Comments on: The Anime Blog Poll: What Would You Do If You Visited Japan?

By: mochi

mochi — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:46:41 +0000

For those who would like to visit Japan, but can’t afford it, you may want to check out Kateigaho International Edition which is a magazine about Japan. It’s a bit expensive (still cheaper than going to Japan), but it is a quarterly and well designed. The Autumn 2006 edition had articles about Kyoto [featuring among other things maiko (geisha in training) and the tradition/art of filleting fish], Edo Soba, and a tour/history of Akihabara [showing the recent otaku influence (including a photo of a cross dressing cosplayer...meganeko-nekkomimi meido) as well as the older electronics/computer shops].

If you can’t find a copy at your local news/magazine store, check out their website:
http://int.kateigaho.com

By: wrex

wrex — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:57:13 +0000

There are many cheap fast food places, both Japanese and Western style, so you can dine for between 400 yen to 1000 yen (about $4 to $9 U.S.)per meal. If you find some yatai (food carts), the price may be on the lower end. Prices in big cities like Tokyo will be more expensive than in more rural areas.

Love hotels are cheaper than that… but I don’t think they’ll let in a single person, especially when the person has a suitcase in hand. When I first visited Japan, I was able to book a really stripped down “hotel” with a community toilet and bath, but it was only 2000 yen ($20 U.S.) per night. This was in Ueno… and the name of the hotel escapes me right now, but I think you can find some other hotel deals for about 4000 yen to 7000 yen a night.

I think local transportation is relative cheap, but if you plan to stay long (say, like a week), then it’s good to get a JR Rail Pass, which allows you to ride almost any JR train or bus unlimitedly… that means even the shinkansen (bullet train), allowing you to visit other cities, such as Kyoto. You can get a 7-day pass for 28,300 yen.
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html

Airfare is as Rachel said.

I think travel to Japan is doable (I did it twice before moving here to live), but Eva could still be a school student without her own income or maybe she’s from a country with a weaker exchange rate.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 19:35:00 +0000

-Eva, if you save up and don’t plan on going shopping in Japan, I bet you could go there for less than you might expect. The traditional food fare of Japan is inexpensive from what I’ve heard. If you visit there and dine on Western food every day instead of the local offerigs, yes it will be expensive.

If you stay at a love hotel it’ll probably only cost you $60-80 a night, depending. I’m estimating that to go to Japan strictly to sight see it…with airfare, hotel, food and transport the trip might cost ya $2,000. That’s just my uninformed estimate if airfare is still $850 round trip. If it is, you’re probably looking at more like $1,700. My estimate, though.

Any body who’s gone who can give an estimate of how much it costs for airfare, food and transport?

By: Eva

Eva — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:01:13 +0000

I love Japan! I wish i could go there, but its really expencive!;(

By: wrex

wrex — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:47:03 +0000

A little late, but here are some photos of Akihabara… nothing special though:
http://wrexgrafix.com/photos/blog/?p=25

Speaking of penis shrines, here are pics from the “penis festival” (Kanamara Matsuri) in Kawasaki:
http://wrexgrafix.com/photos/blog/?p=27

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:47:12 +0000

It seems like most anime fans are on the same page in regards to visiting Japan. IMO, it’d be fun to go in a big group of other anime fans to sight see and to chat about anime in its Motherland. Not just that, but it’d probably be a good idea to have enough people who speak enough Japanese to scrape by.

Oh, and I’d totally stay at a Love Hotel. They’re swank, upscale, and really, really cheap for what you get. You’d probably get some weird looks if you went by yourself since they’re themed rooms for couples to get intimate in. S’ why I’d bring me honey Dave with me – ^/.

By: Haesslich

Haesslich — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:02:33 +0000

I’d probably hit Akihabara first.. and then wander. Country inns, parks, the old capitols at Kamakura and Kyoto… eat, head to Okinawa… go all over, really.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 23:14:19 +0000

I forgot about the war memorials, -Impz. They would be important to visit for sure. Then off to the penis shrine!

What? I don’t know how many people know about these shrines but they do exist and they shared an important role in rural/agricultural Japan. They seem to attract mostly Westerners I’ve heard. Here’s a link to one of the more famous shrines; click if you dare and aren’t easily offended:

http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/aichi/tagata_jinja.html

After that it would be a good idea to climb a mountain…

By: Impz

Impz — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:16:12 +0000

Let’s see…

If I am going over to Japan, I will probably

1. Visit all the shrines and war memorials since I love such historical sites the most.

2. Go to the anime areas and buy, buy and buy!

3. Simply go for the cherry blossoms in which to simply lie down in front of a tree and relax for 1-2 hours. Yes, I am a lazy old man.

4. Visit rural areas and experience the nature scenery of Japan, as well as going up mountains! Mount Fuji!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:10:51 +0000

-Bata-kun, will you be there in time to view the cherry blossoms? When you go, please send us some pics to get jealous over! Anybody else going or has gone or who lives in Japan? Anyone else have any links to their pics?

These are great tips! It would be nice to make an anime-fan travelogue of Japan. That’s definitely something that would help out the anime community. It’d be sorted by famous places featured in anime, references made in anime, where to buy anime, where to dress like anime, eat like/with anime, ect. What do you guys think of something like that for the net or does that already exist?

Many people do go especially for the food. I know a guy who goes there once a year to freshen up his training and he’s ALL about the food. -Mochi and -Wrex made some good suggestions to that end. Something to think about…