[eclectix 1st]

RKB

you beat me to this thread. Guess I was lazy.

For Indian Stores / spices & good ol MTR stuff, go to the Asian Market in Ueno. (Be warned: Its quite smelly as there is a fish market & a few korean restaurants around)

One advantage I had on you was I am non veg & enjoy local cuisine to the hilt.

cheers:

[planet_rocker]

is that a R32 beside the BMW?

nice pics RK.

[PankajP]

Rajeev. Really a great article.

I will be looking forward to the updates.

[Sam Kapasi]

A very nice interesting thread. Keep it coming RK.

[supremeBaleno]

Nice travelogue.

Nice thing you did by getting the Suica card. You can use it at stores on the railway station to buy softdrinks, cigarettes etc like a Debit Card.

For food options, try out the rice-curry shops (like Coco-Ichi chain) which serve rice and your choice of curry (egg, beef, chicken, veg etc - some 20 odd options). Nice food and decently priced too. Would be around 600Yen or so. What you pay depends on (see pics) :
1. Amount of rice you order for - base is 200gm IIRC.
2. The curry you order - veg will be cheapest.
3. The spice-level you want. More the spice, a little higher the cost.








I loved it.

For a non-vegetarian, Japan is food-heaven. You get all types of cuisine here - Indian, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Brazilian, etc - you name it, they have it. And you get some decently priced, nice sandwiches at the small department store chains there like Lawson, Natural Lawson, 7-11 etc.

You also have options like Shaabu-Shaabu and Jingisukan which are basically cuisines where you go to a restaurant, they give you all the raw materials and you cook your own food at the table itself. Quite interesting. Check out the link Jingisukan for details.

In short, you need to explore and you will find it.

I even came across a small Indian joint run by some Nepalese and man there naans were really big. I could not eat one of them. Decently priced too.

Originally Posted by rkbharat

But yes, Japan is not English people friendly at all, and they do not care about it.

Aah, that is a strong statement. Most people might not speak English, but all public places (airports, train stations etc) have clear signboards in English. I am sure an Indian would find it easy here than in an Indian state whose local lingo he does not know.

The Japanese are a courteous race and meticulous about details. And the levels they go to to help the physically-challenged is just mind boggling. Special pathways (with bumps) run all over the city and in metro stations which will guide a blind person accurately. Same goes for audio signals at pedestrian crossings. On my first visit, I would hear this brid making a noise at traffic signals and would look out for the bird. Took some time to figure out that it is an audio indicator for blind people to cross the road.

Easily the safest city in the world and one of the best places (other than India ofcourse) to live in. Cost be damned. I have a couple of American colleagues who are planning to spend retirement in Japan.

And before I forget, don't miss the fun at the Karaoke bars. Good if you can sing to the music (100Yen per song). And even if you can't its fun spending weekend nights there.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

And some more pictures of the trains (if you have) from the inside would be nice.

Some pics of the metro trains







And interiors of the Shinkansen (Bullet train).




Some Japanese girls in a Shinkansen. Real cute they are.


The Shinkansen itself.

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Any chance was it from Oimachi? or its also from Hakozaki?

Its Hakozaki.

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

@rkb>I really appreciate you taking the time out to share so much considering that you are busy trying to adjust and get set there all the while.

Also appreciate if you can write a bit about the japanese way of life from your perspective and more travel tips on local transportation options for tourists and the best ways to get around seeing Japan.
J

jay. thanks buddy, Transportation will be a complete post with some supporting pictures.

Originally Posted by vezj420

Hi RK....must say, this is a good thread so far. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have to admit you're not doing too bad there at all! I know some Indians (esp. vegetarians) in your place who would have come back on the 2nd or 3rd day itself!

Given the option, I would have come back on 3rd day

Originally Posted by eclectix 1st

RKB

you beat me to this thread. Guess I was lazy.

For Indian Stores / spices & good ol MTR stuff, go to the Asian Market in Ueno. (Be warned: Its quite smelly as there is a fish market & a few korean restaurants around)

Actually I am not missing the spices that much. But still Ueno is in list, specially biggest fish market.

Originally Posted by planet_rocker

is that a R32 beside the BMW?
nice pics RK.

