Visiting Japan

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timmy
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Visiting Japan

Post by timmy »

I'll be spending a week in Osaka Japan. I will have one free day. Any suggestions?

First time there...

More interested in historical, cultural type things... get a flavor of the culture.

Thank you
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plannerman
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by plannerman »

cessna210
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by cessna210 »

We just got back from Osaka. The best time we had was attending a Hanshin Tigers baseball game at Koshien Stadium. It may not fit the classic definition of historical or cultural, but it's both! Our tickets were purchased and delivered to our hotel through the japanball.com website.
chaz
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by chaz »

See some of Kyoto.
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samsoes
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by samsoes »

Definitely take-in a ballgame. Hopefully you can also enjoy a hotdog and a beer at the stadium. :beer
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cowboyinasia
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by cowboyinasia »

Osaka is fun; it has a sharper, grittier vibe than Tokyo.

Check out Doutonbori.

Visit a downtown department store, especially the basement grocery and a roof top Summer beer garden.

The castle is good, if you like that.

You could get to Kyoto for a day. Bus and walk yourself around. Ditto Nara, which is walkable.
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in_reality
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by in_reality »

cowboyinasia wrote:
You could get to Kyoto for a day. Bus and walk yourself around. Ditto Nara, which is walkable.
I agree.

Do you speak the language? How many In your party. Been there before?

You can get there by yourself with no language skills. Be sure to compliment people on their English ability even if they only say one or two words! Also, please, thank you and sorry!

Try http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonkatsu. Free refills on rice, soup, tea and finely sliced cabbage.

Wizarding World just opened in Universal Studios Japan. Hot attraction! http://www.designntrend.com/articles/16 ... -japan.htm
dgdevil
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by dgdevil »

Nara is great. Since it was not stated why, I'll explain. Tame deer overrun the town. They are considered sacred. You can buy cookies to feed them. No Japanese-language skills required. Nara also has a weird mascot - a fat Buddhist boy with devil horns. That's Japan for ya.
harrychan
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by harrychan »

I agree with giving Kyoto a try. It is a full day trip though. Getting around Osaka isn't difficult as there are signs in English everywhere. However, you will have trouble finding menus in english and people in general do not speak it.
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daave
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by daave »

Get the JR Rail Pass, which will give you unlimited access to both inter-city bullet trains (shinkansen) and local trains for the week. When I visited Japan I stayed in Osaka, and with the JR pass in hand, spent a day in each of Kyoto, Nara, Umeda & Hiroshima, and still had lots of time for Osaka itself. The trains are so great, you can leave at 9am, be where you want to be by ~10, see everything, and have dinner back in Osaka. A little known feature of the JR pass is it also allows you to pre-book tickets via the website, even on the same day of travel, at no extra cost - reserved seats are usually a few hundred yen extra, since they give you the option of the quiet car and no need to worry about finding a spot.

Enjoy the food! So delicious!
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cowboyinasia
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by cowboyinasia »

Great idea the tonkatsu. Go somewhere that'll set you back 2000 or 3000 yen, just for the meal.

Also sample
- sushi, sashimi
- the three noodles . . . soba, udon, ramen
- onigiri
- curry rice
- shabu shabu
- yakitori, and beer
- okonomiyaki
- cold canned coffees from a vending machine
- a bento box lunch

If you don't return 5 lbs heavier you haven't done a good job of it!
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in_reality
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by in_reality »

cowboyinasia wrote:Great idea the tonkatsu. Go somewhere that'll set you back 2000 or 3000 yen, just for the meal.

If you don't return 5 lbs heavier you haven't done a good job of it!

2000 or 3000 yen for Tonkatsu? You must get lot of beer. 1500 or maybe 1800 is my limit.

Anyway nice food list! If you have any seafood allergies speak now before you try all those things...

And if you can find a restaurant with a whole fish skewered though the middle to give it a swimming motion then you know you've done well. IIRC it's a summer delicacy in that region.

The tourist offices in/near major stations or maybe at you hotel might have good suggests too!

Another thing you can do it get a volunteer guide. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/trave ... html#osaka This is a list by the National Tourist Agency so should be OK I would think...
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The529guy
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by The529guy »

Ride the world's highest escalators in the Umeda Sky Building.
tigermilk
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by tigermilk »

Agree with some others regarding Kyoto and/or Nara. Both, IMO, are better than Osaka. While Osaka has the castle, that's only an hour or two of your time. Another suggestion is for a little longer train ride out to Himeji. There is a fantastic castle out there. Nara is great for the experience with the deer, and there are a few nice shrines there as well.

Since you are there for a week and have one free day, it sounds like you are there on business. As such, you could easily take in a Tigers game (if they are in town) at night. Japanese baseball is a blast, from the fans, the food, and how the Japanese teams play ball. IMO, a better experience than MLB.
dickenjb
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by dickenjb »

chaz wrote:See some of Kyoto.
+1

My favorite city in Japan and I have been to many. A short train ride from Osaka.
D57102
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by D57102 »

Hi, I am Japanese, living in US. I just came back from a short trip around Kyoto/Nara.

It totally depends on what you like to see. But if what you want to see is old Japanese culture or building, and you have only one day, I would strongly recommend a short trip to Nara.

You can take a local train from Osaka (Kintetsu line) to Nara. Then, you walk around Nara park and see the great Buddha of Nara and beautiful five-story tower of Kofukuji temple.

Then, on your back to Osaka, you can stop by Horyuuji-temple. That is the oldest wooden building in the world. It is really beautiful.

Kyoto is great, too, but it is crowded and hard to look around. Places to see are scattered. And it is so hot and humid in summer.

Nara is a more calm place, where it is good to meditate and spend one peaceful day.
plats
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Re: Visiting Japan

Post by plats »

D57102 wrote:Hi, I am Japanese, living in US. I just came back from a short trip around Kyoto/Nara.

It totally depends on what you like to see. But if what you want to see is old Japanese culture or building, and you have only one day, I would strongly recommend a short trip to Nara.

You can take a local train from Osaka (Kintetsu line) to Nara. Then, you walk around Nara park and see the great Buddha of Nara and beautiful five-story tower of Kofukuji temple.

Then, on your back to Osaka, you can stop by Horyuuji-temple. That is the oldest wooden building in the world. It is really beautiful.

Kyoto is great, too, but it is crowded and hard to look around. Places to see are scattered. And it is so hot and humid in summer.

Nara is a more calm place, where it is good to meditate and spend one peaceful day.
As an American living in Osaka for over 30 years, I can second this. The other benefit of Nara Koen (Park) over other sightseeing spots is that there are no cars in it. You only risk being run over by a hungry deer.
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