Japan!

[kate_nepveu]

So, as you may have seen in Chad's blog, we are going to Japan for Worldcon and making a major trip out of it. Our tentative plan is to arrive in Osaka on Sunday August 19, spend about a week in Kyoto, then head to Yokohama (30 min. outside of Tokyo) to the con hotel and do stuff in Tokyo and environs (Kamakura) until the con, which is Thursday August 30 through Monday September 3. We'll probably stick at the hotel until Tuesday, to both relax and get in some last-minute fannish socializing, and then do . . . something . . . that would get us back to Osaka to fly out that Saturday.

(The plan is structured this way because other commitments make this block of time the best one, and we want a good chunk of time in Kyoto.)

So! Tell me about traveling to Japan. We are planning to hit the major museums, gardens, temples, and shrines in Kyoto, maybe Nara, Tokyo, and Kamakura; what else should we see, particularly in the post-con period? Note that low-stress things would be particularly valued at this point in the trip.

Other things I'd like to know, off the top of my head:

• Is an East Coast travel agent from a big chain going to be able to help us with booking airfare, hotels, rail passes, baseball tickets, etc.? Are there agencies that are better at travel to Japan than others?
• Is there any likelihood at all that business fares will drop below five digits? Chad could really use the extra leg room, but when he looked quick at fares, they were in the $10K range—which was way more than when we looked at this several months ago. Maybe we were just looking at the wrong dates?
• If I'm not willing to sleep on the floor, does that rule out hotels like Crossroads of rachelmanija's icon?
• What can I eat if I don't like soy sauce and raw fish? (Yes, I know. This is one of the reasons it took Worldcon for Chad to be able to drag me to Japan.) Do you have restaurants you particularly recommend?
• Souvenirs. Besides stuff I just like, are there particularly good things to bring back as gifts for people? Are there things to avoid?
• What learning-Japanese audiobooks do you recommend?
• What's the wireless internet situation like? I'm contemplating getting a Palm with wireless to carry around and possibly replace the laptop for the trip.
• Besides kabuki, what live performances should we try? Would, say, the equivalent of a minor-league baseball game be worth trying, considering that we're really not that into baseball but enjoy live games?
• Who else is going to Worlcon? What are your plans? Are you sticking around before, after, where are you going when?
• What should I be asking that I don't know enough to?

(I am, by the way, keeping an eye on telephase's post for ideas too.)

Comments

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Go through the Welcome Inn group for hotels. http://www.itcj.jp/ "Western style" rooms have western-style beds. Alas, Crossroads does not. (Though the futons are probably as comfortable as the beds.)

For booking, yes, some travel agencies are excellent. I don't know about the East Coast, though; I like IACE, which might have an east coast branch.

Restaurants: There is lots to eat other than sushi. I can't give individual recommendations because you'll never be able to find them. But there's Italian and Chinese restaurants, plus restaurants specializing in fried things, things on skewers, barbecue, noodles, noodle soup, etc. Plus burgers-- even McDonald's. The food models in the window tell you what they serve. I ate very little sushi while I was there, and almost never had a bad meal.

I'll be at Worldcon and sticking around after.

Temple flea markets have amazing souvenirs, such as gorgeous silk haori coats. I have a couple that I wear over dress pants for special occasions.

Wireless is hard to predict. Some places have it, some don't. You can always find a net cafe if there's no access.

[kate_nepveu]

That seems to be the consensus on the futons. My back hurts at the thought already.

IACE has a NYC branch; I don't know how much face-to-face stuff we'd need?

Thanks!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean that the beds are uncomfortable, but that the futons feel much like a mattress that happens to be on the floor. However, I prefer a firm mattress.

I would try IACE New York. Their LA branch has excellent service and great deals. They can also get you a rail pass and answer miscellaneous questions; they might even be able to book you a hotel known for soft mattresses, or call for you and ask.

[pnh.livejournal.com]

I'm planning to arrive Monday or Tuesday before the con, in order to have a couple of days in which to dash around Tokyo/Yokohama like an insane person, taking in as much as I can before the con starts on Thursday. If you and Chad are going to be staying in Yokohama those same days, I would be delighted to link up for touristic pursuits. (Just me, alas; Tor is only sending one Nielsen Hayden.)

Check out this article in the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/12/10/TRG01MRNIR1.DTL). Evidently, with just a little advance planning, it's possible for a small group to secure the services of an all-day volunteer native tour guide who speaks English, for the cost of their meals and transit tickets. The article makes it sound like a terrific idea. Interested?

