Tokyo is the BOMB

pottssteve

Hi All, Just back from Japan, minus an arm and a leg. But blimey, what a fantastic place!
In 3 days managed to see Mt Fuji (cloud free!!! :shock: ), eat sushi and sashimi in a local's place, go on a bullet train, have a beer with drunk businessmen and experience rush hour on the underground.

Go now, I beg you!

I've put a couple of photos on Flickr, here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31218589@N07/

Watch the Shinkansen bullet train with the sound full on - you won't be disappointed.

Thanks to all who made suggestions of things to do, by the way. 8)
Steve

passout

I was in Japan (Kyoto) for nearly 3 years - I loved it. I was always suprised by just how different another developed country could be; lots to see and expereince. The differences can appear superficially narrow at first but they run very deep.

f you like Tokyo you'd love Osaka too - it always reminded me of Blade Runner! Kyoto has a bit of the same hyer-urban environment but also has quiet mountain tracks, hidden shrines etc nearby.

jc4lab

A great place where you can use the bike too..You can hire bikes at the Station in most towns..about £5- £10 a day ...Highly recommend you time your visit with either the Cherryblossoms in April or Autumn in early November for a colour sensation.Also try out the Capsule hotel and local bath..Love it...

Monty Dog

I spent a week there about 10 years ago, including Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Sapporo. Luckily I was on business, or would have come back very poor - I found one of Tokyo's high-end bike shops with it's eye-watering prices - particularly second hand Colnagos - and didn't fancy riding around the city streets. Watched one guy go round and round the Emperor's Palace one Sunday afternoon - not really my idea of a good ride. Biking around Hokkaido would be pretty special though, through the mountains and around the lakes.

pottssteve

jc4lab wrote:

A great place where you can use the bike too..You can hire bikes at the Station in most towns..about £5- £10 a day ...Highly recommend you time your visit with either the Cherryblossoms in April or Autumn in early November for a colour sensation.Also try out the Capsule hotel and local bath..Love it...

Indeed,
Lots of Cannondales, Louis Garneau, Felt, Trek, Giant and other makes, all hanging around waiting to be used. Nice and flat - a fixie paradise. Got a few photos of bikes.

passout

The mountains around Kyoto were pretty challenging! I used my shopper most the time - loved it!

Biscuiteer

So, how was the Hot Cheese Fish Sausage then?

Fru T Bunn

Wow! That train was nothing like the c##p I have to go on every day. It look clean and it was moving!

pottssteve

Biscuiteer wrote:

So, how was the Hot Cheese Fish Sausage then?

Yeah, that is available here in Hong Kong. I haven't eaten it yet; I've not been hungry enough!

The Shinkansen was fantastic. The ticket chap bows to the customers when he enters the carriage :shock: Can you imagine that in the UK? We were on the platfom for about 10 minutes and 3 bullets passed us, doing about 250km/hr - cool 8)

Le Commentateur

passout wrote:

The mountains around Kyoto were pretty challenging! I used my shopper most the time - loved it!

I did some riding around Sagano/Arashiyama one time I was staying there. Lovely once you get out of the city, the only problem was navigation.

pottssteve

I saw a couple of guys on shiny racers around the Hakone region.

It would be fantastic to ride up the side of Mt Fuji - it rises from about 900m above sea level to 2500m. Fantastic views but it was blowing a gale up at the 5th Station and was around 0 degrees. :shock: I'd love to go back and ride around that area, but I suspect I'll need to learn more than my current 3 words of Japanese...

passout

Le Commentateur wrote:

passout wrote:

The mountains around Kyoto were pretty challenging! I used my shopper most the time - loved it!

I did some riding around Sagano/Arashiyama one time I was staying there. Lovely once you get out of the city, the only problem was navigation.

