Travel Time

Because people have been curious, here is a list of travel times!

Departure:
Arrive at the airport and wait for 3 hours after a 1 hour drive.
Connecting flight will last 1.5 hours
3.5 hour layover
13 hour flight
Train to Tokyo will take about an hour.
Total time = 21+ hours

Shinkansen:
1-2 hours of trains and waiting.
Train to Kyoto will take about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Return trip:
5 minutes from hotel to airport.
Waiting 3 hours.
11 hour and 50 minute return flight. (Arrive 2 hours and 10 minutes before we departed, due to time travel... or something.)
5 hour layover
1.5 hour return flight.
1 hour drive home.
Total time = 21+ hours, though we arrive home about 6 hours after we've departed. Time travel, again. O_O

Temples and Shrines

People in Japan have practiced both Shintoism and Buddhism for a long time; one religion is not exclusive of the other. Shinto is the indigenous religions and Buddhism originated in mainland east Asia. The most common sort of Buddhism you're likely to see in Japan is Amidst or Nichiren. Shinto is pretty much Shinto, a religion based on animism. Because both of these religions are important you can find shrines and temples all over from small to large, unknown to world heritage sites. Buddhist temples are generally denoted by the -ji on the end of the name and Shinto shrines are called jinja.

If you look at a map of any major Japanese city it will be dotted with shrines and temples. For example, pull up Tokyo in Google maps and scroll in. You will see Tori (shinto gates) representing Shinto shrines and Buddhist swastikas, representing temples. If you want to see a lot, in close proximity, try Kyoto or Kamakura.

One example is Senso-ji, a Buddhist temple in the neighborhood where we'll be staying in Taito, Tokyo. It's know for the Kaminarimon gates and its long history, which goes back to 628. It is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Close to Senso-ji is a shinto shrine, Asakusa-jinja, honoring the people who founded Senso-ji and showing how connected the two religions are.

Senso-ji is dedicated to Kannon.

Japan Guide has a small entry on how to behave at Shrines and Temples here. 

One Month!

Just a month left to go until we're on the plane to Japan. Aaaaand, there's still a lot to do. We need to plan packing, get everything we need printed off, get some supplies,  figure out budgeting and other fun things. We have a pretty solid plan for what we're doing on which days and that's a good thing. I don't think we'll be going to Yokohama, but we will be going to Kamakura and I've never been there.

If you are planning to have me buy anything please get me that information as soon as possible! I need to account for space and make a separate budget sheet. I usually like to add this information to my travel journal as well as keeping a copy in a binder.

Sensoji temple in Asakusa-bashi. Image from Wikipedia.

More Food!

I can't think of what else to write about... So here is a post about places where we intend to eat!

Tokyo:
1. A maid cafe; the husband has not chosen one yet. I'd say we're doing this for the irony, but really it's more of a sick interest. I can indulge my need for omu-raisu!

2. A butler cafe, because fair is fair. If I can get the reservation we'll be going to Cafe Swallowtail. I want to get this set, complete with terrifying dessert!

3. Hob-Goblin, because I don't know when I'll get to England. The prices are also reasonable if you don't look at pints... Also, you gotta eat something really, really unhealthy while on vacation!

4. An Izakaya in Nakano.

5. A food theme park in Ikebukuro. I have a feeling Ikeburo will involve too much foo as I also want to go to Milky Way...

Kyoto:
1. Kichisen is the only thing we have planned really.

2. Kyoto Station?


Well, this looks like it will be a short entry. o_O Here are some random places!

7/11. Don't laugh, it's actually pretty decent! I think a bunch of out budget food will come from here.

Mos Burger. I ate someplace else last time and suffered some burger related trauma. (Japanese style sauce, not as good for burgers.) Hopefully this will be fine!

Too bad we aren't getting there earlier!


*I recommend using Google Chrome for the translate page option. It's not the best but it gets the job done if you can't read Japanese!

Food!

I haven't made a food post yet! So here are some of my favorite Japanese foods as well as some I would like to try!

My favorites: 

1. Sashimi: I really don't like plain rice -that- much so, instead of sushi, I prefer sashimi. I love the delicate flavor of the fish by itself. If I had to pick a favorite fish it would probably be tuna.

2. Tempura: Especially shrimp. Tempura appeals to my taste for fried things. <_<

3. Tonkatsu: Pretty much for the same reasons as tempura... but pork makes me ill, so I don't indulge in this very often.

