Japan Planning Thread 3

[Takoneko]

Hi!

This is a new Japan Planning Thread for when our last one is full.

Feel free to ask any questions here related to travel in Japan, regardless of budget or style of trip.

@Pusspot I think Klook is an Asian company, but I don’t think it really matters how you got the tickets. Some people bought through agents and tour companies, some through the Japanese language official site and some through the English language official site like us and we all still ended up in foreigner corner together. 😂

That didn’t really bother me. It made it easier to chat to people around us. I became a bit of an accidental tour guide for a couple of really nice Americans behind us who had lots of questions about what was going on. We also had a bit of a chat with some other big sumo fans too. I’d expect that there will be some friendly English-speaking sumo fans around that will be happy to explain what’s going on.

@Takoneko Foreigner corner made me chuckle! I’m looking forward to Sumo - sounds like quite the experience.
We booked a tea ceremony in Kanazawa. It’s in a small garden called Gyokusen-en, next to the castle. It’s got decent reviews and sounds authentic. We have five nights in Kanazawa before heading back to Tokyo. I’m hoping I have timed this well for autumn foliage 🤞
I think you recommended Fukui as a day out? I’ve also looked at Tojinbo/Oshima Island, which are possible on public transport, but a car would probably be better.

We really enjoyed Fukui. We did a day rental of a car there (picked it up by Fukui station in the morning and returned it about 5:30pm I think). We went to the dinosaur museum, a couple of castles and Echizen Daibutsu. Eiheiji was also on our list, but I spent a lot longer meandering around the dinosaur museum than I expected. There are also some really nice michi no eki there. We only stopped at one but there were a few highlighted on the map that we picked up from the tourist information centre at the station. Apart from the dinosaur museum, places were very quiet. Echizen Daibutsu feels like it was built in the expectation of thousands and thousands of visitors who haven’t arrived.

@Takoneko I think a car will be needed that day. Visiting a couple of michi no eki is on the list - they sound great. Thanks for the info, much appreciated.
Hope you’re having a good time in Tokyo!

We did Fukuoka sumo a few years ago, had seats for Day 6. I certainly don't remember looking at the rear and thinking wow that's high. There were lots of empty seats as well, people seemed to pop in and out. At the time roughly £25 each. Everything has changed now, 40 million tourists a year but around 30 million back then. We have a chance for Nagoya next year but don't think I'll try.

That’s reassuring. Thanks for sharing. Our tour comes with B chair seats.

The venues just aren’t big enough to meet the demand in this era of mass tourism.

The sumo association could do a huge amount to ease the problem by just splitting the day into two sessions. I’d happily pay to watch the lower divisions (I have favourites that I follow in those ranks) and I’m sure lots of casual interest tourists would too. They fight in an empty room, while loads of people who would like to see them can’t because the tickets have been bought by people who won’t turn up until 3 or 4pm.

It also can’t be beyond them to check ID against the names on tickets.

@MondayYogurt thanks for the feedback, I feel reassured now. Our tickets are afternoon only, booked with Klook. I agree about the mass tourism; hopefully we will get away from the crowds at some point in the trip.

Whatever they decide to change, it will surely take a long time and many meetings and consultations to implement.

Hope you have fun and enjoy the atmosphere.

That’s so true. 😂 Change is glacial in the JSA.

We’re now at the end of our time in Tokyo and moving onto Yokohama tomorrow. The weather has been a bit overcast and wet but we’ve still hard a lovely time.

We went to both Kiyosumi and Hamarikyu gardens today and, whilst both are lovely, doing them both on the same day reminded me how much I love Kiyosumi. It’s smaller, but so charming and beautiful. We actually ended up spending longer there.

We stayed in Kinshicho this time. We chose it purely because it was pretty cheap (silver week had pushed up prices elsewhere) and close to Ryogoku. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. The transport links are really good and the area is buzzy and packed with places to eat, drink and shop. There’s a few “massage parlours” and girls’ bars, but they are less obtrusive than in Kabukicho. We were pleasantly surprised both by how easy it was to get everywhere from here and how much we liked the area.

Is is less rainy there? Just read Tokyo has a new rain record for consecutive days - 35!

Sadly not. There’s been some amount of rain every day of the trip so far. It’s been great for night photography but a bit grey and grim in the daytime at times. We’ve ended up skipping some of the more outdoorsy day trips that we’d initially planned. I figure we have enough time that there’s no rush to squeeze everything in now.

We’re off to Kamakura for four nights tomorrow and it’s looking like the weather might be a bit better for a few days at least. The forecasts have been very changeable due to the typhoons though. We’ve learned not to rely on them too much.

Kamakura is lovely, hope the weather isn’t too bad

The weather today has been glorious. Clear blue skies with views of Mount Fuji. We went over to Enoshima, which is lovely.

That’s great news! We loved Kamakura and Enoshima!!

@Takoneko we loved our day trip to Kamakura/Enoshima. Glad the weather was good for it.
We’re going to the Matsuri in Trafalgar Square on Sunday; not been before, but it looks fun.

We went last year and really enjoyed it. I think they have even more planned this year. Have a good time!

Great to hear!