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]]>last tuesday we went to Disney "the happiest place on earth" land. and it was a long day! we were able to conquer every ride except for space mountain, which im pretty sure would of been the best ride in history, due to some fast pass ticket scam, though the nice lady said we can comeback and use it another day (sigh) however all in all it was a good day and we were pretty exhausted by the end of it.
later that week we headed off to Mt Fuji with great expectations however our spirits were crushed like small helpless animals under the tread of a tree clearing bulldozer of environmental hate. it was a cloudy rainy day and couldnt see anything at all. the highlight of the day was the violation of a small rabbit / badger mascot by Josh and Darren while wearing disney cowboy hats.
Luckily the Nagano day trip was amazing. After a brief train trip, bus trip, mountain hike we arrived at monkey paradise aptly named hells valley due to there steamy gysers and rocky terrain. our first interaction with a monkey was josh being attacked and chased so we knew we were onto a good thing. it was pretty surreal being able to walk right upto wild monkeys and watch them go about their daily business of laying in hotpools and fighting each other (monkies are somewhat cruel) The day ended with some naked bathing (no monkey).
Well after all that the intinery has been thrown out the window and things got alittle crazy over the last couple of days.
It started off Sunday morning with the plan to take a 4.5hr train ride from Tokyo to Takayama in central Japan.
Upon arriving in Takayama we quickly hired some bicycles from a local and set off. It was quickly agreed upon that bicycles was the best idea of the holiday so far - we made great time and saw the entire city in an afternoon. so instead of staying the night - we packed it up and changed our course to Osaka.
We arrived in Osaka around 8:30pm and made our way into a pretty seedy part of town (ofcourse without knowing!) and finding a capsule hotel. we decided to give it a try - though the locker space couldnt fit our suitcases so we had to upgrade to a normal room. (not without jumping into some capsules first though)
Today we went in search of new accommodation and somehow found a place built into a major stadium which is home to the Osaka Football Club. its pretty strange to be staying in a stadium!
After dropping off our bags we ventured off into Osaka to check out whats for offer. starting with a trip to the Aquarium. it was pretty good though the much hyped whale shark cause abit of disappointment. i was expecting to see something godzilla like.. but it was just a fatter than normal fish.
After that it was into Osaka Castle, and with a trip to the castle came more rain (we seem to have bad luck with weather so far) the Castle was somewhat impressive but i think the weather made everyone abit disgruntled.. we made for shelter and went over to Dombomtori (sp?) and walked around what seems the largest street mall in the history of street malls. eventually getting lost.
anyways the last few days will see us visit Hiroshima, Miyajima and Himeji and exploring more Osaka.. expect more photos soon!
Update Time! whats been happening? remains copyright of the author tayzonday, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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More Pictures remains copyright of the author Phalanx, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Well following that day we caught the Shinkasen (super fast bullet train) straight to Tokyo travelling at speeds of about 300kph!!
Tokyo has been a stark contrast compared to Kyoto. Where Kyoto was rich in old history, beautiful temples, and beautiful scenery - Tokyo is futuristic, neon coloured, sky scraper, madness.
Arriving to Tokyo station on the first day we were completely lost in the train system. We got too excited and caught the first train that appeared in front of us and it took us south towards Yokohoma. After we figured out the system a little better we ended up at our accomodation in Asakusa (also known as Old Tokyo).
Our first day we checked out our district and found a really nice market that runs down a street for about 500 meters and at the end of the street is a big temple. That night we cruised over to Shibuya and checked out the famous Shibuya crossing. It was pretty amazing. The sky was filled with skyscrapers and neon lights and plasma screen advertisements everywhere. After we had a coffee there at Starbucks which looks over the crossing we headed over to the Shinjuku district to check out the Tokyo night life. We found a nice Irish pub where we drowned in about half a dozen beers and then stumbled our way back to bed.
Our second day was a bit more exciting when a typhoon decided to rain down on Tokyo. Never-the-less we continued exploring. We went first to Akihabara (electric town) and checked out the crazy apartment stores, where about ten thousand different type of mobile phones, toasters, computers, and games were for sale. That night Brad and I decided we wanted KFC and we were going to catch a train to find it. Josh tagged along reluctently and then the most craziest thing happened.
Of the hundreds of trains that run through the subway in Tokyo each night we jumped on the one that was carrying a foreigners Halloween party enterourage. It was seriously insane. Our train carriage had about 100 people in it wearing the most outlandish costumes you have ever seen and drinking copious ammounts of alcohol. There were yellow power rangers, big green frog suits, dragonball z characters, men wearing thongs with bow ties, Guy Fawkes masks, Pokemon.... yeah it was pretty epic. Dont worry we took a lot of photos so youre not missing out.