4. Wagashi: Seasonal desserts that are gorgeous and not too sweet. I love these with green tea!

To try:

1. Chawanmushi: I've never had this somehow! I still can't decide if I think it's gross or really appealing.

2. Curry: This may seem odd, but Japan has a distinctive style of curry. Last time I was in Japan I ate curry at an Indiana restaurant and absolutely hated it. Turns out... I'd never had curry or mutton before and the culprit was the mutton. Now I absolutely -love- curry and want to give it another try. I've had some Japanese style at a local restaurant and at home (from a mix), but I want to try it in Japan again.

3. Izakaya cuisine: I am classy like that! 

4. Kaiseki: This is actually a full meal made with delicately flavored seasonal items. My husband and I will have the chance to try Kaiseki at Kichisen!

And omuraisu, all the fish, seasonal/regional junk food, and food from various food stalls.

Looks like we're not too far out from the trip. Panic is starting to set in! 

Japanese Monsters

Japan has a rich folklore that happens to include numerous and terrifying monsters, or yokai.  (Well, some aren't that creepy, but they are.. different.)

Here are a few pages to help get you in the Halloween mood!

The Obakemono Project is nice because it is easy to read and has some nice illustrations!

If you want more traditional illustrations, check out the Zenshoan Yurei-ga gallery!

Urban Legends are always popular. Here's a Cracked article!(Keep in mind... it is Cracked) Kuchisake-Onna is my favorite of these. So creepy.

Some of the less scary monsters include the tanuki and the baku. But as I mentioned earlier, these guys are a bit different. Real life tanuki are the most adorable thing ever, though!

Some others that amuse me, and are possibly scary, are the karakasa-obake, yuki-onna, and ,of course, the nekomata.

Browsing through Google using the keywords bakemono, yokai and yurei can bring up a ton of interesting monsters and ghosts. You may also notice that you are familiar with some of these. Especially if you're big into video games from Japan! For example few pokemon, like nine-tails and espeon, are based on bakemono.

Being Polite!

Japan has many cultural taboos, some of which may be heading out but should still be observed. Here are just a few.

~ Mostly bodily functions should never happen in public: nose blowing, passing gas, failing to wear a mask if you are hacking and sneezing, etc. Especially do not do any of these things in a restaurant. If it comes out of the body it is probably frowned upon.

~ Food: Say "Itadakimasu before you eat, say "Goshisoosama deshita" when you finish. Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice, this echoes funerary rites. In the same vein, do not pass food with chopsticks; this represents the passing of bones at a funeral. Slurp your Japanse noodles, it's polite. Do not slurp your Italian noodles. Do not wipe your face with the warm cloth provided to hands. Try to eat everything you are given, especially rice. Drink all the alcohol you are given. ALL OF IT! Do not put sugar in Japanese tea. Do not make faces at the food. Do not mix foods that are not meant to mix. Do not walk and eat. Do not loudly chew gum. This can go on and on and on.

~ Four is an unlucky number, never do anything in fours (Give gifts, knock four times, etc.). The word for four is "shi" which is also the root word for death.

~ Bring a gift when you visit someone. Make sure the gift is wrapped in a cloth (furoshiki) or other reusable material. Do not be surprised if the gift is not opened in front of you. Do not give knives, scissors or clocks. If you are staying with someone and go on a trip, bring back a regional souvenir. Be modest about your gift in most situations.

~Do not wear shoes in a home, leave them at the entrance and put on slippers. Do not wear -any- sort of shoe on tatami. It is expensive! If you enter a bathroom, change into the (often green) bathroom slippers.

~In every situation BE VERY POLITE. (Unless a pervert grabs you on a train, then I think it's o.k. to get mean...) Try and learn polite phrases for common situations such as bumping into someone, interrupting someone, and in general bothering someone. Also try to learn how people might react to certain situations. If you ask someone a question and they answer "Chotto..." it probably means "no" but they are too polite to outright deny.

And there is even more! But I don't want to bore you too much. Basically, again, do your research! It will really matter if you want to make a good impression.


P.S. Totally unrelated, but here is a CNN article on things someone found surprising about Japan. the one I can relate to the most is  noticing not only how clean the cities were but also how this cleanliness came about. I never saw a single person litter. I remember getting to my home train station, Aobadai, early one morning and seeing the epitome of an Oba-san wearing a utilitarian dress and a head scarf, patiently mopping up pigeon droppings. The station had the perfect roosting place for pigeons and they certainly took advantage! Yet, none of the usually nastiness related to flocking skyrats birds seemed to occur, and this was why!

