Matt, me currently in Malaysia...March next yer I'll might be in UK not sure yet.
But we got Musha and Naziswan in Tokyo rite?

Then this thread have to call Club LYN London already

do households in japan majority have WiFi? like Malaysia?

specifically in Hyogo Prefecture.

Please enlighten me, thanks !

EDIT: wrong thread

This post has been edited by Xonius: Dec 3 2012, 03:42 PM

hahaha...Regencid make joke lorrr....
biz trip bro...next yer dunno when goin to step in Tokyo....really missing Tokyo honto ni jaaaa!

Let's organize hanami again. Anyone up for March-Apr 2013?

ehh musha is here?

@musha,
lets go for a drink!
PM me your number you got whatsapp?

if you say household then it depends on that house lol
but if you're asking about public places.. then NO. free wifi is not common here.

i'm around so i'll def join

nasizwan, not yet.. maybe next year, haha

Nice. I'm thinking 7th April, sakura should be full bloom around then. Ueno-koen again? Or any other better suggestions for hanami?

Hi all Sifus,

This is my first Japan trip and I will be flying to Osaka On Mid of January.
There are total 4 of us splitting into 2 rooms
I heard it's pretty cold there and i saw some review said that Shinrakawago is a must go place during winter.

I had drafted my itinerary as below and appreciate all sifus feedback & comments. Need to confirm it asap to book my hostels.

Day 1 (18th Jan)
Arrival at Kansai Airport (8am)
Proceed to Nagoya for leisure trip.
Stay Nagoya

Day 2 (19th Jan)
Join a local tour agency for day tour to Takayama & Shirakawa-go (as the travel fees to Takayama is very expensive)
Stay: Nagoya

Day 3 (20th Jan)
Travel to Kyoto
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavillion)
Philosopher Path
Kiyomizu-Dera
Stay: Kyoto

Day 4 (21st Jan)
Kyoto
Kyoto Kanze Kaikan
Fushimi Inari
Gion
Nishiki Market
Stay: Kyoto

Day 5 (22nd Jan)
Day trip to Nara
Todai-ji Temple (Big Buddha)
Nara Park
Kasuga Jinjya
Stay: Kyoto

Day 6 (23rd Jan)
Osaka – Umeda
Osaka Castle
kyobashi
Umeda Tower
Stay: Osaka

Day 7 (24th Jan)
Universal Studio
Osaka Bay
Stay: Osaka


Day 8 (25th Jan)
Shinseki
Tsutenkaku Tower
Shinsaibashi
Nippombashi Denden Town
Dotombori
America Town
Stay: Osaka

Day 9 (26th Jan)
Day trip to Miyajima/Hiroshima (optional)
or continue to shop around Osaka if day 8th is insufficient to cover all the destinations.
Stay: Osaka

Day 10 (27th Jan)
Day trip to Kobe
Mt Rokko
Harbourland
Stay: Osaka

Day 11 (28th Jan)
Proceed to Kansai airport to checkout.

Please suggest:
1) What passes are recommended? i saw too many passes around OMG
2) What hotels/ hostels are recommended (budget bout 4k - 5k Yen per person)
3) Any places i had left out?

Million thank

Im suggesting Shinjuku gyoen!

Ok we can consider that too Anyone else interesting in joining?

7.3 earthquake. Everything ok there?

i've been to Kyoto and Osaka last April, i can give you some insights...

for Kyoto most attractions are nearer to bus stop... so you can buy Kyoto Day Bus Pass (500yen unlimited for a day).
can buy the pass at convenience shop at train stations
if you wanna use trains just buy ICOCA prepaid card from JR counter at train stations for 2000yen, can topup using machine... ICOCA is widely use in Kansai region

i recommend Khaosan Kyoto Guest House in Kyoto, the location is superb... very near to Teramachi-dori and Gion for Osaka, u can stay at J-Hoppers Osaka, very near to JR Fukushima station...

for your itinerary, u need to check the location using google maps 1st... try to combine attractions that is near to each other to save travelling time... for example your day 1, Kinkakuji (West Kyoto), Philosopher Path (North Kyoto) and Kiyomizu-dera (East Kyoto)... all is quite far to each other... better focus on one area per day
eg: East Kyoto - Gion, Yasaka Jinja, Sannenzaka, Kiyomizu-dera
West Kyoto - Ginkaku-ji, Ryoanji, Togetsukyo Bridge, Bamboo Grove, Arashiyama
Central Kyoto - Fushimi Inari, Kyoto Station area, Teramachi-dori, Nishiki Market

for day trip to Nara it's ok

I just came back from Japan and did osaka, nara, kyoto, hakone and tokyo. So, i just share my humble opinion based on my experience.

for day 3, it is possible. Unfortunately, your visit to all this famous spot on sunday as it will be very crowded, i suggest you to start early in the morning. Depending on where you stay, or else you can hop in a city bus no.205 from Kyoto station to Kinkakuji. After Kinkakuji, take bus no.102 (this is the fastest bus route) to Ginkakuji, then you may do your Philosopher's path. You can choose whether to complete the path or half way, walk to Shishigatani Dori (please google for location), then hop in to Bus no. 100 to Kiyomizu-michi. Walk to Kiyomizudera temple via Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka.
You may get a all-day city bus pass for 500Yen for today's trip.

for day 4, recommend to do Fushimi in the morning as it has no closing time. Then for Kyoto Kanze Kaikan, take Keihan line at Fushimi Inari station to Sanjo. You can take Subway Tozai line to Higashiyama station or walk from Sanjo. But it is depend on which performance you are targeting. Gion and Nishiki market is near. Please do Nishiki market before 5pm.

Day trip to nara is fine. Watch our for deers' "nuts"!

for day 6, if you arrive osaka at osaka/umeda station, you can do Umeda Sky Building first. Then Osaka castle & Kyobashi are connected via JR Osaka Loop Line.

Day 7, my advice is go osaka bay before 8pm if you want to go, or else focus on USJ. The place will become like a dead city after 8pm+. You can still try the ferris wheel, it is nice to enjoy osaka bay and city night view.

for day 8, depending on where you stay, all these are shopping area. Dotonbori for sure is evening walk and good to combine with shinsaibashi suji or even Americamura. Denden town is located near namba, if you have time, you may also walk around Kuromon market which is near to Nippombashi station. I think you may do Shinsekai, dendentown and/or kuromon market, dotonbori. Along the way you will also passby Sennichimae shopping arcade.

Hotel recommendation: Dotonbori hotel (slighly higer) & Floral Inn Namba (cheaper).

For the Passes, it is depend on your plan. Search at hyperdia.com and do some calculation to compare. I used 2-day kansai thru pass during my visit and it really pay off my visit which cover osaka area, nara & fushimi. Since you have a return trip to and fro hiroshima, you must b JR holder. Plan carefully, try to utilise it to the max. From your iti above, try to adjust nagoya and hiroshima to covered under JR Pass validity.

my 2 cents.

This post has been edited by menmissed: Dec 11 2012, 06:07 PM

Will going Tokyo on 27 untill 8 jan 2013. What to do in tokyo for that day. Interested to see the track as in initial d movie especially. Hehehe. Or somebody can enlight me what to do in Tokyo for 11 days?

That is Mount Haruna, Gunma. Are you going to spend 10 days in Tokyo?

maybe. or any idea to spend 10 days there. maybe nearby states

Hey guys....i need opinions on sifu2 here.

Where is the best place to travel during this upcoming winter break? Around kantou region (i prefer near to tokyo, don't want too far away)

I prefer a natural-environment relax type of place. Does any sifu2 out there know some good places. Kind enough to share some infos?

Thanks in advance~

Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone, Lake Kawaguchiko, Takaosan...