Our third day fell on a Sunday. The Harajuku district on a Sunday is famous for the Cosplay that goes on there. For those unaware Cosplay is the act of dressing up as a famous character, icon, or fashion and playing or acting in that role. We found the place which just sits on a walk way bridge just behind the train station. It was pretty surprising what we found there. Lots of teenage girls, were sitting around in groups eating cake. They were dressed up in some pretty crazy costumes and posing for the cameras. Most of them were wearing Anime style goth type clothing. And in the middle of all the craziness was this guy who was singing U2 songs at the top of his voice with a backing track.
That night we went to do our laundry. While we waited for the washing machines we decided to find a diner or cafe to wait in. We stumbled into the nearest place and found it occupied by only 3 elderly Japanese locals. We sat down regardless and ordered a round of beers.... 1 hour later we were singing karaoke and having a merry time with the locals and calling out 'Kampai!' (Cheers!) everytime another round was ordered.
Today we woke early to head over to the Tsujuki Fish markets. The place was chaos. There was just action happening everywhere. People rushing around on electric carts, ice being tossed everywhere, giant tuna the size of a man, and plenty of tentacles. After the fish markets we jumped on the monorail and headed over to the Odabai district which is famous for hosting some pretty awesome buildings, a man mad beach, rainbow bridge, museums, and Pallette town. We went to the science museum which was pretty awesome because of the robot demonstrations. I got some cool footage to show you of some of the robots that were on display.
Well thats all folks.... Tomorrow we will be going to Disneyland so keep checking our blog for more updates.
Sayanora!
Update on Tokyo remains copyright of the author Phalanx, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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Pictures! remains copyright of the author brisvegas, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>A day at the ninjas consists of firstly a quick demostration of a ninja house which is what seems a typical farmers shanty but it has a billion hidey holes and places of advantage to launch a formible attack on your local milkman or possible rival ninja spy!
After that we got to view alot of ninja clothing / weapons and read up on the history. this was the calm before the storm however as soon enough we were watching a live ninja demostration with real weapons. We all left pretty impressed and josh and darren were so amped that they decided they would be wannabe ninjas if only for 5minutes and chuck some ninja stars around.
We finished off our ninja excursion by a quick visit to a castle. it was very impressive from the outside and made for pretty cool photos however the inside was abit of a letdown, pretty much consisting of nothing.
On the way down from the ninja mountains in the hunt for food we seemed to of stumbled upon a local market / parade. there was plenty of food and game stands and darren felt compelled to blow 500yen on a rigged shooting game, he did score a pitty prize from it though being a rather cool BB gun.
After eating some dodgey street vendor food and joining the local parade we waved through the 456423 trains back to Kyoto.
Tomorrow we leave for Tokyo on a first bullet train ride. Kyoto has been great and if things continue to improve its going to be pretty epic!
We survived the ninjas! remains copyright of the author tayzonday, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>At the moment Brad and Darren are at some dodgey italian rip-off place odering this posts namesake (spaghetti and cake). I settled for some fish flavoured rice balls after walking the streets while the guys did their washing as Darren was down to a single sock and a wife basher, which is not really appropriate attire for the streets of Japan.
So with the Giant Budda, Silver Pagoda, Gold Pagoda, Imperial palace, Deer park and 20 to 30 other sites done all that is left for us to do is the ninja village. We are planning how best to approach the ninja masters and ask for a crash course. Brad thinks we should disguise ourselves as pirates, Darren wants to make a sacrafice to the gods and my plan was to breach their inner sanctum with 200 bells attached to our clothes in order to prove our worth. But that all seems like too much hassle so we are just going to dish out 800 yen and go along with the rest of the gaijin visiting on the day.
Last night we went out to the party district in Gion (a local suburb), after getting knocked back from several places for not being japanese we opted for the local Pig and Whistle, had a pint then continued to attack the pavement in serach of a bar. We found one that had an hourly charge for all you can drink, so being good aussies we did our duty and finished the spirits placed in front of us then left before the karoke started.
Money running out! Photos coming soon i promise!
Spaghetti and cake remains copyright of the author brisvegas, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Well today was pretty awesome, we managed to squeeze in an Imperial procession, the path of philosophy (Brad contemplated society, Darren wrote some poems and I invented the interstellar messaging system - more info coming later), a large ensemble of temples, multiple shops and a few eateries.
Brad used chop sticks for the first time yesterday and is already shoveling in the food like a pro! Darren is regretting bringing a bad pair of shoes and my beard is going on strong.
The flight over was pretty good, I managed to get told off by a small child and she re-affirmed our holiday mantra
"ITS A GOOD HOLIDAY, ITS A HAPPY HOLIDAY". Brad got told off by an elderly lady about forgetting to pack a bomb and we are still waiting for Darren to be yelled at.