Christmas Gifts?

A bit early, but better early than last minute! This year we will be too busy getting ready for a big trip to do gifts. We may not even be able to do our normal handmade cards! So our gift to you will be this: If you are on our Christmas list, we will get you a souvenir tailored to what we think you would like! Tea, gadgets, tiny gift bags of odds and ends, incense, snacks and charms. They will likely be small, due to packing space, but we will try to make sure they are nice. And if you're not on our normal list... well, you'll get a batch of cool pictures to browse?

We will be sure to eat Christmas Cake and KFC, as is tradition.

I am also offering some limited shopping services. If there is something small that you must absolutely have, I can try to acquire it for you if you send me the funds. If you just want a selection of sweets, give me some cash and I will earmark it for candy! If you want a small toy, charm, historical item or doll? Same thing!

Finally, if you want to give us a Christmas gift, I know this sounds tacky, but we'd rather have the money. You can use the Paypal tip link on my blog. Or, if you absolutely feel you need to get something physical or thoughtful there's always our Amazon list. Thoughtful things like Dramamine and Emergency C may also be appreciated. ^_^ We're just at a point in our life where things are not really desired. (We want to move next year. I have been desperately purging already!)

More Wacky Tourism

Here's a fluff post. I cannot tell you how much I adore these:

http://cheezburger.com/6598016768

http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/faq.htm

Some questions can be really dumb and show that people haven't done any research. This collection of sarcastic answers, whether true or not, illustrates just how silly people can be.

So you have something to look at, here are some dingo pups.

Probably won't eat your baby...

Cat Cafes~!

Not feeling too inspired so I am going to write about cat cafes.

In Japan many people live in small apartments owned by landlords that do not allow pets, do not have room or do not have time for pets. (And ware those who -do- have the ability to own animals! They take it even farther than we do!) Beyond these reasons, hey, it's just fun and relaxing to hang out with some kitties.

So, the enterprising solution? Cat cafes! A cat cafe will have many breeds of cats and for a small fee you can spend an hour petting all the cats you want! Here are a few blogs/articles, some tongue in cheek, about the experience.

http://sarahmarchildon.blogspot.com/2009/02/one-hour-of-heavy-petting.html
http://www.vice.com/read/meow-meow-meow-329-v17n2

Here you can see an English translation of a cat cafe site. Click on the cats tab and see some of the kitty idols you could meet!

Prefer dogs? Well, you can just rent yourself one! Or any other sort of animal you might like. (I, personally, think cat cafes are a bit kinder. I can't imagine how some of these smaller animals feel being shunted around.)

From http://foodartmusiclife.blogspot.com/2010/05/cat-cafes.html

Places I'd Like to Go in the Future

There are a number of places I've always wanted to go, so here's a list of the top 5!

1. The United Kingdom: I want to see where a large portion of my family came from. I want to explore the lands that inspired so much folklore. I want to see castles. Most of all, I want to visit my friends, some of whom I have not seen in years.
2. A Cruise: This is hard to narrow down. I want to either do the stereotypical southern tropical island cruise, Alaska oooor do the East Coast Inland Passage, which you can read more about here. That last one would be really interesting, but it costs a lot and takes a loooong time.
3. The Pacific Northwest: I have wanted to visit here for a number of years. I, in fact, have wanted to live there almost as long. The weather seems perfect, the With our current situation, that might not happen, so a visit would be great. I'd love to go hiking and kayaking, visit some famous sites like the Fremont Troll, the first Starbucks, and other touristy things. 
4. Machu Picchu; What can I say? It's Machu Picchu! I wouldn't mind seeing the Nazca Lines or other Central and South American ruins.
5. Europe: I'd like to go on a tour of Europe. There are just too many places and things I want to see. I'd love to take a long train journey.

So, what places have you always wanted to visit? 

Tentative Plans for Japan

So, there are a lot of places but the husband and I would like to visit. I'm going to dedicate this entry to the places I would like to go. Maybe he'll be inspired to do a guest entry.