I've ridden arouns there too - lovely. North Kyoto (Kita Ku) is great.

jc4lab

At Fuji you can hire bikes at a car rental place near the station...Not Hakone..the other one ..As you pedal closer and closer and the roads become steeper and steeper you realise Fuji is best seen from a far...Theres Bike hire at many of the nearby hostels if you stay in one..I think the roads which surround it full circle would take about 120KM to complete,probably more thanb a days ride...

jos2thehua

Cool pictures and nice bullet train video. I've always wanted to visit Japan but at the current age and the current situation I'm in I don't really have any excuse to go. I was actually hoping that the 2016 Olympics would be hosted in Tokyo so I hate a legitimate reason to shell out a few thousand to go, but I guess I'll have to let the years develop another one.

pottssteve

Passout,
Were you teaching in Japan?

passout

Yes, I was teaching (TEFL) from around 1997-2000 with the, now defunct, NOVA chain of schools. I did stay a bit too long in some ways but it was a great experience.

pottssteve

passout wrote:

Yes, I was teaching (TEFL) from around 1997-2000 with the, now defunct, NOVA chain of schools. I did stay a bit too long in some ways but it was a great experience.

Cool!
I'm teaching in HK at present but may move in a couple of years. Japan's a possibility - what was the money like, if you don't mind my asking?

passout

When I started it was a bit low but is soon increased. Having additional private students really helped - I managed to save enough for a deposit on a house in the UK. Some mates, who went out all the time, didn't save much at all. The exchange rates varied a good deal in that time too. But overall it was pretty good (£17-23k) I seem to remember, without high paying extra students. I can't remember in Yen, which would be more useful to be honest; also things may have changed. I like the island of Kyshu (excuse spelling)if you want it laid back. If you want a decent ex pat community I'd stick to the bigger cities. For the full on culture experience and some amazing festivals (eg Gion Matsuri) & Temples it has to be the Kyoto area though - it's a really special city. I visited HK a couple of times while I was out there - I liked it. In many ways Japan is less Westernised though - not always a good thing if you living there!

pottssteve

Thanks for the info, Passout.
I'll keep my eyes open for vacancies...
Steve

Le Commentateur

Yes, it depends a lot on where you will be teaching and how long you plan to stay there. People who stay long-term (e.g. because they got married) often find they have no better security of tenure compared to short-stay teachers.

Other hassels (and some amusing stories, like 'Accents' further down): http://teach.3yen.com/

passout

Interesting blog link. I lucked out with my NOVA accommodation - I think that they undercharged me for 3 years! NOVA did represent 'Mc English' & it was poor quality a lot of the time but I got promoted to Assistant Trainer & enjoyed my role. Anyway they are gone now. The best places to work are the Universities, state run schools & British Council. Although for me location was more important than the type of teaching establishment. The comment about security of tenure is absolutely true but I was only ever a long term tourist really!

Pottsteve - how are you finding HK? Where are you working?

pottssteve

passout wrote:

Interesting blog link. I lucked out with my NOVA accommodation - I think that they undercharged me for 3 years! NOVA did represent 'Mc English' & it was poor quality a lot of the time but I got promoted to Assistant Trainer & enjoyed my role. Anyway they are gone now. The best places to work are the Universities, state run schools & British Council. Although for me location was more important than the type of teaching establishment. The comment about security of tenure is absolutely true but I was only ever a long term tourist really!

Pottsteve - how are you finding HK? Where are you working?

I've been here for 2 years now.I was also here for a year on "holiday" 10 years ago. I like HK but the pace of life, pollution, noise, humidity etc. can be a pain. This time of year is great though - lovely cool mornings and sunny days - perfect cycling weather. There are some great climbs but it's a shame that the traffic is pretty horrendous so I ride early mornings and am home by 9am most of the time. I'd love to do longer rides but the hassle's not worth it. I'm working at an international school - are you looking for a job?!

Steve

passout

Thanks but I'm pretty settled in the UK now - wife, kids, black lab etc!

I can imagine that cycling in HK has its challenges.

pottssteve

passout wrote:

Thanks but I'm pretty settled in the UK now - wife, kids, black lab etc!

I can imagine that cycling in HK has its challenges.

You can say that again! Most of the local Cantonese appear to be deaf and blind, the expats drive badly 'cos they can get away with it, and there are more mainland Chinese coming over the border where they continue the free for all that exists there... :roll: