[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by Ram

rkbharat:

A very interesting thread.
Ram

Thanks Ram

Originally Posted by 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.

Thanks sentil, yes they have done tremendous job in taking there country that high

Originally Posted by 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

Thanks, glad that it helped

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Nice thread and pics RK.

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

Thanks snaronikar, btw Suica/Pasmo cards are also very good option

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

wow

Originally Posted by ashran2

Thanks a lot for posting this thread really brings back lot of memories we spent 3 years in japan
Hope you have a lovely stay in Japan like we had.

Bad that I did not posted about my trip bit early. as usual best help is here in Team-bhp.

[rkbharat]

Just testing my new camera.

BTW I forgot to tell, booze is cheapest here and very good quality, so three cheers cheers:. see the last 2 pics. Beer is cheaper than water.

[Thad E Ginathom]

If you drink alcohol, how do you get on with the saki?

Even though I've barely sipped any booze for three years, I think a bottle of fine-quality, chilled saki would tempt me

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by rkbharat

booze is cheapest here and very good quality. Beer is cheaper than water.

Wow. I wonder when its gonna be the same here. And the variety is also impressive. *drool*

[snaronikar]

You get these type of beer in road side vending machines. That's the best part and my favourite was "Aasahi".

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

You get these type of beer in road side vending machines. That's the best part and my favourite was "Aasahi".

Srini, did you tired Nama-beru
Thats the best chilled beer I like in Japan. (Basically its draught beer.)

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Srini, did you tired Nama-beru
Thats the best chilled beer I like in Japan. (Basically its draught beer.)

Nope. I was satisfied with the taste of Asahi.

[X-Machine]

Hi rkbharat,
Great to know you are working with IBM, Japan. A few tips from my end:

1) Do NOT miss out on Roppongi. Its a party heaven, popularly know as the Vegas of Japan. One can find various restaurants, bars, casinos, strip clubs, etc etc. This place come alive only after 11pm. but the real party starts after 1am and continues till the wee hours of morning (6am).

2) Try getting your way to Akasaka, Shinjuku and Shibiya. You will come across various Indian restaurants like Devi Fusion, Great Punjab, Siddique, Moti Mahal etc etc.

3) Japanese survive on 'La-men', which is basically a huge bowl consisting of soup & noodles available with various add-ons and options. Its the most economical meal one can get. Prices range from Yen 350-1200.

4) As you have been around for some time now, i am sure you must have visited Akhihabara - The Electronics Paradise. If you haven't already, make sure you take some time off and go there this weekend.

5) Also try and visit Odaiba. Its a good 45 mins from where you are located, but worth the exercise. This place is known for its Auto modifications, Auto shops etc etc. Head to this store called 'Autobacs' and take a stroll around the parking lot. Be rest assured to spot innumerable modded cars.

6) Shopping tip: If you have enough summer wear with you, please wait for winter to begin. The discount amounts range upto 90% on summer wear. Thats the best time to stack yourself up. Same goes for winter. Visit this store called 'Don Quixote', pronounced 'Donkey Hote' for great bargains on clothes, shoes, automobile stuff, furniture etc etc. It is a very popular chain.

7) Ginza is the most sought after fashion district in Japan. The best brands are available here. Very expensive, but great experience as you come across the most fashionable Japanese chicks here.


All the best. Enjoy yourself.

X

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by X-Machine

4) As you have been around for some time now, i am sure you must have visited Akhihabara - The Electronics Paradise. If you haven't already, make sure you take some time off and go there this weekend.

rkbharat, 4 things to remember while you are here shopping for electronic stuff, cameras etc.

1) Do your homework beforehand. First checkout the product you want to buy at the stores near your place (like Yodobashi camera, Bic Camera etc), get their best price etc. Only then proceed to Akhihabara.

2) Do not hesitate to bargain at Akhihabara - just like back home in India. It is not considered odd.

3) And main thing, remember to keep your passport with you, because it will get you a sizeable reduction in price. Taxes will be waived off because you would be taking the product out of Japan. Sort of like the VAT exemption you get when buying products in EU and taking them out (re-export).

4) Remember that the International version (English GUI, manual etc) is usually costlier than the Japanese version. However, with some products like FujiFilm cameras, there is an option to set the GUI language to English, which leaves only the manuals, which you can anyway download from the net. In which case, it makes sense to buy the local version at cheaper price.

And if you want to buy novel but economical gifts for people back home, there is no place like the Oriental Bazaar at Harajuku. You get nice framed Japanese pictures, T-shirts and lots more there. Highly recommended. I can never tire of shopping there.

Originally Posted by mjothi

did you tired Nama-beru. Thats the best chilled beer I like in Japan.

hey, that sounds like a drink in Tamilnadu - Namma beer.

Man, I miss Japan.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

2) Do not hesitate to bargain at Akhihabara - just like back home in India. It is not considered odd.

Yes. If you go with normal shops, then you can bargain much better. Also, do check with your Japanese counter part to know the discounts hapening. Most of the sites are in japanese and up-to-date. They will tell you the shop with the name for the item you want, which is cheapest.