Tokyo:

First off, we are definitely going to the Ghibli Museum; this was a joint decision. I already have the ticket voucher and part of the schedule blocked out. You are not allowed to take photos in most of the museum but you can still find some pics of certain parts online. I like two Ghibli movies a lot, Mononoke Hime and Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä. They're both kind of the same film, as they have similar underlying themes. I have admired the art for a lot of the other movies, though. (I hate almost everything about Porco Rosso, just being honest.)

The first trailer I ever saw for Mononoke Hime

Wards I want to visit: Shibuya for pretty much every reason, Ikebukuro for girly reasons, Akihabara for geek-ery, Nakano for Mandarake. 

In Ikebukuro I want to visit Otome road to visit Milky Way for parfaits, go to Swallowtail Butler Cafe to be pampered, show my husband a Tokyu Hands, visit a cat cafe and many other things. It's the ward I am most excited about, followed by Akihabara and then Shibuya.

There are other things of course; where we are staying has a some great history (One of the oldest wards, previous red-light district, and other fun things.) It is also the main area to get many traditional crafts. Finally it has Kaminarimon and a real Onsen. 

Day Trips: I have been trying to decided between Nikko and Kamakura. Nikko would be a day trip and might be very cold, but it has a lot of awesome history. (Ieyasu Tokugawa is entombed there.) Kamakura is not as far away, and also has a ton of cool history. (Kamakura has the Daibustu, Amida Buddha). And in that vein, there's also a daytrip to Yokohama, where I stayed in 2000. I'd like to show my Husband the area and maybe go to Minato Mirai 21.

Kyoto:

This is simple; I want to visit as many temples and shrines as possible, I want to have Kaiseki, I want to walk through the gates at Fushimi Inari, I want to celebrate Hatsumode and eat all of the things. Last time I went to Kyoto it was on a very strict schedule; we visited places I wanted to visit and some I didn't. (Fureaikan, I am looking at you. T_T) We will be staying in Gion, which is pretty sweet. I hope I can find an affordable  kanzashi and some of the famous incense. 

Day Trip: Nara, of course. Need to be mauled by tiny deer and show my husband around the park.

Narita:

I have no clue. We will have half of a day there on the second to last day, and half of a day on the last day. Frantic last minute packing and repacking? A post office visit? Who knows! I hear there are some things to do!

Travel Necessities - Japan

A small collection.

When one travels one often has to bring some odd things and some normal necessities. Here we have  (clockwise) Downy Wrinkle Release, a pink micro-fiber towel, Tide packets, an orthopedic neck pillow, pocket tissues, travel bottles and passport carry holder thing.

These are a few of the supplies I've purchased with CC rewards from paying for plane tickets and hotels. I still have many more things that I need to purchase, as you can see Amazon Wishlist. 

Explanations:

1. The wrinkle release is because we plan to pack very lightly. I intend to bring nothing more than will fit in my Osprey Quasar. (with the exception of shoes) I will bring an empty suitcase!
2. We have two micro towels to supplement the hotel towels and to bring to Onsen/Sentou. 
3. Tide- for washing things in the sink~! Don't want to waste time waiting for the single washer/dryer in our hotels. 
4. The neck pillow is to help with some neurological/ortho problems I have. I am hoping for surgery before my trip but it may not happen.
5. Pocket tissues -  Some public restrooms have no toilet paper or paper towels because you are expected to carry your own. Sometimes, outside of train stations, you can get advert tissues/chirigami: a small packet of tissues with an ad for a company on the outside.  The only problem here is that foreigners may be passed over, as the ads may be viewed as wasted on them.
6. Travel Bottles- Typical reasons here. I think we'll get some toiletries at a hyakuen store, but some things we want will need to be brought. (P.S. I <3 Daiso)
7. Passport holder- I love these. You slip some money and your ID in, then stuff it in your shirt. Japan has a low crime rate compared to many places I've been and even where I currently live. I still feel more secure when I can have the tactile feel of my passport touching my skin. One of my skirts, my Macabi, also has an interior pocket that can not be easily accessed by others. It's nice piece of clothing for visiting less savory places. It's a nice skirt for any sort of travel, really.

Things we still need (We have some, but they are not rounded up yet!):

1. Thermals - We'll be in some cold areas! I want to get some more Cuddl Duds light thermals. They pack well.
2. Handkerchiefs - For drying hands.
3. Gallon Baggies- For our stuff, souvenirs, trash items (nearly impossible to find trash cans in Japan, may as will stuff it in a pack or purse), any pretty much everything.
4. Copies of everything from scripts to ID to itineraries- It's important to be prepared in case anything goes missing. In a foreign country, unless you are perfectly fluent or straying with someone, it's best to be as safe as possible. I have a binder that I'm gathering information in.
5. Travel journal - To collect memories, receipts and STAMPS!
6. A duffle-bag for our trip back, just in case we buy ALL THE THINGS.
7. Other things - Trying to think of more helpful stuff and blanking. I will probably post a picture of the unpacked/packed bags before we go.