[kate_nepveu]

Hmmm. Let me bounce that one off Chad; we have kind of different opinions about tourism and travel, but I can definitely see some good things to that. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[orzelc.livejournal.com]

The only disadvantage I could see to the hiring of English-speaking guides in advance would be that it sort of commits you to going to specific places on specific days, and doesn't give you the freedom to say "Well, it's pouring rain, so why don't we do the museum today, and the outdoor stuff tomorrow?"

Having done most of my sightseeing without a local guide, I would say that it's sort of fun to try to piece things together from the really dodgy English-language brochures they provide at most temples and museums. But I also went around Nikko with a local guide, and there's a lot to be said for having someone around who can actually read the signs.

[buddhacat.livejournal.com]

Karaoke! No visit to Japan can go without Karaoke.

[orzelc.livejournal.com]

No matter how hard you try...

[kate_nepveu]

Oh, right, that was going to be another post, thanks for reminding me.

[oyceter]

I'm contemplating Worldcon, though I don't know how likely it is for me. There's actually a lot of Japanese food that doesn't have raw fish; you might have a harder time with soy sauce in Japanese restaurants, given that it's used a lot like salt. But then, like Rachel says, there should be lots of western restaurants around. One of my favorite things to do was just go to a convenience store and buy the little pre-packaged things there, which were often quite good. I'd also go to the bakeries, which have things like tuna in a roll and other nifty stuff. The train stations will always have tons and tons of little food places.

Futons are actually really comfortable, but if you don't want to sleep on the floor, that will probably rule out all ryokan (little inn) style hotels like the one in Rachel's icon.

I'd recommend finding an onsen (hot springs) hotel to relax, but they do require you to go in naked to soak in the baths. But it's sooooooo comfortable. And you can wander around the hotel in yukata all day.

My favorite place in Kyoto was the old shogun's castle with the squeaky floors intended to catch assassins. But that's because I bounced around and made the floor squeak instead of paying attention to the guide. Still! Fun!

Akihabara in Tokyo will have tons and tons of anime/manga stores with merchandise, if you like that sort of thing ^_^. Also, they'll have tons of cool electronics. I like going to Harajuku (in Tokyo) and eating Japanese-style crepes and people-watching; that's where all the loligoth girls go. People wear some pretty incredible stuff!

You may want to get a JR pass; it covers all the trains and subways and buses in Japan. That way, you can take the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo ^_^. Also, the trains/train stations will serve local specialties in bento boxes. It's also nice because Tokyo and Kyoto and probably all of Japan has excellent public transportation.

Alas, it's been too many year's since I've been there to rec restaurants. But there will be lots of curry houses, if you like Japanese-style curry! If you're willing to do hole in the wall places and hit convenience stores and bakeries, it's actually not that hard to eat cheaply.

[kate_nepveu]

It's more that I don't believe futons are actually comfortable. I like give in my sleeping surfaces. Maybe this is not an issue?

Yes, the squeaky-floored castle is definitely on the list.

I think we were planning on a JR pass; we hadn't gotten around to doing the math yet, but I believe it's likely that it will pay for itself with Kyoto-Tokyo.

. . . what is Japanese-style curry like?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Japanese curry: not at all like any other curry: same texture, but not spicy unless you ask for it spicy. Kind of like an American heartland version of something Indian.

[oyceter]

Um... I can't quite say about the give for futons, but they do come with nice fluffy blankets and I never want to get up. But I suspect you may want to try one first before booking, just in case?

Japanese-style curry is thicker than Indian or Thai curry, sans the sweetness of Thai curry. Um. I'm not sure how else to describe it -- it's usually thick with potatoes and chunks of meat and carrots and not as spice-full as Indian curry and not as sweet as Thai curry. It's spicy as in hot (though you can ask for mild ones), but doesn't have the same kinds of spices or as much, I think.

[mdevnich.livejournal.com]

I can't give you any useful comments on the mainland, as most of my travel has been outside of Japan. However, for the few days after the Con, come to Okinawa! and see an entirely different (slower & tropical) piece of the country. I'm thinking it would be fun to host a post-Con DFS. (Though I don't actually expect anyone to take me up on this offer, as flights within Japan are pretty expensive.)

For western-style hotels, stay at "business hotels"-- those have western-style beds (though I have never seen double beds here-- only twin).

I'm going to Kyoto beforehand too, but not as early as you, I think.

[kate_nepveu]

western-style beds (though I have never seen double beds here-- only twin)

Arrrgh.

Can futons be had in double sizes (probably not larger)?

And I don't know if we'll take you up, but it's something to look at--not really likely, given the time frame, but worth thinking about.

[mdevnich.livejournal.com]

Futons... this is a sore subject with me.

Japanese futons are thin mattress-thingys that go on the floor, then get rolled or folded away during the day. They are not what we Americans think of as futons. Also, see the above note about no double beds... the futons I've seen in furniture stores aren't even twin size, more like single. I got rid of my futon before I moved here, thinking I could get a replacement easily enough... ha!

However. The beds in business or resort hotels have proper mattresses, as much as that can be said for a twin size. I was at a resort hotel over Thanksgiving and the mattress was one of the best I've ever had at a hotel. (The pillows were kind of awful, though-- packed with little foam balls-- way too firm. If you like down pillows, you'd better bring your own.) The bed setup was two adjacent twins, on wheels, so you could roll them together, and sleep... in the next mattress over from your SO? Like summer camp?

*is not down with this particular cultural feature*

Should I be buying my worldcon membership already? I've never gone before, and I don't know how much advance time to allow for arrangements.

[whumpdotcom.livejournal.com]

athenais suggested checking with consolidators to find good deals on business class tickets.

I'm going to call the IACE office in San Jose to see what fares I can find.

cynthia1960 and I would like to see Kyoto, and I'd like to knock about Tokyo for a few days before or after the Worldcon.

[kate_nepveu]

Consolidators are another good tip, thank you. I think somewhere the Wash. Post travel section talked about this, must go look.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

Besides whatever advice your friends can give you, I'd suggest hitting the bookstores and/or libraries for guidebooks, which can be useful on your general orientation questions as well as on tourist attractions. If available for Japan, I'd suggest looking at Moon, Rough Guide, and ... for Dummies, in that order.

[kate_nepveu]

Oh yes, another thing I forgot to say. We have a Rough Guide, an illustrated thing, and an old book of Chad's that we really like but alas is not updated, called _Gateway to Japan_, that is not afraid to be blunt: http://www.librarything.com/work/385385

I admit that I haven't been as diligent with them as I should be, but in a lot of ways I trust people's personal experience more.

[athenais.livejournal.com]

Is there any likelihood at all that business fares will drop below five digits?

Yes, but not by much, and it'll be hard to get those seats. Business Class always fills up first, long before Econony or First. People use their miles to upgrade, and almost no one buys First Class any more.

What can I eat if I don't like soy sauce and raw fish?

The Japanese are adventurous eaters. They like international cuisine. Any of the cities and major towns will have French and Italian restaurants at the very least. You can avoid sushi easily.

My favorite souvenirs from Japan have always been toys. If you're going to be in Tokyo, I recommend the four-storey toy shop Hakuhinkan in the Ginza. It's very easy to find, being on the main drag. The other thing I like to buy are cheap, comfortable cotton robes (easy to pack) and watercolors by local artists.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

In fact, sushi generally costs unless it's conveyer belt style. Easily avoided. Go to department stores to eat- their top floors often have 8-10 different kinds of restaurant- (what passes for) Italian, udon (fat) and soba (thin) noodles plus garnishes, generic steak (usually hamburger), and the peculiar form of 'Chinese' food that's the Japanese form of Chinese food, rather as we think of sweet and sour as Chinese. Gyoza, pork cutlet, chicken cutlet, liver and green onion (sniff- I miss that one), various stuff on top of rice including the unagi/ eel that papersky mentions. Real Chinese costs as much as French costs here. Soy sauce optional on those. Japanese Macdonald's is actually edible and they have only-in-Japan specialties like grilled chicken.

Kabuki is loud and garish and harshly lit. I go for a good Noh play myself but other people fall asleep at them. August is kind of a down-time generally entertainment-wise- hot, and o-Bon at the beginning of the month cuts into things- so there may not be any kabuki on offer. Check the kabuki-za in Ginza to find out. There is (or was in my day) a kind of same-day sit-in-the-gods ticket that was actually semi-affordable.

I *have* seen double beds in business hotels, and the mattresses are usually much better (ie firmer) than at ordinary hotels, but singles are the general rule. Also Japanese double beds accommodate one gaijin comfortably; queens they are not.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks for warning me about the entertainment options. It may well be that at night, we'll be too tired to do anything but eat and collapse; but our current plans were pretty thin on that kind of thing, so I thought I should ask.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks about the business fares; that makes sense.

(I should've specified "that's Japanese" for the food, since Chad loves it; but it reassures me that if I get completely sick of noodles, I can find Western food.)

Toys! Oh, that's dangerous, but fun, too. Thanks.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Anything on a menu that ends in -don will be a bowl of rice with meat or cooked fish on it. Katsudon is pork. Oyakodon is chicken, egg and onions and it's really yummy. OTOH, I just remembered that you don't like Korean food, so what do I know -- it may be yummy to me in the same way that is. I've forgotten the name for the eel one, which is nice if you like eel. I know they serve these in Japan and not just in Azuma because a friend who had been to grad school in Japan said so. Udon is noodles.

cris has recently been to Japan and talks about food and travel in unlocked posts that you might want to look at. He's Canadian, but his family are originally from the Philipines and he had a little trouble with people looking at him superficially and acting as if he ought to speak Japanese. I don't know if you'd have this problem, but be prepared.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks, I'll look at those posts. And yeah, that's one of the things I expect to dislike about being in Japan.

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

One interesting thing (among many) about living in Japan (1991-1994) was the subtle racism directed against me... unless I spoke English.

To wit: Japanese society, especially outside the urban, cosmopolitan city cores, still had back then a level of racism torwards non-Japanese Asians similar to the subtle type of racism directed against African Americans in many parts of Red America. Japan, in fact, didn't even allow Japan-born individuals of other Asian ancestry *be* naturalized Japanese citizens without documentation of actual Japanese ancestry. When I went into stores, or tried to get tickets at ticket stations, many native Japanese would immediately identify my Chinese genetic ancestry by my face (and they're *really* good at telling the difference between Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, etc.) and treat me, well, like I was beneath them. They'd still serve me, but they'd definately show me less than a warm welcome... unless I spoke English.

Again, twelve years ago, the average Japanese had a very *different* attitude torwards what they percieved to be Westerners -- Americans, especially. They'd go out of their way to be polite to Americans. And most interesting of all, the fact I spoke English with an obvious American fluency was more important to them, in their attitudes, than the fact I had a Chinese face. What was apparently more important was that I was Chinese-American, not Chinese-American. In fact, often their attitudes would change 180 degrees right at the moment of realization. I could effectively perform a version of the famous racism thought experiment, where one changes one's skin color and sees what different reactions they would get, simply by using English or Japanese.

There was an even greater racial bias against "half-breeds" -- against native women who married white men, almost a level of contempt -- again overriden, from what I've heard, if they knew you weren't, in fact, native.

Now, that was ten-plus years ago -- before the current Administration made America's name Mud in many quarters, for starters. But it is something I experienced, and might be worth thinking about. I would be prepared for those kinds of reactions, if they are still prelevant in the areas you're going to.

[kate_nepveu]

Ugh. I was afraid of that, but thanks for the personal experience.

Man...

[jsbowden.livejournal.com]

You and Chad just get to have all the fun, Kate.

Re: Man...

[kate_nepveu]

Well, I hope it will be fun!

[skwidly.livejournal.com]

My past travel excursions haven't been quite so adventurous as this one, but I've had very good experiences with travel agencies thus far.

OTOH, sites like Kayak (http://www.kayak.com/) make finding affordable fares on your own very feasible. A quick search for 2 round-trip Albany-Osaka fares, Business Class, on your schedule above, gave me a lowest price in the low $8000 per/ range. Fly into Tokyo, instead, and you can knock a couple of grand off of that. I don't know if that brings it into the realm of the feasible for you two, but it's certainly not 5 digits.

[kate_nepveu]

Kayak apparently hates me, since I can't duplicate your results, but I will try when I have more time and am not apparently cursed in all that I do. Thanks for the pointer.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm afraid I don't have anything useful to offer, alas, since it's been years since I was last there, and Chad knows everything and more that I do about the place, anyway, but... I had a blast the week I spent there, and I didn't even get to visit Kyoto (see the waves of envy rolling off me right now!). Unlike you, I love sushi, but there's no problem finding non-raw stuff, and if worse comes to worse, you can always pop in to a "Makudonarudo". Yeah, it's swill, but even with the country-variant menu, it's mostly familiar swill. But have a great time, I think it sounds like it'll be a blast.

--Trent

[firecat]

I liked the Pimsleur audio course for learning tourist level Japanese. It's expensive, but the first set (out of 3) was available at my local library.

[turnberryknkn.livejournal.com]

Apologies it took so long to reply -- I was interviewing the day this post came out, and so didn't catch it the 1st time around.

Chad's already been to Nikko, so he can give you direct advice about whether he thought it was worth it (I think it should be on everyone's goto list.) If I remember Chad's blog, he's also been to Hakone, which is another one of my favorites.

As to gifts: all the major temples sell little charms, many of which are quite pretty, and all are pretty uniquely Japan. Plus, they're supposed to bring good luck. And they're small, don't take up much luggage space, and make neato Christmas Tree ornaments/cubicle decorations. :-)