half our nights will be in ryokans, and half in Western hotels. We will be in Tokyo for the Spring Festival, so are expecting crowded conditions. Also hoping for some great street food and sushi. My Japanese companion is excited to get to use the baths again. Her husband will join us for the 2nd week of travel, and is anxious to tour the sake distilleries. We are also going to tour the Toyota plant, I hear it is very interesting (and free!)
Stopped for fuel at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo enroute to an assignment in Korea. We took off at sunset and I saw Mt. Fuji jutting majestically above the cloud cover. "WOW, what a picture" I thought as I snapped away with my camera. When I landed in Korea, it was only then that I discovered that I had no film in the camera...
I went there about three years ago. Pretty good experience. You're lucky that you're traveling with a travel agent that is Japanese or else you'll be lost. I guess that's the best part. Since you're traveling with a travel agent I can't really help you out much. They pretty much make your travel experience pain free. I guess something that would enhance your experience a lot is to learn the language before you go. Try Pimsleur. Knowing the language really does make things a lot more fun and rewarding. Even if it's just a couple simple sentences.
Yes, travel lightly since your plans include a fair amount of places in such a short time frame. Having a person who is familiar with Japan and can speak the language is a big plus for first time travelers to Japan.
My husband has been there a number of times with me and I believe he can now move around fine on his own. But, he needed to get acclimated to Tokyo and Japan in general first before he felt comfortable enough to trek off on his own while there.
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