Things to leave behind:

1. Excess anything - Too much bulk or weight is bad in a crowded country.

When I go to someplace local, or to visit relatives, I try to pack lightly. Every single time I manage to fail. I hope I can stick to my simple wardrobe plan! Only planning to bring three pair of shoes (tennies, small dressy shoes and Uggs) for two weeks. I may perish!

Are Rooms Really -That- Small

If you go to Japan on a budget? Yes. And even in some 4-star hotels, yes.

Our first hotel, in Asakusa, is very conveniently located. With tax it comes to under $80 a night, which is under what we had budgeted. We will be staying in a semi-double, which looks like this:

Hotel Yanagibashi

This hotel will probably have that t.v., the bed (likely a twin or full), a small bureau (only maybe), and a bathroom that will only accommodate a single person at a time. Hotels are the only place in Japan that I encountered a toilet and a shower in the same room. There will not be a closet or much room for a lot of luggage.

I remember tripping into the sink, exiting the shower.

When I last stayed in Kyoto, we were lodged in Kyoto Dai-Ni Tower Hotel. Here's a picture of what the bathroom looked like, courtesy of a TripAdvisor review. You can find more images here.

Our two other hotel rooms will probably be just as small. You can't expect cheap, large rooms in a country where land can cost many thousands of dollars per square foot. But you know what? This isn't a problem! I do not plan to spend my time in a hotel, I plan to spend it exploring. The tiny Dai-Ni room didn't bother me, even after staying in a large room in a private home. You know why? Because I was never there, except for mornings and evenings. You can also spend time in the lobby, getting to know fellow travelers if the room gets too claustrophobic.

Room size is the most common complaint I see on forums. Another is that the rooms are "dated". I think this may be cultural. In the U.S. most hotels with the same star rating seem to be updated every 5-6 years. Why is this such a big deal? I'm not sure. I personally find the "updates" in places like Springhill, Hyatt and other places to be a bit garish anyway. Springhill in particular always reminds me of the hotel rooms in Supernatural for some reason.

Nostalgia Post - Nara

Feeding Shika

In the summer of 2000 I was able to travel to Japan to study abroad, thanks to the generosity of two of my teachers. At the time I could have never have afforded the $3000 price tag. (At the time that was a steal!) I remember my family saving up so that I could have $300 in spending money and that being a -huge- deal.

 By the time we made it to Nara I was almost out of money. I had bought a yukata, candy, manga and souvenirs for my family. I also bought three peaches for $15... I used what little I had left to participate in the madness that is feeding the sacred deer. You buy a stack of senbei and are instantly mobbed by these national treasures!

This picture was taken in Nara with my first camera, a cheap, tiny Kodak that used 120 film. A friend took this shot of me feeding senbei (in my left hand) to one of the shika in Nara Park. I chose to feed this deer, in particular, because he wasn't attacking me. 

You can find many videos like this one on YouTube, just search for "Nara deer attack". You can also find videos of what is supposed to happen. If you bow to a deer, he will bow to you and then you hand over a senbei. This works occasionally, and when it does it's really cool. Sadly it seems far more likely that the hapless proffer-er of senbei will be mobbed. The deer will eat -anything-. They will eat your luggage tags, your maps, your scarves, anything they can get. One got my hair, one got a classmates crotch, I was stabbed with antlers. Sheer horror. Of course my husband wants to visit...

At least they're cute and tiny! Like really fancy goats!

Internet "Guides"

Now, back to the internet! Turns out it needs it's own entry, because it got too be too big.

TripAdvisor will get you reviews of hotels, hostels and guest houses that you will never find in a travel guide. (Not even Lonely Planet, which used to be renowned for this.) I found all three of our hotels for under $90 a night. In downtown Tokyo/Kyoto/Narita. In some rather good neighborhoods. It will help you find flights, car rentals and restaurants as well. When I went to Chicago in 2011, it helped me find a reasonable hotel for myself and three others, blocks from the Magnificent Mile . It also highly recommended the City Pass, which lead to checking more review sites, which in turn got us a wonderful deal. We got to visit all of the touristy things cheaply and cut lines! TripAdvisor also helped identify the best Giordonos. This trip went much better than the other times that I've just driven up and wandered around in a daze.

User reviews offer a broad range of POVs; you can read reviews from natives, citizens of other countries and people from your homeland. (The Google Chrome translation option can be very helpful here.) The user-age range is also rather broad. One such review helped me decide not to go to a certain gimmick restaurant because, without children along, it was actually rather over-priced and cheesy. (i.e. It's worth it when you have kids to entertain.) Another review, in Japanese, steered me away from a certain tourist trap in Kyoto where they dress you up to look like a Geiko/Maiko. A few natives were very disappointed in this studio and many tourists, as well. I also learned that on a certain long hike there are drink machines. The machines slowly increase in price as you climb the mountain! Good to know.

TripAdvisor also has forums where you can ask about restaurants, places of interest, travel dates and almost anything else and get feedback from real people who are likely not shilling for their place of business. Of course, there are many such forums - some are even for travelers with specific vacation goals, such as culinary tourism. ChowHound is a good example of this.

I've used Wikitravel for a variety of trips and it can be really hit-or-miss. Some of the entries don't flow well and display clumsy writing. However, you can find some good tips here too. Many of the entries for U.S. cities seem to be written by locals, which is nice.

Amazon is a great resource for getting guidebook reviews. Sometimes, based on these reviews, you can glean other information. Say a review says, "Guidebook did not include this awesome thing", you will now know about that awesome thing!

I have also, for the Japan trip, used Hyperdia. This site allows the user to view train schedules and plan routes. A friend recommended it and it seems indispensable.

Links:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page
http://www.tripadvisor.com/
http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
http://chowhound.chow.com/boards
http://www.japan-guide.com/


So you have something to look at, I will end this with a picture of myself and the husband on the scary, scary Sears Willis Tower SkyDeck. CityPass allowed us to skip a 2 hour line and go to the top after only 30 minutes! This is also another example of my philosophy to face fears for certain experiences. We were both absolutely terrified.

Sears Willis SkyDeck

*Vanity Note: That's my normal hair color. In the Costa Rica pictures I have the remnants of a dye job gone terribly wrong. <_>

Travel Guides

In these days of instant internet answers provided by Google, TripAdvisor and numerous forums, it might seem a bit odd to consider travel guides an important purchase. But when you're lost on some back road, turn up in the wrong town, don't speak the language well and don't have a computer, they come in pretty handy. There's also something to be said for being able to flip through a guide and read about culture, food, dress, places of interest and manners without needing to seek separate resources for each.

With that, I whittled through recommendations and piles of guides and here are the four I plan to take to Japan and why:

My Four Guides

You can see that I selected one EyeWitness guide, a pocket atlas from Tuttle and two Lonely Planet Guides. The top two guides were reviewed by checking them out from the local public library.  I checked out pretty much every guide they had on Japan and my husband and I chose the ones that seemed to be the best. You can also browse a bookstore or on-line reviews. This ensures you don't waste money on unhelpful guides. Also  note the post-it flags. They're not for everyone, but I like to use them as page markers.

I am very fond of EyeWitness books due to their layout, photos and information and this one was perfect. It contains tidbits almost every topic without being too large. It is full of glossy pictures and maps. It also contains a few errors, however, as you can see in the Amazon reviews. However, I adore it anyway. I guess this would be my fluff book.

The book to the right is a guide to Kyoto. Like most Lonely Planet guides it is lacking in gloss; rather plain.

Interior view.

What it lacks in fancy images, it makes up in information. This guide breaks down points of interest by neighborhood. Each neighborhood is described and the temples and other attractions in those neighborhoods are described. Above you can see Kyomizudera, with nearby restaurants, other points of interest and helpful tips. This guide also has some decent maps. The tiny blue flag marks the map of where we are staying, which is in the Gion district.

On the bottom left is a guide I bought purely based on on-line reviews. It turned out to be a great find!

Train and subway maps

This has a huge fold out map, which I am not sure about yet, and tons of tiny maps. Again, it is arranged by neighborhoods (note exactly the correct term, but I'm going to use it here. =P). Each area has a small map, with different sites, such as churches and more famous hotels, marked down. There is a guide to the metro system, which many can find confusing, shown as a whole and then split up into different lines. There are descriptions of how to use public transport to get around, how to get help and why you can't ever rely on addresses. There are also guides to day-trips from Toyko, which is a nice inclusion.