I got my Laptop Toshiba TX67c for 116000Yen, in one shop when the normal price of that was around 130000+. Same with the canon digi cam I got.

So, before shoping electronics item, do consult with your Japanese friends.

hey, that sounds like a drink in Tamilnadu - Namma beer.

That is one reason the name is still in my memory. Lol...

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

If you drink alcohol, how do you get on with the saki?

SAD I don't take hard drinks, No Smoke, no Non-veg, and you need all these to make good relationship with japanese. But japanese are very impressed with me. may be thinking how do I live

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Wow. I wonder when its gonna be the same here. And the variety is also impressive. *drool*

Originally Posted by snaronikar

You get these type of beer in road side vending machines. That's the best part and my favourite was "Aasahi".

Not any more dear, for beer and cigarette now you have a TAPSO card, issued by government for age verfication, you have use that card to buy beer and tobacco products.

Originally Posted by X-Machine

Hi rkbharat,

1) Do NOT miss out on Roppongi. Its a party heaven, popularly know as the Vegas of Japan. One can find various restaurants, bars, casinos, strip clubs, etc etc. This place come alive only after 11pm. but the real party starts after 1am and continues till the wee hours of morning (6am).

I spend my all Friday nights in Roppongi discs, very lively place and more english speaking people

2) Try getting your way to Akasaka, Shinjuku and Shibiya. You will come across various Indian restaurants like Devi Fusion, Great Punjab, Siddique, Moti Mahal etc etc.

Except Shinjuku and Ginza, I have covered all. tried Devi, but not very good food

4) As you have been around for some time now, i am sure you must have visited Akhihabara - The Electronics Paradise. If you haven't already, make sure you take some time off and go there this weekend.

Goes there every weekend, Its my heaven in Japan, as I more into gadgets and boys toys. Just came back from there to get my boss a new camera. He bought the same one I bought last weekend. Olympus SP560UZ, for just 26000 Yen, Approx 10000 Rs

5) Also try and visit Odaiba. Its a good 45 mins from where you are located, but worth the exercise. This place is known for its Auto modifications, Auto shops etc etc. Head to this store called 'Autobacs' and take a stroll around the parking lot. Be rest assured to spot innumerable modded cars.

went to Odiba and beach area two weeks back, but was not aware of the Autobacs, can go there again, its very near to Shinagawa


7) Ginza is the most sought after fashion district in Japan. The best brands are available here. Very expensive, but great experience as you come across the most fashionable Japanese chicks here.

Yes Ginza is pending

Thanks X-Machine.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

rkbharat, 4 things to remember while you are here shopping for electronic stuff, cameras etc.

1) Do your homework beforehand. First checkout the product you want to buy at the stores near your place (like Yodobashi camera, Bic Camera etc), get their best price etc. Only then proceed to Akhihabara.

I have visited, Yodabashi, Bic Camera, Labi, and local shops in Akihabara and Yokahama and best deals are in Labi.

Please see my posts in Camera thread, I have posted the pics of the camera


And if you want to buy novel but economical gifts for people back home, there is no place like the Oriental Bazaar at Harajuku. You get nice framed Japanese pictures, T-shirts and lots more there. Highly recommended. I can never tire of shopping there.

Man, I miss Japan.
MAN, I MISSING INDIA, no matter if its no where near Japan, but it is best

Thanks for the point supremeBaleno.

Originally Posted by mjothi

So, before shoping electronics item, do consult with your Japanese friends.

Thanks for suggestion mjothi

[Mpower]

Send pics of your hotel room. I am always impressed by how compact living spaces are in Japan.

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Some pics of the metro trains

And interiors of the Shinkansen (Bullet train).

The Shinkansen itself.

Thanks SB. Nice pictures of the Bullet trains and the interiors.

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

Yes, they sure are.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Send pics of your hotel room. I am always impressed by how compact living spaces are in Japan.

Well, the capsule hotels mentioned earlier on in this thread are one extreme. However, the rooms at the Hilton Tokyo @ Shinjuku where I stayed are comparable in size to the rooms I stayed in in the US or Belgium and even better in terms of quality. Some random snaps of the rooms @ Hilton :






Ofcourse when we went out of Tokyo to smaller towns like Tono, Yonago etc, the rooms did become smaller, but still not that bad.

A view from my room of the tennis court on the 5th Floor of the hotel.



The network of subways connecting metro stations with other places is just amazing. At some stations, there are 2-3 levels below ground level that are like a city of their own. I forget the number of times I got lost in that maze. From the Hilton, we can reach the metro station directly via the subway itself without stepping out of the hotel - useful when it rains.


A nearby building with a helipad on top :


And one amazing thing is their loos. Man, the electronics that goes into a WC might be easily more than that in a automatic washing machine or so. And makes life so convenient too. A snap of the controls :

[jassi]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

And one amazing thing is their loos. Man, the electronics that goes into a WC might be easily more than that in a automatic washing machine or so. And makes life so convenient too. A snap of the controls :
Attachment 38351

can you explain the function of those buttons hehe just kidding no need!!