Thanks rocker, no idea about the car, I guess, moto experts can answer that

Originally Posted by PankajP

Rajeev. Really a great article.

Thanks Pankaj

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

A very nice interesting thread. Keep it coming RK.

Thanks Sam

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Nice travelogue.

Nice thing you did by getting the Suica card. You can use it at stores on the railway station to buy softdrinks, cigarettes etc like a Debit Card.

Aah, that is a strong statement. Most people might not speak English, but all public places (airports, train stations etc) have clear signboards in English. I am sure an Indian would find it easy here than in an Indian state whose local lingo he does not know.

SUICA or PASMO cards are really good, specially if you miss the station and want to come back. so no need to buy another ticket, it will be automatically deducted from the card. Just keep checking the charge in it.

Regarding the signboards in trains/stations in english, its only true in big cities like Tokyo, Osaka etc. As move out of city, none of the trains have display in english, and the most worst part happened to me this saturday. I was waiting for a train, in a place called Gotemba to Kozu and then they announced something and then I saw lots of movements.

I asked 10 people and some of the school students told me that due to thunder storm our trains direction has changed, so the train on the otherside will now go.

But no annoucement in english.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Some pics of the metro trains

very nice pics

[Ram]

rkbharat:

A very interesting thread.

Got me lost in thought, about how things were a bit different twelve years ago, when I had been to Japan.

Wrote my experiences here: Japan

Comments?

Ram

[csentil]

Great thread. Nice and very earthy travelogue if you get what I mean. I've heard a lot about how our folks have suffered in Japan due to food problems.

I just look at Japan with awe for what they have done. In 60+ yrs after WWII they have gone to be one of the biggest economic superpowers in the world. They are extremely hardworking people and the results are there to see. I don't want to compare India and Japan, but just can't help but wonder at the difference in 60 years since Independence.

Yeah Japanese electronics are probably cheaper everywhere other than Japan !! :-)

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by csentil

Yeah Japanese electronics are probably cheaper everywhere other than Japan !! :-)

Thats because of the higher labour cost and rental area per sqm. I guess if it was this need that made them think about automatic vending machines for almost everything.

[maddy42]

Great thread RK. Just loved your experience and you helped me gain an insight on this place. Was drawn to this country after tokyo drift!!! So anything about cars will help plz

[snaronikar]

Nice thread and pics RK. Been to Japan (Nagoya) couple of years ago for a training from my company. Nice people and caring. Though they do not know english, they try to give you directions if asked for. Railway Stations & Trains, they are spic and span. The trains stop only on to the marked place for doors. For travelling in metros, I bought a ticket called "ichimichi ticket". It is valid for the one whole day and you can travel in any of the metro trains (there were 4 operators). Went to Toyota Jidosha and many sourrounding places during that time and man, that was a super. The cars they have kept there were ranging fromt he first car manufctured by toyota till the recent ones. Overall that was a nice experience.

Just refreshed my memories from your thread. Thanks for sharing. :-)

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

For travelling in metros, I bought a ticket called "ichimichi ticket". It is valid for the one whole day and you can travel in any of the metro trains (there were 4 operators).

Near perfect. Its "Ichi-nichi", meaning "one-day". This thread has really made every one to bring back their memories in Japan

I see so many people in this thread have visited Japan, and if not this thread, I would not have known so many faces.

[ashran2]

Thanks a lot for posting this thread really brings back lot of memories we spent 3 years in japan when i was 16 until 19 and i loved everysingle day of my stay in that crazy country. Since then i have travelled a lot and seen many countries but none have impressed me or left such strong impression as Japan. I have now visited Japan several times but my first stay is still my favourite and most memorable one.

We stayed in Chiba prefecture in a town called Tsudanuma and i used to study in english private school in Tokyo ofcourse travelling by Sobu line

I can highly recommend visiting Chiba city and a visit to Makuhari Messe, Chiba City is a must.

If you need any information of what to see and look around in Japan and ofcourse other stuff just ask.

Hope you have a lovely stay in Japan like we had.

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Near perfect. Its "Ichi-nichi", meaning "one-day". This thread has really made every one to bring back their memories in Japan

I stand corrected, thanks mj.