We are currently at the hostel with the other two having a snooze (possibly an extended nap since they turned offf the alarm and continued sleeping). It is very cramped and Darren has already managed to tear the bathroom door off in a feat of wild bear like strength.
With a large portion of Kyoto done we are planning a day trip tomorrow to check out a deer park and a few local temples at Nara. It is about 50mins away so after a hearty breakfast of miso soup and rice balls we will chant our holiday mantra for a while in the zen garden then make tracks for the day.
Pictures will be coming tomorrow and I will try to make an entry whenever the guys are taking naps 
First Impressions remains copyright of the author brisvegas, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Hopefully we've all packed our bags and suitcases and haven't forgotten anything. Already we've exchanged 1,000 Dollars into Yen which works out roughly to be about 100,000 Yen. This should last us the first week before we have to visit a bank.
Well when we land we're going to head straight to our accommodation in Kyoto which is just a short train ride away from Osaka.
So keep checking the blog folks because we're going to take lots of photos and when we get a chance we'll post them up for all to see.
Sayonara Folks remains copyright of the author Phalanx, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Here are a few peculiar and amazing things I have stumbled upon that will certainly leave us feeling like we're in another world. These are some of the things we can hope to expect in Japan.
Vending Machines
The Japanese have vending machines for everything. Even the used panties of schoolgirls (Josh).
In Japan, with a high population density, limited space, a preference for shopping on foot or by bicycle, and low rates of vandalism and petty crime, there seems to be no limit to what is sold by vending machines. While the majority of machines in Japan are stocked with drinks, snacks, and cigarettes, one occasionally finds vending machines selling items such as bottles of liquor, cans of beer, fried food, underwear, pornography and sexual lubricants, and potted plants. Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every 23 people.
Cosplay
Cosplay is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume.
In Japan, "cosplay" as a hobby is usually an end unto itself. Like-minded people gather to see others' costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take lots of pictures, and possibly participate in best costume contests.
The Harajuku district in Tokyo seems to be the most popular location for cosplayers in Japan. Below is a good example of a cosplayer. Here we have Vincent Valentine from the video game Final Fantasy 7.
Toilets
There are many toilets in Japan that have computers built into them. A button for a squirt of water up your bum (no homo), a button to heat the seat, a button which starts gurgling, swooshing, nature noises to disguise the sound of your urine hitting the basin.
Capsule Hotels
A capsule hotel is a hotel system of extremely dense occupancy. Guest space is reduced in size to a modular plastic or fibreglass block roughly 2 m by 1 m by 1.25 m, providing room to sleep and little more, although facilities usually include a television and other electronic entertainment. These capsules are then grouped and stacked, two units high. Luggage is usually stored in a locker away from the capsule. Privacy is maintained by a curtain at the open end of the capsule but noise pollution can be high.
wow strong cosy
Love Hotels
Love hotels usually offer a room rate for a "rest", as well as for an overnight stay. The period of a "rest" varies, typically ranging from one to three hours. Cheaper daytime off-peak rates are common. In general, reservations are not possible, leaving the hotel will forfeit access to the room, and overnight stay rates only become available after 10pm. They are often used by young couples, since many young Japanese people live with their parents. They are also commonly used for prostitution (Josh).
The Metro Train
All I can say is...
Groping is also common on trains. I'm looking at you Josh.
Karaoke
Karaoke is a usual form of entertainment of the business people in Japan. After a hard day's work which is can sometimes be unusually long, they would drop into a bar; have a drink and enjoying humming to popular tunes with the help of a karaoke machine. Karaoke was invented approximately 20 years ago and has gradually been a part of the Japanese society. It is not just a temporary boom but a regular form of entertainment both within and outside Japan.
If I'm feeling up to it (AKA drunk) I might bust out a Rick Astley song or Chocolate Rain by Tay Zonday.
Oxygen Bars
The oxygen bar is a trend that started in the late 1990s in Japan. O2 bars can now be found in many venues such as nightclubs, salons, spas, healthclubs, resorts, tanning salons, restaurants, coffee houses, bars, airports, ski chalets, yoga studios, chiropractors, and casinos.
"Airheads" will normally pay 100Y per minute to inhale an increased percentage of oxygen compared to the normal atmospheric content of 21% oxygen. This oxygen is produced from the ambient air by an industrial (non-medical) oxygen concentrator and "inhaled" through a nasal cannula (AKA nose hose) for a period of 5 to 10 hours - or even longer.
Japan - The weird and wonderful remains copyright of the author Phalanx, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>and this will only continue to grow the closer we get to October 21!
Let the countdown begin! remains copyright of the author tayzonday, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>1. Planning!
2. Planning!!
3. Planning on arrival about what to do first!!!
To my utter horror and dismay I found out that there will be no semi naked large folk trying to grapple with each other while we are in Japan. Now I am not sure if there is an 'underground' sumo league but I assume that there would be in some form or another so my current mission is to find it!
Apart from that nothing much is developing, we are deciding on what rail passes to buy and are leaning towards the cheaper economy seats for the 'mingle' and 'cheap' factors.
I have been keeping an eye on the seismic activity around Japan in the ope of getting some early warning signs about a terrible catastrophe, you can find the site that I have been using HERE. I have heard that in the event of an earth quake to STOP, DROP and ROLL is the best practice to ensure your safety, I will make sure we are all drilled beforehand on proper earthquake procedures so rest assured that what ever happens at least one of us will survive.
On to some local Japanese info:
Current conditions as of 4:00 pm JST
Partly Cloudy
Feels Like: 34°
Humidity: 66%
Visibility: 9.99 km
Dewpoint: 23°
Wind: S 35 kph
Sunrise: 4:54 am
Sunset: 6:39 pm
No Sumo! remains copyright of the author brisvegas, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Firstly is the Kyoto ryokan Tour Club! its a quiet little place 9 minutes away from the Kyoto central rail station. It will be our base for the first 5 nights allowing us to easily visit Nara, Ueno and Osaka during the days. Kyoto itself is rich in Temples and Shrines and I'm sure plenty of sightseeing of "old japan" will be done during the opening of our holiday!
Everyone needs a Zen Garden - particularly Josh
Modern Japan living?
Our 2nd base of holiday operations! will be none other than Tokyo. We wanted to be close to the center of Tokyo to make seeing as much as possible easy! With this in mind i found a little place in the Asakusa district which is rich in atmosphere with the street lined markets and traditional temples. Once the entertainment district of old Tokyo.
and yes when i said "little place", i meant wooden shanty.
The Taito ryokan will be our home for 9 nights between the 26th of October to the 4th of November, and will allow us to see all of the central Tokyo districts aswell as make daily trips to Mt Fuji, Nikko, Nagano and Kamakura.
As for accommodation in Takayama, Miyajima and Osaka i think the attitude at the moment is meh.. and "winging it" may be applied.
We wont be sleeping in the streets! remains copyright of the author tayzonday, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Return - Sunday November 08 @ 8:50pm
Arrive in Sydney at about noon at the Intl. Airport
Itinerary
Oct Sun 21: Arrive at Kansai Airport, and travel to ryokan in Kyoto.
Oct Mon 22-Wed 24: Spend two full days in Kyoto and one day in nearby Nara. Nara is an easy day trip from Kyoto.
Oct Thurs 25: Day trip to Iga Ueno, visit the ninjas. If finish early spend evening in Osaka or Kyoto before returning back to Kyoto Inn.
Oct Fri 26: Take the bullet train from Kyoto to Toyko in the morning. Check into ryokan and explore Asakura district.
Oct Sat 27- Tues 30: Spend four full days in Tokyo
Oct Wed 31: Day trip to Hakone, Mt Fuji & the Five lakes.
Oct Thurs 1: Day trip to Nikko
Nov Fri 2: Day trip to Nagano (snow monkeys!)
Nov Sat 3: Day trip to Kamakura
Nov Sun 4: Travel to Takayama in the morning, spend the night here.
Nov Mon 5: In the early morning, travel from Takayama to Hiroshima (4 hours) and visit the Peace Park. In the afternoon, continue to Miyajima and overnight there.
Nov Tues 6: Get up early and spend a few more hours on Miyajima. Leave the island around eleven for Himeji (2 hours). Spend the afternoon exploring Himeji Castle. Travel to Osaka for the night.
Nov Wed 7: Spend full day in Osaka
Nov Thurs 8: Spend the day in Osaka before checking into Kansai airport at 6pm fly home that night.
So that's that then. A full 18 days in the land of the rising sun. It's going to be action packed that's for sure. Honestly, I can't wait :-)
Stay tuned avid fans - For there will be regular updates to our blog over the coming weeks. Including plans of the attractions we wish to see, accommodation, and much much more!
First part of our plan revealed! remains copyright of the author tayzonday, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>After getting approval from family members, loved ones, employers, mum and dad (Brad) and several different deity's, flights were booked to Japan. A rough guide was then completed and we found out our first piece of bad news, there will be no sumo wrestling while we are there! I am very fond of the fat bastards and would have liked to have seen a fight, but oh well the travels will continue without them.
Looking forward to getting this site spick and span for the trip so subscribe to the page to make sure you are kept up to date with all of our posts along the way.
Japan! remains copyright of the author brisvegas, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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