The final guide is simply a phrasebook. It has some basic vocabulary, useful phrases, etc. I can't really recommend it if you don't already have some knowledge of Japanese due to a few grammatical errors, but it's small and will be helpful for me.

Here are some of the criteria I used: Does the book have a good layout, does it include a bit of everything, have others found it useful, is it small/thin, is it relatively current, does it say things I know to be untrue, does it include maps.

Here is my pile of books, from recent buys, previous trips and classes. There's even a new one that we used to read up on cool sites that would appeal to geeks. As you can see, only a few made the cut!

Pile o' books

Common Forum Complaints

Here are some common complaints I have found in various travel forums, in regards to Japan.

1. My hotel room was too small! It was tiny! OMG! SMALL!!!
2. (Insert Place Here) was crowded!
3. Hotel proprietors didn't speak enough English! (Even when the same review mentions that they spoke enough to be helpful.)
4. Rooms are dated/old. (I think this is a cultural expectation? Here it seems like nicer hotels re-do their decor every 5-10 years?)
5. I wasn't allowed to take pictures! (Usually in a holy site or museum... Uh, that happens everywhere.)
6. Food is scary.
7. Tourist attraction was too touristy? 
8. Tourist attraction wasn't touristy enough~!

Travel Philosophies

I have very strong opinions about traveling and, specifically, tourism. When I go to a foreign country I go to have foreign experiences. What's the point of going to paradise and spending all of your time in an all-inclusive hotel, never venturing outside the grounds? I know some people really love this sort of vacation, but I loathe the idea. Why not explore? If you can't speak the language, and do not have friends in said country, then a tour guide or group tour is a great idea. Many places have packages where you may not have as much unstructured time, but at least you are getting out there, seeing important sites, meeting new people and being educated about your surroundings.

Here are my personal tips: (Disclaimer: Opinions are Opinion-y)

• Be as adventurous as possible. I don't think people should just head off into unfamiliar territory will-nilly (though, that too is just how some people like their vacation), but it's good to try new things. Leave your comfort zone if you can. No, this does not mean travel to the worst neighborhood possible in the middle of the night. It does mean maybe eating that weird raw fish thing or drinking that strange purple corn beverage or going to that unusual theater show.
• Know at least a few phrases in the local language. I -hate- the stereotype that Americans think everyone should speak English. I also hate that I've seen it reinforced again and again. When I went to Costa Rica I took some time to learn a bit of Spanish, even though I would be traveling with fluent speakers. Knowing that little bit helped me pick up a lot more along the way. 
• Visit famous places, but also look for the small things. Many of the towns I visited in CR had beautiful public parks, but when I was taking photos I was more interested in some of the regular parks in smaller towns.
• Don't be afraid of the local food (unless WHO says you should be). Don't eat at Americanized restaurants for every meal, if you do you will really miss out. Note: If you a a picky eater I am not judging you. If you suffer from an anxiety or dietary restriction, do what makes you comfortable.
• Do your research. Knowing what opportunities await will help you have a much better experience. Knowing what is publicly acceptable to do and what not to do will help you save face. Knowing what foods, areas and behaviors might be dangerous is never a bad idea. Also research medications (many are illegal in other countries in large quantities, or illegal period), where to seek medical treatment and what to do if you lose a prescription
• Find people in the know and ask them questions, directions, recommendations. This will help you find out where hidden treasures lie and what to avoid. It will also help you not get lost in the biggest cemetery you've ever been in because your friend didn't want to ask for directions.
• Have a schedule but be flexible. This rule is hard for me, but I try to follow it. Maybe you really need to skip something for a quick nap, or you see a flyer for something you'd rather do.
• Don't always listen to other people, especially your Mother-in-Law. In fact, do the opposite of what is said just to be contrary. (O.K., this is mostly a joke. Mostly)
• Get plenty of sleep, but not too much. Pretty obvious.
• Pack light! Last time I went to Japan we had things shipped between home-stay and hotels with a one-day service because luggage can be a pain! We brought an empty suitcase to CR for souvenirs.
• Budget, make sure your emergency credit cards work where you'll be going, keep a list of CC and bank phone-numbers in case something is stolen. Keep copies of all documents in the safest place you can.
• Go to a travelers forum and ask what people think are must haves in your suitcase. This will range from host gifts, to Febreeze, to tissues, to hard to acquire goods.
• Be respectful. Don't be loud in places of worship, don't assume no one else knows your native tongue,  don't violate local customs to see what will happen. 

I could probably go on, but this has gotten long enough. Here are some images of my philosophy in action, on my most recent big trip.

Ate at a Local Restaurant. Did not get food poisoning. Did get delicious food.

Asked the locals, was lead to this.

Ditched my fears, saw a Cloud Forest.

Ate this steak to spite my MiL and only mildly regretted it.

A Snippet of Costa Rica

We visited a number of provinces, but my favorite was Guanacaste. It was miserably warm there in June, but the landscape was gorgeous, navigation was easy and there were many wonderful restaurants, hidden vistas, plentiful wildlife and gorgeous beaches. 

Guanacaste Province

We flew in to Liberia, rented a car and traveled to Playa Del Coco where we stayed in a two-bedroom condo, with full amenities, for around $60 a night. You could see the beach from the condo, there was an accessible roof with an amazing view, and tiny restaurants, shops, stalls and mercados dotted the town. Others on our plane talked about their all inclusive hotels, with planned trips and no need to leave for anything. I think we probably got a better deal.

The area has been destroyed, in a way, by cattle farming. It's not like it was a few hundred years ago, but it is still gorgeous. Everything is so green and Guanacaste trees dot the fields. The cattle are adorable and full of character. Green Iguanas and Black Ctenosaurs are everywhere, as well as a vast number of birds. Our town was a nightly roost for raucous Boat-tailed Grackles. During one of the afternoon rains green parrots took refuge in a tree in the courtyard of our condo.

Click here for credit and more information.

One "secret" place a local told us about was Llanos de Cortez. We stopped on the way to Monte Verde in Alajuela and it was well worth the detour. Hardly anyone was there when we visited and it doesn't seem to be terribly well known among tourists. Comparing it to the local Midwestern swimming holes (Haha, quarry swimming. -_-) there were next to no similarities. The area was cared for, only a single piece of trash in site. It was peaceful, no cars rumbling by, no one shouting. There we few paths, with much of the undergrowth left untrampled. There were delicate fungi, moss, tiny waterfalls, a single colorful feather caught in the tree branches. 

Here I am, in front of the main falls.

There it is, a snippet about a trip that happened over three years ago.

Adventures in Adventuring.

A few months ago an opportunity came up for my husband to take on some extra work. We considered what do with the money rather carefully (planning, checking finances, budgeting, researching costs, using travel forums) and came to the conclusion that we could go on one of our dream vacations. When we were married we were rather short on money; our wedding ran us >$100 for the dress, food and license. Friends generously chipped in for a reception. Needless to say, we did not have a honeymoon. We've now been married a bit over 11 years and have gone on many small vacations and one large trip.

The smaller trips include visits to family and family owned properties in places such as Atlanta, Miami and the Gainesville area of Florida. We have also gone to Chicago for fun and San Francisco and Pittsburgh for school visits. I'm not even going to add the umpteen trips to Ren Faires, LARPs, magical cities that have Trader Joes, etc.

In 2009 my in-laws paid for us to go to Costa Rica for a 9 day family trip. My husband grew up there and had always wanted to show me the country. I had been obsessed with Monte Verde since reading about it in National Geographic at the age of 11. It was a wonderful experience, only hindered by the fact that we were on the in-laws schedule and had no free days. We got to do many things we wanted to do and missed many others. One particular adventure involved sneaking away to get drinks at a small cafe because we were assured eating anywhere like that would give us food poisoning. I had horchata, which was delicious and caused not a single bit of intestinal distress.

So, anyway, to make a long and ramble-y entry short, we are planning to go to Japan at the end of the year. I have studied Japanese from ninth grade until senior year of undergrad. In 2000 I spent a summer doing homestay there. I pursued and undergraduate degree in East Asian Studies, focus on Japan. My husband has also studied the language and had an obsession with the country for a long while, but he has never been. Being one of the first things we found that we had in common, being someplace that one of us had been to but the other had not, and general geeky desires made Japan an obvious choice for our grand adventure.

I have created this blog to document our planning, our list of things to do, our itinerary, famous tourist spots and, ultimately, our trip there. I will add other content as well; snippets from Costa Rica, my travel philosophy, photos and miscellaneous other bits.